Made lifestyle magazine – issue 21. Mar/Apr 21

NEWS & EVENTS HOME & GARDEN FOOD & DRINK FASHION & BEAUTY BUSINESS & LEISURE

Always

FREE to read online

Discover

Community & Engineers

CANAL PIONEERS Artist Susan Isaac

A STROKE OF LOVE

Marriage Traditions

UNTYING THE KNOT

A 400 Year Absence

BRINGING BACK THE BEAVER

Explore

Countryside Walks

BLYTH & HODSOCK £3.25

Exploring Newark

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GIRL ABOUT TOWN 655006

Gorgeous Spaces

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GRAVEL GARDENS

Issue 21 Mar/Apr 2021

Made in Notts

Indulge

Teresa Bovey Recipes

EASTER TREATS

Fossdyke Paddock Gainsborough Road, Saxilby, Lincoln

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Welcome to the March/April issue.

Welcome to our spring issue. We love spring here at Made, green is starting to appear everywhere and it feels like new beginnings are just around the corner.

Made Made lifestyle magazine is designed and created with love by Createinn.

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In our March/April issue we have some lovely events, the latest news and a wonderful selection of features for you to peruse. Our usual suspects are contributing to this issue, including travel writer and photographer Sally Outram with a gorgeous walk around Hodsock (perfect at this time of year to see all the flowers blooming), we also have Teresa Bovey with an eggcellent selection of egg recipes to try out - we particularly love the chocolate pancakes with cherries, it's a real treat. Erin McDaid tells us all about the Wildlife Trust's hopes for the re-introduction of a super busy little creature that we'd love to see back in our local nature reserve and Rod Auton shares more about the history and people involved with Chesterfield Canal.

If you fancy updating your home and garden there are plenty of ideas this issue. Sarah Murch of Ellicar Gardens, shows us how to create a low maintenance gravel garden - all the wonder of a garden with non of the back ache! There's plenty more within our home and garden features to inspire.

Excitingly, we have a new feature starting this issue, our very own Girl About Town. Our writer, Gemma-Louise King, will be finding out the best spots in the region, starting with Newark. So, keep an eye out for our girl about town, she might be reporting on you soon!

Conscious closet have a fantastic fashion piece for you on sustainability in fashion for weddings, and where would we be without our wedding feature that unties the knots in all the old superstitions, who knows where all these good luck charms came from? We find out...

Although we're still fighting our way through the current situation, we have plenty to read, view and events to join in with. Being a part of the Nottinghamshire community is so fantastic, it's a real pleasure to bring you snippets of our region in every issue, we hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoy finding out about everyone and everything.

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On The Cover

Spring Has Sprung. Tulips in Nottinghamshire.

Photography: Jon Rogers

www.smithandpartners.co.uk sales@smithandpartners.co.uk 01636 815544 THE OLD VICARAGE HIGH STREET LAXTON NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

A fine and substantial country house restored to a commendable standard standing in sheltered gardens and grounds (2.40 acres) on the edge of an unspoilt rural village with a far reaching southerly aspect across open countryside.

FOUR RECEPTION ROOMS AND OPEN PLAN KITCHEN WITH CONNECTING GARDEN ROOM SIX BEDROOMS AND THREE BATHROOMS. COACH HOUSE ANNEX WITH COURTYARD ‘EN TOUT CAS’ HARD SURFACED TENNIS COURT AND HEATED SWIMMING POOL CATALOGUE OF INTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND FLOORPLANS E-MAILED ON REQUEST

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All rights reserved; reproduction of any part of this magazine is not allowed without the written permission of the publishers. Prices are correct at the time of going to press.

While every care is taken, Made and Createinn Ltd, the publishers, endeavour to ensure that all the information inside the magazine is correct, prices and details including dates are subject to change.

Mar/Apr 21

Inside This Issue News & Events

Home & Garden

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The Local Round-up The latest news from across the region.

Features 18

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Idle Beavers

A Stroke Of Love

Health & Beauty

Two Canal Pioneers

Untying The knot Made unravels the many traditions surrounding marriage.

Business 36

Adapt To Thrive Looking at how you can adapt your business to thrive in any environment.

Wedding Style Sarah Rockley and Lisa Holland of Conscious Closet look at sustainable wedding style for 2021 and beyond...

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Back To Basics...

What are the effects of very little physical activity and poor posture on your back? Joanne Pritchard, Chartered Physiotherapist, explains.

Girl About Town

Chesterfield Canal the artificial waterway that exists because of big decisions made by many people. Rod Auton, tells us more.

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Fashion & Style 72

Gemma-Louise King, brings you a round up of places, people and things to look out for in Newark.

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Making the perfect gravel garden is just a stone’s throw away. Landscape Designer, Sarah Murch explains how...

Erin McDaid, Head of Communications & Marketing, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Could beavers be the key to unlocking the reserve's vast potential for wildlife?

Artist Susan Isaac welcomes Made to her world of expression and colour.

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Gorgeous Gravel Gardens

Food & Drink 67

Eggstravaganza Recipes by food demonstrator and home economist, Teresa Bovey.

Travel & Leisure 40 Stroll In Blyth & Hodsock Travel writer and photojournalist Sally Outram leads the way along a lovely springtime circular through Hodsock and Blyth.

News & Events

News

The local round-up North Notts Bid Launches New Online Training Platform Businesses in North Nottinghamshire can now offer online, certificated training to their staff – including those on furlough – thanks to North Notts BID. Developed in partnership with food and health and safety training specialists Navitas, the new online training platform provides continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for employees of businesses across the region, covering health and safety, human resources, legal and food safety training. The training aims to support sectors – such as hospitality – that have been affected by lockdown restrictions by keeping staff up to speed and engaged in developing important knowledge and skills, in preparation for the return to work.

Progress can be tracked on the platform and certification of completion will provide credits towards employees developing their CPD. The digital training academy has variable levels of training – including the widely recognised level one to three food safety training as well as a Covid Control Certification Scheme.

Courses are interactive, accessible and can be

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completed at home on a computer or mobile device at any time to suit the individuals’ needs and commitments.

Sally Gillborn, chief executive of North Notts BID said: “We are delighted to be launching a new online training platform in partnership with Navitas. It has been very tough on businesses over the last year – especially in the hospitality sector – and we recognise the need to further create CPD opportunities that will better prepare employees of North Nottinghamshire businesses for returning to work.

Training specialist Navitas operates across the business improvement district (BID) network to provide a multitude of training opportunities, with experience operating both inperson and online.

Ben Gardner, CEO of Navitas Safety, said: “We are thrilled to be working alongside North Notts BID to support local communities in a time as difficult as this. People are going to be even more safety conscious than before so by providing accessible and interactive online

courses, we are helping to prepare for a safety-first future.

“2021 is going to be a huge year for the food health and safety industry, particularly with the introduction of Natasha’s Law in October. It’s important for businesses and their employees to be as up to date as possible, and this training is able to offer that.”

To sign up for the training opportunities or to find out more about North Notts BID, visit northnottsbid.co.uk.

“Offering these free training opportunities to our BID members will be invaluable, particularly during the current restrictions. Staff will be able to undertake relevant training, at a time to suit them, ensuring that they have the right skills for their industry and are ready to hit the ground running when the restrictions are lifted.

“We have managed to secure 400 certificated courses, available on a first-come firstserved basis, so businesses are urged to register their interest as soon as possible.”

Steve Corderoy-Foster (operations and projects manager of North Notts BID), Sally Gillborn (chief executive of North Notts BID) and Joe Sentence (lead ambassador of North Notts BID).

News & Events

New Facilities For Award-Winning Worksop Park Plans to create a brand new refreshments kiosk, toilet and changing facility at the award-winning Canch park in Worksop are set to take a major step forward.

The new Bassetlaw District Council facility will include a refreshments kiosk and outdoor seating, a second public Changing Places facility in Worksop, a disabled toilet, a baby change and parent WC in addition to four unisex toilets.

It will be situated opposite the splash pool, within an area of the sensory garden.

Gardens are an extremely popular destination for residents and visitors to Bassetlaw, and this new addition will improve their experience even more.”

Improving the public facilities at the Canch, which has achieved Green Flag status seven years in a row, has been high on the Council’s agenda for a number of years and the project was given the go ahead in April last year.

“The last 11 months of the Coronavirus have shown that now, more than ever, is the time to invest in our open spaces and give residents access to first class facilities. Once the new amenities are ready, and current restrictions are lifted, we look forward to welcoming people back to our open spaces so they can experience both the physical and mental health benefits that access to open spaces bring.”

Cllr Julie Leigh, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods at Bassetlaw District Council said: “The Canch and Memorial

Rotherham-based Hughie Construction Ltd will be working on the project and Richard Kirk, Managing Director, added:

Artists impression, image courtesy of Bassetlaw District Council.

“We are truly delighted to add this exciting project to our ever-growing portfolio of works across the North and Midlands. We are also immensely proud to be involved in a project that will be at the heart of the community within Worksop, enhancing the park with exceptional and modern

facilities. We look forward to building our relationship with Bassetlaw District Council and hope to take our positive experiences so far into new, future opportunities.”

The project is expected to be completed by early September 2021.

Honours Nominations Honours nominations needed for Newark and Sherwood's incredible community.

Newark and Sherwood District Council is calling on more people to nominate members of their local community for national honours to recognise those who have committed themselves to serving and helping Britain.

This call comes as the District Council has seen the incredible amount of hard work and support residents have given this year to help the local community. Nominations are now open for the New Year’s honours in 2022 with the deadline for applications on Tues 6 April 2021 at 10am.

Honours such as an OBE, CBE, MBE and BEM are given

to members of the public who have made great achievements in public life. To make a nomination the person must still be actively involved in what they are being nominated for.

Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, Councillor David Lloyd, said: “More than ever, this year has shown how many fantastic people we have in our community and we are keen to support them in getting the recognition they deserve.

“If you know someone who has made a positive difference I encourage you to make a nomination and contact us if you need help with a supporting letter.”

People get honours for many different reasons including making a difference to their community or displaying moral courage. To be nominated the individual will have made a significant, successful and evidenced based contribution to the community. To nominate someone you’ll need to fill out a nomination form on the Government website available at: gov.uk/honours/nominatesomeone-in-the-uk You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them and two supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally.

The District Council is offering to support nominations by providing suitable endorsements if the nominated person has worked with the District Council to deliver a beneficial service to the community.

If you would like support with your nomination email: communityengagement@newarksherwooddc.gov.uk Once a nomination has been submitted the decision whether someone gets an honour and the honour they get is decided by an honours committee. The committee’s recommendations go to the Prime Minister and then to the Queen, who awards the honour personally.

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News & Events

New Exhibitions & Events At Welbeck Acclaimed private art collection set to journey from London to rural Nottinghamshire gallery.

Modern and contemporary art from the celebrated Jerwood Collection will be making its way to The Harley Gallery on Nottinghamshire’s rural Welbeck estate for an exclusive exhibition to open at the end of March.

It will be the collection’s first ever residency and is programmed to run for a year from 27 Mar. It encompasses four exhibitions led by four different curators and will feature works by renowned 20th-century British artists such as L S Lowry, Barbara Hepworth, Walter Sickert, and Sir Stanley Spencer RA. There will also be works by leading contemporary artists.

Lisa Gee, Director of The Harley Gallery, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Jerwood Collection, a nationally recognised leader in the art world, to bring this significant collection of works to north Nottinghamshire. We already show historic art from another

private collection the Portland Collection, which includes works by Michelangelo and Sir Anthony Van Dyck. To counterpoint this aristocratic collection of art dating back to the 16th century with not one, but four exhibitions, from this very special private collection will be a great pleasure.”

Lara Wardle, Director of the Jerwood Collection, said: “Now, more than ever before in many people’s lifetimes, we are living in a challenging and changing world. Looking at art can give us a chance to escape from the everyday and I hope that the Jerwood Collection will bring enjoyment to visitors to Harley Gallery during 2021 and early 2022.”

The Harley Gallery is on the historic Welbeck estate on the edge of Sherwood Forest, near Worksop. Admission is free and there’s also free parking.

For updates and opening times visit: www.harleygallery.co.uk

A selection of the minatures on display including, Isaac Oliver, Elizabeth Oliver, nee Harding, c.1610-15.

Online Talk/Magnifying Miniatures with Karen Hearn.

26 Feb. 12pm

Join Karen Hearn for a magnified look at some of her favourite miniature portraits

by Nicholas Hilliard and Isaac Oliver from The Portland Collection, when she will reveal the secrets and stories of these intimate miniature paintings from over 400 years ago.

Previously a Curator at Tate, and author of the book Nicholas Hilliard, Karen chairs The Harley Foundation Curatorial Advisory Group. She is a specialist in 16th- and 17th-century British and Netherlandish art, has curated many exhibitions, and writes and lectures extensively.

Walter Richard Sickert RA (1860-1942) St Remy c1910.

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Karen devised and curated

the groundbreaking exhibition “Portraying Pregnancy: from Holbein to Social Media”, shown at The Foundling Museum in London in 2020. She has spent many years researching that little-explored subject and wrote the accompanying book.

To register your interest please email: info@harleygallery.co.uk Please note this online discussion takes place on Zoom. Once registered, you will be provided with a link to attend the event. If you register your interest in the talk after the event, we’ll email you the link to the recorded session if you can't make it.

News & Events

The HopBarn 2021 Exhibitions & Events

Dessert For A Dutchess.

30 Apr. 12pm

Historic recipes and stories of 18th century dining at Worksop’s Welbeck Abbey are to be revealed during an online talk hosted by The Harley Gallery on 30 April.

Former head curator of silver and metalwork at the V&A Museum, Philippa Glanville, OBE will be guest speaker during the Desserts for a Duchess online event. She will draw on the recipes and bills from the Portland archives held at Welbeck Abbey and Nottingham University to dining. She’ll talk of the entertaining that took place on the estate; the former country seat of the Dukes of Portland.

As The Harley Foundation’s Curatorial Advisor for many years and a well-respected author, Philippa is a leading authority on all aspects of historic silver plate and the history of dining. She will talk about desserts and food history and reveal more about the Duchess of Portland, who like her mother-in-law, the Countess of Oxford, was a renowned hostess.

Their recipes, garnered from relatives, friends and housekeepers show how they used their gardeners' skills in

cultivating soft fruits, grapes and pineapples to preserve and create exotic desserts.

She will also discuss how Duchess Margaret’s table included a 178-piece silver gilt service made by London goldsmiths, John and William Café.

Philippa said: “Laying a fine dessert table was the duty of a noblewoman. Using treasured porcelain brought from fashionable English factories as well as Dresden, Sevres and Asia, the Welbeck dessert tables groaned with homegrown delicacies and sweetmeats from the Italian caterer Domenico Negri.”

Desserts for a Duchess forms part of a series of online talks hosted by The Harley Gallery to bring the historic Portland Collection to people online while its art gallery and museum are closed during lockdown.

The free online talk 'Dessert for a Duchess' will take place at 12 noon on 30 April. Anyone wishing to book a space email: info@harleygallery.co.uk.

More details about the talks programme can be found on: www.harleygallery.co.uk

The HopBarn, a centre for creative performance in rural East Nottinghamshire is pleased to announce its cultural programme for 2021.

Announcing the 2021 events programme – visual arts, music and dance for The HopBarn, a centre for creative performance in Upton (rural East Nottinghamshire). The Hop Barn's 2021 exhibitions celebrate the Countryside Higher Level Stewardship Scheme.

The programme begins on 3 April 2021 with the first ever visual arts exhibition - ‘a little bird told me’.

3 Apr - 31 May 21 A little bird told me exhibition countryside walk In celebration of the Countryside Higher Level Stewardship Scheme, we have been meticulously charting bird sightings and songs identifying 71 species of birds (of which 16 have UK Red Conservation status).

In 'a little bird told me’ our first visual arts exhibition you can delve into a collection of books which showcase visual artists, composers, fashion designers, carpenters, photographers who share our appreciation of birds.

Young birds, once they learn to fly after falling and retrying, take off to explore the world and

on their journey, they find their soulmate before prospecting to make a home, either in a new location or returning to their point of origin. Jonathan Poole and Angie Atmadjaja, the third generation to care for The Hop Barn, are not unlike birds in their life cycle having returned to this Southwell Farm after exploring the world.

They have built a home and started to sow their dreams and aspirations on the land.

So, why not take advantage of this opportunity to delve into their books and take a walk around the farm? Or draw, paint, sketch, stick and glue your own little book or picture that can be hung on the miniature tree. See and hear the extraordinary, feathered friends who shape daily life for Jonathan and Angie at The HopBarn.

There are children’s learning activities and workshops happening alongside this exhibition.

Visit the website for up-todate information, full details of upcoming events and opening times: thehopbarn.org.uk.

For further details email: info@thehopbarn.co.uk or call 07880 973365.

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News & Events

Scouting You don’t have to be Bear Grylls to join Scouting as an adult.

A lot has been said about the need to minimise the impact on our children's education during the pandemic. However, did you know that the friendships, adventure and skills for life gained from organisations such as Scouting can be just as important?

That's why Nottinghamshire Scouts has set the ambitious target of being able to offer a place to every boy and girl who wants to join.

To make the Nottinghamshire Scouts ambition a reality we

need more fantastic adult volunteers to make a positive difference to the lives of our young people.

You don’t have to be Bear Grylls to join Scouting as an adult, but if you could help us out once or twice a term, it’d make a big difference.

To volunteer contact office@notts-scouts.org.uk or call 0115 952 3617.

We prepare young people with #SkillsForLife www.notts-scouts.org.uk

Community Orchard Comes To Fruition 100 saplings planted in Berry Hill Park, Mansfield.

A bit of snow didn't stop 100 saplings from being planted in Berry Hill Park, creating the ninth community orchard in Mansfield District Council's open spaces.

Hill Park are aiming to help maintain the trees until they are established and it is hoped that the wider community will also help prune and harvest the trees in the future.

The orchard has been supported by the UK Urban Forest Programme, funded

by Trees for Cities and the trees planted include apples, pears, plums, cherries, medlars (quince), hazels and mulberries.

Cllr Andy Burgin, Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “Sadly the current Covid restrictions meant we could not involve the Friends of Berry Hill Park and local primary school in planting the trees. But there will be plenty of opportunities in the future for the local community to be involved in the ongoing maintenance of this orchard – as well as the chance to enjoy the fruit and nuts it produces.

The trees will start fruiting this year but not enough to harvest. A sizable harvest is expected in three to four years. The Friends of Berry

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“Despite the snowy conditions, our Parks team reported that the ground was actually very soft and perfect for planting. The soil is of an exceptional quality which will ensure the trees have the best chance of producing good quality fruit.

“The easily accessible location of the orchard in the park aims to encourage community participation for all abilities as well as giving the park a biodiversity boost by linking woodland next to the café to acid grasslands near Bloomsbury Gardens and Black Scotch Lane.”

No 2021 Charter Day There will be no Charter Day in Retford this year. The event has taken place each May for 26 years. The organisers felt they could not confidently guarantee social distancing. Even with the vaccination programme, it would be unsafe to proceed with the event this year.

