Stamford Living April 2013

H e l p i n g y o u t o g e t t h e m o s t o u t o f l i v i n g LO C A LLY

STAMFORD LIVING It’s official Stamford is…

The Sunday Times

Best Place

to Live in

Britain

Stamford came top out of 101 shortlisted towns & cities surveyed by The Sunday Times in March 2013 • Friendly people & strong community • Beautiful architecture & countryside • Thriving schools and colleges • Inspirational independent shops & services • Great establishments to eat & drink in

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S TA M FOR D LIVING

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Stamford recently came top out of 101 shortlisted towns & cities surveyed by The Sunday Times in March to find the Best Place to Live in Britain. The best as defined by the ‘hard data’ on crime statistics, school performance, life expectancy and house prices. But also the ‘soft data’ gleaned by Sunday Times writers dotted across Britain based on their feel of a place and the sense of community.

Stamford was particularly cited for its meadows, the gorgeous Georgian High St, the train connections, the countryside around; and in particular ‘having all the charm of the Cotswolds…without the snobs.’

I feel indebted to all the folk over the years who have helped make Stamford what it is today. And going forward, hopefully all of us can do our bit to keep it that way – keeping the high street busy, looking after the fabric of the town and embracing & supporting the community.

Talking of which…

There is an Easter Egg Hunt around Stamford shops from Friday 29th March to Monday 15th April.

The event is part of the fundraising goal of raising £10,000 in memory of Oliver Scholes who passed away last year, aged just 2 years. All money will be going to the Histiocytosis Research Trust. All the information can be found on www.10kForOlly.co.uk

Nicholas Rudd-Jones Editor

@LocalLivingUK Editor Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Write to Stamford Living, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY www.bestlocallivingliving.co.uk Advertisement Manager Claudia Bayley 01780 480409 claudia.bayley@btinternet.com Advertisement Director Helen Walton 01780 754801 helen.stamford@btopenworld.com Advertising Copy Rachel Beecroft 01780 765320 rachel@locallivingdesign.co.uk Head of Design Steven Handley steve@locallivingdesign.co.uk Senior Designer Nik Ellis nik@locallivingdesign.co.uk Publisher Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Published by Local Living Ltd, PO Box 208, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 9FY nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Printed by Warners of Bourne

Tel 01780 754829

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UPDATES, SHOPPING

The Best Place to Live in Britain – HERE!

www.sukiespartyemporium.co.uk

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Updates: Robert Loomes, official timekeeper; The Lexington Spring Collection at H-Works; Hillsbrooke Charity Bike Ride; North Shoes Award; Target Fitness

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Fashion: The latest looks for spring & summer Health & Beauty Updates: Asembo launches; Flawless Faces expands; Rosemary Conley Health & Beauty: making your tan last longer Health & Beauty: New Life – pregnancy & babies Health & Beauty: Pilates, with Jacqui Knox

HOME, GARDEN, MOTORING AND TRAVEL

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21 COPTHILL - SMALL BEGINNINGS

Travel: Mauritius Home: Freshen up your home for longer days Home: The Fitted Furniture Company

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Olive Branch recipe Food & Drink: The Great British Breakfast Eating Out: The Fat Turk; The White Horse in Empingham Food & Drink: Indian inspirations in the Belgrave Rd, Leicester

ACTIVITIES, LEARNING & BUSINESS

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Learning Updates: The Ark Nursery Forest School; SES physiotherapy services; Iaski app 31 LOCAL LIVING BUSINESS AWARDS Learning: Copthill – Small beginnings Learning: The benefits of Music Explorers Business: How Tax Efficient are you?

The Local Living Business Awards: Sponsors, winners & runners-up Sport: Local News Great Days Out: A Day Out in Leicester 44 A DAY OUT IN LEICESTER What’s On Helping y ou to ge t tHe mo st out of living lo C A l ly

STAMFORD LIVING

PEOPLE & PLACES

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Ask Leo Special: Lost Country Houses Stamford people: Adam Frost, garden designer 62 ADAM FROST

It’s offIcIal Stamford iS… The Sunday Tim eS

Best

Place to Liv e in

BrItaIn

Stamford came surveyed by Thetop out of 101 shortlisted town Sunday in March 2013 s & cities

Times • friendly people & • Beautiful archite strong community • thriving school cture & countryside s and colleges • Inspirational indepe • Great establishmen ndent shops & services ts to eat & drink in SLAPRILCOVER

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COVER: CUT IT OUT AND DISPLAY IN YOUR SHOP WINDOW

Licenced for Civil Marriages and Partnerships Private parties in our Theatre Lounge

S TA M F O R D C O R N E X C H A N G E T H E AT R E

Everything for your “Special Event” all under one roof

www.stamford-corn-exchange.co.uk

Contact Box Office 01780 766455

T H E C O R N E X C H A N G E , B R O A D S T R E E T, S TA M F O R D , L I N C S P E 9 1 P X STAMFORD Living APRIL 2013

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Fas hion Ins id er

Black and white is hot Much to everyone’s relief a new braver colour palette is emerging Monochrome with a pop of colour such as we haven’t seen for years... pinks of every hue and neon. Sally Stillingfleet banishes the blues with monochrome’s pared down simplicity, the building blocks of many new outfits Sleeveless white shirt £40 and black slim jacquard trousers £60 both Esprit from Attic. Aztec Maison Scotch jacket £160 from Energy.

Natural coloured Gabor brogues £95 from Marcia May Shoes.

Neon Maison Scotch knit £98 Pepe “New Brooke’ jeans £90 Armistice lace-up shoes £45 all from Energy

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Fluffy polka dot sweater £24 from Baubles and Bangles. BZR pink cropped jeans £95 scarf £45 both from Attic. Dotty brogues £129.00 from Marcia May Shoes Sarah (right) wears Collarless shirt £40 and Esprit jacquard trousers £60 both from Attic with Christian Laboutains £190

Felicity (left) ‘A’ line vest £35, Pearl jacket £95 and cream linen scarf £50 all American Vintage from Attic.

Striped leggings £17.50 from So, Gucci patent wedges £90 from Arch Label Agency. Sarah wears Black and cream printed shift dress £60 from Seaweed.

Maud Frizon low courts £70 from Arch Label Agency A big thank you to Sarah and Felicity for modeling. Thanks also to Faith (Perch & Preen) for doing the make-up.

Tel. 01572 755096

Hair by Paula Wan www.paulawan.co.uk Photography: www.ellideanphotography.co.uk

Clothes credits: Arch Label Agency – 10a Maiden Lane. Tel: 01780 764746 Attic – 33 St. Mary’s Street. Tel: 01780 766667 Baubles & Bangles – 10 St. Mary’s Hill. Tel: 01780 763633 Energy – 9 Ironmonger Street. Tel: 01780 765633 Marcia May Shoes – 41 St. Mary’s St. Tel: 01780 766608 So – 7 Ironmonger Street, Stamford. Tel: 01780 480777 Seaweed – 8 St.Mary’s Hill, Stamford. Tel: 01780 767878

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H EA LTH & BEA UTY UPDAT E S

Spring into Shape with local Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs

Asembo Asembo is set to change the face of Health & Beauty in Stamford with a stunning contemporary design and layout which most certainly has the ‘wow factor’.

Asembo has opened at the end of St Leonard’s St in the old Daniel Lambert pub. The building has been comprehensively modernised and is an inspiration from top to bottom. The ground floor is devoted to hairdressing, with a stunning reception area and seven styling seats. Next door is the washing area, with state of the art reclining seats. Downstairs are two treatment rooms and also another waiting room.

What sets the place apart is the modern design, masterminded by NGI Designs. The picture speaks for itself.

The team behind Asembo have more than 50 years experience between them and will be well known to many Stamfordians. The whole business is led by Natasha Parker (whose grandfather’s name was Asembo, from the village of the same name in Kenya).

The hairdressing team comprises Tasha, Diane, Lisa and Charlie. The beauty treatments team comprises Becca and Jamie, both experienced therapists.

Exclusive brands include ESPA treatments and Red Ken colour and shampoo. Men are also especially catered for in the salon with facials, massages and the Baxters of California range.

Natasha told SL: “We have tried to create a mini-spa feel that will be a destination for our customers, a place to come and escape from the world and relax. An experience that people will really feel it’s worth spending their hard-earned money on.”

• Asembo, 20 St Leonard’s St, Stamford, PE9 2HN Tel: 01780 675337 www.asembo.co.uk

A newly qualified stylist at Browns Browns pride themselves on training young recruits - and Rosa Hubbard, who has recently graduated to a full stylist position, is a shining example of this. She joined the business some eighteen months ago from school and is now fully qualified. Her style is modern and contemporary and she is offering cuts at the special introductory rate of £17 and colour at £60 • To book an appointment, call 0844 999 33 65

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Flawless Faces Neeta M, who has run Flawless Faces Health & Beauty for several years, has now moved above Browns in Red Lion Square and, whilst separate businesses, they will be sharing marketing resources and be able to offer their clients a broad range of services.

Neeta is a very experienced therapist well known in the region, and she has now been joined

by Jade on the beauty side and Rebecca on the therapy side, both with considerable experience in their respective fields.

They work with the top brands on an exclusive basis, including Decleor for face and body treatments, MAC make-up artist and Jessica for manicures and pedicures. They also offer eyebrow threading, spray tans holistic treatments including massages and Hopi ear candles.

• To book an appointment, call 0844 999 3365 Flawless Faces, 3 Red Lion Sq, Stamford, PE9 2A www.flawlessfaces.co.uk

Do you dream of getting fitter, healthier & trimmer? If so your local Rosemary Conley classes could be the jump start you need to get in shape, to give you a spring boost!

Deborah Rolfe runs 10 classes throughout the Stamford, Bourne and Oundle area and has been helping members to slim down and shape up. Since January many of her members have lost 2 stone, with many more just about to hit their target.

“It’s amazing what you can achieve with a little help and support. We encourage each other’s progress and we are there for each other when support is needed,” says Deborah.

“I have a job that I love and I am trying to help people to achieve their goals, and hopefully change their lives for the better too.

The exercise sessions are adapted to suit any ability, so even people who have not exercised before can join in and enjoy the fun.”

The cost of joining a Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Club is just £10 for a membership pack, which includes a copy of Rosemary Conley’s Fat Attack Booster (F.A.B) Diet along with a set of Portion Pots®, an Introductory DVD explaining the F.A.B Diet and a Rosemary Conley Magic Measure® which shows dieters how many inches they lose as they progress on the diet.

Adds Rosemary Conley: “In trials, dieters lost an average of a stone in 28 days and if you stick to the F.A.B diet and exercise plan, you will be truly amazed at your rate of progress.”

The weekly class fee costs £5.95 and members receive a consultation and weighin with the class instructor, a 5-minute motivational and informative talk plus a 45-minute workout session.

• Deborah Rolfe runs 10 weekly classes at various venues throughout Stamford, Bourne and Oundle For more details, contact Deborah on 07775 431059 or visit the website at www.rosemaryconley.com Find out what happens at a Rosemary Conley class on Rosemary’s free internet TV channel by logging onto www. rosemaryconley.tv/class

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Hosting ‘Decorating Trends’ Event

An inspiring talk followed by a storyboard presentation and workshop Thursday 25 April 10am to 1pm Tickets £35.00

www.activecamping.com open

Come and see our new tent display

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Anti pasti lunch will be served by l l

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Tents Sleeping bags Sleep mats Cookware l

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Waterproofs Wellieboots for all the family l

Visit our shop in barnack Active Camping at Barnack Country Clothes & Wellieboots.com

Barnack, Stamford. PE9 3DY tel: 01780 740115 2 miles from Burghley House Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am -4pm, Sun 11am -3pm

We look for ward to seeing you.

27 Mill Street & 1 South Street Oakham Rutland LE15 6EA Telephone 01572 722345 showroom@elizabethstanhope.co.uk www.elizabethstanhope.co.uk 7

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HEA LTH & BE AUT Y

Health and Beauty Master Class Genevieve Potter has all of the answers to some of your most common beauty questions

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I am in my early forties, but I still suffer from break outs. Topical acne creams don’t seem to work and it’s making me miserable!

Sadly it’s not just teenagers who suffer from acne.

You can help your skin from the inside by avoiding sugar and processed, refined foods, caffeine, fizzy drinks and alcohol and instead eating a diet that’s organic where possible and rich in colourful vegetables and fruit, nuts and lean protein.

Enlisting the help of a professional therapist and adding a great home skincare regime is the next step.

I would recommend a course of md formulations facials at Emma Cannings. md is a clinically developed range of products with ingredients which include the hard-hitters of the beauty world; Alpha and Beta Hydroxy acids, pure Retinol vitamin A and antioxidant vitamins C & E. Best results are achieved when you also use the products at home.

You can book in for a free, 15-minute consultation and the 75-minute md prescription facial is £50 (peels start from £35).

Agera at Maples is an alternative solution, which is also proven to dramatically improve acne-prone skin. The products are non-irritating and unlike peels of old, there is no down-time from skin shedding. It costs £49 for a peel only, or for super-fast results, including a session of microdermabrasion for £66.

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I love how my hair looks when I have it coloured, but it seems to fade after five or six washes – how can I make the colour last?

Mass market shampoo brands often contain a very high proportion of laureth sulphate, which is a “soapy” ingredient, similar to those used in household detergents; so it’s easy to see why hair gets stripped of colour. It’s worth spending more on a good shampoo with naturally derived ingredients, to nourish and protect your hair.

Jayne Chandler of Gerards is the exclusive stockist of Aveda in Stamford and recommends the Colour Conserve range – starting from £4.75 for the shampoo, the products lock in colour, drenching each strand in natural sunflower and jojoba oils to nourish and deliver exceptional shine.

I like the idea of a spray tan, but am worried it will look blotchy and orange – how do I ensure it looks natural?

Xen tan is my brand of choice, because it delivers the most natural, long-lasting colour.

Lauren from Essence of Beauty is a fake tan expert and the salon offers Xen tan spray tans for £20.

She also has the following tips: • Exfoliate thoroughly the night before your spray tan with an oil-free product like Xen tan daily scrub (£15) • Don’t use perfume, deodorant, body lotion or any other products before your spray tan • It’s best to have your tan applied at the end of the day and wear dark, baggy clothes to go home in • Wait at least 6-8 hours for your tan to develop and then have a warm (not hot) shower to remove the excess • Use an oil-free lotion like Xen tan transform luxe (£25) to make the colour last

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I want my feet to look good for spring, but can’t face wearing flip flops after a pedicure when the weather is still so cold – is there a solution?

Jessica Geleration Gel polish, available at Maples, delivers a perfectly flawless finish which is just like a regular pedicure but uses a UV lamp and is immediately dry, allowing you to slip straight into your usual footwear, (£40 for full Geleration pedicure or £24 for a file and Geleration).

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I want a facial that gets rid of wrinkles and lines; I am nervous of Botox injections, but I want results; is there any real alternative?

Renaissance has introduced Advanced Skin Technolgies’ Meso-Btox, which is the ‘no needles’ option.

Meso-Btox uses ultra-sound to deliver skin plumping ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, (a naturally occurring protein that diminishes as we age), through the dermal layers of the skin, delivering instantly visible results.

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STAMFORD LIVING

OFFER

The one-hour treatments cost £65, but for the month of April there is 10% off when you mention Stamford Living at the time of booking.

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top layer of the skin’s surface – vital when you have been exposed to bright light - also reducing blemishes, scarring, fine lines and wrinkles.

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I have a young baby and am not getting much sleep, what can I do to help me to look more awake? I have to go to a friend’s wedding soon and I am dreading everyone telling me how tired I look!

Try the Thalgo Hyaluronic Eye Patch Masks from Equilibrium. They contain active ingredients that improve dark circles and puffiness, as well as hydrating and plumping the skin. Simply apply each eye patch for just ten minutes, (ideally straight from the fridge) and your eyes will look totally revitalised. £34 for a box of eight pairs.

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I have just returned from a skiing holiday and my skin is looking rather dry with a few flaky patches. Which would be the best facial to treat this?

It’s tempting to go for a moisturising facial, but the CACI Crystal-Free Microdermabrasion (£45 at Equilibrium) would be a perfect start. It gently removes the very

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I have unsightly skin tags on my body and neck – what’s the best way to have them safely removed?

Carolyn Claypole at the Advanced Skin Clinic uses advanced electrolysis techniques to remove skin tags; it can also be used for small areas of hair removal and even to treat thread veins, with very little discomfort.

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I have over-plucked my eyebrows over the years and there is virtually no hair left – is there an alternative to eyebrow pencil?

Again, Carolyn at the Advanced Skin clinic is the go-to expert for this and can create an incredibly natural looking brow that even mimics the individual hairs; it can be quite a transformation!

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I’ve been wearing dark nail varnish all winter; what are the trends for spring nails?

There is a definite return to softer, nude shades this spring (one of my favourites is Sand Tropez by Essie). If you’ve been wearing dark colours on your fingers or toes, it’s a good idea to go “cold turkey” for a couple of weeks, removing polish to give your nails a chance to breathe, avoiding yellow stains.

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My makeup never seems to last – by lunchtime it has all but disappeared. How can I ensure that it stays in place?

