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D A V O N P OR T N a t u r a l l y

D i s t i n c t i v e

I n t e r i o r s

Experience Classic English Elegance

1 Moneyhill Parade, Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth, H a Hertfordshire n d c r a WD3 f t e7BQ d in

C o l c h1 eMoneyhill s t e r ,Parade, England Phone:Road, +44(0)1923 773906 Uxbridge Rickmansworth, celia@moneyhillinteriors.com Hertfordshire WD3 7BQ moneyhillinteriors.com Phone: +44(0)1923 773906 celia@moneyhillinteriors.com d a v o n p o r t . c o m

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28/10/2015 18:49

FROM THE

Radlett Premier Bathrooms

EDITOR

ith Mother’s Day just around the corner, The Ivy St Albans Brasserie has created a mouthwatering dessert in celebration of this annual occasion. Leading luxury hotel, Sopwell House in Hertfordshire, is delighted to announce the launch of the Sopwell Lunch Club. The new Lunch Club, which takes place once a month, has been founded to provide the local community with an opportunity to meet over a delicious three-course lunch with a glass of wine and enjoy a cooking demonstration or informative talk by one of the hotel’s talented chefs. What is the purpose of any school if it is not to have, at its very heart, children with aspiration who are continually learning and growing? For the pupils at Edge Grove, every opportunity should be seized and every lesson should be exceptional. But what is it that makes a great lesson? This is an important question and one on which rests the success of any school and a child’s education. Country Living Spring Fair will return with an exciting new line-up of the very best of British businesses and a truly unique experience for visitors and exhibitors. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of Country Living Magazine, the publication’s core values will be celebrated through four new show themes; Grow, Taste, Design and Make. Each sector will be brought to life with over 350 exhibitors.

Faye Manning Editor

THE TEAM PUBLISHED BY THE FISH MEDIA GROUP LTD

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Editor Faye Manning ••••• Editor Assistant Katie Miller ••••• Sub Editor Nicholas Peter ••••• business DEVELOPMENT manager Kelly Pauling ••••• Design & Production Lisa Wade ••••• SALES Lewis Casserley ••••• Accounts Kathy Manning, Andree Georgiou ••••• Directors Rory Smith, Patrick Smith

64 Watling Street, Radlett, WD7 7NP Tel: 01923 850444 | Fax: 01923 850456 Email: sales@radlettpremierbathrooms.co.uk www.radlettpremierbathrooms.co.uk

Belvedere Ristorante Italiano

Treat your Mother on Mother’s Day Sunday 22nd March 2020.

Join us for lunch and be serenaded by live music. A special meal for a special mum. 3 course meal £29.95 pp. Taking bookings now - book early to avoid disappointment.

Join us for Sunday Lunch 2 courses only £16.95.

Lunch: Tuesday to Friday 12.00 to 14.30 and Sunday 12.00 to 16.00 Dinner: Monday to Saturday 18.30 till late 54 Lemsford Road, St. Albans, AL1 3PR Tel: 01727 841444 / 859313 Email: info@ardmorehousehotel.co.uk Website: www.ardmorehousehotel.co.uk

out & about â€“ We put fantastic local businesses and exciting events in the spotlight each month â€“ I M A G E : B R OC K E T H A L L

OUT & ABOUT

28 & 29 MARCH

Hatfield House West Garden - Open Garden for NGS Visitors can enjoy the spring bulbs in the lime walk, sundial garden and view the famous Old Palace garden, childhood home of Queen Elizabeth I. The adjoining woodland garden is at its best in spring with masses of naturalised daffodils and bluebells. Hatfield House West Garden, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 5HX

[ eve n t s ]

the calendar

4-19 april

Pond Dipping Discover a whole new world beneath the pond surface. What creatures will you find in your net? Will you be lucky enough to catch a slimy newt? Or will you discover a whole new species? Only one way to find out... come and try your hand at pond dipping! An activity that is fun for all the family. This is a self guided activity and all equipment is provided. No booking required - just drop in! Why not make a day of it and see what other family activities you can take part in? 10am to 4pm everyday during the School Holidays RSPB Rye Meads, Rye Road, Hoddesdon, Ware, Hertfordshire SG12 8JS

28 march

Wildlife Watch Join an experienced volunteer in one of the hides and discover what wildlife is around! A fantastic opportunity to improve your bird ID skills and enjoy nature. Wildlife Watch is a free event and there is no need to book. On the last Saturday of the month throughout the year, 2pm to 4pm RSPB Rye Meads, Rye Road, Hoddesdon, Ware, Hertfordshire SG12 8JS

15-18 april

Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt - Early bird Bring the family to follow our Easter trail and receive your chocolate reward. As you follow our ‘Tales of a Giant Tree’ trail, keep your eyes peeled for mini fairy doors. Behind them may lie a clue that will lead the kids to their prize. 10am-4pm. Early bird offer of £3 per trail from Mon 15 - Thu 18 April, rises to £5 afterwards. Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre, Moneybury Hill, Ringshall, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire HP4 1LT 16 MARCH 2020

18 march

The Art of Pruning A welcome return by Neale Holmes-Smith who will give an illustrated talk on the art of pruning. Potters Bar Horticultural Society meeting held in the small hall at Elm Court, Mutton Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3BP

19 MARCH

15 MARCH

The Anti Wedding Show - Hitchin Fed up of seeing the same wedding themes? Feeling despondent because you can’t find specialists who have the skills to realise your vision for YOUR unique day? Worried that you won’t be able to express your quirky personality on your own wedding day because others won’t like it, & you’re considering compromising on your ideas? STOP. I got you covered! Welcome to the anti wedding show. A place where you not only get to be truly you, but you’ll find wedding suppliers who are perfect to help you put your stamp on your big day, using their extensive knowledge & experience. “Your wedding day, YOUR way”, & nowhere is that more evident than at Beckie Melvin Events. We shun trends, we hate mediocre & we thrive on bringing YOUR unique personality to life at your unique wedding day. No compromise, no judgement, just good times. Free entry. Open 11am - 2:30pm Hitchin Town Hall Hertfordshire SG1 1HS

“This medieval hunting park is known more for its established trees such as the tulip trees and magnificent London plane tree”

21 & 22 MARCH

Walkern Hall - Open Garden for NGS Walkern Hall is essentially a winter woodland garden. Set in 8 acres. This medieval hunting park is known more for its established trees such as the tulip trees and a magnificent London plane tree which dominates the garden. In March and April is a stunning display of daffodils and other spring bulbs. Walkern Hall, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG2 7JA

Engaging the Mystery of Christ for Holy Week This is the high point of the church calendar, when we are invited vividly into the contemplation of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. And yet, it can also be a perplexing season, as we are confronted with stories rife with paradox and mystery. The Orthodox theologian Andrew Louth says that ‘the main concern of theology is not so much to elucidate anything, as to prevent us, the Church, from dissolving the mystery that lies at the heart of the faith—dissolving it, or missing it altogether, by failing truly to engage with it.’ In this spirit, we will discuss key elements of classical Christology in order to deepen our participation in, and contemplation of, the mystery of Christ. 7.30-9pm. St Albans Cathedral Sumpter Yard Hertfordshire AL1 1BY

1 APRIL

5 APRIL

Letchworth Hall Wedding Fair Letchworth Hall Wedding Fair Wedding Fair at Letchworth Hall Hotel. Open between 11am and 3pm and features over 30 leading exhibitors from the Letchworth area and beyond. There are two fashion shows at 12.30pm and 2pm showing the latest wedding dresses together with live entertainment. Letchworth Hall will be dressed for you to view and knowledgeable hotel staff we be present to show you around and to discuss your wedding ideas. With free admission and car parking why not pop along and join us. We very much look forward to meeting you. The Wedding Fair is open between 11am and 3pm. Letchworth Hall Hotel, Letchworth Lane Hertfordshire SG6 3NP

Tin Church Coffee morning A great place to catch up over a Fairtrade filter coffee or tea. Homemade and handmade products, cards, bric-a-brac, books, plants etc on sale. 10am - 12pm. The Tin Church, Church Hill, Bedmond, Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire WD5 0RN

MARCH 2020 17

OUT & ABOUT

18 MARCH

Orchid Day at Buckingham Garden Centre Our popular Orchid Day features top Orchid expert Peter White. Orchid talks at 11am and 2pm with Orchid MOT clinic in between. How to best look after orchids, and make them reflower. Followed by Orchid Clinic – Bring in your orchid for an MOT. Tingewick Road, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire MK18 4AE

[ eve n t s ]

THE CALENDAR 4 april

Gertrude Hermes: Black and White Boutis Create a block-printed panel on fabric inspired by Gertrude Hermes’ work and embellish your design with a ‘boutis’ style quilting technique. Suitable for beginners with experience of hand stitching. With artist Camilla Shelley. £45. 10.30am – 3.30pm. The River & Rowing Museum, Mill Meadows, Henley-on-Thames RG9 1BF

11, 17 & 31 MARCH

MARCH AT CHILTERN BOOKSHOPS Talking about change with Julia Samuels on Tuesday 17 March at 7pm at The Reach Free School, Long Lane, Mill End, Rickmansworth WD3 8AB Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Morality on Wednesday 11 March at 7pm at The Merchant Taylors’ School, Rickmansworth HA6 2HT My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell in Conversation with Alice O’Keeffe, Books Editor at The Bookseller on Tuesday 31 March at 7pm at Chorleywood Library, Lower Road WD3 5LB

18 MARCH 2020

8 MARCH

The Compleat Angler, Marlow Wedding Fair The Macdonald Compleat Angler is a Perfect Venue for a Wedding Fair with its large function rooms and idyllic location. You’ll find a great selection of Local Wedding Suppliers & Services making it perfect whether you’re thinking of the Hotel for your wedding or looking elsewhere. 11am - 3.30pm. The Compleat Angler, Marlow Bridge, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 1RH

7 MARCH

City of London Sinfonia: Beethoven and Mozart: Chiltern Arts Festival 2020 Ludwig van Beethoven - Septet in Eb Major, Op. 20. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Serenade in Bb Major ‘Gran Partita’ Written between 1799 and 1800, the Septet marked the end of Beethoven’s first major output of chamber music. Its style has been said to imitate the lighter side of Mozart’s writing; and here we hear it alongside Mozart’s most technically complex and ambitious wind serenade: the Gran Partita. 7.30pm £20.00 - £35.00 St Mary’s Church, Church Street, Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire HP7 0BD

OUT & ABOUT

[ eve n t s ]

THE CALENDAR

7-8 MARCH

MK Handmade & Vintage Spring Weekend Extravaganza With 130+ of the region’s most original and affordable, handpicked designer-makers, artists and vintage/retro/antique sellers, you’ll find an eclectic mix of thousands of special high quality goodies ‘not on the high street’. It is a unique opportunity to shop for a multitude of unique, beautiful items, all in one place or even to commission a bespoke item. Expert exhibitors offer everything handmade and vintage, from furniture to fashions, from jewellery to jukeboxes, always specialising in the gorgeous, the cool and the quirky. Free entry! In front of John Lewis, Centre:MK (Milton Keynes Shopping Centre), Buckinghamshire MK9 3ES

22 MARCH

Foraging Courses in Milton Keynes The course starts with a short introduction on what to look for and a brief of the Countryside Act. Then we’ll set off on a roughly 2.5 hour walk around the fields, hedgerows and riverside teaching you how to identify the different plants and mushrooms we find. We’ll stop along the way for some homemade refreshments such as our lovely hogweed and wild garlic soup. Afterwards, we will end the day with a tasty wild food lunch based on what we have found and some preprepared homemade treats. After the course, we will email you a list of everything we talk about on the day to help you to remember what you have learnt. Please see website for full details of times and further course dates at this venue. Adults £50, under 16’s £25, under 12’s free. Ouzel Valley Park, Simpson Drive, Simpson, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK6 3AY

28 MARCH

Piano Recital: Cristin Sandrin Cristian Sandrin is an exciting young pianist who has won a number of prizes. He is a selected artist for the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, whose generous support for this concert is gratefully acknowledged. Concert starts 7pm. Tickets £15. Under 18s free. Amersham Free Church, Sycamore Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire HP6 6AJ

22 MARCH

Antiques & Collectables Fair Up to 80 tables, selling a wide and interesting variety of items from antique to modern vintage. We are a very friendly fair with the emphasis on fun as well as some amazing bargains. Come on down for a visit down memory lane. Haddenham Village Hall, Banks Park, Haddenham Village, Buckinghamshire HP17 8EE 20 MARCH 2020

24 march

Spotlight Talk: The Boat Race Letter Join our Curator to find out about the 1829 Boat Race letter, one of the most important letter correspondences in the history of rowing. The letter marks the foundation of the Oxford Cambridge Boat Race, recognised globally as one of the fiercest rivalries in sport. Free with admission, booking essential. 2.30pm – 3.00pm The River & Rowing Museum, Mill Meadows, Henley-onThames RG9 1BF

OUT & ABOUT

THE IVY ST ALBANS BRASSERIE CELEBRATES MOTHER’S DAY

ith Mother’s Day just around the corner, The Ivy St Albans Brasserie has created a mouthwatering dessert in celebration of this annual occasion. Treat mothers and loved ones this Mother’s Day and get their taste buds tingling with a limited– edition Tulipa dessert (£9.50), featuring a white chocolate mousse with raspberries, meringue and a warm chocolate sauce. Frederik Foey, General Manager at The Ivy St Albans Brasserie says: “We’re delighted to be adding the Tulipa dessert to our menu this Mother’s Day and we look forward to welcoming guests and families into the brasserie to celebrate with us.” The limited–edition Tulipa dessert is available exclusively on Sunday, 22 March. For reservations please visit www. theivystalbans.com or call 01727 615300 22 MARCH 2020

OUT & ABOUT

Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa welcomes back the GolfCatcher PGA EuroPro Tour

uton Hoo has been selected to host the first event on the 2020 GolfCatcher PGA EuroPro Tour schedule, between Wednesday 13th – Friday 15th May. Offering direct access to the Challenge Tour through the final Order of Merit, this is the world’s leading developmental golf tour. Broadcast on Sky Sports, the GolfCatcher PGA EuroPro Tour creates one of golfs’ most enjoyable TV shows. Hosted by presenter and ex USA PGA Tour Professional John E Morgan and renowned golf Journalist Kit Alexander, the 2-hour highlights programme shows off the best of Europe’s leading development tour. Tour alumni includes Tommy Fleetwood, Eddie Pepperell, Tyrell Hatton and Louis Oosthuizen. Matthew Long, General Manager at Luton Hoo said “We were delighted to host the PGA EuroPro Tour back in 2017 and are excited that they will be returning in May. Golf has been an important part of Luton Hoo since the turn of the century with the estate’s original Victorian 9 hole course, it will be great to host some of the future stars in the world of golf.”

