KL Magazine July 2018

ISSN 2044–7965

ISSUE 94 JULY 2018 PRICELESS

magazine

WEST NORFOLK | NORTH NORFOLK | COASTAL

COVER IMAGE Hunstanton beach by Ian Ward

MANAGING DIRECTOR Laura Dunn MANAGING EDITOR Eric Secker DESIGN TEAM Amy Phillips Lisa Tonroe PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Ward PROMOTION Nicola Back ADVERTISING Jessica Smith CONTRIBUTORS Clare Bee Abigail Brown Simon Franklin Alison Gifford Sylvia Steele Maxine Thorne Sally Turff Wendy Warner

contact 18 Tuesday Market Place King’s Lynn PE30 1JW 01553 601201 info@klmagazine.co.uk KL magazine is published monthly by KL Publications Ltd. The magazine cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs.

While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and KL magazine takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

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PICTURE: ITV

meet the team

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his is, of course, the beautiful world-famous Holkham beach, and you may recognise the man taking his dog for a walk. It’s actor Neil Morrissey (probably best known from Men Behaving Badly) pictured during the filming of the new series of ITV’s critically-acclaimed crime drama Unforgotten earlier this year – which will be screened later this month. We’ve got an exclusive preview of the series and its production on page 20 of this month’s magazine. It’s not the first time the beach at Holkham has been featured on screen (both television and film) and it’s a reminder of just how stunning Norfolk is – naturally, historically and architecturally. For example, the Grade II listed Bank House in King’s Lynn (reviewed on page 79) will also be welcoming the cameras this month when it’s used as a location for Armando Iannucci’s forthcoming and star-studded film version of David Copperfield.

In fact, famous faces are flocking to West Norfolk at the moment.

HRH Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall will be visiting on July 25th for the 137th Sandringham Flower Show (you can read about it on page 8), and before then King’s Lynn will play host to a galaxy of world-class cultural talent when the 68th King’s Lynn Festival opens on July 15th. Despite the hectic build-up to such a major event, Festival Chairman Alison Croose found some time to talk to us, and you can read her thoughts on this year’s event on page 30. Without the work of Ruth, Lady Fermoy there may not have been a King’s Lynn Festival at all and you’ll find an account of her fascinating life on page 26.

And if you’re still in the mood for famous faces after, the 10th Holt Festival starts on July 21st – featuring everyone from pop legend Leo Sayer to Norfolk’s very own Nimmo Twins.

It’s one of the most exciting months in the county’s calendar and there’s plenty to enjoy, so have a great July and we’ll see you again next month.

KL MAGAZINE

KLmagazine July 2018

Contents

JULY 2018

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6-12 WHAT’S ON This month’s diary of forthcoming events

56-58 A LIFE LIVED IN ART The inspirational work of artist Liz Murray

8-10 SANDRINGHAM FLOWER SHOW A special preview of this year’s event

62-68 FASHION Inspirational ideas from our local boutiques

14-16 THE 10TH HOLT FESTIVAL A feast of world-class talent comes to Norfolk

70-72 FROM KING’S LYNN TO WEST END We talk to local dancer Emily Penman-Lee

20-22 UNFORGOTTEN IN NORFOLK...

The local production of ITV’s new crime series

74-81 FOOD AND DRINK Reviews, recipes and recommendations

26-28 FOUNDER OF A FESTIVAL The life and legacy of Ruth, Lady Fermoy

79 RESTAURANT REVIEW KL magazine reviews Bank House in King’s Lynn

30 THE BIG INTERVIEW King’s Lynn Festival Chairman Alison Croose

84-86 POPPING FRESH FROM THE FARM We enjoy a taste of Algy’s Popcorn

34-36 A TREASURE TROVE OF BOOKS Inside the incredible library of Blickling Hall

92-94 SKYDIVING FOR CHARITY Nurses at the Norfolk Hospice get airborne

38 THEN AND NOW The changing face of West Norfolk

98-100 THE GREATEST DICTIONARY...

How Charles Burney brought it to King’s Lynn

40-42 A TRIP TO SENNOWE PARK Is this Norfolk’s most romantic country house?

104-106 TAKING LOCAL ART TO AFRICA The work of Peter Swann and Paul Ebbens

46-48 JULY IN THE GARDEN Expert help and advice with Wendy Warner

110-112 OUTWELL IN A NUTSHELL Bringing a village’s lost history back to life

51 YOU AND YOUR PETS With local vet Alex Dallas

114 MICHAEL MIDDLETON The raucous call of the wild

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Get ready to discover the all-new BMW X4 at Listers Totally re-styled and refined, Listers welcomes what may be the best BMW ever! here’s a lot of excitement at Listers at the moment as the King’s Lynn dealership prepares to take delivery of the all-new BMW X4 – a car which has taken the world by storm since the first-generation version was first launched four years ago.

Individual, dynamic and innovative, it was the first ever Sports Activity Coupé at the premium end of the mid-size class and is a car packed with character – which the 2018 version takes to a whole new level.

“The all-new BMW X4 offers a significantly enhanced drive, a stunning exterior design that accentuates the car’s sporting instincts, and state-ofthe-art driver assistance systems,” says Listers’ King's Lynn Head of Business Laurence Bennett. “It’s a car that doesn’t just look fabulous – its

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performance is just as attractive.”

Indeed. The choice of three petrol and four diesel engines is spearheaded by a duo of BMW M Performance models. The six-cylinder in-line petrol engine under the bonnet of the BMW X4 M40i, for example, delivers a fuel consumption of around 31.4mpg and a maximum output of some 354hp.

The new BMW X4 also boasts a marked increase in agility, courtesy of chassis technology that's been systematically refined and honed for the specific requirements of the Sports Activity Coupé. Standard specification includes not only M Sport suspension and the Performance Control function, but also variable sport steering. The BMW M Performance models have 20inch light-alloy wheels as standard, specially designed M Sport brakes, and an M Sport differential, generating a precise locking effect at the rear wheels

to help the car power out of corners with refreshing élan.

“This is one of the most exciting models BMW has ever produced,” says Laurence, “and Listers is here to help you make the most of it!”

BMW has always set a benchmark for build quality, style and performance, and the new BMW X4 is at the forefront of a new generation of premium cars.

Book your test drive at Listers King’s Lynn today and treat yourself to an adventure in the ultimate driving machine!

Hardwick Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4NA Tel: 01553 692000 Web: www.listers.co.uk/bmw 6

KLmagazine July 2018

July

Sunday 8th July

FESTIVAL TOO FUNDRAISING FAMILY WALK Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn (11am) As Lynn switches into festival mode, the Town Guides are busy with their own programme as well as supporting both Festival Too and the Festival. All money raised from this walk will be donated to Festival Too. New family worksheets have been developed to be used on this Historic Town Walk, starting at Saturday Market Place and finishing at Tuesday Market Place, and are suitable for children of all ages to complete when attending a walk with an adult. This walk shows the development of the town, its power and wealth, from 1100 to the present day and takes in familiar and less familiar buildings. Meet outside Stories of Lynn. For further information, to book tickets or to arrange a private tour please contact the Tourist Information Centre at the Custom House 01553 763044. The King’s Lynn Town Guides give their services entirely voluntarily. All money raised from the walks goes directly to conservation projects in the town. See details on the new website at www.kingslynntownguides.co.uk or follow them on facebook.com/kingslynntownguides.

Sunday 15th July

CYCLE TOGETHER SANDRINGHAM Park House Hotel, Sandringham, King’s Lynn PE35 6EH Cycle Together is back for 2018 and now has updated routes and new distances for you to enjoy on the quiet country roads leading from the beautiful Sandringham estate. Returning for a sixth year, this award-winning cycling event is sure to be as popular as ever.

With distances from 10 to 150 miles, this is a ride for all the family, as well as for experienced cyclists. Entry starts from just £10 for adults and £5 for children and funds will go towards supporting the vital work of Leonard Cheshire’s Park House Hotel at Sandringham.

Sign up at www.leonardcheshire.org/cycletogether.

Sat 21st July – Sat 4th August

WEST NORFOLK ARTISTS ASSOCIATION SUMMER EXHIBITION St. Nicholas Chapel, Kings Lynn PE30 1NH (Open daily 10.30am 4pm except Saturday 21st when closed at noon for a concert) The members of the WNAA extend a warm welcome to their 17th Friday 13th July - Friday 31st August Summer Exhibition. Be inspired and amazed by the variety and excellence of their artwork. Paintings, ceramics, sculptures, CHRISTOPHER WITCHALL AT TIM CLAYTON JEWELLERY Tim Clayton Jewellery, 21-23 Chapel Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1EG photography, textiles, mosaics and much more! You can even vote for your favourite and take this opportunity to explore this beautifully (Open 9am-5.30pm Monday-Saturday) A fringe event of the King’s Lynn Festival 2018, Tim Clayton Jewellery renovated ancient chapel. The preview evening will be on Friday 20th July at 7pm with everyone welcome. features a collection of paintings by Ely-based artist Christopher There will also be free public workshops sponsored by N.C.C. Witchall, who studied Fine Art in York and Lancaster and has been Council, for further details and bookings in advance please contact painting and exhibiting since the 1970s. Christopher’s landscapes, Joan on 01485 540801. seascapes and urban street scenes capture the light, space and vast For further information about the exhibition contact Esther on skies of the area he’s lived in, explored, painted and photographed for 01485 570506 or visit the website www.westnorfolkartists.org. over 30 years. His unsentimental approach combines traditional Entry is free and parking is available in the Chapel Street Car Park. painting techniques with the accuracy and the cool detachment of Image: Roller by Michele Summers Winner of the 2017 photography, but with a genuine sense of place. The exhibition runs Syd Davison Award. from July 13th to August 31st and admission is free.

KLmagazine July 2018

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STUART HOUSE

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CELEBRATE

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KLmagazine July 2018

July & coming soon...

Sunday 29th July

CRIMPLESHAM SUMMER FUN DAY Crimplesham village playing field, Main Road, Crimplesham (from 2pm onwards) Following on from the success of the community pop-up pub nights in the village hall, ‘The Crimplesham Arms’ have planned an exciting Summer Fun Day on the village playing field. There will be a bar, BBQ (served from 2pm5pm) and live music from ‘The Best Before Ukulele Band’. There will also be a Pimm’s tent, tea and coffee, ice cream and children’s games. Donations at the gate are welcomed for entry and any funds raised will go to the Parish Council for maintenance of the village.

29th July, 12th August & 26th August

SUMMER FOOD FAIRS AT BAKERS AND LARNERS OF HOLT Bakers Court, 8 Market Place, Holt NR25 6BW (10am-4pm) Bakers and Larners of Holt is proud to present its new series of summer food fairs, which are a showcase of Norfolk’s finest food & drink producers. At the outdoor event, visitors will be invited to taste, sample and buy a variety of local wares including ales, gins, chutneys, hog roast and much more.

The food fairs are set to coincide with the store’s wider set of summer Sunday openings on 29th July, 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th August and 2nd September — new for 2018.

To find out more visit the website www.bakersandlarners.co.uk.

Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th August HANSEATIC SKI RACE South Quay, King's Lynn PE30 5DS (first race starts at 10:45am and prize giving is at 2:45pm) For the third year running the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk will be supporting Formula 1, 2 and 3 water ski racing in the Historic Maritime Quarter of the town on the South Quay.

If you have not been to the event in previous years, expect motorboats racing along the river at 100mph. Crowds can watch this high-octane spectacle from the banks of the River Ouse. The event is free. For more information visit the website www.kingslynnskirace.co.uk.

KLmagazine July 2018

Saturday 11th August

GREAT BIRCHAM FRENCH FAIR Great Bircham PE31 6XS (11am-4pm) On Saturday 11th August, the small community of Great Bircham, on the edge of the Sandringham Estate will, once again, be transformed into a bustling French village! French music and aromas will be in the air, French cafe culture will be celebrated, with market stalls selling distinctively French produce. Try your hand at a game of boules; relax with a glass of wine, a cup of tea or even a glass of beer! Proceeds are in aid of the Bircham Church restoration fund.

For further details, contact George on 01485 576 134.

Sunday 26th & Monday 27th August

FENLAND COUNTRY FAIR Quy Hall, Stow-Cum-Quy CB25 0AF (8:30am-5:30pm) Taking place over the August bank holiday weekend, Fenland Country Fair at Stow cum Quy is a celebration of life in the British countryside. The fair has been going for 36 years now and attracts around 20,000 visitors. There’s a wide selection of well-respected national traders of country clothing, equipment and crafts, alongside a delicious variety of locally-grown produce, a beer tent and plentiful activities for all the family to join in. With everything from ring events, dog competitions, vintage cars and tractors, heavy horses, falconry displays, archery, clay pigeon shooting, terrier and ferret racing, poultry and bee keeping, cookery demonstrations, rural crafts and quality trader stands. Tickets are £12.50 for adults and children under 13 go free. For further information visit the website www.fenlandfairs.com.

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What’s On

ABOVE: Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall are frequent visitors to the Sandringham Flower Show – their amusement on this occasion in 2017 was caused when they came across papier mâché heads of the royal family made by children from a local primary school

Sandringham’s spectacle of colour and excitement It’s one of the highlights of Norfolk’s event calendar, always delighting audiences and gardening enthusiasts with its stunning displays. KL magazine previews the 137th Sandringham Flower Show

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ater this month, a very special part of West Norfolk will play host to one of the biggest and best one-day shows in the whole country; a unique part of the Norfolk summer held in the glorious surroundings of the Royal Estate at Sandringham. It is, of course, the Sandringham Flower Show – and it’s a true celebration of Norfolk. Every year, thousands of visitors catch the incredible scents from the massive floral

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marquees, where some of the region’s top nurseries display a stunning range of blooms. You can pick up some tips in the horticultural talks marquee, where top experts run a series of informal presentations and question and answer sessions – and you can vote for your favourite show garden in the People’s Choice poll once you’ve admired the gardeners’ incredible designs and handiwork. It’s also a great opportunity to buy one-off gifts from the rural crafts

marquee, where you’ll find weavers, carvers and other country craftsfolk demonstrating their skills. There’s also mouthwatering selection of local produce to sample, and keep your eyes peeled for a jar of Little Scarlet – which is said to be the Queen’s favourite jam.

It’s a hugely-popular event which many horticultural experts actually prefer to the Chelsea Flower Show, but it had rather humble beginnings.

Back in 1866, Albert Edward the

KLmagazine July 2018

What’s On

Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII) was still in the process of improving his Norfolk estate – he’d recently rebuilt Sandringham House and was happy to give his blessing to a scheme put forward by the rectors of Sandringham, West Newton and Wolferton.

They’d established a committee with land agent Edmund Beck and three of the estate’s farming tenants “for the encouragement of garden cultivation and the promotion of habits of industry and order among the cottagers in the parishes of Sandringham, Babingley, West Newton, Wolferton, Appleton and Dersingham.”

The committee proposed holding a competition which would award prizes for the best gardens and allotments and “for the fruits, flowers and vegetables grown thereon” – but there was a serious side to the whole affair. The main aim of the competition was “the amelioration of the moral condition of the labouring population,” and not only allotments and gardens were inspected and judged; the judges also viewed tenants’ houses and took into account their cleanliness and tidiness when awarding prizes.

At Prince Edward’s request, the gardens and grounds of Sandringham were opened to the public for the event, and the initial plan was to do this free of charge. However, the committee decided to charge an admission fee of one shilling “in order to prevent the intrusion of undesirable company.”

The event was a huge success, making a profit of £29 19s 2d after the cost of hiring tents, tables and chairs –

KLmagazine July 2018

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What’s On

ABOVE: Award-winning British gardener Chris Beardshaw will be appearing at this year’s Sandringham Flower Show – a couple of months after winning the Best in Show garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.

and the organisers decided to donate the entire amount to charity. The West Norfolk & Lynn Hospital received £10, while £5 each was given to The Lynn Museum, the RNLI and the Norwich Blind Institution. The remaining £4 or so was used to purchase blankets for parishioners on the Sandringham estate.

And so the Sandringham Flower Show was born, and it’s grown far beyond the original conception over the last 137 years. Run entirely by volunteers drawn from across the estate, it still donates all profits to local charities and good causes, having raised over £750,000 since 1977.

Today the show combines a local village flower and produce competition with a crowd of around 20,000 people viewing designers’ gardens, trade stands, rural crafts, and arena entertainments usually involving various combinations of animals, motorcycles and aeroplanes. Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother took a famously keen interest in the show (once attending despite a broken leg), as does her grandson The Prince of Wales today.

In addition to over 250 trade stands including speciality food and drink producers, craft stands and a wealth of plant specialists, this year’s show will

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feature eight display gardens – including one designed and constructed

by The Prince’s Trust volunteers – and the arena entertainment will include a motorcycle stunt team, sheepdog herding, horses, a parachute display by a team from the RAF Tigers and a military band. And fresh from his success on winning the Best in Show garden at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, award-winning British gardener Chris Beardshaw (best known for his work on the BBC’s Gardeners’ World) will be acting as garden judge and speaker during a Gardeners’ Forum session.

Of course, one of the most popular

parts of the Sandringham Flower Show are the competitions in vegetables, fruit, baking, preserves and flower arranging – and although some classes are traditionally open only to Sandringham Estate residents, others are open to everyone.

One competition which hasn’t changed since its introduction is the King George VI Challenge Cup – which is open to estate employees, tenants and pensioners, who put their gardens under the spotlight and some rather rigorous rules.

The gardens which so meet the criteria for the cup require a huge amount of work and don’t always lend themselves well to modern family life or designs – which is why another class was introduced for that purpose.

The Queen Mother Challenge Cup is awarded to the garden judged to be “most pleasing to the eye” – and without the stringent guidelines of the George VI, the competition opens up to all manner of horticulture – from sleek contemporary water gardens to more classical lawns and shrubs.

For over a century, it’s been one of the highlights of Norfolk’s event calendar – and even if your fingers aren’t particularly green, the Sandringham Flower Show is a fantastic day out for all the family.

THE 137TH SANDRINGHAM FLOWER SHOW Wednesday 25th July 2018 Gates open at 9am and the show closes at 5pm. Tickets for adults are £10, while children aged 16 and under are free. Car parking is also free. The admission price includes entry to Sandringham Gardens, Sandringham Museum and Sandringham Church – but please note that Sandringham House is not open to the public on the day of the show.

KLmagazine July 2018

FENLAND COUNTRY FAIR STOW-CUM-QUY, CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Traditional Country Fair Established 1981 - www.fenlandfairs.com

Sunday 26th & Monday 27th August

Parade of Hounds

BASC Cookery

Ring Displays

BASC Dog Events Lurcher Show & Terrier Show Sunday & Monday

(qualifier for Countryman’s Weekly on Sunday)

• Ferret Show • Rural Craft Marquee • Children’s Rides • Full Catering & Bars

British Driving Scurry

Fun Fair

Clay Shooting

Heavy Horse Show - Monday RING DISPLAYS: Falconry - Gun Dog Demonstrations Bee Keeping - Bygones and much more For further information and event listings: www.fenlandfairs.com

GATES OPEN 8:30am to 5:30pm Admission Adults £12.50 | Children under 13 FREE Address: Quy Hall, Stow-Cum-Quy CB25 0AF

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What’s On

ABOVE: Among many other stars, this year’s Holt Festival will feature the Nimmo Twins (Owen Evans and Karl Minns) and (opposite) Leo Sayer

A feast of world-class culture returns to Holt...

It may be a small Georgian town, but for the last 10 years Holt has been attracting world-famous artists, performers, writers, musicians and politicians. Simon Franklin previews this year’s Holt Festival

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t’s often claimed that if a festival can break the 10-year barrier it has truly ‘arrived’ and become established. If that’s the case, then the Holt Festival is now firmly on the map as one of the county’s most eagerly anticipated events.

The charming Georgian town is a popular tourist destination throughout the year, but it really comes alive in late July. For a whole week, residents and visitors find themselves rubbing shoulders with household names and rising stars as the town is taken over by musicians, poets, actors, dancers, artists, comedians and entertainers from around the world. There’s simply

KLmagazine July 2018

no better time to visit this lovely Georgian gem than during Festival week.

For this anniversary year the festival has invited actor, theatre director and producer Stash Kirkbride to be its guest Artistic Director, and he’s put together a programme to rival any that’s gone before.

Music has always been a mainstay of the Holt Festival, and this year’s line-up doesn’t disappoint. Acts range from chart topper Leo Sayer (who’s scored album and single chart hits in every decade since the 1970s) to the highenergy showmanship rock, funk and blues of Tankus The Henge. Making a special appearance at Theatre In The

Woods is Tom Baxter, who wrote the modern standard Better and whose songs have been covered by Dame Shirley Bassey, Take That and Boyzone.