Dermalogica’s new “wonder product” is the Skin Perfect Primer. With an SPF of 30, it also has anti-ageing ingredients and a very slight, luminous tint which evens out skin tone and prepares the skin for makeup, which will stay put. Costing £37.50, Body Matters are offering a complimentary trial sized bottle of Dermalogica pre-cleanse with every purchase, while stocks last.

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The cold weather is making my skin really sensitive and sore, how can I combat this?

It isn’t only the sun that causes damage to the skin, but also the wind, rain, snow and extreme temperature conditions of cold to hot (central heating is the worst culprit).

Dermalogica, available at Body Matters, have created their ultra-calming range for this very purpose. It calms, soothes, repairs and protects the skin, leaving it much happier. Acne sufferers also find this range calms inflammation without drying the skin.

STAMFORD LIVING

OFFER

Prices start from £41.50 for a month’s supply of cleanser, toner, serum, moisturiser and eye cream; there is also a £5 discount available during the month of April if you quote Stamford Living April at the time of buying.

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I keep reading about beauty serums; but should these take the place of my moisturiser?

I am a big fan of serums which are lightweight and ideal for layering before your moisturiser. They should contain high doses of active ingredients like antioxidants and peptides and will absorb instantly. I am hearing great things about Clarins’ new Double Serum (£55, from Maples), but am also devoted to Caudalie’s Vino Perfect radiance serum (£45, from Chameleon), which is rich in grape antioxidants.

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My daughter is 14 and I think it’s time she started to care for her skin properly – what would be a good regime for her?

Teenagers can’t go wrong with the Bright Start range from Dermalogica. Stamford Beauty, who have just relocated to a great new salon on St Mary’s Hill provide a free, 30 minute skin-care lesson for teenage boys and girls, to ensure that they are well-educated in looking after their complexion. They also offer a ‘Little Miss facial’ and well-priced 30-day skin-care kits.

Address book: The Advanced Skin Clinic, 11a High Street St Martin’s, Stamford PE9 2LF Tel: 01780 481155 Chameleon, 5 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford PE9 2DP Tel: 01780 755405 www.chameleonboutique.co.uk Emma Cannings, Stamford Garden Centre, Great Casterton, Stamford PE9 4BB Tel: 01780 766583 www.emmacannings.co.uk Equilibrium, 7 St Paul’s Street, Stamford PE9 2BE Tel: 01780 757579 www.equilibriumstamford.co.uk Essence of Beauty, 15 St Mary’s Street, Stamford PE9 2DF Tel: 01780 763564 Gerards, George Hotel Mews, Stamford PE9 2LB Tel: 01780 753002 Maples of Stamford, 24 St Mary’s, Stamford PE9 2DJTel: 01780 752725 www.maplesofstamford.co.uk Renaissance, 2 Mallory Lane, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2FW Tel: 01780 763768 www.renaissancebeauty.co.uk Stamford Beauty & Nail Boutique, 15 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford, PE9 2DP Tel: 01780 757108 www.stamfordbeauty.com STAMFORD Living APRIL 2013

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Upd ates

Hillbrooke Hotels Big Charity Cycle Ride

Tuesday 7th May sees a dedicated team from Hillbrooke Hotels set off on a 280 mile cycle ride, for the charity Head Smart, which helps families of young children and teenagers recognise the first symptoms of a brain tumour.

Departing at 7am on 7th May from the William Cecil Hotel, the team will cycle past The Bull & Swan and then head towards the third property in the group, The Stag & Huntsman situated on the Culden Faw Estate, Buckinghamshire.

The three day ride will see the trio check in at all eight of the Hillbrooke properties and cover 280 miles in total. After a lunch pit-stop at The Stag & Huntsman they will cycle on to The Elephant Hotel Pangbourne clocking up a total of 105 miles on their first day. On day two they will cycle to The New Inn tucked away in the North Cotswold village of Coln St Aldwyns, then on to The Bath Arms, Longleat, Wiltshire peddling a total of 112 miles. On day three the team will bike 58 miles stopping at The Pembroke Arms in Wilton, Salisbury arriving at The Master Builders, Beaulieu having accomplished an exceptional journey raising funds for Head Smart.

The team have been fortunate to have been loaned two Team GB cycle helmets used in the London 2012 Olympics to take on their ride. They’ll be offering residents and visitors at each hotel the chance to have their photo taken with one of the Team GB cycle helmets on for a donation of £5 which will go towards the monies raised for Head Smart.

• Visit their JustGiving page and sponsor the Hillbrooke team’s 280 mile bike ride in aid of HeadSmart www.justgiving.com/teams/Hillbrookecharityride. Keep track of the team www. mapmyride.com/my_home. Book in or visit the William Cecil to get your photo taken wearing a London 2012 Team GB cycle helmet.

Robert Loomes – it’s official!

Robert Loomes & Co has been appointed as the ‘Official Timekeepers’ of the Brigstock International Trials, which is this year moving to the Great Park at Rockingham Castle.

The trials take place on 17-19 May and attract a high quality field; they are also an important staging post for the Burghley Horse Trials later in the year.

“My partner and boss Robina is a keen horseperson,” Robert told SL, “so it was she that made the connection for us. It’s something we are really looking forward to doing.”

• Please go to the Horse Trials website for more information: www.rockinghamcastlehorsetrials.com

New Lexington range at H-Works H-Works, personally chosen by the Lexington brand to represent them in this region, have just taken delivery of the new spring range of bed linen – it will take your breath away with its freshness and bedroom appeal, in their words ‘just the thing for waking up energised and refreshed’!

The range extends to many different finishes, including a denim range that would look great in a boy’s room and a pink range that would look great in a girl’s room.

• H-Works, The Black Bull, Stamford Walk, Stamford PE9 2JE Tel: 01780 754605 www.hworksstamford.co.uk

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Target Fitness Luke Morrison, 25, a paratrooper from Stamford who lost his lower leg while serving in Afghanistan, is bringing his fitness knowledge and motivational skills to “Target Fitness”, a physical training boot camp based in Stamford. Luke and local ex-marine, Andy Pryce-Dyer, also 25, from Whittlesey, are running sessions every Saturday morning on Empingham Playing Fields between 9 and 10 (whatever the weather!) and anyone over the age of eighteen is welcome to come along.

As well as being qualified personal trainers, Luke and Andy bring their military training to the sessions and hope that some of this discipline and motivation will inspire those who need regular encouragement to get out there and get fit. They are keen to stress however, that the boot camp caters for all levels of fitness and ability, the aim is to motivate not intimidate! They are also happy to give individual advice.

Sessions are priced at £7 for the hour and include circuits and all round fitness training with equipment provided, all you need is a bottle of water, comfortable, layered clothing and a pair of trainers.

• For more information email targetfitnessinfo@gmail.com.

Local Retailer Wins Prestigious National Awards

Local footwear retailer, North Shoes are celebrating after a triple win at the Footwear Industry Awards 2013. The company received the awards for Independent Family Retailer of the year, Ladies Independent Retailer of the year and was Highly Commended for Men’s Independent Retailer of the year.

James North, the fifth generation at the head of the company, said they are delighted with the awards. He added: “To win these awards is a huge honour for us and I would like to thank all of our staff, in all three stores, for their continual hard work and effort in providing our customers with good service and well-fitted shoes.”

• North Shoes have three stores locally, with shops in Bourne, Stamford (Red Lion Square) and Peterborough. They are members of the Society of Shoe Fitters.

STAMFORD LIVING april 2013

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SPECIALISING IN CONSERVATORIES, WINDOWS & BI FOLDING DOOR SYSTEMS

Kitchen Showroom

22-23 Scotgate, Stamford, PE9 2YQ Opening Times: Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm Saturday 10am – 3pm t: 01780 481850 f: 01780 481132

Conservatory Showroom 1 Meadow View, Uffington Road, Stamford, PE9 2EX Opening Times: Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm Saturday 10am – 2pm t: 01780 753343 f: 01780 482926 e: Orchardwindows@live.co.uk

www.orchardwindows.co.uk

KIDS EAT FREE THIS EASTER! Throughout the Easter school holidays, we’ll give your little Angels a free lunch when eating with the grown ups.

NORTH SHOES Stamford Stockist

The William Cecil at Stamford Tel: 08445 761492 www.thewilliamcecil.co.uk

FITTING SPECIALISTS SINCE 1876

2 Red Lion Square, Stamford. Tel: 01778 755400 www.northshoes.co.uk 11

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Barnsdale Leisure Club

Wella

salon

ch Membership Offer Specialising in:

Fashion Hair/Colouring • Wedding/Prom Hair Colour Correction Like our Facebook page for current offers.

1A Iron Mongers St. Stamford, PE9 2PL T: 01780 757070

ntract, No Joining fee on all memberships April Membership Offer

payable on new No Contract, No Joining Fee no lengthy contracts.

On All Memberships joining fee payable on new memberships and equiredNoto cancel. no lengthy contracts.

30 days notice required to cancel.

nis courts

ash courts

quipped Gym

• 6 Tennis Courts • 2 Squash Courts • Fully Equipped Gym • 22 Metre Swimming Pool • Spa Pools • Steam Room • Fitness Studio • Children’s Play Area • Crazy Golf • Bowls • 9 Hole Pitch & Putt

Swimming Pool

a Pools

m Room Please enquire at Leisure Reception for more details or phone 01572 771314

ess Studio

Barnsdale | Nr Oakham | Rutland | LE15 8AB www.barnsdalehotel.co.uk

n's Play Area 12

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H E A LTH & W E LLBE ING

Baby talk As new life springs into being all around us, Alysia Anderson looks at local sources of support for pregnancy, birth, parenting and childcare

B

ecoming a parent brings both challenges and rewards, so it’s good to know there are numerous resources available in the area to help you cope. As one new father commented: “Everything else you bring home comes with instructions: except the most precious thing you’ll ever have to look after.”

GETTING PREGNANT This step is not always as easy as nature intended.

If you’ve been trying for six months to a year with no success and your doctor has found no medical reason preventing you from conceiving, there are various ways of trying to improve your fertility.

Giving up smoking, cutting down on alcohol and losing weight through regular exercise and healthy eating are all positive steps. That goes for would-be Dads as well as Mums, since either partner’s reproductive health could be under par. Women should take folic acid and a good multivitamin and mineral supplement while men can benefit from taking extra zinc.

Stamford-based nutritionist Imogen Shaw (www.shawnutrition.co.uk) can provide preand post-pregnancy dietary advice.

A proven method of improving fertility is acupuncture, either used by itself or in conjunction with traditional Chinese herbs. I speak from experience, having conceived my second child with the help of TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine. Surprising as it may seem, secondary infertility, i.e. difficulty in getting pregnant after already having a child, is more common than primary infertility, affecting almost one in five couples. This may be due to naturally declining fertility with

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age, an under-active thyroid following the earlier pregnancy or simply the effects of stress and fatigue, sensations familiar to most parents!

Acupuncture has also been shown to improve IVF success rates by 65 per cent when used as a complement to such fertility treatments. Lianne Aquilina (01780 763465; www.aquilinaacupuncture. co.uk) is a lecturer at the University of Lincoln in Acupuncture for Fertility and IVF as well as running her practice in Scotgate. “Last year 82 per cent of our IVF ladies became pregnant,” said Lianne. The Broad Street Practice (01780 480889; www.thebroadstreetpractice.co.uk) also offers acupuncture and nutritional therapy.

Reading up on the subject is useful, too. Walkers Bookshop and Stamford Library each have a section of books on conception, childbirth and parenting.

BE PREPARED While some women are happy with the support of their partner or mother, others prefer to employ a doula, an experienced woman, to assist before, during and after childbirth. Peterborough Doulas (www.peterboroughdoulanetwork.weebly. com) lists trained doulas working in the local area.

Hypnobirthing is another way to cope with labour.

“Hypnobirthing teaches simple self-hypnosis, relaxation and breathing techniques for a better birth,” says local practitioner Dr Lindsay Bomford (www.naturalhypnobirth.co.uk). It is astonishing how the arrival of a tiny human being can create so much havoc in a household. New fathers are often surprised to find they become chief cook, launderer and bottle

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washer overnight, especially if Mum is busy breastfeeding. Some forward planning can ease those early weeks. Fill the freezer with, ideally, home-made meals (nothing too spicy if Mum is breastfeeding) and frozen veg so you have nutritious fare at hand. If you do buy in ready meals, try to buy from butchers and delis that use fresh local ingredients, such as Grasmere Farm, Nelsons or Stamford Garden Centre farm shop. For the baby, buy in a good stock of nappies, muslins, babygrows, bibs and, if required, formula milk. Skin creams made with natural ingredients such as Weleda calendula cream or Burt’s Bees baby ointment, both available locally, are best for treating nappy rash.

BUYING FOR BABY For baby clothes and accessories, Bubble & Squeak, QS, Chez Soi and new Stamfordbased website www.bambinosbabyboutique. co.uk are good local ports of call. “New this season is Cath Kidston’s line of babywear from 0-18 months which was previously only available online,” said Sue Growcott of Chez Soi. The spacious upstairs floor is a trove of beautiful gifts and baby accessories.

At Bubble and Squeak, co-owner Sarah, who runs the shop with her daughter Jess,

highlighted their range of Grobag sleeping bags (fantastic for babies who kick off their blankets), baby toys and hats, GroEgg room thermometers and giant Minene muslins. The latter are ideal for discreet breastfeeding or as an impromptu blanket/sunshade. Once your child is starting to stand, you are spoilt for choice in Stamford for children’s shoe shops.

The staff at Marcia May, Moshulu, North Shoes and Clarks can all expertly measure your child’s feet and advise on that all-important first footwear. Stamford-based family travel company Tots to Travel (www.totstotravel. co.uk) has a useful website featuring advice on travelling with babies and young children, alongside family-friendly holiday homes and an online shop selling children’s travel accessories.

OUT AND ABOUT It’s important to get some fresh air and exercise as soon as possible after having a baby, not simply to regain your fitness but also to lift your mood and get into a routine. Stamford Leisure Pool has Mums and Tots sessions on Mondays from 2-4pm and Thursdays from 9.30-11am where babies from six months can splash under the eye of qualified instructors. Westside Gym has a crèche from Monday to Thursday at 9.30 to 11.30am, allowing members to workout in the gym or attend a spinning class. An easy way to exercise is to arrange a walk with a group of other parents. Burghley House has scenic, pram-friendly paths as well as cafés with high chairs and baby-changing facilities.

SUPPORT GROUPS Your local NHS surgery will provide details of free antenatal and post-natal classes you and your partner can attend. These are not simply sources of information on birth and PLAYTIME childcare but also a great way to meet other There are playgroups and activity classes new parents. Friends you make at this key galore in Stamford. These not only provide life stage often remain so for life, providing a stimulating activities for your child but are wonderful support network for both parents fantastic for meeting fellow parents and and children. The National Childbirth Trust learning some handy nursery rhymes along (www.nct.org.uk) also runs parenting classes in the way! Most of the churches in Stamford small local groups for a fee, as well as Nearly hold weekly playgroups in their halls, usually New sales and Baby First Aid courses. Located with crafts and singing. St Augustine’s has a beside Stamford Hospital, Alternatives (01780 lianne_leaflet A5 1 11/11/2011 10:39 group Page 1at 9.30am.

Monday morning Tick Tock 765863; www.alternativesstamford.co.uk) is alandscape_Layout St George’s Place has Seedlings at 10am on charity providing free and confidential advice a Tuesday as well as a monthly Wednesday on pregnancy, both wanted and unwanted, toddler service/playtime in the church itself. and practical help such as second-hand baby The NCT hosts a playgroup at All Saints’ on equipment.

Scotgate at 10am on Wednesday mornings, or try Barn Hill Methodist Church’s group at 10.30.

MARK THE OCCASION Christchurch on Green Lane has a Thursday Expecting a baby is a joyous event and one way morning Toddler Group and a similar group for to celebrate a pregnancy is with a baby shower, twins and multiples, Twinklets, in the afternoon. the latest US import to reach our shores.

Christchurch works closely with the nearby Stamford mum Amy Edwards has designed Surestart Children’s Centre at Bluecoat School. a range of products including invitations, The centre hosts messy play sessions on games, bunting, balloons and gifts forWho both has acupuncture?

Many people come to acupuncture to and helpfree relieve specific pains. Others ch Tuesdays and Thursdays workshops baby and the mum-to-be. “Having been on topics such as fitheir rst aid, baby of massage and Acupuncture is co thrown a baby shower before the arrival of my acupuncture simply to enhance feeling wellbeing.

Other groups include Mini conventional medic daughter and subsequently hosting them for for all nutrition. suitable ages. It can be activity used effectively alongside Music Makers (www.musicexplorers.co.uk), friends, I noticed that there was very little for Tumbletots (www.tumbletots.com) and baby baby shower hosts in the UK,” said Amy. Her do for massage andme? yoga classes (www.babynomad. range is available at Chez Soi or fromWhat www. can it Because aims resources to treat the whole co.uk).acupuncture In addition, online such as person rather than bloomingbabyshowers.co.uk. Once you have traditional symptoms in isolation, canMumsnet be effective for adetails rangeofoflocal medically diagnosed Netmumsitand feature your little bundle of joy, it’s lovely to create conditions. The nationaland institute of clinical excellence activities playgroups on their regionalrecommends acupun mementoes of their early years. Alix Cunnell listings links. of They also provide discussion of Smallprint (www.smallprint.com) handcrafts for the effective treatment back pain. forums on all aspects of pregnancy and silver keepsakes such as cufflinks, necklaces We are a professional specialist acupuncture clinic offering a highly persona childcare. and keyrings featuring your child’s fingerprint advanced service. Our practitioners are hand picked for their high qualificat or tiny versions of their foot or hand prints. andwww. outstanding performance. is no place quite like it.