However, work behind the scenes will continue as the committee proceeds to develop the day in anticipation of next year’s event! Follow Retford Charter Day on Facebook for further news and updates.

To get in touch, e-mail: retfordcharterday@gmail.com

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News & Events

Gardens Are Re-opening New gardens for 2021 season reignite passion for gardens and garden visiting.

The 2021 season launch of new and returning gardens to the National Garden Scheme portfolio signals hope for a much-missed summer of garden visiting.

National Garden Scheme Ambassador, Rachel de Thame said: “Gardens, gardening and being in a garden helps us get through some of the most challenging of life’s experiences. With 3,600 gardens registered to open in 2021 (subject to Covid restrictions*) the National Garden Scheme is once again at the heart of providing wonderful garden experiences for thousands of people.”

Picking out some of the season’s highlights Chief Executive George Plumptre said: “We were delighted that our gardens registered to

open in 2021 in their usual numbers so have a total comparable to recent years. Even though the first few weeks are going to be challenging we look forward to welcoming visitors to the gardens later in the year. We have a particularly exciting portfolio of new gardens opening for the very first time, some 650 in all as well as more than 350 gardens returning to open after a gap of many years. These gardens illustrate the range and diversity that is now such a hallmark of the National Garden Scheme which we are focused on expanding in the coming years.”

The Garden Visitor’s Handbook 2021, which lists all the gardens opening across England and Wales is now published and available to order online at: ngs.org.uk For more information please visit: www.ngs.org.uk Email: Julie.davison@ngs.org.uk or call: 07979 700979.

Nottinghamshire National Garden Scheme gardens open in March & April.

The selection of new and returning gardens include: 17 April, 10am-6pm New garden, Oasis Community Gardens 2a Longfellow Drive, Kilton Estate.

Worksop. S81 0DE Transformed from field to an award winning garden and managed by volunteers, the gardens boast over 30 project areas, several garden enterprises and hosts community events. Special feature is the first liquorice garden in Worksop for 100 years and ‘flowers for life’ project, growing and selling cut flowers and floristry.

18 April, 10am-4pm Felley Priory Underwood, Nottinghamshire.

NG16 5FJ. A firm favorite with garden visitors, this is a garden for all seasons, in April features an Orchard Walk planted with extremely rare daffodils and masses of spring

flowering bulbs; a bluebell woodland walk all set amongst rolling Nottinghamshire countryside. Regional finalist of the English Garden’s Nation’s Favourite Gardens 2019.

24 & 25 April, 11am-4.30pm Capability Barn Gonalston Lane, Hoveringham.

NG14 7JH. Charming countryside garden which in April has displays of Daffodils, Hyacinths and Tulips along with erythroniums, brunneras and primulas, set amongst a backdrop of established trees, shrubs and shady paths. Large vegetable/ fruit gardens with orchard/meadow completes the picture. Plants for sale, refreshments.

25 April, 10am-4pm New garden. 1 Highfield Road Nuthall, Nottingham. NG16 1BQ. This gardens has masses of variety, with spring flowering shrubs, azaleas, bulbs and alpines. Large heuchera collection gives colour all year. Patio with many pots and troughs. Greenhouses with plants grown hydroponically together with vegetable plot. Plants for sale and refreshments.

25 April, 10am-4pm Normanton Hall South Street, Normanton on Trent.

NG23 6RQ. 3 acre garden with mature oak, lime, beech and yew and recently planted trees. Vegetable area.

New plantings of bulbs, rhododendrons and a camellia walk sit within this lovely country garden.

Recently established parkland.

Plants for sale and refreshments.

Imagery courtesy of The National Garden Scheme.

For all the latest information visit: www.ngs.org.uk

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News & Events

Open Studios Notts Virtual and physical open studios will all be part of 2021s Open Studios in Notts.

Around 50 artists so far have signed up to participate in Virtual Open Studios, where each artist will have a profile page on the OSNotts website. The virtual studio will include information about the artist and their practice, studio images, video tours, work demonstrations, and links to purchase their work. If restrictions allow, the artists will also physically open their studios to welcome visitors and this will be promoted nearer the time when there is more certainty about it.

Inspire Exhibition: Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries (formerly the arts service), which has supported OSNotts since its first event in 2011, will be curating an exhibition celebrating the 10th anniversary. The Bringing Artists into View Exhibition - celebrating 10 years! will run from Saturday 24 April to Sunday 6 June 2021 at Arnold, Mansfield Central and Retford Libraries (restrictions permitting) and also on the Inspire website. There has been a call out to artists for their images and stories of 10 years of Open Studios.

Creative Birthday Cake Competition: Look out for the Creative Birthday Cake

Amarajyoti, artist in oils, acrylic and mixed media from Nottinghamshire. Image courtesy of Neil Pledger.

The Arts Society Dukeries Do you have an interest in the Arts and in particular, Antiques.

In March you have the opportunity to listen to a Zoom lecture from Mark Hill, a well known Antiques Expert on the BBC Antiques Roadshow.

Mark is a freelance antiques, collectables and 20thC design expert, as well as an experienced valuer, business consultant, researcher, writer and lecturer.

Jess Kemp, chair of OSNotts. Image courtesy of Neil Pledger.

Competition - details to be announced soon from Open Studios Notts so please check www.osnotts.co.uk to take part.

Artists and the public will be invited to create a birthday cake in any medium (drawn, sculpted, baked, crafted, interpretative dance, music composition – anything goes), then photograph or record (video or audio) the creation and post on social media using a specific hashtag for all to enjoy.

For further details and to keep up to date with the various arts and craft venues, exhibitions and virtual Open Studios please visit: www.osnotts.co.uk

The Arts Society Dukeries, normally hold monthly lecture meetings at the Civic Centre, Carlton, as well as two extra Special Interest Study days, trips out to places of interest and a holiday for members. During the Covid 19 pandemic, currently the society is offering members a varied programme of arts lectures

by Zoom technology.

The morning Zoom lectures, last for around an hour and are open to non-members, invited to contact us to join in and watch for a small fee.

The next lecture by Mark Hill is 'Undressing Antiques' on Weds, 3 Mar, 10.30 for 11am start.

Undressing Antiques ‘Antiques. I don’t understand them and they are beyond my budget. They’re not for me’. A persuasive introduction to buying antiques and integrating and using them in today’s homes.

The state of the antiques market and the different meanings of the word value are considered, and we take a look at what current and future generations of collectors are buying, why they are buying it and how they are displaying it.

The Speaker Mark Hill, is an Auctioneer, having lectured across the world including at the V&A in London, and contributed to many Newspapers, Magazines, Radio and TV Programmes. He is a miscellaneous Antiques Expert on the BBC Antiques Roadshow.

The April lecture is called 'From Venice to Sheffield - John Ruskin, his passion for Art' on Weds, 7 Apr, 10.30am. The Speaker is Simon Seligman.

For further details on the Zoom lecture programme, please call our Chairman Suzanne on 01909 290488, Or visit: www.theartssociety.org/dukeries

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Pilgrim Roots News

Pilgrim Trails & Online History Local walks featuring the Pilgrims’ story across the region.

Dr Anna Scott, Heritage Consultant & Chair of the Pilgrim Roots partnership.

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espite being closed due to current restrictions, the staff at the Pilgrims Gallery in Bassetlaw Museum are working hard to share stories about the Pilgrims and their lives 400 years ago.

Isabelle Richards, Heritage Engagement Officer at the Pilgrims Gallery, has led successful online sessions with local Scout groups, helping them work towards badges while finding out more about their local heritage. Uniformed groups and other community groups are welcome to get in touch to arrange similar experiences.

While the annual Snowdrop Weekend could not take place as usual at Babworth Church, some great photos of them were submitted instead to the Pilgrim Roots’ community snowdrop gallery. Advice on how to get to Babworth from Retford was also shared, along with details of other local places to visit whilst out walking for permitted exercise, for those interested in the Pilgrims’ story. A series of audio trails are also available to listen to online, as well as short films featuring the history of trail sites.

While the Gallery is closed, improvements have been made to the digital exhibits, ready for visitors to enjoy once museums are able to reopen.

Mayflower 400 have continued to produce films as part of their ‘ReInformed’ series, featuring new or hitherto overlooked perspectives on the re-telling of the Mayflower story. This included a film exploring the culture of the Wampanoag people, whose land the Mayflower passengers settled on, and looked at their day to day lives including how they built a typical Wampanoag home - known as a Wetu.

The ‘Making of the Wetu’ film spoke to Darius Coombs, one of the designers of a specially-commissioned Wetu that will hopefully travel to this region later this year, to go on display in the grounds of Bassetlaw Museum. The Wetu is being built as part of the Wampanoag Perspective project supported by funding from Arts Council England and led by Bassetlaw District Council.

Other projects have also been producing content to share different perspectives on the story. A new book, Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth, has been published in support of the Old Congregational Church in Norwich. It includes extensive coverage of John Robinson including a chapter on his roots in northern Nottinghamshire, plus chapters on William Brewster’s views of religious liberty and one on the Pilgrim Mothers (available on Amazon).

A triple DVD called ‘Mayflower 400’ has also been produced, exploring the story behind the Mayflower and Speedwell sailing in 1620, and the reasons for the subsequent ‘Great Migration’ to America. Featuring contributions from over 40 academics, historians, authors and experts from Holland, the UK and the USA, the DVD was filmed in key locations associated with the story including London, Leiden, Southampton, Cambridge,

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Oxford, Babworth, Scrooby, Austerfield, Sturton Le Steeple and Gainsborough (available to purchase from mayflower-400.com).

For the most up to date news about events and activities, visit Mayflower 400, Pilgrim Roots and Discover Gainsborough.