The Jo Harrop Quintet play the songs of Peggy Lee with great style and swing, while the music of Zimbabwe is celebrated by the powerful vocals and instrumental prowess of Anna Mudeka.

Internationally renowned Italian concert pianist Gloria Campaner comes to Holt for two exclusive concerts – including one with Polish jazz pianist Leszek Możdżer.

Other classical highlights include a concert by leading UK tenor James Gilchrist, and Norwich soprano Lisa Cassidy will be appearing in a one-off

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What’s On

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There’s also a wealth of free events for children and families – including storytelling, a delightful retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Steadfast Tin Soldier from Norwich Puppet Theatre, and a workshop for 816 year olds to create ‘A Play in a Day’ and then perform it to an audience of friends and family!

“I’m particularly proud of the depth and variety of the programming of Holt Festival’s 10th anniversary year,” says Stash Kirkbride. “Particularly that so much of it is bespoke. Performers are flying in from Spain, New York, and Australia especially for us! People like Leo Sayer and the sublime talent of the Tom Baxter Band won’t be appearing anywhere else in Norfolk this year. I believe the programme is a true celebration of the 10th year of this extraordinary festival, and I’m so looking forward to meeting our audiences in July.”

The Holt Festival runs from 21st-29th July. For full information and tickets, please visit the website at www.holtfestival.org

ABOVE: Jo Harrop will be making an appearance at this year’s Holt Festival, as will a world-first exhibition of paintings by John Hurt (below), Italian pianist Gloria Campaner (bottom left) and politician and former diplomat Lord ‘Paddy’ Ashdown (bottom right)

PICTURE: THE ESTATE OF JOHN HURT

performance of La Voix Humaine by Francis Poulenc. Meanwhile, pianist Lucy Parham will chronicle the life of Sergei Rachmaninoff with narration from acclaimed stage, TV and film actor Alex Jennings – most recently seen as the Liberal MP Peter Bessell in BBC1’s A Very British Scandal.

The rich strand of theatre and talks includes Linda Marlow with Berkoff’s Women. One of our finest actors with countless West End, TV and film credits to her name, Linda also played Sylvie Carter in EastEnders.

Major political figures taking the stage during the festival include former Home Secretary Alan Johnson, Lord ‘Paddy’ Ashdown and Anne Widdecombe – all interviewed by Norfolk-based TV and radio correspondents. The multi-award winning journalist and BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson will be interviewed by Susie Fowler-Watt, and BBC Security Correspondent and novelist Frank Gardner will be in conversation with the BBC’s defence reporter Alex Dunlop.

There’s brilliant comedy from Brummie funnyman Jasper Carrott, and a real treat in the form of a Norfolk Day special appearance by the county’s best loved, most popular and rudest (!) comedy duo The Nimmo Twins – whose outrageously hilarious Normal for Norfolk shows have entertained sell-out crowds for over 20 years.

Both the literary and fine art worlds are getting excited by Blithe Spirit, a special exhibition of paintings, drawings, letters and photographs by artists and others who lived by or visited the Blyth Estuary between Walberswick and Southwold.

As well as works by Sir Stanley Spencer, Sir John Arnesby Brown, Maggi Hambling, Dame Lucie Rie and Margaret Mellis it will feature a unique collection of letters from the novelist George Orwell. This correspondence with his secret amour Eleanor Jacques has never been seen in public before.

Certainly not to be missed is John Hurt as Artist – the first exhibition anywhere in the world of the late screen legend’s paintings. Sir John painted all his life, attending Grimsby Art School at the age of 17 and winning a scholarship to London’s St. Martin’s School of Art. “John always wanted people to know that painting wasn’t something he did for relaxation or fun,” said his wife Lady Anwen Hurt. “He took it every bit as seriously as he took his acting career.”

To coincide with the exhibition of his paintings, a short series of Sir John Hurt’s films will be screened, curated by Anwen from his personal favourites.

KLmagazine July 2018

Children Free & Dogs on leads allowed

Gooderstone

Water Gardens & Nature Trail JULY EVENTS

Norfolk Day, Friday 27th We have a Bishy Barney Bee Hunt 10.30am to 4.30pm. £3 per child with chocolate prize!

Theatre in the Garden, Sunday 29th “A Woman of No Importance” 6pm Box Office: 03336 663366 Enquiries: 07730 551945

Garden Open daily all year from 10am to 5.30pm (last admission 4.30pm) Tearoom Open daily until end of October (if weather fair)

The Street, Gooderstone PE33 9BP www.gooderstonewatergardens.co.uk Tel: 01603 712913

BARRY L HAWKINS Independent Auctioneer and Land Agent

Antiques & Pictures Sale Wednesday 18th July 10am

Viewings: Saturday 14th July 10am-1pm Tuesday 17th July midday-6pm

Weeting Steam Rally Vintage Machinery Sale Saturday 21st July 11am Bid live online at: www.the-saleroom.com

Downham Market Auction Rooms www.barryhawkins.co.uk | 01366 387180 The Estate Office, 15 Lynn Road, Downham Market PE38 9NL

KLmagazine July 2018

JULY What’s On Show times all at 7:30pm unless stated

Thurs 5th

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie Live Broadcast from London’s West End Apollo Theatre•7:15pm

A multi-award winning show inspired by a true story.

Fri 6th HDFA Drama Festival of One Act Plays Come along and support your favourite local Drama to Group! Each performance will consist of different adult Sun 8th and youth groups performing one-act plays.

Sat 14th Sun 15th

JAE Dance Studio Presents Anniversaire: The Farewell Show • 2.30pm & 7.30pm

A performance from the students of the J.A.E Dance Studio, Dersingham. A showcase spectacular dedicated to all things related to Anniversaries.

Abba Reunion

The ABBA REUNION tribute Show is the creation of an Award Winning West End Director, Producer and Choreographer. Starring the original 'Frida' from the London West End cast!

Romeo & Juliet:

Live Broadcast from the RSC • 7pm

Wed 18th

Set in a world very like our own, this Romeo and Juliet is about a generation of young people born into violence.

Sat 21st

The latest smash hit theatre production from renowned producer James Baker and features the UK’s ultimate Michael Jackson tribute star, Ben Bowman.

Sun 22nd Sat 28th

Michael starring Ben

Girl Power: The Spice Girls Experience Celebrating two decades of hits, record-breaking achievements, iconic symbolism and wowing audiences all over the world. This spectacular Brit Pop experience is sure to Spice Up Your Night!

Magic : A Kind Of Queen

Widely regarded as the finest tribute to Queen in a show featuring all their greatest hits. Magic has been entertaining with a truly live show for over 20 years!

For ticket prices, more info & to book visit the website:

www.princesshunstanton.co.uk or call the Box Office: 01485 532252

The Princess Theatre, 13 The Green, Hunstanton PE36 5AH 17

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A first-class journey all the way to the forecourt Time to discover why Paragon Motor Company of Wisbech is one of the best independent family-owned businesses in East Anglia f you’re looking for a premium car at an outstanding price and a level of service that’s second to none, Paragon Motor Company simply has everything you’re looking for – all the way to the forecourt and beyond.

“All our vehicles go through an extremely vigorous process before being offered for sale,” says Sales Manager Ben Collins, “and that’s a process that starts long before the cars reach our dealership.”

Paragon Motor Company only uses proven and reputable sources, observing the market on a daily basis and travelling all over the country to ensure a top quality stock.

“Before bringing a car to Paragon we’ll ensure it’s free of outstanding finance and never been written off or stolen,” says Ben. “We’ll also confirm the mileage via a vehicle mileage check system.”

All newly purchased cars are in very good hands for their journey back to the dealership. Each one is collected by Paragon’s team of experienced and trusted drivers, who immediately go through a 50-point check of the vehicle before setting out. And once the car does

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KLmagazine July 2018

arrive at Paragon, a team of professionals double checks the 50-point inspection before arranging for its preparation. But the attention to detail doesn’t stop there.

“It’s at this point that we carry out a huge array of checks on the mechanics and running gear of the vehicle to ensure everything’s working efficiently and correctly,” says Ben. “This is carried out in our custom-built service and repair centre. We even check all the tyres for a minimum 3mm tread. This is well over the legal limit, but it’s our standard. That’s why we also carry out a full 4 wheel alignment check using the most up to date technology and equipment.”

Once Paragon’s mechanics are happy with the car’s condition and performance, it’s handed over to the company’s valeting team for a full detailed valet and polish that even pays attention to all the unseen

areas.

Only now is the car ready to be photographed and advertised on the company’s website – and can finally make its debut on the forecourt. And with used vehicles in such superb condition, they tend not to stay there long.

“When customers arrive to pick up their new car, they find it waiting in a specially-created handover bay and covered with a red silk sheet,” says Sales Consultant Dawn Hicks. “It adds a touch of excitement and wonder to the whole process that really does make a world of difference to the customers. For us, it’s all about going the extra mile.”

And every mile your new vehicle has taken from purchase to forecourt (and beyond!) is true to Paragon Motor Company’s commitment to first-class service at every stage of the journey.

Paragon Motor Company, Lynn Road, Wisbech Cambridgeshire PE14 7AN Tel: 01945 223138 Web: www.paragonmotorco.co.uk E-mail: paragonmotorco@btconnect.com

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PICTURES: ITV

Local Life

ABOVE: Actor Neil Morrissey plays Pete Carr in the new series of ITV crime drama Unforgotten, and found filming in Norfolk an exciting experience – “it’s a stunning area,” he said.

Norfolk hosts ITV’s new series of Unforgotten...

KL Magazine obtained an exclusive interview with actor Neil Morrissey and producer Guy de Glanville during the filming of the popular crime drama that returns to our screens later this month

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orfolk has been the setting for many TV series and movies in the past; Gwyneth Paltrow was filmed walking across Holkham Beach for the famous final scene of Shakespeare in Love and streets in Walpole near King’s Lynn were transformed into a World War II battlefield for the film Atonement.

Now, Norfolk’s stunning coastline is returning to our screens once again this month with the new season of ITV’s Unforgotten. The popular British crime drama (created and written by Chris

KLmagazine July 2018

Lang) was first broadcast on ITV in 2015 and follows two London detectives – DCI Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker, star of Last Tango in Halifax) and DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar, comedian and actor in Paddington 2) – as they attempt to uncover the truth behind historic disappearances and murders.

The last series of Unforgotten focused on the murder of David Walker, a Conservative Party consultant who disappeared in 1990, but the new series is slightly different.

Writer Chris Lang has highlighted topics of interest in modern society,

focusing on the potentially-damaging effects of social media on police investigations.

“Chris is taking the temperature of what’s going on around us at the moment and the way we’re fed news,” says Nicola Walker. “The original case was 18 years ago and it was mishandled on many levels, including the investigation itself. When you feed that into an age where social media is very quick to get involved, it’s even more complicated and difficult.”

The third season of Unforgotten is set in locations across the south of England,

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PICTURE: ITV

Local Life

including West Sussex, Bristol, Hampshire, London and Norfolk and is gripping from the start.

When the body of a teenage girl who went missing at the turn of the millennium is found at a building site off the M1 motorway, four men are placed under the spotlight and their relationships are tested to the limit.

The men in question are Pirates of the Caribbean star Kevin McNally, The Vicar of Dibley’s James Fleet, Alex Jennings from The Crown, and Neil Morrissey – probably best known for his role as Tony in Men Behaving Badly.

Morrissey plays Pete Carr, who lives in Hunstanton with his wife and two young boys and works in King’s Lynn as a struggling salesman.

While Morrissey was keen to be a part of the series, he admits he still gets nervous on the first day of filming.

“When you walk on set on your first day, it’s nerve-wracking because it’s a new crew, a new director and these are such great scripts that you really don't want to screw up”, says Neil. “But it’s really great to come in and play

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someone different – it’s an exciting challenge”.

He also enjoyed the time he spent filming in Norfolk.

“We stayed in a local hotel and the people in the pub were all really sweet and the food was good,” he said. “In fact, the fish I had with my fish and chips was the biggest I’ve ever had in my life! I’d certainly recommend Norfolk without question. It’s a stunning area. I know in the summer it’s absolutely jam-packed – but it’s still beautiful.”

Meanwhile, Guy de Glanville – who produced the TV series Age Before Beauty and was an assistant director for wellknown period drama Mr Selfridge – has been the man behind the production of Unforgotten from 201518, and he took time to explain his reasons for choosing Norfolk for the new series.

“The format of Unforgotten is that we always have our guest lead characters based in different areas of the country with some geographical distance between them,” he says. “Norfolk, particularly the coastline, is a fantastic choice as it offers us some wonderfully

dramatic visuals.”

The new series was filmed in March with scenes located in Holkham, Burnham Overy Staithe, King’s Lynn and Hunstanton – where the crew and actors were presented with the challenge of facing the coastline’s characteristically icy temperatures.

“It was minus conditions and the crew were wearing every item of coldweather gear they owned!” says Guy. “The poor actors were absolutely freezing during takes, but managed not to show it on camera. They’re such pros!”

However temperamental the weather, the coast was the initial draw to the area for the producer. With their rugged and dramatic beauty, the beaches of Norfolk give the show a sense of scale by providing an expansive but equally beautiful backdrop – and it’s great to be given such recognition in a major television series.

When describing the show recently, The Daily Telegraph hailed it the “best detective drama of the decade” and this new series promises to be just as gripping as the last two. It’s certainly already on our ‘must-watch’ list.

Series 3 of Unforgotten will be screened on ITV later this month.

KLmagazine July 2018

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KLmagazine July 2018

respect of the past 12 months for every bank account, ISA’s, pensions, any savings accounts or investments, historical wage slips, business accounts and other evidence of the financial background of both individuals. You may be asked to complete a Form E, a more detailed assessment, to further enable your solicitor to negotiate a ‘fair and reasonable’ financial settlement.

Should it be discovered that one of the parties has hidden wealth at any stage, it can be looked at again by the court – and in some extreme cases can even lead to imprisonment. You can ask for further disclosure if you’re not convinced you’re being told the truth once you have reviewed the other side’s documentation.

Further doubts can involve a forensic investigation of account transactions, and if necessary, a formal application to the court for a direction to disclose. However, because of the costs and time involved court should always be seen as a last resort.

Untying the knot Money and divorce – where do you start? ver 40 % of marriages currently end in divorce, and an increasing number of ‘Silver Separators’ (couples over 60) are ending relationships in later life. It comes as no surprise that according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) over 100,000 couples every year are asking the courts to formally end their marriage. The inevitable question a client will ask a divorce lawyer is “how much will I be left with?” – but before a lawyer can comment or the courts can agree on what represents a reasonable settlement, both parties are required to make ‘full and frank’ financial disclosure.

O

DIVISION OF ASSETS Division of assets are generally based on how long you’ve been married or in a civil partnership, as well as your: l Ages and ability to earn l Property, money and living expenses l Standard of living l Role in the marriage or civil partnership – for example if you were the breadwinner or primary carer.

In the vast majority of cases, assets are split according to need or other statutory

criteria, regardless of who’s to blame – and if children are involved, their needs will be prioritised. Long marriages (generally those between 10-14 years+) where children aren’t involved often result in an equal split.

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL Prior to issuing any applications to the courts, voluntary disclosure of financial documentation often achieves a settlement between the couple and their solicitors. One party may agree to give everything to the other (out of guilt for example) and the couple can arrange this kind of settlement between themselves.

However, it is still advisable to get a consent order sealed by the court which can be arranged through solicitors. Otherwise, a claim could be made in the future against the person who keeps the assets.

YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE Sometimes there’s a fear that the other side might not disclose their financial details in full or that they’ve been squirreling away finances and hiding assets in anticipation of the break-up. Reassurance is essential at this point. Both parties are required to provide detailed financial documents which are then exchanged with each other.

This can include mortgage statements, property valuations, bank statements in

DISTRIBUTING THE ASSETS Once an agreement is reached, the vast majority of clients will document the agreement in a ‘Consent Order’. Once signed by both parties and sealed by the court, these documents are legally binding.

The lawyers will use them to help the clients implement the agreement in the quickest and most cost-effective way. The Order will refer to time limits for distribution or transfers. Failure to comply may result in additional high interest payments.

This article aims to supply general information, but is not intended to constitute advice. Every effort is made to ensure that the law referred to is correct at the date of publication and to avoid any statement which may mislead. However, no duty of care is assumed to any person and no liability is accepted for any omission or inaccuracy. Always seek our specific advice. Hayes + Storr Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

If you’d like more information on any of the issues detailed in this article, please contact me on 01553 778900 or email rob.colwell@hayes-storr.com ROB COLWELL Associate Solicitor Head of Family Services

Hayes + Storr Solicitors The Old County Court, County Court Road, King’s Lynn PE30 5EJ Web: www.hayesandstorr.co.uk E-mail: law.kingslynn@hayes-storr.com Offices at: King’s Lynn | Hunstanton | Fakenham | Swaffham | Holt | Wells | Sheringham

KLmagazine July 2018

25

PICTURE: TIM GRAHAM

History

ABOVE: Ruth, Lady Fermoy, sitting at her piano in her apartment in Eaton Square, Belgravia. Moving to King’s Lynn in 1931 after her marriage, Lady Fermoy fell in love with the town, organising lunchtime concerts to give local people the chance to hear professional music of the highest standard. The festival she organised in 1951 is still with us to this day, and the 68th King's Lynn Festival opens later this month.

Princess Di’s grandmother and founder of the festival As the 68th King’s Lynn Festival opens later this month, Sally Turff of King’s Lynn Town Guides relates the story of its founder, whose portrait looks over the audiences at St George’s Guildhall...

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serene and elegant lady, coiffed and made up with all the glamour of the 1950s and dressed in low-cut black looks down from the wall of the auditorium of the Guildhall of St George. The portrait is of Ruth, Lady Fermoy and the citation on the frame reads ‘this portrait was presented by admirers of her great contribution to the

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cultural life of the community. It was unveiled by HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother on 26 July 1954.’

These words encapsulate the hugely influential role which Lady Fermoy played in the life of King’s Lynn, her adopted town – without her there would never have been an annual festival, and arguably without her support the Guildhall in which her portrait hangs (and

which is the largest complete medieval guildhall in England) might not be with us today to host plays, concerts, dance and films.

Lady Fermoy, grandmother of Princess Diana – or, more appropriately to a younger generation, great grandmother of Princes William and Harry – came to King’s Lynn in 1931 on her marriage to Maurice Roche, the 4th Baron Fermoy

KLmagazine July 2018

ABOVE: A week after the surprise announcement of her engagement to Antony Armstrong-Jones, Princess Margaret thanked Lady Fermoy for her congratulations. In recounting the couple’s visit to Buckingham Palace, the princess wrote “no one guessed the reason of our visit, and I only wish you’d been in on the MI5 arrangements by which he [ArmstrongJones] was whisked into the Queen’s room to ask the vital permission!” Opposite is the beautiful portrait of Lady Fermoy by Anthony Devas that hangs in the Guildhall of St George in King’s Lynn.

(known as Lord Fermoy) who was then the town’s MP. She was born Ruth Sylvia Gill in 1908 at her father’s ancestral home in Aberdeenshire and showed early promise as a pianist, eventually moving south to study music at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris in the 1920s.

Lord Fermoy had settled in Norfolk in the 1920s, where he served as MP for King’s Lynn until 1935. In 1931, when he married Ruth Gill, he was actually mayor of the town, and the couple lived first at Sedgeford Hall and later at Park House within the grounds of Sandringham. Lord Fermoy had become a regular guest at shooting parties with King George VI, along with Michael Adeane and the young Viscount Althorp (later the eighth Earl Spencer).

It was at this time that Ruth Fermoy was introduced to and then became a close friend of Queen Elizabeth.

When another of the town’s generous benefactors, Alexander Penrose, bought and rescued St George’s Guildhall from impending demolition after the last war, Lady Fermoy immediately became involved, leading to a partnership made in heaven.

KLmagazine July 2018

The St George’s Arts Trust was formed, and the numerous buildings in the complex leading to the river (most of them now listed) became know as the Fermoy Centre.

In 1951, because of the endeavours of Lady Fermoy using her contacts with artists and performers, and supported by Queen Elizabeth (who acted as patron) the King’s Lynn Festival was launched in a newly re-furbished guildhall. Lady Fermoy’s social and creative contacts enabled her to attract a formidable list of performers to appear in what was then generally regarded as a cultural backwater isolated from the rest of the country.