24 MARCH 2020

“Golf has been an important part of Luton Hoo since the turn of the century with the estate’s original Victorian 9 hole course”

Luton Hoo will also be offering amateur golfers the opportunity to play the GolfCatcher PGA EuroPro Tour course on Saturday 16th May, the day after the tour final. Those entering Luton Hoo’s ‘PGA EuroPro Tour Individual Open’ will get the chance to play off the professional tees and feel like a pro. The sponsor boards will remain up and the course will be set-up exactly the same as the tour. Entry is £40pp and includes refreshments and prizes. To find out more and enter visit www.lutonhoo.co.uk/ pga-europro-tour-individual-open

OUT & ABOUT

Country Living Spring Fair Celebrates 35 years of the magazine. 23-26 April 2020, Alexandra Palace

ountry Living Spring Fair will return with an exciting new line-up of the very best of British businesses and a truly unique experience for visitors and exhibitors. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of Country Living Magazine, the publication’s core values will be celebrated through four new show themes; Grow, Taste, Design and Make. Each sector will be brought to life with over 350 exhibitors, all-new immersive features and inspiring craft workshops, to make for an unforgettable and unique day out. Visitors can begin their day by discovering insightful and educational talks on topics including growing your own vegetables, bee keeping, building a new business, and more. The Fair will be equipped with the advice, expertise and products needed for visitors to get growing for the new decade! Attendees will also be able to shop food artisans, taste delicacies from an array of producers showcasing a variety of cuisines in the CL Pop Up Market, and learn how to make delicious, seasonal recipes using produce which can be sourced locally or grown at home. On the CL Kitchen Theatre, Expert speaker, Eco-chef and food waste activist Tom Hunt talks Eating for pleasure, people & the planet, whilst Great British Bake Off 2018 winner Rahul Mandal will share insights into the craft and skill that goes into creating some of the country’s most exciting cakes and bakes. Chef Mike Keen, Gracie & Sophie aka The Squirrel Sisters, Alex Hollywood and Lisa Faulkner will also be live on stage throughout the weekend sharing their foodie expertise and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. From the Country Living Stage to the Good Life Theatre, visitors will be able to learn from design led talks and seminars covering interior style trends to interviews with industry insiders. Chef, bestselling cookbook author and Fairtrade and sustainability champion, Melissa Hemsley will join Emma- Louise Pritchard, digital editor,

26 MARCH 2020

READER OFFER:

2-4-1 READER OFFER 2-4-1 tickets, use code: CL241FEB T&C’s: *Offer only valid on standard adult tickets. Not valid on VIP tickets, LUXE VIP tickets or any add-on tickets, £2.20 fee applies per purchase. Offer valid until 11.59 pm on 22 April 2020.

Country Living on the Good Life Theatre alongside interviews with Country Living Editors and artisan makers; offering inspiring insight into the latest trends in food, interiors, fashion and more. Crafters and makers can take part in Workshops and Masterclasses with talented creators, enabling visitors to make products to take away whilst gaining valuable knowledge and learning new skills. New features to the Fair also include the Garden Café and the House Beautiful Modern Living Area presenting a contemporary living zone curated and brought to life by the House Beautiful team. Visitor favourites will also be returning; fashion lovers can explore the Vintage Village and the recover with a cold glass of fizz in the Champagne Lounge sponsored by Viking. With more unique events and experts still to be announced, the show is shaping up to be the most exciting yet! For more information please visit: www.countrylivingfair.com

OUT & ABOUT

28 MARCH 2020

OUT & ABOUT

the classic ibiza party AT HATFIELD HOUSE

lassic Ibiza is returning to Hatfield House on Saturday 29 August. This summer’s show will start with a new ‘Chill-out DJ set’ performed by Jose Luis, a Caracas-born DJ who has been resident at some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Pacha Ibiza and Ministry of Sound London. The new set will add an extra hour to the programme, allowing the Hatfield House audience to enjoy the whole Classic Ibiza experience for even longer. Last year, Classic Ibiza performed to just under 70,000 people in the UK and Spain. Talking about his experience as a superstar DJ, Jose Luis comments: “I’ve been blessed with a good run. I had a Ministry of Sound London residency for 9 years, Pacha Ibiza for 2 years and the chance to play in a whole bunch of countries. But Pacha Ibiza was something else!” Bringing a mix of old-school house with a Latin flavour, Jose Luis will transport the crowd to one of the White Isle’s iconic chill-out bars, where they can relax and listen to ambient tunes, while enjoying their picnics and drinks in the idyllic outdoor setting of Hatfield House. Commenting on what the Hatfield crowd can expect from his set, Jose Luis adds: “I’m going old-school house meets Latin. The Balearic sound is very rooted in the ‘latinesque’ sounds of DJ Alfredo. House is a feeling, a vibe and I hope to be able to recreate the vibe that you get when you party in Ibiza. I’m doing the opening set, so want to create the right atmosphere for the orchestra to come on and kill it!” Lisa Ward, Director of Revival Productions, organisers of Classic Ibiza, comments: “Following the resounding success of last summer’s tour, we spent considerable time listening to our amazing audience to find out ways in which we can improve the show. One consistent message was that people wanted to party for longer. We are delighted to welcome Jose Luis to the Classic Ibiza family, his credentials speak for themselves and he will help us

30 MARCH 2020

take the show to yet another level.” Following Jose Luis’ set, the Urban Soul Orchestra and vocalists will then take to the stage with Goldierocks for the ‘Sundowner set’ and the crowd will be taken on a magical rollercoaster ride of dance music’s rich play-list. Expect tracks from the likes of Orbital, Moby and Paul van Dyk, reinvented by musicians who have worked with the very best in the industry, including Groove Armada, Nightmares On Wax and Robert Miles. Lisa adds: “By the time Urban Soul Orchestra and Goldierocks hit the stage for the new ‘Sundowner set’ the Hatfield crowd will be well and truly ready to party. It’s great to be able to give them what they want, so we have upped the ante in terms of BPM from the very start!” The rhythm will build further during Goldierocks’ ‘House DJ set’, which is packed full of stone-cold dance anthems. The concert then reaches a crescendo during the ‘Dance set,’ when the orchestra and vocalists return to the stage as night falls and the grounds of Hatfield House turn into an alfresco nightclub with accompanying lasers. Expect tracks from the likes of The Prodigy and The Shapeshifters, to Faithless and Underworld.

Programme: 5:30pm Car parks and gates open 6:30pm ‘Chill-out DJ set’ (Jose Luis) 7:30pm ‘Sundowner set’ (Urban Soul Orchestra and Goldierocks) 8:30pm ‘House DJ set’ (Goldierocks) 9:00pm ‘Dance set’ and laser light show (Urban Soul Orchestra and Goldierocks) 10:15pm Concert finishes. Information and tickets: Visit: www.classicibiza.co.uk; Facebook: @ClassicIbiza Call: 01283 841601.

OUT & ABOUT

Spring at The Grove Theatre Milkshake! LiveMilkshake Monkey’s Musical Friday 10 April, 12pm & 3.30pm Milkshake! Monkey’s Musical, a new all singing, all dancing preschool musical extravaganza starring Channel 5’s iconic Milkshake! Monkey from acclaimed kids’ TV writer Miranda Larson is set to tour theatres nationwide from 16 February 2019. Milkshake! Monkey can’t wait to put on a spectacular new musical for you all! But when stage fright hits, his favourite Milkshake! friends come to help, creating the most dazzling Milkshake! show families will ever see!

Starring alongside the much loved Milkshake! Monkey will be 2 channel presenters as well as Fireman Sam, Noddy, Shimmer & Shine, Digby Dragon, Wissper, Nella the Princess Knight and Floogals. Show director and Milkshake! Presenter Derek Moran said, “Milkshake! Monkey’s Musical is bursting with fun, taking our young audience on a journey which champions friendship and positivity. The show is jam packed with audience participation, encouraging kids to get up, join in and hopefully put on their own shows at home”. Kids will learn amazing songs and bops with their favourite Milkshake! friends, and watch as the music, the lights, the costumes and show come together! “Following the success of the last Milkshake! Live tour, we are delighted to take this new Milkshake! musical to our fans all around the UK so that everyone can have the opportunity to see their favourite characters and presenters and take part in a really fun show” said Louise.

Sunday 3 May, 8pm Rich Hall’s Hoedown Deluxe Rich Hall’s comedy-music locomotive keeps on rollin’ with a brand new tour announced for 2020. 32 MARCH 2020

Rich Hall’s Hoedown Deluxe will be hitting the road and travelling the UK with 45 dates added this coming spring. Ever-evolving and ever-changing, Rich Hall’s blend of keen acerbic stand-up combined with spit and sawdust alt-country lyricism is a “win-win” (Guardian), as sold out crowds across the UK have attested. Since the shows original inception in 2013, fans keep returning as it goes where other comedians wouldn’t dare: Barrow-in-Furness for example. Rich’s acclaimed BBC Four documentaries (most recently Working For The American Dream and the upcoming Rich Hall’s Red Menace) and his BBC Radio 4 series Election Breakdown have established a whole new legion of followers. He’s also a stalwart of QI and Have I Got News For You. But seeing the Hoedown is a whole different experience. Gut-busting, rib-tickling, toe-tapping, and shitkicking, Rich Hall’s Hoedown Deluxe covers the full anatomical spectrum. Rich’s forthcoming documentary Rich Hall’s Red Menace delves in to the Cold War and complex relationship between the US and the USSR. The 90 minute programme will air on BBC Four on Tuesday 5th November at 9pm, as part of the channel’s series marking the fall of the Berlin Wall. All shows Box Office: 01582 60 20 80 (opt 2) Book Online: www.grovetheatre.co.uk

“Ever-evolving and ever-changing, Rich Hall’s blend of keen acerbic stand-up combined with spit and sawdust altcountry lyricism is a “win-win” (Guardian), as sold out crowds across the UK”

Celebrating 260 Years of Putting the sParkle into sPring

Adding sparkle to weddings for Adding sparkle to weddings for 259 years 259 years

TEL: 01462 434 273 TEL: 01462 434 273 www.gatwardsofhitchin.co.uk www.gatwardsofhitchin.co.uk

FEATURE

8 Reasons to Choose an Exclusive Use Venue for your Wedding

hether you’re newly engaged or have been thinking about booking a wedding venue for some time now, you’ve no doubt done some venue research. As you’ll realise, there are several unique styles of wedding venues out there, all offering couples a different experience when it comes to their actual wedding day. The difference between non-exclusive and exclusive use venues may seem trivial during the wedding planning stages but, on your big day, it could add that little bit of extra something which every couple deserves. Exclusive use guarantees you your privacy for the duration of your wedding day. You’ll generally receive sole exclusivity of a wedding venue, the grounds, the staff and anything else you require. It means you can be sure that you’re not going to bump into anyone on the day that isn’t a guest, or a member of staff, at your wedding. Some exclusive wedding venues will differ in terms of what they will provide within their exclusivity package. Hiring a blank canvas wedding

venue could mean that you need to bring in every wedding supplier yourself; from the tables, chairs, linen, catering team and more. Booking to have sole use of a wedding venue means that you and your guests will have the use of the whole property for the duration of the wedding. Feel like royalty for the day with a complete exclusivity where the only guests are the ones you have specially invited. Find a venue that has accommodation on-site too, and your wedding venue will be transformed into a special retreat for the duration of your celebrations. If you’re unsure about how hiring an exclusive use wedding venue can enhance your wedding day, here are eight reasons which might just convince you to go for that exclusive use venue.

Privacy A wedding is a personal occasion for your family and friends, so it’s natural to want complete privacy to enjoy the day with only ‘your people’. There won’t be any strangers roaming around the venue staring while you’re all in your finery and you won’t find any strangers in the background when you’re flicking through your wedding photo album. You will be able to choose exactly who you’ll be spending your day in the company of, giving your wedding the ultimate sense of intimacy.

Security Exclusive use venues tend to be a lot more secure and, with just your party on-site, it’s a lot safer and 34 MARCH 2020

“You will be able to choose exactly who you’ll be spending your day in the company of, giving your wedding the ultimate sense of intimacy”

you won’t have the fear of strangers gate-crashing your wedding reception.

Staff Exclusive wedding venues tend to lend themselves to better service because all of the staff at the venue are there to serve your party alone. That means you won’t have to queue up with strangers at the bar and you and your party will receive the undivided attention of the venue’s staff. It’s likely that the experienced staff will have seen every possible wedding-related mishap there is to see and they’ll know exactly how to rectify it; so you can feel safe in the knowledge that the happiest day of your life is being handled by the experts.

Travel From getting ready in the morning, to saying “I do” and have the last dance of the night, choosing exclusive venue hire means you don’t have to travel anywhere during your big day. Not needing to worry about travel makes everyone more relaxed. It also means there’s no need for taxis or designated drivers. You can keep the party going as long as you like, stay over and have breakfast together in the morning.

Attention When opting for an exclusive use venue, you can rest assured that you and your partner will be the centre of attention all day, without having to compete with other couples.

No Hidden Extras Exclusive use venues and all of their bonuses usually come as a package, so there are no hidden costs involved.

Location Some of the most beautiful venues in the country can be exclusively yours, but it’s not just the stunning barn or grand country house you’ll have, but the grounds and gardens too. Can you imagine celebrating in acres of rolling parkland, as Lord and Lady of the Estate? Amazing outdoor space could take your wedding to the next level.