Pilgrim Roots To find out more about Pilgrims Roots news and events visit: www.pilgrimroots.org www.mayflower400uk.org www.bassetlawchristianheritage.com www.imaginationmuseum.co.uk

www.seedtofeed.co.uk

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We’re working to bring beavers to Idle Valley Nature Reserve & we’d like to hear your views.

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Two Two waysways youyou cancan support the support the return of beavers to our county return of beavers to our county PART IN OUR ONLINE SURVEY TAKETAKE PART IN OUR ONLINE SURVEY Participation will take just two minutes.

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Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

Idle Beavers Idle Valley Nature Reserve’s precious wetlands need help…but beavers could be the key to unlocking the reserve's vast potential for wildlife.

Erin McDaid, Head of Communications & Marketing, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

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he past 11 months have been challenging for the team at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust – whether in terms of keeping nature reserves open for visitors and in good shape for wildlife without the usual level of support from volunteers due to lockdowns or the difficulties of working from home.

Despite this we’ve continued to make amazing progress with some really exciting projects. In the south of the county we secured ownership of the Attenborough Nature Reserve, fulfilling an ambition first mooted in the 1960s. Here in North Notts we’re on the brink of being able to bring back beavers to the county after a gap of at least 400 years.

The sheer scale of Idle Valley Nature Reserve, off North Road, Retford, at almost 400 hectares, has always been a challenge. Over the past few years we’ve been investigating ways to harness the power of nature to help create better conditions for wildlife and we now have the exciting opportunity to bring beavers back to our county to work their magic. We’ve been busy ‘beavering away’ behind the scenes, doing research and surveys as well as working with national experts to see if beavers could help us unlock more of the site’s amazing potential for wildlife. A key element of our

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recent work has been reviewing the potential for the reintroduction of native species with input from experts and partners through our Species Recovery Framework.

Alongside facilities to help us manage water levels and the expansion of our conservation grazing programme we firmly believe that beavers are the answer. We’re now busy putting everything in place so we can hopefully welcome beavers later this year. This work has been given real momentum thanks to the support of Severn Trent Water through their Great Big Nature Boost and we’ve recently launched a fundraising appeal to ensure we can make this happen and truly transform the site.

We’ve also launched an online survey to give people living locally the opportunity to share their thoughts on the exciting prospect of the beavers’ return, and on the potential of further species reintroductions. To help give us a sense of the resilience of the local landscape the survey also provides an opportunity for people to record a snapshot of the wildlife they’ve seen or heard recently in their gardens and local area.

As we respond to the combined ecological and climate crisis we have to be prepared to think big; to find new ways to restore nature.

News & Events

It is no longer enough to simply hang on to the habitats we have left. We must put nature back and reconnect areas of good habitat across the landscape.

Why Beavers?

Beavers are a native species that was hunted to extinction in the UK centuries ago. The reason we want to bring them back is that they are far and away nature’s finest ‘wetland engineers’, driven by a relentless desire to create ideal breeding and feeding grounds.

As they dig, build dams and create deep pools, beavers help restore the delicate balance of wetland life for many plant and animal species. At Idle Valley Nature Reserve their 24/7 efforts chewing through and bringing down trees and shrubs will help us manage scrub and create more diverse habitat. Controlling scrub has been a constant challenge at the site and the beavers return will undoubtedly benefit the wetland birds the reserve is known for, as well as otters, water voles, amphibians, and invertebrates.

To make this happen Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust urgently needs the help of the Nottinghamshire public to raise £250,000. With your support we can bring beavers back and set our county on a path to a wilder future. Donations will help cover vet fees and transportation costs for the beavers as well as vital training of volunteers and staff.

Funds will also help us accelerate the restoration of habitats across Idle Valley Nature Reserve and support a resurgence of wild nature across the county.

the boundaries of the nature reserve. As the site attracts and supports more wildlife, species will move out into the wider landscape. The wider Idle Valley is already an exciting place to watch wildlife and bringing back beavers to the nature reserve will only make this better.

Many locals already appreciate what they have on their doorstep but we believe that exciting times are just around the corner.

As we embark on a truly ambitious nature recovery mission to establish a wildlife network across Nottinghamshire, with up to 30% of land and water given back to nature by 2030, large-scale restoration of habitats on sites in our care, such as the Idle Valley Nature Reserve, will be vital.

We’ve now seen the positive impact beavers are having on wetland sites across the country and 2021 looks set to be a record breaking year for The Wildlife Trusts' beaver programmes. Dorset and Derbyshire Wildlife Trusts look set to bring back beavers this year too and we want Nottinghamshire to be next.

Whilst the scale of the Idle Valley Reserve is what makes it so challenging to care for, the space available means that we now have the opportunity to create ‘beaver heaven’ and with expert advice we plan to create one of the largest secure enclosures for beavers in England. Whilst many projects have released just one or two adults, we will have space for up to three families of beavers – increasing the potential benefits for wildlife and providing amazing wildlife watching opportunities too!

Image opposite: Beaver, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Nick Upton.

This page from top: Frosty Lincoln reds , Notts Wildlife Trust. Chainbridge, Gee White. Beaver, David Parkyn, Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

As well as restoring precious habitats and helping wildlife on site we hope that our efforts will inspire others to act for nature. The opportunity to catch a glimpse of a such an exciting species here in North Nottinghamshire will hopefully provide interest in the reserve and in our work and demonstrate that whilst wildlife is clearly in trouble – we do have the power to act for nature.

It will be thrilling to see communities of plants and animals developing together as a result of the beavers' actions. They can impact the landscape in ways far more complex and quicker than we could ever achieve without them. The expansion of our conservation grazing programme with more cattle and sheep, will further transform the site.

The beavers would be securely separated from the River Idle and closely monitored. Whilst there is very little prospect of them escaping into the wider landscape, the impact on wildlife will be seen beyond

Get Involved – help us bring back beavers We’d be delighted if MADE readers could take part in our online survey and participation will only take a couple of minutes. Your answers will help us gauge local opinions on beavers and other potential reintroductions - If you’re excited at the prospect of beavers returning to our county you can make a donation or support our work by becoming a member.

Details of the survey and how you can support this exciting initiative can be found at nottinghamshirewildlife.org/beavers

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Staithes Beck from North Side. Oil on canvas by Susan Isaac,

Arts & Culture

A Stroke Of Love Cardiff-born artist Susan Isaac, now happily settled in Nottinghamshire, welcomes Made to her world of expression and colour.

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ver the course of history, the way artists have painted—and the mediums they use—has evolved.

New technology and changing tastes mean that the paints used have inevitably continued to diversify. For artist Susan Isaac, her loose figurative style with bold use of colour and application of texture are the product of several mediums, but always with oil at the heart of her work.

Susan always drew from an early age and was fortunate to have access to various materials, but discovered the unique qualities of oils from the offset.

It’s a stance that has paid off in her own pieces in which she has continuously strived to embrace the spirit of a place or thing that she has known and treasured, or that has captured her attention and ignited the flames of her imagination.

Memories of childhood - and the security and comfort of those years growing up - have often been evoked when she has revisited Cornwall as an adult. In recent years trips to the north Yorkshire coast and north Norfolk with her own children have also played a pivotal role in her studio work. Coastal depictions and harbour scenes continue to lead her collections.

“There’s this lovely plasticity to it” she marvels, “Its versatility is extraordinary as it can be mixed opaque or transluscent. You could emulate watercolour for example if you so wished, or you can build and sculpt into a variety of textures. It makes a statement, and I love its eventual sheen.”

When juggling commissions and/or her own individual pieces with the fulfilment of exhibitions there is a certain pleasure to be had it would seem in focusing on one specific item. Of course collective projects are exciting (albeit time consuming) but for Susan it is a much more enhanced and “A blank canvas satisfying experience to give one piece your full attention rather than a full body of work.

There are times though when she likes to mix screams possibility. Art it up and bring out the acrylics - and does find is both contemplative them quite handy to work with - and agrees We all have different levels of understanding that watercolours are particularly good for of art, and it would seem we all have the and exciting.” enhancing drawings. In fact she still takes a tin capacity to create. And for many, it’s a way of watercolours with her when she is out and of saying something about your world and about sketching, to enhance the black and white with a splash of expressing yourself. It’s an exciting and possibly also terrifying colour. step for a budding artist, filled with discovery, learning, excitement, potential and at times failure. For those starting out it can be hard Susan’s town and seascapes have been drawing interest from to know which medium to use, which form of art to pursue, and afar, with a legion of fans and an inbox of commissions, which has how to levy your inner thoughts and feelings towards the creative seen her working on a diversity of subjects and themes - often depths of your imagination. Ultimately to let this manifest itself in sentimental or poignant to the customer. Each are lavished with the way you express your art. her trademark flamboyancy of colour and confidence. The common thread being to capture the essence of the subject. And it would For Susan, you need to be certain within yourself and not afraid seem more recently that there has been a great deal of interest in to express. obtaining paintings of local churches. Perhaps this is due to the many months in lockdown and the reflectiveness that ensued.

“I’d say get comfortable in knowing your aim and then communicate this. I believe it is a useful skill to develop. You can “It’s rather lovely to work on a single project, particularly something be taught the technical elements once you have chosen your that evokes strong feeling in someone” she muses, “a memory or a medium but you need to know what it is you want to say, and how. place that has touched their life. It is special to be included in this The rest will follow.” personal journey.”

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As an artist who is fortunate to bring her passion for expression and colour alive alongside the focus on many precious memories there is nothing more therapeutic and totally absorbing as painting.

“A blank canvas screams possibility. Art is both contemplative and exciting.”

Each piece is enhanced with a variety of glazes and stains, and often wood fired which results in contrasting surfaces and adds an elements of excitement to the finish.

