Country Images Magazine - August 2020 - Derby Edition

ALWAYS SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES

COUNTRY

Derby Edition - August 2020

ENJOY The Great

Outdoors

The Swan Hotel Bolsover

WITH COUNTRY IMAGES

Nature’s Gift

A Walk From

WESSINGTON Artist: Richard Holland

A QUICK LOOK AT

Ilkeston

NEW GHIBLI HYBRID

The Caledonian Canal Steve Orme interviews

Andy Street

Gardening

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3

Time waits for no one…

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t’s been great to see companies pushing ahead to get back to some normality during the past month. In fact one company had a sign outside saying ‘Business as abnormal’ which I thought was a clever twist of phrase.

There are great deals to be had for discerning buyers at the minute with many companies using this time to clear out old stock, and many putting overseas holidays on hold until 2021, advertisers have a great opportunity to alert potential customers to the bargains they have to offer.

Here at Country Images we have been delighted to get cracking again. During the lockdown there’s been a lot happening behind the scenes. As with most companies it’s a case of asking ‘“What can we do better for our customers?” Our distribution network, the lifeblood of any free publication, has been strengthened by recruiting new people to take us into additional fresh areas that we feel will benefit our existing advertisers. The emails and messages on facebook expressing how pleased they were to be getting the magazine has encouraged us immensely to keep trying to do what we know is best for readers and advertisers alike.

Like many companies we have become used to the restricted movement of people to that end, in the short term, our sales staff have been completely equipped with new technology to enable them to communicate with client and office alike and to continue working independently whilst the country fights its way though Covid 19.

We also have two extensive digital editions of Country Images available on our web site packed with articles of interest for all including recipes, history, gardening and home ideas all perfect for a little leisurely read on a summer evening.

We are aslo delighted to be able to bring to you WALK DERBYSHIRE edition 6 which is now on sale through our website www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk We do hope that you are all safe and enjoy this edition.

Nature from Prestigious

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Unit 5 Keys Road, Alfreton, Derbyshire. DE55 7FQ Tel: 01773 830344 info@imagespublishing.co.uk Editor: Garry M Plant. Production manager: Alistair Plant. Sales manager: Scott Burgess. Advertisement Executives: Lisa O’Reilly, Carol Wilson, Lisa Johnson.

Editorial Features: Brian Spencer, Maxwell Craven, Steve Orme, Amanda Volley, David Clay.

Each month Country Images Magazine is delivered into homes and stocked in over 70 outlets across Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire, read online at www. countryimagesmagazine.co.uk and downloaded from the Apple app store and Google Play. All editions are produced FREE to read and download.

Country Images Magazine is conceived, written, designed, printed and delivered in Derbyshire 4 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

Images Publishing Limited is a totally independent publishing company and is not connected with any other newspaper group.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written consent is strictly prohibited.

The publishers do not accept responsibility for any views expressed, or statements made, in signed contributions or in those reproduced from any other source.

No responsibility is borne for any errors made in any advertisement, or for claims made by any advertiser which are incorrect. The publishers reserve the right to refuse advertising deemed unsuitable for any reason. All material submitted is done so at the owner’s own risk and no responsibility is accepted by the publishers for its return.

Copyright Images Publishing Limited, Unit 5, Keys Road, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 7FQ. Origination by Images Design & Print Limited 01773 830344

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The Caledonian Canal Nature’s Gift

By Brian Spencer

Urquhart Castle, from where ‘Nessie’ has occasionally been sighted.

8 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

While nature might be in one of its repetitive bad moods for today’s Australians, from time to time it does come up with something useful. Due to earth movements millions of years ago in what are now the Highlands of modern Scotland, a huge crack, or fault line was created, running from the north east on which the city of Inverness now stands, south westwards towards and beyond present day Fort William. Known as the Great Glen it links the North Sea at the Moray Firth to a line of sea lochs flowing towards the Atlantic Ocean far beyond Loch Linnhe.

This crack in the earth’s surface was filled with the fresh water of four inland lochs, Dochfour, Ness, Oich and Lochy. Today short lengths of canal link the four lochs, making a navigable canal linking open water, along a route between the east coast of Scotland and the west coast.

W

hat is now known as the Caledonian Canal is roughly 60 miles (97km) long. Only one third of the entire length is man-made, the rest being formed by the four fresh water lochs. 29 lock gates cope with height changes, including the eight (Neptune’s Staircase) in order to reach the Loch Linnhe and the sea beyond Banavie near Fort William.

Four aqueducts carry the canal over rivers and 10 swing bridges allow road traffic, and in one case a railway, to cross.

The idea of sea going boats sailing on inland waters was first suggested in 1620 by the Highland prophet known as the Brahan Seer who foresaw fully rigged ships sailing overland near Inverness. A hundred years later engineers started to look at the feasibility of a canal in order to avoid the dangerous passage between the Pentland Firth between Orkney and Cape Wrath. As ships were still propelled by sail, the idea was dropped due to the concern that the mountains on either side of the Great Glen would channel the wind and make navigation too precarious.

Following the Jacobite Rising in the mid eighteenth century, the population of the Highlands went into steep decline, with thousands of families emigrating to Canada and beyond. With the remaining crofters turned off their land in favour of more profitable sheep farms, a decision was made by the Government to help the fishing industry. It was realised that the quickest way to get fish caught in the North Sea, down to markets supplying Scotland’s growing industrial belt around the Clyde, was to use the west coast route.

To avoid going all the way round dangerous waters at the top of Scotland, the idea of a canal across the middle became attractive. In 1773 the engineer James Watt was commissioned to survey the Great Glen route, which he published a year later. He proposed that a 20-foot deep canal could be dug connecting the four lochs along the Great Glen; his scheme would require 32 locks, and would cost £164,032. He emphasised that the canal would benefit the fishing industry, by becoming a safer route from the east to west coasts of Scotland. Traffic could also be twoway as returning ships could supply the population with cheap corn.

He did, however, mention potential problems created by wind deflected by mountains lining the glen.

Another reason for building the canal came about with the Napoleonic

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 9

The last lock of ‘Neptune’s Staircase’ takes the Caledonian Canal into Loch Linnhe

Wars when French privateers menaced the waters of the North Sea as well as escalating the depopulation of the Highlands. In 1803 a Bill was passed in Parliament to develop a canal and work was started on 29 June 1804. One of the side advantages of building the canal was to provide work for displaced crofters, but they were frequently unreliable, disappearing at times such as the peat cutting or haymaking seasons. As a result and despite the attempt to help the local labour force, Irish navvies had to be brought over to swell teams working on the canal.

One of the sections of the canal passes Fort Augustus 10 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

Thomas Telford the foremost canal builder of the time was given the job of building the canal, assisted by William Jessop (his son Josiah Jessop built the Cromford and High Peak Railway using canal techniques).

The two men, Thomas Telford and William Jessop, oversaw the canal’s final survey and

Great War when the American navy used it as a safe route to carry military hardware from across the Atlantic, directly to northern France. But before then the canal was gaining fame as a tourist attraction, especially after Queen Victoria took a trip along it in 1873. Trains from the south brought passengers to Fort William, Inverness and, until the branch line was closed, to Fort Augustus.

Today’s cruising along the Caledonian Canal on specially designed hotel boats such as the M.V. Lord of the Glens has become a holiday experience. Starting say, at the Inverness end of the canal, a typical cruise would begin at the quayside below the swing bridge at Clachnaharry close by the Far North Line Railway, at the entrance to the Moray Firth. Six locks and three swing bridges come into quick succession below Inverness, then the tiny Loch Dochfour and into Loch Ness, the longest and undoubtably the most attractive of the four.

We took a short cruise up to the scenic ruins of Urquhart Castle about half way along the north bank of Loch Ness. This is one of the traditional places to spot the mythical monster known to all and sundry as ‘Nessie’, but as we are doubters, he failed to put in an appearance. What we did see though, was a pair of RAF jets on a cross country training flight. Roaring past at about a hundred feet above Loch Ness, they waggled their wings in greeting before disappearing somewhere out towards the Hebrides.

construction until Jessop died in 1814.

Building the canal was expected to cost £474,000 and take seven years to complete, mainly funded by the Government.

Because of the remoteness of the scheme, work was started simultaneously at both ends.

However, the work proved to be more difficult than anticipated and as Thomas Telford could only visit the site twice a year, he appointed John Telford (not thought to be a direct relation) to manage the scheme.

Such was the challenge of the difficult work that John died in 1807 and was buried locally in Kilmallie churchyard. His replacement, Alexander Easton carried the work to its completion in 1822. This was rather longer than originally expected and the subsequent cost had also

risen to £910,000, over double the original estimate, despite cost-cutting schemes such as reducing the depth of the canal from 20 feet to 15 feet.

Cruising Along The Caledonian Canal By the time the canal was ready to take traffic, Napoleon had been vanquished and the threat of French attack on North Sea shipping removed, but almost from Day One its advantages were apparent, especially as the new iron-hulled, steam driven vessels not troubled by side winds were already using the canal. It proved its worth during the

Beyond Loch Ness the canal skirts Fort Augustus, one of the forts built after the ’45 rebellion and named after George III’s sons. The canal does this via a couple of swing bridges and six more locks. Tiny Loch Oich ends with the twin Laggan locks baring quick access to narrow Loch Lochy. There then follows a long unhindered run past the Muccomir hydro-electric station and follows the Rivers Spean and Lochy, crossing them and intermediate streams by three handy aqueducts.

Banavie Locks mark the start of the descent to Loch Linnhe and the sea.

The eight gates of Banavie Locks, better known as Neptune’s Staircase make a fitting end to a cruise along the Caledonian Canal, but not before the Fort William to Mallaig train has to make an unscheduled stop to let a section of the track swing round and allow the boat to majestically sail through.

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 11

ENJOY The Great

Aurelia by LSA

WITH COUNTRY IMAGES

Scoutmoor by Marshalls

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Outdoors WITH COUNTRY IMAGES

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ENJOY The Great

Outdoors WITH COUNTRY IMAGES

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A QUICK LOOK AT

Ilkeston

The ex-Ilkeston Co-operative building

by Maxwell Craven

Ilkeston is a Derbyshire hill town which started as a local market centre and gradually changed into a centre of coal mining and later industry, ranging from iron foundries to fabric mills and lace works.

A nineteenth century map shows it hemmed in from all sides with the Erewash canal, the river and the Midland Railway to the east, the Nutbrook Canal and the Great Northern Railway to the west, with both railway companies adding lines to north and south. Indeed, the Midland built a line right into the town centre at the bottom of Bath Street, where from late Regency times had been built an hotel and pretty Gothic therapeutic baths fed by springs released by mining. That spur is long gone but the re-opening of Ilkeston Junction station (ex-MR) – thanks to local pressure bolstered by 18 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

The Art-Deco Ritz cinema, South Street

Wharncliffe Road, H J Kilford’s jolly Elizabethan Cop-shop.

lobbying from the MP – recently has begun to reverse the isolation of the town from the rail system.

Yet the chief and most unexpected glory of Ilkeston is in its architecture. Whilst there are hardly any Georgian buildings, the town seems to have been served, at least over the century 1840 to 1940 by local architects of real flair. A wander around the town centre enables one to enjoy the best of these, for losses have been relatively minor, unlike some places one could name.

Even the simple houses are pleasingly detailed.