“Few properties in England can claim to have been the home to two prime ministers, played host to George IV, Queen Victoria and the infamous Lady Caroline Lamb who introduced the Waltz to England in the Ballroom”

with a homely feel and endless privacy and security for an intimate atmosphere. It could just give you a wedding day that exceeds expectations and is unforgettable. Set in 543 acres of idyllic Hertfordshire countryside, Brocket Hall has played host to a variety of special and important events. The elegant and romantic setting is the perfect location for your special day. The Brocket Hall Estate, designed by Richard Woods, with the meandering Broadwater Lake and charming Paine Bridge offers the perfect backdrop for your wedding photographs. Few properties in England can claim to have been the home to two prime ministers, played host to George IV, Queen Victoria and the infamous Lady Caroline Lamb who introduced the Waltz to England in the Ballroom – which can seat from 50 – 150 guests for your wedding breakfast. The Ballroom is sumptuously decorated with fine paintings, including the stunning ceiling painted by Sir Francis Wheatley. Your special day includes the traditional butler service, with our Head Butler and his team catering to your every need. There are 30 luxurious double bedrooms within Brocket Hall and a further 16 bedrooms in the Melbourne Lodge, sleeping a maximum of 88 guests on the estate. On the Estate, we also have alternative venues to the Hall including our exclusive-use fine dining restaurant, Auberge du Lac (pictured above), and The Oak Room which is room-hire only. For more information or to enquire about available dates please contact; weddings@brocket-hall.co.uk. 01707 368897

More Quality Time Being in the same venue for the duration of your wedding gives you more time with your guests and loved ones. It means the celebrations can last a lot longer too, as everyone can stay until it’s time to leave the following day. Since you’ll be at the venue for the duration of your celebrations, you can also build in extra time to capture more happy moments on camera too. As you can see, there’s much more to selecting a venue than simply price and location. The benefits of having exclusive use of a wedding venue are genuinely compelling, so make sure you explore it as an option. Choosing an exclusive use wedding venue could add the perfect touch to your big day, MARCH 2020 35

OUT & ABOUT

Birch Opening 24 April 2020

“We are more conditioned today than ever before. Told to work harder and do more if we want to be happy. It’s led to an obsession with productivity, improvement and always being ‘on’. Believing we need to keep up to date with everything and everyone, then feeling guilty when we don’t.” Chris Penn, Co-founder of Birch (former Managing Director of The Ace Hotel London). The brainchild of both Chris Penn and Chris King, Birch creates spaces that give people the time and freedom to pause, think, create and savour. All so they feel energised and inspired, with new ideas and stories to tell. “Birch is a space for those living in cities to escape to. Whether you’re with us for a day or night, work or weekend, we want to leave you in a better place than when you found us,” says Chris King, the other half of Birch’s founding duo. Birch is open to members and those staying for a night although Birch isn’t for those that only go away for the weekend to sleep. Guests can enjoy a cultural programme of events, workshops and maker masterclasses, as well as a busy wellness schedule. They will also be encouraged to learn from and get impromptu workshops from the on-site butchers, bakers and pottery makers.

PHILOSOPHY Birch is about getting the most from life. Celebrating it. Having fun with it. Getting energy from it. Like most places people stay at, Birch has beds. That’s about where the similarities end. Ultimately the founders want to create great spaces where great people can do great things. Whether someone’s there to work out, wander around, make things, bake things, or play, there’s plenty on the menu.

DESIGN Design is led by architecture and design collective Red Deer, whose vision was to challenge wastefulness and uniformity. Inspired by the resourcefulness of the past, where old estates used to manage their resources and land holistically, Birch spaces aim to work with their environments as much as possible, from estate-made produce to nature-led restaurants. At Birch (handle.silk.comet - the first British brand using what3words.),Red Deer set out to reuse and repair the existing site’s materials, stripping back clutter and unnecessary furniture to create more thoughtful spaces. This can be seen in the bedrooms, which are set up to remove the pressures of daily life. No noisy TVs or boring desks. Just warm and well-crafted rooms full of locally made artwork.

FOOD & DRINK Robin Gill and Ben Rand - renowned chefs and great pals from the Dairy Group - will lead an interactive bakery and two on-site restaurants: The Zebra Riding Club and Valeries. Known for farmto-table cooking, Robin Gill will have his first farm kitchen on-site and will be working with farmer Tom Morphew to grow estate-made produce. Tom will also run garden walkabouts and farmer days where he’ll be teaching members how to grow and compost as well as forage in the woodland. The Zebra Riding Club is a restaurant led by nature and the epitome of Birch, using its farm and the

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surrounding woodland’s produce as the cornerstone of its menu throughout the year. Cooking will be straightforward, dishes unfussy and everything put together for a reason. Meanwhile Valeries is a casual all-day restaurant offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Meat and fish are cooked on the grill. Sourdough flat breads are baked in the wood-fired oven. Guests can also hide out in The Gun Room for dinner - a private area that seats eight.

“Birch is about getting the most from life. Celebrating it. Having fun with it” WELLNESS SPACE Whether there for a yoga class or spinning session, time on the treadmill or on the rig, there are over 30 classes every week to enjoy or endure. Members and those staying on site will receive free access to a selection of classes, which will include meditation and breath workshops. A 25-metre lido will be open and heated all year round (from Summer 2020), while treatments and massages are available at the Parlour.

MEMBERSHIP Birch is about what you know, not who you know. There is no membership committee and anyone can become a member. Billed as ‘your new playground’, the first tranche of memberships will be sold at £100 per month for an access all areas pass. Members can work in the co-working space, The Hub; work out in the Wellness Space; enjoy unlimited access to the cultural events programme; get back to nature by planting their own tree in the grounds; or learn how to make croissants and sourdough bread in the Interactive Bakery. Membership also includes a free night’s stay and discounted room rates.

PARTNERS Partners announced for Birch (handle.silk. comet) include chefs Robin Gill and Ben Rand, Full Circle Farm’s Tom Morphew, ceramicist Emma Louise Payne, sustainable material designer Charlotte Kidger, artist Lucie Naujalis, sommelier Bert Blaize and carpenter Jan Hendzel. Stays at Birch will be accessibly priced starting from around £150 per night. For more information visit: www.birchcommunity.com

OUT & ABOUT

Sopwell House Kicks off Spring with the Launch of the Sopwell Lunch Club

eading luxury hotel, Sopwell House in Hertfordshire, is delighted to announce the launch of the Sopwell Lunch Club. The new Lunch Club, which takes place once a month, has been founded to provide the local community with an opportunity to meet over a delicious three-course lunch with a glass of wine and enjoy a cooking demonstration or informative talk by one of the hotel’s talented chefs. The first sitting of the Sopwell Lunch Club took place on Wednesday 5 February at the hotel’s popular two AA rosette Restaurant. First up on the menu for the Lunch Club was Guinea Fowl with a demonstration on how to make a variety of dishes using this often-overlooked meat, as well as recommendations on the best seasonal produce to complement it. The Lunch Club continues with a different culinary theme at each event, which will take place on the first Wednesday of each month; 4 March, 1 April, 6 May, 3 June and 1 July 2020.

UPCOMING DIARY DATES 1st April - Easter Lunch Club With Chocolate Masterclass Session Devon crab, caramelized white chocolate and pink peppercorns. Wood pigeon, pickled golden raisins, hazelnut and dark chocolate jus. Chocolate desserts

6th May - All Things Spring Lunch Club Canape making workshop 62 degree egg yolk, truffle asparagus, tarragon emulsion. Lamb cannon, braised shoulder, minted jersey royals, nettle puree. Citrus themed desserts 38 MARCH 2020

3rd June - Fruits & Cocktails Lunch Club Cocktail masterclass with seasonal fruit twist Ponzu lobster and apricot, English peas and broad beans. Roast duck breast, pickled blueberries, charred spring onion, duck leg bon bon. Summer Fruit themed dessert

1st July - BBQ Lunch Club “The Art of Marinade” Mibrasa Oven and marinade demonstration Cured mackerel, grilled fennel, pak choi, orange BBQ beef, smoked mushroom, potato. Tropical fruit themed desserts Priced at £30 per ticket, The Lunch Club includes three courses, a glass of wine and a different demonstration or talk at each. For more information, please visit: www.sopwellhouse.co.uk and to book please call 01727 864477 or email enquiries@sopwellhouse.co.uk

“First up on the menu for the Lunch Club was Guinea Fowl with a demonstration on how to make a variety of dishes using this often-overlooked meat, as well as recommendations on the best seasonal produce to complement it”

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Keeping families together

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We can support you at home.

OUT & ABOUT

GALLERY 1066

Hertfordshire’s hidden Gem The Gallery is owned and run by Hayley Norman for over 10 years and her beautiful gallery has gone from strength to strength, known as ‘The Gallery with a Difference’. Hayley and her team will go the extra mile to introduce you to new artists from around the world, finding the right work of art for you. If you are looking for a relaxed and an enjoyable experience, whether you are a first-time buyer or connoisseur, Gallery 1066 is where you belong. On Mother’s Day, 22nd of March, between 3 – 5pm, you are invited to an International Solo Show by acclaimed Artist Danielle O’Connor Akiyama, ‘Conversations of Love’ where Danielle will personally unveil her exquisite new collections of original paintings and collectable canvas editions.

Morning Tribute Danielle O’Connor Akiyama

allery 1066, Hertfordshire’s hidden Gem is nestled in the Historic Market town of Baldock, located just a hop, skip and a jump off the train line between London and Cambridge. Gallery 1066 is one of Hertfordshire’s leading independent art galleries and houses an eclectic portfolio of emerging and acclaimed National and International artists showcased over two floors of their contemporary 3,500 sq. ft gallery.

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THE DETAILS Gallery 1066 Fine Art Willow Mews, 6a Hitchin Street Baldock, Herts. SG7 6AE T: 01462 622233 / 896164 info@gallery1066fineart.com www.gallery1066fineart.com Artist event Sunday 22nd March 3-5 pm please RSVP, guest list only.

“On Mother’s Day, 22nd of March, between 3 – 5pm, you are invited to an International Solo Show by acclaimed Artist Danielle O’Connor Akiyama” Danielle is flying to the UK from Canada to grace the doors of Gallery 1066, where the entirety of the Gallery will burst with colour, full of Danielle’s vibrant works, making it a truly memorable experience this Mother’s Day. Danielle creates luminous images that vibrate with life, energy and colour. Whether she is depicting a riotous party of flowers or inviting us to enter a radiant new world of abstraction, her vibrant palette makes her work both instantly recognisable and utterly irresistible. Her work is inspired by the unearthly beauty of the hills, the wildness of the Atlantic coast and the evershifting light parade. Danielle likes to connect with every piece of artwork she creates, often collecting minerals such as, gold, quartz and diamond tailings, pounding them to create texture in her paints and making her works even more original by “connecting them to the earth”. The show will commence at 3pm till 5pm, and it will be the perfect after lunch Mother’s Day experience. Please do not hesitate to contact Hayley and her team, to attend this stunning event, where a glass of champagne and a warm welcome awaits you. Numbers are limited for this event so please RSVP as soon as possible to ensure your place.

OUT & ABOUT

Chelsea perfection

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 19-23 May It’s considered the most elite gardening show on the calendar, and this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show is targeting the challenges of our changing climate. Gardens will highlight the future of cities in the face of climate emergency, while there will also be a slant on sustainable materials and growing methods adopted by the world’s leading garden designers and growers. For details visit rhs.org.uk.

[ eve n t s ]

THE BEST GARDEN SHOWS & FESTIVALS TO VISIT this year Put a date in your diary to visit these inspiring and informative plant-filled shows and events. words: Hannah Stephenson.

Orchid mania

Kew’s 25th annual Orchid Festival UNTIL 8 march Kew’s 25th annual Orchid Festival will for the first time celebrate the incredible wildlife and vibrant culture of Indonesia - an archipelago of more than 17,504 islands, including Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Papua and Bali. Indonesia’s landscape is as diverse as the flora and fauna that inhabit it, from tropical rainforests to spectacular volcanoes. The festival features an immersive journey through the different zones of the glasshouse, where visitors will find spectacularly beautiful orchid displays which each represent an aspect of Indonesian wildlife and culture. For details visit kew.org. 42 MARCH 2020

Daffodil delights

The Gilded Gardens 29 february - 1 May In Buckinghamshire, Cliveden is staging its daffodil spectacular The Gilded Gardens for the second year. Inspired by the 24-carat gilded golden gates on the Sounding chamber and the hundreds of thousands of daffodils across the estate, you’ll be able to see narcissi springing up throughout March and April and rolling displays of rarer, pot-grown varieties will be on show in the Ferneries. For details visit nationaltrust.org.uk.

OUT & ABOUT

FURTHER AFIELD Scottish celebration Think Plastic until 26 April This year, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is celebrating its 350th birthday with a year of community celebrations. Don’t miss the exhibition Think Plastic, which brings together local artists and scientists to explore the possibilities of transferring sustainable, recyclable and environmentally-responsible plastics from the laboratory into craft and arts productions.

Festival fever

The RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Garden Festival 7-12 July The RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Garden Festival rebranded itself as a ‘Garden Festival’ in 2019 and remains high on the list of go-tos among gardeners for its royal setting, show gardens, floral marquees and trade stands, to buy everything from artisan goods to basic tools. From contemporary to traditional, its show gardens will be awash with ideas on how to revitalise green spaces, while plants people, celebrities and foodies will be making guest appearances. For details visit rhs.org.uk.

Flower power

Wisley Flower Show at the RHS flagship garden 8-13 September If you want to see a riot of colour, book your ticket for the Wisley Flower Show at the RHS flagship garden (Sep 8-13), where you will see an array of spectacular blooms, feast your eyes on the National Dahlia Society Show and browse the offerings from more than 50 specialist nurseries selling a range of horticultural goodies. Learn how to make gorgeous flower arrangements from the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies and enjoy talks and demonstrations in an Expert Zone. For details visit rhs.org.uk.

Bulb bonanza

RHS Flower Show Cardiff 17-19 April Brighten up your day with a visit to the RHS Flower Show Cardiff to see thousands of beautiful spring bulbs. Some 15 exhibitors that have had a presence at every show will be there. The event will also tie in with the Visit Wales theme, the Year of Outdoors. Health and wellbeing will be much promoted at the show, displaying the benefits of of being outside and connecting with the natural world. For details visit rhs.org.uk.

TV expert advice

BBC Gardeners’ World Live 18-21 june BBC Gardeners’ World Live at Birmingham’s NEC may be a more commercial show than some of its rivals, but it packs a punch with its top-notch TV gardening experts, including Monty Don and Alan Titchmarsh, who’ll be offering advice in the GW Live theatre during the show. Visitors can admire a range of innovative show gardens and bag a bargain from the many plants and accessories outlets. Less for the specialist, more for the practical gardener, you can bag yourself some bargain plants and get advice on how to grow them too. For details visit bbcgardenersworldlive.com.