The annual house party at Sandringham every July coincided with the festival, and local audiences became used to seeing members of the royal

family and titled guests occupying the front row.

By 1956, Elizabeth was known as the Queen Mother, and Lady Fermoy joined her court as an ‘Extra Woman of the Bedchamber’ – being promoted to ‘Woman of the Bedchamber’ in 1960.

The friendship between the two prospered, and Lady Fermoy was very much to the fore at the more social weekends at Royal Lodge, when guests were treated to readings by such well known performers as John Gielgud or Edward Fox or to musical entertainment.

When private visits to France and Venice were taken, Lady Fermoy was often in the royal party.

Despite having become an accomplished concert pianist and performing at the Royal Albert Hall, Lady Fermoy’s professional career had ceased

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History

A step-by-step way to explore the heritage of King’s Lynn...

As King’s Lynn switches into festival mode, the Town Guides are busy with their own programme as well as supporting both Festival Too and the Festival: MOndAy EVEning WAlkS (all start at 7pm) gaywood Walk – July 9th Doreen Leventhall explores the development of Gaywood from Bishop’s residence to rural village and the busy suburb of King’s Lynn that we know today. Meet at the old gate to King Edward VII Academy.

Riverside Streets and People in Victorian lynn – July 16th Dr Paul Richards traces riverside streets that are rarely visited to discover their Victorian past, looking at the social character of the ‘Old Town’ during Queen Victoria’s reign.

Meet outside Stories of Lynn.

Fisherfolk, Merchants and Smugglers Too – July 23rd Pat Fysh and Mike Goward tour the North End looking at the trade, buildings and lives of some of the people who lived there. Meet outside True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum.

ABOVE: Lady Fermoy at the wedding of her grandaughter Diana to the Prince of Wales on 29th July 1981 – Lady Fermoy is standing to the right of Prince Charles

on her marriage – although she was to perform with British conductor and cellist Sir John Barbirolli and the Hallé orchestra at the King’s Lynn Festival in 1966.

There’s another significant reason for the town to be grateful to the generosity of Lady Fermoy. Thoresby College, which lies between Queen Street and the South Quay, was originally built as a seminary and accommodation for 13 priests employed as chantry chaplains by the Trinity Guild of Merchants.

The 16th century buildings gradually fell into decline, and were eventually bought in 1963 by two benefactors who preferred to remain anonymous. Later, it transpired the buyers were Lady Fermoy and her daughter Frances, who presented the college to the King’s Lynn Preservation Trust which carefully and sympathetically restored it.

Anyone who may not have seen this very special building should open the little wicket set in the great carved door on Queen Street.

Through the archway is revealed a quiet courtyard with a Judas tree at the centre, weighed down with glorious lilac blossoms in spring. In the paving

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in the northeast corner of the courtyard is a mark showing the line of the river’s quayside in medieval times, a graphic illustration of the way the river has ‘moved’ down the centuries.

Lady Fermoy’s daughter Frances and her husband Viscount Althorp lived at Park House on the Sandringham estate, and so their children (including Lady Diana Spencer) grew up very close to the royals. When Diana married Prince Charles in 1981 it was assumed the marriage was ‘facilitated’ by the two grandmothers, though that was consistently denied.

Lady Fermoy’s devotion to King’s Lynn was recognised in 1964 when she was given the freedom of the Borough, and she remained a staunch supporter of the King’s Lynn Festival until she died in July 1993 aged 84. Now in its 67th year, the festival gets under way on Sunday 15th July with a concert by (appropriately enough) the Hallé Orchestra.

Next time you attend a show at the Guildhall, be sure to look out for Lady Fermoy’s portrait – and remember how the vision of this wonderful lady changed the cultural landscape of King’s Lynn.

Victorian lynn – July 30th Ian Stuart tells the fascinating story of the fortunes of the town in the 19th century, taking in the Victorian buildings in the older part of King’s Lynn. Meet outside Stories of Lynn.

FESTiVAl WAlkS (all start at 2pm) The darker Side of lynn – July 18th Visit sites reflecting the grimmer aspects of Lynn’s history, including the ducking stool and pillory. As you go from the 14th to 19th centuries, you’ll hear tales of murder, treason, hangings and witchcraft. Meet Edith Reeves at St Nicholas’ Chapel.

Religious lynn – July 19th Explore the Minster church of King’s Lynn and follow the merchant streets to the 11th century All Saints Church. Meet Richard Morley outside Stories of Lynn.

60 years of the klPT – July 25th Since its foundation in 1958, the King’s Lynn Preservation Trust has rescued and restored many of the town’s best loved buildings. This walk includes some of the most well-known – from Hampton Court to Clifton House. Meet Doreen Leventhall at All Saints Church.

River Walk – July 26th Explore both banks of the river, cross the river at the South Lynn Bridge and experience the view of King’s Lynn from the West Bank. A Ferry crossing ends the walk in Ferry Lane/King Street. Note the walk will take around 2½ hours and involves footpaths which are not concreted and a ferry crossing. Walking shoes are recommended. Meet Niki Jenkins at The Custom House.

For further information, to book tickets or arrange a private tour please contact the Tourist Information Centre at the Custom House on 01553 763044.

KLmagazine July 2018

The Big Interview KL MAGAZINE: How important is the King’s Lynn Festival to the town?

ALISON CROOSE: Hugely. Ruth Lady Fermoy founded the Festival in 1951 and brought many world-famous names to King’s Lynn, immediately putting the town on the national and international map. Not only does the Festival enrich the lives of local people but it’s also crucial to the tourism industry of West Norfolk.

KL MAGAZINE: What does your role as Chairman of the Festival entail?

ALISON CROOSE: In addition to chairing board meetings, I have a strategic role looking for new opportunities, working with funders such as the Borough Council, and building partnerships with many organisations such as community groups, business supporters and the churches where many of our concerts are staged. The role comes with a great responsibility to maintain the wonderful tradition established by Lady Fermoy.

My goal is to ensure the Festival moves onwards and upwards, adopting Lady Fermoy’s wonderful mantra – “Nothing but the best for King’s Lynn.”

KL MAGAZINE: What are you looking forward to most at this year’s Festival?

ALISON CROOSE: I always look forward to it all! It will be a very special moment to hear the opening bars of music at the first concert and realise that after 15 months of planning and preparation the 68th Festival is underway at last! I enjoy all the music from classical to folk and big band punctuated with talks, films and the visual arts. It’s an incredibly diverse programme of events.

Alison Croose Chairman, King’s Lynn Festival KL MAGAZINE: Could you tell us a little about your background?

ALISON CROOSE: I spent my working life as a journalist, initially with the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph before returning to King’s Lynn (where I grew up) and joining the EDP. I became the News Editor for West Norfolk and the Fens and the EDP’s Royal Correspondent – and I particularly enjoyed covering the King’s Lynn Festival for 25 years.

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KL MAGAZINE: How did you first become actively involved with King’s Lynn Festival?

ALISON CROOSE: The Festival organisation was changing at the time I took early retirement in 1998 and I was delighted to be invited as a member of the new board. At the first meeting we were told that the Press Officer was leaving – and all eyes turned to me!

The rest is history.

KL MAGAZINE: What’s the most rewarding part of the job?

ALISON CROOSE: Seeing lots of happy faces as audiences leave a Festival event – and discovering that many people have travelled very far to be there. It’s also good to talk to the musicians after their performances.

They’re always full of praise for the historic venues and they really do enjoy performing in those spaces.

KL MAGAZINE: What do you consider to have been your greatest achievement?

ALISON CROOSE: I’m a team player and I like working with others to get the best outcome. I hope I’ve been effective as a News Editor, during many years as a chair of governors at the former Park High School, and I’m now endeavouring to maintain the great tradition that is the King’s Lynn Festival.

KLmagazine July 2018

KL MAGAZINE: What have you learned from your work?

ALISON CROOSE: A great deal. It’s been fascinating to discover so much about the arts world and how it functions. Learning about the lives of professional classical musicians is particularly intriguing – all the travelling, all the rehearsing, all the work in devising attractive programmes.

And learning they never let their instruments out of their sight!

Nicolson. It’s an account of his experiences when he inherited three lonely Hebridean islands at the age of 21. With only a stone hut for accommodation and half a million puffins for company, he suddenly found himself in charge of one of the most beautiful places on earth. It’s a very wonderful story of birds and boats, hermits and fishermen, witchcraft and catastrophe – and it’s a lovely celebration of island life.

KL MAGAZINE: What’s the best way for people to support King’s Lynn Festival?

ALISON CROOSE: Simple – come to Festival events! The packed two-week programme of 36 events offers something for everyone. Many supporters are ‘patrons’ and ‘friends’ who enjoy priority booking and give the Festival additional support. We also have very generous private and business sponsors enabling us to maintain the Festival’s quality. Every little really does help!

KL MAGAZINE: Tell us something about yourself that would surprise people…

ALISON CROOSE: I used to go to adult tap dancing classes – and twice took to the stage in shows at St George’s Guildhall!

KL MAGAZINE: What do you like best about West Norfolk?

ALISON CROOSE: The coast and its big skies, the lovely beaches, the RSPB reserves and the gently rolling countryside. We’re incredibly fortunate to have King’s Lynn with its rich history, beautiful historic buildings and the River Great Ouse – all of which are captured in the free Festival exhibition Lynn From All Angles in the Fermoy Gallery.

As usual, the King’s Lynn Festival will be hosting a wealth of world-class cultural talent, and this year’s events programme includes Polish cellist Marcin Zdunik (left), acclaimed folk musician and ex- Fairground Attraction singer Eddi Reader (above), award-winning academic Suzannah Lipscomb (below left) and art critic and television presenter Andrew Graham-Dixon (below right)

KL MAGAZINE: In your free time, how do you like to relax?

ALISON CROOSE: Walking by the sea (and paddling if the tide isn’t too far out!), gardening, yoga, golf, and visiting Scotland and its Western Isles.

KL MAGAZINE: Who’s your biggest inspiration?

ALISON CROOSE: Concerning the Festival it would be its founder Ruth Lady Fermoy. I was fortunate enough to meet her many times and she left a wonderful legacy – I’m doing my best to help maintain that tradition. In life generally my greatest inspiration was my late husband Allan, who encouraged and supported all my endeavours, spurred me on and boosted my confidence in handling responsibilities. He loved everything about the Festival.

KL MAGAZINE: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

ALISON CROOSE: Be yourself.

KL MAGAZINE: What was the last book you read?

ALISON CROOSE: Sea Room by Adam

KLmagazine July 2018

The 68th King’s Lynn Festival runs from 15th-28th July. For full details and events programme, please see www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk.

For tickets, call the Box Office on 01553 764864 31

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KLmagazine July 2018

Discover a world of art at Tim Clayton Jewellery This year’s Festival Exhibition at Tim Clayton Jewellery features the beautifully natural work of Ely-based artist Christopher Witchall... or the last 43 years, Tim Clayton Jewellery has built a strong local reputation for combining the highest standards of craftsmanship with unique and creative jewellery design.

It’s also become a popular venue during the King’s Lynn Festival, when Tim Clayton uses his Chapel Street store to promote the work of established and upand-coming local artists. It’s a tradition that took on a new dimension last year when Tim opened a dedicated first-floor gallery and exhibition space – a space that’s been a huge success and is now preparing for this year’s Festival exhibition.

For the King’s Lynn Festival 2018, Tim Clayton Jewellery will be featuring a collection of paintings by the Ely-based artist Christopher Witchall, who studied Fine Art in York and Lancaster and has been painting and exhibiting since the 1970s.

Following a long and successful career as an art gallery manager, curator and gallery owner, Christopher became a fulltime professional artist in 2010 and his

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KLmagazine July 2018

work is now held in collections throughout the UK, Europe, USA, Australia and Singapore.

“I’ve always loved Chris’ work and I’m really pleased we’ve managed to bring him to King’s Lynn,” says Tim. “I think visitors to the exhibition will be amazed at the level of detail and realism he achieves in his paintings. They really do need to be seen to be fully appreciated.”

Christopher’s landscapes, seascapes and urban street scenes capture the light, space and vast skies of the area he’s lived in, explored, painted and photographed for over 30 years. His unsentimental approach combines traditional painting techniques with the accuracy and the cool detachment of photography – but with a genuine sense of place.

"My paintings do all begin with a photographic image, but for me a photograph is never quite enough,” he says. “I love the actual process of painting, and somehow the finished result seems much more persuasive than a photograph.”

Tim Clatyon’s festival exhibition offers a

wonderful opportunity to discover Chris’ fabulous paintings – but when you visit don’t forget to see Tim’s hugely impressive (and equally artistic!) selection of jewellery, giftware and accessories in his store.

Christopher Witchall at Tim Clayton Jewellery runs from July 13th to August 31st during the store’s normal opening times (9am-5.30pm Monday-Saturday) and admission is free.

information

Tim Clayton Jewellery 21-23 Chapel Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1EG Tel: 01553 772329 Web: www.timclaytonjewellery.com

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Local Life

ABOVE: This fascinating and spectacular hand-coloured map of the world (note the absence of most of the northern USA, Canada and Australia) comes from L’atlas de Mer ou Monde Aquatique, which was printed in Amsterdam in 1667 and is now part of the incredible collection of rare books at Blicking Hall – which also has a world map printed some 200 years before this one

A treasure trove of books at Blickling Hall The National Trust has over half a million books in its collection, and the biggest library is in a quiet corner of Norfolk. Clare Bee talks to the man spending more than a decade cataloguing them

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ry to imagine a world without books. That’s the message Blickling Hall is inviting visitors to ponder with its latest exhibition, The Word Defiant! which is on show until October 28th. In fact, the exhibition is more of a series of installations, which can be found throughout the fabulous Jacobean mansion and the garden temple – installations that reveal stories of books that have been banned, burned, neglected and superseded, each one linked to the theme of books

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under threat.

One of the installations features a cascade of books flowing from the bookcases and across the floor of the Long Gallery which houses the hall’s library. The intention is to raise visitors’ awareness of the nationally important collection housed at Blickling Hall and the ongoing need for its conservation.

The National Trust currently has approximately 600,000 books in its collection, held in the libraries of over 160 houses and properties – books actually make up the single largest

group of objects the Trust looks after.

And in Norfolk, Blickling Hall has one of the greatest country house libraries in the British Isles – and is possibly the largest individual historic collection owned by the Trust, consisting of well over 12,500 manuscripts and printed books.

With so many books in its possession, the National Trust has always listed the books held at each property, but the lists were minimal at best, so 20 years ago it embarked on a nationwide and long-term project to catalogue every

KLmagazine July 2018

ABOVE: Detail of a page from the oldest book in the library of Blickling Hall (right) – an early 12th century manuscript copy of the Dialogues of Pope Gregory the Great, written by the man who was Pope from September 590 until March 604

KLmagazine July 2018

PICTURE: KENNY GRAY

single book in every single house.

At the time, the Trust had only one full-time Libraries Curator and two part-time Assistant Libraries Curators to look after all the books in the houses throughout the country, so it took on experienced rare books librarians to work in individual houses to start cataloguing the volumes.

At Blickling Hall, the task fell to John Gandy, an experienced freelance librarian, who’d worked in some 16 different National Trust properties since 2004.

The scale of the project is staggering.

John started working at Blickling in 2010, and thinks he might finally be finished in another seven years!

“We need to get every book catalogued to the international standards required by researchers and scholars, and make sure they’re accessible on a computerised database,” says John. “It’s a standardised format whereby, for example, 100 copies of a book would be listed, where they all are, how to get them, and the variations in the copies.”

It’s a mammoth project, but it does have a forward-thinking purpose.

“The whole point is that the National Trust will know precisely what they’ve got and where any individual book is on any one shelf. A catalogue is a finding aid, and makes the libraries usable – it will make the books available for use by researchers, academics and scholars

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Local Life

ABOVE: This illustration of a chipmunk holding a hickory nut comes from Mark Catesby’s Natural History of the Carolinas, which was printed in London in 1731. Of all the books held at Blickling Hall, the finest manuscript is a mid-15th century copy of De Vita Caesarem (know today as The Twelve Caesars) by the Roman historian Suetonius (below). The finely illuminated manuscript was made for the Duke of Ferrara Borso d’Este around 1452.

and they can finally find out what we’ve got. And where!”

Blickling Hall’s library contains the Trust’s largest and finest collection of medieval manuscripts and early printed books from the 15th and 16th centuries.

By way of contrast for example, Oxburgh Hall has a smaller collection of more modern books, mainly from the 19th and 20th century.

The vast majority of the books in the impressive collection at Blickling were originally owned by Sir Richard Ellys, Baronet of Nocton Hall in Lincolnshire, and MP for Boston and Grantham. On Ellys’ death in 1742 his entire estate was inherited by his cousin Sir John Hobart of Blickling Hall. The books were swiftly transferred to Blickling, where the Long Gallery had been converted into a library in which to house them and where they have remained ever since.

The cataloguing in the Trust is still a work in progress, with the funding coming from a variety of sources; some from the property itself and some being provided by the Trust’s central financial pot.

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“We’re very lucky here at Blickling,” says John. “We have a wonderful secondhand bookshop, which makes a lot of money and is actually the largest bookshop in any National Trust property. It’s so well run – and all the money is ploughed back into the estate. Some of it’s earmarked for the cataloguing, but it’s also been used to pay for the recreation of the walled kitchen garden, as well as for the wider parkland or other projects.”

Cataloguing such an immense library takes a long time, as each book can take a while to go through for a variety of different reasons.

“With older books, there might be original handwriting to try and decipher, and the owners might have noted where they were when they bought it,” says John. “If they were a student at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, I need to find everyone at the college at that time with that name.”

It’s a painstaking and timeconsuming task, especially when you’re dealing with 15th century Dutch books

whose owners wrote in Latin.

“Interestingly, I think the book that’s taken me the longest to do is only about 50 pages long!” says John. “It’s dated from the early 1500s and contains fragmentary texts of ancient Greek philosophers. Part of my job is to to figure out who all these people were – and several had the same surname! It took me nearly three days to do just that one book!”

Many of the books at Blickling Hall are first editions such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice – but it also has some incredibly rare gems. The oldest is an early 12th century manuscript of the Dialogues of Pope Gregory the Great, which was probably made in the scriptoria of an English monastery sometime between 1100-1150. The text is in Latin, but at some point someone has included the Apostles’ Creed in very early Middle English, written in the Kentish dialect.

“Until I’ve finished cataloguing how many physical books we have, we won't know how many actual titles we have,” says John. “I think we may end up with the number being around 15,000.”

Clearly, with the amount of detail needed, John’s work in the Long Gallery is mapped out for the forseeable future as he carefully notes every book on every shelf in every section. With all these catalogued books sitting neatly alongside the cascade of books in the The Word Defiant! installation, this certainly is something which provides visitors with much food for thought.

KLmagazine July 2018

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But the unique thing about the unit is just that – it’s a completely one-off piece of furniture, having been designed and handcrafted by Bespoke Pine n Oak’s Kevin Berry and Carl Ingram in their King’s Lynn workshop – made to match a customer’s exact requirements

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and specific room measurements.

“That’s the real beauty of truly bespoke furniture,” says Kevin Berry. “In this case, the customer had found a style she really liked, but the off-theshelf options were either too short or not wide enough. She simply brought us a picture of what she was looking for, and we took it from there!”

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KLmagazine July 2018

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37

West Norfolk: Then and Now

1917

2018

THE GREENLAND FISHERIES...

Many thanks to Jason Chapman of Snettisham for sending us this charming old postcard (top) of the Greenland Fisheries in King’s Lynn. Thought to date from 1917, it’s a fascinating image of one of the last timber-framed buildings erected in the town. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Greenland Fishery

Tavern was home to whalers who went hunting for whales in the Arctic – and building was lovingly restored by the King’s Lynn Preservation Trust.

If you’re interested in seeing how our towns and landscapes have changed over the years, you’ll find thousands of images depicting Norfolk’s unique social history at www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk

or by visiting the Norfolk Heritage Centre at the Millennium Library, The Forum, Norwich (or your local studies library). We’ll take another look back at the area next month.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Enjoy thousands of images of Norfolk’s unique history at www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk 38

KLmagazine July 2018

fact, unless you have a large estate, it may have no effect whatsoever – and even if your estate does become liable for IHT it is unlikely to make matters worse than leaving the gift in your Will.

Is it better to leave money in a Will or to gift during your lifetime?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question, although if gifting during your lifetime, you’ll obviously have the benefit of witnessing the positive effect of your gift; receiving the gratitude as well as having the opportunity to provide guidance on how you wish for it to be spent.