Finally, it’s worthThere remembering parenting Alternatively, Pots of Fun (01780 751537; guru Dr Spock’s advice: “Trust yourself. You potsoffunstamford.co.uk) can help you create know more than you think you do.” framed clay imprints of children’s hands or feet.

Specialising in fertility and pregnancy acupuncture

How acupunctu can help you?

The Acupunture Clinic 2, Scotgate Mews, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 2FX t. 01780763465 m. 07903725316

British Acupuncture Council

w. aquilinaacupuncture.co.uk

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Fir Aw Reg Est Eve

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L ea r ning Updat e s

The Ark Nursery offers Forest School in idyllic country setting This April, The Ark Nursery, awarded Outstanding at its last Ofsted inspection, launches an exciting new offering for its preschool children.

Forest School – which started in Scandinavia – has its ethos firmly rooted in providing learning through hands-on activities in an outdoor environment – whatever the weather. Although, as the Forest School saying has it, “There’s no such thing as the wrong kind of weather, only the wrong kind of clothes.”

The concept, which spread to Australia and New Zealand and is now gaining hugely in popularity in this country, has been shown to improve self-esteem and confidence through activities that involve creativity, working together and child-led learning – all things which a lot of children these days don’t get the opportunity to experience, says Ark Nursery co-owner Jo O’Bryan-Tear, whose own upbringing on a Lincolnshire farm and Norfolk beaches provided many such opportunities.

Ironically Jo has the ideal setting for the forest school right on her doorstep, owning an idyllic few acres of Rutland in Ketton with a paddock, a small wood and a river.

“We’re currently laying out an allotment for the children and planting fruit trees for a small orchard. There’s a ’fire pit’ where we will gather for story telling and cooking. I’ve also been busy beach combing and collecting completely natural resources,” says Jo. Down by the river they have planted a willow shelter and tunnel where children will be allowed the freedom to explore and experience the natural world. “We have already had lots of taster days and the children absolutely love it.”

“We all hop on the bus – which of course is free for the children and stops conveniently outside our house – and meet in the belle tent to put on our forest school gear and plan the day’s activities.”

“Outdoor play is a key contributor to the physical and emotional development of all young children and we’re lucky to not only have wonderful outdoor play facilities at our nurseries, but to now be able to offer Forest School too,” adds Jo.

‘iasku’ – What’s it all about?

Alison Winterton is a Child Psychologist who works closely with Amy Cummins, a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at the Child Development Centre in Peterborough.

Part of their role is to help children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to develop communication. Alison explains, “iasku is the outcome of our experience teaching children with ASD to communicate across all environments.

Up until now we have supported parents and teachers in encouraging children with ASD to select paper symbols from a folder and to exchange them with an adult as the basis of communication for items they want.”

Six months ago Alison confesses that she did not know how an iPad worked let alone create an app for her children to use. “Many of our parents were reporting that their children were motivated to use the iPad and were asking which apps they could use to support

communication,” says Alison. “We discovered a number of apps on the market but none of them worked in a way we wanted them to or they were very expensive. With the help of Lee Messenger at n3o, a sympathetic digital agency, we created iasku, the future for streamlining spontaneous two-way communication.”

“The idea is that a child could use the app to request at a basic level e.g.

‘I want banana’ or ‘I want puzzle’. iasku is different from apps that are already available as it does not have a synthetic voice. We believe that using an ipad/iphone as a communication aid should support ‘true’ communication and not just ‘talk’ without being directed to someone,” explains Alison.

• Please check website www.iasku.co.uk, download the app and share with people who you think will benefit. Alison and Amy would love to hear your feedback, email: Alison@ iasku.co.uk. The app is priced at £2.99

Physiotherapy Service at the Stamford Endowed Schools’ Sports Centre

Chartered physiotherapist, Richard Worrall, has launched a new clinic at the Stamford Endowed Schools’ Sports Centre, offering a range of physiotherapy and sports massage services.

Richard has previously worked in private physiotherapy clinics and sports injury clinics, and he has gained valuable experience in numerous sports clubs, including Rangers Football Club. As well as having a Masters in Physiotherapy, Richard is also a modified Pilates Instructor and a qualified Sports Massage Therapist.

“The Stamford Endowed Schools boast an excellent sporting reputation and first class facilities so it is a great opportunity to set up a physiotherapy clinic at the new Sports Centre,” said Richard about his new service. The clinic room is both comfortable and private, and we have access to a fully equipped gym for sports specific rehab.”

The new service will provide treatment for a variety of injuries, including neck and back pain related to work, osteoarthritis, tennis elbow, hamstring pulls and knee problems.

Explaining who can benefit from physiotherapy, Richard said: “I work with a range of clients, including professional athletes, the weekend warrior, and those requiring relief from day to day problems.

Everyone can benefit from physiotherapy or sports massage therapy.”

• If you would like to find out more information or book an appointment please see www.ses.lincs.sch.uk/ sportscentre, email Richard@ physioandsportsmassage.co.uk or call 07968 512 896

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The Salon 3 arrives on St Mary’s Hill After working together for many years, Emily, Anne and Michelle decided to start The Salon 3 knowing that it would be a great venture.

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hile the latest hair-styles come and go, the one thing that is always at the top of peoples wish list is that ‘just stepped out of the salon’ look, and the three partners, along with stylists Kirsty and Sophie, are committed to bringing their clients the right cut and colour. They use the most up to the minute hair styling products and treatments from Wella professionals and are stockists for ghd hair straightners. The girls were keen to point out that everyone in the team has expertise in wedding hair-ups and Sophie is also a nail technician using gel nails from Harmony Gelish.

The salon itself is bright, spacious and contemporary and has that ‘feel good ‘ factor you look for when you are at a salon. A loyalty card is available which gives discount on your 6th visit and clients, whether they are old or new, are welcomed to this friendly, professional salon and guaranteed a comfortable and relaxing experience with a smile.

During APril THErE will bE 10% off To All nEw cuSToMErS wHEn you bring in THiS ArTiclE. • The Salon 3, 14 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford, PE9 2DP. Tel 01780 765505. www.thesalon3.co.uk

Hairdressing for me is more than a job, it is a passion that has taken me to many places. I have learnt many things over the years and met so many brilliant people. I can’t wait to see what the next chapter in my life brings.

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LE AR NING

Copthill keeps moving forward Nicholas Rudd-Jones visited Copthill School recently to celebrate the launch of a book on the history of the school and to take a look around to look at recent developments

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opthill School in Uffington has become a much loved part of the local educational landscape. But how did it get to where it is today, at the forefront of primary independent education and leading the way with its forest school?

‘Small beginnings’ - The story of the first forty years of Copthill School ‘Small Beginnings’, co-authored by Anne Teesdale and Vannessa Rudman, unfolds the history of Copthill School from two perspectives. The first is a personal story told by its founder, Anne Teesdale that shows how her principles of child-centred teaching and parent friendly approach enabled Copthill to grow into such a successful and dynamic enterprise. And the second is a collection of articles by the Teesdale family members and their dedicated staff that recollect the events that have initiated change in the school, and that confirm that Anne’s principles are still very much at its heart.

Anne would be the first to admit that it has taken a good many years for this fascinating story to find its way into print, but when ex-Copthill teacher, Vannessa Rudman, offered to help with the writing, it didn’t take long before Anne’s dining room was awash with photographs and memorabilia, exercise books and registers going back to 1969 – the year that it all began.

Vannessa transcribed Anne’s recollections of the school’s formative years. Together they documented the historical details: how the steady increase in pupils necessitated the addition of more and more temporary classrooms; how by popular demand the age limit was raised progressively from five to eight and finally eleven, and why after twenty years at Copthill Farm, Anne and John decided it was time to build a new school.

But this would have made for very dry reading without the personal memories contributed by some of the staff, parents and children who were involved with the school during that period – and then of course their numerous photographs. Whilst the writing was finished comparatively quickly, the selection of pictures to accompany it took a great deal longer.

The first part of the book was recounted very much from Anne’s

personal point of view, so it seemed appropriate that the second part, documenting the changes from 1994 to the present day, should be told from the point of view of others who contributed so much to Copthill School’s success. Whilst Anne and John have continued to be involved with the decision-making process during this period, their three sons, Jonathan, Simon and Nicholas have taken on the responsibility for guiding Copthill. Their contributions, giving some idea of how their roles within the school have evolved, are included as are the recollections of members of staff, most of whom have been involved with Copthill for many years.

‘Small Beginnings’ can be purchased directly from Copthill School at a price of £20.

A look around After the presentation of the new book, a group of us was shown around the school by some of the Year 6 pupils. Our guides were the delightful Holly and Grace, Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl respectively, who did a sterling job.

The school now has more than 300 pupils, and I was struck by the breadth and depth of learning opportunities available to the children. We looked at the music room, full of familiar and not so familiar instruments; the kitchen garden, which supplies vegetables for school meals and then went down to the Forest school where, even on a bitterly cold day, children were happily engaged in outdoor projects (with a break for hot chocolate thrown in). Forest School is based on teaching styles common in Scandinavia where the children spend much more time learning outdoors. Finally we took a quick look at the new creative block that is currently under construction, due for completion in the summer.

All in all there is a huge range of activities…a sense that every child can find something that they love and are good at… music, drama, gardening, outdoor pursuits, sport and much else besides.

I was left with a sense that this is a school that always keeps looking forward…never content to rest on its laurels…but its values remain constant around the importance of the individual child and learning by doing.

• Copthill School, Barnack Road, Uffington, Stamford PE9 3AD Tel: 01780 757506 www.copthill.com admissions@copthill.com STAMFORD Living APRIL 2013

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Le arning

The Power of Music

Music has a huge influence on children’s development. Julie Digby, music teacher and founder of Mini Music Makers and Music Explorers, explains

I

n these more challenging economic times, parents have to consider more carefully than ever when choosing their children’s extra curricular activities. It is easy to overlook the benefits and opportunities offered by music workshops particularly when balanced against ever-popular football or ballet or the life skill presented by swimming lessons. Yet, the potential of music on the development of a child, offering a lifetime of unique and joyful experiences, is unprecedented.

I developed Mini Music Makers in 1998 and Music Explorers followed in 1999. My aim with Music Explorers is to provide a broad, balanced and coherent musical programme for children, introducing them to music from all cultures and walks of life. The children usually work on a creative arts project each term and these evolve from a stimulus or theme. Each project focuses on one or more musical elements – beat, rhythm, pitch and timbre – so developing the children’s musical skills. The children are introduced to the activities of performing: vocally and instrumentally on a range of instruments that may include ocarina, recorder, keyboard, drum machines, guitar, samba, gamelan and other world, and percussion instruments. The children also compose and improvise music, as well as listen and appraise.

Parents are usually invited to `share` their child’s musical achievements at the end of each project.

But why should parents invest in a music education for the children? The research is clear, for example The Music Education Council quoted 11 ways in which music helps children from an early age. These include speech fluency, team working and social skills,

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memorising and reading, problem solving and mathematics. In 2002, The Arts Council published ‘The Arts in the early years: a national study of policy and practice’. Of those questioned, 92% regarded ‘increasing selfesteem and encouraging creative thinking’ as ‘a very important aim’. More recent research by the International Music Education Research Centre 2012 states: “Teaching music can result in significant improvements to their reading and writing.”

Music and the arts have intrinsic value; yet, they can also contribute to the whole development of a child, so much so that I am hoping to pursue this line of enquiry for my PhD. Creativity is fundamental to music and art experiences allowing the children the freedom to make choices, solve problems, improvise and create in a stimulating context and fun environment.

“Although music is included on the curriculum, it isn’t considered important enough to check and regulate in the same way as literacy and numeracy. Teachers don’t have to offer the creative opportunities that can be gained at an extra-curricular club and have been shown to be an invaluable part of a child’s development.” A Parent Performing solo, in a group or in front of an audience at the end of term ‘sharings’, contributes to developing confidence, an important life skill. Indeed, music is a sociable hobby. Children (and adults) benefit from that huge ‘buzz’ of creating something together, in contrast to the sometimes anti-social screengazing activities, in which many of our children increasingly spend their time. Children also make new lifelong friends with peers with

similar interests.

“Music Explorers has given all three of my children the confidence to sing in public and enjoy it.” Tina Intrigued by the impact of early musical experiences on the long term development of children, I am collating a longitudinal study of 30 children, who have experienced some or all of the progressive musical pathways that I have offered over the past 14 years. A recent update clearly demonstrates the potential for musical success: • 70% play two or more instruments • 83% choose to sit and have achieved examination results • 92% of those eligible are studying for, or have completed, their music GCSE. • 30% perform at county level or have earned music scholarships, awards or become a chorister.

Whilst of course acknowledging that much of this success is due to expert instrumental tuition, school groups, parental commitment and support, as well as the perseverance and hard work of the young people themselves, the evidence suggests that successful early musical experiences have also made their contribution.

“Neither parent is at all musical or ever did any grades, so Music Explorers made the difference!” Caroline Music Explorers workshops (3-11 year olds) and Mini Music Makers sessions (2-3 year olds) take place on Saturday mornings at Casterton Business and Enterprise College. Find out more at www.musicexplorers.co.uk or by contacting Julie on 01778 560305 or at jdigby@tiscali. co.uk or visit our Facebook page.

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52889 GW Delcor Spring Sale Stamford Living Mag 297x210 07/03/2013 13:04 Page 1

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Advertisement Feature

Win a free spa weekend This month Homefield Grange is pleased to announce it’s Big Weekend Giveaway!

T

hat’s right a full Detox Weekend at our beautiful, established and dedicated detox retreat in the peaceful Northamptonshire countryside FREE of charge for one lucky winner.

Included in the package is a choice of either a lymphatic/cellulite G5 treatment OR a blood analysis treatment.

G5 a mechanical massage is effective at moving the lymphatic system, improving circulation, breaking down stubborn pockets of fat and improving the appearance of cellulite.

One of our most popular treatments, it is also re-charging and relaxing.

Live Blood Analysis is used to evaluate the general health of the body’s internal environment, it can help identify areas of imbalance and is extremely useful in helping motivate clients to change their diet & lifestyle to achieve their long term health and wellbeing goals. Live & Dried Blood Analysis can help reveal levels of acidity in the body, general organ stress, blood sugar and hormonal imbalances, malabsorption of fats, proteins and nutrients, presence of heavy metals, activity of the immune system and possible presence of parasites, bacteria, moulds and fungus.

Also included in your package is: • Health Checks on arrival and departure by a qualified practitioner (Guests need to arrive by 4.30pm to receive the Health Check) • Daily Sauna • Daily exercise classes (depending on instructor Nordic walking, Yoga, Pilates, Fit for Life Weight Loss Class) • Full supplementation for detoxification support • Freshly prepared juices or healthy eating options • Organic Pukka Herbal Teas • Informative Talks • Purified Water • Relax and enjoy a restful sleep in our luxury accommodation serviced daily • Use of equipped gym (treadmill/cycle/rower/

cross trainer/weights/rebounders) • Extensive choice of additional beauty, holistic and diagnostic treatments, Lipo Genie inch loss, Biological Age Testing.

All you need to do is go to our website at www.homefieldgrange.co.uk sign up to our newsletter quoting the promotional code ‘NeneNutrition’ and answer three simple questions about yourself and you will be entered into the draw for what could be the kick start you’ve been looking for!

Homefield Grange specialises in helping clients make positive changes towards their wellness, health and well-being. Whether you arrive looking for healthy weight loss, detoxification, pampering, improved fitness, relaxation or simply some time out, our caring team of qualified practitioners will provide all the help you would expect from a professional organisation.

Homefield Grange is a permanent detox retreat & healthy weight loss spa open 51 weeks of the year. Our accommodation is stylish and welcoming, our service is bespoke with qualified staff on hand to look after you so you can just enjoy letting go from the stresses and strains of everyday life. A variety of options of

programmes, juicing or eating options are available, which can be decided upon your arrival to us. A maximum of 15 guests per week can attend our residential weight loss, relaxation, detox, fitness or pampering packages.

Another way we help our clients make positive changes towards their lifestyles is to offer Nutritional Consultations. Many people are now becoming aware of the importance of eating a healthy and varied diet. Making changes to the diet can have a dramatic effect on the physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing of our bodies.

Self diagnosis is tempting but you can accidentally cut out of your diet important nutrients that don’t cause you a problem, so it is better to consult a professionally Registered Dietitian or Nutritional Therapist before cutting out foods from your diet. We can combine this consultation with the other treatments at Homefield Grange to create a tailored package for your stay with us whether it be a three, five or seven day stay.

Alternatively we are now offering Day Spa packages that will give you the kick start you are looking for and will also give you a taster of a break at Homefield Grange. Packages available are: The Weight Loss Special, MOT Your MAN, Anti-ageing Package and The Digestion Solution Package • You can view the full details of all our residential and day spa packages on our website www.homefieldgrange.co.uk.