We parked in Market Street, and were impressed by the solid magnificence of the Rutland Mill, 26 bays wide and three storeys high, the original part sporting a pediment, flanked by octagonal knops with iron finials and a swagger entrance, all now apartments (what we used to call flats). Yet we loved the unassuming house next to it because of the iron anchor hanging over the door: clearly a pub sign, we thought and, on investigation it turns out that it was once (as we guessed) The Anchor, the landlord in 1908 being one Arthur Watchorn – could he have been a kinsman of the Alfreton-born US millionaire Robert Watchorn (18591944)?

Starting at the broad and handsome Market Place, one can quickly take the point about the quality of

Ilkeston’s architecture. The chief landmark is St. Mary’s parish Church, much of which is a product of a heavy but really quite accomplished re-building of the Medieval church by Naylor & Sale of Derby 1910, only spoilt by the ugly concrete single storey parish rooms added to the right; how anyone could have allowed such an excrescence is beyond comprehension.

Nevertheless, there is a plenitude of compensation.

Opposite is the mildly Italianate Town Hall, built to a familiar formula but with just a little bit of extra proportion, built 1866 by a Nottingham man, R. C. Sutton. Cheek by jowl with which is the former co-op building, Art-Deco, but in a massively plain manner which works really quite well in context. As if those two styles are not enough, the south side of the Market Place is graced by the generously proportioned Edwardian Baroque (1903) Carnegie Library by Col. Maurice Hunter of Belper (the Strutts’ favourite architect) in brick and stone with a monumental entrance flanked by two full height bays, all set off by period ironwork. Indeed, wherever you look you see good quality iron. The side elevation facing South Street (down which proceed) has a row of bull-eye windows terminated by a pair of tall bays reminiscent of Rennie Mackintosh.

In fact, the side of the library makes an excellent www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 19

The amazing 1913 Scala Cinema, Pimlico; there are few earlier surviving.

A view from East Street to the Market Place, with a glimpse of Kilford’s loos to the left

transition via the Neo-Georgian (1922) former Post Office (by H. T. Rees, now a bar) to the truly monumental former Ritz Cinema (now Beacon bingo) by R. W. G. Cooper of 1938 with its flashy streamlining, tiling and recessed façade, all set off by a socking great vertical fin shooting skywards.

Both it and the library are grade II listed.

The ideal walk takes one right into Queen Street here, but as one turns, one can spot a rare Georgian building, the modest Independent Chapel on the east side beyond the cinema, dated on the gable 1784 and still, miraculously, in use. The cast iron windows look amazingly industrial.

Actually, Queen Street yields yet another chapel, the Baptists’ this time. At first glance it looks almost late Roman with its tall severe brick curving end, like an apse, with equally tall windows in blind arcading. That the entrance portico is squeezed in on the end of this impressive end of the chapel suggests that the architect in 1858 (William Booker of Nottingham) rather threw away the chance to do something rather more spectacular!

Having enjoyed the chapel, we swung right again to Albert Street, but not before we had been really impressed by Queen’s Drive, a delightful street running straight as a die downhill, flanked by mature trees and with uniform, really well-designed houses, set back on either side; a really very agreeable piece of town planning.

Albert Street takes one to Wharncliffe Road, but on the east side we spied a modern phenomenon – a multi-storey car park – but one done really well, in the general style of a gabled mill with cast iron grilles inserted in the openings like mill windows. Why most places have to have brutalist concrete lumps for MSCPs instead of building something with a bit of refinement like this, which sits perfectly harmoniously in the streetscape, was beyond us. Nor did it

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Albert St., the best multistorey car park you’ll see in a long time.

Erewash Museum and its spectacular cast iron urn by Handyside.

One of the many fine villas on Wharncliffe Road

detract from the really rather large United Reformed (formerly Congregationalist) Chapel, in brick by Ilkeston’s best architect, Henry Tatham Sudbury, which boasts fine window tracery (for 1905), a powerful tower and a copper spire.

I imagine the entirely un-local (Yorkshire) Earl of Wharncliffe must have owned a coal mine at Ilkeston in order to have a road named after him, but be that as it may, for domestic architecture the thoroughfare is a showpiece. At the top, cheek by jowl with the Coop, is the restrained but impressive Jacobean revival former Police Station (now offices) by H. J. Kilford of 1906; a stone ball at every angle! But, as the road runs downhill and curves gently to the right, we spotted a number of really fine villas, like no. 50 (almost Parker and Unwin in style for its date), the Red House by Tatham Sudbury of 1899, whose semis opposite are really very refined. We spotted houses we liked most of the way down until we reached a junction where the

south end of the street called Pimlico joined; I imagine Ilkestonian readers will know why it bears the name of the London district close to Victoria, but regrettably we didn’t!

Returning uphill on Pimlico, past the brand new college (replacing the Magistrates’ Courts) we encountered a gem, which I’d seen before – but Carole hadn’t: the Scala cinema, very early, dating from 1913 (listed II*), builder known, but not the architect. It is the epitome of bijou, with Edwardian Baroque detailing around its exuberant recessed porch, and the astonishing survival of a queuing shed on the right hand side; I bet there aren’t many queuers these days!

Rather than return to the Market Place, we went down Burns Street, alongside the Scala, where we noticed a small chapel directly behind it with splendidly Venetian windows, side and front, but www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 21

done in muscular Norman revival by architect G. C Gilbert in 1849; a plethora of Sky aerials told us it had long been secularised! Yet this delightful street was lined with pleasant later Victorian houses, all those on the opposite side being embellished with a riot of iron brattishing which had survived WW2, mainly on the canted bays, and at the bottom, a really quite large semi-detached pair of villas with an extraordinary brick attic vying with the chimney stacks on the roof, once each with a separate coach house, but now all empty.

From Burns Street we took a ginnel which ran across the Mount Street car park (from which we had a terrific view north across the town towards Cotmanhay, including another Mill (Baileys). Mount Street took us into Bath Street, which once led down to the site of the former baths and which is Ilkeston’s main shopping street – whilst retail yet lives. It is pedestrianised and, looking up the steep rise back to East Street, one can barely imagine the 3ft 6in gauge tramcars teetering precipitously down!

We turned right to re-ascend and, crossing East Street, made for the Erewash Museum in Dalby House with its pleasant terraced gardens. This is another rare Georgian Survival, built for Derby corn miller Francis Agard shortly after 1778. It is of unconventional design for its date, being essentially only one room deep with pattern book fenestration and the entrance fiddled into a stubby wing to the rear. In front of it, the most elaborate Andrew Handyside cast iron urn known to mankind; inside, many engaging treasures: not to be missed.

Police Station fame, and all fronted with a splendid cast iron railing. Regrettably, we were unable to take the opportunity to comment on the interior.

The main west door of the church has wonderful wrought iron strapwork, almost certainly the work of Derby’s Edwin Haslam. The interior is spacious, with quite a bit of surviving medieval fabric but the restoration was over-done really and the building lacks the atmosphere one might have expected. We thus wound our way back to Market Street, stopping just down from where we parked our car, for (mainly liquid) refreshment, to restore ourselves, for our tour had been undertaken on a punishingly cold day!

Well, that’s our story, anyway. But, restorative or not, Ilkeston is very well worth a wander, for it is a very under-rated town. Further out, too, there are other treasures: two churches by Percy Currey of Derby (St. Barts., Hallam Fields and St. John’s, Nottingham Road) part-timber framed Little Hallam Old Hall and G H Widdows’s terrific grade II* listed Grammar School on King George V Avenue, to mention but a few.

Market Place, Col. Hunter’s impressive Carnegie Library 1903.

To round off our tour we visited the fine church of St. Mary, reaching it by passing the public loos, wonderfully designed almost as a pod against the churchyard wall but in Arts-and-Crafts style with a ramped parapet, by Borough architect H. J. Kilford of

Grade II listed, mildly Italianate Town Hall

22 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

Early 20thcentury view of the Swan from the SW. Are the bobbies intent on cautioning the landlord for staying open too long?! [B.Haigh]

The Swan Hotel O The

Lost Houses of Derbyshire

by Maxwell Craven

Bolsover

ut at an antiques fair, before the period of house arrest was imposed upon us, I chanced upon a splendid real photographic post card, published by a firm in Rotherham, but unsent.

It shows the old White Swan Inn, just off the Market Place in Bolsover, looking magnificent in its decay.

The building was of two storeys and attics, appears late Tudor or early Jacobean, but I strongly suspect had a much earlier core.

There were two wide gabled crosswings at the ends, coped in stone with hefty irregular quoins of coal measures

sandstone. The rest of the building was of the same material, too, the central part being built out flush with the gable ends, and with its roof sweeping down to eaves below the bottom of the gables’ roofs.

There is a crude stone doorway off-set to

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 23

the right and two-light casement windows run along the first floor except for a single light over the entrance. The ground floor windows are also casemented, but are composed of multiple lights.

Close contemplation of this wonderful old façade reveals clues to its growth. First of all, the gables do not match and are of different dates. The one on the left looks later, being more or less regular and with neater quoins, but with a large external chimney breast. That on the right is lower (the ridge of the main range ends in a gablet above it) and the roof on the right side is lower than that on the left, where it meets the mains range. Close examination of the very clear photograph also demonstrates clearly that the gabled wings once protruded beyond the street-facing wall of the range between. There are clear traces where the massive quoins had been removed when the street

facing wall was pushed forwards, but left, oddly, in situ above the eaves of that part, two blocks on the right and four on the left.

The position of the entrance also suggests that the original main range was once a great hall, entered on the right. This would have given into a cross passage with a screen to the left with doors in it to enter the hall and two others to give access to the kitchen and buttery. It would have been open to the roof and would have had a single massive hearth, its position suggested in the photograph by the single later brick chimney stack.

At a later stage the cross-wings would have been added, the right hand one first, its roof ridge probably indicating the height of the original roof of the great hall. When the other was added, the hall roof was probably rebuilt higher to match the left gable’s

Top Left: The Brabant Swan Badge, the inspiration for the pub sign.

- M. Craven Bottom Left: Postcard view of the Swan Inn, probably in the 1880. Note the decrepit gas lamp! M. Craven Top Right: Drawings by John Smythson of Arundel House, London, done c 1613 - RIBA Library Bottom Right: The anonymous message on the reverse of the postcard.

- M. Craven

ridge and the added height no doubt enabled the hall to be floored over to provide more accommodation on the first floor. Lastly, the wall of the original range was pushed out flush with the gable ends, perhaps later in the 17th century to provide more space inside, the old doorcase being moved out with it.

There can be no doubt, too, that the windows would have been in stone surrounds with casements fitted within mullions. Some bright spark appears to have removed the lot, surrounds and all, and installed the timber casements with their leaded diamond lights. I suspect that this was done to achieve uniformity when the main range’s wall was pushed out, but it could have been done at any time into the 18th century. The photograph suggests that, without the stone lintels, the weight of wall was slightly compressing the openings. Locals say that there was a cruck

frame buried in the building, too.

It is well known in Bolsover that the building was used for the sittings of the manorial moot court from medieval times right up until the 1890s. The scale of the building, its position relative to the market suggests that it was a high status dwelling originally, rather than an inn, and indeed, the suspicion is that it may well have served as the manor house, for although the castle had a castellan in charge on behalf of the King, the manorial estate had administrative functions not suited to being conducted from a castle, which was in any case in decay from the thirteenth century..

Bolsover was held (along with several other Derbyshire manors) from William Peveril by one Robert at Domesday (1086) and his descendants were the Meynells. Nicholas, a younger son of his great grandson, was ‘of

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 25

Bolsover’ in 1227 (when Bolsover acquired its market) and his four sons all styled themselves ‘de Bolsover’ instead of ‘de Meynell’, the eldest, John, passing the sub-tenancy on to his son Thomas, after which we hear no more of them. It may well be that The Swan began in the early 13th century as a cruck-framed great hall, from which Nicholas de Meynell administered the estate and in which he lived.