What if you’re concerned they are too young or may go astray?

If they are too young to have full access and control of a large sum of money, or if you’d like to retain an element of control, you can set up a family Trust – and this can even be done for grandchildren not born yet! Simple Trusts like these are inexpensive and easy to set up.

Can I gift money to my grandchildren?

Concerns about tax implications is preventing many grandparents helping grandchildren financially, but Ring Associates can help... inancial advice obtained from the internet or ‘the man in the pub’ has often led to a reluctance by grandparents to gift money in fear of the potential tax implications.

Many grandparents would love to gift money to their grandchildren – perhaps to support further education or to assist with a deposit on their first home, but the fear of a tax liability is currently preventing them from doing so.

F

What are the rules and does it really cause a tax problem?

There is a common myth that gifts to grandchildren are limited to £3,000 before there is any tax implication.

Although there is a small element of truth in this, it is only in connection with Inheritance Tax (IHT), as will be

explained later.

The truth is that in reality, if a grandparent wished to gift their grandchild £100,000 they could – and there would be no immediate tax consequence, if ever at all.

Can I give it to their parents to look after?

This is a possibility, but unless the money is held within a Trust, the gift would normally be subject to tax at the rate paid by the parents. Remember that each child will have their own income tax allowance (currently £11,850 per annum) and most are never used.

As always, it is best to seek professional independent advice, and remember, as the 19th Century saying goes “Shrouds have no pockets” i.e. you can’t take it with you!

If you’d like to discuss this issue further with one of our fully qualified and independent advisers, please feel free to contact us on 01553 777600 or via enquiries@ringassociates.co.uk.

What is the IHT issue?

If you die within seven years of making a financial gift, then the value of the gift could be added back to the value of your estate in any assessment for potential IHT liability.

This, however, is not something that should stop grandparents considering gifts. In 11-12 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1JN TEL: 01553 777600 WEB: www.ringassociates.co.uk E-MAIL: enquiries@ringassociates.co.uk Ring Associates Ltd is registered in England No. 04569784 Ring Associates Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No. 418829

KLmagazine July 2018

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PICTURES: SENNOWE PARK

Local Life

ABOVE: The beautiful setting of Sennowe Park, which has hosted everything from charitable events to the Fakenham Horse Show and concerts by performers such as Jools Holland and The Pretenders

Inside Norfolk’s most romantic country house Family home, film location and favoured backdrop for fashion photographers, Sennowe Hall was completed in 1907 for the grandson of the father of modern tourism, as Clare Bee discovers

S

et in over 1,000 acres, Sennowe Park is a true hidden gem in the north Norfolk countryside. The hugely impressive Edwardian country house with its sweeping parkland is still owned and run privately, and was completed in 1907 by Thomas Albert Cook, the grandson of Thomas Cook, the inventor of modern tourist travel.

Established in 1872 by Cook and his son, the eponymous travel firm (which the elder Cook saw as both a religious and social service) expanded rapidly in

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the late Victorian era, and was eventually handed on to the original Thomas’ three grandsons.

However, Thomas Albert Cook (known as Bert) decided to leave the running of the business to his two brothers, selling his share and moving to Norfolk, where he could indulge his interests in sailing, carriage driving and shooting – pastimes whose local profiles had risen thanks to the Royal Family’s leisure activities at nearby Sandringham.

In Norfolk, Bert bought Sennowe Park, and commissioned George

Skipper to upgrade and transform the existing late 18th century hall in the grounds. Skipper was well known as one of Norfolk’s leading architects of the day, having previously designed the Art Deco Royal Arcade in Norwich and the famous building occupied by Norwich Union.

With Sennowe Hall, Skipper was able to let his imagination take over, and it’s generally regarded as one of his finest achievements.

The current owner and great grandson of Bert, Charlie TempleRichards, along with his wife Virginia

KLmagazine July 2018

KLmagazine July 2018

PICTURE: TIM WALKER

and three children, now call Sennowe their home. Since moving there in 2003 from London, Charlie (a stockbroker by profession) and Virginia (who’d previously worked at Sotheby’s auction house) determined they’d continue to run the house and look after it for future generations.

As a direct descendant of the original owner, Charlie is particularly keen to keep the house running as a family home – but to also share its magnificence with a wider audience.

“In many ways, I feel I had a golden childhood,” says Charlie. “My grandparents lived at the hall, and I lived with my parents only a couple of miles away and would spend my days in the holidays with my grandfather’s gamekeeper. So I learned a lot about country life. When I then inherited the house, we decided we’d make the most of it and keep it going. We feel we’re the custodians of the place for the generations to come after us.”

Approached by a mile-long driveway, passing the lake and boathouse and through beautiful woodland, the exterior of the house is impressive and detailed, with roof statues and intricate carvings. The entrance colonnades are echoed by a line of further colonnades looking out over the gardens, and a huge decorated and spectacular gateway leads into the stable yard, where 11 Edwardian loose boxes were built for the use of Bert Cook's carriage horses. An Italianate water tower stands at 120ft tall – and still has a working belfry which chimes out every quarter of an hour.

Symmetrically-designed lawns and large terraces look over the spectacular parkland and lake, and the walled garden covers half an acre – an ancient Edwardian vine still winds its way along the entire length of one wall of the huge greenhouse.

ABOVE: The stunning interior of Sennowe Hall has provided a backdrop for several films and high-profile photoshoots, such as this one (top) with model Olga Shearer by renowned British photographer Tim Walker. The hall was built by the grandson of Thomas Cook (bottom right) who founded the famous travel firm in the mid 19th century –and is still lived in by his descendants

41

Local Life

42

finally realised the guests had left them out for the butler to clean! So at 1am I suddenly became the hall’s butler and cleaned them all – needless to say, we didn’t let on!”

Sennowe has also featured in a movie made by the world’s largest film industry.

“Yes, we’ve even had a Bollywood film shot here,” says Virginia. “A crew of over 130 people set up camp here for about three weeks. It seems they’d already used a lot of the great palaces in India, and were looking for something different – and at the time the UK government was offering VAT and financial backing for certain films from abroad. The film turned out to be a blockbuster – at least in India! It was chaos, but a truly wonderful experience and we’d love to do it again.”

For all its grandiose setting and acres of rolling parkland, Sennowe Park is still very much a warm private home, with all the normal worries of running a house. Charlie and Virginia however, see it as a privilege to have been handed the responsibility of looking after it for the future.

Charlie sums up his feelings for the place.

“I want to hand the family flag on to another generation and I’d hate for Sennowe to come to an end on my watch,” he says. “As I’ve grown up, the power of the building has shrunk – so that now I tend to see it as an old friend.”

If you’d like a stunning local setting for an event or wedding, need a breathtaking location for a photography shoot, or are a film director looking for a suitably atmospheric backdrop to your next movie, please visit the website at www.sennowepark.com

PICTURES: SENNOWE PARK

Although Sennowe Park isn’t open to the public, Charlie and Virginia work hard to put on events and hire out the house and grounds. The hall and grounds provide an ideal venue for weddings, and with up to seven rooms available, guests can stay on and enjoy a luxurious break in a quite remarkable country house.

The Edwardian boathouse offers a romantic setting for the bride and groom to stay, with a broad veranda facing the setting sun supported on stilts over the lake providing a spectacular way to end a very special day. With the house and grounds providing such picturesque backdrops, it’s hardly surprising Sennowe Park has been used for presitigous photographic shoots over the years. The park and hall offer endless locations, from the romantic lake and boathouse to the Long Room and Winter Garden, which features a marble floor and colonnaded fountain. Clients have included both British and Italian Vogue, Tatler, Pepe Jeans, Condé Nast Traveler, Mini Boden, Jack Wills, and renowned British fashion photographer Tim Walker.

“We also have cultural groups to stay from places such as America or Holland,” says Virginia, “and we lay on anything they want – from a buffet lunch in the Winter Garden to a black tie event, and we invite interesting local people to come and have dinner with them.”

However, hosting foreign guests whose only knowledge of British stately homes comes from Downton Abbey can bring its unexpected moments.

“We once had a group of Dutch vintage car enthusiasts stay with us,” says Charlie. “I was walking round at the end of the evening, and I noticed a pair of shoes outside every room – we

KLmagazine July 2018

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KLmagazine July 2018

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KLmagazine July 2018

ONE MOTORHOME & A WHOLE WORLD TO DISCOVER!

Greentrees: where your next big adventure begins...

Neil Greentree takes a motorhome through European history... hen you set out in a motorhome on a 2,300 mile tour around Europe to explore four of the most famous (or infamous) locations related to World War II, you need exceptional levels of performance and comfort to meet the demands of the journey. That’s why Neil Greentree recently took a Swift Bessacarr through France, Germany and Poland taking in such sights as Colditz castle and the Eder Dam (the focus of The Dambusters raid) – where Neil grabbed the opportunity to paddleboard in front of the iconic structure.

“The Bessacarr was already a classic, but it’s been completely redesigned for 2018 and taken to a new level,” says Neil. “The layout, the finish, the equipment levels and fuel consumption are all top class.”

Recognised nationally as one of the industry’s leading experts, Neil Greentree has a real passion for promoting the modern face of caravanning – a superb way to open

W

KLmagazine July 2018

a world of adventure and possibilities.

With no less than 15 layouts to choose from and a Fiat Euro 6 2.3l 130bhp turbo diesel engine that makes the most of those open European motorways, the Swift Bessacarr encourages you to go further – and experience more.

It’s also a superb example of what ‘caravanning’ is in the 21st century. While the traditional purpose of motorhomes and caravans was (and still can be) the sheer enjoyment of the vehicle itself, more and more people are now using them to enhance an active lifestyle, appreciating the increased levels of comfort, functionality and adaptability.

“For activity-led people who want to

enjoy the great outdoors in style, this is an incredible way to do it,” says Neil. “As the Swift Bessacarr demonstrates, today’s caravans and motorhomes have all the comfort and luxury touches you want – and offer all the freedom you need!”

Greentrees is one of the very best caravan and motorhome centres in the whole of the UK. With over 100 new and used vehicles on one site from the country’s top manufacturers, Greentrees also has every accessory you could wish for and a team of specialists for expert help and service. In fact, Greentrees is the perfect starting point for your next big adventure!

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Gardening

How to make summer gardening child’s play...

Inspiring children to enjoy plants and gardening can give them a healthy outlook for their whole lives. Wendy Warner of Thaxters Garden Centre talks about a natural way to enjoy the summer holidays

W

ith the school holidays fast approaching, there are many things you can do in the garden with children which will occupy their time at a fraction of the cost of a day out at an attraction. Plus, they’ll learn a lot from getting involved in the garden from an early age.

It’s still not too late to sow seeds of salad crops such as radishes, lettuces and other salad leaves. If sown now they’ll germinate within three or four weeks, so they can be harvested and eaten before the end of the holidays. It’s wonderful to watch them grow, and you only need a couple of pots or troughs if

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you haven’t got room in the ground. A different, yet very quick and easy crop is peashoots – sow any peas into a seed tray and let them grow a few inches tall and then harvest the shoots and leaves.

It’s a great way to introduce children to eating salad, as the flavour is just like peas themselves.

Try growing cress on damp kitchen roll in a plastic container on the windowsill – or if you want to be really creative, hollow out a raw egg, place wet kitchen roll inside the shell, then sprinkle on your cress or grass seeds and watch the ‘hair’ grow. And don’t forget to draw a face on it!

Gardening is great for recycling too;

use old yogurt pots to grow seeds and lollipop sticks as plant labels, and it’s great fun to plant up some unusual containers such as brightly-coloured wellington boots that children have outgrown. Hang them on the fence and they’ll make you smile whenever you walk past them!

Spring-flowering bulbs will be arriving in the garden centre from mid-August.

Early flowering, prepared Hyacinths can be planted in bowls to give as Christmas presents – or plant some snowdrops, crocus, daffodils and tulips in the garden to give some colour throughout the winter and spring.

The garden is a great place for

KLmagazine July 2018

children to learn about wildlife, and bees, butterflies and bugs are a great starting point. There are numerous plants that will attract bees and butterflies to your garden; Buddleia (known as the ‘butterfly bush’) is one of the best and will also attract moths in the summer evenings. Lavender is also loved by bees, and sunflowers (always a favourite with children) will be covered in bees. If you leave the seed heads on, they’ll also become feed for small birds in the autumn.

If you’ve got a small area that can be kept ‘wild’, leave a few weeds and plant some wild flowers. You’ll be amazed at what bugs you’ll see there – and you may even find you attract frogs and hedgehogs.

Another project for the holidays could be to build a ‘Big Bug Residence,’ using recycled materials such as old pallets for the main structure and then in-filling with other natural items.

Logs, dead wood and bark will attract beetles, centipedes, woodlice and spiders – while hollow dry stems of herbaceous perennials or shrubs and leaf litter will encourage ladybirds and bees to hibernate and breed. A piece of plastic pipe filled with rolled-up corrugated card will attract lacewings.

Bricks with holes in or terracotta flower pots stuffed with straw or hay will also give good burrowing material for bugs to hibernate in, along with old pine cones. Get your bug habitat set up before the autumn and hopefully you’ll get lots of residents!

Creating a ‘sensory challenge’ is also a great idea. Walk around the garden with the children and bring their senses to life – touch plants to feel the different textures of their leaves; soft, smooth, sticky, rough or spiky. Listen to the sounds of the garden; birds will be singing, the wind will be blowing through the leaves on the trees and water will be trickling in a water feature or pond.

Smell the flowers and leaves of different plants including herbs – some will smell lovely to help attract bees and butterflies, whilst others (such as Coleus ‘Scardy Cat’) release a smell to deter animals.

Use your sight to take in the beautiful summer colours of the flowers in the garden. Look at each flower closely and you’ll see how the shapes of flowers can vary. Finally, taste the crops you’ve been growing – these fruit and vegetables are likely to have far more flavour picked straight from the garden than those that have been sitting on the shelf in the supermarket and have travelled many miles beforehand. Older children and teenagers may feel they’re beyond gardening, but try suggesting they grow

KLmagazine July 2018

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Gardening

some cacti or carnivorous plants in their bedrooms – they’re always good fun.

They’re fascinating too; it’s now known that meat-eating plants can count up to at least five, even though they don’t have brains. And if you’ve got a budding scientist at home, you can always test the soil in the garden using a pH testing kit.

Miniature gardens can be created using a pot or other suitable container and tiny plants. Blue stones or beads can simulate a river, a small mirror can become a pond, and buttons make

great stepping stones. We sell lots of miniature houses, fairies, animals and plenty of other accessories and they’re really popular.

If the weather isn’t great, you can always bring the garden indoors. Try pressing leaves or flowers (violas and daisies work well) in a flower press or between sheets of blotting paper in an old heavy book. Leave them for a few weeks and the moisture will have been absorbed by the paper and the flowers will be perfectly flat and can be used for making cards or other crafts.

Or just draw around different-shaped leaves or try leaf rubbings by putting a leaf under the paper and rubbing over it with a crayon to show the veins of the leaf. There are countless ways to enjoy your garden with your children or grandchildren this summer – they’ll enjoy it, they’ll learn something, and you’ll be helping create a new generation of gardeners.

Wendy Warner is Manager of Thaxters Garden Centre at 49 Hunstanton Road, Dersingham PE31 6NA. Visit the website at www.thaxters.co.uk or telephone 01485 541514 YOU AND YOUR GARDEN If you’d like some inspiration for your garden – no matter how large or small – or have a particular issue or variety of plant you’d like Wendy to look at, please contact us at info@klmagazine.co.uk

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KLmagazine July 2018

Pets

AnimalMatters Our monthly look at the issues concerning you and your pets at London Road & Hollies Veterinary Centre...

MEET THE TEAM

Say hello to Sara, our Senior Lead Vet...

HOW DID YOU GET INTO VETERINARY MEDICINE? I grew up on a sheep and cattle farm in South West Scotland and spent most of my childhood outside, helping on the farm, surrounded by our horses, dogs and cats.

From a young age I always knew I wanted to work with animals.

I remember sitting on a train station aged 14 making the decision to try my hardest to get a place at vet school.

I was lucky enough to gain a place at Robinson college, Cambridge University in 1988.

HOW DID YOU COME TO WORK AT LONDON ROAD VETS? After my family moved to Norfolk in 1988, I came to London Road Vets as a student to ‘see practice ’- this was thanks to my aunt Moya Luddington, who lived near King’s Lynn and was a client at the practice.

At the time, London Road was a mixed animal practice so I was introduced to the many different aspects of life at a busy veterinary surgery, from the farm work to the ever increasing small animal work. I was fortunate enough to be offered a job with the practice when I finished my training and qualified in 1994.

WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE AS VETERINARY SURGEON ENTAIL? Over the years I have developed a special interest in small animal medicine, particularly veterinary cardiology, and I now have a certificate in this particular field. I also really enjoy consulting and it’s likely that I would be the person you see when you visit us.

With my boss Alex Dallas retiring recently, I’ve become one of the senior vets having been here for nearly 24 years!

WHAT DO YOU LOVE BEST ABOUT NORFOLK? It has to be the coast. There is nothing better than an evening walk along Holme beach with my family and dogs, looking at a fantastic sunset.

IN YOUR FREE TIME, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX? As a mother of three children, married to a busy husband, various animals to look after, a governor for The Nar Valley Federation of Church Academies and of course my work, I don’t seem to have much time to relax!

However I somehow find time to ride my horse and I love going to country shows, with the Norfolk Show and the Gamefair being my favourites.

WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF WORKING FOR LONDON ROAD VETS? Definitely the people I work with.

Working in a veterinary practice is very rewarding but it can sometimes be quite stressful and there are also sad times. It helps having great colleagues, who are also your friends, to support each other.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT? Marrying my wonderful husband, Simon, and having my gorgeous family!

WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION? My initial inspiration has certainly got to be James Herriot. However I think my biggest inspiration has been Alex Dallas. He has encouraged and supported me through my entire veterinary career and I owe him a lot for that.

Visit our website... www.londonroadvets.co.uk London Road Vets @London Road Vets

LONDON ROAD 25 London Road, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 773168 | Email: info@londonroadvets.co.uk HOLLIES Paradise Road, Downham Market | Tel: 01366 386655 | Email: hollies@londonroadvets.co.uk

KLmagazine July 2018

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PICTURES: IAN WARD

Local Life

A new helping hand for man’s best friend...

The Dogotel at Hillington has just opened the area’s very first dedicated hydrotherapy centre. Qualified canine hydrotherapist Matthew Peck explains why it’s good for the animals – and just as good for you!

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s the summer days loom, it’s only natural for dogs to cool down and play around in water – walk your dog within sight of the sea or a river, and your biggest problem will likely be keeping them out of it! But there’s a lot more to dogs and water than a simple bit of fun – it can actually be hugely beneficial to their health.

At the Dogotel kennels at Hillington just outside King’s Lynn, a new purposebuilt hydrotherapy centre is now helping dogs of all breeds and sizes with all sorts of issues, from post-operative rehabilitation to weight loss and 52

orthopaedic problems.

Welcome to K9 Splash.

“This is the only facility of its kind in the area,” says canine hydrotherapist Matthew Peck, “and though we only opened in March this year, plenty of dogs and their owners have already discovered the many benefits of hydrotherapy.”

With an ABC Level 3 Diploma in Hydrotherapy for Small Animals with advanced treadmill techniques (and a family of 8 dogs and 2 cats of his own), Matthew helped design and build the new hydrotherapy centre – and K9 Splash makes the most of the latest

technological advances to provide a comprehensive treatment facility.

The 6m x 3m pool is heated to around 30o, sanitised with bromine and tested at least three times daily to meet CHA (Canine Hydrotherapy Association) requirements – it’s also inspected independently once a month. It features resistance swim jets, a platform for rest intervals and is even recessed in the ground to allow dogs to easily enter and exit. K9 Splash also has an on-floor showering area and a Hydrobath, and will soon be adding a state-of-the-art 2.3m underwater and computercontrolled treadmill – and this is just the KLmagazine July 2018

“

This is a great way for your pet to stay as fit and mobile as possible, combining the benefits of exercise without bearing weight on their limbs.

K9 Splash isn’t just for dogs with orthopaedic problems or in need of post-surgery rehabilitation, but can help manage fitness, obesity, cardiovascular disease and relaxation. We’re really lucky to have this great facility close by – and many of my patients have already enjoyed it!

“

beginning.

“We’re hoping to add a 40o hydrotherapy spa for added muscle relaxation in the near future,” says Matthew, “and we’re also going to install underwater cameras so we can better monitor the dogs’ movements underwater.”