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Health & B e a u t y

Pilates Jacqueline Knox is one of the region’s best known exponents of Pilates. Here she talks about its origins and benefits

J

acqueline Knox qualified as a physiotherapist in 1988. She trained in Pilates in 1993, qualified as a teacher (Body Control) in 1999 and wrote ‘The Official Body Control Pilates Manual’ in conjunction with Lynne Robinson, Gordon Thomson and Helge Fisher. She also wrote ‘Garden Your Way To Health & Fitness’ with local garden designer Bunny Guinness. Jacqueline worked with the Great British Rowing Team at the Athens Olympics (2004) and found that using pilates was a good basis for injury prevention and enhanced performance.

Joseph Pilates (1880-1967) was born in Düsseldorf. He devised a series of exercises that work on postural alignment, breathing control and the development of a strong centre. (the abdominals). He selected exercises from yoga, gymnastics, circus training, weight training and dance. Joseph Pilates combined these elements together to develop a system of exercises that strengthened but at the same time lengthened the body. There are eight principles to follow when doing pilates:

Alignment: Correct positioning of joints and muscles to minimise undue stress and tension.

Cantering: Using the ‘corset’ of the abdominal muscles to support the lower back and improve posture Co-ordination: Movements are co-ordinated.

Difficult initially, so the exercises have to start slowly and build gradually as the co-ordination improves. Rather like learning any new skill, this is both mental and physical Flowing movements: As the movements become more co-ordinated and the strength in the ‘core’ builds then as a natural consequence the movements become more fluid like and natural. This obviously requires practice.

Stamina: Lastly, stamina and endurance. As the brain starts to learn these new movement patterns then the muscles work more efficiently and for longer. Some to support the joints and some to move them. This results in efficient movement or if you are an athlete ‘enhanced performance’. It is one of the reasons that pilates can be done by anyone from a sedentary desk worker to an athlete.

Relaxation: Leave the stress of the day at the door. This requires mental concentration to focus on the movements Breathing: Correct breathing is fundamental during pilates exercises and is one of the most difficult things to achieve. Breath holding is very common with poor technique. One of the most beneficial aspects of pilates is learning to breathe more effectively. Effective breathing helps to dissipate unnecessary tension. The neck and shoulders should be relaxed whilst the breath is wide and full.

Concentration: Using the deep postural muscles to support the body requires mental focus. These muscles support our joints but tend not to be used unless we specifically work them

Pilates helps to ensure that you use your body correctly with natural movement patterns.

It helps to prepare the body for activity and rebalance it afterwards.

Pilates is an excellent way to re-balance the body after cardio-vascular exercise and should be part of a training regime done on a regular basis. Pilates is also effective for non-athletes as it moves the body gently and slowly which is especially useful if you sit at a desk all day hunched over the computer

• You may need a small pillow that supports the nape of the neck (underneath) • Barefoot or socks • Wear something that allows you to move freely • Done correctly Pilates should not cause you any pain. If you are undergoing medical treatment or have a medical condition then please see your medical practitioner before starting If you are pregnant then please see your medical practitioner before starting as not all pilates exercises are suitable for pregnancy There are many pilates classes available in Stamford and the surrounding areas, including Barn House Physiotherapy. If you are not sure whether pilates is suitable for you then one of the physiotherapists at Barn House Physiotherapy can assess you and get you started on your way to pilates…….

• www.barnhousephysio.co.uk. Tel: 01780 740242, based in Tallington, near Stamford.

Query use I40A6826 or I40A6827 as a thumbnail at the top of article to put a face to the exercises.

Photos by Rachel Barnes Photography.

Before starting: • All exercises are best performed on a padded mat.

• You must be warm and comfortable, with space to move in

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Upd ates

Spotlight on Mauritius Cast adrift in the Indian Ocean where continents meet, Mauritius is a marvellous mix of African, Indian, European and Oriental influences. The island is surrounded by a huge reef sheltering the shallow lagoons, whose waters meet a shoreline of sugar white beaches.

The capital Port Louis has an international atmosphere and the coastline is home to a collection of fine hotels; and there is a choice of world-class golf courses and the beaches and lagoons are a haven for watersports. Not least the island is home to some of the friendliest people, so you can expect the very best hospitality. Mauritius makes a marvellously relaxing home for your luxurious holiday; or why not use the easy flight connections from East and Southern Africa to make a twin centre holiday to somewhere more adventurous. A spell under the vast skies of Africa, or a safari in one of the finest game reserves, could be the contrast to lazy island days. With the most cosmopolitan character of all the Indian Ocean Islands, Mauritius offers a fine range of holiday styles in a stunning tropical setting.

Oundle Travel recommends several different hotels to suit every taste and budget. Here are four of their favourites….

Tamassa by Lux Resorts offers a superb value All Inclusive option with a choice of dining. The resort is spread over a wide area and offers many water-based activities including waterskiing - From £1700.00 per person travelling in July.

Boutique Hotel 20 Sud – Offering discreet service in a scenic beachfront setting, this pretty 34 room property is arguably the smallest hotel in Mauritius and encompasses the true essence of charm. The hotel is managed by the proprietors themselves, Anne and Michael Bourgeois; and for those of you

wanting complete peace, you might be pleased to know that no children under the age of 12 are accepted!

From £1569.00 per person travelling in September.

The Maritim offers a fabulous All Inclusive standard for families and has been fully refurbished throughout. Only 45 minutes from the airport, this resort offers an equestrian centre with horses and ponies, and there is also a small farm with animals and giant tortoises. A children’s club offers childcare from 3-11 years from 9am-10 pm daily. From £1869.00 per person travelling in August.

The Oberoi – Absolute 5* Luxury at its best

How Tax Efficient Are You? The new tax year starts on 6 April.

Kerry Hilliard of accountancy firm Stephenson Smart & Co gives a timely reminder that a regular review of your tax affairs could reduce the tax that you pay The personal tax allowance increases to £9,440 and there are also changes to the various income tax bands and rates. Given that these allowances cannot be transferred between spouses or civil partners, it is important to make maximum use of them. Consider gifting assets to distribute income more evenly or making an election to change the split of income relating to jointly owned assets. Business owners might employ their spouse or take them into partnership as a way of

with a dedicated team of staff who will look after your every whim. The Oberoi Spa offers a wider range of holistic treatments. The vast array of watersports includes catamaran, speedboat excursions and deep sea fishing.

Mauritius experiences good year round temperatures ranging from 25 - 35 degrees; the cooler drier period is from May to November.

• For more details, personal advice and recommendations please contact Oundle Travel on 01832 273600 www.oundletravel.co.uk

redistributing income (though this must be a commercially justifiable arrangement).

Children have their own allowances and tax bands, and savings can be achieved by transferring income generating assets to them. This is ineffective if the source of the asset is a parent, so consider transferring assets from a relative or making use of the junior ISA or Child Trust Fund.

If you receive child benefit then you may have to pay it back if you or your live-in partner earn more than £50,000. It might be possible to reduce the impact of this by giving to charity, making pension contributions or reviewing how profits are extracted from your family business.

Tax relief is available on donations made under Gift Aid. In certain circumstances, donations made between 6 April 2013 and 31 January 2014 can be offset against 2012-13 income. This might be particularly beneficial for those paying additional rate tax which reduced from 50% to 45% from 6 April.

• For more information or to discuss other opportunities for efficient tax planning contact Stephenson Smart & Co Tel: 01733 343275 or visit www.stephensonsmart.com STAMFORD LIVING APRIL 2013

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Advertisement Feature

Steve Rudkin Electrical Contractors Limited Be your electrical needs big or small, repair or new build, we have the expertise to sort it

S

tamford based, established in 1997, we are registered with the NICEIC as Approved Contractors and Domestic Installers and our work complies in every respect with all the relevant electrical and building regulations as well as health and safety and insurance requirements.

We only use materials that comply with the latest British standards and all our work is guaranteed. As a company we have built upon our reputation and have grown steadily year on year, we are proud to be providing the very best in electrical solutions combined with an excellent level of customer service.

In more recent years we have been active in promoting and integrating the use of new energy saving technologies into many of our electrical installations. And to further reinforce our commitment to providing cost saving solutions, we have also gained Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) registration as approved installers of solar photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy systems. In-house we provide the whole solar package for both

domestic and commercial from initial survey and system design through to installation and commissioning. Our team undertakes work on both a local and national basis and we are equipped to handle all aspects of domestic, commercial and industrial work from the largest rewire, refurbishment, barn conversion or new-build to simply a new shower circuit, doublesocket or outside light. • 07802 717701 01780 763415 steve@sr-electrical.com www.sr-electrical.com

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AWA R D S SPE CIAL

Local Living Business Awards 2013 Stamford & Rutland

Overview

Small to Medium Enterprises form a very large part of our area’s business community and are therefore vitally important to the region’s economy. Our area boasts an employment rate of 75.2% which is almost 5% above the UK average and has an enormous diversity of business type spanning almost every commercial sector. We have representatives in the area from sole traders to international companies employing 1000s worldwide.

The Local Living Business awards were set up to help give recognition to the examples of excellence within our region’s businesses. By publicly rewarding best business practices, staff management and innovation we aim to help to set a benchmark for other businesses in the area, to the benefit of all.

These new awards have captured the imagination of the area with a final tally of 124 entries involving 98 different companies. The gala dinner saw 52 different business come together to celebrate the best of the region.

The awards were judged by a panel of local & regional business people from different sectors of the economy who were all keen to support local business. The judges comprised: Miranda Rock (Chair), House Director of Burghley House; Denise Thompson , HR Manager at Cummins Generator Technologies in Stamford; Nicholas Rudd-Jones, the founder of Local Living Magazines; Ian Leech, Chief Financial Officer of the BGL Group; Damien Goldsack, local CEO for NatWest Bank covering the Peterborough, Stamford and North Norfolk area; and Stephen Envis, Chairman of the newly formed North Leicestershire and Rutland Branch of the Federation of Small Businesses.

Sponsors

We are very grateful to our sponsors, without whom the awards would not have been possible.

Launched in 1979, Zeeco is the global leader in combustion solutions, providing design, engineering, and installation of industrial burners, incinerators, flare systems and flare gas recovery systems worldwide.

Zeeco’s experience and design expertise in the refining, onshore / offshore production, well testing, petrochemical, gas processing, and LNG industries means they understand industry challenges. “Our philosophy of providing customers with superior quality, on-time shipments and competitive pricing remains the cornerstone of our success”. www.zeeco.com PJH Law is a niche firm of solicitors specialising exclusively in employment law. With a diverse client base, PJH Law acts for large and small businesses throughout the UK as well as locally based employees. They are proud to be sponsoring the Best Employer category. www.pjhlaw.co.uk Eco Building Products is an innovative independent builders’ merchant. Based in Market Deeping, they serve the needs of local house builders, developers, contractors and the general public across the region.

Eco Building Products is your one-stop shop for the latest in sustainable building products and energy-saving solutions. Their wide range of solutions is suitable for new build, retrofit and refurbishment projects. www.eco-building-products.co.uk

Barnsdale Lodge The privatelyowned hotel has 45 en-suite bedrooms and is renowned for its excellent food, personal service and warm welcome.

There are a selection of private dining rooms, as well as the conservatory restaurant and courtyard, for al fresco dining. It also makes a great venue for weddings and other events. www.barnsdalelodge.co.uk

To fin visit w d out more w busine w.local-livin ss-aw gar where you ca ds.co.uk n a vide also s o of t ee and pic he event tures

The Federation of Small Businesses is the UK’s largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. Formed in 1974, it now has 200,000 members across 33 regions and 194 branches. Their vision is to be and remain the largest and most effective organisation promoting and protecting the interests of the self employed and small business owners within the UK. www.fsb.org.uk

The Stamford Marquee Company is firmly built on the pillars of Quality, Reliability, Commitment and Trust.

“From the moment we are engaged we are committed to making your event a truly memorable and pleasurable occasion. We plan very detail and deliver our quality product in a timely and stress free way.” They have an ever growing list of corporate and private clients who will attest to their excellent service record. www.stamfordmarquees.co.uk

Spiegl Press is a local, familyrun printing company. They are totally passionate about creating beautiful bespoke personal, occasion and wedding stationery using the traditional artisan techniques such as hot foil blocking, embossing, thermographing and die-cutting. “We are the right people for your bespoke POS and marketing collateral as well as all your business stationery needs.” http://www.spieglpress.com/

Helen Jane is a qualified and awardwinning florist offering a bespoke floristry service for weddings and special occasions in and around Stamford and Peterborough.

She works in close consultation with clients to design and create unique and beautiful flower arrangements to suit the occasion and theme as well as budget, using contemporary and innovative floristry styles. Helen Jane also runs short floristry workshops to enable others to become more creative with flowers. www.helenjanefloristry.co.uk

Thanks to: Nicky Barr, Event Director, Essence Events, 07789 790457 www.essenceevents.co.uk Maxine Aldred, Development Manager of the Federation of Small Businesses, Leics. Northants & Rutland Branch, who gave the speech at the Awards Dinner.

Rob Persani, Rutland Radio, who presented the awards Red and Round Photography, www.redandround.co.uk 07730 509577 DB Sound and Vision

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AWA R D S SPE CIAL

Local Living Business Awards 2013 Winners and Runners-up

1. The Employer of the Year Award Winner: Trinity Event Solutions Ltd Runner-up: Athene Communications Trinity Events Solutions is a specialist, volume venue finding and procurement agency. What shone through from Trinity’s nomination was their solid team culture and support structure.

2. The Employee of the Year Award Winner: Annette Griggs – Westside Health and Fitness Club

3. The Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Runner-up: Andrea Aspinall – Steve Rudkin Electrical Contractors Limited.

Westside Health and Fitness Club is the area’s leading club. Annette worked her way up the organisation and was viewed as being “instrumental in the on-going success of the business”.

Winner: Wildcats Theatre School Runner-up: Otters Smokehouse & Deli Described by the judges as ‘an inspirational service that has shown a key awareness of the market’, Wildcats Theatre School runs full and part-time courses in performing arts for students aged 2-25 years of age.

5. The Best New Business Award

5a. The Best New Business Award

Joint Winner: Johannah’s Patisserie

Joint Winner: Serenity Loves

Opened in September 2012, Johannah’s Patisserie has filled a gap in the market.

It is Oakham’s only quality patisserie, selling high-end cakes. In the judges’ view “Johannah’s has demonstrated the ability to spot a niche, fill it and market it effectively.”

Serenity Loves is a high energy hair and beauty salon based in Peterborough that the judges felt used social media in fresh ways to attract customers to a new business. Their approach is already paying off with considerable customer loyalty.

4. The Outstanding Personal Achievement Award Winner: Robert Loomes – Robert Loomes Stamford Ltd Runner-up: Julian Carter – Hambleton Bakery Against all the odds, Robert Loomes has single-handedly resurrected the English watchmaking industry, which no-one but he believed could be done. His activities and wide national media recognition have helped put Stamford on the map as the centre of this burgeoning industry.

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6. The E-Commerce Award

To fin visit w d out more w busine w.local-livin ss-aw gar where you ca ds.co.uk na a vide o of th lso see and pic e event tures

Winner: Swans of Oakham Swans is a family business dealing in French antiques & interiors, based in Oakham, but trading worldwide!

E-commerce has become a vital part of their business with recent shipments to London, The USA and Europe now accounting for a large portion of their business.

7. The SME of the Year Award Winner: Education City Runner-up: Tots To Travel Trusted and used in over 15,500 schools, EducationCity.com is the teachers’ choice for curriculum content with its awardwinning activities and innovative tracking and testing features.

This was an excellent entry which demonstrated that this employer of 100 had built solid foundations, created a product and service which fitted a need and had created a market specific strategy to develop, deliver and manage the project.

Runner-up: Virtual PA Co

8. The Innovation Award Winner: Scissal Runner-up: Virtual PA Co Scissal design and produce an innovative, functional and sophisticated range of Diners for Cats and Dogs. The judges were impressed by the way that they “identified the need, undertook quality research backed up with a focussed sales & marketing campaign and used only UK suppliers and manufacturers.”

11. The Customer Focus Award 10. The Creative and Design Award Winner: D Squared Runner-up: Inspire2Tri D squared create imaginative marketing solutions for a wide range of customers from its design studio in Scotgate, Stamford.

The judges were impressed by a total rebrand for a client which demonstrated a solid understanding of the product and the market.

Winner: Inspire2Tri Runner-up: Anands Shoes Every single one of the nominations for Inspire2tri mentioned enthusiasm and passion. They also mentioned inspirational, professional, caring, dedicated, friendly, knowledgeable and always willing to go the extra mile to make sure that her clients succeed. Each of these people also had stories about what Mary Hardwick had inspired them to achieve – a triathlon, 100km bike rides, Marathons – the list was literally exhaustive!

9. The Marketing Initiative Award Winner: Otters Smokehouse and Deli Runner-up: Boundary Fish and Chips/ Riverside Restaurant Otter’s Smokehouse & Deli in Oakham offer a range of Traditional and Artisan English & Continental cheeses; naturally smoked, additive free fish and meats, charcuterie and antipasti; and homemade savoury tarts, pâtés, soups, cakes The judges felt that they “showed an indepth understanding of their product which is reflected in their marketing materials at every point”.