It had become a pub by 1701 when the death of a landlord was recorded, and the choice of sign: a swan wings expanded argent ducally collared and chained or is significant. The Swan was adopted in pre-heraldic times by the Dukes of Brabant and descended into a handful of English families through the marriage of Edward I, as was established by the late Sir Anthony Wagner. It thus descended as a badge (not as an armorial device) to Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond by descent, and Richmond, Henry VII’s father at one time held the Castle and estate, before Henry VIII granted it to the Howard Dukes of Norfolk. It may be, therefore, that the building became an hotel in the later fifteenth century, hence the adoption of the sign.

The photograph shows that the landlady was Caroline Harker (18491918) and was taken after 1881 when Miss Harker, who never married, was running a pub in Alfreton and before 1895. Another photograph, used

by Bernard Haigh in his 1994 book

Around Bolsover would seem, from the policemen’s uniforms to have been taken a little later. The left gable has been re-roofed with pantiles. Both pictures show that iron tie rods had been put into the right gable to stop the wall from bowing out and both show the sign, which has survived until the present and looks as if it is really quite ancient.

The best bit about my card is the inscription on the reverse, written after the building was demolished in 1927 (but probably still on sale at the post office nearby). The author is not named but it reads:

‘This old, rat-ridden hostelry was in existence before the castle was rebuilt,

circa 1614, for the architect used to dine & stable his horse here. Picturesque, but insanitary & impossible to keep clean. The walls were thick, but rubble-filled & the windows warped all out of shape by age & weather. Pulled down after 1918 & a new one of same name built on site. I never heard if anything of interest were found during operations.’

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A SURPRISE DISCOVERY WHEN BUYING A TDP PICNIC TABLE

By Brian Spencer

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ast autumn we were in need of a new picnic table to stand on our patio. Looking around the possibilities, Wirksworth based TDP’s advert in our copy of Country Images seemed to fit the bill. What we wanted was an eight seater table capable of standing permanently outside in all weathers, and more to the point being made of some long lasting, environmentally friendly material. We didn’t want anything that required wholesale logging of South American rain forests, or yearly applications of timber preservatives, again an environmental ‘no’.

It was during a lunch break at one of our walks that we realised we were sitting not at a timber table, but at one made from a very realistic heavy duty plastic.

Remembering TDP’s advert, we started to investigate and soon discovered that what we had been looking at was an eight seater picnic table made from 100% recycled HDP (heavy duty

plastic – the same plastic as used for milk container tops).

This seemed to answer all our needs and a quick trip to TDP’s showroom on Derby Road in Wirksworth gave us the chance to order one of their eight-seater Bradbourne picnic tables.

Bradbourne picnic table from TDP at Wirksworth. Rapidly following what had been a passing comment, I was invited

by Rob Barlow, the driving force behind TDP Ltd, to visit their works and perhaps write a short feature for Country Images.

During an editorial visit to Country Images, I happened to mention that we had just bought a

TDP Ltd stands opposite Haarlem Mill (George Eliot’s Mill on the Floss), on Derby Road at the

30 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

Top: Rob Barlow programmes the cut and shape machine Below: Assembling the pieces. southern end of Wirksworth.

Beyond the attractive show rooms, the work of cutting and assembling moulded timberpatterned lengths of recycled heavy duty plastic goes on at a steady pace. Basically four shades are available, brown, black, grey and a selection of bright colours; the latter frequently used in a mixture of stripes. All are made from recycled 100% British heavy duty plastic blended with appropriate colours and moulded by extrusion in Manchester, then shipped-in as ‘planks’ to Wirksworth.

Founded in 1991,TDP originally specialised and are still very much involved in quick-lay car parks and drives, using a system where gravel or macadam is laid on top of a waterproof membrane, either direct or by in-filling a kind of over-large series of weed resistant parking blocks, or ‘egg boxes’. Being at the top end of the market, TDP found it was being undercut price-wise by firms using cheaper poor quality, shorter-lasting membranes. If the firm was going to hold its head above water so to speak, something had to be done. That ‘something’ came about when,

on a visit to Germany. This was when Rob Barlow spotted a gap in the market.

That gap in the market was the production of heavy duty, long lasting outdoor furniture both for street-based planters, or seating in public places or private gardens. Those items were being made by a German firm who were willing to pass on some of their knowledge to Rob and his son Luke. Convinced that heavy duty, almost indestructible recycled plastic was the way forward, Rob came back from Germany full of ideas. As a test,

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 31

Left: TDP have designed various Garden Sets to compliment their range of tables.

Below: Children’s recycled plastic bench, made from brightly coloured planks.

Bottom: A town centre planter in Matlock

the tables used in the German company’s works rest area have braved the elements for more than 35 years, completely maintenance free, except for the occasional wipe down with a damp cloth.

Basically each table, or bench, starts as a number of planks which are cut and shaped, together with the appropriate assembly holes on an Italian-made computer controlled machine which does all the work, including changing tool-heads as necessary. Originally designed for timber, the machine working with uncanny precision, shapes and drills as instructed by the operator, albeit a little slower than timber, because of the drag created by plastic. Now operated by Aaron and Dale who were joining cut lengths of the mock timber in order to make bench sides, the cutting and drilling machine and special training in its use cost Rob the staggering sum of £200,000, but when he demonstrated its ability I could see it is worth every penny. Fortunately this was prior to the Coronavirus causing so much havoc world-wide, especially in northern Italy where the machine was made.

TDP’s main customers are from local government, especially along the south coast in places like Bournemouth and Brighton, where row upon row of memorial TDP benches line the promenades, (TDP can set the wonder machine to carve commemorative names, or provide ready fixed metal memorial plates).

Knockerdown Inn on the Ashbourne road above Carsington Reservoir had a large number of wooden picnic tables

32 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

in its garden. As they were constantly rotting, and due to the time consuming repair and maintenance needed each year, they looked to TDP for a solution.

The answer was to replace the timber tables with two designs, TDP’s oblong Springbank and the circular Dovedale picnic tables. The robust, heavy duty materials used in these picnic tables only requires the occasional wipe down to remove spillages and the tables can be left out in all year-round weather.

that once saw service on things like the tops of plastic milk containers. As an example it would take 26,947 plastic bottle tops to make just one of TDP’s Derwent style chairs, so hopefully there are other sources of recyclable material!

To obtain a copy of TDP’s price list and details of the range of designs on offer, contact: TDP on 01629 820011, or email; info@tdp.co.uk www.tdp.co.uk

Other products available range from scaled-down children’s versions of adult tables and benches, to freestanding chairs and occasional tables, and bird boxes (made, I suspect from dual re-cycled off-cuts); and town centre planters – those standing around Matlock’s Crown Square successfully withstood last November floods by refusing to float away, simply waiting for prime minister Boris to come along with his mop and bucket!

As keen recyclers we were delighted to do our little bit by buying a product that was enjoying a second life. What were once the tops of hundreds of four pint milk containers are, along with a few thousands of their brothers and sisters, now our all-weather picnic-table. All we need is a bit of sunshine.

Along with garden furniture and town centre planters, TDP make brightly colourful children’s play furniture; all are made from recycled heavy duty plastic

Above: Riber Bench Below: Dale Bench Both made from recycled plastic

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 33

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Gardening in August

T

his time last year I had just come back from The Belvoir Flower & Garden Festival where the message was about ‘Well-Being’ and the benefits of gardening to the mind and body which has never been more true than this year.

Many people getting in touch with me in the recent weeks and months have said the thing that’s keeping their bodies and mind active is gardening.

Garden Centers that I visit are reporting that the gardening season hasn`t really stopped – traditionally trade stops at the end of June and starts again mid-August because people start to think of holidays but this year is very different with gardeners developing and creating their own oasis. While we are on the topic of ‘Well Being’ by

encouraging wildlife into your patch not only is it beneficial to your mind, it is also beneficial for the environment.

I was asked at the show “is it only Buddleia I plant for butterflies ?” If you just plant Buddleia (butterfly bush) the butterflies have only got food for the flowering period of that plant. There are so many great plants that flower from the end of February to the end of November – which are a valuable food source. Verbena, Buddleia, Sedums, Penstemens, Leucanthemum, Herbaceous Lobelia, Aganpanthus, Stoksia, Japanese Anemone , Crocosmia, Potentilla, Roses , Summer flowering heathers, Lavender, Thyme , Rosemary etc etc. All of these will also encourage bees into the garden and attract hoverflies and lacewings, which eat aphid larvae.

36 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

Allotment or Vegetable Patch: • Once onion tops start to die down they can be lifted.

• If ripe pick your plums now; be careful how you handle them as they can bruise.

• Use netting on autumn fruiting raspberries or blackberries to protect them from birds.

• Pick early fruiting varieties of apples now.

• Feed fruit trees and bushes with liquid sulphate of potash, such as a tomato feed. This will work quickly especially if the leaves are looking very yellow.

• Buy onion sets now for autumn planting.

• Water celery and other crops regularly in hot, dry weather.

• Vegetables to sow now include swedes, spring cabbages, and beetroot for leaves, winter lettuce, radishes, coriander, and Japanese onions.

• Sow green manure in any bare spaces in your plot.

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In the Greenhouse: • Pick off any lower leaves of tomatoes so air and light can reach the fruit and water regularly to help prevent fruit splitting or blossom end rot.

• If it has started to get warmer, look out for signs of red spider mite and treat with a systemic insecticide right away.

• Thin out weaker looking bunches of indoor grapes.

• Keep a look out for vine weevil beetles – usually crawling across paths or around the bottom of pots.

• If going on holiday this month, set up a watering area using a growbag tray and some capillary matting.

• Water down the greenhouse floor each morning on hot days to increase humidity.

• Open all vents and prop doors open on warm days to improve ventilation, this will help reduce fungal problems.

• Shade delicate plants on hot, sunny days to prevent scorch.

General Garden Maintenance: • Carry on feeding lawns with a suitable fertiliser and moss killer.

• Keep mowing the lawn regularly, and with the heavy rain fall of last month remember to keep spiking and sanding the lawn.

• Remember to water newly planted trees and shrubs well if there is a lack of rain.

• Feed any established trees and shrubs with a suitable granular fertiliser.

• Check roses for signs of black spot, take off leaves and treat with fungicide. Remember don’t compost any diseased leaves, always put them in the garden waste bin.

• Apply bark mulches around newly planted or established trees and shrubs to help suppress weeds.

• Top up bird baths regularly with fresh water.

• If available in your local garden centre or plant nursery, plant any spring flowering bulbs now.

• After all the rain some summer bedding will look very tired – dig these up and put them in your compost heap.

38 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

3 Plants to liven up your garden 1. Ceanothus`Autumnal Blue` or Californian Lilac: Superb, showy evergreen shrub which can grown happily against a sunny wall, probably the hardiest of all the Ceanothus with masses of powdery blue flowers in August to September. This is a much later flowering variety which can be paired with earlier varieties. Be aware that it can get to between 9 and 10ft (3m) tall so it is not suitable for a container – Ceanothus loves a sunny position in well-drained soil.

2. Ceratostigma willmottianum ‘Forest Blue’.

Another evergreen, blue flowering shrub with electric blue flowers on very compact growth – can be grown in a container in sun or part shade. This is one of my favourite plants because not only is it fantastic in flower, but also this plant has one of the best Autumn leaf colours. `Forest Blue` is by far the best flower colour but willmottianum will be easier to find.

Grows to about 3 to 4ft.