By now you may well be asking what hydrotherapy actually is – and why your dog would ever need it.

“Essentially, hydrotherapy is a treatment that uses the properties of water to rehabilitate and improve an animal’s functions,” says Matthew. “It allows the animal to exercise in a non weight-bearing environment which relieves pressure on the joints, reducing pain and encouraging movement.”

As everyone apart from Olympicstandard swimmers know, it’s difficult to move quickly within water, which has a cushioning and protective quality that reduces the risk of injury. It’s a quality which means that dogs have to work hard to move forward when swimming – helping increase muscle strength and bulk. That doesn’t mean they don’t have fun, though – the pool is large enough for owners to interact with their dogs, getting them to swim about and retrieve toys. And afterwards, the dogs even get treated to a shampoo and blow dry!

Animals in water are also subject to hydrostatic pressure, which can help reduce swelling and pain, especially in the lower limbs.

“It’s a very natural therapy compared to taking drugs and medication,” says Matthew. “Hydrotherapy isn’t an alternative to medicine – it runs alongside it and can help lower the

KLmagazine July 2018

amount and dosage of medication. It’s also ideal for weight loss exercises as no pressure is being put on the joints.”

For instance, Matthew recently worked with a black labrador called Alfie, who came to K9 Splash with a vet’s disagnosis of being overweight – he was actually 8kg over his target weight.

With a custom-made weight loss plan combining hydrotherapy and dietary changes, Alfie lost 2kg after four sessions over a two-week period. He gained 1kg while on holiday with his owners, but has lost that and is now happily on his way to his ideal weight.

“Much as it can with humans, being overweight can cause many other health problems in dogs such as

diabetes and joint problems,” says Matthew. “I believe every dog can lose weight and become healthier with the help of hydrotherapy.”

K9 Splash realises that all dogs are different, and Matthew works with the animals’ vets to develop individual plans based on the dog’s specific needs. For spinal or neck injuries, for example, he’ll recommend the aquatic treadmill – because the dog isn’t suspended in the water, whereas in the pool they’ll tend to naturally hold their heads up, putting strain on the neck and back muscles.

“We can precisely adjust the water height in the treadmill,” says Matthew, “which means we can control and gradually increase the amount of

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Local Life

I’ve been swimming my two ten-year-old Siberian huskies for four weeks and I’ve started to see a significant improvement in their mobility. Hydrotherapy is an excellent form of exercise for dogs and K9 Splash surpasses all the many centres I’ve experienced in the past. It’s a fantastic facility, and Matthew is marvellous with the dogs. I can’t praise both Matthew and the centre itself highly enough for the professional service they offer.

“

KAREN BUTLER Managing Director

Tax Return Online Services Ltd

weight-bearing as the animal strengthens and recovers.”

And the warmth of the water isn’t just to make the dogs more comfortable.

“Warmer water encourages the flow of blood to the muscles, increasing the supply of oxygen and nutrients and flushing away waste products,” says Matthew. “In turn, that leads to muscle relaxation and a reduction of pain and stiffness.”

For most dogs a short swim is a challenging workout (Matthew estimates that a 15 minute swim is equal to a 1mile run) but the buoyancy of the water and the fact the dog can’t fall or twist makes hydrotherapy a safe as well as effective form of exercise. But it’s not just for dogs with medical conditions; perfectly healthy animals can also enjoy the benefits of hydrotherapy with K9 Splash to improve their fitness levels, although it’s important to check with your vet first to ensure the dog has no underlying issues that may be aggravated by the treatment.

“Because it engages and stimulates the dog’s brain and keeps them occupied, hydrotherapy can help resolve many behavioural issues,” says Matthew.

“It’s also great for dogs with limited mobility and for ‘guests’ in the Dogotel, who can – with their vets’ consent – have treatments or fun swims during their holiday.”

Hydrotherapy is also especially effective for large-breed puppies, as they can burn off all that excess energy and build up muscle strength until they can be exercised sufficiently on land

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without damaging their joints.

It’s abundantly clear that K9 Splash is good for the dogs’ overall health and fitness levels – but how do the dogs themselves feel about it?

“Some dogs do it because they’re not really given a choice, of course, but they all really enjoy being in the pool,” says Matthew. “Most of them will swim around happily chasing toys for ages, but some will head straight for the exit!

Not all dogs are natural swimmers, but it’s very important they learn – and it’s good for them too.”

K9 Splash Hydrotherapy is the perfect complement to all the other services already available at the Dogotel, which has been run by Julie and Darren Nicholls for over 10 years. The perfect home-from-home for your pets, it has room for 80 dogs in individual brickbuilt and heated kennels with attached and sheltered outside run. There’s even a cattery (the Catotel, naturally enough) with accommodation for up to 30 cats, who enjoy internal sleeping areas, heating, internal lights and external runs – with great views of bird feeders to keep them entertained during their stay.

“We’ve recently updated our reception facilities and introduced lots of new technology,” says Julie, “and my daughter Lauren runs our Scruffy 2

Fluffy grooming service, which offers a complete range of pampering for both dogs and cats. With Matthew’s new hydrotherapy centre, we’ve now got virtually everything your pets require – and a lot more besides!”

Whether your best friend is a guest at the Dogotel, needs to lose an extra pound or two, is suffering from arthritis or requires rehabilitation following surgery, K9 Splash has a safe, effective and very enjoyable solution – for both you and your dog!

K9 SPLASH HYDROTHERAPY Dogotel, Peddars Lodge, Harpley Dams, Hillington PE31 6DS Telephone: 01485 520346 Website: www.k9sh.co.uk E-mail: info@k9sh.co.uk KLmagazine July 2018

Equine & Canine

PHOTOGRAPHER Relaxed photoshoots tailored to you...

JOBS FOR THE GARDEN in July

Keep feeding bedding plants, hanging baskets and containers weekly with a high potash fertiliser such as ‘Phostrogen’

Capturing the special bond between you and your best friend...

Laura V Photography www.lauravphotography.co.uk info@lauravphotography.co.uk

Dead-head all flowering plants as soon as flowers fade to stop them setting seed and to promote more flowers Remove faded blooms on repeat-flowering varieties of roses to encourage further flowers in late summer Train leading shoots on cucumbers up a cane, the longer the main shoot grows, the bigger the crop. Keep well-watered and feed twice weekly Protect ripening fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and currants from birds by covering with crop protection netting.

Make a frame using canes or tree stakes Plant late-flowering perennials ie. Echinacea, rudbeckia and sedum in gaps in the borders so the garden doesn’t look dull when summer bedding fades Start thinking about the varieties of spring flowering bulbs you require, ready to buy when they are on sale next month - we will have a lovely selection!

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Call now for me to come & deliver to your door, stable, farm or paddock!

01328 851351 KLmagazine July 2018

and don’t forget to visit our coffee shop for a relaxing slice of cake or scone!

Phostrogen All Purpose Plant Food (800g) 2 for £8

Garden Centre & Coffee Shop 49 Hunstanton Road, Dersingham, King’s Lynn PE31 6NA www.thaxters.co.uk | Tel: 01485 541514

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PICTURES: LIZ MURRAY / LALOA

Local Life

Liz Murray on living a life of art – the Norfolk way In December 2016, Liz Murray went from general practice to painting and completely changed her life. Abigail Brown discovers the past, present and future of this Norfolk-inspired business...

L

iz Murray’s grandfather put a paintbrush in her hand before she could write – and being an art teacher himself, was the main influence for her artistic talents. But, however passionate she was, it was a ‘safe’ career in the medical profession that she was steered toward.

She worked in the field for 11 years, intending to specialise in paediatrics and ending up in general practice. Then Liz broke her leg and had to take some time off – at which time she painted the original image of a pheasant in Wellington boots. When she posted the paintings online and they went viral, she knew she’d stumbled upon something rather special.

“To me, life in Norfolk has always been

KLmagazine July 2018

about ‘wellies’, the coast, and the abundance of pheasants on my doorstep!” says Liz. “It just seemed natural to put those pheasants in Wellington boots.”

Liz often shared her designs on Facebook but had never created such a buzz before.

“It had an overwhelming response, which was bizarre as it was born simply from my own humour and amusement!” she says. “I then had lots of requests for other animals and more specific designs.

Someone even suggested a wedding themed one, which is where the idea for ‘Mr & Mrs Country’ came from. That’s when I realised I’d found my niche.”

When her family upped sticks to the Norfolk coast, Liz found herself inspired

by her new surroundings and started painting large seascapes. But it was the response from the pheasant painting that essentially changed her life.

“Within six weeks I’d handed my notice in, created a business, trademarked it and LALOA was well on it’s way!” she says.

Now, 18 months on, she’s had international orders, a waiting list of three months for commissions, and has recently opened her very own shop and gallery in Burnham Market.

LALOA (the acronym stands for Live a Life of Art) captures Liz’s vision to bring together fine art and textiles to make quintessential, British-made homeware.

It’s a business that encapsulates everything she loves about country life, whether that’s the Northern hills where

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she grew up or the flat plains of her present home in Norfolk. On her website you’ll find everything from greeting cards to china mugs, and from printed cushions to limited edition Giclée prints – and you can immediately see why they’re so popular.

Last year’s Royal Norfolk Show saw many of the original ‘wedding pheasants’ prints selling out, and it was only LALOA’s first show. After her cushions were featured in a magazine, sales came in from all over the UK and Liz was even shipping some of her designs across the Atlantic.

Every design is hand-painted by Liz herself and is completely original. She creates her art using watercolours, ink and acrylics before sending them to independent companies in the UK to produce a range of products, such as the charming tweed cushion designs that kick-started her sales. At the heart of LALOA is the bespoke collection. Liz has vast experience in commissions and can paint anything from coastal scenes to your favourite pet in acrylics and watercolours. She can create bespoke cushions suited to you and your home, and can even use her artwork to produce tailor-made stationery for your event.

The future for LALOA is bright – Liz is planning on branching out and start producing interior furnishings. Already she’s selling an array of different lampshades and a variety of wallpaper prints, all in keeping with her unique country-living theme. But Liz has even more up her sleeve.

“I’m very particular about presentation and know how to create the overall feel of a typical country home,” she says.

“People often ask to buy the furniture I

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display at events, but it’s only there to decorate my stand! That’s why I’m expanding the range of wallpaper designs and starting to sell key furniture pieces that are almost works of art in their own right.”

Everything Liz paints is influenced by the world around her, and the Country Cows print is no exception. Through LALOA, Liz has become friendly with Sally, a customer of hers who lives on a dairy farm. They initially met via Instagram, and after Sally asking her to paint her friesian cows, Liz learnt of her family’s personal story.

Sally’s son Arthur has a rare heart defect and may well need surgery in the future. Having worked in paediatrics before, Liz instantly felt a connection to the family and decided to use her painting of their cows to support Arthur and other children with similar health issues by raising money for the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) charity.

It’s got off to a great start.

“Just a few weeks ago, a couple came in and fell in love with the Country Cows painting – and donated £490 via the Just Giving page to take it there and then!” she says. “It’s the highest amount I’ve raised on a painting, and we’ve received over £700 for GOSH so far.”

The success of Country Cows now looks set to continue, as Liz has produced limited edition prints of the painting – with 20% of the profits going to the charity.

You can see more of Liz’s designs and learn more about the story behind the Country Cows print on the LALOA website at www.laloa.co.uk. If you’d like to donate to GOSH, please visit the Just Giving page on www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/countrycows

KLmagazine July 2018

COME SEE OUR DISCOUNTS THROUGHOUT THE STORE

UP TO

50

%

OFF

SELECTED CUSHIONS

ALL TOWELS REDUCED

UP TO

20

%

OFF

MADE TO MEASURE CURTAINS

UP TO

50% OFF

SELECTED BEDDING

ALL CURTAINS REDUCED

The Hythe, Bridge Road, Downham Market PE38 0AE www.charmed-interiors.co.uk | 01366 384126 | 9 - 5 Mon to Sat | Free Parking

FINDING CUSTOMERS The concept of selling doesn’t need to be scary if you think of it in terms of solving a problem. Explain to your customers how purchasing a product or service from you will benefit them and help solve a problem – and you’ll soon build their trust in your business.

Creating effective and consistent ways of selling within your business will help build that trust.

KEEPING CUSTOMERS To keep your customers coming back for more, you have to provide amazing customer service. All your customers need to feel important and valued – or they may look elsewhere. If they’ve been impressed with your offer, they’re likely to adopt the ‘familiarity’ principle and return as a loyal customer, as well as telling their friends and family. Always remember that it costs far more to attract new customers than to maintain your existing client base!

Get your business off to the best start In this next instalment of our small business start-up guide, Chris Goad BSc ACA of Stephenson Smart looks at the best ways of promoting your new business venture...

CREATE A MARKETING PLAN In order for the marketing of your new business to be successful, a marketing plan is essential. It should be consistent with your business plan and be updated on a regular basis, with you reviewing which goals have been achieved, which strategies are working, and which areas need more work.

It’s a good idea to structure your marketing plan according to the four P’s: l Product: the physical characteristics of the product or service you are selling, including packaging, warranty, design, features, etc. l Price: the pricing of your product or service should consider the prices of your competitors, discounts and profit margins.

The gross profit margin refers to the difference between the selling price of an item and the price you paid for it. l Promotion: this covers how you communicate your product or service to your target market and includes your sales team, advertising, telesales, public relations and email marketing. l Placement: factors to consider with the distribution of your product or service include where you’re planning to sell your product and the delivery of your product.

Your marketing plan should be updated to reflect changes in your target market or customer preferences – such as the rapidly growing (and influential) popularity of internet shopping.

KLmagazine July 2018

SOCIAL MEDIA Your business can utilise social media networks to promote offers, launch competitions and respond to customer queries (and complaints!) If used wisely, social media can be a cheap and easy way to communicate with customers on a personal level, increasing word-of-mouth marketing and attracting new interest in your business, products and services.

EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING Whether you’re advertising in print or online, be relevant to your market. Specifically tailor your message and offers to your customers and they’ll be perceived as more personalised. Be appealing and memorable to customers, pay attention to graphics and the layouts you use. Content that’s funny and thought-provoking is more likely to be remembered and shared amongst your audience – but don’t forget to sell the unique benefits of your product or service.

OUR BRANCHES

Small businesses can quickly become complex, and you’ll naturally want to keep concentrating on selling your product or service. If you feel you're losing control of who owes you money and how much we can help you get back on track.

We use the latest cloud-based technology so we can share your business accounts with you quickly and easily. We can even produce tables and charts that will help you understand your business’ current financial situation at a glance – to help you monitor the pulse of your business and keep track of important things like cashflow.

At Stephenson Smart we don’t just crunch the numbers – we support you to make better business decisions, grow your business, minimise your tax bill and save you lots of time on administration. Please call us now for a free initial consultation.

NEXT MONTH: WE’LL BE LOOKING AT TAXES AND LEGALITIES

KING’S LYNN 01553 774104

GREAT YARMOUTH 01493 382500

WISBECH 01945 463383

FAKENHAM 01328 863318

DOWNHAM MARKET 01366 384121

MARCH 01354 653026

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fashion

Fashion

It may have seemed like summer has taken a long, long time to get here, but now at last we can start making a well-dressed impression on our glorious local beaches with a wealth of colour, a feast of light fabrics and a helping of classic styling from our favourite local boutiques. Happy holidays!

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Rainbow (ÂŁ269) by Munthe NELLE DK | Thornham 01485 525164 KLmagazine July 2018

Bikini Top (£22.95), Bikini Bottoms (£19.50), Swimsuit (£38) and Chrisie Sandal (£40) by Fat Face QUEENSGATE SHOPPING CENTRE | Peterborough 01733 311666 KLmagazine July 2018

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Fashion

Sweater by Lauren Vidal SHEILA TILLER | Long Sutton 01406 363433 64

KLmagazine July 2018

Sheila Tiller SUMMER SALE

TEL: 01366 388151 | WEB: www.bearts.co.uk

| Brighton Mill, Stow Bridge, King’s Lynn PE34 3PD

EXCLUSIVE LADIES FASHION & SHOES EST. 1978

Starts 5th July

Contemporary Fashions, Handbags, Shoes, Accessories & Lingerie

13 Market Place, Long Sutton | Tel: 01406 363 433 | Closed all day Wednesday | www.sheilatiller.co.uk KLmagazine July 2018

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Fashion

The Alice Dress in Blue Palm Print by Mudd & Water ALLEZ CHIC | Castle Rising 01553 631915 66

KLmagazine July 2018

PHOTO BY PAUL TIBBS

Pl e nt y o f i d eas t o p a c k in you r su itcase

BIG SUMMER

Sale Starts Wednesday 18th July

www.allezchic.co.uk t: 01553 631915 Open: Mon to Sat 10am-4.30pm The Old School, Castle Rising, King's Lynn PE31 6AG

DERMAPLUS PRIVATE, BESPOKE CONSULTANCY FOR YOUR HEALTH

Safe and Professional Skin Lesion Removal

DermaPlus is a private service owned by Vida Healthcare at Gayton Road Health Centre and coordinated by DermaVida.

Working with a General Surgeon and Oculoplastic Surgeon.

Offering treatments for the removal of:

Call 01553 696 886 for more information KLmagazine July 2018

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Fashion

The Kinvara shirt (£89) and Kilcullen Dress (£69) by Dubarry THE HAYLOFT at BEARTS | Stowbridge 01366 388151 68

KLmagazine July 2018

F I N

D U S A T 4 4

M A R K E

T P L A C E

Call into the new practice to book your appointment and see our new frame ranges.

D.A. Seaman Optometrists

Tel 01760 722661 | www.daseaman.org.uk 44 Market Place, Swaffham, Norfolk PE37 7QH.

KLmagazine July 2018

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Instagram@gfbphoto

PICTURES: EMILY PENMAN-LEE

Local Life

ABOVE: The musical Loserville was nominated for an Olivier award and also featured the West End debut of Emily Penman-Lee (opposite), who’s now returned to King’s Lynn to teach the finer points of dance to local children

From King’s Lynn to the West End – and back!

With a dance teacher for a mother, Emily Penman-Lee was destined for the stage. Abigail Brown talks to her about life in the West End and what she brings back to King’s Lynn...

F

rom the age of only two, Emily Penman-Lee learned her first dance moves from her mother, who owns the Noise and Chance School of Dance – progressing onto singing lessons and amateur dramatics and becoming part of Youth Music Theatre UK, a musical theatre company for young people. After secondary school, Emily moved away from home to take Musical Theatre at the Arts Educational School in London. She’s been busy.

Since graduating, Emily’s done some modelling work, started developing her own clothing line, and this January had her West End debut in a one-off

KLmagazine July 2018

performance of the musical Loserville.

Originally written for Youth Music Theatre UK, the Olivier-nominated musical was the resident show at the Garrick Theatre from 2012-2013. With music and lyrics by James Bourne (founder of band Busted) and Elliot Davis, the story is based on the album Welcome to Loserville by Bourne’s second band Son of Dork. In 2009, Emily played a part in the original show with Youth Music Theatre UK, and at the start of this year was invited to be involved in a one-off charity performance.

“Exciting as it was to be on a West End stage, the performance was very

emotional,” says Emily. “It was staged to pay tribute to original West End cast member Chris Hardman, who’d taken his own life in 2015.”

The January show raised £7,500 for Youth Music Theatre UK and Maytree Respite Centre.

With her experience of the West End and the dance industry, Emily continues to feed her experience back to King’s Lynn to teach at her mother’s dance school and teach the exciting and exclusive UDO Street Dance syllabus.

“Growing up watching my mum teach has inspired me to follow in her footsteps,” says Emily. “I started off with just one-off lessons but now I teach

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“The benefits of the performing arts for young people are seriously underplayed...”

Instagram@ysa.gb

PICTURE: Instagram@264media

You Dance? UK, UDO and BDO Street Dance Championships, and a number of international competitions, Noise and Chance School of Dance is taking the young dance industry by storm – and King’s Lynn is very lucky to have it.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Noise and Chance School of Dance, please visit the website at www.noiseandchanceschoolofdance. co.uk or alternately see the school’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ NoiseAndChance

PICTURE: Instagram@264media

contemporary, commercial and musical theatre in addition to the UDO Street Dance syllabus.”

The latter includes the urban dance styles of hip-hop, breakdance, house, popping and locking – and Noise and Chance is currently the only school in the area to offer the syllabus to its students.

Emily began with the more structured styles of dance such as ballet and tap, but fell in love with street dancing when she first encountered it at 16 years old.