Irish blooms

Northern show-stopper

The Great Yorkshire Show 14-16 July The Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate, an iconic three-day event and one of the biggest agricultural shows in the English calendar, features spectacular nursery displays, including several RHS Gold medal-winning exhibitors from far and wide. This year the show will be welcoming back floral designer and celebrity florist Jonathan Moseley, who will be appearing daily on the Garden stage, creating some fantastic displays. For details visit greatyorkshireshow.co.uk. 44 MARCH 2020

Bloom 28 May - 1 june If you’re in Dublin, don’t miss Bloom, a show spanning 70 acres of Phoenix Park, with show gardens and other attractions based on other successful shows such as Chelsea and Hampton Court. Launched in 2007 by Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board), Bloom has numerous highly creative gardens and plant displays which are used to inspire and excite the public about gardening and garden design.The show gardens, created by some of Ireland’s top garden designers, are the heart and soul of the five-day festival which not only focuses on flowers but also on the best food Ireland has to offer. For details visit bloominthepark.com.

OUT & ABOUT

THE LAUNCH OF A NEW BRITISH PRODUCT HOUSE

Introducing the Indulgent & Enlightening World of Sensory Retreats, launched exclusively at Stoke Park

lare Anderson, the founder behind the highly successful Lava Shells and kokolokahi brands who has over 25 years’ experience in the luxury spa and skincare industry, has launched a unique new product house and holistic wellbeing brand: Sensory Retreats. The new brand has launched exclusively at the Stoke Park Hotel & Spa in Buckinghamshire with its Sensory Retreats Mandala Flow massage before rolling out the full range of Holistic Treatments to selected spas nationwide. Taking the spa experience to the next level, Sensory Retreats offers the spa guest an enchanting

46 MARCH 2020

and exclusive journey of the senses using natural ingredients, unique massage techniques and mindful experiences, helping them to relax, rebalance and reset. These innovative and deeply restorative massage treatments, range of retail products and personal experiences, are designed to elevate personal wellbeing to the highest level and bring increased balance and enjoyment to our lives through the power of the 5 senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and expert touch. Using a luxurious fusion of Argan, Shea and purest Coconut oil and delicately balanced aromatherapy oil blends, combined with carefully curated advanced massage techniques and additional touches, each treatment has been developed to stimulate all 5 senses and deliver a specific wellbeing benefit. Whether this is to Restore your spirit and settle your emotions, Revive and energise body and mind, Empower you to feel stronger, Invigorate circulation and ease muscle tension or simply just be to enjoy the Pure Touch indulgent massage that leaves skin silky soft and induces a feeling of complete relaxation and calm. There is a full complement of treatments on offer under the Sensory Retreats brand umbrella including: Sensory Retreats Divine Escape Massage. This bespoke heavenly journey of the senses bespoke to the individual, is a full immersion of pleasure and engagement for all 5 senses: Touch, Sight, Smell, Sound, Taste.

“Taking the spa experience to the next level, Sensory Retreats offers the spa guest an enchanting and exclusive journey of the senses”

OUT & ABOUT

This involves the inhalation of the most incredible therapeutic aromas, the luxurious warmth from the oil, or from massage candles with the calming effect of their comforting glow; the captivating sound of Tingsha Bells, Koshi chimes and crystal singing bowls, naturally tuned to a therapeutic vibration; the placing of crystals, carefully chosen for their restorative effect; all combined with powerfully rejuvenating massage techniques from around the world and the caring touch of your therapist’s healing hands. The treatment can be enhanced with the luxurious warmth of the Therma Bliss collection including Lava Shells, Cowrie Shells, Molten Lava Stones, ThermaMask, Therma Herbal Poultice and nourishing Parafin wax hand and foot masks; concluding with a deliciously infused herbal tea to complement the nature of the enriching experience. Sensory Retreats Mandala Flow is an extraordinary treatment to evoke serenity and mindfulness, devised in cooperation with Wellness Specialist to the stars, Candice Pennington. Launching first at Stoke Park Spa, this multi-sensory ritual, blending together Eastern and Western techniques creates an unsurpassable massage that takes you into a heightened state of tranquility touching upon each of your senses. Drawing upon advanced massage techniques, harnessing the power of flowing, using deep yet gentle strokes your therapist guides your mind, body and spirit into a meditative state of relaxation integrating sound and Pure Organic Coconut Oil. Anna Thomas, Spa Director at Stoke Park Spa says “I am so excited to be welcoming Sensory Retreats into Stoke Park Spa. A spa experience should awaken all of your senses and ensure you take a moment to stop and refresh and I feel that the new oils and treatments from Sensory Retreats deliver this perfectly. The mandala flow massage is pure heaven and really delivers what a spa experience should for you. We are delighted to be having the treatment exclusively at Stoke Park and are excited to welcome our spa guests to enjoy it with us.” Other treatments in the range include: Sensory Retreats Lava Shell Aroma Touch Massage using the world famous Lava Shells and a choice of Sensory Retreats oils; Sensory Retreats Lava Shell Aroma 48 MARCH 2020

“The Sensory Retreats experience starts in spa but extends to a range of retail products including Sensory Retreats wellbeing oil blends”

Touch Candle Massage, an indulgent candle oil massage; Sensory Retreats Pure Touch using just the power of touch and pure vegan friendly coconut oil; Sensory Retreats Lava Touch, a bespoke treatment using PURE touch and Lava Shells; and Sensory Retreats Touch of Lava Bliss, a deeply relaxing massage which, combined with Therma Bliss products, enables the therapist to bespoke the treatment to the client’s needs. The Sensory Retreats experience starts in spa but extends to a range of retail products including Sensory Retreats wellbeing oil blends. Gift sets incorporating a treat size wellbeing oil, massage candle, chakra diffuser bracelet, crystal, lavender eye mask and herbal tea along with wellbeing advice and tips enable our spa and salon guests to continue enjoying the benefits of their Sensory Retreats journey at home or on their travels. Providing the ability to take some much needed “me” time every day. The company also has plans to expand to full experience retreats in collaboration with its team of wellbeing experts in the UK and abroad, bringing its community together for further personal enrichment. Announcing the launch of Sensory Retreats, Founder, Clare Anderson says “The need to retreat from daily life, if even for a moment has become increasingly important and necessary for our emotional and mental self-care. From my own experience working with over 2,000 UK spas and developing product lines, I didn’t feel that traditional spa massage treatments and aftercare which work on just one or two of the senses were fully providing this solution. As a result Sensory Retreats was born, a collection of holistic wellbeing treatments, products and experiences from around the world which envelops all 5 of our senses, cocooning the user into their own mini retreat whether this is in spa, at home or on location.” To find out more about the exclusive Sensory Retreats Treatments at Stoke Park, please call their Reservations department on 01753 71 71 72 or visit www.stokepark.com

OUT & ABOUT

About the V&A photography collection

The Sir Elton John and David Furnish Gallery at V&A

&A’s long-term collaboration with Sir Elton John and David Furnish revolutionises public access to photography. Comprising a significant donation towards the museum’s recently opened Photography Centre with a focus on the contemporary, the collaboration offers opportunities to bring together highlights from the V&A’s world-leading photography collection of over 800,000 photographs, alongside The Sir Elton John Photography Collection. Sir Elton John began collecting photographs in 1991 and his collection is now regarded as one of the leading private photography collections in the world, distinguished by its exceptional quality and remarkable range and depth. From major vintage 20th century modernist works to cutting-edge contemporary images, the collection now holds over 7,000 fine art photographs. To make this collaboration possible, the V&A has worked closely with Rocket Entertainment along with Newell Harbin, Director of the Sir Elton John Photography Collection. It also includes photographs by the most exciting contemporary artists working today, from Cindy Sherman to Alec Soth and Alex Prager. Throughout their collecting, Sir Elton John and David Furnish have been keen to share their photography collection with the widest possible audience – a mission shared by the V&A. Their continuous philanthropic support of public institutions, and loan of key works to national and international exhibitions, has created new insights, dialogues and connections to further the study, enjoyment and appreciation of the medium. Sir Elton John and David Furnish’s generous donation enables the V&A to realise its ambitions of showcasing highlights from its extensive photography holdings, with a series of temporary 50 MARCH 2020

displays, new acquisitions and annual contemporary commissions. Opened to the public in October 2018, the V&A’s Photography Centre is situated in the museum’s North East Quarter, reclaiming a series of beautiful original 19th-century picture galleries. Designed to revolutionise the way in which visitors engage with photography, it displays vintage prints, negatives and contact sheets, alongside photographic equipment and archive material to tell broader stories around the history of photography. A new extension scheduled to open in 2022 will expand the V&A’s Photography Centre further to include a teaching and research space, a browsing library, an historic darkroom, and a studio for photographers’ residencies, offering new and exciting ways for visitors to encounter this diverse and dynamic art form. Entrance is FREE.

The V&A holds the National Collection of the Art of Photography. The museum has collected photographs since its foundation in 1852 and continues to collect today. The Royal Photographic Society (RPS) collection was transferred to the V&A by the Science Museum Group in 2017 and was acquired with the generous assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund and Art Fund. The V&A’s collection encompasses the work of leading historic and contemporary photographers as well as publications, cameras and related equipment. When not on display, photographs from the collection can be viewed in the Prints & Drawings Study Room. www.vam.ac.uk/collections/ photographs www.vam.ac.uk Social Media Twitter: @V_and_A Instagram: @vamuseum Facebook: @ VictoriaandalbertMusuem

www.educationmutual.co.uk Tel 01623 287840

W O ed p ne e n 4- sda Eve 7: y n 30 8 in pm th g A pr il

OUT & ABOUT

Opening date and new images revealed of the world’s first

duplo coaster at the ® legoland windsor resort ®

he LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort has today revealed it will launch the world’s first DUPLO rollercoaster in the bigger and better than ever DUPLO® Valley on Saturday 14 March 2020*. To celebrate, the theme park has released first look artist impressions of the land with details of what families can look forward to in the pre-schooler paradise, plus ways to visit for less in 2020 with the new Toddler Pass. Bigger and better for 2020, the colourful toddler wonderland of DUPLO Valley will welcome a new show and play area alongside the world’s first DUPLO rollercoaster. A favourite with little ones, outdoor play area Brickville will become DUPLO® Playtown, complete with a brand new rocket play structure. Budding astronauts can enjoy the interactive play panels, rope climbs and slides and for those who reach the top there’s a button with “3, 2, 1 blast off!” countdown. Families can also take to the skies at the new look DUPLO Valley Airport with three new coloured helicopters for little pilots to choose from. At the popular DUPLO Puppet Theatre, there’s a brand-new puppet show for families to watch throughout the day. The Frog Prince, will tell the tale of Princess Money-Plenty who loses her Golden Ball in the depths of a murky pond; ruled by an Evil Toad, before she’s saved by the heroics

54 MARCH 2020

“Bigger and better for 2020, the colourful toddler wonderland of DUPLO Valley will welcome a new show and play area alongside the world’s first DUPLO rollercoaster. A favourite with little ones, outdoor play area Brickville will become DUPLO® Playtown, complete with a brand new rocket play structure”

of LEGOLAND’s very own 007 - James Pond. The Frog Prince joins the puppet show line up alongside the much loved Goldilocks and the Three Bears retold with a modern and comedic LEGOLAND twist. That’s not all, in the heart of DUPLO Valley the world’s first DUPLO rollercoaster, the DUPLO Dino Coaster - designed for children aged 2-5yrs old**- will see little ones hop aboard the dino themed carriage and hold on tight as they soar around supersized DUPLO dinosaur models, 18 times bigger than if you were to build them at home. Set amongst a menagerie of palm trees, this dinosaur themed delight will be the perfect first rollercoaster experience for little ones and even grown-ups too. The land will also welcome new supersized DUPLO models, providing the perfect picture opportunities for families looking to create lasting memories of their visit. Explorers will need to keep their eyes peeled for the DUPLO Whale, Dino, Tractor and more.

NEW TODDLER PASS To celebrate the bigger and better DUPLO Valley, the Resort has launched an all-new LEGOLAND Adult and Toddler Annual Pass. For £49, a toddler and their grown up can visit the theme park during term time (Monday-Friday) and discover the preschool land, enjoying discounts of 10% in the shops and 20% across restaurants - whilst the big kids are still at school. A pre-schooler paradise, DUPLO Valley is also home to the Resort’s awesome outdoor water play areas; Splash Safari and Drench Towers, alongside a host of family rides, designed firmly with little ones in mind. From the gentle riverboat Fairy Tale Brook ride – where fairy tales from The Three Little Pigs and Sleeping Beauty come to life in LEGO bricks, to the DUPLO® Train. Children under 0.9 metres get FREE entry to the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort all year round and day tickets are from £29 per person when booked online 1+ day in advance at www.legoland.co.uk. Families can book a LEGOLAND short break at the unique LEGOLAND Hotel and enjoy the bigger and better DUPLO Valley with stays from £99.25pp at www.legolandholidays.co.uk.

EDUC ATION

Holistic education in a friendly family style school I ncreasingly we find that girls’ only schools are disappearing from the options available for parents. Empirical research repeatedly demonstrates that there are better learning opportunities available to girls when they are educated with their peers. They can learn at the pace best suited to their developmental needs and enjoy the benefits of positive role models. Such opportunities enable girls to follow their interests free from stereotyping. In this busy, fast paced modern world, it is understandable that families want a one stop for all education. Another option is to consider boarding in a semi-rural environment where extra-curricular and academic interests are catered for. Here at St Francis’ College, girls receive a high quality holistic education and a friendly family style boarding community in Letchworth, the World’s First Garden City located only 35 minutes away from London in Hertfordshire, with the added bonus of excellent academic results. Our aim is to provide a stimulating education, based on Christian values, which enables young women to thrive in an ever-changing global environment. We seek to build intellectually creative minds through a rigorous and supportive educational experience, with a focus on close individual care. We aim to be a community that values the unique qualities of each member and promotes social responsibility, self-esteem and selfdevelopment. We have strong traditions in art, dance, drama and music. The Recycled Fashion Show is a popular annual event, and the girls are adept at developing their own photographs in the dark room. Annual dance and drama productions from Kindergarten to Year 13 are held in our professional theatre and our serene Chapel hosts regular music concerts. Most pupils are day students, however boarding is available from Year 6 and there is the option of day, weekly, flexi or full boarding. The boarding house has a lovely family atmosphere supported by experienced boarding staff and academic tutors. Boarding comes with a

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built-in social life, which means that the girls will be living with their friends – a recipe for fun! Our school has everything you would expect and more: there is a 330-seat purpose-built theatre, a 20-metre indoor heated swimming pool, gymnasium, dance studio, hockey pitches and five courts for both netball and tennis. Come and visit us during our Open Day Events in March and join us for the Festival of Science on the 21st of March or contact us to arrange an individual visit all year round. Mrs Bronwen Goulding, Headmistress, B.A. Hons, MA (Ed Mgmt), B.A. Hons, NPQH www.st-francis.herts.sch.uk

“We seek to build intellectually creative minds through a rigorous and supportive education experience”

EDUC ATION

PERSONALISED LEARNING: EMPOWERING THE INDIVIDUAL Jo Cameron, Principal

of Queenswood School in Brookmans Park, is passionate about educating the individual child.

t the heart of a truly bespoke education is a recognition that each pupil develops at their own pace, and in their own learning style. While kinaesthetic learners favour practical, hands-on experience, for instance, auditory-musical learners benefit from mnemonics, rhythms and background sounds. Increasingly, independent schools are working to differentiate their teaching methods to suit individual learners. Here at Queenswood, we have recently established a Personalised Learning Centre – a central hub where all learners can congregate. Our Academic Scholars, and pupils with additional learning needs, are all under the same roof, learning from each other and learning together. Scholars meet there for one-to-one and group sessions, to explore options for stretch and challenge and to discuss current affairs. Other pupils use it as a drop-in centre to seek advice on planning study and revision schedules, to play flashcard games to boost working memory, to discuss recommendations for non-fiction reading with staff and peers, or for structured tutorials to address specific learning issues.