3. Buddleia davidii ‘Adonis Blue’.

Ok ok... yes another blue flowering plant, of course you can choose any colour but it`s important to try to encourage wildlife into the garden and with Buddleia not only does this attract butterflies but also bees, hoverflies, ladybirds and lacewings. Buddleia `Adonis Blue` has a great true blue colour, elegant grey foliage and very compact growth. Best grown in full sun but also grows well in semishade in any type of soil. If you have a smaller garden look out for “Chip Varieties” of Buddleia which are smaller and compact growing.

If you need help /advice please contact me via email:garden. guru@hotmail.com or tel: 07817651216 or search on Facebook Mark Smith – Garden Guru

Mark Smith www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 39

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“During an episode of Last Laugh in Las Vegas a flamboyant producer introduced the stars to their musical director for the show.

I almost fell off the sofa when I saw it was Andy Street from Newhall in south Derbyshire!”

itting down for an evening of undemanding television, my wife and I tuned in to a reality series that caught our eye: Last Laugh In Las Vegas. Nine showbiz legends from the 1960s, ‘70s and ’80s were given a final shot at putting on their dream show in the variety capital of the world. During the episode we looked at, a flamboyant producer introduced the stars to their musical director for the show. I almost fell off the sofa when I saw it was Andy Street from Newhall in south Derbyshire!

I met Andy many years ago in a recording studio when he was arranging a local musician’s songs and playing keyboards on them. Little did I know that later he would win an Emmy and work on the world’s biggest television show American Idol – when it was watched by 30 million people.

I spent a couple of hours talking to Andy, who lives in Los Angeles, about his career which has led to his working with some of the greatest names in showbusiness. Despite that there’s nothing pretentious about Andy: he comes over as unassuming, modest and endearing.

You can still hear south Derbyshire

in his accent – there’s no hint of a Hollywood twang!

He could be forgiven for talking up his successes: during his twenties he was the musical director for many British television shows while programmes featuring Andy’s music are shown in more than 100 countries.

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 43

He realised 26 years ago when his composing talents were beginning to get noticed in the United States that he needed to base himself on the other side of the Atlantic. It was a wise decision. But life in LA hasn’t been without tragedy: 13 years ago he lost his young son in a skateboarding accident.

Andy who’s 62 developed a passion for music at an early age: “My mum and dad used to take me to Belfields toy shop in Swadlincote. I used to plonk on a piano and asked if I could have lessons.”

Andy and his family lived on Pear Tree Avenue, Newhall while his aunt had a house and a piano in nearby Wood Lane. “I used to walk round there every night and practise the piano. I had nothing else to do but practise. There was nothing to divert my attention. I guess I got my fundamentals when I was pretty young.”

Andy played in pubs and working men’s clubs from the age of 11. Then he joined a big band run by Jim Baxter which practised at Gresley Old Hall. Andy admits he learned a lot from playing with older musicians, some of them professional, in all sorts of groups. He remembers with affection playing at the Saxon Arms in Derby, with some of the shows being broadcast by BBC Radio Derby and compered by Arthur Coyne.

Choosing Emmanuel College, Cambridge over the Royal Academy was a good move for Andy. “It was very academic, very formal, but I had a fantastic time.

I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.”

On his return to Newhall he got a job at Bretby Crematorium playing the organ for funeral services. Then the phone rang: Martin Hair from a music shop in Swadlincote told him

“The choreographer was Nigel Lythgoe.

We became friends. I can remember sitting in a dance studio playing the piano over and over again.

Nigel turned to me and said ‘we deserve better than this’. a club in Derby needed a keyboard player who could read music. It was Berties, formerly the Talk of the Midlands.

The bandleader liked Andy and gave him a permanent job.

“Christmas came and we were really busy, working seven nights a week.

Unfortunately it was the beginning of the end of that era of chicken in a

Mixing with the stars Top: Andy with Gladys Knight Middle: Andy with American country star Reba McEntire and Skylar Laine.

The two singers did a duet accompanied

by Andy on American Idol Bottom: Andy with Thelma Houston, Sheila E and Gloria Gaynor during a tribute to the late Donna Summer 44 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

basket and the clubs. After Christmas things started to slow off and they cut down from seven nights to three.”

Andy’s talents didn’t go unrecognised for long. Warner Holidays offered him a six-month residency in Ibiza, then he spent 18 months as bandleader at a cabaret club in Newmarket. But it was obvious that clubs were dying out.

“I got my head together and thought the only thing to do is to go to London. I called an agency called Geraldo. Geraldo was a famous band leader. When he died his wife ran an agency that supplied all the big hotels with piano players.

“I called Mrs Geraldo and said ‘I’m really good, can I play for you? I need some work.’ She said ‘why don’t you come round in an hour and show me what you can do?’ I played for her and she said ‘you’re on at four o’clock this afternoon’.”

He remembers with affection playing at the Saxon Arms in Derby, with some of the shows being broadcast by BBC Radio Derby and compered by Arthur Coyne.

The venue was a swish hotel on Sloane Street known then as Carlton Towers. “I used to start at five o’clock and play until one o’clock in the morning. I think I earned about 30 quid!”

After a gig at Carlton Towers Andy often became a session musician at the studios of pop moguls Stock, Aitken and Waterman, regularly playing reggae music for bands who took advantage of the cheaper overnight studio rates. At a party one night Andy met Mike Smith – not the DJ but the husband of Sally James, star of the ITV series Tiswas. Smith introduced Andy to comedian Bobby Davro who had just signed a deal with the television company TVS for six series.

“Mike managed to get me involved and I was musical associate on the TV show. It was great training for me,” says Andy who later became the show’s musical director.

was due to be musical director for the premiere of the musical adaptation of To Sir, With Love, the 1967 film that deals with social and racial issues in an inner-city school.

“The choreographer was Nigel Lythgoe. We became friends. I can remember sitting in a dance studio playing the piano over and over again. Nigel turned to me and said ‘we deserve better than this’. He’s gone on to become one of the richest men in showbiz and one of the most powerful guys in America.”

He did appear on The Late Late Show With James Corden, playing the accordion, during lockdown although Andy has been concentrating on writing.

Andy worked on television shows with Bob Monkhouse, Brian Conley and Hale and Pace, but he was getting tired of doing other people’s music. At heart he was a composer. And when he was given the chance to write a song for an American children’s television series called Madeline, he jumped at the chance.

“They wanted me to write for 20 episodes. I did the first show from London and then I decided to come to LA. It became a very big show – it still is. I did 60-odd episodes and three movies. The show won an Emmy in 2003.”

Andy and his wife Anne had just had their first child, Jordan who is now 22 and studying to be a doctor. They moved to LA where they have been ever since.

Andy wrote music for other children’s shows including Sesame Street, Strawberry Shortcake and Angelina Ballerina but he went through a lean time 13 years ago. His son James came off his skateboard going down a hill near his home, banged his head on the road and died. He was only 13.

Naturally enough Andy didn’t feel like chasing work. Then Nigel Lythgoe called him and offered him a job on American Idol.

“I was the mentor on the show and did the musical arrangements. It was hard work. You had to turn up at four o’clock in the morning to play – it was a crazy, crazy show. But I had a lot of fun.”

The coronavirus outbreak has brought more challenges for Andy who had half a dozen shows cancelled. He

He has teamed up with Jonathan Kydd, son of late British actor Sam Kydd, to produce a musical about variety performer Dan Leno. It will shortly be produced as an online version.

Andy is also working with Roger Avery, who won an Oscar for writing the screenplay for the film Pulp Fiction, on a musical about the London Beer Flood.

“It’s based on a true story. In 1814 two rival breweries, Whitbread and Meux, were always trying to outdo each other. In those days they stored beer in huge barrels on the roof of their building. It was a particularly hot summer which played havoc with the wooden barrels and they burst.

“Hundreds of thousands of gallons of beer slopped onto the streets and eight people were killed.

“We’ve been talking about it for years but we’re finally writing the musical.

It’s like Titanic meets Les Misérables.

We’ve written four or five songs but it takes so much time.”

As if that were not enough to go on with, Andy is working with a choreographer on a ballet.

“I’ve never written a ballet, so this is a first for me. I can’t tell you a lot about it yet. I’ve come across a subject I want to do and the idea intrigues me.”

Andy’s work ethic and unparalleled talent mean further success is almost certain to come his way whatever he turns his hand to. Not bad for the lad from south Derbyshire who never toyed with the idea of learning to play the piano. * Some episodes of Last Laugh in Vegas are available to watch on the ITV Hub.

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 45

Gallery Norma Gent

Joining one of Norma Gents new series of Watercolour classes can help you to develop or maybe just improve a new skill. Art is a proven way to relax, focus on something enjoyable to bring happiness and boost your mood. Whether you are already experienced and wish to improve or are starting from scratch, Norma has over 30 years of experience and plenty of patience to help you on your way.

To book, contact Norma on T: 01773 836907.

Richard Holland Painting the Derbyshire Dales, Winter and Spring This has been my biggest painting project to date; I started it last August 2018 and finished this August 2019 venturing out almost every week to do a small oil sketch on location throughout the Derbyshire dales and slightly beyond capturing elements from each of the seasons. These would then be used as my source material for larger studio works.

Visit my web site: www.richardhollandlandscapeartist.co.uk Contact me at: ricardo2244@yahoo.co.uk Phone me on: 01629 583359

46 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

A Walk Around WESSINGTON with Rambler DISTANCE: 4½ miles (7.25km) of field and brook-side walking with gentle climbs throughout. Muddy sections around Lindwaysprings Brook and in fields on either side of Wheatcroft village.

RECOMMENDED MAP: Ordnance Survey Explorer 1:25,000 scale – sheet 269: Chesterfield & Alfreton.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: TM Travel Route 150; an hourly service from Alfreton which stops outside the Horse and Jockey in Wessington.

CAR PARKING: On the side streets behind the pub, or in its car park, but only if you are planning to return for lunch.

valley bottoms and ploughed fields as one would expect. The walk should be perfect in warm, sunny weather, but a note of caution nevertheless; frozen winter mud can be a bit ankle turning as they say.

Wessington sits roughly in the middle of a little known corner of Derbyshire, the largest village in a group of farming hamlets to the west of a ridge used by the Romans to carry their Rykneild Street from Derby on its way north to Chesterfield. All the farms which look as though they have been around since the seventeenth

century sit amidst some of the most fertile land in the area. Winter wheat was just making itself obvious in fields where if the weather had been warmer, the farmer could easily have grown rice. Several farms have been amalgamated and the surplus houses and cottages converted into pleasant looking properties, especially around the straggling hamlet of Wheatcroft. On this visit, there were plenty of sheep and beef cattle still braving the elements. One time I walked in the area, it was with my blind friend Keith and his trusty guide dog, a lovely black Labrador called Dylan. Although guide dogs are trained to ignore stock, it was only courteous to keep him on the lead, like all dogs should be when crossing meadows. Born and bred and trained in Sheffield, he ignored sheep, possibly thinking them to be large white cats, but he hated cows. He made no attempt to chase them, but grumbled and muttered to himself all the way until they were well out of sight.

This walk was originally intended as a late winter walk, but that was before the dreaded coronavirus struck. As a result walking has been rather difficult of late and so I have decided to include it as a form of celebration now that there is a general easing of restrictions. Hopefully the weather will continue to improve, making this walk a kind of celebration.