Proudest achievements?

When asked from which of the greats she draws inspiration it could only be J.M.W. Turner and the expressive excitement of his work. John Piper, Samuel Palmer, and Anselm Kiefer were also given the nod. “I particularly like early British modern art for its tonality and order - mind you I'm not particularly good at being ordered!” she laughs.

Well it would seem that winning the Paint Out Norfolk competition in the summer of 2020 scored highly, along with winning the wildcard section in an episode of this year's Sky Arts 'Landscape Artist of the Year', and these were taken, in her own admittance, as the affirmation she needed that she was finally getting to grips with working plein air.

Ask any artist and the studio is their sanctuary. A place for reflection and inspiration. For Susan, the studio has been joined by a renewed love of working plein air for she has been enjoying the fruits of her garden orchard as it were, setting up canvas and seizing the days, staying outside for as long as possible. A common denominator, however, for whatever location, is classical music. Having discovered the creative benefits of listening to classical at a friend’s house, she has found this hugely beneficial in the creative process.

There is also an instance many years ago of one of her paintings of Southwell Minster being used in a local community driver to illustrate how a view of such a landmark could be lost if a development proposal was to be granted approval. The petition was successful, and although not one to involve in politics, for Susan the fact a piece of her work had positively impacted on a local cause was incredibly satisfying.

It is back to the studio though for her ceramic works, something which she is equally passionate about although this is on less of a commercial level and rather more of a supporting complement to her paint work and contrasting artist output. Working with 3D can help with perspective and form, and as Susan muses “It allows me to fill in any blanks and inspire a new direction with a piece.”

Her ceramic work, particularly the hand-built stoneware geomorphic heads, certainly draws on geological references and has an industrial aspect, perhaps a nod to her coal mining family heritage in south Wales, or perhaps a link to her work in archaeological landscapes or her geologist father.

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“I like to fuse human and landscape forms” she confirms.

With multiple art accolades, including being shortlisted for the Sir John Hurt prize, having work in the Harley Gallery Open Exhibition in Welbeck, and a sculptural piece accepted in the Wales Contemporary Exhibition, not to mention an incredible array of artwork and ceramic pieces, we would say there is plenty to be proud of.

Susan’s work was recently exhibited at Gallery 6 in Newark and also she has a couple of paintings in the Royal Cambrian Academy Open exhibition, which is now open to view virtually. Future plans are to work with several galleries on collective exhibitions and to continue to welcome commissions. One event that Susan is working towards over the coming year is an arts trail 'Living Landscape' which is planned to take place in the Autumn over farmland around the HopBarn in Upton (for details visit: www.thehopbarn.org.uk). www.susan-isaac.co.uk

This image and image opposite: Susan in the studio, courtesy of Neil Pledger.

Susan Isaac at West Wycombe LAOTY 2020 Photo, Michael Trueman.

You may have caught Susan on Sky Arts in the new 'Landscape Artist of the Year' (she was involved as a 'wildcard', filmed last August).

If you missed it you can read all about it in Susan's blog about the Sky Arts episode filming at: susan-isaac.co.uk

Susan Isaac - plein air painting in Dovedale. Image courtesy of Michael Trueman.

Image left and this image courtesy of Neil Pledger.

Leisure About Town Girl

k r a w e N

Our Girl About Town reporter, Gemma-Louise King, brings you neighbourhood know-how and a round up of places, people and things to look out for, with of course the 'Made' sparkle.

In this edition it’s Newark’s time to shine…

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Location Location Newark-on-Trent is arguably one of Nottinghamshire’s most popular towns, offering a strong community hub, excellent amenities and transport links, and an impressive historical record. Its majestic castle, cattle market, antiques scene, marina and historic market square are renowned highlights. It stands on the River Trent, alongside the A1 North and South connections, the A46, and the East Coast Main Line railway, with two train stations. The recreational river scene is still buoyant with the locks a busy gateway for boats, and if you opt for the train you can be in Leeds or London in around an hour and a half, making it an ideal stopping point for longer journeys, an easily-accessible weekend destination, an attractive business hub, or a city commuter’s family escape.

Top image, Newark Market Square. This image: the Parish Church of Mary St. Magdalene. Photos, Jon Rogers.

Top image, Newark Market Square,.

This image the Parish Church of Mary St. Magdalene and right, inside Newark Town Hall.

Photos - Jon Rogers.

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Girl About Town Cafe & Cocktails Where do I start with this one? From Costa and Starbucks through to a lovely selection of tearooms and independent coffee houses, Newark certainly has the daytime covered. Stray’s Coffee (and bookshop) on Middle Gate is perhaps the most famous, with a loyal fanbase and an extremely large blackboard of daily offerings and tastiness. The Old Bakery is a delightful timber framed building filled to the brim with homemade cakes and bone china. Also look out for Green Olive and The Bean and Vine, both on Market Place, Balmforth & Co on Kirkgate, and the Riverside Ice Cream Parlour at Riverside Park. If it’s nightlife you are after then take your pick; from live gig hotspots such as the Flying Circus on Castle Gate and Navigation Pub on Mill Gate through to sophisticated Tapas and cocktails at the vibrant Tambo Lounge at the beautiful Buttermarket building or stylish meet ups at the Ram on Castle Gate. Look out also for The Old Post Office, Oscar’s Inn, The Water’s Edge Bar & Kitchen and The Sir John Aderne, For craft ales and a wide selections of beer Just Beer Micropub on Castle Gate is worth checking out.

If you are a fan of the arts then head to the beautiful Palace Theatre on Appleton Gate, with its year round calendar of shows and events.

Imagery on this page courtesy of GemmaLouise King.

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Retail Therapy Newark has long been a market town, so of course there is emphasis on its incredible selection of market goods and the bustling vibrancy of its market square. It also boasts a charming array of independent shops and outlets which nestle around the town, some hidden within its pretty cobble back streets. For a taste of authentic local fare and juicy meats head to G.H. Porter Provisions on market square, or for gorgeous blooms the quaint Art of Flowers is your go to on Balderton Gate.

Fashionistas will love Masdings on Middle Gate or Jane Young at Chain Lane. If it’s art you are after then have a peep at Trent Galleries, also on Chain Lane, which regularly hosts exhibitions and showcases work from a wealth of local and national artists. There’s also a thriving high street with the familiar names you’d expect and a retail outlet on North Gate, which includes Next, TK Maxx, Pets at Home, and free parking! So whether you are opting for the quirky or mainstream you won’t be disappointed. Newark is always a delight to wander around.

Sunday Roast Again, spoiled for choice, but perhaps one of the most popular pubs is the Prince Rupert, a wonderful timber-framed building on Stodman Street. Expect a rather large luncheon in there with all the trimmings! Also good choices are The Lord Ted, Roman Way Beefeater and The Ram, but most of the pubs and restaurants in the town serve a great roast so worth trying them all out to find your own favourite.

Most serve vegetarian options and there are a number of other delicious dining options around the town from casual to gastro.

Bag a Property A two-bedroom flat starts at as little as £40,000 with the average house price coming in at around £170,000 for threebedroom detached with garage, through to luxury properties in excess of £800,000.

There’s plenty of choice for all tastes and budgets. Newark also offers a wide variety of housing locations - from canal-side and parks though to residential areas and the historic quarters. London Road is a perfect example of a central leafy-lined suburban delight.

e f i L n Tow

Victoria Cozens is an Account Manager with Future Prospects, and a familiar face to many as the former breakfast show presenter of Radio Newark.

Best thing about living and working in Newark?

This image inside Newark Town Hall. Jon Rogers. Below: Newark castle, Sally Outram.

Without a shadow of doubt, the people!

The genuine pleasure our business community has for supporting one another and working together. I’m incredibly lucky to live and work in such a picturesque town with a beautiful castle and wonderful marketplace, which is particularly stunning at Christmas, and an array of retailers and coffee shops.

It’s a great place to sit and relax with a coffee and cake!

Social Scene?

I love our villages for their selection of gastro pubs and cosy atmosphere. The town centre is superb for tantalising any tastebud with dining options. My personal favourites are Koinonia or Thai Sabai and I love a Gin sat by the river at the Old Lock House.

Newark’s USP

Green Spaces Newark is blessed with a variety of open spaces for recreation, including Sconce and Devon Park - site of the Queen’s Sconce, a 17th Century Civil War fortification - Riverside Park, which gracefully flanks Newark Castle and is the location for the annual Newark Festival, and Otter Park on Mill Gate, which is part of the Newark Riverside Walk trail.

It’s a hive of activity all year round from festivals and events, a river trip, exploring the castle dungeons and Civil War Centre, or wandering around the market. I love spending the day as a tourist in my own home town. A great story to tell, a spot of shopping and good food, what’s not to love?! We are also so easily accessible near the A46, A17 and A1 so I encourage you to visit for a day out. You won’t be disappointed!

For details on the latest events and community news visit: www.visitnewark.co.uk

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Girl About Town Explore Walking is certainly the best way to uncover Newark’s beauty and heritage.

The Newark Riverside Walk is a particular favourite with families along the canal route, and it is worth exploring the main centre and market square to admire the extraordinary heritage of some of the historic buildings. There are also cycle paths around the town. A number of car parks (both pay and display and free) are conveniently distributed throughout the town and Northgate and Newark Castle train stations have ample car space and bike racks.

Past in the Present

You can find some great walks around Newark in our previous editions of Made by travel writer and photographer Sally Outram. Images of Newark Castle on this page courtesy of Sally Outram.