Street and commercial dance are the cutting-edge styles in the dance world, enjoyed by people of all ages – especially children.

Since training at a performing arts school in London where there’s an abundance of opportunities for young performers, Emily admits to being a little disheartened upon returning to King’s Lynn to find the arts scene coming up a little short.

“Unfortunately, King’s Lynn is a little out on a limb,” she says. “We’re too far away from any big, thriving cities so we tend to get forgotten – especially when it comes to performing arts.”

And that perceived isolation can have a significant impact.

“The benefits of the performing arts for young people are seriously underplayed,” says Emily. “It grows your confidence and gives you a certain discipline you can’t get from sitting at a desk. The formalities of taking an exam, for example, are strict – they teach children how to present themselves in perhaps an interview setting later in life.

Plus, it’s really fun!”

Through Noise and Chance, Emily and her mother, Principal Trina Lee, aim to provide students with opportunities in the local area and places further afield. The school teaches a range of different styles of dance such as ISTD ballet, tap and modern, and boasts a 100% exam success rate.

The dancers are taken around the country to various dance festivals, competitions and conventions – but they still love performing in King’s Lynn.

In the past, the school has been invited to perform at the Corn Exchange beside ex-Strictly Come Dancing star Pascha Kovalev on his tour, and in the UK tour of Breakin’ Convention, which is a well-established street dance show that originated at the famous Sadler’s Wells theatre in London.

Trina and Emily are proud to give their young dancers the chance to branch out and learn from different teachers, which is why nine of their students currently train in the English Youth Ballet.

As multiple award-winners of Can

KLmagazine July 2018

How do you manage without us?

As the only ARMA (Associated Residen$al Managing Agents) accredited management company within 40 miles of King’s Lynn, we’re regularly audited by them to ensure we meet their high standards. This means you can be sure your block is being well cared for by professional, reliable experts.

A local solu on for your property ­ With offices in King’s Lynn and Hunstanton we’re never far away. This means that any emergency problems can be dealt with promptly.

Set fees that help save you money ­ We don’t charge based on a percentage of your services charges, but instead agree a fair, set fee for your development to allow you to budget easily.

We keep up to date so you don’t have to ­ It isn’t just about

cleaning the halls and cu0ng the grass, we keep up to date with all the /me consuming legal aspects too.

www.rounceandevans.co.uk | block@rounceandevans.co.uk | 01553 401580 King’s Lynn Innova/on Centre, Innova/on Drive, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 5BY

KLmagazine July 2018

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Order takeaway online: www.rajasthanindian.co.uk

A NEW local shop based in the historic King Street, King's Lynn. Sourcing safe, quality products to help support and inspire local people living gluten-free.

• FRESH BAKERY GOODS • SANDWICHES • CAKES • CONSERVES & CHUTNEYS • VARIOUS FLOUR BLENDS FOR BAKING BREAD, PIZZA BASES & CAKES • FROZEN PRODUCTS • VEGAN COSMETICS PLUS MUCH MORE!

NOW OPEN St George’s Chambers, 27 King Street, King’s Lynn

01553 770 635

THE

BERNEY• ARMS • EAT DRINK STAY

We’ve refurbished our lovely Snug area, and our bar and dining room refurbishment will soon take place. Follow us on Facebook & Instagram to keep up with the process!

/theberneyarms

@theberneyarms

www.theberneyarms.co.uk Church Road, Barton Bendish | 01366 347995

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KLmagazine July 2018

Food & Drink

Pan fried cod fillet with dill gnocchi, buttered sea purslane & lemon and caper aioli Serves: 4 INGREDIENTS 275g of white potato (preferably King Edwards) 4 egg yolks salt 50g chopped dill 100g plain flour 1 egg 1 garlic clove 2 lemons 250ml rapeseed oil 100g capers 4 x 150g portions cod fillet 100g butter 4 small handfuls of washed sea purslane (or spinach)

METHOD For the Gnocchi Peel and chop the potatoes into 2cm cubed pieces, steam until cooked. Mash with a potato masher and then chill in a fridge until completely cold.

Now place the potatoes into a mixer with the cake beater attached and on a slow setting add two egg yolks. Combine well then add a heavy pinch of salt, the dill and the flour. Keep the mixer on low and wait till a soft workable dough consistency forms.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and turn out the mixture onto a floured work surface. Cut into quarters and roll out each quarter into a sausage shape roughly 1cm thick. Cut the rolled dough into pieces roughly 2cm long, lightly dust with flour.

For the Lemon and Caper Aioli Place 2 egg yolks and the whole egg into a food processor with one clove of garlic. Blend for a minute then add the juice of 1 lemon. Blend for another 30 seconds. In a slow steady stream add the oil until it thickens into an emulsion. Add the capers, a heavy pinch of salt and the zest of one

lemon. Blend for a further minute, chill in the fridge.

To Serve Heat the oven to 180°C. Place a heavy based frying pan onto a medium heat and add a small drizzle of rapeseed oil. When the pan is hot but not smoking add the cod, skin side down. Cook for 4 minutes to crisp the skin. After four minutes put the frying pan with the cod into the oven and cook for 4 minutes.

Meanwhile put a pan of water on to boil. Place the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook the gnocchi, which will float to the surface once cooked (around 3-4 minutes).

Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a frying pan on a medium heat with the butter and a drizzle of rapeseed oil. Next add the zest and juice of one lemon, the sea purslane and a pinch of salt and cook for 30 seconds. Toss the pan to thoroughly coat all the ingredients in the sauce. Divide the gnocchi between four bowls, place the cooked fish on top and serve the aioli on the side.

Recipe by Dan Freear, Head Chef at Strattons Ash Close, Swaffham PE37 7NH Tel: 01760 723845 Web: www.strattonshotel.co.uk KLmagazine July 2018

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55 3-2018 196

Celebrating 55 years of our family business

Stunning

KITCHENS & BEDROOMS

• A family friendly company • Neff specialists for 45 years • Full measuring and CAD design service • All kitchens supplied rigid • 23 displays • Full installation service available

Bexwell Kitchens

Bexwell Aerodrome, Downham Market PE38 9LT Tel: 01366 382064 Open: Mon-Sat 9-5 Sun 2-4 Email: bexwellkitchens@aol.com

www.bexwellkitchens.co.uk

Crawfish Inn Thai Restaurant & Bar

IN US JO #f

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ON

where THERE’S ALWAYS TIME FOR TEA and room for cake All homemade with a large measure of love and a sprinkle of magic, from breakfast through to early evening bites.

Folly Tearoom, Hoppers Yard, Bull Street, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6LN Tel - 01263 713569 WWW.FOLLYTEAROOM.CO.UK

76

Traditional Bangkok Thai Cuisine the

FOLLY SELECTED CURIOSI-TEAS AND PARAPHERNALIA

order ONLINE AT THEFOLLYTEACADDY.CO.UK

Local Real Ales Extensive Wine List Takeaway Service Fully Air Conditioned Backing British Farming

Call 01328 878313 for reservations Open: Tues-Sun from 6pm Holt Road, Thursford NR21 0BJ

/crawfishinn

www.crawfishinn.co.uk

KLmagazine July 2018

Food & Drink

Cherry Bakewell Cake INGREDIENTS For the cake 300g butter, well softened 300g caster sugar 150g ground almonds 150g self-raising flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder ¾ tsp almond extract or essence 6 eggs For the filling and top 250g butter 675g icing sugar ½ tsp almond extract or essence 5/6 tsp water 340g Morello cherry jam (we use the Folly’s own which can be purchased in the Tea Caddy) 12 glace cherries 1 tbsp flaked almonds KLmagazine July 2018

METHOD 1 Heat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and make sure there’s a couple of shelves ready. Butter and line the bases of 3 x 20cm round sandwich tins with baking paper.

2 To make and bake the sponge, using electric beaters, beat together the butter and sugar until pale. Then add the eggs one-by-one until smooth, if the mixture starts to curdle add a couple spoons of flour. Next fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder and add the almond essence or extract. Once the mixture is smooth spoon into the tins and level the tops. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and springy. Don’t open the oven before 25 minutes cooking time has passed.

4 To make and ice the cake, beat the butter and 500g icing sugar until soft, then add ¼ almond essence and beat until fluffy. When cool, put one sponge on a serving plate, then spread with half the buttercream icing you made and half the jam.

Sandwich the second sponge on top and repeat.

Finally, sandwich the third cake on top. Sieve the remaining icing sugar into a large bowl. Add the water and ¼ tsp almond essence, then stir until smooth and thick. Spread evenly over the top and let it dribble over the sides slightly. Add the 12 glace cherries around the edge of the cake, then scatter with the flaked almonds and leave to set for a few minutes before cutting.

5 Now cut and serve with a fantastic brew of ‘Folly Amaretto cream’ tea and enjoy!

3 When they’re ready, cool the sponges for a few minutes, then tip out of the tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe by The Folly Tearoom 4 Hopper’s Yard, Bull Street, Holt NR25 6LN Tel: 01263 713569 Web: www.follytearoom.co.uk 77

Delicious

LOCAL SAMPHIRE in store now!

Set in a 14th century timber framed house, used by the clerks of nearby St. Nicholas chapel.

Get your BBQ fired up ready for a Sizzling Summer!

New season cockles - here now!

Fresh local crabs & lobsters Tuna & swordfish Local oysters & shellfish Jumbo raw prawns Plus!

Wide range of fresh and smoked fish Deli counter with Free range eggs & local honey quality local cheeses

Offering delicious, fresh food created by a dynamic and passionate team using the finest local ingredients...

NOW OPEN • Completely refurbished interior • Function room for private parties • Grand piano for live music nights • Over 23’s policy in operation

DONALDSONS A fresh taste of the sea

Austin Fields, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 772241 OPEN: Tues/Wed/Thurs 7am-4pm, Fri 7am-5pm, Sat 7am-3pm

T: 01553 769585 www.bishopsofchapelst.co.uk Chapel Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1EG

british-caribbean restaurant

Serving authentic, freshly-made food from our open kitchen in a welcoming, relaxing atmosphere

Come for the food

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15 Tower St, Kings Lynn PE30 1EJ • Tel: 01553 775248 www.soulcafeandrestaurant.co.uk 78

KLmagazine July 2018

Food & Drink

RestaurantReview

KL Magazine reviews Bank House, King’s Lynn...

A

lthough Bank House has had an impact on the life of King's Lynn for over 330 years, it's certainly not content to stay in the past - and today is one of the town's most vibrant and exciting places to eat, drink and socialise. If something entertaining is going on in King's Lynn, there's a very good chance it's going on at Bank House.

Although Bank House is proud of its history, for the last 10 years it’s been a popular bar, restaurant and boutique hotel, and a very successful one too.

Last year it was voted Town Pub of the Year in the Good Pub Guide and was the Editors Choice for the Good Hotel Guide 2018 and a visit to the relaxed and elegant bar will demonstrate that

KLmagazine July 2018

both accolades were richly deserved.

Open all day for teas, coffees and delicious home-made cakes, it’s in the evenings the bar at Bank House really comes alive. There's always a certain buzz in the air, and the lively atmosphere is perfect for after-work drinks, ideal for an enjoyable evening out, and a superb way to start a memorable dining out experience.

You'll find a specially-prepared wine list, a great choice of beers (including some noteworthy local brews), a fabulous selection of cocktails, and the blackboard over the bar lists over 60 different gins.

As for the restaurant, Bank House has developed an enviable reputation for consistently creative and incredibly tasty food. That's largely thanks to Head Chef Stuart Deuchars, who's been at Bank House for over seven years and produces a mouthwatering mix of great British classics and more exotic and adventurous dishes.

The menu changes on a regular basis, but you can expect everything from battered haddock and hand-cut chips to Char siu pork belly, which is served with aromatic Udon noodles and a superb vegetable broth. And don’t miss the brilliant Hanseatic seafood sharing platter - a quite brilliant mix of textures and tastes. Its food has made Bank

House one of the town's most outstanding restaurants - and you'll soon understand why The Guardian recently said the food is something to shout about... seriously good.î But probably the single thing that’s put Bank House firmly at the heart of modern life in King's Lynn is its commitment to forging strong links with the local community. A unique location and close relationship with the King's Lynn Festival means it’s ideally placed to host public events - and this month is no exception.

In July, Bank House will present two free pop-up jazz concerts as part of the festival featuring two of the UK's brightest young jazz talents - the Harry Green Trio on July 19th and the Nicholas Fitch Duo on July 26th. In addition, Bank House will also be used as a location for Armando Iannucci's new film version of David Copperfield, featuring Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton and Peter Capaldi.

With so much going on, so much to enjoy and so much activity it's always very difficult to leave Bank House - but the good news is that it has 12 stunning bedrooms that have been individually decorated with great style. It's the perfect solution for people travelling from afar and those who simply fancy enjoying the experience of Bank House for longer.

And why wouldn't you? This is a place with an extremely high-spirited and dynamic atmosphere, a location that's rooted in the town's past but now looking energetically and enthusiastically to its future. This is Bank House.

BANK HOUSE King’s Staithe Square, King’s Lynn PE30 1RD Tel: 01553 660492 Web: www.thebankhouse.co.uk

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Food & Drink

Martini and tonic YOU WILL NEED Glass: We love a balloon glass but a large wine glass is just as nice Plenty of ice 60ml of your favourite Martini Fruit wheel to garnish For the Martini Bianco or Rosso: 25ml tonic water – premium (tonics such as Fever-Tree compliment the drink) For the Martini Extra Dry: 60ml lemonade to sweeten

Martini Vermouth is still made on the original site in Pessione, Italy; as established by Alessandro Martini & Luigi Rossi in 1864. The recipe involves Italian herbs and a secret recipe held by only four individuals.

WE SAMPLED Martini Bianco – with Tonic Water and a lime wheel garnish.

Martini Rosso – with Tonic Water and a orange wheel garnish.

Martini Extra Dry – with Lemonade and a lemon wheel garnish.

METHOD 1 Half fill the glass with ice.

2 Pour the Martini into the glass.

3 Add the tonic water or lemonade and stir well.

4 Garnish with the complementing fruit segment.

5 Enjoy before dinner but refreshing anytime.

Recipe by The Kings Arms Coaching Inn 21 Market Place, Swaffham PE37 7LA Tel: 01760 723244 Web: www.kingsarmscoachinginn.co.uk 80

KLmagazine July 2018

BLACK SHUCK GIN Norfolk’s Legendary Spirit

Patrick and Sarah Saunders launched their family run business in 2012 with their award winning Black Shuck Sloe Gin. Since then the Black Shuck range has flourished and is now recognised all over Norfolk and beyond.

NEW FOR SUMMER 2018!

BLACK SHUCK PASSION GIN, at 43% vol Passion Gin has both strength and complexity.

Distilled with fifteen botanicals, including Passion Fruit, Grapefruit, Lime Flower and Elderflower, it delivers a taste sensation to intrigue and excite the palate!

NEW!

Black Shuck Gin is available in various shops, pubs, restaurants and delis around Norfolk. Email us at info@blackshuckltd.co.uk to find your nearest stockist or to find out how you can stock this fantastic spirit in your outlet.

Buy online at: www.blackshuckltd.co.uk

By Appointment to her Majesty the Queen Suppliers of Electrical Products Edmundson Electrical Ltd Knutsford

kings lynn's premier electrical wholesaler Serving Electricians, Developers, Leisure Industry, Schools, Hospitals and Industry.

• • •

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LIGHTING LAMPS HEATING FIRE ALARMS WIRING ACCESSORIES WATER HEATING ENERGY MANAGEMENT FREE sameday delivery of stock items within 40 mile radius of King's Lynn

Best Service, Best Stock at Competitive Prices Horsleys Fields, Hardwick Rd, King's Lynn PE30 5DD | tel: 01553 773132 | www.edmundson-electrical.co.uk

Tasteful interiors

for a beautiful home...

Handmade curtains & blinds Woodslat Venetians (100+ finishes) Roller, Vertical & Roman Blinds Bespoke chairs & upholstery Wallpapers & Fabrics Curtain poles & tracks Measure, design & fitting Sanderson paint

01760 722541 • www.poppiinteriors.co.uk 19 market place, Swaffham PE37 7LA 82

Pitched & Flat Roofing Contractors Tel: 01553 770250 www.nobleroofing.net

Anglia House, Hamburg Way, North Lynn Industrial Estate, King’s Lynn PE30 2ND KLmagazine July 2018

METRIC CARPETS: THE BEST OF BRITISH FOR OVER 40 YEARS! THE GLOBE INN WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

“

Alistair and his team are always very professional, very accommodating, and they always deliver exactly the service they promise. They’ll always go the extra mile to help, and the standard of their workmanship is exceptionally high...

Stephen Bournes, Owner The Globe Inn, Wells-next-the-Sea

”

A top-quality professional project by Metric Carpets Stephen Bournes talks about why he always chooses Metric Carpets tephen and Antonia Bournes have been breathing life into the 17th century Globe Inn at Wells-nextthe-Sea for the last five years, and their latest project is one of their most ambitious to date – the conversion of a stableblock into a beautiful courtyard featuring 12 stunning new bedrooms.

And who better to provide the floors to maximise the comfort of future guests than Metric Carpets, and Stephen had no doubts that the company would give the new bedrooms and bathrooms the luxurious look he and Antonia were looking for.

“Metric Carpets originally came to me on recommendation,” says Stephen, “and we’ve used them to fit carpets, hard flooring and mats throughout the

S

KLmagazine July 2018

hotel in the past and for a holiday home.

When we came to think about the floors in the new bedroooms, we didn’t really have to think twice.”

Alistair Allen and his expert team at Metric Carpets worked with Stephen and Antonia on choosing the exact style and colour of Amtico hard flooring for the new bedrooms and bathrooms – and fitted the perfect finishing touch with some stair carpeting.

Understandably, Stephen and Antonia are delighted with the results.

“Alistair and his team are always very professional, very accommodating, and they always deliver exactly the service they promise,” says Stephen. “They’ll always go the extra mile to help, and the standard of their workmanship is

exceptionally high.”

With 1,000s of styles and colours to choose from, a superb selection of carpets, hard flooring and luxury floor tiles to choose from, Metric Carpets can supply you with the perfect floor for your home. Together with free estimations, all the help and advice you need – and an employed team of highly experienced fitters.

information

36 Norfolk Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1AH Tel: 01553 775203 Web: www.metriccarpets.co.uk E-mail: info@metriccarpets.co.uk

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Food & Drink

ABOVE: Algy Garrod on his farm at Bintree, which is now producing a crop of delicious popcorn, available in three amazing flavours

A local treat popping in fresh from the farm...

When Algy Garrod looked at diversification of his family farm in Bintree, he started with sunflower seeds. Now he’s producing a range of fabulous popcorn, as Maxine Thorne discovers

N

orfolk is justly famous for its range and quality of farm produce, enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. So when a new crop popcorn – was introduced by Algy Garrod on his farm in Bintree it was the start of something rather unique and special in the county.

Several years on from the original experimental planting, Algy’s Norfolk Popcorn has become a firm favourite with people who love the three flavours, which are cooked in small batches on the farm. Lightly Salted is a classic favourite, and Sweet & Salty too, with the famous Algy’s Revenge giving

KLmagazine July 2018

a real kick to the popcorn having been cooked in chilli-infused rapeseed oil. Of course, uncooked corn can be found in Algy’s farm shop, midway between Twyford and Bintree, just off the A1067.

You can’t miss the signs for Algy’s.

Adding this unusual product to the farm’s highly diverse range of crops and products has already created a strong demand. Algy’s Norfolk Popcorn is available in a number of cinemas, 15 East of England Co-Op stores, local outlets and (naturally) the farm shop at Manor Farm, Bintree. Algy’s Norfolk Popcorn is packaged in two sizes for shipment out to the many outlets that now stock it.

Algy himself is in control of every aspect of his popcorn, from importing top quality American corn to overseeing the cooking process – using cold-pressed rapeseed oil that’s been grown in his own fields. Every mouthful of his popcorn has a creamy and very more-ish taste and texture.

The flavourings are also natural, using British sugar and salt and own-grown infused rapeseed oil, so it’s a far cry from mass-produced popcorn made factory-style. The difference in taste is truly remarkable.

And the story behind the introduction of popcorn into Norfolk is as interesting as the product itself.

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Food & Drink

Manor Farm has been in Algy’s family for three generations. Before Algy, his father Brian ran the farm from age 19 when his own father Algernon died back in the 1950s.

Maize has been grown on the farm for many years, largely for bird seed (bird-feed products still feature in the farm shop) and Algy’s first foray into diversification started in 2003 when he started growing and selling sunflower seeds from his father’s garage.