“Here at Queenswood, we have recently established a Personalised Learning Centre” Strong links between a school’s pastoral teams and the academic staff are crucial in order to build up a holistic picture of each pupil’s needs, and to ensure that staff can work together to deliver whatever is required. At Queenswood, our Personalised Learning staff provide support in three waves. Firstly, they train teachers: a regular half-termly programme ensures that academic staff are up-to-date with the latest pedagogical research into specific learning issues, study skills and time management. Secondly, they provide in-class support, visiting lessons to help teachers to deliver the curriculum to a particular pupil or group of pupils. Thirdly, they are able to offer one-to-one or group tutorials within the Personalised Learning Centre itself. Ultimately, every pupil deserves to be recognised as an individual. A personalised approach to learning ensures that teachers respond and react to the needs of each child, nurturing their unique potential, fostering independence, and allowing them to discover their own strengths and passions in a safe, supportive environment. 58 MARCH 2020

EDUC ATION

Edge Grove School:

No limits to what can be achieved W

hat is the purpose of any school if it is not to have, at its very heart, children with aspiration who are continually learning and growing? For the pupils at Edge Grove, every opportunity should be seized and every lesson should be exceptional. But what is it that makes a great lesson? This is an important question and one on which rests the success of any school and a child’s education. First and foremost, the classroom, whether inside or out, must be a safe and stimulating environment; somewhere where children feel comfortable and at home but at the same time, excited and enthused by what they see. At Edge Grove, pupils are fortunate to have excellent facilities including an impressive £3.8 million Lower School building – a facility which provides a contemporary and sustainably designed learning environment within the schools’ 48-acre grounds to accommodate our year 3 and 4 pupils. With six brand new, spacious classrooms, the building also houses a large bright and airy multifunctional hall and open plan library. But it isn’t all about facilities. Our pupils are even more fortunate to have teachers who are inspirational and committed and for whom their subject is their passion. Teachers who can support and challenge, encourage and motivate, and develop in our children a lifelong love of learning. A tour of our classrooms at Edge Grove will show this and far more. You won’t see immaculate display boards with identical pieces of pupils’ work all perfectly mounted and this is quite deliberate. What you will see is evidence of the learning journey which is happening, a sense of purpose and curiosity on the wonder walls, a celebration of the successes and achievements which happen every day and an appreciation of the personal virtues and spiritual qualities such as honesty, kindness, perseverance, humility and respect for others which are at the foundation of everything we do. We are ambitious for our pupils. We want each and every one of them to achieve their full potential in an environment where permission is automatically granted to think the unthinkable and to do the undoable. There should be, and there are, no limits to what can be achieved. Find out more about Edge Grove at our next Open Morning on Saturday 7th March. Book a place at edgegrove.com

60 MARCH 2020

TRAVE L

Exceptional Service & Understated Luxury

ix Senses Hotels, Resorts & Spas are renowned for their exceptional service and understated luxury. With a passion for wellness, community, sustainable design and smiles, they believe travel can serve a purpose. Promoting personal health, and the health of our planet, with distinctive properties in exquisite locations, your every want and need will be taken care of. The secluded resorts also offer incredible views; from lush rainforest to dramatic clifftops, making sure you find peace and tranquillity on a stunning escape from everyday life... The hotels all beautifully reflect the architectural styles of the destinations in which they are located, blending into the natural landscapes and incorporating the local culture. From Six Senses Zighy Bay where natural beauty and archaeological sites meet with pioneering wellness, Six Senses Zil Pasyon in the Seychelles with its spectacular spa perched atop and between towering granite boulders, and Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives, a beautifully remote, yet accessible resort, set in a stunning palm-fringed lagoon, the focus is to reconnect with yourself, others and the world around you. Their world-renowned spas are integral to the Six Senses experience. With signature therapies, locallyinspired treatments and in-house experts, you’re guaranteed to feel re-energised and restored. You can also learn of the science involved at the Alchemy Bar, a space where skilled therapists will guide you through the ingredients and products allowing you to continue your wellness journey at home. A Six Senses escape also offers a wealth of activities for when you’re feeling more adventurous. Browse aromatic stalls at farmers’ markets or discover ancient wonders of the world in Turkey, hike through the deep jungle of Félicité Private Island in the Seychelles, or experience the Maldivian way of life, hopping from island to island on the turquoise lagoons of the Laamu atoll and interacting with the locals. However you like to escape and unwind, allow Six Senses to assist you in experiencing something out of the ordinary. www.trailfinders.com

62 MARCH 2020

OUT & ABOUT

64 MARCH 2020

OUT & ABOUT

66 MARCH 2020

OUT & ABOUT

TATE MODERN presents Andy Warhol 12 March – 6 September 2020. A new look at the extraordinary life and work of the pop art superstar

ndy Warhol (1928–87) was one of the most recognisable artists of the late 20th century, yet his life and work continue to fascinate and be interpreted anew. A shy, gay man from a religious, migrant, low income household, he forged his own distinct path to emerge as the epitome of the pop art movement. This major new exhibition at Tate Modern – the first at the gallery for almost 20 years – offers visitors a rare personal insight into how Warhol and his work marked a period of cultural transformation. Drawing upon recent scholarship, it will provide a new lens through which to view this American icon. Featuring over 100 works from across his remarkable career, the show will shed light on how Warhol’s experiences helped shape his unique take on 20th century culture, positioning him within the shifting creative and political landscape in which he worked. While he is best known for his iconic paintings of Coca-Cola bottles and Marilyn Monroe that held up a mirror to American culture, the exhibition will emphasise recurring themes around desire, identity and belief that emerge from Warhol’s biography. Key works from the pop period, such as Marilyn Diptych 1962, Elvis I and II 1963/1964 and Race Riot 1964, will be examined in relation to contemporary issues around American culture and politics, while Warhol’s limitless ambition to push the boundaries of media will be represented via his famous Screen Tests 1964–6 and a recreation of the psychedelic multimedia environment of Exploding Plastic Inevitable 1966. Visitors will also be able to experience Warhol’s floating Silver Clouds 1966 installation, initially meant to signal his ‘retirement’ from painting in favour of moviemaking. He famously stated that ‘good business is the best art’: the exhibition will look at how Warhol’s forays into publishing and TV, as well as his interest in club culture. The exhibition will emphasise his skill as a painter

68 MARCH 2020

and colourist with a room dedicated to the largest grouping of his 1975 Ladies and Gentlemen series ever shown in the UK. These striking portraits depict figures from New York’s transgender community, including iconic performer and activist, Marsha ‘Pay it no mind’ Johnson - a prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Warhol’s final works of the 80s, such as the poignant Sixty Last Suppers 1986 – on view at Tate Modern for the first time in this country – will be considered in relation to the artist’s untimely death as well as the unfolding HIV/AIDS epidemic, which ultimately went on to impact the lives of many in his close circle. The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue, as well as an extensive programme of public talks and film screenings with exclusive new merchandise collections in the gallery shops. For further information call 020 7887 8888 visit www.tate.org.uk or follow @Tate #AndyWarhol Right, from top: Self Portrait 1986, Tate © 2019 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc / Artists Right Society (ARS), New York and DACS, London; Ladies and Gentlemen (Iris) 1975 Acrylic paint and silkscreen ink on canvas, 356 x 279 mm Italian private collection © 2019 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc / Artists Right Society (ARS), New York and DACS, London

70 MARCH 2020

fashion, HEALTH

& beauty – Fashion, health and beauty news to keep you looking and feeling your best – i mag e : J E SSIC A E NNIS - H I L L

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

[NEWS]

FASHION & BEAUTY make it personal We love this Dalmatian dot printed canvas shopper. Can be personalised with any initials, with print in gold. Made from Eco-friendly canvas with leather handles and brass feet. www.tillyanna.co.uk

back to nature AUSSIE RULES Who knew the perfect beach towel existed? Tesalate are one of the most reviewed beach products worldwide. Read reviews from our customers and media. There’s a lot more going on for a Tesalate towel behind its insatiably good looks. Utilising cutting-edge textile technology, we created our exclusive AbsorbLite™ fabric to bring you a towel that’s simply smarter than the rest. www.tesalate.com

This Hawk moth and poppy seed head ring was worn by Sansa Stark in the hit TV series Game of Thrones. The moth and poppy seed head are solid silver, handmade in Oxfordshire. www.lucysylvester.com

OFF THE CUFF These round silver cufflinks have mother of pearl cabochons inserted into their centre and have a hinged bar that makes it easy to insert them through the shirt cuffs. Ideal pearl wedding anniversary gift. 18mm in diameter, with the pearl measuring roughly 10mm in diameter. Fully hallmarked in London. www.hersey.co.uk

HUNGRY HIPPO This cute sweatshirt is our new favourite! The colour, the style - it’s everything! Perfect for casual evening, or day out. Comfortable, stylish and unique. Oxford navy marl ladies jumper, relaxed fit, raglan sleeves, wide neckline and off shoulder style. www.artsyclothing.co.uk 74 MARCH 2020

POP OF COLOUR Striking red primavera design by Marimekko for the spring summer 2020 collection. This colourful bag is a great one for summer shopping. www.abodeliving.co.uk

we love Beautiful handmade Liberty print twisted headbands. www.totknotsofbrighton.com

Cream of Royston O

nce you know your son or daughter is getting married a wedding is just the excuse you need for dressing up. Bride aside all eyes will be on the mums. Cream of Royston has been trading in Royston for 44 years and is predominantly a special occasion store. The extensive stock on two floors is colour co-ordinated for ease of selection. Everything is available from outfits (sizes 6-24) to shoes and bags, hats, fascinators and lingerie. Brands stocked include Condici, John Charles, Ispirato and Ann Balon. Less formalwear from Isabella, Frank Lyman and Gina Bacconi is ideal for a day at the races, wedding abroad or guest at a wedding. Mothers usually purchase their outfits four to six months before the event and customers are given the option to change it if they see something they prefer later, but they rarely do. Once everything gels and you have that wow factor you have found the outfit. It is usual for mothers to co-ordinate with the wedding party. Many brides have a colour scheme for bridesmaids and mens suits and it is a good idea to either blend or contrast with this. It is very important to be comfortable with what you are wearing. A shift dress with a jacket is always a

popular choice because you can take the jacket off in the evening when things warm up. Elegant and slightly understated always works and a hat should complement the outfit. They have to be happy with the final look. Whilst the outfit must be perfect for the occasion it is important to have the correct lingerie underneath which can alter the whole look of a garment. Cream has a well stocked lingerie department which can be tried with the outfit. A free alteration service is available on all full priced outfits bought in store a fitting being carried out one month before the event, thus ensuring a perfect fit. Shoes and bags are made in different heel heights in Spain in beautiful leathers and Rainbow Club can be dyed to match the outfit. Feel free to pop in or book an appointment. The Sale shop Occasions for less located adjacent to Cream offers mother of the bride, shoes, bags and hats from previous seasons all at fantastic prices. Why not pay Royston a visit? There is something for every occasion and budget. Cream, John Street, Royston. Open 9.30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday

MOTHER OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM SPECIALIST Condici • John Charles • Ispirato • Izabella • Ann Balon • Linea Rafaelli • Gina Bacconi • Lewis Henry • Luis Civit

MARCH 2020 75

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Lets get your Body Confidence back ! Spring is here and time to get ready for summer

The temperature will be rising, which means we’re all showing a lot more skin. With the Holiday, Party & Wedding seasons upon us , we are here to help you look you best and feel confident this Spring & Summer season, for any occasion. We will guide you with 3 steps to a sensational Spring / Summmer season.

Sun Protection is more important than ever There’s a Heliocare 360° for every skin type. With a range of nourishing and elegant formulations, each one will leave your skin feeling beautiful today. It will give you the ultimate daily defence you need for daily, keeping your skin radiant and healthy. There are two handy body sprays and a whole range of texture to choose from, you can cover every bit of your body, including those awkward-to-reach areas, so your body will stay healthy and radiant throughout the sunniest days of the year.

A unique, R Plan and Bespoke facial approach to treating your skin this Summer For many people their faces are their biggest concern through summer. Whether it be acne, 76 MARCH 2020

pigmentation, oily or dry skins, we have seen them all here at Riverbanks Our Exuviance, Hydra Facial & Bespoke Facials will address single or multiple skin concerns and is great for men and women wanting to rejuvenate their skin. Every skin is different and needs personalised treatments. This can include exfoliation, deep cleansing and hydration, evening out skin tone and improving texture. The treatments are fortified with antioxants and hyaluronic acid to rehydrate thirsty skin. These hard-working, tailored treatments will make anybody ready to be sunkissed with a beautiful dewy glow. It will look like you’ve been on holiday before you’ve even boarded that plane!!

Get started on your Body Contouring Get you body confidence back with our highly advanced body sculpting technologies; Coolsculpting and Exilis treatments. You could elimate those stubborn pockets of fat and areas of concern and say Bye Bye to them for good. We can either freeze or heat up your target areas or even combine both technologies with our effective fire and ice treatments and see results in at least 8 weeks! What may seem impossible can be possible! We can get you body confident and feeling fabulous without even going under the knife.