Newark’s origins are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way. The town grew around the once spectacular and now ruined Newark Castle, and a large market place, lined with historic buildings. It was an important trading centre for cloth and wool. Newark is most notorious historically for its geographical role in the English Civil War as it was besieged by Parliamentary forces and relieved by the Royalists under Prince Rupert. Historical traces and landmarks are still visible across the town, and there are annual re-enactments and cultural events to reflect its rich history. Visitors should definitely wander around the castle grounds and explore the National Civil War Centre at Appleton Gate. Also, don’t miss Newark Town Hall Museum and Art Gallery which can be found in Newark's Georgian Town Hall.

Leisure

Who knew?

Newark is home to a 900-year old castle and the National Civil War Centre. King Charles I spent his last night of freedom at nearby Southwell and the legendary Sherwood Forest can be found just 20 minutes away!

For a change of scenery, come and explore the historic sights of Newark and the surrounding area.

www.visitnewark.co.uk www.visitsouthwell.co.uk www.visitsherwoodforest.co.uk

Chesterfield Canal Trust

Two Canal Pioneers.

Walking alongside the Chesterfield Canal, it’s easy to assume that it has always been here. It seems such an essential part of the landscape that one forgets it is an artificial waterway that only exists because of big decisions made by many people long ago. Rod Auton, tells us more.

Page opposite: 1959 Canoe protest cruise. Image courtesy of IWA. This page, from top left: 1961 Protest cruise at Shaw Lock, 1962 Protest cruise near West Retford Lock, 1962 Protest cruise - Cliff Clarke's boat stuck in Worksop Town Lock, 1962 Protest cruise at Retford aqueduct, 1963 narrowboat Nelson at Manton bridge, 1964 Rally at Drakeholes, Cliff Clarke is centre. Images on this page courtesy of Geoff Warnes.

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he original idea for the canal was put forward by businessmen in and around Chesterfield. They wanted to find a more reliable and efficient way of moving their produce to other markets. Chief amongst these were heavy goods like lead, from the Peak District mines, and coal from Staveley and Killamarsh. By far the best way to carry such goods was by river, but the nearest port was Bawtry on the River Idle, over 30 miles away.

coal to be moved from the Duke of Bridgewater’s mines in Worsley to Manchester at great speed (for the time) and at low cost.

In the 1760s, such loads had to be carried by packhorses along turnpike roads that were often hopelessly muddy and virtually impassable for many months in winter.

James Brindley engaged another engineer, John Varley, who surveyed a route via Killamarsh and Shireoaks to Bawtry, which he presented in 1769.

The business community in Chesterfield heard about the newly built Bridgewater Canal which had enabled vast quantities of

News of the proposed canal soon became widespread and piqued the interest of people in Worksop and Retford. Chief amongst

The engineer who designed the canal was James Brindley, a millwright from Derbyshire. It was therefore to Mr Brindley that the promoters turned. They were not alone, he was already involved in several other canal projects, none of which had yet been completed, so the whole concept was a very big risk.

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“Without the tenacity of pioneers, there would be no canal.”

Cliff Clarke receives his Lifetime Achievement Award from Robin Stonebridge. Image courtesy of Chesterfield Canal Trust.

these was the Reverend Seth Ellis Stevenson, the Headmaster of Retford Grammar School. He had been to the Bridgewater Canal and saw the incredible potential for increased trade, and hence prosperity, for the town. He started a campaign to convince the great and the good in Retford that the canal should go through the town.

John Varley then surveyed another route, this time passing through Worksop and Retford and reaching the Trent at Stockwith, very close to where the Idle flowed into the Trent. This left Bawtry out in the cold.

There followed months of debates, meetings, proposals and counter proposals, with Revd. Stevenson always in the thick of it, travelling to meet people and entertaining them at his home, always putting Retford’s case. Finally, in January 1770, Brindley spoke to crowded meeting at the Crown Inn in Retford and announced that the route would be Chesterfield - Worksop Retford - Stockwith. Retford had won the argument.

There was still much to do, such as lobby landowners and put together an Act of Parliament, but again Revd. Stevenson was always to the fore. Even after the Act had been passed and the work had started, he frequently visited construction sites, helped to sort out problems etc. The canal was officially opened on 4th June 1777, but in some respects the enterprise had only just started. The canal had to be made into an efficient, money making business. You can guess who was still in the thick of the action.

Let’s wind on nearly two centuries. In the intervening time, the canal had prospered and declined. It had been taken over by a railway company, which in turn had experienced takeovers and mergers ending up as the LNER. The Derbyshire section of the canal had been cut off by the collapse of the Norwood Tunnel in 1907. After the Second World War, the railway companies had been nationalised and canals had come under the British Transport Commission in 1947 and then the British Waterways Board in 1963.

Commercial transport on the canal had ceased in 1955. Whilst there was water, there was virtually no maintenance, so the lock gates were incredibly dodgy and the channel was full of weed.

There were constant threats to abandon the canal completely.

These were challenged by various different groups, both national and local.

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These groups used to hold protest cruises and rallies, sometimes with canoes and sometimes with boats. These were rarely the narrowboats we are used to seeing today, but usually small cabin cruisers. Because of the huge amounts of weed, they often had to be bow-hauled by groups of supporters on the towpath.

The key thing was to get lots of publicity at which these pioneers were incredibly adept. They even had local television news reporting on some of the protests which often drew large crowds of onlookers.

Whenever one speaks to any of the people involved in these cruises one name always comes up – Cliff Clarke. He was an inspirational figure who galvanised others by his own actions, who organised the nuts and bolts of many protests and who also lobbied, cajoled, enthused and argued at all levels - national, regional and local - to ensure that what was left of the canal was protected and restored. He helped to establish the Retford & Worksop Boat Club, which flourishes to this day, and became its first Chairman and later President.

The result of this constant campaigning was that the 1968 Transport Act stated that the twenty six miles of the canal between West Stockwith and Worksop was officially designated as a cruiseway. There were still twenty miles to Chesterfield to be restored, but the canal had been saved.

In 2010, Cliff received the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chesterfield Canal Trust. Upon the silver salver were inscribed the words “Without the tenacity of pioneers, there would be no canal.”

I would like to suggest that there are no two more important pioneers on the Chesterfield Canal than the Reverend Seth Ellis Stevenson and Clifford N Clarke.

Rod Auton

Rod is the Publicity Officer for the Chesterfield Canal Trust which is campaigning to complete the restoration of the canal by its 250th Anniversary in 2027.

For further information go to www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk .

Imagery courtesy of The Chesterfield Canal Trust (various photographers).

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During an initial short campaign we acquired new customers providing orders totalling over £170k. These are now an ongoing revenue resource and we continue to engage Createinn’s magic for our creative marketing.

Marketing Manager, Euroglaze Ltd. Guidance on brand language and an effective approach in consolidating a clear and coherent product offering resulted in over £2m in new business quotations over a 3 day expo, an event we would not have attended without Createinn’s help and advice.

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MARKETING, ADVERTISING & BRAND CONSULTANCY Createinn Ltd., Retford Enterprise Centre, Randall Way, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7GR, England

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Business

Adapt To Thrive Learning to look deeper into your business ideals and cope with change. It's time to adapt and thrive in any environment.

T

he current circumstances have made all business owners sit up and take note of two very different aspects of working life.

This is the balance between work and home – if you are one of the companies that had to close the office door and work from home then the last year will have been, to you as with many others, a rather sharp shock to the system. The concerns of the business and those you work with as well as the change in working environment. We have had to become more adaptable, evolve our working practices and in some cases alter our style of work in order to continue the work flow and maintain a profitable business.

The trick is to adapt. This has to be quick firing and done at pace in order to keep the ball rolling. You have to ask yourself if your business is adaptable and if you can make that change?

Is your company in need of change?

Don't fear change. Change is refreshing. There is never a wrong time to grow your business if you feel it necessary. You may feel your company too young or alternatively too old with too much heritage attached. Your business needs to change to suit the changing market, and this may be driven by your customers, changes in attitude or even technology. Does your website need to be more informative? How can your clients contact you personally? What hours are you available? Is your presence on social media strong enough? And how can you become more visible in a marketplace?

In truth, whatever your business there will always be something that you can add/alter to generate growth and inspire those who work with you, both clients and your team. A pro-active approach is the first step. Take the time to look at your core strengths, the things that make customers return and look how to make these things more accessible. It could be a change in delivery services, different working hours, an addition to an online part of your business, such as adding a shop, an ordering service or another way of communicating with your customers. Nothing is quite the same as being physically able to see someone that you’re working with, so if this isn’t possible what can you do to make sure that everyone knows your face? People invest in people, the friendly smile, the welcoming hand extension, so it’s about using the technology around you to earn the trust that you would have been able to in person where you can let it let shine through in that all important first meeting, or regular catch up.

The work/home balance.

One thing that many people have grown to appreciate is their home life. It becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a home/ work balance when the office is a part of your home and you can attend those Zoom meetings in your shorts and slippers. When this line becomes blurry so do the working hours and the practices.

There are a few little things that can help along the way to maintain motivation.

36

Set a place for your work within your home that doesn’t have impact on where you relax, where you eat or where you sleep. Even if it is a little corner make it the space for work and do not let it encroach on the other areas of your life.

Set working hours and rules for yourself. It is easy to become distracted by the noise of life, the importance of the growing household tasks around you and the little things that happen at home that are a wonderful distraction from the workload. This will only extend your working day, in the end, every moment you step out of the ‘office’ you will have to put in the extra time later when all you really want to do is relax.

If you are struggling and need some inspiration then ask for help, friends, family, everyone has an opinion and ideas are key to keep motivated.

We can help at Createinn Ltd, as a business that has grown and adapted over 17 years of experience of changing technology and changing markets. We’re good at listening and we’re always happy to have a chat.