Runner-up: Change Agents UK

12. The Sustainability Award Winner: J P Beaver and Son Runner-up: Change Agents UK “Live as if you’re going to die tomorrow farm as if you’re going to live for ever”.

Beaver & Son is an arable farm that produces traceable malting barley, biscuit wheat, sugar and rapeseed oil that are sold to local food producers. Sustainability with regards to the soil and environment are what they live by.

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D E S I G N I N T E RI O R S

HERE COMES

THE

SUN! To the visiting tourist, Stamford and its surrounding community may appear to be a small market town, yet its inhabitants have big ideas for what they want in their homes. With a vast range of styles on offer, from the traditional to sleek contemporary and suiting all budgets, Antonia Scott set out to see what tips she could pick up for the upcoming season HUNTERS INTERIORS (www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk) are a four strong team delivering perfection across the county and beyond. With an exceptional eye for detail in transforming a ‘house’ into a ‘home’ Jill, Candida, Georgina and Sara have over 75 years of experience with

Hunters Interiors

Interior and curtain design, Antique sourcing and restoration. Their testimonials all speak of how clients were gently encouraged to step a little outside their comfort zone, only to be delighted with the results.

Hunters suggest a quick and simple way to fresh up a room is to rotate summer and winter cushion covers for the two seasons.

LIGHTING STYLES (www. lightingstyles.co.uk) based in Essendine specialise in bespoke lighting solutions for both your home and garden, or even commercial properties. They help customers by providing a lighting design that enhances their space without necessarily spending lots of money.

They suggest that an easy way to freshen up your home is to “dispel any dark spaces and highlight architectural features or pictures, as light creates warmth and ambience.”

FINISHING TOUCH (www.blindsbyfinishingtouch.com) in Stamford have been established for over 30 years and stock an extensive range of designer fabrics, wallpaper and paints, specialising in drapery design and soft furnishings. “A good starting point when trying to freshen up a home is always to focus on something that you love, whether it’s a fabric, wallpapers or piece of furniture and build your scheme around it. We encourage our clients to visit our showroom so our experienced staff can help select fabrics to complement it.”

H-WORKS (www.hworksdesign.co.uk) in Stamford Walk are Upholsters and Soft Furnishers and work with clients to help put together an interiors scheme, offering a number of luxury brands as well as their own unique branded products. Their advice to get a fresh look is to perhaps “paint your front door using Little Greene’s range of oil-based exterior paints, or freshen up an interior wall using pretty summer floral wallpapers such as Osbourne & Little’s new Persian Garden range. For a new bedroom look, try luxury linens from Lexington or give your whole home a summer scent with a floral or citrus room diffuser or scented candle.”

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SNOW DESIGNS & INTERIORS (www.camillasnowinteriors.com) have only been open in Stamford for a month yet their unique products are proving very popular. They offer sought after vintage pieces mixed with contemporary designs, such as the handprinted lamp shades and pendants from Lush Design.

They have very eclectic designs from flowers and snails to traditional country themed owl designs.

CONSERVATORY INTERIORS BY VALE (www.interiorsbyvale.com) have a vast selection of materials from leading designers and fabric houses and can advise clients on how to work with their existing schemes to create a seasonal change that will give a new lease of life to their rooms. Their extensive showrooms based in Belton Park, Grantham are great for inspirational ideas as they stock everything on site from furniture, lighting, mirrors, flooring, fabrics, accessories and their own range of period paints. They even do home visits if a client needs inspiration for a current room, bringing with them a whole range of products that then rarely get repacked to go back to Vale!

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CHALK (www.chalkinteriors.com) based in Stamford Garden Centre, Great Casterton is run

by Emma Canning and her team specialising in revamping almost any old piece of furniture using Annie Sloan paint. She runs workshops for total beginners up to advanced clients, demonstrating a wide range of techniques such as how to create a “French distressed” look which is very popular. Emma also stocks a range of furniture, artwork and gifts and will happily advise on choosing colour combinations or accessories to create a really stunning room or fresh look to your home this season.

J&L BALL (www. jandlballinteriors.co.uk) in North Street, Stamford is a run by Jeremy and Lorraine Ball who have been selling curtains and blinds for over 8 years. They visit hundreds of homes and help people choose what best suits their requirements, both aesthetically and financially catering for all budgets, from a simple tie-back to an entire house or office re furnishing. They will work with you to find this season’s perfect fabric, blind or wallpaper.

WOOSTER INTERIORS (www.woosterinteriors.co.uk) Susie Wooster has built her business up over the past eight years and has now expanded into a large barn on her farm in Brigstock. She houses many beautiful fabrics, sofas, lighting, rugs and carpets and recently started working alongside Anna Stone Designs Ltd (annastonedesign. com) to offer a bespoke interior design service for residential and commercial projects. Susie’s ideas to freshen up your home are to, “declutter and introduce clever and attractive storage – it is not necessary to display all that you own at the same time. Rotating your ornaments or artwork with the season creates a regular fresh touch to your interiors and investing in a few striking pieces will draw the eye and give a focal point. Hanging a new wallpaper on one wall, buying a new rug or perhaps just introducing living plants in coordinating pots can change a room scheme with minimal expense.”

LULU CARTER (www.lulucarterhome.com/ www.lulucarterinteriordesign.co.uk) has over 20 years experience in interior design and is renowned for creating the perfect balance of aesthetics and comfort, blending traditional lines and contemporary style. She is able to translate her clients’ ideas into reality, reflecting their personality whilst remaining

DELCOR (www.delcor.co.uk/stamford) is a family-run business specialising in bespoke sofas and armchairs. They draw their design inspiration from combining the best of classical furniture with the very latest contemporary styles. Showcased in each ‘Inspiration Studio’ clients can create their own ‘masterpiece’ from a selection of over 10,000 fabric and leather covers, ensuring that ‘one size does not fit all’. They also take as much care with what goes inside their products as how beautiful they are on the outside, with a unique 20 year guarantee on the timber frames.

sympathetic to the house.

Lulu’s tips for freshening up your house for the season ahead would be to inject some fun into furniture you already have, for example some unique all-weather chair covers are perfect for terrace furniture and are a great way to brighten up your outdoor space!

Lulu will be having a Sale Day on Tues 23rd April at Buckminster Barns – where these chair covers can be seen in the flesh!

THE WOOL ROOM (www. thewoolroom. com) stock a wide range of wool products and gifts from funky sheep stools, to tartan door stops, beautiful blankets, throws and cushions and other home interiors, including a Nursery range.

ELIZABETH STANHOPE INTERIORS (www.elizabethstanhope.co.uk) make no secret about the fact that they are different, and hopefully always will be. “The most obvious difference is the huge stocks we carry, of quality fabric and accessories, along with many hundreds of pattern books. We always have the latest collections of the most current furnishing brands, this season’s scents, plus gifts and an abundance of home accessories.” On freshening up your home, their advice is simple, “Decide on which room would best benefit from washing away the winter blues, then do exactly that - wash the paintwork and clean windows and the cills outside, check to see if the carpet would also benefit from a clean and then decide on a practical budget and let us do the rest!”

NOOK (www.nookfurniture.co.uk) is a treasure trove for customers wanting to find something a little bit different and is perfect for interiors inspiration, whether your taste is contemporary or the more traditional.

CHEZ SOI (www.chezsoionline.co.uk) means ‘at home’ so feel free to browse their wide range of new and antique country style furniture and accessories. There is also an in house workshop where they customise many of the items sold.

RUTLAND SHUTTERS (www. rutlandshutters.co.uk) are based in Oakham and specialise in plantation shutters.

SINCLAIRS of Stamford (11, St Mary’s Street) has served its community for over 50 years specialising in luxury homewares with good old fashioned service and quality.

ST MARTIN’S ANTIQUES (23a, High Street, St Martins) is home to thousands of beautiful, unique antiques, guaranteed to change the mood and look of a room.

STAMFORD LIVING APRIL 2013

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Lighting Styles • Looking for an interesting light fitting?

• Need help with your lighting design?

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• New kitchen and no lighting?

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Visit Lighting Styles on line or at the showroom and let us solve all your lighting problems.

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Drapery Design Specialists We are proud to offer you the benefit of our 30 years experience, meticulous attention to detail and outstanding service with no design fee.

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Call into our showroom for lots of great ideas 8 All Saints St, Stamford PE9 2PA - Tel: 01780 763005 enquiries@blindsbyfinishingtouch.com - www.blindsbyfinishingtouch.com

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Snow Designs & Interiors.

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Des ign Inte riors

The Fitted Furniture Company: Passionate about furniture The Fitted Furniture Company specialises in designing and producing the highest quality bespoke furniture. Originally established in 1991 in Stamford by Jason Nicholls, they relocated to Easton on the Hill to a new, purpose built workshop in 2000. Over that time they have become synonymous with quality and craftmanship

J

20 years of building an impeccable reputation ason describes the approach of the for quality and service, our dividend has been business: “Every piece of furniture is with the successive word of individually designed to embody mouth recommendations we have your own ideas and specific received.” requirements, married with So we thought we would test precise measurements for a it out by visiting a home where perfect fit. a Fitted Furniture Kitchen has “Our craftsmen install their own recently been installed… work, taking the time and care to complete each commission to A Village Kitchen your satisfaction. Our furniture The Fitted Furniture Company was is built to last using traditional commissioned to methods such as mortise and Built-in create a completely tenon jointing and solid dovetailed seating new kitchen in a timber drawer boxes. delightful house in “We incorporate modern Classic dresser an edge of village furniture technology, such as soft-close drawer runners or pullout storage solutions. Our passion for quality furniture is unrivalled and progressive. Doors are traditionally hung using brass or brushed steel hinges and the attention to detail is of the greatest importance.”

“The Fitted Furniture Company takes great pride in delivering a truly personal service.

We believe in treating our customers in the way that we would like to be treated. We work very closely with the client; exceeding expectations, presenting and inspiring new ideas and achieving superb results. With over

location near Stamford. Whilst the overall space was significant, the room was much longer than it was wide so this needed to be taken into account in the planning.

The result is gorgeous – a classic dresser at one end, made by the Fitted Furniture Company, which had always been something that the owner had dreamt of having; a cooker and chimney-breast in the centre, with a traditional sink opposite looking out into the garden and

the view of the valley beyond.

And at the far end a breakfast table with built-in seating on one side that is incredibly space-efficient as well as being very appealing.

“That’s where everyone gravitates to in this room,” the owner told us.

The Fitted Furniture Company were responsible for every aspect of the kitchen, from initial design through to building the kitchen units to installing them, sourcing the equipment and creating the overall finish.

You can use them for as much or as little of a project as you wish. As well as kitchens, they do studies and bedrooms.

Fishing Touch, based in All Saints’ St, did all the soft furnishings – the curtains and the cushions etc.

The overall effect is transformative. If you want the very best look no further than the Fitted Furniture Company.

• If you would like to discuss a project, given Jason Nicholls a call. Fitted Furniture Company, Racecourse Rd Easton-on-the-Hill, PE9 3NT. Tel: 01780 480080 www.thefittedfurniturecompany.com

STAMFORD LIVING april 2013

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StabLeS & Paddock

Peakirk Guide price £1.2 million

Langtoft Guide Price £950,000

A magnificent Grade II* Listed Georgian Country Home with outbuildings.

3 Receptions, kitchen/breakfast room, cellar, galleried study, conservatory.

Principal bedroom with en suite, 5 further bedrooms, family bathroom & shower room. Gated courtyard, landscaped gardens, walled kitchen garden.

A fabulous contemporary barn conversion in a semi-rural location.

4 Receptions, kitchen/breakfast room, utility. 4/5 Bedrooms, 4 en suites, 2 Garages, car port, large landscaped garden.

Stables, tack room, feed room, paddock (approx 1 acre). Energy rating C/73

Please visit www.nortonrickett.co.uk for all of our properties and further information, or call us if you would like to arrange a free market valuation of your home. ruraL vieWS

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Washingley, near Stilton Guide price £750,000

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An imposing Victorian farm house set in just over half an acre. 2 Receptions, large kitchen, utility, family room/snug, conservatory, cellar.

5 bedrooms, family bathroom, shower room.

Double garage with games room over, Energy rating G/11

Handsome Grade II listed terraced townhouse in village centre near The Haycock. 2 Receptions, kitchen, 12 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms/showers.

Courtyard garden, on-street parking.

In total over 3350 square feet; in need of modernisation and improvement.

An impressive stone built three storey family home.

2 Receptions, kitchen/breakfast room, garden room with loggia. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 6th bedroom/store. Double garage, rear garden.

Similar properties required.

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L ocal sport

A passion for Sport Bob Feetham, previously Chairman of Stamford AFC and owner of the Rutland Times, takes a look at summer pursuits

Ketton Cricket Club is alive and well!

Not long ago, rumours abounded that Ketton Cricket Club, a founder member of the Rutland League, had been forced to disband. Nothing could be further from the truth and as they now await their opening fixtures of the new season, Tilton and Lowesby away on April 21, followed by Castor and Ailsworth, also away, a week later. Cristian Durant and Jai Nairn have taken off-field responsibility for pulling together a squad of sufficient size.

Ketton compete in Division Three, having won a number of promotions since their days in Division Five and Cristian explained: “We may have progressed too quickly - and that has put pressure on the squad. Jai and I now hope to bring together a team which can cope with the pressures of league cricket.”

Eyebrook

Trout Fishing Season Underway The new trout fishing season is now well under way and this wonderful picture taken at Eyebrook is sure to tempt many of you to cast a line in the weeks ahead.

Eyebrook opened last week and fishery manager Andy Miller has recommended a number of fly patterns for early season bank fishing success. He suggests black and green Nomads, Montana nymphs, black buzzers and Diawl bach fished slowly on floating or intermediate lines. He insists: “It is very important to retrieve really slowly as the water temperature will still be low and the fish won’t want to expend energy to feed.”

At the latter end of last season, massive numbers of roach and perch fry had congregated round the boat pontoons, suggesting that a massive food source such as this would have enabled the resident trout to thrive.

Should be a great season - and one which will start in slightly different conditions to 2012 when we were experiencing a drought! Even so, the average weight of trout caught last year was 2lb 4oz.

Eyebrook contact number: 01536 772930.

Elsewhere, Anglian Water’s reservoirs are all now open. Rutland Water welcomed its first guests last week and those who wish to make use of the tackle shop will find doors open daily 8am to 5pm.

Contact numbers: Grafham 01480 810531; Rutland 01780 686441.

Starting this year, Grafham Water will gradually replace their fleet with the larger 16ft Coulam boats.

Anglian Water is staging friendly matches at their venues this season. Open to anyone, expert or novice, they are regarded as a great way to improve your fishing and make new friends. The Tuesday evening boat leagues, followed by supper, are very popular.

• Check out www.anglianwater.co.uk/leisure/what-to-do/fishing/trout/ for more details.

Cristian pointed out that the club have a very successful youth section which has made good progress, but it is the friendlies they hope to provide on a Saturday which will prove crucial in blooding these youngsters for long term league involvement. “For them, reaching the first team should be the pinnacle of their development,” he added.

Cristian himself is an extremely experienced cricketer who has been with the club for ten years. He sees this as a period of restructuring right the way through from league level to the club committee.

Certainly, Ketton can look back on some proud achievements. They were one of nine founder members when the league began in 1982 - and they have won the Division One title three times. “I know people talk about too much travelling but the teams involved set some enjoyable challenges. That added standard is what what you have to overcome in striving to do well,” added Cristian.

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A Day Out In…

Leicester

ART & CULTURE

Leicester Museum in New Walk A charming museum, and if Egyptology or dinosaurs are your thing, a ‘must visit’ place.

There are also often good exhibitions and a small, but interesting permanent collection of paintings and Picasso ceramics.

Street architecture Look up at the architecture south of Highcross and you will see a fine Victorian town (it was one of Europe’s wealthiest cities in the 19th century).

Isaac Barradale was one of the city’s most notable Victorian architects. He was described by Pevsner as “arguably the finest architect of the Arts and Crafts movement in the country”. He designed the building that is now Fenwick’s department store in Market Street and the one directly opposite.

He is best known in our patch for being the architect of Hambleton Hall. Find out more about him at www.leicesterchronicler.com/ barradale.htm Fenwick’s

Curve Theatre

Leicester has changed – whether it be the huge and impressive Highcross development on one side or the new Curve Theatre at the heart of the Cultural Quarter on the other, the two areas seem to have given new energy to everything in between – so many new galleries, restaurants, bars and independent retailers have popped up in recent years. Nicholas Rudd-Jones looked at the city with fresh eyes WHAT TO SEE AND DO

Richard III exhibition at the Guildhall Few of us failed to be moved by the discovery of Richard III’s remains in a car park in the centre of Leicester or ‘the hunchback under the hatchbacks’ as one journalist rather cruelly put it. The Guildhall, just behind the cathedral, hosts a major exhibition telling the story of King Richard III, his life and times and the search for his lost remains. It is open daily from 11am-4,30pm and is free.

Take a look at the famous Turkey Café, an art nouveau style building at 24 Granby Street, designed in 1901 by Arthur Wakerley, another eminent Leicester architect. It was built for restaurateur John Winn, who already owned several cafés in the city, each with a different theme. Wakerley founded lots of café’s as he was a member of the temperance movement. He put a turkey right at the top of the building and the ceramics were made by William Neatby of Doulton & Company.