Dr Rav i Jain

THE DETAILS For more information visit my informative website www.riverbanksclinic.co.uk and subscribe to my email list. Or if you would like to schedule a consultation with one of my aesthetic doctors call 01582762877 to book in.

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FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

FEARNE COTTON:

INIKA Organic Mineral Mattifying Powder, £23

MY MAKE-UP MUST-HAVES For the presenter and author, beauty products have got to be ethical and easy to use. WORDS: Katie Wright

t’s clear from the way she recalls the unexpected arrival of a box of Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks, that Fearne Cotton is a true make-up lover. “She actually sent me this box of about 20 lipsticks - it was one of the most exciting days of mine and my daughter’s lives. “We were just like, ‘Oh my god, what are we going to do? This is insane.’ We were both playing around with them for hours.” What was the TV presenter’s favourite shade from the glamorous glut? “I’ve got one in my bag right now, what’s it called?” she says, rummaging to retrieve the brickred lippie encased in a shiny rose gold tube. “This one is called Viva La Vergara. It’s a darker colour, I wouldn’t normally wear this colour, but I’ve been really liking it recently.” “And I mean, who doesn’t like Charlotte Tilbury’s eyeshadow quads? They’re amazing,” she continues, warming to her theme. The 38-year-old, whose main focus now is her Happy Place podcast, as well as being mum to

kids Rex, 6, and Honey, 4, is also Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette The a cookbook author - her most Vintage Vamp, £40 recent, Happy Vegan, is entirely plant-based, so it’s no surprise to learn she has a preference for ethical cosmetics brands. “I like Burt’s Bees [the brand is cruelty-free and doesn’t test on animals],” she notes. “I like their cream blusher - it’s like a stick - and their foundation.” She says organic brand INIKA is another go-to, INIKA Organic Certified citing the powder and eyeliner as favourites. Organic All this enthusiasm might lead you to believe Liquid Eyeliner Black, £19 Cotton loves nothing more than relaxing with some #skincaresunday ‘me’ time. “God no. Absolutely not,” she laughs. “I’m not gonna lie. I’ve got a million things I would rather do than have a facial, or even pampering myself. “Occasionally, like once every two weeks, I might have five minutes to put a quick face mask on whilst the kids are killing each other in the bath and screaming the house down. “But other than that, I don’t have a routine. I just take my make-up off with micellar water, or whatever cleanser I’ve got at home, and put moisturiser on. That’s it.” The only indulgence the busy mum does sometimes allow herself is a soak in the tub. “I do love having a bath, don’t get me wrong. But I Charlotte Tilbury Hot see that as very different from having a skincare Lips S Viva La Vergara routine. Lipstick, £28 “For me, being in the bath is all about chilling the hell out and transitioning from a hectic day to, ‘I’m Burt’s Bees All Aglow going to bed soon’. Lip & Cheek Stick Peony “So I love getting in the bath, maybe adding Pool, £12.99, Superdrug a bath bomb, maybe some oil, you know, nice smelling stuff, to calm me down, and reading a book - that, for me, is heaven.” Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation, £14.99, Superdrug

78 MARCH 2020

Come to a free introductory consultation with a qualified therapist in Stevenage/ Welwyn Garden City

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Nothing But Love this month at La Unique

It’s Mother’s Day this month so why not treat her to a complete Pamper experience at La Unique.

f you don’t know already, La Unique has landed in Harpenden and brought an incredible team with them. The salon is located on Luton Road and it’s hard not to miss with their stunning signature purple colour on the outside of the building. Don’t be fooled by the size of the outside of the shop – you’ll soon be shocked as you enter and realise that this salon is so much bigger inside, and has so much to offer. It’s certainly a complete one stop beauty stop. As soon as you step foot in the door, it’s hard to not be impressed by the stunning décor, white clean walls and beauty smells. You’re greeted straight away with a friendly smile from the staff on reception and a warm welcome from all the staff, which immediately makes you feel important and relaxed. You will be offered a beverage while you discuss your treatments with your therapist, and all your needs are catered to! This isn’t about being rushed – it’s all about you, and you feel that within seconds. This salon is ready to give you the best service and luxury at all costs. La unique is not only a beauty salon, it is also a hair salon, and boosts an array of high end beauty treatments. One to shout about and something completely unique to the area is Cryotherapy, which is a rejuvenation of the body and mind. The therapy takes place in a chamber with the use of cold air rejuvenation through the body’s natural response to intense cold. Cryotherapy’s renowned benefits include weight loss, rapid reduction of muscle soreness, anti ageing, reduction of cellulite and improved mental health, it can also strengthen the immune system

80 MARCH 2020

and aid pain relief. It really is exciting to have this treatment available in the local area. The one stop beauty shop is getting ready for the busy mother’s day period and now offering amazing packages: Bronze, Sliver, Gold and Platinum . Incredible Offer’s that wont be beaten. Now updated On La Unique Instagram are daily offers on their stories So follow now @launiqueuk The owner tells me his vison for the salon, and his hopes to put La Unique on the map in Harpenden, but there is so much more coming so watch this space. From teeth whitening, Dermalogica facials, Environ facials and products massages, luxury manicures and gel nails, lip fillers, to wash, cut and blow drys, Caci treatments, waxing and so much more, La Unique really does do it all. It’s definitely five stars all the way for this incredible new salon and don’t forget check out the offers for their brand new Cryotheraphy therapy which is completely unique to the area.

THE DETAILS La Unique, 103 Luton Road, Harpenden AL5 3BB Tel: 01582 460900 or 01582 452424 Email: launiqueharpenden@gmail.com www.launique.co.uk Follow on Instagram @launiqueuk Daily Offers uploaded on story!

Don’t Forget Mothers day this month – Gift vouchers and special packages now available

ADVANCES AESTHETIC & BEAUTY TREATMENTS AESTETICS FACIALS SPRAY TANS MUSCLE RELAXING TREATMENTS CRYOTHERAPY SEMI PERMANET MAKE UP LIGHT THERAPY SKIN REJUVINATION LASER HAIR REMOVAL FILLERS NON SURGICAL FACE & EYE LIFTING LASH TREATEMENTS SUNBEDS & TANNING HAIRDRESSING & Much more...

La Unique, 103 Luton Road, Harpenden AL5 3BB | Tel: 01582 460900 or 01582 452424 Email: launiqueharpenden@gmail.com | www.launique.co.uk

introducing cryotheraphy to La unique the rejuvenation of body & mind

From enhanced recovery in athletes to tightening of the skin and reduction of cellulite for the health & beauty conscious! our cryotheraphy chamber use cold air to provide total body and mind rejuvenation though bodies natural response to intense cold. Weight Loss • Rapid reduction of muscle inflammation and soreness • Anti Aging Reduction of cellulite • strengthen immune system • pain relief call now for a FREE consULATion Wrinkle relaxing injection, dermal fillers and special events coming up soon, check website for info

EnviRon FAciALs & pRodUcTs ALso AvAiLABLE

cRyoTHERApy EvEnT

Friday 28th February discounted £20 on the day (1 session) discounted packages (available) 6-9pm Refreshments & Goodie bags

La Unique, 103 Luton Road, Harpenden AL5 3BB | Tel: 01582 460900 or 01582 452424 Email: launiqueharpenden@gmail.com | www.launique.co.uk

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Belonging & Love

e all belong to the human race. We all have multi layered relationships with various different people. I spend almost every working hour listening to people talking about their relationships: their relationships with others or the relationship they have with themselves. My opinion is that the relationship you have with yourself is vitally important and forms the basis or foundation of all of your relationships with everyone else; ‘the others’. Who are ‘the others’? There are people who we see in our lives once, there are others we see regularly, but don’t know - like the post person, bus driver or shopkeeper - there are those we work with regularly and those we live with. The most important people to us are usually those whom we actually love. Human beings have basic drives. Drives are things humans are naturally or innately driven to do without thinking. The ‘belonging drive’ is very sophisticated in humans…there is positive regard, others perceptions of us and love. The human ‘belonging drive’ originated within the protective drive most sentient beings possess. When in danger we protect by flighting, fighting or freezing (1) - in lots of different ways. We are all influenced and suggestible to our perceptions of other people’s perceptions of us. Whilst my dog relates to my tone when I’m laughing, crying or debating I’m not sure that he has intricate meta-perceptions; we humans do… all of the time. Blame, pride, guilt, dissatisfaction, empathy, joy, fear, achievement and irritation (I 82 MARCH 2020

could go on) can and are usually stoked up by interaction with others as we strive to belong or, for some of us, resist belonging. And then there is the big one - love. Love of a child, love of a sibling, love of a parent and love of a lover are all different, but romantic love is the one I encounter most in my consulting room. We don’t often choose love, sometimes it comes out of nowhere and takes us by surprise and chooses us. Many people assume, because they fall into routines and habits that how their relationship happens is how it will always be. I recently had a client say that she saw people’s relationships and they always seemed to be arguing and they just accepted this. I suggested that this does not have to be the way. Almost eradicating arguments and bringing some harmony, richness and light into your relationship is extremely feasible. My personal and professional experience is that you can sometimes get by with an OK relationship arrangement where both parties are reasonably satisfied and acceptant that arguing is ‘normal’, but again, my personal experience is that working at optimising what you have as two individuals living within a partnership is achievable and is pretty wonderful once realised. (1) Walter Bradford Cannon (1915). ‘Bodily changes in pain, hunger, fear and rage.’ Shane Lutkin is lead Therapist at counselling and psychotherapy practice, Emotionalskills, which offers its services in Hertfordshire and Norfolk. Call 07986 488690 or email info@emotionalskills.uk. Visit www.emotionalskills.uk

“My opinion is that the relationship you have with yourself is vitally important and forms the basis or foundation of all of your relationships with everyone else; ‘the others’”

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

AWARDS SEASON FASHION: Take inspiration from the A-list with these award-worthy dresses, says Katie Wright.

Regina King, who presented Brad Pitt with the best supporting actor award at the 92nd Academy Awards

rom the Golden Globes to the Oscars, awards season brought with it a glorious parade of designer fashion. While there were many spectacular looks on the red carpets, it’s safe to say some of these outfits are not the kind of thing we can imagine wearing on a night out - we’re looking at you, Billy Porter, and your crystal-fringed mechanical hat at the Grammys. On the other hand, there’s plenty of inspiration to be found for us mere mortals, thanks to the more wearable ensembles that also featured - whether you’re looking for wedding guest style ideas, a prom dress or black tie attire. Here are four awards season fashion trends and where to shop them on the high street...

Pink One of the biggest trends of awards season, we saw a huge spectrum of pink shades on show, from palest blush (actor Regina King and leading actress winner Laura Dern at the Oscars were a highlight), to brightest fuchsia (Little Women star Florence Pugh rocked a popping pink Dries Van Noten number at the Baftas). Which hue is for you? These 84 MARCH 2020

Above: Florence Pugh attending the 73rd British Academy Film Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall, London

Michelle Keegan Pink Puff Sleeve Mini Dress, £32.50 (was £65), available from Very

days, there are no rules, so pick a pink you love and wear it with pride. Miss Selfridge Pink Embroidered Organza Maxi Dress, £144 (was £160); Very Michelle Keegan Pink Puff Sleeve Mini Dress, £32.50 (was £65) Laura Dern with her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Marriage Story in the press room at the 92nd Academy Awards

Pink Embroidered Organza Maxi Dress, £144 (was £160), available from Miss Selfridge

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Rose Jacquard Rose Gown Dress, £80, available from Roman

Joanna Hope Sequin Wrap Maxi Dress, £95 (was £99), available from JD Williams

Beanie Feldstein attending the Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Vintage glamour

Allyn Dress, £68, available from Chi Chi

Lipsy One Shoulder Bow Midi Dress, £60, available from Next

Black with a twist Black was anything but boring at the Baftas, where Rooney Mara and Margot Robbie both donned floor-length dresses with interesting sleeve detailing. You can do the same by looking for long black dresses with ruffles, lace or asymmetric necklines, complementing your gown with a celebrity-style updo and a bold red lip. Chi Chi Allyn Dress, £68; Pretty Little Thing Black Lace Ruffle Detail Maxi Dress, £60

ASOS Design Premium Diamante Bow Velvet Pep Hem Midi Dress, £85, available from ASOS

Bows While J-Lo’s Golden Globes dress divided opinion - some thought the gold and green confection made her look like a Christmas present - on the whole, we’re all on board with the oversized bow trend. The bigger the better is the mantra here. But if you want to avoid the gift wrapping comparisons, keep it simple with one carefully placed bow on a formfitting frock. ASOS Design Premium Diamante Bow Velvet Pep Hem Midi Dress, £85; Lipsy One Shoulder Bow Midi Dress, £60, Next 86 MARCH 2020

Black Lace Ruffle Detail Maxi Dress, £60, available from Pretty Little Thing

Margot Robbie attending the 73rd British Academy Film Awards

Photo of Vick Hope attending the 73rd British Academy Film Awards

Old Hollywood glamour was another major trend, with stars like Renee Zellweger opting for a sleek sequinned column dress, while newcomer Beanie Feldstein chose a full-skirted floral gown. The vintage glamour look works well for proms and black tie events - you wouldn’t want to risk upstaging the bride with a showstopping gown when attending a wedding, would you? Roman Rose Jacquard Rose Gown Dress, £80 (shoes, stylist’s own); Joanna Hope Sequin Wrap Maxi Dress, £95 (was £99); Kitten Heel Strappy Sandals, £20 JD Williams

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FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

5 MINUTES WITH DAME JESSICA ENNIS-HILL We caught up with Ennis-Hill to chat wellbeing, fitness and combating stress...

What’s your favourite way to chill out after a long day? “Literally just cook a meal and watch Netflix with my husband, something gritty on there.”

Lauren Taylor chats

the former Olympian about her day-to-day wellness routine.

ne of Britain’s most celebrated athletes, Dame Jessica EnnisHill now mostly runs around after her two kids, rather than around an athletics track but that doesn’t mean she’s slowed down. The 34-year-old famously returned to the heptathlon to win gold at the Beijing World Championships in 2015, just 15 months after giving birth to her first child, her son Reggie, now five. Since then, she’s hung up her track spikes and had a second child, daughter Olivia, now two, with husband Andy, who she married back in 2013. She’s also launched a fitness app, Jennis, which features short, indoor workouts aimed mainly at pregnant and postnatal women, as well as anyone who just want to improve their fitness with quick at-home workouts.