Always on the lookout for new walking areas, especially if they have easy access, and maybe on a bus route, on occasions I turn my attention to the maze of little used footpaths in and around the Amber Valley. This is just one of them and despite the late winter mud, especially where the fields had been ploughed and winter wheat was growing, it proved to be an all-weather, year round walk. Muddy or not, I found it a most enjoyable amble through countryside that was new to me. Tiny remote hamlets and villages, ancient field systems, all reached by an easy to follow network of footpaths linked by stone stiles erected at least two hundred years ago, lead on to ever more enticing routes..

The walk starts and finishes at the hospitable recently restored Horse and Jockey pub in Wessington, before moving out in the general direction of Crich. Here the beacon of the Stand memorial tower makes a good direction indicator. Fortunately the mud I anticipated was not too bad, mostly as one would expect around gates, but there is plenty of the black stuff around www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 47

A Walk Around WESSINGTON with Rambler

1 DISTANCE: 4½ miles (7.25km) of field and brook-side walking with gentle climbs throughout. Muddy sections around Lindwaysprings Brook and in fields on either side of Wheatcroft village.

RECOMMENDED MAP: Ordnance Survey Explorer 1:25,000 scale – sheet 269: Chesterfield & Alfreton.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: TM Travel Route 150; an hourly service from Alfreton which stops outside the Horse and Jockey in Wessington.

CAR PARKING: On the side streets behind the pub, or in its car park, but only if you are planning to return for lunch.

With your back to the Horse and Jockey, cross the main road, heading towards the village school.

Follow the lane at its far side. Go past new houses and as far as the drive to a largish house sheltering behind a high hedge on your right.

Wessington is unique amongst north Derbyshire, or even many North of England villages in that it has a common, known here as Wessington Green. A concrete roadside pillar surrounded by wooden seats opposite the village school contains a cache recording village life in the twentieth century.

2

Opposite the entrance drive to the house, climb over a rather awkward stile on your left and bear right, downhill across a field where two large friendly horses frequently live.

I didn’t notice the horses when I climbed over the stile, but soon became aware of them when their hot breath blew down my neck.

48 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

They obviously were on the lookout for the odd carrot or toffee, but as none were on offer, they totally ignored us on our return later that morning.

3

Go past a small wood and cross the access drive to Hay Farm.

Where the track you are following turns sharp right, ignore it and go forwards on a field path, crossing an awkward stile and then into the first muddy section of the walk. Turn right at a path junction and walk down the field towards the stream in the valley bottom, keeping just a few feet to the left of a boundary hedge.

4

Cross the brook by a plank bridge and bear right and then go left on to a track to the side of a ploughed field.

5

Leave the access track leading to Spring Farm, but do not go as far as the farm buildings.

6

Turn right by a gate and cross the field in front of the farm, bearing

left and then downhill to a side stream.

the field at a junction of boundary walls.

7

13

Follow the muddy track up and over into Lindwaysprings Brook valley and then through woodland away from the brook and on to a fairly wide track.

8

Continue past a converted farm, just one of the excellent properties in the area, and go forwards until a minor side road is reached.

The track will unfortunately be muddy at all times, but perversely the firmest ground will usually be in the water filled tracks made by tractors.

18

10

15

Where the road bears left and right, turn sharp left and go downhill along a wide grassy track beside a high stone wall.

11

Cross the field immediately to the right of the house by going diagonally right downhill.

16

Climb through a stile when the track reaches a field that was growing winter wheat when I passed by last winter, and go downhill on a field path until it

12

Cross a small side stream and bear right to climb fairly steeply uphill to the top corner of

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Turn sharp left and follow the path as far as the access drive to Spring Farm.

Turn left along the drive, rejoining the outward part of the walk, but in the opposite direction.

Take notice of the restored farm implements and an old pillar box in the yard of Beech Farm, obviously collector’s items of merit.

Skirt round another converted property and on the far side of a large stone barn, the last building; leave the road by climbing left over a stone stile beside the corner of the barn.

Derbyshire Artist

17

14

9

Norma Gent

Go forwards and join a walled track visibly used by cows on their way to milking.

Go through the yard of Beech Farm and out along its drive, then bear left, downhill through the scattered hamlet of Wheatcroft.

Turn left along the quiet lane and go down to the brook and cross it once more.

reaches a footpath junction beside a boundary hedge.

19

Where the drive bears sharply to the left, go to the right and then forwards on to the track beside a field that was ploughed at the time of my visit, following it towards a tree-shrouded brook.

20

Cross the stream and climb uphill bearing left and then right in order to reach the unsurfaced lane back into Wessington. The Horse and Jockey is more or less opposite.

The Horse and Jockey serves food daily, especially at weekends when it may be advisable to book a table in advance. There is an excellently varied menu and a good range of draught beers.

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Looking ahead…

With so much uncertainty on when and how local theatres can open many are now putting together their 2021 programmes with earnest in expectation of being able to proceed with them. Please check web sites for regular updates.

Royal Centre Nottingham & Concert Hall 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk

What’s on diary@imagespublishing.co.uk

YES May 23rd 2021 Alan White says “I can’t wait to be on stage again in front of real audiences playing ‘YES’ music “Please take care and stay safe, we want to see our many fans and friends again in 2021!” P£47.50 - £87.50 plus Meet and Greet package available.

PAUL SMITH Saturday 3 July 2021 8pm £24.50

LOST IN MUSIC Saturday 18 September 2021 7.30pmTickets £24.50 - £30.50 Derby Live. Box Office 01332 255800 www.derbylive.co.uk BRINGING THE HANNELLS DARLEY PARK CONCERT TO YOUR HOME Just as the final plans were being made to announce The Hannells Darley Park Concert, the country went into lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Owing to the continued need for social distancing and to ensure the safety of the public, no date has yet been given for when large-scale public events can be held again. This means it is not possible for this year’s concert on Sunday 30 August to go ahead as planned.

So instead, Derby LIVE is teaming up with Sinfonia Viva, the orchestra of the East Midlands, and BBC Radio Derby to bring The Hannells Darley Park Concert to audiences at home. On the same date as the original event, viewers and listeners

50 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

will be able to rediscover highlights from last year’s show on along with new performances, commentary and interviews, on BBC Radio Derby and online.

Derby LIVE are delighted that the sponsors who were originally involved in this year’s outdoor concert are also supporting this innovative celebration of music. They are Hannells Estate Agents, Flint Bishop Solicitors, HUUB, Mortgage Advice Bureau, Stratstone BMW and MINI Derby and WDS

Derby Theatre Box Office 01332 59 39 39 www.derbytheatre.co.uk Fancy a little nostalgia? The try DT @ Stay connected with arts, culture and Derby Theatre from home and explore a range of content to engage with online www.derbytheatre.co.uk/dt-at-home and explore Memory Box - Looking Back at Derby Theatre Productions Digital Summer School 2020 at Derby Theatre Monday 17 August 2020 - Friday 21 August 2020. Derby Theatre presents our first ever Digital Summer School! Available for ages 11-16.

A fantastic chance to have some fun, develop new skills and keep creative over the Summer.

Over the week, participants will create a couple of short Digital Performances based on the games, skills exercises and drama activities they take part in across the week.

All sessions will be run over Zoom, accompanied by a ‘Daily Challenge’ to help you develop your skills as a performer.

Sessions will run from 10am - 1pm during Monday 17 - Friday 21 August.

All sessions are available as BSL interpreted, please contact Sam George on the email below when booking if you require an interpreter. There will be a limited number of 50% and 100% bursaries available. Please contact our Young Artists & Participation Producer, Sam George, directly on s.george@derby.ac.uk to enquire about these, or with any questions or access requirements you might have.

Nottingham Playhouse 0115 941 9419 www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

Live Zoom family show Noah and the Peacock by Jeff James returns Wednesday 12 - Sunday 23 August Performed Live Over Zoom

SUMMER GARDEN PARTY Saturday 29 August 2020, 12pm – 2pm and 2.30pm – 4.30pm Tickets: £10 You are cordially invited to the Nottingham Playhouse Summer Garden Party. The Djanogly Terrace will be transformed into a blossoming summer garden, with live music performed throughout the afternoon. Whether you want to relax with coffee and a cake, join in with a workshop or unleash your creative side at the drop-in arts and crafts area, there’s plenty to enjoy. The perfect way to round off the summer, join us this August Bank Holiday weekend and reconnect with your favourite theatre.

Places must be booked in advance.

Capacity is extremely limited and we expect demand to be high, so do book early to avoid disappointment.

We’re hoping for glorious sunshine but don’t worry, we’ve got a wet weather plan just in case too.

KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE We can’t wait to welcome you back and, as always, our priority is ensuring that you have a safe and enjoyable visit.

Buxton Opera House & PavilionArts Centre. 01298 72190 www. buxtonoperahouse.org No events to publish currently.

Carsington Water Bird Walks for beginners The monthly walks are starting again from 6th September. The wildlife has flourished in our absence so come and see those summer visitors before they leave for warmer shores. The winter birds will begin arriving here soon with Teal and Wigeon usually among the first.

Why not join us one one of our FREE Beginners walks held on the first Sunday of every month? Numbers will be limited to maintain social distancing so booking is essential, and don’t forget to bring your own binoculars.

Contact Carsington 0330 678 0701. Future dates are, Sep 6th, Oct 4th, Nov 1st, Dec 6th.

Live Zoom Family Show: Noah And The Peacock

by Jeff James RETURNS to The Nottingham Playhouse Wednesday 12 - Sunday 23 August 2020 Performed Live Over Zoom

Luxury coach travel with guaranteed seats & local boarding points

BRITISH COACHING PORTSMOUTH & SOUTHSEA . . . . . . . . . . 31 Aug-04 Sept (HB) £365 WINDSOR WEEKEND WITH HUGHENDEN MANOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .04-06 Sept (HB) £272 SIDMOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .06-10 Sept (HB) £401 LLANDUDNO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-14 Sept (HB) £395 ISLE OF BUTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14-18 Sept (HB) £397 PAIGNTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16-20 Sept (HB) £373 WARNERS LITTLECOTE HOUSE. . . . . . . . . . . .21-25 Sept (HB) £451 SHROPSHIRE & THE WELSH BORDERS . 28 Sept-02 Oct (HB) £419 BARNSTAPLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .04-08 OCT (HB) £389

W

EASTBOURNE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .04-08 OCT (HB) £361

ritten and created especially for Zoom during Nottingham Playhouse’s temporary closure due to the pandemic, Noah and the Peacock is a brand-new form of live, athome theatre. Having received rave reviews the first time round the production is back for two weeks from Wednesday 12 to Sunday 23 August for a Wednesday to Sunday run over seventeen performances.

HARROGATE & YORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09-12 OCT £294

Aimed at primary aged children and their families, Noah and the Peacock is a funny and charming tale of hope, friendship and overcoming the odds. The story tells of Peacock and Peahen. Peacock is extremely pompous and all he can talk about is his beautiful feathers.

Peahen, on the other hand, is much more modest and longs to make friends with the other animals. When the pair hear news that a huge flood is on the way, Peacock refuses to leave the roost and risk ruining his perfect plumage in the rain. So, with no other choice, Peahen sets off on a journey through the dark forest and along the great blue river. As all the animals must go two-by-two, will Peahen make it onto the ark alone? Can stubborn Peacock change his mind before it’s too late?

INVERNES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ALL INCLUSIVE 31OCT-04 NOV £409

Kyle Soller who won the 2018 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez (Young Vic and West End) takes the role of Peacock. He will be joined by Danusia Samal (Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court, Manchester Royal Exchange) as Peahen, Bradley Foster (National Theatre, Headlong, New Wolsey Theatre) as Ham, Stork, Duck 1 and Rabbit 2 and Patricia Davenport (The Royal Shakespeare Company, Kneehigh ,Birmingham Rep) in other roles. Jeff James also directs.