For hungry food-lovers, visiting the farm shop is a real treat, with its large selection of tasty vegetables grown on the farm, smoked and cooked meats plus delicious treats from nearby producers. Algy’s wife Catherine and their daughters Amy and Annabel are on hand to help, too.

As well as lovely biscuits, breads and cakes, new items are added to the shelves and fridges as the seasons change. The farm shop is a perfect

place to find the best of Norfolk’s produce – and once visited, entices people to return again and again. If you love cooking or simply eating wonderful food, you’ll love all that the farm shop offers.

The home of Algy’s Norfolk Popcorn is a year-round working farm that makes the best use of its unique soil. In one area there are Christmas trees, in another huge cabbages and other vegetables. Delicious asparagus is grown in a separate and specially prepared area alongside the lane to the farm shop, and acres of fields produce top quality rapeseed oil and maize.

Growing popcorn in the UK proved to be very difficult and after many experiments to find a corn that would thrive, Algy made the decision to import corn directly from America.

“Once the corn arrives at Manor Farm it’s cooked in the on-site kitchen using rapeseed oil grown locally, which gives

our popcorn its unique taste,” he says.

“That’s enhanced with salt, sugar and chilli-infused oil to create the three flavours currently available. The rapeseed oil we use is grown on the farm and processed off-site by Crush Oils before being brought back for cooking the popcorn.”

With so much effort and dedication behind Algy’s Norfolk Popcorn and the plethora of produce also grown on Manor Farm, what makes this such a labour of love for this innovative farmer?

“Just hearing those first grains start to pop created the dream and led me down a path that has been both interesting and challenging,” says Algy.

“One of the biggest challenges is coping with popping corn that somehow finds its way down your shirt whilst very hot!”

With so much going on throughout the year, there’s always something new happening at Algy’s Manor Farm.

Easy to find and a pleasure to visit, with amazing produce available in the shop, this has to be added to your list of places to go. In fact, put it at the top of your list and go along to Bintree as soon as you can. You’ll be glad you did.

For more information about Algy’s Norfolk Popcorn and all the delights to be found in the farm shop plus news and events, please go to his website at www.algysnorfolkpopcorn

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KLmagazine July 2018

DA O YS P E A N W EE K 7

rd Winning Inn Swaffham’s Double Awa Farms Shop

Butchery ♦ Deli Larder ♦ Fresh Produce

Call to Book 01760 723 244

Great choices for the BBQ with local meats and aged steaks. Everything for party buffets and Norfolk wines and beers, We sell the perfect way to celebrate Summer!

ALGY’S

Visit our two brilliant shops in Walsingham & Heacham Guild Street Walsingham NR22 6BU t:01328 821877

NORFOLK POPCORN !

Caley Mill, Lynn Road Heacham PE31 7JE t:01485 570002

For more info visit our website www.walsingham.co

K I T C H E N S • B AT H R O O M S • T I L E S

Over 40 displays!

Cocktails

Pub Menu

Our fabulous cocktail bar serving classics and our own creations. Open Fri and Sat evenings.

Home of the Jack Daniel’s Burger!

Served Tues to Sun (closed Mon)

KingsArmsCopperHorse@gmail.com www.kingsarmscoachinginn.co.uk

21 Market Place, Swaffham PE37 7LA BEDROOMS • PLUMBING SUPPLIES

Beautiful British-made kitchens

Knowledge and experience are what makes Quay Centre your first port of call for your new kitchen.

Covering two floors, our extensive showroom boasts a range of kitchens, worktops, bathrooms, tiles and accessories. With the latest innovation in design technology and years of experience call in and see us in Wisbech

Our friendly team!

BI G NA ME B R A N D S - Bosch • Blanco • Neff • Ted Baker • Samsung • Laura Ashley • Smeg

Experts in designing and installing beautiful kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms to suit all tastes and budgets • Free design and survey • Trade & new build accounts available • Supply only or full installation service

Address 28-31a North End, Wisbech, Cambs, PE13 1PE | Tel 01945 476797 | Fax 01945 463495 | Web www.quaycentre.co.uk

KLmagazine July 2018

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FIREPLACES | STOVE S | GRANI TE WORKTOPS

Visit the largest stove showroom in King’s Lynn

Bespoke curtains and blinds for all your soft furnishing needs

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Tel. 01553 776411 / 07920 747157 +LJK 6WUHHW .LQJ·V /\QQ 3( ''

Austin Fields, King’s Lynn, PE30 1PH tel: 01553 772564 | web: www.krfireplaces.co.uk

ANTIQUES COLLECTABLES FURNITURE & CURIOS the best time to buy antiques is now...

TOP SELECTED DEALERS 8000FT2 SHOWROOM HIGH QUALITY PIECES GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY

Unit A Tottenhill Retail Park, Lynn Road (A10), King’s Lynn PE33 0SR | T: 01553 810552

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KLmagazine July 2018

“

” We’ll make your floors BEFORE

AFTER

Thanks Martin for a truly faultless service: for your care and attention, for your hardworking, courteous and meticulous staff, and for making our floors look every bit as good as the day they were first laid. Amazing!

as bright as the summer!

With over 20 years experience and the most advanced cleaning system in the UK, no one can clean your floors like XtraClean... t’s tempting to think that the winter months are the hardest on your floors, but during the summer we tend to keep our doors open and wander back and forth from the garden – which can really take its toll on the condition of your floors. Slate, limestone and natural stone floors look fantastic when first laid and they’re a considerable investment, but they do tend to lose their stunning good looks over time – until eventually they’ll be needing a lot more than a mop and some elbow grease to bring them back to their best.

And that’s when you’ll need the professional cleaning services of Martin King and his Swaffham-based team at XtraClean.

“Deposits and dirt gradually builds up on stone floors throughout the year,

I

especially in the grout lines, and traditional cleaning methods tend to become ineffective,” says Martin. “That’s why we use a revolutionary floor cleaning system to safely restore heavilysoiled stone floors, tiles and grout to ‘as-new’ brilliance. And we can do it in a single visit too!”

For over 20 years, XtraClean has been offering a reliable, friendly and fullyinsured service that covers the whole of Norfolk with a team of highly skilled, highly trained and highly knowledgeable technicians – all dedicated to keeping your floors looking as bright as the day they were laid.

Following an initial survey and test, XtraClean will get to work (even moving the furniture for you!) breaking down the ingrained dirt and loosening the surface

soiling. Then XtraClean’s amazing turbocleaning capture system will thoroughly pressure clean the floor, using its own water supply and capturing all the waste in the process. The results are spectacular, and are achieved without using invasive procedures such as grinding and resurfacing.

“We even offer a professional sealant for added protection which will help keep those good looks for longer,” says Martin. ”We can even re-polish and buff highly-honed stone floors if required!”

So what’s the secret to offering such a high quality service?

“We simply use the most advanced technology and the most professional products on the market today,” says Martin, “and the amazing results really do speak for themselves!”

XtraClean

Unit 3, Jack Boddy Way, Swaffham PE37 7HJ Tel: 01760 337762 Web: www.xtraclean.co.uk E-mail: sales@xtraclean.co.uk

KLmagazine July 2018

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Your local Independent Insurance Broker Offering a personal face-to-face service and free no-obligation quotes on services such as...

Personal Insurance

Business Insurance

Professional Indemnity

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Commercial Vehicle & Fleet Insurance Charity Insurance

Farm Insurance And much more

111 High Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1DA T: 01553 770112 W: www.ibainsurance.co.uk E: enquiries@ibainsurance.co.uk

Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority no. 311163

BY APPOINTMENT TO HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II WASTE DISPOSAL CONTRACTORS

NEW BUILDS • REWIRES • EXTENSIONS

M: 07753 212250 T: 01945 482185

www.anglianelectricalsolutions.co.uk

Jon Chambers Wi n d o w s WINDOWS, DOORS & CONSERVATORY Design & installation company based in Terrington St Clement WINDOWS • DOORS • CONSERVATORIES ORANGERIES • CARPORTS • GRP FLAT ROOFING

We have a full range of services to offer you and your company:

Recycling Cardboard, Plastic, Metal, Glass, Weee waste, Rubble, Soil, Wood and Plasterboard •Third party tipping •Events

Innisfree Trading Estate, Bawsey, King's Lynn, PE32 1EX

www.baco-compak.com sales@baco-compak.com TEL: 01553 630 247

Caring for your environment

90

• Windows from £320 • Doors (PVCu) from £495 • Composite Doors from £999 All prices include VAT Freephone: 0800 328 8020 • Tel: 01553 340287 www.jonchamberswindows.co.uk • Find us: PE34 4PT

KLmagazine July 2018

Letting Better Our monthly round up of the latest news and legislation concerning Landlords and Tenants in the private rented sector with Edmonton Estates Director Damien Simone

Independent Lettings & Property Management Specialists

QUI CK FAC TS Research shows that four people living in a 3 bedroom property can create 112 pints of moisture a week from just breathing, cooking, showering and boiling the kettle.

Damp, Mould & Aggravation Untold

O

ur article in June’s KL Magazine which detailed repairs that are often wrongly misconceived to be the landlord’s responsibility generated a lot of interest and telephone calls from landlords, so we have decided to follow straight on with this article specifically relating to damp and mould in rented properties.

This is one of the most frustrating maintenance issues that landlords can face in their rental properties. Following years of disputes and research it has been found in a considerable number of cases that the damp and mould are often not the result of a structural defect with the property. In a lot of instances it is proving to be the tenants raising the complaint who are also the unwitting cause of the problem due to their lifestyle choices.

Property inspections are how we often identify potential damp causing actions by tenants in homes under our management. Finding trickle vents on windows taped shut, tumble dryers being used unvented in spare

bedrooms, bathroom extractor fans turned off because “they are too noisy” and properties inadequately heated to try and save money on utility bills can all cause a significant amount of condensation damp and subsequent mould growth in a relatively brief amount of time.

Even the Citizens Advice website now has a section devoted to condensation, damp and mould in rented properties which offers suggestions to tenants of how they may reduce their contribution to the moisture in a property before raising a complaint.

Tenants will very often be disbelieving of the possibility that they are the cause of a damp problem in the property and particularly if mould begins to form they very often threaten to contact the Council. Our advice is not to be concerned if the council housing standards department get involved. Our experience of the local housing standards officers in King’s Lynn in the majority of cases that we have been involved in have been favourable.

They will make an objective assessment of the cause of the problem and advise the tenants correctly if they are at fault just as efficiently as when it is the landlord who is required to take action.

Sometimes the affected property could just require some basic maintenance, such as gutter clearing, damaged window seals or a leaking overflow. All of these are minor repairs which can contribute to damp problems if left uncorrected.

At Edmonton Estates as well as managing over 300 properties directly, we also provide free advice and guidance leaflets to landlords who manage their own properties including details of local contractors that we use to carry out damp assessments when required. If you would like to receive one of our free leaflets which explains how to identify and prevent damp and mould issues caused by tenants or structural defects please contact our office on 01553 660615.

Edmonton Estates Ltd, St Ann’s House, 18 St Ann’s Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1LT 01553 660615 | www.edmontonestates.co.uk | info@edmontonestates.co.uk

KLmagazine July 2018

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PICTURES: SUPPLIED

Local Life

ABOVE: In March, these five members of the nursing staff at The Norfolk Hospice took to the skies, jumping out of a plane nearly two miles high to raise funds for the charity’s amazing work

Five go skydiving for the Norfolk Hospice...

An incredible achievement by ladies who do an incredible job

H

ospice nurses often get asked “How do you do that job? It must be so difficult...” yet the nurses in the Inpatient Unit (IPU) at the Norfolk Hospice view their work as an honour and a privilege. There are only two things that are certain in life and death is one of them, but it’s the one feared the most.

The nurses in the inpatient unit can’t nurse people back to health, but they help take away some of the fear of

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dying and dispel myths around end of life. They are there for the difficult conversations others are afraid to have, and they discover people’s life stories, regrets and desires. They share laughter with patients and their families and also empathise and offer support. Their work isn’t easy, but is never boring.

They find their work extremely rewarding, so much so that members of the team recently felt they wanted to give something back to the charity, which relies on donations for 68% of its

£2.5million annual costs.

Back in March, the Hospice’s dedicated fundraising team started recruiting willing participants for the annual skydive at UK Parachuting’s Beccles base. Among the 16 who put themselves forward to take part in the jump were IPU ward manager Melanie Johnston, an IPU nurse Sarah Hemmant, and palliative nursing assistants Lizzie Yerbury, Kelly Lipscomb and Caroline Lacey Rodwell.

Unfortunately Sarah was unable to

KLmagazine July 2018

ABOVE: Palliative nursing assistant Kelly and Caroline back on solid ground with a patient at The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House, and (right) IPU ward manager Mel Johnston

participate and was replaced by palliative nursing assistant Kaireen Stevenson at the last minute.

Melanie, Caroline and Lizzie wanted a once-in-a-lifetime challenge that would give them the ultimate adrenaline buzz – something guaranteed when freefalling at 120mph from a height of around 13,000ft (approximately two miles high) for around 40 seconds.

On the other hand, Kelly and Kaireen had always said it was something they would never do. Kaireen is terrified of flying and didn’t commit to taking over Sarah’s place until just a week before the event – and Kelly’s family and friends had doubts over whether or not she would actually jump on the day.

Both wanted to overcome their fears whilst giving something back.

All of them wanted to raise as many funds as possible for the charity as they see at first-hand how important it is to make the most difficult time in someone’s life a little bit easier – not only for the patients, but also the families.

They are all too aware of the enormous costs involved in running the charity – which provides a Hospice at Home service, Family Support, Day Therapies, Bereavement counselling and Complementary Therapies alongside Inpatient care.

In their spare time they set about raising funds, creating online pages for sponsorship and asking colleagues, family and friends to support their challenge. Families of patients got wind of the challenge and also wanted to

KLmagazine July 2018

contribute to the efforts of the team.

Together they managed to raise over £2,600 for the Hospice and are all very grateful to everyone who contributed and supported their once in a lifetime challenge.

On the day of the skydive, the team travelled over to Beccles Airfield and met up with the other Hospice skydivers who included brother and sister Richard Nichols and Catherine Ellwood, along with Catherine’s son Luke. Richard and Catherine’s mum, Jean Nichols, had been cared for by the team in October 2017. It was particularly poignant for them to be sharing the experience with the nurses who’d been with them at such a difficult time and they were amazed that the nurses were taking part and were prepared to risk their lives for the hospice.

They were all briefed and given special suits, helmets and goggles to

wear. Their tandem skydiving instructors were introduced to them and they were ready to be called up to board the plane.

The team felt a mixture of excitement and fear as the time approached to take off, but once in the plane the adrenaline took hold of each of them and the fear disappeared as they each approached the plane’s opening.

One by one they dangled their legs out of the plane and leaned forward attached to their instructor to experience freefall and enjoy a unique view of the beautiful East Anglian countryside and the strange peace and quiet while slowly (eventually!) descending back to earth with the parachute.

“It was incredible – there’s simply no feeling like freefall,” said Kaireen, who was terrified in the hours before. “It didn’t actually feel like I was falling, and the views of the countryside below are beyond stunning.”

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Local Life

ABOVE: Palliative nursing assistant Kaireen Stevenson joined the skydiving team at the last minute, and while she was terrified on the way up she found the experience incredible – a feeling shared by palliative nursing assistant Lizzie Yerbury (below)

Sharing the experience of this once in a lifetime challenge has brought the already close team even closer together. Although they all love their jobs, it is without question difficult at times and the group definitely have a stronger sense of camaraderie now.

Director of Fundraising, John Garrett, said he felt there could be very little worse than falling from a plane for several seconds before knowing whether or not the parachute would open.

“We know it takes a special type of person to do the work the IPU staff do,” he said. “But to put their lives on the line shows dedication beyond the call of duty.”

Everyone at the Hospice is extremely grateful to them and the other skydivers for taking on this incredible challenge.

For details of The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House and details of how you can support their work, please visit the website at www.norfolkhospice.org.uk

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KLmagazine July 2018

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KLmagazine July 2018

“Becoming a Caregiver has really changed my life...”

How Josie Ratcliffe joined Home Instead Senior Care and realised a lifelong ambition to make a difference to people or Josie Ratcliffe, documentaries such as Panorama and the negative stories in the press had held her back from a lifelong desire to support people living in their own homes – until she noticed an advertisement on social media for a Caregiver role with Home Instead Senior Care.

“I’d thought about helping people for years, but I’d always been wary given the stories you hear, and thought the advertisement may have been too good to be true,” says Josie. “I was particularly attracted to Home Instead Senior Care as they have a minimum of one-hour visits and will only provide each caregiver with a small number of clients.

Josie had always wanted to be able to build up a relationship with someone she would support, and felt it was right as soon as she walked into the office.

“I felt part of the organization even before I’d officially joined,” she says. “I really liked the company’s ethos of how care should be delivered.”

Home Instead Senior Care offers a unique companionship-based type of

support. Their fully trained Caregivers are matched to their individual clients.

“My training was brilliant, and afterwards I shadowed Caregivers who were warm and made me feel very relaxed even though I was in a new role,” says Josie.

“I’ve built up a great rapport with my clients, and from jigsaws to trips out in to the community I can really see the difference I am making to my clients.”

Josie is one of around 70 Caregivers that Home Instead Senior Care employs

from their three offices in King’s Lynn, Dereham and Holt.

“I remember meeting Josie for the first time and she had a real warmth about her,” says Operations Manager Tom McEwan. “Although she hadn’t supported people in a professional role before, she had the passion to make a difference to people’s lives – and for us that’s one of the key qualities we look for in a potential Caregiver.”

And after being named as Caregiver of the Month for May it would seem that Josie is a natural!

“The Caregiver of the Month award was a real shock, and I didn’t know what to say,” says Josie. “It was lovely to be recognized by the company. I worked for a large retail business for 15 years and I never received anything like that.”

As the word continues to spread about Home Instead Senior Care, they’re looking to recruit equally passionate people who are looking to make a real difference to people’s lives.

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History

ABOVE: The library at Felbrigg Hall, where one of the first editions of Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language found a home, having been ordered by musician and composer Charles Burney (opposite) – who moved to King’s Lynn in 1751

The Great Dictionary comes to King’s Lynn...

Samuel Johnson’s dictionary was the one of the most important books ever published in English. Alison Gifford explains why a musician and church organist in King’s Lynn ordered six copies...

O

n February 16th 1755, Charles Burney, musician and organist at St Margaret’s church in King’s Lynn started a lifelong correspondence and friendship with Dr Samuel Johnson – the author, essayist, critic, satirist, often described as “the most distinguished man of letters in English history.”

The motivation for young Mr Burney’s writing to the great man was his wish to buy for himself and five local friends copies of a most remarkable

KLmagazine July 2018

publication – Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language, which had taken nine years to write and was scheduled to be published in a few weeks’ time.

Burney wrote to Dr Johnson (after a long preamble of introduction): “I beg of you to inform me when your admirably planned and long-wishedfor Dictionary will be published? I shall beg of you to favour me with six copies for myself and friends, for which I will send you a draft [money].”

At £4 10/ (£650) for each set of the two volumes, Burney had to find the

sum of £26 – the equivalent of nearly £4,000 today. The folio books were superbly bound in calf skin, printed on fine paper, and gold-tooled with marbled end boards. Recently, a first edition sold at auction for £14,000.

Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language is one of the most famous dictionaries in history. In the years it took to compile, Johnson required six helpers to list some 40,000 words in 2,300 pages. Each word was defined in detail, the definitions illustrated with quotations covering

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History

ABOVE: A portrait of Dr Samuel Johnson by the artist Joshua Reynolds – note the copy of Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language by his left elbow. A first edition of the hugely-influential book (below) sold recently for £14,000 at auction.

every branch of learning – yet Johnson had no library to hand and drew only on his own prodigious knowledge and memory of English writing from Shakespeare to his own time.

It was a huge literary achievement, and a more extensive and complex dictionary than any of its predecessors.

The comparable Dictionnaire Français had taken 55 years to compile and required the dedication of no less than 40 scholars.

The work guaranteed Johnson’s place in history, but it made very little money. Until the completion of the Oxford English Dictionary 173 years later in 1928, Johnson’s work was viewed as the pre-eminent English dictionary.

So who were the discerning Norfolk friends prepared to trust Burney with this commission?

Charles Burney had moved from London to King’s Lynn with his young family in 1751 when ill health forced a move from the unhealthy capital, and some local merchants were very keen to add social and cultural polish to their circle – so they encouraged Burney to come to King’s Lynn, having met him on their annual journey to Bath to take

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the waters for their health.