For a more general review of the architecture of the city, take a look at the excellent http:// www.jonestheplanner.co.uk/2011/02/urbanimpressions-leicester-city.html The Curve Theatre Rutland St www.curveonline.co.uk This has been a massive success story for Leicester since it opened four years ago. There is almost always something of interest to go and see there, and it’s also visually stunning.

Leicester Cathedral dates back to the 10th century, but only became a cathedral in 1927 when Leicester became a Diocese.

Richard III’s remains are expected to be interred there in early 2014.

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Turkey Café

Showcase Cinema Deluxe Leicester Highcross This cinema really is a treat, with huge seats, even sofas in one auditorium. If you love the movies, you will love them even more here.

STAMFORD Living APRIL 2013

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P T

SHOPPING DISCOVERIES

Leicester Highcross The John Lewis end is very agreeable and includes plenty of fashion shops and also an Apple store. The Whitewall Gallery, 9 Bathhouse Lane, exhibits everyone from top international artists to the best of the up and coming local talent.

World Peace Café

GETTING THERE AND PARKING

I find the simplest is to park at Highcross John Lewis Car Park on the northen ring road, on the basis that access is straightforward and you are bound to want something from John Lewis on the way out.

The train station is about a 15-minute walk from the centre and is an easy and pleasant way to get there on the Peterborough to Leicester line.

PIT STOPS The Lanes The Lanes, just south of Highcross, are perfect for browsing for avant garde and original stuff.

Try Amabyss on the High Street for gifts & jewellery. Visit Harlequin in Loseby Lane for fantastic furnishings and inspiration for the home; and Polly’s, a treasure trove of women’s fashion.

The Leicester Market, Indoor & Outdoor, is an institution not to be missed, at the south side of the Lanes in the Market Place. It is full of produce, meat & fish and also all sorts of other goods. Find out much more about it at www. leicestermarket.co.uk

World Peace Café, 17 Guildhall Lane.

Opposite the cathedral, this was a real discovery. Part of a Buddhist Meditation Centre, it is run by volunteers from around the world. They serve tasty homemade food - warmed wraps and ciabattas, giant jacket potatoes, salads, special meals and homemade soup. A quirky, friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Vintage Tea Room and Crafts Leicester Indoor Market, Level C. A charming. nononsense tea room with a light and airy feel overlooking the market.

ES C A L P T A E O T

Kayal Restaurant at 153, Granby St www. kayalrestaurant.com serves authentic South Indian food and is convenient for the Curve Maiyango Hotel – see focus The Good Earth, 19 Free Lane, just off Halford St. It’s a vegetarian only restaurant and has been around for over 40 years at the same venue. Food is fantastic and all home cooked.

The usual chains in Leicester Highcross include Yo Sushi, Wagamama and the Handmade Burger Co., all perfect for the cinema.

Leicester New Walk

Curve has a well-rated café; you are welcome whether you are seeing a show or not.

“The Leicester Market, Indoor & Outdoor, is an institution not to be missed, at the south side of the Lanes in the Market Place.”

Shivalli, 21 Welford Rd (close to New Walk) www. shivallirestaurant.com Indian vegetarian of the highest quality.

No frills, the lunchtime buffet for £4.95 a head is a steal.

A good website for further information on Leicester is www.visitleicester.info . Under ‘Plan your Trip’ there is a really excellent town map that can be downloaded.

The Market

Focus on Hotel Maiyango

Amander Meade writes: “Maiyango offers a very enjoyable dining experience in the Moroccan-inspired surroundings. We enjoyed three delicious courses – Guy loved the Pickled Ginger and Grapefruit Cured Scottish Salmon with Watercress Salad and a warm Fennel Seed Loaf to start, whilst my main course of Spiced Fillet of Sea Bass with King Prawns and Braised Wild Rice with Shellfish Sauce was prepared to perfection and truly delicious. Whilst I tucked into Dark Chocolate and Orange Tart with White Chocolate Anglaise and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Guy sampled a selection of Fine Cheese with Grapes and Celery with Homemade Bread – both were highly commended.

Independently owned and operated by young hotelier Aatin Anadkat, the hotel sets its standards of service beyond the levels of large group-owned chains. “Our aim is to ensure every aspect of your experience surpasses your expectations and we deliver a memorable experience. We also take great pride in being an ethical and environmentally friendly company.”

Aatin’s refreshing attitude and vision are evident in the development of the business too – he has recently launched Maiyango Kitchen Deli just a couple of doors away, providing homemade breads, patisserie goods, and a range of preserves – all made using locally sourced ingredients and created by the hotel restaurant team.”

Contact: Hotel Maiyango, 13-21 St Nicholas Place, Leicester LE1 4LD Tel: 0116 251 88 98 www.maiyango.com Lunch and dinner • Thanks to www.ellideanphotography.co.uk for many of the pictures and Amander Meade for ‘local knowledge’.

STAMFORD STAMFORD LIVING LIVING MARCH APRIL 2013 2013

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COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL & GOLF CLUB

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Sea n ’ s simple suppe rs

By George, it’s delicious!

Olive Branch head chef Sean Hope shares a beautifully easy yet tasty traditional dish…

F

or this new series of easy supper recipes I’m going to be focusing on honest, simple cooking that incorporates flavours that work well together. These simple suppers won’t require complicated techniques or unusual ingredients, but will create delicious meals full of tradition and flavour.

With St George’s Day coming on April 23, I thought I’d come up with something beefy. After all, a cheese soufflé just doesn’t cut the mustard when celebrating Britain’s most famous dragon-slayer. Enjoy.

Beef casserole, roast potatoes, glazed carrots Beef casserole - Serves 4 • 800g of stewing steak or diced beef skirt • 250g onion, roughly chopped • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped • 200g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped • Sprig thyme • 1 bay leaf • 2 tbsp plain flour • 1 tbsp tomato paste • 200ml sherry vinegar • Large glass port • Large glass red wine • 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly • 300ml good-quality beef stock • Fresh tarragon • Worcester sauce 1. Heat a large frying pan containing a drizzle of rapeseed oil.

2. Brown off the diced beef in small amounts (this will prevent the pan from losing heat and boiling the meat).

3. Remove the sealed beef from the pan and place in a suitable bowl.

4. Dust the beef with the flour and mix well with the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper and place to one side.

5. In a large saucepan, fry off the onions, garlic and mushrooms to golden brown.

6. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and reduce.

7. Add the redcurrant jelly and alcohol, then bring to the boil for five minutes.

8. Add the thyme, bay leaf, diced beef mix and stock.

9. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and gently cook the casserole for approximately 3-4 hours until the meat is nice and tender.

10. Adjust the seasoning if required, then finish with a splash of Worcester sauce and a tablespoon of fresh chopped tarragon.

11. Serve with roast potatoes, glazed carrots and some fresh watercress leaves.

Roast potatoes - Serves 4 • 800g peeled chopped Maris piper potatoes • 200g beef dripping or goose fat • Rosemary and sage 1. Place potatoes into a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil.

2. When soft, strain, cool, then ruffle with a fork.

3. Heat up a roasting tray, add the fat, then add the potatoes.

4. Roast in a hot oven at Gas Mark 6 (200C) with sprigs of rosemary and sage for 40-50 minutes until crispy, turning them at the halfway point.

5. Season with smoked Maldon salt flakes and serve.

Glazed carrots - Serves 4 • 450g trimmed chantanay carrots • Pinch salt, pepper and caster sugar • Juice of half an orange and a little strip of zest • Knob of butter 1. Place all the ingredients into a suitable saucepan and barely cover with water.

2. Bring to a rapid boil.

3. Cook until there is one third of the stock remaining, adjust seasoning, strain and serve

Coming up at our pubs Tapas on the terrace The daffodils are now in full bloom, so I hope I don’t sound delusional when I say that it won’t be long until The Olive Branch pergola is alive with fresh new colours and the patio is buzzing with conversation punctuated by the clink of wine glasses. From April 2 we’ll be helping to make that scene a reality by serving Tapas on the Terrace at The Olive Branch for £18.50 per person.

We’re also holding special dinners at both The Olive Branch and Red Lion Inn (Stathern) to celebrate St George’s Day on Tuesday, April 23. As you’d expect, the menus are beefy and satisfyingly English!

Book Tapas on the Terrace and St George’s Day on 01780 410355. (The Olive Branch) or 01949 860868 (Red Lion Inn).

Passionate about good food?

If you are passionate about local food and drink then you might like to join Great Food Club.

• Sign up at www.greatfoodclub.co.uk, free of charge.

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FOOD & DR INK

A ‘Lenten’ Reverence for the Full English Sarah Lyon goes on a culinary adventure to the Bloomsbury Institute in London where she meets Seb Emina, author of The Breakfast Bible and food anthropologist Dr Kaori O’Connor, author of The English Breakfast, who proclaim their reverence for breakfast as the most familiar of all meals; a meal rich in history and tradition

“I

t’s baffling that we remember Shrove Tuesday but have inexplicably forgotten the lesser known Collop Monday, traditionally a day for indulging in ‘bacon and eggs,” says Seb Emina.

Always the day before Shrove Tuesday, Collop Monday was traditionally the last day to cook and eat meat before Lent.

Having always enjoyed and made pancakes on Shrove Tuesday it was a complete surprise and rather exciting to come across Seb Emina’s call to bring back the lesser known let alone observed Collop Monday. “The word collop once referred to thin slices of any meat, and then drifted into being used exclusively as bacon,” says Seb. The bacon or collops would be served with eggs (perhaps the precursor of the traditional Full English enjoyed today) and fat would be saved to prepare the pancakes for the following day. Seb goes onto explain and cite how an 1815 tome called Clavis Calendaria describes how “the day was, by the vulgar, called Collop Monday, a name it even yet retains in some places, from the primitive custom of regaling with eggs on collops or slices of bread.”

Although it is not clear when this tradition came in to existence, it is thought that it was probably a Christian tradition that finds its origins in the medieval period. Food anthropologist Dr Kaori O’Connor told me that in medieval times folk ate two meals in a day (one of which was not breakfast) and could not eat before they had attended morning Mass.

Seb points out that it is likely that the Collop Monday’s bacon and eggs were eaten in the evening yet time has shown us that they work perfectly as a morning meal. After Mass it was work on the farm or land where most cottagers would have kept a pig.

And there you have it, the humble Lenten beginnings of what we know today as bacon and eggs and the quintessentially English combination that has become the mainstay of the Full English Breakfast.

“Across the world the one thing people know and share in common is their knowledge of the English Breakfast,” say Kaori O’Connor.

Seb urges us to never forget what a powerful gesture inviting someone to breakfast can be and goes on to quote Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Dinner parties are mere formalities; but you invite a man to breakfast because

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you want to see him,’ where conversation and food are a rich and memorable combination’.

Seb’s ‘Magic 9’: bacon, eggs, sausage, black or white pudding, tomatoes, toast, mushrooms, beans, potato-stuff Morning, evening, brunch or lunch; ‘Pig-out’ on some fine locally sourced breakfast ingredients Northfield Farm – Rutland Panther Dry-Cured Bacon - Jan McCourt explains, “The rarest British breed of pig is the British Lop as kept at Northfield Farm on the Leicestershire/Rutland border.

Kept outside on old grassland bordering woods from spring to autumn, the sows come in to large airy barns when the ground is just too wet and heavy for them. Rare breed pork takes longer to grow but has better fat cover, marbling and therefore taste than fast grown intensivelyreared pig.” A few years ago Jan was searching for some inspiration for an entry into the Guild of Fine Foods annual national awards. Taking a bottle of Rutland Panther Mild, itself something of a rare breed and brewed just down the road in Oakham, from the shelf of his Farm shop, he combined it in an experiment with previously dry-cured bacon. The experiment won a much coveted Gold Award that year. “We make it in small batches, but there is always an interest in the combination of meat and booze. The Rutland Panther Mild adds a gentle extra dimension to the flavour of the bacon and is very popular with those in the know.” Farm shop, Cold Overton nr Oakham. Tel: 01664 474271, www.northfieldfarm. com Woodlands Farm - organic eggs. Stamford Farmer’s Market or order through Vegetable Box delivery scheme, Tel: 01205 724778, www. woodlandsfarm.co.uk Nelson’s Butchers, Scottish sourced Black Pudding and award winning sausages - Beautifully rich and delicious. Stamford Shop: Red Lion Square and Ironmonger Street Hambleton Bakery’s English Muffins – The traditional muffin is made from a wet dough of white French flour. After slow fermentation the bubbling dough is dropped into a ring and cooked on both sides on the griddle. They are delicious with eggs and bacon etc as in ‘Eggs Benedict’. Stamford shop: 1 Ironmonger Street, Oakham shop: Gaol St www.hambletonbakery.co.uk

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Eat Drink & Be Merry!

Lunch for 2 – only £10!

Why not join us for a main course each with coffee every MondayFriday between 12.00-2.30pm

Dinner for 2 with wine only £20!

Have 2 main courses from our “classics” menu and a bottle of wine, or a 4 pint jug of ale for just £20 all in!

Oundle Mill is reOpening On Friday 29 th OF March dine fOr £14.95 On ThurSdayS On Thursdays in april and May, for lunch or dinner, you can experience our delicious Mill menu for £14.95 for three courses.

The Bull & Swan at Burghley Tel: 08445 766180 www.thebullandswan.co.uk

SeT Menu Our new set menu offers a selection of mouthwatering dishes and is perfect to enjoy for lunch or dinner from £12.50 per person.

The set menu is not available on Thursdays, Saturday evenings and Sunday lunch times.

Sunday Lunch Join us at Oundle Mill with family and friends for Sunday lunch and enjoy scrumptious starters, traditional roasts and tempting desserts from our fabulous Sunday lunch menu.

2 courses £21.50 3 courses £25.50 Sunday lunch is served between 12.00 and 2.30pm.

We are now taking bookings from Friday 29th of March, please contact our reception team to book a table or a relaxing break.

01733 315 702

Perfect for entertaining that all important client or a break from the shops, enjoy the relaxing river setting with tempting tastes of the Far East.

Free parking or a short walk from the City Centre!

Book your table today Upper Deck Charters Town Bridge Peterborough PE1 1FP

Oundle Mill, Barnwell Road, Oundle, Northamptonshire, PE8 5PB Tel: (01832) 272621 www.oundlemill.co.uk 49

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A truly Authentic tAste of turkey Monday to saturday 6pm to 11pm opening for lunches and takeaways from the 2nd April - 11am – 2pm 01780 238 001 8/9 st Paul's street, stamford. Pe9 2Be 50

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EATING OUT

The White Horse, Empingham Antonia Scott galloped across the road to try out her local

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teve and Claire Glencross have taken a firm hold of the reins of The White Horse in Empingham since buying it at the beginning of February. Giving themselves just seven days to complete stage one in a radical overhaul of the pub, they have transformed the interior beyond recognition, creating a ‘home from home’ atmosphere, and have big ideas for the rest of the bedrooms and separate conference facilities.

They have also put their own stamp on the food offering, with meticulous care being taken to source the best possible local ingredients.

Alongside Head Chef Ian Kembery, they have created a delicious menu with six tempting starters – ranging in price from £4.75-£7.25. We tried the Pan Fried Hallumi with sun blush tomatoes and olives, Pan Fried King Scallops on a mint pea purée with crispy pancetta and the Homemade Chicken Liver Parfait with melba toast and a homemade apple and fig chutney; and we were extremely impressed with the presentation and freshness of each dish. Then followed a choice of six ‘Pub Classics’– all priced between £ 9.95-£10.75 - featuring firm favourites, Beer Battered Cod, Rutland Sausages and Mash, a Homemade Steak & Ale Pie and a topical ‘White Horse Burger’ which is 100% NOT horsemeat! Alongside these popular dishes are six more sophisticated ‘Main Courses’ to tempt you, featuring Duck, Lamb, Chicken and Fish courses – all priced between £12.95-£16.95. There is also a frequently changing Specials Board which

showcases yet more local seasonal fare and despite being extremely tempted, I finally settled on the Fillet of Seabass from the main menu which was accompanied by pakchoi, spring onions and roast pepper soy, ginger and lime dressing. It was a little piece of Asia fused heaven! Murray the meatlover had the Sirloin Steak, served with roast tomato and mushrooms simple and unpretentious, as a steak should be!

Puddings were traditional and comforting, I couldn’t decide between the Sticky Toffee pudding, Treacle Sponge or Lemon Tart but finally the custard option on the Treacle Sponge won and I was now full to brimming!

Murray polished off a heavenly Chocolate Marquis which was “melt in the mouth” according to the cocoa connoisseur! We waddled the 54 steps home, happy in the knowledge our local is now in very safe hands and has already become a firm favourite for the village.

• The White Horse, Main Street, Empingham, Rutland, LE15 8PS www. whitehorserutland.co.uk. For bookings: 01780 460 221. Twitter: @ whitehorserutland

The Fat Turk

Simone Pickering, owner of the exquisite Miss Pickering Flowers, paid her new ‘next door neighbours’ a visit

W

hen the “let” sign appeared next door outside the restaurant formerly known as Assiette, the rumours ensued. Was it to be Jamie Oliver or Marco Pierre White? No, it was to be The Fat Turk, and those of us on St Paul’s St waited patiently for an olive-skinned Daniel Lambert to appear.