What’s your fitness routine now you’ve retired from athletics? “I try and do two circuit sessions a week. I’ll do one on a Monday with my husband, then I’ll fit one in later in the week, and I’ll walk the dog and try and do a hill run session when my daughter is at nursery and Reggie’s at school. So I’d say I exercise three times a week, and I’ll fit in an ab circuit as and when I can. “For me, it’s about exercising conveniently. It’s body works and high-intensity like burpees, which work your cardiovascular system but also strengthen your muscles and get you really fit. “If I did go down to the track, with the hurdles, I might think, ‘Shall I just have a go?’ But gosh, I’d probably tear my hamstring or something!” How do you cope with stress? “Exercise! If I’ve had one of those days, which I had the other day and at the end of it you’re just so tired - just doing a circuit, you feel so much better. Because you can get all your adrenaline and aggression out while exercising, and then you feel much better after.” What’s guaranteed to make you instantly happy? “My kids, just seeing them.” Describe your ideal Saturday morning “The weeks are so busy rushing around everywhere, so on Saturdays, for me it’s just nice to have a lazy morning and a late brunch with the kids. Then take the dog out to the woods and go on a little adventure, something outdoorsy in the afternoon so [the kids] feel like they’ve burned off some energy!” What’s your favourite healthy meal to make? “I quite like making a sweet potato dahl, with a bit of spinach in there. That’s nice when the weather is bad.” How many hours do you sleep a night? “I probably sleep about eight hours.” Do you meditate? “I used to. I did yoga for a while leading up to the Olympics, and we always did meditation after, which I loved. I was like, ‘Let’s skip the yoga and

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just do that’. Then I didn’t have time to do it, but recently I’ve started doing a bit before bed and I think it’s so good for you. “It actually gives you time to completely stop thinking about everything you’ve got to do in life - I think that’s really important.” Coffee or herbal tea? “Coffee.” Can you touch your toes? [Laughs] “Yeah.” Have you ever tried any weird diets? “No, I’m not for faddy things and diets. I love food, I like having a glass of wine, so I allow myself to do that by exercising, and just keeping active and being balanced in life.” What’s your guilty pleasure? “I’ve got a massive sweet tooth, so anything chocolatey, desserts, cheesecake...”

Any health and fitness goals for 2020? “To continue keeping fit. I think it’s so hard to get to that fitness level, and if you just maintain, it’s so much easier than trying to get there. So for 2020, I just want to maintain good fitness and enjoy exercising.” Jessica Ennis-Hill’s fitness app Jennis Fitness (jennisfitness.com) is available to download on iOS and Android for £9.99 per month.

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[NEWS]

INTERIORS “Modern Luxe, Relaxed Living and Rustic Elegance styling trends”

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Sofa.com are excited to announce the launch of their SS20 collection. Available now, the range includes an exciting array of new shapes, from sofas and armchairs to beds, and stylish accessories, perfect for your spring summer refresh. From rich saturated colours to beautifully handcrafted detailing and luxurious textures, a variety of mix aesthetics take centre stage this season. We see Modern Luxe, Relaxed Living and Rustic Elegance styling trends as the core themes throughout the collection. www.sofa.com

modern living

The new Barbican collection from MY Furniture is inspired by modernist architecture with clean lines and simple styling. Constructed from smoked oak and quality veneer, with a smart brushed stainless steel frame, this striking new collection has been designed with modern day living in mind. www.my-furniture.com

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We love this sophisticated coffee table with nesting design, the Claes coffee table with glass top is ideal in contemporary living spaces. Also available with a sleek matte black finish. www.cultfurniture.com 92 MARCH 2020

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Designers To Watch in 2020: Patricia Urquiola Words: Anna Howell, Chaplins

Patricia Urquiola is perhaps the most famous female designer alive today. And yet for all the awards and accolades, it’s her intense energy that distinguishes her from the rest of the field. It’s a quality she can be relied upon to bring to every project that she undertakes — be that re-energising iconic hotels or reimagining the future of outdoor living. As part of the Chaplins’ Designers To Watch in 2020 series, we sat down with Patricia to talk politics, artistic challenges and all things Cassina.

financial or class. A dream would be designing behaviours, to improve the quality of our daily life, while simultaneously improving the impact that these have on our surroundings.

What’s your greatest challenge as Art Director of Cassina? I have a great respect for the brand, my aim since 2015 is to bring a contemporary way of doing things and to project Cassina towards the future without forgetting its glorious past. I want to be sure that the brand will continue to have its “experimental” spirit in order to enrich its broad archive. My role is not about creating and commissioning new items but also discovering how to keep Cassina alive and evolving. Does the political Zeitgeist influence the way you design? Or are they two separate things? Not only the political agenda, in my work I like to reflect and observe the whole society. I observe everything; I need to understand where contemporaneity is going. Designers and architects need to observe the social scene to come to a tangible synthesis. Today, for instance, we cannot design an object without taking into consideration its impact on the environment. As recently exhibited at the Triennale di Milano, we’re left with a “Broken Nature”, we’re more conscious than ever of our problems and we’re ready to really change our habits and our consumption. So, my work cannot be limited to, for example, the selection of eco-compatible materials, but it needs to re-imagine every aspect of the entire production cycle and transport. It’s important that we designers work together with the companies to facilitate all of this. It is, of course, a long process. What does your dream commission look like in 2020? I can’t answer this question precisely, I am lucky enough to work with many different companies, developing diverse projects for many years now. I’m currently working on my personal exhibition in Madrid, of course the art direction for Cassina and other projects for Milan Design Week in April 2020. I can say, however, that my mind is always busy to find feasible solutions for an optimistic future, dedicating myself to defend any kind of diversity and reduce any kind of gap either gender, social,

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Interiors Editor

Are there any trends or ideas from the past year that you’ll be taking with you into the new decade? I have never believed in trends; I care more about creating empathy and the sense of place and time. I start each project with a blank page and try to visualize every user’s need and develop everything based on this. Every brand is unique with its own history and a very different way of working therefore I create a different relationship and dialogue for each client. When you’re not in the studio working, where can we find you? I like going to the cinema and visiting museums with my family. It’s a sort of continuous research for my work. I’m also a bookworm, I love to read; frequently I find ideas and clues that I apply to my design projects. I’m often travelling for work; it has become indeed an important part of my life. When I’m abroad I love to dedicate some time, unfortunately not very much, for myself to get in contact with other cultures, visiting exhibitions, small museums or simply walking around. Travelling is an important source of inspiration for me. Ibiza has been my family’s summer escape since I was a little child. Though it has changed a lot, it was an island of freedom full of artists and hippies; very different from Oviedo, my birthplace. I guess it was a sort of first source of inspiration with these free ideas. Each year I go back to the island and disconnect from the world to enjoy my family. Feeling inspired? Don’t miss the opportunity to pop by our showroom where we have a range of Cassina and Patricia Urquiola designs on display. You can also stay tuned with our Designers To Watch in 2020 series via the Chaplins Furniture blog — your first point of call for all things interiors. Chaplins Furniture, 477-507 Uxbridge Road, HA5 4JS (www.chaplins.co.uk)

H OME & PROPERTY

Faded Glamour

inger-turned-fashion designer Pearl Lowe is renowned for her quirky, individual style - so it’s probably no surprise that she defiantly dances to her own tune when it comes to her decor choices too. Her home - a rambling 11-bedroom Georgian mansion in Somerset - showcases her trademark blend of grand, romantic chic and cool rock ‘n roll. “Many people might regard my style as quite

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It’s all about ‘faded glamour’ for Pearl Lowe and her designer friends. Gabrielle Fagan finds out how to get the look.

‘eclectic’,” observes London-born Lowe. “That’s fine by me, because I don’t believe there should be any rules - unless you want your house to be a hotel,” the 49-year-old declares with a smile. She sums up her interior style as “faded glamour” - and this is also the title of her new book, which celebrates her approach to decor and creating spaces she loves. Faded Glamour gives us a glimpse into not only Lowe’s own home, but also the private spaces of her super-creative designer friends, including Solange Azagury-Partridge, Alice Temperley and Sera Hersham Loftus. There are colourful living rooms, intimate bedrooms, and plush bathrooms which showcase the many different ways ‘faded glamour’ can be interpreted - from urban to rustic, and bohemian to vintage. “I’d say it’s a gloriously decadent yet well-lived-in decorating style. I think of rooms that are elegant yet whimsical at the same time,” muses Lowe. She shares her own home with her musician husband, Danny Goffey (of the Nineties band Supergrass), and their children Alfie, 23, Frankie 20, and Betty, 15. Her daughter, model Daisy, 31, is a regular visitor too. Throughout the property, Lowe has managed to deftly mix precious pieces of antique furniture with contemporary colourful pieces from flea markets, which happily sit alongside 18th century mahogany wood and 1950s plastic retro. Wear-and-tear and the patina of age aren’t hidden. Instead, they’re revered and deliberately embraced. “To me, an object that was once the height of elegance but is now a bit battered

“I’d say it’s a gloriously decadent yet well-lived-in decorating style. I think of rooms that are elegant yet whimsical at the same time,” muses Lowe

H OME & PROPERTY

has far more allure than something brand new,” says Lowe. “What I enjoy is the mix, the alchemy you create when you play around with styles... where chintz sits alongside animal print and sultry velvets; rococo suddenly goes a little rock ‘n roll, and a freestanding 1970s Anglepoise lamp sets it all alight.” As a designer, she draws inspiration from many quarters: art, film, photography, music, travel and above all - her friends, especially Rachel Ashwell, the designer and writer who introduced us all to ‘shabby chic’ back in the Nineties. Ashwell, says Lowe, “taught me how to create spaces that are not just decadent and stylish, but deliciously inviting and alluringly comfortable”. Here, we take a sneak peek at some of the homes bringing ‘faded glamour’ to life...

Colourful Faded Glamour Solange Azagury-Partridge This interior literally “sets your spirit soaring”, enthuses Lowe. This is a home where sofas and chairs are covered in a giddy array of colourful fabrics and throws, and who’s style takes influences from the East. It’s a harmony of surprising contrasts - a sofa in a Sanderson flowery chintz sits alongside one dressed in an Ikat print, while yellow velvet clashes with shocking pink toile de Jouy wallpaper, and mismatched Moroccan rugs form a rainbow patchwork across the floors. Fabric used for walls adds to a sense of warmth as well as enriching the palette of shades, while the woodwork is painted baby pink. “Solange’s bold use of colour is full of wit and wonder and brings a smile to your face,” says Lowe.

Jewels for the home Alice Temperley Award-winning fashion designer Temperley, who dresses some of the most stylish women in the world - from the Duchess of Cambridge to Beyonce - playfully mixes old with new in her home, a Regency mansion. Giant disco balls hang 98 MARCH 2020

from original plaster roses on the ceiling, and black-andwhite photographs and contemporary art line the walls of wood-panelled reception rooms. A mix of intriguing finds from local flea markets - twinkling candelabras, vintage glassware, bespoke china and stacks of rare books - are just some of the treasures that embellish the space and enhance character and interest. “What I love about this house is that despite the grandeur of the building itself - which in other hands could look austere and formal - Alice has, with her inherent romantic aesthetic, created a whimsical, enchanted world here,” Lower says admiringly.

Fashion a glamorous home Sera Hersham-Loftus

“This is a home where sofas and chairs are covered in a giddy array of colourful fabrics and throws”

Fashion and interior designer Hersham-Loftus has banished walls from her London apartment, and transformed it into a giant living space simply divided into areas by beautiful panels of fabric. Hand-made muslin curtains - appliqued with vintage lace and hand-dyed - hang over windows, and ceilings are painted black. She’s furnished with day-beds, antique furniture and a jungle of vast potted plants throughout, which conceal subtle lighting effects. The designer’s style, says Lowe, is ever evolving, and “sumptuous, seductive, exotic, and highly unique”. Faded Glamour: Inspirational Interiors And Beautiful Homes, photography by Amy Neunsinger, is published by CICO Books, priced £19.99. Available now.

H OME & PROPERTY

Cinematic Heaven Beneath Your Home T

he best way to enjoy a feature film is in a cinema, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave the house. Having a dedicated cinema room is the ideal scenario for many movie fans, whilst increasing the value and demand of your property, and of course major status and assets for you, the homeowner. How you go about achieving this depends on the space you have available, and how much you are willing to invest. If you are really serious about getting a home cinema, it can be a good idea to seek out a specialist company. Acoustics, surround sound systems, matching the screen’s size to the size of the room, home cinema seating and lighting are all areas that need specific attention. Here is our guide to creating your own home cinema.

ROOM CHOICE

SURROUND SOUND SPEAKERS

Ideally you want your home cinema installation to be in a room that is isolated from the rest of the activity in the house. Soundproofing is important of course, and it can also help to choose a room that does not need to be used for any other purpose, and is not a throughway to somewhere else. For these reasons a house extension, loft or basement conversion can be the perfect home cinema choice.

When it comes to home entertainment, the image isn’t everything; sound plays just as much an important role. Subwoofers, sound bars and speakers arranged perfectly so as to get the very best from the room’s acoustics are all part of the audio element. Again, when it comes to acoustics, a professional’s advice can make all the difference.

TYPE OF SCREEN

If you really want the authentic cinema experience, then some rows of tiered movie seats is certainly one way to go. Add popcorn holders in the armrests and the look is complete. If you want something even more relaxing, however, there are plenty of options available. Luxury furniture that is both comfortable and stylish, with built-in storage, drinks holders and iPod speakers is perfectly tailored to suit the movie-watching experience.

Your screen size needs to be in proportion with the size of the room. This is very important, as many people make the mistake of simply going for the largest screen available on the assumption that this alone will provide the perfect cinema look and feel. Most people choose not to sit on the front row at the cinema; because it can be uncomfortable looking at too large a screen for a long time. There is also an optimum distance between a projected image and the human eye for those grainy pixels to not be visible. For the real cinema experience, a flat screen with a projector is unbeatable. Most dedicated film fans agree that plasma TVs provide a more cinematic viewing experience than LCD, which is backlit and so performs better in rooms that have plenty of natural light.

HOME CINEMA SYSTEMS The potential and sophistication of home entertainment systems is almost limitless. Whether you are looking for a HD projector or a wireless home cinema that also includes a centralised hi-fi system, this is an area that is worth investigating in detail, particularly if you have the funds to really go to town. The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association is an ideal first port of call for information and advice. Their membership includes thousands of installers and designers of home entertainment systems, who can advise you on the best options for your requirements. 100 MARCH 2020

CINEMA ROOM SEATING

LIGHTING If your room is really going to have that authentic cinema ambience, it is essential that the lighting is right. Make sure the room you use has either no windows, or windows that can be completely blacked out, and think carefully about how much light the room will need. Dimmer switches, floor lights and sidelights are all part of the mix in creating that night at the movies. If you really want to make it as realistic as possible, you might also consider curtains that can be drawn back from the screen. Ideally, these and the lighting will be adjustable via remote control.