Sir John Turner, local MP and wine merchant, organised a top-up to Burney’s annual salary as organist at St Margaret’s to £100 so he could add music and dancing to the town’s event calendar and bring a touch of London style to the town.

Burney was only 24 years old when he arrived in King’s Lynn, and wrote to his wife Esther, who was still in London while he found a house for his young family.

“The organ is execrably bad, and to add to that a total ignorance of the most known and common musical merit runs through the whole body of the people,” he wrote. “Even Sir J.T. – who is the oracle of Apolis in this country – is in these matters extremely shallow.”

But the kindness and keenness of the inhabitants soon persuaded young Charles that in King’s Lynn he could find a niche and the appreciation for his talents he always craved.

He soon found a “convenient and pretty” house near Austin Street for his family, later moving into a larger grander house on the town’s High Street.

Burney’s cultural influence became pre-eminent in King’s Lynn. After music and dancing, books and picture collecting became the new town vogue – and on Burney’s advice, buying this very expensive, state-of-the-art dictionary showed a level of cultural sophistication to wow the neighbours – which was always a very Georgian ambition.

Burney continued corresponding with Johnson to fulfil his obligation to his friends, and in April 1755 when the dictionary was finally published he received a reply from its author.

“Sir, if you imagine that by delaying my answer I intended to show any neglect of the notice with which you have favoured me, you will neither think justly of yourself nor of me,” wrote Dr. Johnson. “I have no dictionaries to dispose of myself, but I shall be glad to direct you to Mr Dodsley because it was by his recommendation that I was employed on the work.”

Burney duly did so, and wrote back to Johnson full of relief and happiness.

“Time, the great revealer of secrets, has at length put an end to my solicitude,” he wrote. “For if there be truth in book men, I can now, by cunning calculation, foretell the day and hour when it will arrive in Lynn.”

Many years later, Charles’ daughter, the novelist Frances Burney, collected her father’s letters into a biography and wrote, with the common spellings of the time: “At Haughton, at Felbrig, at Rainham, at Sir A Wodehouse’s [MP for Norfolk], at Major Mackenzie’s, wherever his judgement had weight the plan of Dr Johnson’s Dictionary reached Norfolk, and Mr Burney was enabled to collect orders for half a dozen copies of that matchless work.”

Today, no doubt still tucked away in the libraries of our Norfolk grand houses, are these copies of A Dictionary of the English Language – a truly ground-breaking work.

KLmagazine July 2018

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KLmagazine July 2018

Why air source heating is the year-round choice for builders Trust the 4 Way Group for energy-efficient homes and sustainable technology hoosing a heating system for a new property isn’t that easy for builders any more – important considerations now include SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) ratings, financial implications, quality, reliability, energy efficiencies and the installation process itself. Happily, the best solution is an easy choice because it ticks every box all year round – and that’s air source heating from the 4 Way Group.

“Air source heating is actually at its most effective over the summer months,” says Steve Simpson of the 4 Way Group. “The ambient temperature is warmer and the system is only being used for hot water, so its performance is at maximum efficiency.”

That’s good news over the summer, but it’s during the winter months that an air source heating system really comes into its own. Whereas traditional heating systems using fuels such as gas and oil provide heating in ‘blasts’ (when required or as per programming) air source heat pumps provide high-grade heat at lower temperatures over a longer period of time.

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KLmagazine July 2018

Even better, air source heating is between 30%-50% more cost-effective to run than traditional heating alternatives.

“Air source heat pumps are capable of outputting more than three times as much heat energy as the electricity they take to run,” says Steve. “That results in noticeably reduced heating costs and a more attractive selling proposition from the builder’s point of view. And because it’s a renewable alternative, air source heating provides builders with the opportunity to future-proof their project.”

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Local Arts

ABOVE: Artists Peter Swann and Paul Ebbens with their joint Prayer Hide project at Cley – after this month’s King’s Lynn Festival, the pair’s next stop will be South Africa, introducing local schoolchildren to new approaches to ceramics and drawing

Taking art to a new level and a new continent...

Peter Swann and Paul Ebbens are both accomplished artists in their own fields, but together they form a unique partnership – which they’re about to take from King’s Lynn to South Africa

O

n July 15th, a fringe event of the King’s Lynn Festival will open, showcasing the thought-provoking work of contemporary artists Paul Ebbens and Peter Swann – and featuring romance and relationships, race and gender, Africa and Europe, flowers and motorcycles.

Titled Flowers of Romance, the exhibition’s name comes from an early punk rock band formed in mid-1976; a band that never played live or released 104

any recordings and is only remembered today for the many band members that later became well known, including Sid Vicious, Keith Levene and (very briefly) Marco Pirroni. The phrase was also used in 1981 as the title of the highlyexperimental third studio album by Public Image Ltd. Before the opening of their exhibition (and before they fly to South Africa to introduce schoolchildren to new approaches to art) KL magazine spoke to both artists about their work and

what audiences could expect. Apart from the unexpected, of course.

KL magazine: How did you both end up as artists?

PAUL EBBENS: I started an evening class in ceramics and moved onto a full-time course and then studied Fine Art. After college, I opened the Green Box Studio in Watlington, subsequently gaining a postion working at College of West Anglia in the Ceramics Department.

KLmagazine July 2018

PETER SWANN: For myself, I started a five-year apprenticeship as a Technical Illustrator when I was 16, studying art on day-release at Watford and Luton. I then worked in various studios in and around London as a graphic artist, ending up teaching part time in Wisbech at Isle College. I then went back to art school to study ceramics at Stroud.

KL magazine: Why did you focus on ceramics and assemblage art rather than more traditional genres such as landscape or portraiture?

PAUL EBBENS: Someone whose opinion I value and respect once told me to “go with your strength” after they’d had a painting rejected from an exhibition. I do paint, but I’m not ready to show them. I use landscape and portraiture as subject matter in my ceramic work.

PETER SWANN: My career was very precise and ‘tight’ when I started ceramics in the 1970s, but I began to ‘free up’ and started assemblage work, gathering discarded and broken items and re-inventing them as objects to be admired.

KL magazine: How did your paths cross?

PETER SWANN: After retiring at 55 I started part-time work at the College of West Anglia in King’s Lynn. Paul was working in the ceramics department and I was in Fine Art. Our paths constantly crossed, and we formed a friendship based on similar tastes in art.

Over the past few years we’ve exhibited together and produced a number of collaborative pieces.

KL magazine: Where did the idea for the South Africa project come from?

PETER SWANN: I’ve spent a lot of time holidaying with family in South Africa – I love the people and have often wanted to give something back to say thank you. I heard of a church in Johannesburg that supported a particular school working with children from the townships in and around the city and felt moved to ask if they’d like us to show them what we do and hopefully introduce them into a different form of expressive art.

KL magazine: What will the project actually entail?

PETER SWANN: There are around 1,000 children at the school and we’re hoping to involve most of them over a two-week period with drawing and ceramics. We’ll be supplying all the materials and have arranged the hire of a kiln for the purpose of firing the work in Johannesburg.

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Local Arts PAUL EBBENS: I’d list any number of ‘outsider’ artists, the abstract expressionists and CoBrA artists – together with amazing talents such as Jean-Michael Basquiat, Van Gogh, Jim Leedy, Picasso and Grayson Perry – and that’s just a few!

PETER SWANN: Over the years I’ve always been inspired by the work of artists such as Salvador Dali, Peter Blake and Joseph Cornell – who’s hailed as the father of assemblage art.

KL magazine: What are you hoping to achieve from the project?

PAUL EBBENS: I hope to inspire and be inspired to show that art can be serious fun and can be a realistic career choice in the creative industries. I’d also quite like to see a rhino!

PETER SWANN: Fundamentally, it should be fun – and we’re hoping the children will see art is for everyone and not just the ‘gifted’. There’s also the feeling that we’re actually doing something for others, which is very rewarding.

KL magazine: What kind of a response do you want from people viewing your work?

PAUL EBBENS: I don’t mind a bad reaction, but I’d prefer good reactions and appreciation; an acknowledgement that what they’re looking at is visually stimulating.

PETER SWANN: I’d agree with that.

Response is always varied – from feelings of nostalgia to outright dismissal! I always remember my father saying that no reaction is a bad reaction!

KL magazine: If you could have a single piece of art in your home other than your own, what would it be – and why?

PAUL EBBENS: Something by Piccaso or a really big Rothko. Why? The kudos, the monetary value, and the sheer appreciation of truly great art.

PETER SWANN: I think it would be something by Joseph Cornell because of the simplicity of his work. From a modern artist, I’d want a work by Grayson Perry because of his refreshingly natural approach to art.

enjoy doing it – I’m confident the future will shape itself.

KL magazine: Where can we see more of your work?

PAUL EBBENS: You can see plenty in my spare bedroom! There’s a small selection in the café in Bircham, and a friend has a collection in her florist’s shop in Heydon – the Wallflower & Wallace. I do have a book of my work to buy or view online – it’s called Raw Materials by Nick Samson.

PAUL EBBENS: We’re having a joint exhibition in the penthouse above Cashino on Purfleet Street in King’s Lynn from 15th July until 18th August.

There are many examples of my work at www.peterswann.co.uk – and you can also find me on Facebook and Twitter.

KL magazine: What are you working on at the moment?

PAUL EBBENS: I’ve been making lots of ‘flowers’ for our forthcoming Flowers of Romance exhibition – I’m now in the process of mounting them onto boards with various other objects.

PETER SWANN: I am working on an anamitron called 1st Cinema which will hopefully make an appearance in our exhibition later this month.

KL magazine: Where do you see your work going in the future?

PAUL EBBENS: It normally just goes in my spare bedroom – but I’m hoping to be in an exhibition in London next year.

I’m quite prolific at times and I’d like to make enough good art for a worldwide presence.

PETER SWANN: For me it’s a case of just pursuing what I want to do and

KL magazine: Do you have a single work of your own that’s particularly special or important to you?

PAUL EBBENS: I have a lot of my own art around the house, and each piece has a special significance to a specific time, place or person.

PETER SWANN: I have a random piece that hangs in my house entitled Family.

With my parents’ recent demise I realised the importance of family, so it has a fresh and new meaning for me – even though it has no direct relationship with my own family.

KL magazine: Who are your major artistic influences?

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KLmagazine July 2018

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KLmagazine July 2018

Setting new standards for quality used cars...

A superb choice and an exceptional service from Duff Morgan stablished over 100 years ago back in 1909, Duff Morgan has always been associated with high standards of motoring excellence, a commitment to customer care and a commitment to exceeding expectations – and that’s particularly true of the company’s approach to used cars.

With over 200 vehicles in stock at any one time, Duff Morgan offers a superb range of approved SEAT, Citroën and DS used cars together with a superb selection of commercial vehicles. But the choice is a lot wider than that.

“We’ve actually got access to 1000s of different cars of all makes and all models,” says Sales Manager Martin

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Seal. “Whatever you're looking for, we can source everything from VW to BMW and from Audi to Skoda. And in the unlikely event we haven’t got the car you’re looking for, we’ll find it for you.”

With truly competitive prices and finance options designed to suit you and your budget, all of Duff Morgan’s used vehicles are available for only £99 deposit – and no matter their age are all given the same attention to detail and special treatment.

That means your vehicle comes with a year’s MOT protection and 12 month warranty, together with a whole year of roadside assistance. It also includes a thorough multi-point check by highly-

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“We don’t just match you to your perfect car based on your wants, needs and affordability,” says Martin. ”We also go to great lengths to ensure you can buy a used vehicle from Duff Morgan with total confidence. And don’t forget that you’ll also enjoy the exceptionally high levels of back-up and support you’d expect from an award-winning dealer.”

If you’re looking for a high quality used car or commercial vehicle at a great price (together with a first-class service to match) look no further than Duff Morgan.

DUFF MORGAN 49 Bergen Way, North Lynn Industrial Estate King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 2JG Telephone: 01553 770144 Website: www.duffmorgan.com KLmagazine July 2018

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PICTURES: WILLIAM P SMITH

Local History

ABOVE: Beaupre Hall at Outwell in the 1920s – part of village life for over 400 years, it was demolished in 1966

Reviving the lost history of Outwell in a nutshell The history of many Fenland villages may have been lost to time, but one local man is bringing it back to life in a series of fascinating books. Sylvia Steele talks to writer and historian Bill Smith

M

uch of the history of the quiet Fenland villages around Downham Market and Wisbech isn’t apparent today, as so many of the ornate bridges, old chapels, pubs and alehouses have been changed or demolished over the last century by the pace of evolution and economics in the area.

It’s for this reason that William ‘Bill’ Smith set about documenting the historical features of his native Outwell.

KLmagazine July 2018

In compiling the 40,000 words and over 125 illustrations of his recentlypublished Outwell in a Nutshell, he tells the story of a village that in his view, deserves its history to be recorded.

What set William (who prefers to be known as Bill) on this road began in the mid-1960s.

“I’d joined the Army on my 17th birthday,”he says, “and after active service in Aden I returned home in November 1968 to discover that the Wisbech East Railway Station, built in

1847 on the old goods yard near Oldfield Lane, had been closed the previous month.”

It was just one of the many changes that had occurred during Bill’s time away from the area.

“Other prominent landmarks I’d grown up with had also disappeared, and some were really noticeable,” he says. “Beaupre Hall, for example, was the town’s second most important building after the church. Steeped in history, the hall had been part of

111

Local History

ABOVE: Downham Road in Outwell pictured around the 1930s, and (below) the famous Wisbech to Upwell tram passing through Outwell in 1929 as photographed by HC Casserley – glimpses of the village’s history as revealed in Bill Smith’s book Outwell in a Nutshell

Outwell since the early 16th century – but it was demolished in 1966, leaving nothing but myths and legends to the imagination of future generations.”

One noticeable exception to this was the immense popularity generated by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry’s creation of Thomas the Tank Engine. His first books of Toby the Tram were based on the Wisbech to Upwell Tram that served the area from 1883 to 1966. Described by some as ‘a shed on wheels,’ the tram was the local choice for freight and passengers – and the tramlines were extended to nearby Upwell in 1884.

Trundling along at twelve miles per hour from Wisbech to Upwell, it was a favourite with American servicemen during the war who liked to hitch a ride, and subsequently made the tram story universally famous. The service was cut, however, in 1966.

“It’s only with the benefit of hindsight that the continuing interest in the Thomas stories and the merchandising they generated may well have stayed the execution of this unique local

112

feature, making it a huge tourist attraction,” says Bill.

Another noticeable change to the area was the filling-in of the Wisbech Canal, which was found to be economically unviable in the early 1970s. Constructed in 1796, it operated

for over 120 years before being abandoned and remaining derelict until the 1940s, when sections were gradually filled in – a story told in another of Bill’s books, A Pictorial Journey down the Wisbech Canal, which he published in 2014.

As for Outwell in a Nutshell, it took 20 years to complete, first appearing in 2002 and now being reprinted.

“I’ve met some fantastic people along the way,” says Bill. “But you can’t write about the history of Outwell without mentioning nearby Upwell. In historical terms, they were the same place at one time, sharing the same rivers, farms, gas works, brass band and tramway. Even in modern times the two are closely connected, but in truth the two villages divorced around the late 12th century.”

All Bill’s books are refreshingly honest accounts of his extensive research and unparalleled personal knowledge of the area.

“It’s a careful balancing act,” he says.

“History can sometimes be a pretty dry subject, but I’ve tried to make my books interesting reads whilst sticking to the facts.”

Since retiring, and in addition to his writing, Bill has prepared a number of fascinating Powerpoint presentations of the area. One local man who’s always influenced the choices Bill’s made in life is the farmer he worked for on leaving school – Philip Doubleday, who started speed skating on Welney Wash in 1947, aged 18.

Runner-up in the British Professional Championship in 1956, 1962 and 1979, he finally won the title at Baston Fen in Lincolnshire in 1982 – by which time he was 53.

“He was such an inspiration to me and my education started there,” says Bill. “I still quote his words – ‘slow down, stand back, watch a good one and do what he does.’ Of course he was really talking about skating, but those words have been the basis of many of my decisions in life.”

Outwell in a Nutshell by William Smith is published by Carrillson Publications, and is available through all good local bookshops and via the website www.carrillson.co.uk

KLmagazine July 2018

OVER 25 YEARS OF FIRST CLASS MOTOR SERVICING

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How to keep you, your car and your family safely on the road or over 25 years, people have been bringing their cars to K Brown Auto Repairs time after time – but there’s no great secret why that’s the case. If you’re looking for a good reason to treat your car to K Brown Auto Repairs, here’s ten of them. People have been coming to us, returning to us and recommending us for years because:

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KLmagazine July 2018

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All the work we carry out and every job we do to your car is only done if necessary – and we never exaggerate problems in order to gain work.

We always take time and care to ensure cars are repaired to a very high standard with a number of quality checks in place.

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113

The Last Word

WildWestNorfolk Michael Middleton’s

L

ast month Mrs Middleton and I spent a lovely weekend in St Ives and for once that ‘home-fromhome’ cliché was actually quite accurate – not least because of the local wildlife. In fact, I’ve come to the conclusion that instead of a bulldog, our nation’s iconic animal should be a seagull.

One day, the sunbathing Mrs. M sent me to a nearby café for some lunch, and on my way out I was confronted by a large blue poster with a stark three-word headline: Beware the Gulls. Cornwall is Daphne du Maurier country of course, so I simply assumed this was a light-hearted reference to her classic short story which Alfred Hitchcock turned into what he modestly described as “the most terrifying motion picture I have ever made.”

I was wrong, however.

Happily returning to the beach brandishing my wares and returning triumphant from the long queues, I felt satisfied I’d managed (for once) to fulfil my hunter-gatherer role. I had food!

And ‘had’ was the the operative word.

Just like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expects seagulls in the seconds before they strike. They’re a military force in their own right, locking their beady eyes on their target as sure and true as any hi-tech guidance system.

One second I was waving a baguette, the next my hand was empty and my lunch was on the sand, a yellow beak tearing into the paper bag, prawns flying around as other gulls materialised out of nowhere to help the audacious divebomber dispose of his booty.

It’s happening all over the place. Just two weeks ago, I saw a headline in a newspaper that read Seagull Attacks On Rise – People Injured in Mouth.

114

It was Kent this time, and it wasn’t a wind-up.

“We see one or two people a week,” said local pharmacist Claire Field. “But the reality is that there are probably many more people who have been attacked but have managed to treat the wounds themselves.”

It’s difficult not to imagine seagulls have some kind of malign intent and dark intelligence. Look around next time you’re in King’s Lynn. They look organised. They perch on the edges of buildings acting as permanent lookouts, keeping their eyes peeled for people leaving cafés and fast food outlets laden with goodies. Higher up, air-support seagulls ride the thermals, ready to put their wings back and dive, dive, dive.

There are even ground troops – seagulls who stalk around the town, sometimes just standing there and staring at you as though they can see straight into your very soul. Or at least into the paper bag protecting your cheeseburger.

In 2015, David Cameron was visting Cornwall when a small dog was actually killed by a seagull. Asked about the birds, he said there should be a ‘national conversation’ about them – but at least he resisted the urge to call a referendum.

Seagulls do tend to ruffle the feathers of some people. They rip bins to pieces, leaving rubbish all over the place. They’re reported to local councils as a noise nuisance. They’ll wait until you leave the car wash before doing a Banksy on the paintwork, and you’re asking for trouble if you decide to hang your washing outside on a sunny day. They damage roofs and gutters, and block gas flues with nesting materials.

But what can you do?

One Facebook group has the answer.

Kill them. Kill them all.

“They might be a protected bird, but I strongly disagree with that,” writes the founder of the We Need A Seagull Cull group. “They’re becoming more like a pest everyday. They cause disease and they randomly attack people. They’re flying rats, so why are we protecting them? Are we going to wait until we have a modern-day plague? Or a child is killed? Let’s get a law passed to hunt these vermin down.”

That might sound a bit extreme, but it’s not a lone voice in the wilderness.

Last February, the Conservative MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed Anne-Marie Trevelyan actually brought the matter up in Parliament.

“People are having to take the law into their own hands to deal with these really difficult and aggressive birds,” she said. “It means there are people wandering the streets of Berwick with firearms – who really shouldn’t be doing so.”

But the most alarming fact about the growing seagull threat is that the birds only started nesting in urban areas after the Second World War and the end of rationing. Fast food, easy pickings – and yet another problem we’ve caused for ourselves.

Mine! Mine! Mine!

KLmagazine July 2018

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