Createinn Ltd is a full-service creative agency for both online and offline creations. Design, web, print, marketing and publishing.

Createinn Ltd hello@createinn..com 01777 712610 www.createinn.com

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Bereavement is the price we must all pay for the joy of loving and being loved………

S

At Barnby Moor, Memoria have created one of the finest burials and cremation facilities in the UK.

ervicing the local communities of Retford and Worksop, Barnby Moor was the 10th of Memoria’s facilities to open in the UK in 2019 and can really claim that it is one of the country’s finest private memorial parks with many unique and high-quality features.

We are constantly looking at ways that we might help bereaved families celebrate the life of a treasured member by making it possible for each service to be bespoke and totally personal.

As part of that aspiration, we have now installed a unique digital projector option where you have a high-quality image of your choice displayed above the catafalque and select different lighting colours to meet personal choice.

We have also upgraded the impressive music system with the installation of Obitus technologies for personal photographic displays and playing personal music choices to the highest sound quality.

Memoria’s CEO Howard Hodgson describes the company’s pledge wonderfully: Memoria crematoria has a mission to provide exceptional standards of service and facility to the bereaved families that use its crematoria, cemeteries and gardens of remembrance. This is because it is not only commercially sensible to do so but also because it is an essential act of human decency towards people who have just lost a much-loved member of their family or friend. Bereavement is the price we must all pay

• All set in a beautiful tranquil countryside environment with beautiful water features.

• The advanced Obitus Music system with an almost infinite music library to cater for all requests of classical or modern music for the joy of loving and being loved. The loss of a loved one is the most stressful, unhappy, and traumatic experience that we will face in life. We at Memoria realise that we are unable to eradicate such pain but we also know it is our responsibility and duty to be as efficient, kind, respectful and polite as humanly possible to our clients at their time of grief. Therefore, it is our aim to ensure that you are looked after by people who are sincerely dedicated to our mission, and who take a great pride in their work as a result.

Moor Memorial Park & Crematorium. You will discover:

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• Inside and outside modern and immaculate toilet facilities.

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• Comfortable soft furnishings with a tasteful colour scheme.

• Choice of advanced music system or live organ • Web camera with live streaming capabilities for those friends and family who may be unable to attend • Plasma television screens for photo dedication/ eulogy’s • Optional lighting technology where you can project an image or change the mood lighting colour.

Please ask your local Funeral Director for further information or if you are able please drop in for a chat, our staff will be only too pleased to show you the facilities we have on-site.

Barnby Moor Memorial Park & Crematorium Diggles Lodge Lane, Ranby, Retford DN22 8FL Tel: 01777 808628 E-mail: memoria@ barnbymoormemorial.co.uk Website: www. barnbymoormemorial.co.uk

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Leisure

Spring Stroll In Blyth & Hodsock Travel writer and photojournalist Sally Outram leads the way along a lovely springtime circular through Hodsock and Blyth.

T

his short walk explores the pretty and historical area around Blyth and Hodsock and takes us on a journey of discovery from medieval battlefields to picturesque landscaped parkland of Hodsock Priory.

We begin our walk in the pretty North Nottinghamshire village of Blyth, which is situated just off the A1, on the eastern bank of the River Ryton and north west of the small market town of East Retford. With its village green surrounded by quaint cottages and inns, Blyth has been popular with travellers and tourists alike, over many years. It is believed that Nottinghamshire’s infamous outlaw; Robin Hood stayed here too, just one of many legendary and distinguished visitors to the village.

Blyth dates back to Anglo Saxon times and is mentioned in the Doomsday book (1086). The parish church of St. Mary and St. Martin is one of the oldest and finest examples of Norman architecture in the country and was part of a Benedictine monastery founded in 1088; which was mostly demolished at the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536. This splendid church also contains one of the best preserved ‘Doom’ paintings in Nottinghamshire, re discovered and restored in the 1980s and well worth a look if you have the time.

There were two medieval hospitals, also of great significance; one being the hospital of St. Edmund, which was most likely on Bawtry Road, and the other, the hospital of St. John, a former leper hospital which is now the site occupied by Spital Farm, which can be seen at the start of our walk.

As we make our way through the farm yard, then along the pretty tree lined lanes, we enter the parkland estate belonging to Hodsock Priory. The impressive and striking gatehouse dating back to the 16th century, is one of only three surviving Tudor brick buildings

40

in the county of Nottinghamshire, and has seen many Royals pass through, such as Henry III, King John and Edward I. Hodsock gardens are a hidden gem, the woodland walks are carpeted with Snowdrops in February. April and May brings spectacular displays of Bluebells, a uniquely beautiful sight, (currently closed).

There is an abundance of wildlife at Hodsock, Kestrels, Buzzards, Green Woodpeckers and Owls are regular sightings and Kingfishers have also been seen around the lake and stream.

Our walk takes us back through meadows and fields, tracing the footsteps of our medieval ancestors, where noblemen and soldiers participated in honourable tournaments and jousting; granted by Royal licence, the events attracted competitors from far and wide, which brought with it growth and prosperity.

As you briefly pass by the River Ryton, you might just catch a glimpse of wild brown Trout which inhabit the waters; damselfly and kingfishers dart along the bank side and if you are lucky you might even spot a Heron.

We return to our start point via Sheffield road, notice the red brick cottages on the corner and the symmetrical gothic style windows.

Built in the 18th century, originally as a rectory, the cottages also boast a distinctive central octagonal cupola or (dome). Continuing passed the Fourways Hotel, look to the left on the opposite corner and you will see a grade II listed cast iron Red Telephone box, designed by Charles Gilbert Scott in 1935, a rare find these days, (and still in working order).

Finally arriving back to the village centre, you have the opportunity to take a walk around the village and admire the superbly eclectic architecture.

Leisure

The basics

Directions 1. We begin this lovely walk at the village green on the High Street in Blyth; facing the White Swan public house turn right and walk in a southerly direction. There are two roads running parallel on the High Street, continue until they merge and along the pavement. The path runs out at the end of the row of houses, cross over here and continue to head South for about ¼ of a mile until you reach Spital Farm on your right.

2. Turn Right onto the farm road and

continue to follow this through the farmyard and along the tree lined avenue until you reach the road.

Here, turn left and walk along the pavement for a short distance until you see a lane opposite. Cross over and continue along this country lane towards Hodsock Priory for approximately 1km (0.6 m), where you emerge into the Priory Estate parkland. Look out for the wonderful

displays of flora and fauna which changes throughout the seasons.

3. Walk towards the Priory gatehouse

and about halfway along you will see a field gate on your right; proceed through the gate and walk through the field keeping the woodland on your left, heading slightly to the right and uphill until you reach a stile in the hedge. Cross over the stile and head diagonally to the right to the large gap in the hedge. Continue through the gap and continue diagonally in the same direction across a further two fields. Once you have reached the end of the second field you will see an old stone boundary marker. Cut through the hedge here and turn right along the field edge path, following it until you reach woodland.

4. At the other side of the woodland

there is a small bridge which crosses over the river Ryton, cross over the

Distance: 3 ¾ / 6km.

Severity: Moderate.

Gradient: Mostly level but slight

uphill through fields.

Approx time: 2 hrs 15 mins.

Stiles: 2.

Maps: OS Explorer 260/279.

Path info: A mixture of field edge

paths, grassy paths,

pavements, and country lanes.

Start point: Village green opposite

the White Swan Public

house, High Street, Blyth.

Dog friendly: Yes; on lead through

village and priory area.

Parking: Village green area bridge and continue to follow the field edge path forward. At the end of this field there is a gate, pass through the gate and make a sharp turn to the left onto a wide grass track uphill. Keep the hedge to your left.

5. Once you reach the end of this track,

you emerge onto a tree lined avenue where you turn left and proceed along until you reach the road opposite the cricket pitch, where you make a right turn along the pavement. The path takes a sharp right-hand direction, follow this until you reach the junction by the Fourways Hotel and the Red Hart pub.

6. Taking great care as this is a

remarkably busy road, turn right following the pavement along until you find a safe place to cross over. The best place is the central refuge near the village store. The start point and White Swan Pub are opposite.

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Wedding

Untying The Knot Made unravels the many traditions surrounding marriage.

W

e are all familiar with the act of getting down on one knee, often as a gesture of respect, loyalty or even obedience, although we are not advocating you must obey your future wife or husband! Its exact origin is unknown but some say that it stems from the Middle Ages when a man would bend down for a woman he adored. Nowadays it is still common to get down on one knee to propose, and there’s a vulnerability and deep emotional connection that is still rather romantic.

faithfulness and loyalty, a tradition that stems from biblical times when blue represented purity.

Another tradition, perhaps not so well known nowadays, is a “silver sixpence in your shoe”. Apparently it is said to bring the couple wealth and happiness during their life together. It was a sign that the bride’s father gave the couple his best wishes. We are not sure how far you can get on a six pence but it’s an endearing notion all the same.

Of course there were business connotations as back in the day of arranged marriages the union would be seen as a business arrangement rather than one of love. In fact the couple weren’t even allowed to see one another before the big day.

“Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue”

“Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” is an age-old Victorian rhyme, and another familiar and extremely popular tradition that few brides shy away from. The something old representing a link with the bride’s family or past, the something new represents good future and success in marital life, and the something borrowed reminds the bride that her family and friends will be there when help is needed. Finally the something blue symbolises

42

Fast forward to now, and it’s seen as unlucky to see your other half on the morning of your wedding, but as your day now is likely to be one filled with joy and love rather than a convenient arrangement jury’s out on whether this is a tradition still worth upholding.

Wedding

Again perhaps not so familiar nowadays but there has been through the ages a certain deliberation as to which day is best to marry. According to the rhyme, might be best to avoid the weekend, although ironically this is usually the most popular time.