The cast of 4 actors will be performing the play live from their homes whilst watching families are invited to star in the show by dressing up as Noah’s animals and creating sound effects with items found at home.

With tickets at £10 giving access to the Zoom link for each household and a show activity pack, this is a show for all the family. There will be a Pay What You Can performance on Sunday 16 August at 10.30am, a BSL interpreted performance on Saturday 15 August at 2.00pm and captioned performances on Sunday 16 August at 10.30am and 2.00pm.

The show is recommended for children aged 5 - 9 and their grown-ups.

Tickets are available online at nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk.

LOOE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-16 OCT (HB) £337 MYSTERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17-18 OCT (HB) £118 BOURNMOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-23 OCT (HB) £ 289 EXMOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-30 OCT (HB) £377 KENT LEEDS CASTLE FIREWORKS . . . . . . . . 06-09 NOV (HB) £296 LONGLEAT HOUSE AT XMAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-22 NOV (HB) £311 EASTBOURNE TURKEY& TINSEL . . . . . . . . . . 23-27 NOV (HB) £285 LLANDUDNO HOLLY & MISTLETOE . . . . 29 NOV-03 DEC (HB) £394 EDINBURGH XMAS MARKETS . . . . . . . . . . . 12-15 DEC (B&B) £266 CHRISTMAS AT LETCHWORTH HALL . . . . . . .23-27 DEC (HB) £514 CHRISTMAS AT BLACKWELL GRANGE. . . . . .23-27 DEC (HB) £548

DAY EXCURSIONS EARLY BOOKINGS ADVISABLE

LLANDUDNO SCARBOROUGH CLEETHORPES WHITBY WINSOR

Admission included*

Adult / OAP / Child

SUN 08 AUG SAT 15 AUG SUN 23 AUG SUN 20 SEPT SAT 10 OCT

£27 £26 £23 £28 £29

CORONAVIRUS STATEMENT hope that you are To all our customers new and old we ide you all with a prov to keen are We all well and safe. to take your call. y much needed holiday and are read disinfected prior All our vehicles will be thoroughly n systems have catio purifi air new and to every trip lled. been insta

The latest news regarding Nottingham Playhouse and its reaction to Covid-19 can be found at: nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/.

Donations to the Curtain Up Appeal can be made via nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/support/curtain-up-appeal/. This production of Noah and the Peacock is sponsored by Nottingham Trent University.

Telephone 01629 582826K.V & G.L SLACK LTD, THE TRAVEL CENTRE, UPPER LUMSDALE, MATLOCK, DE4 5LB

Website: www.slackscoaches.co.uk Email: enquiries@slackscoaches.co.uk www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 51

The End of an Era for the Palace Theatre.

T

he Mansfield Palace Theatres Cultural Services Manager Andrew Tucker is is retiring in July after 26 years of service and whilst the prospect of every day lie-ins, reading the newspaper, and generally sourcing decent red wine is just around the corner for him, retiring during a global pandemic can’t be easy.

Andrew recalls how the Covid-19 crisis has totally turned his life around, saying, “Here I was at the end of March with a wonderful financial year coming to a close and a potentially very successful theatre programme about to be launched to take me through to July and the long-awaited prospect of retirement! The next thing I know is the Theatre is shut down immediately and when I was set up to work from home, I faced the dismal task of having to contact all of the theatre companies, agents, etc., to try and rearrange dates for shows affected”. He adds, “Personally, it has also been a total change for my wife and me as we are both working from home, something that has never happened before. However, just as much as it is nice to spend some additional time with my other half, I am particularly sad not to be spending the last working days of my career with colleagues”. ack on Andrew’s career, after leaving the Army and embarking in studies to become a doctor, he later decided that he was more of a ‘lovie’ and studied Drama. 1994 proved to be quite a momentous year in Andrew’s family life - not only did he and his wife Carla welcome baby Claire into the world, but they also upped sticks and emigrated from a very hot and humid sub-tropical Durban in South Africa to a cold, grey and foggy England. He immediately set about looking for work in the theatre industry to continue in his chosen field having previously obtained a degree in drama and having worked in South Africa as a Stage Manager, Theatre Manager, Theatre Director, General Manager of a five theatre complex and lastly as Deputy General Director of a Performing Arts Council. His initial thoughts were to try and find employment within the M25, but found that particularly challenging, to say the least! So he started casting his net further afield and when he did that, he found a lot more interest in what he had to offer. And so he ended up in Mansfield at the Palace Theatre and saw the potential that the lovely old venue had to offer. He was invited to interview for the post of General Manager of the Civic Theatre, as the Palace was then known, and immediately saw the potential that the lovely old venue had to offer and was delighted to accept when he was offered

the post.

Fortune smiled down on the Theatre in the form of the National Lottery when Andrew, along with Iain Hook, then Mansfield District Council’s Head of Leisure and Arthur Jepson from Finance, set about submitting a bid to Arts Council England for Lottery Funding. To cut a very long story short, they were successful and Mansfield District Council was awarded £1.63million.

Work commenced in 1997 to transform the Theatre into the lovely facility that it is today.

Andrew was promoted to Cultural Services Manager which gave him responsibility for the Mansfield Museum as well. He recalls how it was a huge pleasure to work with Liz Weston MBE, the now retired Curator and her excellent team of this multi-award-winning Museum over the years. This is a facility that punches way above its weight and is a beacon for other similar museums around the country.

As with the Theatre, the Museum boasts an exceptionally gifted team that is able to work magic with a relatively small budget and is the reason that it is so popular with visitors, both local and from further afield and that they have won so many awards both regionally and nationally.

So whilst Andrew is really looking forward to retiring and enjoying the freedom that it brings, leaving the Palace Theatre is more than tinged with a hint of sadness of having to make that transition from taking reasonably meaningful decisions on a daily basis to wondering what to have for lunch!

Andrew says, “It will be extremely sad having to say goodbye to colleagues, many of whom I have worked with for many, many years, not only in the Theatre and Museum, but across the whole council. It would be divisive to single out individuals from the team for their contribution over the years, so I would like to thank them all most sincerely for their specific contributions that have made my term of office so successful and enjoyable”.

In addition, Andrew has built up extensive networks of other theatre managers, theatre companies, artists and agents around the country.

He adds, “I will miss the discussions, the advice sharing and the friendly banter with this group of theatre professionals and I wish them all great success for the future”. Andrew feels it would be remiss not to single out Martin Dodd from UK

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Productions who stages the annual professional panto that has become such an important and beloved fixture of the Palace’s diary.

But there is an additional level of sadness brought about by the Covid-19 crisis which will of course have a terrible impact on theatres around the world and the Palace is not exempt from that. Andrew worries tremendously about the immediate future of live theatre and hopes that Mansfield District Council, which has been so incredibly supportive of Cultural Services over the years and which recognises the value of these facilities to the community, will be able to continue to support the cultural jewels in their crown.

Hayley Barsby, Chief Executive Officer of Mansfield District Council said, “A big thank you to Andrew for leading the Cultural offer for the District and in creating a destination for many to attend the gem that is the Palace Theatre. During these years this little known theatre has been created into a destination for people to attend, whether to visit Ken Dodd (who would never go home) or to a more refined offer of a Ballet. We now have a venue that artists love to visit and who return season after season, but also a place for people to experience a friendly and engaging venue for young and old to create memories”.

Andrew concludes, “I wish my successor, Sian Booth, all of the very best in facing the immediate challenges that Covid-19 presents. I’m confident that she is a very competent and dynamic person who will move the Mansfield Palace Theatre forward into the next phase of its life and I know that the staff will give her a very hearty welcome and will support her all the way, as they have supported me over these last 26 years”.

And so the Palace enters into the next chapter of its 110 years history. The public will return and continue to love and support this little gem in Mansfield’s history. The artistes and companies will continue to perform with utmost passion.

The staff will come back and prepare the venue to give everyone the best experience they can.

The spotlights will again be focussed centre stage.

The curtain will rise, and the shows will go on.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery now open

W

ith new safety measures now in place, Derby Museum and Art Gallery has opened its doors to the public after nearly four months of closure under the Coronavirus lockdown.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery, which closed its doors to the public on 18th March in accordance with Government’s Coronavirus guidelines, has undergone a thorough safety review to ensure all of the necessary precautions are in place for the public to return. The museum’s re-opening is an important part of Derby’s economic and social recovery as the city emerges from lockdown.

To help with social distancing, visitors can expect to be admitted every 15 minutes via a new main entrance on The Strand and, once inside, will follow a one-way system with directional signage.

Opening hours have been reduced to allow for enhanced cleaning and plenty of hand sanitiser stations will be available for the public to use as well as an accessible toilet. Some areas of the Museum and Art Gallery may have limited access for a time, including the Coffee House, which will initially be offering a reduced takeaway service. Several interactive exhibits may also be closed until further notice and, for the timebeing, Pickford’s House will not re-open.

Tony Butler, Executive Director of Derby Museums commented:“Museums are experts in caring for things and the safety of our visitors and staff is no exception. We have taken very thorough steps to ensure the Museum and Art Gallery complies with the Government’s

recommended safety guidelines, and we hope that these new measures will put our visitors at ease and make their experience as enjoyable as possible as we welcome everyone back.”

The Museum and Art Gallery’s new opening times will be as follows Tuesday-Saturday (10.30am-4.30pm – last admission 4pm. Sunday (12-4pm – last admission 3.30pm).

Entry remains free, and Derby Museums continues to welcome generous donations from the public which can be made through its contactless donation facility.

will be making all sorts of playful, surprising and quirky content available online over the coming months. This will also be shared across Derby Museums’ social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube – all @derbymuseums

For those who are not yet able to visit the museum in person, Derby Museums’ new microsite, Derby Museums from Home,

Stay at Home Shakespeare

Making Shakespeare such enormous fun with Oddsocks productions.

O

ddsocks are one of the UKs best-loved touring theatre companies.They are passionate that every person in society has the right to access and enjoy theatre in an entertaining, informative and inclusive environment.

Oddsocksare are to present an online comedy version of Shakespeare’s King Lear which will be “as it has never been seen before”.Creative producer Elli Mackenzie said, “our daughter Charlie, who’s playing Lear’s youngest daughter Cordelia, has a very rare condition which puts her at severe risk of complications if she contracts COVID-19. So even though open-air performance is now allowed, it’s not an option for us just yet.”

The company, specialises in producing open-air theatre. It is planning to return to performing live in September. In the meantime, Oddsocks

is marking the end of restrictions by airing the last of its series of Stay Home Shakespeare.King Lear will be streamed live from the family’s home in Derbyshire. Each scene, performed in different rooms in real-time, will be edited live by director of photography Kee Ramsorrun, working remotely from his studio in Margate.

“We’re like swans in water during the 45-minute performance,” said Elli who is playing both Lear’s elder daughters Goneril and Regan. “The aim is to make it look smooth but it’s rehearsed mayhem off camera. During scenes when one of us isn’t in shot, we’re busy changing costumes, moving props, setting up rooms and moving cameras into new positions throughout, which is quite a challenge.

“When we performed Macbeth in May, we drew an audience of thousands watching it go out live online, so we’re hoping for as big an audience this time around. It takes a lot of preparation and weeks of rehearsing and we have just one chance to get it right. It’s exciting and keeps us in practice while we can’t tour.”