What appeared was a man, his wife and their daughter, building supplies, paint, a father, lanterns, a mother, fridges, and a brother. The Fat Turk is very much a family affair.

It opened without fanfare, just a simple message on a chalkboard, and on opening night when we arrived there were just two other tables occupied. Half an hour later there wasn’t an empty seat. The layout and indeed furniture is the same as it has been in previous incarnations, but with newly painted walls, and Turkish music.

The menu is large, literally. All the wines and beers are Turkish, which raised a few eyebrows, but the white wine we had was delicious, and

other diners thrilled at being able to get beer they had enjoyed on a Turkish holiday.

Onto the food - the menu is separated into meze, main courses, a set menu, and desserts. We opted for the sharing meze for two: a mix of homemade calamari, tzatiki, salads, vegetables, halloumi, cheese pastries and bread - the dishes just kept coming, and conversation was swapped for appreciative noises. A long pause between courses would be advisable, the portions are somewhat large.

To follow we had lamb cutlets from the grill on a bed of aubergine in yoghurt, beautifully cooked and full of flavour. From the oven we chose baked chicken thighs which came in an enormous bowl with rice, salad and potatoes. It

wasn’t my favourite thing, but by then we were somewhat replete, so much so that dessert was declined, but a Turkish Delight and the thick Turkish coffee were most welcome.

There were a few first night hiccups, light bulbs blew, the plate warmer wasn’t working, but all were met with good humour and diners willing them on. As you leave you are offered perfumed water to freshen your hands. We stepped out into a cold Lincolnshire night smelling of lemon groves.

Dinner for 2 with wine was £49, we will definitely be back.

• The Fat Turk, 8/9 St. Paul’s St, Stamford, PE9 2BE Tel: 01780 238001. Mon-Sat 6-11 www.thefatturkstamford.co.uk

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Membership at Stapleford Park

With a Stapleford Park membership, you can enjoy unlimited golf, use of the pool, tennis, technogym, fitness classes, upto ��� discount on food and beverage, one night complimentary stay and six hours child care per week at our Tree Cottage Nursery. Memberships start from ���� per month, terms and conditions apply.

If you would like further information, contact us on 01572 787000 or visit www.staplefordpark.com Stapleford Park, Stapleford, Nr Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 2EF

A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Two Exclusive Offers for April Only Dinner Offer - 3 Course Menu £45.00 per person

Favourite English Country Hotel 2013 Condé Nast Traveller Gold List

Ballotine of Guinea Fowl or Assiette of Tomato *** Poached Fillet of Seabass with artichoke flavoured cous cous or Variations of Lamb with mint jelly & a rosemar y jus *** Rhubarb Soufflé or Caramelised Lemon Tart with raspberries *** Coffee & homemade Chocolates Menu subject to a discretionary service charge of 12.5%

Bedroom Offer - Standard Double Bedroom £215.00 per night Includes full Hambleton breakfast, morning newspaper & VAT Sunday to Thursday – Subject to availability

HAMBlETOn, OAkHAM, RuTlAnD, lE15 8TH T: 01572 756991 E: hotel@hambletonhall.com W: www.hambletonhall.com 52

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B R I N G I N G L OCA L FOOD T O LIFE

The Golden Mile

Leicester’s Belgrave Road provides an experience that everyone should try. Jack Thorpe is your guide…

Photos: Laura Harvey of www.relovedvintageinteriors.co.uk

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tilton, Red Leicester, pork pies – all products of which Leicestershire can be rightly proud. Here’s another name to throw into the mix: lilo chevdo. This sweet, sticky, spicy concoction may have its roots firmly in India, but for almost 30 years, Leicester – specifically Belgrave Road – has been its UK home. It’s a snack like no other – and draws customers from miles away.

Take a trip along the A47 to Peterborough, a city with a thriving Indian community, scour the many Asian grocers and sweet shops and lilo chevdo is nowhere to be found – this truly is a Leicestershire speciality. Suresh Gosai, one of three brothers who run the Sharmilee restaurant and shop at 71-73 Belgrave Road, has been making and selling lilo chevdo (sometimes called lilo chevda or lilo chivda) since his father opened Sharmilee in 1973.

Prepared every Saturday morning – and only for sale at the weekend – it comprises potato chips, peanuts and gram dal (a dried split-pea). These are soaked in a lemon juice and sugar mixture and given a healthy sprinkling of fresh coriander. In summer, pomegranate seeds or finely chopped mango are added. You’ve never experienced ‘moreish’ until you’ve had a spoonful of lilo.

Like most Belgrave Road residents and businessmen, the Gosai family came to Leicester from East Africa – and this has shaped the road, known locally as The Golden Mile – into such a unique shopping experience.

The most well-known establishment is Bobby’s, just over the road from Sharmilee at 154-156. Like its neighbour, Bobby’s is both restaurant and sweet and savoury snack shop and, like the vast majority of Belgrave’s Hindu-run restaurants, is exclusively vegetarian. This isn’t your run-ofthe-mill ‘Indian’ restaurant food – you won’t find a jalfrezi or vindaloo on

the menu. Try the dahi puris – bite-sized, crisp bread shells, filled with lightly spiced potato and chickpeas, topped with yoghurt, crunchy sev and chopped coriander – an explosion of spice, heat, sweetness and coolness that both takes your breath away and soothes your soul.

Just off Belgrave Road, at 3a Roberts Road, is Sangam Pan House.

Here you will find a constant stream of customers – many visiting every day – getting their pan fix. Pan, for the uninitiated (as I was until recently) is a vine leaf, skilfully wrapped around a selection of dry ingredients such as saffron, cardamom, fennel seeds, coconut and cloves, all stuck together with lime paste and acacia extract.

Ingredients vary widely, but the result is an incredibly fragrant and refreshing taste – sometimes swallowed, sometimes, well, not.

As well as the restaurants and sweet shops, Belgrave Road is rich with clothes, fabrics and jewellery – as well as grocers stocking everything you might need to create your own Indian dishes. One of the best is Popat’s at 160 Belgrave Road (best accessed from the car park on Macdonald Road, down the side of Bobby’s). Here you will find everything from industrial-sized sacks of rice and chapatti flour, to possibly the widest range of spices in the region, plus a huge selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. Not sure what to do with a dudhi? Ask the staff – as with everyone you’ll meet on Belgrave Road, they are helpful, friendly and keen to share their passion for good food. In fact, it’s not so much a passion or a celebration – it’s taken as read that food is something to be enjoyed, not just a means of refuelling. You only have to look at the displays in shops such as Sharmilee and Bobby’s to see how much pride is taken in their produce each and every day. And that’s something we should all buy into.

Join Great Food Club – free of charge – and discover the very best local food and drink Members can enjoy special offers at over 60 handpicked independent pubs, restaurants, producers and farm shops www.greatfooodclub.co.uk/join

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The best bits o Belgrave Ro f ad...

The best sa vouries: Bobby’s, 154156 Belgrave Road.

The farrari chev do (a dry mix of potato chips, peanuts, cash ews, sultanas, chilli and salt) highlight, the bu is a ffet good valu e and the rest particularly th aurant, e chaats and pu ris, is of a high standard.

The best ex perience: Sangam Pan House, 3a Ro berts Road.

For 70p you’ll get a taste un like any other left). Yes, it’s an (see acquired taste, but worth it ju watch the skill st to involved in crea ting these perf delicacies. umed The best in gredients: Popats, 160 Be lgrave Road.

Stock up on sp ices (why not tr y new ingredie such as black nts, cumin or dried pomegranate and marvel at seeds?) the range of ve getables. Best to buy kit to co place ok them all with is at Milan’s, 88 Belgrave Road -92 .

The best sw eets: Sharmilee, 71 -73 Belgrave Road.

Mithai (condens ed milk and su gar sweets), je (deep-fried flo labi ur and sugar sy rup) and lilo ch are enough to evdo satisfy anyone with a (very) sw tooth. eet The best rest aurant: That, we could not say. Everyo ne you ask ha favourite, with s their honourable m entions to Bobb Sharmliee, as y’s and well as Sayona ra Thali, 49 Be Rd, and Jalsa, lgrave 87 Belgrave Rd . The only way out is to try th to find em all…

STAMFORD Living APRIL 2013

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D IARY DAT E S

What’s On Amander Meade selects some of the best entertainment in the region this month Throughout April at Barnsdale Spring has sprung at Barnsdale with a plethora of wonderful workshops and courses to see you through to warmer days. Choose from a monthly art workshop with Val Littlewood drawing and painting the emerging flowers and wildlife at Barnsdale Gardens; learning how to make the most of compost for your garden with Nick Hamilton or practical courses in vegetable growing or pruning.

To book a place or to find out more about all the courses, which start priced from £32, visit www.barnsdalegardens.co.uk or Tel: 01572 813200 Tuesday 2 April, 1.30pm and 4pm FAMILY THEATRE: Pinocchio Follow the tale of the wooden puppet who wanted to be a real boy, brought magically to life. Join Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket and all their friends (and enemies) in this wonderful adventure in a brand new version written by George Critchley. A classic tale of a boy who tells lies with music, comedy and plenty of audience participation in this professional production by PMA Productions. Great value for money – a must see family show.

Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre. Tickets £7.50, £6.50, Family Ticket £26 Tel: 01780 766455 or www.stamford-corn-exchange.co.uk Tuesday 2 April to Thursday 11 April WORKSHOPS: Easter Holiday Fun with Wildcats There are a number of daily workshops available over the Easter break run by popular theatre school, Wildcats. Children between 5 and 15 can select themes including Stomp, Moshi Monsters, Footloose, Karaoke Pop Party or Angelina Ballerina. Book early for the chance to spend a day with children’s TV presenter Dave Benson Phillips who is leading a special workshop on Thursday 4 April. Special half day sessions for younger children.

Wildcats Theatre School and Academy, St Peter’s Hill, Stamford. Bookings and further information at www.wildcatstheatreschool. co.uk or Tel: 01780 762000 From Tuesday 2 April WORKSHOPS: A series of themed gardening days Head back into the outdoors armed with specialist knowledge gained at a workshop at Lamport Hall. Themes include Herb Gardening & Use of Herbs, A Spring Garden Walk – explore the gardens with a guide, or Encouraging Wildlife. Expert tutors make these a really rewarding experience.

Lamport Hall, Northamptonshire Booking is essential. For dates, prices and further information Tel: 01604 642555

Two great family shows this Easter Saturday 6 April, 2pm THEATRE: Wind In The Willows This vibrant musical production has all of Kenneth Grahame’s Tales of the River Bank, the Open Road, the Wild Wood, the exuberant Mr Toad plus Mole, Ratty and Badger. Beautifully written, played and produced this show, in Image Musical Theatre’s immensely popular format, gives the opportunity for everyone to take part. Some children play the rabbits, the ducks and the thieving weasels while the whole audience learns the chorus of four songs. This is family theatre at its very best. The running time is 1 hour and includes an interval.

Tickets £8 or £28 for a family of four Monday 8 April, 2.30pm THEATRE: The Sagas of Noggin the Nog In the lands of the North, where the Black Rocks stand guard against the cold sea, in the dark night that is very long, the Men of the Northlands sit by their great log fires and they tell a tale. The Viking storytellers bring the weird and wonderful tales of Noggin created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin to the stage in this new piece of theatre for children and families. Silly Vikings, puppets, projection, live music. Suitable for everyone over four years old.

Both shows take place at Stamford Arts Centre. Tickets are £8 or £28 for a family of four Tel: 01780 763203 www.stamfordartscentre.co.uk

Test out a performance bike this spring 9.30am Sunday April 14th at Rutland Water Rutland Cycling is making choosing your next road bike that little bit easier. Over an unrivalled test ride weekend you can try out some of the season’s hottest new bikes, and get advice from industry experts about what bike is right for you.

For just £10 you get to try different bikes over the course of the day from brands such as Trek, Scott, Specialized and Moda. Leading names from within the industry will also be on hand to offer expert advice and answer any questions you may have. Our led rides will take in quiet country lanes and feature a Q&A break, giving you the chance to chat with the ride leaders and get your questions answered from the people who design and ride these bikes for a living.

To reserve your place please call the Whitwell store on 01780 460 705 Sunday 21 April, 6.30pm EVENT: Fundraising Evening Supporters are invited to an African flavoured multi-media event to celebrate development charity ‘Send A Cow’s’ twenty fifth birthday.

Lots of fun guaranteed in support of this great charity followed by refreshments. Everyone welcome.

Barn Hill Methodist Church in Stamford For more details call Tricia Lawrence Tel: 01572 737125

Thursday 25 April, 7.30pm TALK: William Stukeley in Stamford Popular historian Philippa Massey has invited John Smith to be her guest on this lecture.

The pair will speak about William Stukeley in Stamford – his houses and gardens. The noted eighteenth century antiquary and Vicar of All Saints 1730-47 was a keen student of architecture and enthusiastic gardener during his time in Stamford.

Stamford Theatre Tickets £5 Tel: 01780 763203 or www.stamfordartscentre.com Saturday 27th April 7.30pm LIVE MUSIC: I Love the 70s - Abba, Mud, Blondie and a Host of Hits Celebrate the decade that gave us some of the greatest music of all time. This sensational new show features dynamic choreography and dazzling costumes with an all live band and three lead vocalists to provide you with an intoxicating mix of your favourite songs from the 1970s.

Sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of this colourful era or get up and show off your tiger feet, this fun packed high energy production will take you on a fun-filled journey through the wildest decade in popular music history.

Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre Tickets: £16 Tel: 01780 766455 or www.stamford-corn-exchange.co.uk

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Stamford’s Only Independent Wine Merchant (located above the Stamford Cheese Cellar)

A German Revival O

ur wine of the month here at TSWC is Spatburgunder (German Pinot Noir), and for any Burgundy or New World Pinot Noir lovers out there, these long forgotten red wines of Germany are a must try! On price point alone you are paying half the price of a comparative Burgundy and though the wine is a different beast altogether, we are sure you won’t be disappointed. Louis Guntrum, Spatburgunder 2010 has a wonderfully vegetal/smoky aroma, and classic red Pinot fruit, so� tannins and a long earthy finish.

Usually £12.99,

discounted to £10.99 for Stamford Living Wine Club!

17 St Mary’s Street, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2DG Tel: 01780 489269 www.thestamfordwinecompany.com @StamfordWineCo www.facebook.com/TheStamfordWineCompany

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D IA RY DAT E S There’s a dazzling summer season ahead - book early for some special events this year Burghley plays host to Jools Holland Saturday June 8th The magnificent setting of Burghley House will be the backdrop to one of the most spectacular concerts of the summer.

The concert also features Gilson Lavis with special guest Roland Gift, the voice of Fine Young Cannibals, and guest vocalists Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall.

In 1987, Jools formed The Jools Holland Big Band – comprising himself and Gilson Lavis. This has gradually metamorphosed into the current 20-piece Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, which consists of pianist, organist, drummer, three female vocals, guitar, bass guitar, two tenor saxophones, two alto saxophones, baritone saxophone, three trumpets, and four trombones.

Jools and the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra play to audiences in excess of 300,000 each year.

You can get tickets online at www.burghley.co.uk , or by calling Burghley House on 01780 752451. Also available at Stamford Arts Centre on 01780 763203. A 24 hour hotline is also available at 0844 209 7364 The show is presented by Live Promotions Events ltd by arrangement with One Fifteen.

Stamford Shakespeare Season at Tolethorpe The stage is set for this year’s plays at the wonderful open air theatre at Tolethorpe Hall, home of the Stamford Shakespeare Company. More popular than ever, tickets are selling at a furious rate for the three plays chosen this year and due to begin playing to audiences in early summer.

Throughout June see ‘Comedy of Errors’ – Shakespeare’s funniest play. A

hilarious tale of mistaken identities in a fast and frenetic romp set in the Ephesus Grand Hotel in the midst of the roaring twenties.

During July the company presents ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

The dazzling blend of wit, farce and fantasy that forms the outrageous comedy of this shimmering play is littered with characters that have been household names for four centuries. Bottom, Puck, Titania and Oberon.

The perfect play for midsummer framed in the perfect setting. Finally in August, the magnificent company of ‘Dad’s Army’ is reunited once more in ‘The Lost Episodes’ for the 2013 season. The classic BBC TV comedy series featuring the Home Guard of Walmington-on-Sea comes to the stage in four hilarious comedies by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and adapted for the Tolethorpe stage.

Stamford Shakespeare Company at Tolethorpe Hall To find out more information on the plays, dates, prices and further information about your visit, see www.stamfordshakespeare.co.uk or Tel: 01780 756133

ART EXHIBITIONS A few of my favourite haunts in Rutland and beyond Victoria Hall Gallery, Oakham Tuesday 30th April until Sunday 12th May Mon-Sat: 10am – 4pm, Sunday: 11am – 3pm Philip Dawson, local artist, has chosen as a theme for this exhibition “a few of his favourite haunts” in Rutland and beyond. The paintings are inspired by moments and feelings experienced at many beautiful places visited either here or on holiday.