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Hertfordshire DrivewayS Ltd ARE proud to be endorsed by Which? Trusted Traders

void being stung by a rogue trader with Which? advice on the common practices they employ, plus inside tips on hiring a reliable trader. From doorstep scammers to sloppy builders, rogue traders can catch you out in a number of ways. Here, we reveal the tricks they use to reel you in, and explain how to find a trader who’s trustworthy. We’ve all heard stories of unscrupulous traders knocking on old people’s doors, claiming that work needs to be done, then swiftly making off with hundreds of pounds without having done any work. Unfortunately, these aren’t urban myths. Between August 2017 and July 2018, Action Fraud recorded 7,085 cases of people being defrauded by doorstep sellers and bogus tradespeople, while Citizens Advice logged 73,861 home improvement-related queries and issues from July 2017 to June 2018. We’ve spoken to the expert trader assessors at Which? Trusted Traders,

as well as our reliable traders themselves, to get the inside track on the common practices dodgy traders employ. Jump to how to find a trusted trader for insider tips on questions to ask, actions to take and ways to protect yourself in case any problems arise. If you’re looking for a reliable trader, visit Which? Trusted Traders, where we do the hard work for you. All our registered traders are put through extensive assessments and background checks. Rogue trader tricks All our assessors at Which? Trusted Traders are ex-Trading Standards, so have years of experience in spotting a dodgy trader. We asked them for the lowdown on the signs to look out for. Which? members can log in to reveal the telltale signs and tricks that suggest a trader is not to be trusted. If you’re not yet a Which? member, get instant access by joining Which? now. You’ll also get access to our list of the most prevalent doors-stop scams and lax trader behaviours homeowners have had to deal with. Cold-calling traders Rogue traders often operate by cold calling. When we asked 1,645 Which? members (June/July 2018)

102 MARCH 2020

“If you’re looking for a reliable trader, visit Which? Trusted Traders, where we do the hard work for you”

whether they or a relative had ever had someone claiming to be a trader call out of the blue or turn up unannounced at their door, 52% had. 14% lost trust in traders and 8% suffered emotional distress as a result. 52% The percentage of people who have had someone call out of the blue or turn up unannounced at their door Any home improvement opportunities that can be seen from the road can be a possible target for a doorstop scammer, who may lie about or exaggerate work that needs to be done. This could include driveway repaving, garden landscaping or window reglazing. Log in or join Which? to see the eight home improvement jobs most commonly suggested by cold-calling traders. Criminals employ a range of tactics to target the vulnerable. This includes looking for homes with tired exteriors, where elderly relatives are more likely to live, and residents with typically older names. Some work together by discreetly marking the pavement outside the houses of those recently scammed, or circulating ‘suckers’ lists on the black market. It’s not just someone knocking on the door that you should be cautious of - take leaflets put through your letterbox with a pinch of salt, too. This is another way in which cowboy traders try to reel you in, making misleading or false claims and using scare tactics, particularly around home security. If you’re being pestered by cold calls, visit our guide to nuisance calls to find out how to put a stop to them, and head to how to find a trusted trader for advice on responding to cold callers coming to your door. Common dodgy trader practices Fraudsters misleading someone into handing over money and then disappearing is the more extreme end of the rogue trader scale. But there are plenty of other unacceptable practices that can be costly and infuriating for homeowners. We spoke to nearly 300* of our Which? Trusted Traders about the negligent practices that they have seen in their line

of work. Log in to find out what they are. If you’ve been let down, visit our page on what to do if you have a dispute with a trader for advice on how to reach a resolution.

“Criminals employ a range of tactics to target the vulnerable.”

Sole traders vs big companies It’s not just one-man bands that can prove problematic for consumers. Our Which? Legal team also receives complaints about the installation services of big-name brands. We survey customers to find out what they make of the kitchen and bathroom companies they use. Our customer scores, which are based on how satisfied customers are with brands and whether they’d recommend them to a friend, show what people think of big kitchen and bathroom companies’ fitting services. Logged in Which? members can see our full kitchen and bathroom reviews, with ratings for well-known brands including John Lewis, B&Q, Ikea and Homebase. There can be advantages to using a big company over a lone ranger. Retailers are more likely to have a complaints procedure in place, and be part of an dispute resolution scheme, both of which can be very helpful if something does go wrong. They’re usually in a better financial position, or have more assets, so there can be a greater chance of getting your money back if they fall short of expectations. Plus, there’s less risk of them disappearing into thin air when a complaint is made. How to find a trader you can trust To reveal our list of top tips from ex-Trading Standards experts and Which? Trusted traders, Which? members can log in. If you’re not yet a Which? member, get instant access by joining Which?. You’ll get access to all our member-only advice and thousands of product reviews. *In June/July 2018 we spoke to 292 Which? Trusted traders about the negligent practices that they have seen in their line of work. www.trustedtraders.which.co.uk To arrange a free survey and written quotation call 0800 112 3920 / 0333 577 3920 or visit us at www.hertfordshiredriveways.com MARCH 2020 103

H OME & PROPERTY

Anniversary Celebrations Home By Rachel Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary

customer’s coming back to purchase time and time again, keep a look out for their new scents being released to evolve with the seasons. The store also carries beautiful one off pieces of jewellery, colourful scarves, handbags, high end stationary, bedroom finishing touches and so much more. Rachel proudly told me that her clients have expressed that they feel uplifted and empowered by the shop. The staff go out of their way to make every visit to Home by Rachel a special experience with positive vibes and a unique shopping experience. Rachel loves to be in the shop as much as she can, however being the great business women that Rachel is she is conscious that the store is

achel Callow and her team at Home By Rachel will celebrate their one year anniversary this week at The Dutch Marketplace in Hertfordshire. The opening of the unique boutique in March 2019 was one not to be missed. With a beautiful champagne reception opening, live music and free goodie bags their customers were impressed from the get go! The first year can be one of the hardest for new businesses, however Home by Rachel has gone from strength to strength.There is clearly no stopping them and future is looking extremely bright. The shop has an array of beautiful products. Rachel is most proud of the fragrance candles which have proved to be a best seller and have

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“The first year can be one of the hardest for new businesses, however Home by Rachel has gone from strength to strength”

“With mothers day on the horizon and with the new spring collection heading into the shop very soon this is the perfect opportunity to make a visit” always stocked with the latest trends and fashions so when she’s not around rest assured she is on a shopping trip with a mission of picking up some new pieces for you all to enjoy. Rachel is keen to make sure the shop carries high end products with gifts and special pieces that you will not find anywhere else. With mothers day on the horizon and with the new spring collection heading into the shop very soon this is the perfect opportunity to make a visit, I promise this won’t be your last. Look out for offers and exciting things coming up for Home By Rachel for 2020!

THE DETAILS Home by Rachel (located inside the Dutch Marketplace) Great North Road Brookmans Park Hatfield, Herts, AL9 6ND www.homebyrachel.co.uk @Homebyrachel

MARCH 2020 105

H OME & PROPERTY

GRAND DESIGNS

replacement dwelling within Greenbelt and Area of Special Landscape Value our proposal is designed to maintain the important features of the existing site, allowing the residents to integrate with their surroundings, reflecting the topography of the site right through to the functional layout of the dwelling, and maintaining the mature landscape so it can continue to thrive. The initial plan was always to demolish the previous building and replace with a house that would meet the families needs as a growing family. It was important for the building to have energy sufficient insulation, reducing the carbon footprint The new design steps down with the fall of the site and uses this level change in conjunction with the modularization of the house to create more intimate areas which emphasize and echo the topographical context of the site. Our clients focused on utilising robust construction details, making sure they were innovative with the use of building materials hence choosing and using copper shingles, siberian larch and weber render, these materials contribute to why the buildings appearance is so striking. The roof was covered with sedum roof as part of assisting the biodiversity of the site. The full height glazing was solid glass, each panel having itâ€™s own blind depending of the orientation of it, the elegant glazing responds to the buildings surroundings and blurs the division of inside and out. Siberian larch was used to work with the surrounding environment and would subsequently age with the site. In terms of addressing issues of sustainability, we would look to utilize locally sourced materials and carefully consider our selection of construction 106 MARCH 2020

materials, going as far as using natural paints and stains both internally and externally. In addition, by investigating the integration of heat pumps, rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling systems, we are further aiding the provision of an energy efficient and environmentally friendly scheme. The use of underfloor heating throughout the whole building allows the client to place furniture however they want without any limitations or restrictions. As part of reducing the carbon footprint an air source hear pump was installed. The house is fully equipped with a home automation system, that allows full control of the lighting, heating and security system remotely, therefore making the building a more energy sufficient house. We have created for our client, a building of high quality design and architecture to form a fresh modern single dwelling that respects the sensitive nature of the area and brings back a coherent layout integrated with the site while presenting a modern but timeless design concept.

THE DETAILS Tye Architects The Long Barn Studio, Limbersey Lane, Maulden, Bedfordshire MK45 2EA 01525 406677 www.tyearchitects.com

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TRAILING HOUSEPLANTS & HOW TO CARE FOR THEM and winter, and avoid putting it in a bathroom or steamy kitchen because it won’t like the humidity. In summer, ventilate the room from time to time by opening a window to allow it some fresh air.

3. Rhipsalis There are many varieties of this cacti, which will happily trail over pots and down walls if put in the right spot. Unlike other cacti, it’s not a prickly plant, instead having what almost looks like a mop of hair. It needs plenty of light but not direct sunlight, preferring dappled sunlight. The mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis baccifera) is the perfect cactus for the bathroom, favouring humid conditions. It will need watering but don’t let its roots sit in moisture. White flowers appear over the summer, followed by berries.

Add some stylish accents to your space with an eye-catching trailing plant in a hanging pot or planter. words: Hannah Stephenson.

railing plants aren’t just for outdoor hanging baskets and planters. Used imaginatively, they can create a stylish haven indoors too - but you’ll need to pick the right plants for the right space. And don’t think ivy is the only option. There are so many other plants which can be combined or used as stand-alone statements to provide architectural interest and colour to a room. Green and flowering plants, like columnea and cissus, reinforce the sense of a big change of season, allowing the light through and muting the stimuli from outdoors, according to plant experts The Joy Of Plants (Thejoyofplants.co.uk). Here are some ideas for great trailing and hanging plants, whether you want to just let them drape from a shelf or suspend them in planters from the ceiling or a rafter...

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1. String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) Also known as string of beads, this eye-catching plant produces strands which bear pea-like leaves, although it is fussy about watering, only preferring to be watered when the top 2cm of the compost is dry. Plant it in good potting compost in bright, indirect light. If you want to increase your stock, cuttings of this plant will root easily when pinned to the surface of a pot of cactus compost. Keep temperatures above 10C in winter.

2. Burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum) This rich succulent, which produces thick stems of blue-green leaves that look like plaits, needs gritty soil and good drainage, sunshine and protection from extreme cold temperatures to thrive. If you’re lucky, in summer, small clusters of pinkish red star-shaped flowers may appear at the end of the stems. Don’t overwater it, especially in autumn

4. Climbing fig (Ficus pumila) The climbing fig, or creeping fig as it is also known, is an evergreen self-clinging climber with beautiful heart-shaped leaves. If there’s nothing to hold on to it will grow over the edge of the pot, giving you an attractive hanging plant, or train the tendrils along a shape to allow them to climb across a wall. The plant evolves over its life: a young climbing fig has small leaves, while the leaves on a more mature plant are larger. According to The Joy Of Plants, it likes plenty of light but not full sun. Don’t place it over a heater or in a draught, and once it’s in place don’t move it because it doesn’t like change. Cut the stems back if they become too long.

5. Ceropegia (String of hearts) A relaxing atmosphere is strengthened by hanging plants, including ceropegia, with its strings of heartshaped leaves. Again, don’t overwater it because its skinny roots will rot. The best thing to do is to let this plant dry out in between waterings. Place it in a sunny spot and new strands should grow in the direction of the light. Trim the straggly bits to keep it tidy, as they can grow to 1.5m long. Pair it with tradescantia and rhipsalis in pastel-coloured knotted cloth and light pots. This enables them to extend and allows the leaves’ various shades of grey and green to create fantastical veils. Just what you need to get through the darker days in a cheerful mood.

H OME & PROPERTY

The building blocks for a more sustainable future:

Ideal Home Show Sponsored by NatWest

Returns to Olympia this spring. 27 March - 13 April

deal Home Show, the world’s longest running exhibition, sponsored by Natwest, will return to Olympia London from Friday 27th March to Monday 13th April 2020. For the first time in its history the show will be supported by ITV. Visitors will be able to engage with favourite TV faces including experts from popular programmes such as ‘Love Your Garden’ as well as experts in food, drink, fashion and lifestyle. ITV will also host a bespoke ITV exhibition stand and ITV Hub for the duration of the show. Many of ITV’s iconic shows including I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here will be brought to life over the course of the 18-day show, with more celebrity guests and features to be announced shortly. The 2020 show will offer visitors nearly three weeks’ worth of inspiration for their homes. From space maximising and decorating ideas and all the latest trends for the kitchen and bathroom, the show has something for everyone. The Good Homes Roomsets will spin to life with its new ever-changing interactive stage, exploring three future trends and themes - micro living, smart technology and Best of British.

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This year’s show will feature more than 600 exhibitors showcasing an array of new products and household names across interior, homeware, style and garden industries. Also in attendance will be Richard Arnold, Lisa Snowdon, John Torode, Lisa Faulkner, Phil Spencer, George Clarke plus more. Expert and celebrity guests will host a variety of stage talks and demonstrations including: • Alan Titchmarsh, gardening expert, broadcaster, poet and novelist • Dean Edwards, author and Celebrity MasterChef finalist • Olly Smith, drinks expert and TV presenter • Rosemary Shrager, renowned British chef • Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock, former footballer and Celebrity MasterChef finalist Additionally, ticketholders will also have access to the Eat & Drink Festival, for no extra charge, which is co-located with the Ideal Home Show. To purchase tickets visit www.idealhomeshow. co.uk. To keep up with the latest news and announcements, follow the Ideal Home Show on: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

“The Good Homes Roomsets will spin to life with its new everchanging interactive stage, exploring three future trends and themes”