King Lear will be performed live on Friday 31 July at 7PM at the Oddsocks’ web site where the company’s previous Stay Home Shakespeare productions can be viewed. The door is always open at Oddsocks; so whether you want to watch a performance, or support them by becoming a friend, book a performance or simply find out more about them and their latest performances visit www.oddsocks.co.uk

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 53

ANZCRO and Martin’s World Travel Perfect partners for a trip down under Expand your horizons in 2021 to some of the world’s most amazing destinations. Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand are particular choice favourites.

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artins World Travel, your reliable family owned and friendly holiday company, are partners with fully bonded travel specialists companies like ANCRO who have an in depth knowledge of Australia and New Zealand.

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including Auckland and Wellington, superb dining and Maori Culture. The South Island boasts rugged coastlines, stunning secluded beaches, the snow capped mountains of the Southern Alps, huge glaciers and crystal clear lakes and rivers. There is comfortable adventure for everyone here with exhilarating jetboat trips up clear fast flowing and scenic river valleys, walks through well marked primeval rainforest to heli flights over huge glaciers.

the spirit. Rejuvenate whilst listening to the sounds of turquoise seas lapping upon white sand beaches in a tropical island paradise.

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Australia is such a vast destination it is impossible to cover in just one trip.

Unique wildlife, a hot and desolate interior to vibrant coastal cities and towns with amazing beaches. Iconic cities of Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney each have numerous attractions. There are some great coastal drives in particular the Melbourne to Sydney coastal highway. A flight add on to visit Uluru (Ayers Rock) from Sydney should not be missed. There are many excellent wildlife sanctuaries in Australia that make observation of its unique wildlife (much of it nocturnal) so rewarding.

Tasmania is a stunningly beautiful island a short flight from Melbourne and it boasts all the best of the Australian mainland on one easy to explore island. The historic capital of Hobart is particularly charming and the historic former prison camp of nearby Port Arthur an absolute must to visit.

ANZCRO is proud to set the benchmark in travel excellence to Australasia.

For over 20 years we have worked tirelessly to provide exceptional holiday experiences in New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific, and our products remain at the top of the market. The selection and flexibility we offer is unparalleled.

The one stop shop for your trip to Australasia, at ANZCRO we can arrange all you need for your dream trip ‘down under’ from start to finish including; international and internal flights, stopovers, transfers, accommodation options from backpacker to luxury lodges, private or shared sightseeing excursions, car & motorhome hire, and escorted coach tours.

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Immerse yourself in breathtaking natural beauty on a guided walk in New Zealand’s Fiordland or Australia’s rugged outback. Slow down and savour the romance of rail, with a train journey that traverses the country and refreshes www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 55

Welcome back to Derby’s leisure centres

T

he team at Derby Active are putting the finishing touches in place ready to re-open leisure centres to the public from Saturday 25 July.

It will be a phased re-opening, with dates yet to be confirmed for sports like gymnastics coaching, and indoor track cycling at Derby Arena. Moorways Stadium has already opened for outdoor track and field activities.

New safety measures like screens, dispensers for hand sanitiser, and increased cleaning have been put in place to reduce the risk of infection. The safety of staff and customers is our priority. But while our centres may look a little different for now, what hasn’t changed is the warm welcome from Derby Active.

We’ve taken a ‘belt and braces’ approach to making our leisure premises as safe as possible as the lockdown eases. Not only do they meet the standards set by the Government and the individual sporting bodies, they also have to be approved by the Council’s own internal group before they can reopen.

Councillor Robin Wood, Derby City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, said: “The team at Derby Active have pulled out all the stops and shown the same enthusiasm for reopening as they did for developing an online programme of activities while the centres had to stay closed. They have the knowledge and dedication to support anyone who wants to improve their fitness and overall health after lockdown.”

We are contacting Derby Active members by email and text to update them about our plans for re-opening, and to discuss any concerns they may have. We understand that some customers may not feel ready to return and we are ready to listen.

Our online programme, Derby Active at Home, will continue to run, but will be reduced to five or six workouts a week now our staff are back teaching in the facilities.

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All staff at Derby Arena, Springwood Leisure Centre, and Queen’s Leisure Centre have been trained to reduce the risk of the spread of Covid-19, and customers can expect to follow one way in and out of the building. Public seating has been removed to discourage people from spending time in the building unnecessarily.

Please bear with us while we get used to putting these measures in place. If something doesn’t feel right, please raise it with us – we are all learning, and the safety of customers is our priority. More details about arrangements for each centre can be found at inderby.org.uk/welcomeback, Pictured. Vigorous cleaning taking place.

Now is a great time to enjoy The ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ Scheme.

Starts on August 3rd.

Throughout the country there is an estimated 130,000 eligible restaurants, bars and cafes that can participate in the Eat out to help out scheme which was unveiled by the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, in July This deal offers diners 50% off meals when eating in from Monday to Wednesday throughout August. The discount is capped at £10 per head.

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 57

Use the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme at a participating establishment:

To get a 50% discount on food or non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in (up to a maximum of £10 discount per diner) every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 3 and 31 August as many times as you like.

You don’t need a voucher to use this scheme and you can use it at the same time as other offers and discounts. There is no minimum spend.

The discount will be automatically available to you at participating establishments. Establishments will then claim a reimbursement from the government for the discount they’ve given you.

Participating establishments may include:

• Restaurants, cafés, bars or pubs • Work and school canteens • Food halls • All diners in a group of any size can use the discount.

Please note: You cannot claim discount on alcoholic drinks or service charges.

58 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

Now serving food to eat in or takeaway all day. Throughout August we will be joining the government scheme ‘Eat out to help out’ when you can enjoy up to £10 off food and non alcoholic drinks per person Monday to Wednesday all day. We will be extending this amazing offer to a Sunday evening 5-8pm.

Offering our new bar menu alongside our bistro menu.

Sit back and relax with table service bar drinks, wine, cocktails, coffee and food all available in the bar, bistro or outside in our newly furnished courtyard area.

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59

NHS guide to Exercise

P

hysical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64.Adults should do some type of physical activity every day.

Adults should:

What counts as moderate aerobic activity?

Moderate activity will raise your heart rate, and make you breathe faster and feel warmer. One way to tell if you're working at a moderate intensity level is if you can still talk, but not sing.

• Aim to be physically active every day. Any activity is better than none, and more is better still.

• Do strengthening activities that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least 2 days a week.

• Do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.

• Reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity.

Examples of moderate intensity activities:

You can also achieve your weekly activity target with:

In general, 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity can give similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity. Most moderate activities can become vigorous if you increase your effort.

• Several short sessions of very vigorous intensity activity.

• A mix of moderate, vigorous and very vigorous intensity activity.

• You can do your weekly target of physical activity on a single day or over 2 or more days. Whatever suits you.

These guidelines are also suitable for disabled adults, pregnant women and new mothers.

Make sure the type and intensity of your activity is appropriate for your level of fitness. Vigorous activity is not recommended for previously inactive women.

brisk walking, water aerobics, riding a bike, dancing, doubles tennis, pushing a lawn mower, hiking, rollerblading.

Try the aerobic workout videos in the NHS Fitness Studio.

What counts as vigorous activity?

Vigorous intensity activity makes you breathe hard and fast. If you're working at this level, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for breath.

Examples of vigorous activities: Jogging or running, swimming fast, riding a bike fast or on hills, walking up the stairs, sports, like football, rugby, netball and hockey, skipping rope, aerobics, gymnastics. Try the aerobic workout videos in the NHS Fitness Studio. For a moderate to vigorous workout, try Couch to 5K, a 9-week running plan for beginners.

What counts as very vigorous activity?

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Very vigorous activities are exercises performed in short bursts of maximum effort broken up with rest. This type of exercise is also known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Examples of very vigorous activities: lifting heavy weights, circuit training, sprinting up hills, interval running, running up stairs, spinning classes.

What activities strengthen muscles?

To get health benefits from strength exercises, you should do them to the point where you need a short rest before repeating the activity.

There are many ways you can strengthen your muscles, whether you're at home or in a gym.

Examples of muscle-strengthening activities:

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Carrying heavy shopping bags, yoga, pilates tai chi, lifting weights, working with resistance bands, doing exercises that use your own body weight, such as push-ups and sit-ups, heavy gardening, such as digging and shovelling, wheeling a wheelchair, lifting and carrying children

Try these exercise routines: • strength workout videos in the NHS Fitness Studio • Strength and Flex, a 5-week exercise plan for beginners, to improve your strength and flexibility. You can do activities that strengthen your muscles on the same or different days as your aerobic activity – whatever's best for you.

Muscle-strengthening exercises are not always an aerobic activity, so you'll need to do them in addition to your 150 minutes of aerobic activity.

Enjoy Derby Folk Festival in your own home

D

erby LIVE are excited to announce that we have worked with artists and partners to put together a digital version of this much loved festival - Derby Folk Festival at Home!

Tickets are now on sale for an online festival, which will take place on the same dates as the original event, from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 October.

It will feature concerts created especially for the Festival from many of the artists who were booked to appear in person in the city, including John Tams and Barry Coope, Lucy Ward, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman, Winter Wilson, Kitty Macfarlane, and a host of other wonderful performers.

John Tams, long-standing Patron of Derby Folk Festival, said: “We all pressed “Pause”… It seemed an otherworldly hand had taken control.

Locked-down in the unknown, and even now as the bolts are drawn, we’re still in the unknown. A new order beckons so let’s embrace the new and at long last press “Play” again! Derby Folk Festival at Home will appear on your screens with as much of a “live” festival feel as we can all muster. Pour a glass or two, plump your cushions, settle in … and don’t forget to sing!”

The concerts will be streamed in a curated series of four festival sessions, running for three hours each, with one on the Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday. There will be lots of other content, such as interviews and more to keep you entertained, as well as free Festival Fringe events taking place on the Derby Folk Festival Facebook page.

Tickets are priced at £12 per session, or you can buy a pass for all four sessions for just £36. With your ticket, you will get access to the events as they are released during the festival, joining in with festival watchers nationwide, plus access for the following week too so that you are able to catch up, or re-watch the festival, at a time that suits you. Supporting the festival by buying a ticket will not only give you some fantastic music, filmed especially for you, to enjoy for a whole week, it will directly support the artists performing, and ensures that the festival is able to return to the city centre once again in 2021 Festival highlights confirmed so far include: John Tams and Barry Coope: Songs and stories to have you holding your sides from laughing one minute, and wiping away tears the next. Lucy

Ward: Award-winning Lucy, goes from strength to strength as a writer and performer. Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman: Celebrating their 25th anniversary of making music together. Kitty Macfarlane: A songwriter and guitarist nominated for the Horizon Award in the 2019 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards amongst many other plaudits.

Winter Wilson: Having become part of Derby’s “festival family” we’re delighted to have Kip and Dave back with us again this year. Anyone who bought a ticket for Derby Folk Festival when it was first announced will be contacted direct

by Derby LIVE to be offered a full refund, or a partial refund and tickets for the online festival.

There is no need to contact us. Our Sales and Information Centre at Riverside Chambers, Full Street, Derby currently remains closed. Tickets for the online festival can be bought online at derbylive.co.uk, and more information about all the acts, and information about new additions as they are announced, can be found at www.derbyfolkfestival.co.uk. We hope you can join us “at Home” as we create a 20:20 vision for the future of Derby Folk Festival.

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With their feminine silhouette and eye catching crystal decorations, Swarovski sunglasses is a shimmering showcase of craftsmanship and creativity. Their cool, modern design also features palladium metal elements and gradient grey lenses with mirror effect. They are the ultimate glamorous summer accessory.

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THE SCIENTIST'S WATCH. The reliability and precision of an ordinary mechanical watch can be affected by a magnetic field of 50 to 100 gauss.