Says Phillip, “There is so much visual excitement to be enjoyed and shared as well as cherished in our community that I am compelled to observe and interpret in paint. Drawing and painting have been important to me ever since childhood.

Bluebell painting to RL_Layout 1 04/03/2013 13:09 Page 1

Title of this painting is Paradise in blue, Barnsdale Wood

Steve, I’m assuming that your front cover picture format will continue as normal and therefore may I make a polite suggestion please?

I realise that the somewhat portrait format of this painting (shown here in it’s entirety) is not quite the squarer format that your front cover images need to be.

It would be nice to keep in the round white disk of the sun breaking through the trees at the top of painting. You could crop out a bit above the sun. I think the bottom yellow shape of the three patches representing pools of sunlight at bottom of painting will have to be cropped out in the hope that as much of the other two yellow shapes stay in. I don’t mind if you compress the vertical axis of the entire painting by say 1% to 2% to get more of the yellow at bottom in. Hope this is all okay with you – I’m only thinking of my painting! I could bring the painting in if you need to see it, if any photoshop work required. A 300 resolution jpg for this is in folder with others (which are also now at 300). Can’t wait to see this April cover. Thanks Phil

Paintings and Sculpture by Reg Cartwright & Robert Fogell Until Sat 13 April Reg Cartwright explores still life composition, landscape and the Suffolk coast.

He has developed a unique style, combining traditional elements within the paintings but analyses perspective in the British Modernist tradition.

New Sculpture by Robert Fogell will be on display during the exhibition 23 High Street, St Martin’s, Stamford, PE9 2LF www.robfogell.co.uk Tel: 01780 762099 STAMFORD LIVING april 2013

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ART

CARPENTRY

ALTERATIONS

DECORATING

MADE TO FIT Ladies & Gents

Clothing Alterations & Repairs Brazenose Lane, Stamford (01780) 480762 MON, TUE, WED, FRI 10 - 4.00 THUR CLOSED SAT 9.00-12noon

ACCOUNTANTS

Expert advice, local knowledge Contact Tom Hindmarch: tom.hindmarch@duntop.co.uk

01780 750888

14 All Saint’s Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2PA

www.duntop.co.uk

• Renovations • Alterations • Extensions • Qualified Velux Installer • Loft & Garage Conversions

01780 751978 - Commercial 07793 033659 Domestic w w. c o l e d e c . c o . u k Insurance wwork - General Decorating I n t e r i o r &FullyEQualified x t e r i&oInsured r Decorating

www.wsstaffcarpentry.co.uk email: wsstaffcarpentry@btinternet.com

Mob: 07811 310 012 Tel: 01780 752602

ALEXANDER RODWAY

M. A. F. Carpentry Services Michael Finch - Diploma Level 3 Qualified Carpenter

Internal & External Carpentry Painting & Decorating Any Job Considered

Loft Conversions - Garden Offices – Kitchen & Bathrooms ) 3 * % 6 * (&&$) Solid & * &%, () Wood Flooring&%) 2 ( % (recommended installer for Welland Valley Timber) &# && #&&( % 4( &$$ % %)* ## ( &( ## % ## / PLASTERING% &-) 6 # % ) $ (5 3 #+. 6 "(& Dry Lining

- Skimming Boarding (/ plastering: % % 2 " Venetian $$ % & ( % plaster Decorative polished &( * , '# )* ( % 0 % * % '&# ) '# )* ( BUILDING

Stone & Brickwork – Repointing – Rendering% *&% 6 ( "-&(" 3 '& %* % 3 % ( % ( / %* )'&" $ ( ( $ + # % ) Energy Efficient Bespoke Timber Frame Buildings (&! * % $ %* RENOVATION & RESTORATION

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Render & Lime plastering%

Lime $ % ( 6

$ '# )* ( (% &%, () &%) 3 &+) %&, * &%) Barn Conversions – House Renovations

Call Michelle for a free initial consultation on 01780 751115 Email: mfeasey@feaseyaccounts.co.uk

Teamwork and success – can we help?

Do come and talk to us...

We work closely with individuals and businesses alike, to provide not only a wide range of accountancy and taxation services specific to their requirements but also financial and business advice geared to them achieving their objectives.

5-6 Maiden Lane, Stamford, PE9 2AZ Tel: +44 (0) 1780 761920 Email: service@hunterstevens.co.uk

renovation & restoration carpentry anD joinery paintinG anD DecoratinG plasterinG rotton timber repairs

INSURED, RELIABLE, ESTABLISHED TRADESMENN

oFFice 01780 756114 mobile 07767 444745 email: davgrov215@aol.com

ACUPUNCTURE Carpentry/Joinery New Builds Extensions Renovations Garage/Loft Conversions Roofs Fascias Kitchens Flooring and much more‌ Office: 01778 421257 Mobile: 07729 021083

Experience the benefits Lianne Marie Aquilina BSc Hons MBAcC & associates 2 Scotgate Mews, Scotgate, Stamford

Email: bentleybuilding@hotmail.co.uk www.bentleybuilding.co.uk

CARPENTRY

Tel: 07903 725316 / 01780 763465 www.aquilinaacupuncture.co.uk

AGA ENGINEER MARTIN WELSH Independent Aga Engineer

• Professional Aga specialist • Legitimate Aga spare parts for regular servicing and maintenance • Over 12 years experience Call: 07735 304452 or 0116 2813219 Email: martinsagaservice@hotmail.co.uk www.aga-servicing-leicestershire.co.uk

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CARPENTERS & JOINERS

• All Carpentry & Joinery

• Kitchens Supplied & Installed • Fitted Furniture Manufacture

01780 480922 / 07775 931397 www.timberwerx.com sales@timberwerx.com

w w w .wc w .uk ww w . coolwel.dceeocdl e. cedoec.cu..kcco o .uk

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

A Friendly & Reliable Service

FREE ESTIMATES!

<<

A ; Tel:01780 754189 Mob:07711311724 Email: a.rodway@btinternet.com #09:?@9 ?>=:@A & 09??::<::?;= www.rodway-builders.co.uk $ #0 1(& - /7 * %* (% *1 &$

DaviD Groves

07793 033659 0779307793 033659 033659

Mobile: 07961 925932

& ! ! % ( $ ' "$! " #! " Call Alex for help and advice - Fully insured skilled tradesman

We specialise in providing the complete accountancy and business support service you need to enable you to concentrate on growing your business.

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BUILDERS C CARPENTERS A R P E N T AND E R S B U I OF L DSTAMFORD E R S BUILDERS OF STAMFO CARPENTRY R D

Interior & Exterior Decorating

CLEANING

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

DomesticCleaners Cleaners Required Domestic Required

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Make domestic cleaning a chore of the past...

FUEL

Stamford Multifuel Stoves

01733 286305 Daily Poppins

...we poppin so you can pop out

COMPUTER SERVICES Why does the computer always play up in the evenings when the repair shops are shut?

Help available until 9pm including weekends.

Computer repair and support for home and business A complete service for all your computing needs

SPECIALISTS IN THE SUPPLY AND FITTING OF PREFABRICATED CHIMNEY SYSTEMS AND LOG BURNING STOVES

01780 740 997

www.stamfordmultifuelstoves.co.uk HETAS REGISTERED

GAS SERVICES

Bill & Sue Crowe Tel: 01780 754043 Mob: 07766833076 www.bcit.co.uk Email: bill@bcit.co.uk

GAS SERVICES

For all your new PC and Laptop requirements

All types of PC and Laptop repairs and upgrades undertaken Broadband & wireless installation Data recovery â&#x20AC;˘ Hardware sales info@acrcomputers.co.uk www.acrcomputers.co.uk TeL: 01780 753477 SCoTgATe â&#x20AC;&#x201C; STAmford

Tel. 01780 752667 Mob. 07525 248915 542514

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GAS ENGINEER plumbing & heating engineer Tel: 01780 752311 Mob: 07712 771105

Boiler Servicing & Breakdowns Plumbing & Heating Maintenance 548567

28 Lindsey Road, Uffington, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 4SH

OVEN CLEANING Do you want the fairies to clean your oven?

Or would you rather do it yourself?

Plumbing, Heating and Gas Engineer Includes Domestic and Commercial work

Ovens, Ranges, Agas, Hobs, Extractors, Microwaves, . Corgi Registered Fridges, Freezers & BBQ’s • Prices start from £42 . Over 20 years experience 01572 767678 - m. 07785 987112 . t.Tel: 01572 771309(book online) . Mob:www.ovenfairy.co.uk 07979 425262 Ovens, Ranges, Agas, Hobs, Extractors, Microwaves, Fridges, Freezers & BBQs

REFLEXOLOGY

Vicki Ball Reflexologist River Gwash Trout Farm Ryhall Stamford, PE9 4JZ

Tel: 01780 482244 Mob: 07803 020571

Email: vickiball10@hotmail.com Home Visits & Gift Vouchers Available

ROOFING

Prices Start from £39

T: 01572 767678 M: 07785 987112 W: www.ovenfairy.co.uk (book online)

Treating ovens today, tonight and tomorrow

PAINTED FURNITURE

HAND PAINTED FURNITURE Bring new life to old furniture Call for a free no obligation quote

Workshops available Contact Lesley Anne Jones 01778 394744 07762 325494 www.paintedout.co.uk

Free Excellent Quality Clothes and Equipment Available Boys and Girls from 0-5 years Contact us via phone, text or email to arrange a visit.

Donations of good quality, clean clothes and baby equipment always gratefully received.

Open daily all you need to do is call 01780 765853 or text 07913 052159 office@alternativesstamford.co.uk Alternatives Stamford, Hospital site, Ryhall Road, Stamford PE9 1YA Friends/Partners Welcome - www.alternativesstamford.co.uk

Jason Musgrove Traditional Slater & Builder 07952 687988 Tel/Fax 01780 444019 jasonmusgrove@btinternet.com Slate Cottage, 65 Main Road, Collyweston, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 3PQ

JONNY TYERS

Expert Installation by qualified tradesman Tiling • Slating • Felt roofing • Guttering Chimney repairs • UPVC roofline

Clear Ridge Veterinary Surgery Robert Pontefract B.V.M.S., M.R.C.V.S., Certificate in Veterinary Ophthalmology

• Comprehensive Diagnostic and Surgical Facilities (Doppler Ultrasound, Operating Microscope, ECG etc) • Caring & Dedicated Health Care for Your Companion Animal • 24 Hour Emergency Service

T: 01780 753724 M: 07730 096883

• Free Parking

SECURITY

43 Empingham Road, Stamford

WWW.PROROOFSTAMFORD.CO.UK

01780 764333

PILATES Expert pilates instruction.

Since 2003

Stephanie Tenneson • Romany Gurner

07960 436 777 • 07776 202 217

COMPUTER SERVICES

SIGN WRITING For all your new PC and Laptop requirements www.pilateseast.co.uk

All types of PC and Laptop repairs PLUMBING and upgrades undertaken Broadband & wireless installation Data recovery • Hardware sales info@acrcomputers.co.uk www.acrcomputers.co.uk

INSPIRE Bathrooms | Kitchens Heating TeL: 01780 753477 SCoTgATe –|STAmford

• • • • •

Full Installation Service Supply & Fit or Fit Only Service & Breakdown Power Flushing Showers All General Plumbing

aArR0)kK6

Signwriting Bespoke, handpainted signs www.ark-signwriting.co.uk

Tel: 01780 740983 WEB DESIGN

•

CONTACT JAMIE SUTTON t: 07703 011348 m: 01778 425592 WWW.INSPIREINSTALLATIONS.CO.UK

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21/3/13 16:34:28

STA M FOR D PE OPLE “Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years” – Anon

Adam Frost, Garden Designer Antonia Scott visited Barnsdale Gardens for a catch up with Adam Frost to see why he’s making waves within the gardening community

I

have a feeling that Adam Frost is bringing to gardening what Jamie Oliver brought to cookery – an element of laid back cool, a spontaneous “have a go” attitude and a huge appeal to those under 40 who previously thought gardening (as in cookery) was for ladies of a certain age!

With his impressive CV showcasing an apprenticeship on North Devon Parks Department, Adam was lucky enough to land a job under the watchful eye of Geoff Hamilton at Barnsdale. In time he trained in garden design with Professor David Stevens. Along the way Adam has been blessed with working with the best, including the likes of Sir Terence Conran and Dan Pearson and more recently a step into the limelight of BBC’s The One Show with Christine Walkden; Adam can also claim the accolade of four RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medals. This year he is teaming up with Homebase with an ever-growing fan base keen to see what magic his green fingers will create this year.

His 2013 garden is called “Sowing the Seeds of Change” and those lucky enough to have centennial tickets will not be disappointed that yet again he is pushing boundaries with his creative design featuring inter-planting of flowers and vegetables, fruit trees, alpine strawberries, a bee hive and even a normally frowned-upon simple piece of lawn!

Adam secured his 4th Gold at Chelsea last year with “The Rural Muse”, a John Clare inspired garden sponsored by Lands’ End. The original plans have been modified to bring the garden design back to Helpston, which is soon

62

to be started this spring. As a Trustee of The John Clare Trust, Adam is overjoyed that the garden will be brought back to life at Helpston.

“I wanted to get across the sense of how the garden reflects the local countryside and the scenery that inspired John Clare’s love of nature”.

Adam is also concentrating his energies into the whole education agenda helping to inspire the next generation giving talks at the RHS to see if he can achieve some positive change.

“What I love more than anything about my work is the way it allows me to bring together my passion for plants with my love of design, to create special places for people to enjoy. Whether it’s for a family or a corporate commission, the challenge is always to draw out what really matters about the garden for them.

From then, the very best gardens just get better as they grow, giving people hours of enjoyment through the seasons.”

Barnsdale Gardens, Adam’s first starting point back in 1998 with Geoff Hamilton, is now “home”. Barnsdale is now owned and run by one of Geoff’s sons, Nick who Adam describes as a ‘great plants man’ for the 38 miniature gardens, which are on show to the public. As Adam showed me round and described each in detail, they were like a series of sets, all with different themes and styles.

Adam’s first mentor became known as the ‘People’s Gardener’ – and this spirit lives on today at Barnsdale Gardens, with Adam continuing his mantra to encourage as many people as possible to experience the pride, satisfaction and downright joy that gardening

can bring.

Adam has a passion for great design, incorporating garden buildings and structures into many of his designs and has recently teamed up with master boat-builder, David Rawlings, a skilled joiner and craftsman to offer clients a new service as part of the portfolio.

Unlike many professions, Adam points out that “gardening unites people from every walk of life, bridging social divides and crossing all levels of society from HRH Prince Charles to, well, me!”

With his infectious smile and cheeky grin, he’s a natural in front of the cameras and I’m sure he will be the “one to watch” at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. Fingers crossed he brings back a fifth gold medal to Rutland.

• The Chelsea Flower Shows runs from 21 – 24 May 8am – 8pm and 25 May 8am – 5.30pm (sell off starts at 4pm) Venue: Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London To book tickets 0844 338 7546 or www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea Tickets must be booked in advance.

Ticket prices range from £22 to £65.

CORRECTION FOR READER’S OFFER: Take Chelsea Home

by Chris Young in association with the Royal Horticultural Society, published by Mitchell Beazley, £20 www.octopusbooks. co.uk

STAMFORD Living APRIL 2013

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KEN RAWSON

GARDEN DESIGNS Do you want Cosy sitting areas.

Screening and privacy.

Colour and scent all year.

Ideas for shady, wet or dry sites.

Pruning advice. Plants identified.

then give me a call on 01780 481624 www.kenrawsongardendesigns.co.uk Easton-on-the-Hill, Stamford. Established 1986

Adam Frost

‘Passionate about Gardens’

Design - Maintenance - Planting - Landscaping The Studio, Barnsdale Gardens, Exton, Rutland, LE15 8AH +44(0)1572 812186 info@adamfrost.co.uk

Gold Medal Winner and Best in Show, RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Your local

professional lawn treatment service!

Spring & Summer, Autumn & Winter Treatments for your lawn at a price that doesn’t cost the earth.

• Weed and moss control • Scarification • Hollowtine aeration • Fertilisation

FOR A FREE QUOTATION CALL US ON;

01780 753575

Andrew Carr T: 01780 753575 M: 07734693253 E: andy@customlawncare.co.uk www.customlawncare.co.uk | 2 Tobias Grove, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 4BD

Traditional Restoration Timber Renovation Specialists Old sash & casement windows, exterior doors & joinery

Window Repair

Why replace your timber windows when you can restore? Traditional Restoration offers a cost-saving alternative to window replacement.

• Repairs and renovations • Overhaul and draught proofing • Reglazing and reputtying • Converting single glazing to double glazing Call James on:

Before

Available in over 200 RAL colours Installed by our own craftsmen

After

Exterior joinery repair Conservation by design

tradrest@hotmail.co.uk

@tradrest

Accurately replicate your traditional style windows

Full consultation service

01572 720524 or 07841 527855 www.traditional-restoration.co.uk

Uniquely designed to fit into existing timber frames or direct to brick or stone

020 8695 0055

Before

After

sales@thwc.co.uk

www.thwc.co.uk

Showrooms at: Sevenoaks Dorking Beaconsfield

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Official Time Keepers for Brigstock International Horse Trials 2013 at Rockingham Castle

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www.robertloomes.com Stamford (01780) 481319 20/3/13 15:54:48