But many scientists are exposed to much higher magnetic fields during the course of their work. Rolex's solution was the Rolex Milgauss, created in 1956, and resistant to 1000 gauss. Hence the name of the watch, mille being French for thousand. Part of the Pre-Owned Rolex collection at John Stevenosn Jewellers.

John Stevenson Jewellers, 2A Glumangate, Chesterfield S40 1TP 01246 270706 johnstevensonjewellers.com

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Watch Servicing & Repairs Official OMEGA Service Store

We also repair jewellery, from sizing a ring to remodelling an older item with our designer Taking Care Of Your Watch

Ben Stevenson shares advice on maintaining accuracy and ensuring longevity.

YOUR watch is a statement that reflects your character and innate sense of style. But just like your car (or body), it’s a complex machine with multiple moving parts; even watches with the most robust mechanism (or ‘movement’) and the most resilient waterproofing need regular check-ups to make sure they’re ticking along nicely.“Watches should be serviced every three to five years,” advises Mr Stevenson. “Regular servicing ensures reliability and prevents the small internal parts of the watch getting damaged as the oil that lubricates the intricate mechanisms runs out.”

There are often more than 200 components in a watch, each

performing a precise role. Every knock and jolt causes the fine oils within the timepiece to move, damaging the small internal parts, increasing the friction in the movement and causing it to work inconsistently by shortening its service intervals.

The winding crown of your watch is directly connected to the movement, so always lay it down flat to avoid denting the crown or causing internal damage. Inadvertently magnetising your watch will affect its accuracy and can even cause it to stop completely, because its small components start to cling together and the function of the balance-spring is altered. Watches with steel casings are even more sensitive

Above: Ben (left) and John Stevenson at BaselWorld, the world’s largest jewellery exhibition.

to magnetism as they amplify magnetic fields inside the movement. Magnets are everywhere in the modern age – used to close handbags, glasses cases, wallets, fridges and cupboards. Everyday appliances including mobile phones, TVs, tablets, laptops, microwaves, induction hobs, hi-fis and hairdryers also produce magnetic fields. The worst offenders are walk-through scanners at airports, so always put

your watch in the small tray provided.

If you suspect your watch has been magnetised, simply move the caseback around a compass. If the hands of the compass start to move, book a service to get it de-magnetised. Ben’s sage advice will save you time and money between regular services. As he points out, “Your watch becomes a constant companion and should be treated with due care like all your most prized possessions.”

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www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 67

PAULA’S CHOICE

What are the key ingredients?

SEA WHIP EXTRACT Extract from the sea that has skin-soothing properties, especially suitable for sensitive or redness-prone skin.

S K I N C A R E Paula’s Choice Calm Repairing Serum, £33

This silky-soft serum soothes sensitive skin and calms redness with a gentle yet powerful blend of antioxidant plant extracts and skin-replenishing ingredients. The concentrated anti-ageing formula minimises the appearance of wrinkles while leaving skin soft, hydrated and calm.

CERAMIDES Major components of skin’s outer layers, necessary for their water-retention capacity and provide replenishing and restoring benefits.

BETA-GLUCAN Excellent ingredient for improving the look of redness and other signs of sensitive skin. It has some antioxidant properties and is a skinsoothing agent

Paula’s Choice Calm Nourishing Cleanser, £20

This lightweight gel cleanser for normal to oily skin gently removes excess oil and make-up. Skin replenishing ingredients work to soften and soothe red, irritated skin, making it perfect for the most sensitive of complexions.

Paula’s Choice Calm Mineral Moisturizer SPF 30, £30

This gentle daytime moisturiser replenishes dry, sensitive skin while shielding it from daily sun damage with mineralbased sunscreens. A rednessminimising blend of soothing plant extracts, antioxidants and peptides works to calm sensitive skin so it looks visibly younger and feels healthier.

For more information and to buy online visit www.paulaschoice.co.uk

Mineral Moisturiser

Very cool and calming, a gentle product with reassuringly natural ingredients. I did find it made me look a little pale, but if you need to calm any redness down this would be perfect. Ideal for use in the summer months as it has a high SPF of 30.

68 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

Repairing Serum

After about 2 weeks I could tell the difference using this product.

My skin looked smoother and did seem a little less sensitive which is great! VP

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It’s not just customer service that drives them though. They are committed to providing excellent dentistry to you and your family. As a practice keen to leave a lasting legacy on their patients and the wider community, the Glendair team are always looking for ways to improve their practice and lead the way for others.

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How we’ve been here to help during lockdown

!

EN

At Glendair, we have your dental and personal well-being at the heart of everything we do.

P O

Rest assured we have years of experience with the highest levels of sterilisation and decontamination processes.

E R A

We walked 879 miles to raise money for the FeedNHS campaign, who provide hot meals for front line workers

We have also introduced a range of initiatives to keep our patients and team safer than ever. Here’s a few of these measu measures:

E W

State-of-the-art air purification systems Touchless hand cleaning stations and temperature checks Distance markers and one way routes through the practice to adhere to social distancing

Our team will be wearing PPE but it’s still us underneath!

We also donated PPE to care homes and collected shopping and prescriptions for our patients!

We are posting regular updates on our social media. You can keep up to date by visiting our Facebook, Instagram and glendairdental.co.uk. facebook.com/glendairdental facebook.com/glendairfaces

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www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 69

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www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 71

NEW GHIBLI HYBRID: THE FIRST ELECTRIFIED VEHICLE IN MASERATI’S HISTORY SPARK OF ELECTRIFICATION

Maserati, is the blue colour, chosen to identify all cars with hybrid technology and the new world they represent.

The spark of electrification ignites Maserati’s future: with the new Ghibli Hybrid, the Trident Brand enters the world of electrification.

CONNECTIVITY

The new Ghibli Hybrid represents one of the most ambitious projects for Maserati, which after the announcement of the new engine for the MC20 super sports car now sets the seal on another step forward towards the brand’s new Era. The choice to introduce the hybrid technology on the Ghibli saloon is no coincidence: this model, with over 100,000 units produced since its launch in 2013, perfectly embodies the Modena-based manufacturer’s DNA.

Ghibli Hybrid also marks the debut of the new Maserati Connect programme, which enables a constant connection with the car: the information exchange continues when on the move, to improve the services offered to the driver. As well as updating the software packages, the system performs checks on the car and monitors the Safety Security services in emergencies.

In fact, the challenge facing Maserati was to enter the world of electrification without altering the brand’s core philosophy and values. The result? The creation of the best possible hybrid. What’s more, Ghibli Hybrid will retain the unmistakable sound that has always distinguished every Maserati.

The arrival of the new Ghibli Hybrid thus expands the Maserati range, which is now even more competitive and responsive to the demands of the market.

Ghibli Hybrid is immediately recognisable, thanks in part to the new design of both exterior and interior. The common denominator of the restyling, developed by the Centro Stile 72 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

The Maserati Intelligent Assistant multimedia system is latest-generation, based on digital inputs from Android Automotive, software that delivers an innovative User Experience fully customisable to the driver’s personal preferences. The multimedia system’s HD screen, with new graphics, more user-friendly and without surrounds, is increased in size from 8”4 to 10”1. A new instrument panel with digital devices and new graphics is also introduced.

MILD HYBRID In perfect harmony with its DNA, Maserati has chosen a hybrid solution focused primarily on improving performance, while also reducing fuel consumption and cutting emissions.

The hybrid technology exploits the kinetic energy the car accumulates when in motion, recovering it and transforming it into electricity during deceleration and braking, and storing it in a battery.

The innovative powertrain, the outcome of in-depth engineering development

work by the technicians and engineers of the Maserati Innovation Lab in Modena, combines an internal combustion engine (4 cylinders, turbo, displacement of 2.0 l) with a 48 volt alternator and an additional electric supercharger (e-Booster), supported by a battery. This solution is unique in its segment, and is the first in a new generation of powertrains, with the perfect trade-off between performance, efficiency and driving pleasure.

The battery is mounted in the rear of the car, with benefits in terms of improved weight distribution.

This version weighs about 80 kg less than the Diesel.

Thanks to maximum power output of 330 hp and torque of 450 Nm delivered from just 1,500 rpm, the new Ghibli Hybrid’s performance data are very impressive: top speed of 255 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds.

Ghibli Hybrid occupants will still revel in the unmistakable sound that characterises all Maserati models, thanks to the optimised exhaust, which includes specially designed resonators.

www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk | 73

Milford Care group release their 10 steps to COVID-19

policy A care home group in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire have released their 10 steps to COVID-19 policy to help ease the concern for those looking for a care home.

T

he award-winning group designed a poster to reinforce how they are dealing with the pandemic at this time and ensuring it is perfectly safe to be admitted to the homes.

01. Robust cleaning and infection control processes The housekeeping teams are efficient in all their cleaning rituals, ensuring vigorous routines to keep the residents and staff as safe as possible.

02. Large supply of PPE in every home All staff are trained and dedicated to wearing Personal Protective Equipment provided for by Milford Care. Throughout the pandemic the group have maintained a high level of PPE. 03. In depth training for staff All staff have been given additional infection control training and are kept updated with WHO and Government guidance.

04. Pre-bookable social distanced visits with loved ones Each of the six homes have a socially distanced visiting system whereby relatives can schedule time with their loved one. Some homes have different variations of visits via phone or outdoor seating areas.

05. Residents mix in small households with social distancing Each home is split into mini ‘households’. These households eat and lounge together whilst still maintaining social distancing, ensuring a safe space for all.

06. Advanced air purifiers in every bedroom killing airborne viruses When the lockdown began Milford Care invested in state of the art air purifiers which remove unwanted bacteria from the air which reduces the risk of COVID-19. These are installed in all communal areas and in every bedroom.

07. Family ethos with happiness at the core With over 35 years of care experience, Milford Care focus on person-centered care with fulfilling, independent lives at the core. Residents can enjoy and engage in daily living, whatever their ability or condition.

74 | www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk

08. Access to testing for all residents and staff For our residents and staffs protection, Government-led COVID-19 home testing is provided, weekly for staff and monthly for residents.

09. All homes have Outstanding or Good rating from Care Quality Commission Milford Care homes have been inspected by CQC and have received an Outstanding or Good rating.

10. Additional support for new residents with activities and enrichment whilst self-isolating Milford Care have dedicated staff who care for physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing too. Whilst self-isolating for 14 days after admission, the homes provide personalised care encouraging residents to be active and enjoy their time. Activity packs are included, visits to the gardens, arts and crafts and other hobbies are supported.

The homes, Spencer Grove in Belper, Derbyshire, Milford House in Milford, Derbyshire, The Meadows in Alfreton, Derbyshire, Ashbourne Lodge in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, Hazelgrove in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, Buddleia House in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, have all been closed to visitors since the lockdown began however visitors are able to now schedule socially distanced visits. For more information about any of the Milford Care homes, contact info@milfordcare.co.uk or head to the website to see the homes in more detail.

Dementia Care | Long-term Care | Nursing Care Residential Care | Day Care | Respite Care

Welcoming new residents Milford Care are extremely passionate about giving your loved one the very best in person-centred care and this has not changed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Our 10 step COVID-19 policy is available to read on page 74 of this magazine.

Belper Tel. 01773 599 349

Alfreton Tel. 01773 520 491

Milford Tel. 01332 841 753

Ashbourne Tel. 01335 301 400

"I’d just like to send a message to say how utterly amazing you have all been - the true heroes of this awful pandemic - you have demonstrated bravery and compassion in equal measures - well done to each and everyone of you - you should all be amazingly proud - your residents are truly blessed. Thank you" Health Professional, Belper - May 2020

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