Another tradition dictates the time of the day that is best for the exchange of vows. Apparently this should take place as the clock’s minute hand is ‘ascending to heaven’.

Goodness! If you are planning wedding right now, we hope you are taking notes of all the dos and don’ts!

You will probably have noticed that the bride stands to the left of the groom during the wedding ceremony, and you may have wondered why. This actually stems from times when the groom would protect her with his left arm and use his sword with the right. The groom would need to fight anyone who tried to steal his wife. You cannot help but feel sorry for the brides who were marrying a left handed chap!

“Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday’s the best of all.

Thursday brings crosses, And Friday losses, But Saturday – no luck at all.”

Traditionally the father of the bride gives her away. This is also a remnant of the times when it was more of a business arrangement when brides were literally handed over to a “new owner” usually in exchange for money or a significant dowry. Nowadays whilst it is often the father who has the honour, brides can and will chose whoever they wish to give them away.

As for “putting a ring on it”, we traditionally use the left hand and the fourth finger to cement an engagement and symbolise the betrothal. In Roman times it was thought that a vein ran straight from the fourth finger on the left hand to the heart. Others believe that the left hand is used the least and easier for adornment. Call us soppy, but we quite like the Romans’ theory.

Nowadays the bride will often try on and indeed chose the wedding ring before the big day, but in bygone times it was deemed unlucky to see the ring. It was also said to be dangerous to drop the ring in church, the first of the couple to do so would be the first to die. And finally rings should not be removed before seven years of marriage or you can expect a pot of back luck.

“If you marry in Lent, you’re sure to repent”.

Also, couples should really try not to marry during a full moon (we are resisting werewolf jokes here!) or during Lent, as per the saying “If you marry in Lent, you’re sure to repent”.

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Wedding

Now on to sweeter things, in other words, wedding cake…

Originally guests would bring small cakes and place them in front of the couple who would kiss over the piles of cakes to safeguard future prosperity. Eventually this became a central cake, and the tiered cake we know today, originated from the wedding of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany in 1882. The cutting of the cake is a focal point at most weddings, a delicious tradition when the first cut was made by the bride to ensure the marriage would be blessed with children.

Many would say that the dress is the focal point of the day (although we are still thinking about the cake) and ask most people if it should be white and there’s a pretty resounding, yes! Its connotations with purity is the main reason it has been chosen by brides. There are references to wealth as white has previously been linked to only the affluent. You will be forgiven for thinking that a white dress has been the traditional choice for

44

many generations, however it was a trend that came into play after the marriage of Queen Victoria in 1840, who was the first to do so. Previously brides wore the most expensive dress they owned.

Some brides like to wear a veil. Apparently this originated from the times of arranged marriages as the bride had to stay covered until the groom had committed to the marriage. It is also said to be a beautiful unveiling (see what we did there) of the bride’s beauty once it is lifted, and there are also references to the veil warding off evil spirits. A note to brides’ don’t let your friend try on your veil, or she could run off with your husband, according to folklore!

For the groom, there can only be a wedding with a best man. It is said this traces its origins to Medieval Germany, back to times when chivalry was ripe. Women were kept under close watch, often at home, and so the best man would assist the groom in keeping her safe and under wraps until the big day. There is also association

Feature

with Germanic Goths who dictated that a man should preferably marry from his own community. When women were in short supply locally eligible bachelors would need to capture a bride from a neighbouring community, and this would require the help of another man. And so it began. The best man would start by the groom’s side until the marriage had been consummated, effectively ‘on guard.” In case her family tried to steal her back!

Bouquet carrying and throwing; ah that’s another tradition that has stood the testament of time. Traditionally the bouquet was never carried down the aisle to look pretty but rather to mask the bride’s odour! Thank goodness for perfume nowadays. There are rumours that the scents of the fragrant flowers also warded off evil spirits, particularly as originally bouquets were made of herbs and garlic. Yes, garlic! Throwing the bouquet stems from a French 14th century tradition where the groom would throw the bride’s garter into the crowd but this room became more civilised and the bouquet stepped in. It is still believed that whoever catches the bouquet will marry next.

Lace garters are traditionally worn by brides. Once related to deflowering, there have also been superstitions that by removing an article of the bride’s clothing would bring good luck. In the Middle Ages groomsmen would rush at the new bride to take her garters as a prize. Over time grooms have removed the garter themselves with their teeth and throw into the crowd, and seemingly whichever man caught it would marry next. For us here in Nottinghamshire there is a fondness with the garter stemming from the lace making of our county, in particular in Nottingham - home to the lace making industry.

Confetti stems from the more traditionally thrown rice, which was believed to encourage fertility, and was later replaced by the Victorians who used shredded paper. Weddings today usually see the couple showered with confetti, biodegradable of course.

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Wedding

Another lovely tradition is wedding favours. Something for guests to remember the day by, and it has been adopted by couples for hundreds of years. Originally this would be a small bag of five sugar coated almonds each one symbolising health, wealth, fertility, happiness and a long life. Nowadays the wedding gifts, or favours as they are often referred to, can be anything the couple of decide on, but one thing is for sure, if you attend a wedding you will receive a gift!

Stag and Hen Dos are as popular as ever, a tradition that is perhaps more of a rite of passage now. Where did it all stem from? Etymology (study of the history of words) shows that in early 14th century

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English, hen pertained to a female of any species, and stag used to mean to a male of any species. Hen Dos didn’t really become popular surprisingly until the 1990s. In fact many of our parents didn’t have one and many centuries have passed without celebration for hens since their elaborate Ancient Greek beginnings. It has only been known as a hen party since the 1960s, often called “pay off”, “ribbon girl” and “jumping the chanty”. In the 1970s women were paraded around their workplace as relinquishment of work and entry into domesticity and motherhood. Often with ribbons and lace tied to them, particularly popular here in Nottinghamshire.

Much has changed however, and now men marry men, women marry women, and work does not cease!

Wedding

Love, laughter and happily ever after..

As a rule of thumb, most grooms carry the bride over the threshold.

This is said to stem from a belief that by doing so it would protect her from any evil spirits lurking in the new home, particularly since the soles of her feet were known to be at the greatest risk of evil.

special flowers for your special day

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Grove Granites A small team of specialist craftsmen with a great deal of experience based in Retford, Nottinghamshire. Grove Granites can create the perfect cut of stone, granite, quartz & marble.

Grove Granites Retford Ltd comprises of a small bespoke team of quality craftsman. We have spent years refining and learning our unique skills to enable us to work with any type of stone such as granite, quartz, marble and sandstone. We specialise in creating high end worktops and surfaces, but also have a dedicated team of stone masons who are able to create beautiful memorials. It is an honour for us to assist you in creating a long-lasting tribute for your loved one, a final gift from you to them.

The business recently changed ownership in October 2019, and we take pride in the fact that we have been able to thrive in the face of adversity and adapt to the challenging situations the world is currently facing, especially during our first year of management. One of our proudest achievements during this first year of ownership was being awarded Best in Masonry Services 2020/2021 for Central England. Since then, we have continually flourished, expanding the business and our workforce.

So how do we create your worktops and surfaces? In order to create your worktops, we require sight of a plan to provide you with a quotation. If you wish to proceed, we will then come to take templates. This is where we place templating boards on your base units to create a replica of your requirements. We then use these to cut out your worktops from the granite or quartz you have chosen.

Your material arrives with us in the form of a large slab which are brought into the UK from all around the world. The beauty with granite is that no two slabs are the same, it is what nature created and is entirely unique. Whereas quartz is a manmade product and therefore the pattern of each slab will be the same.

Once your slabs have arrived with us, we place them on to our large saw where we use the templates taken to cut out the lengths of worktop required. A saw with a diamond toothed blade is needed due to the strength of the granite and quartz. At this stage, it is only the lengths of worktop which are cut out, shapes such as the sink and hob hole are cut out later.

After the initial cutting stage, your worktops move on to having the edges shaped and polished to your required finish. Each edge is created entirely based on the skill and ability of our masons being able to craft an even shape on all pieces of your worktop using hand tools. Quartz and granite go through eight stages of polishing to achieve the high level of finish.

Once the edges have been created, we move on to cut outs and drainage grooves. To achieve drainage grooves, our masons must guide our specialist machinery by hand over your worktop, ensuring the correct depth and pressure is maintained throughout.

Each groove is cut out separately until a set of five are created.

With regards to other cut outs, these are carefully measured and marked up on to the worktop. The worktop is then placed under a specialist saw which must be guided by hand to make the cut outs.

There are no margins for error as this may result in a new slab being purchased and the whole job having to be started again. Once your worktops and surfaces are completed, our specialist team will then come and fit these for you.

We used this same method to create one of our grandest jobs, which was a staircase encased entirely in Italian Travertine. This is something our team have never done before and it was certainly a learning curve, but we believe that it shows we are able to create almost anything asked of us.

From a large piece of stone, our talented team are able to create a beautifully bespoke and totally unique piece exact to your requirements and specifications. We take pride in the work we do, and you can rest assured knowing that your kitchen or memorial is completely one of a kind, made with hand loving care.

Grove Granites Retford Ltd

Specialists in Granite, Quartz, Natural Stone & Marble

AN AWARD-WINNING FAMILY RUN BUSINESS WITH AN UNRIVALLED REPUTATION FOR BESPOKE MEMORIALS & WORK SURFACES. OVER 100 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE! • • • • • • • •

Worktops & surfaces Chopping boards Windowsills Shelves Fireplaces & Hearths Bath surrounds Table tops House plaques We are also skilled memorial masons, and our services include: New memorials, additional inscriptions, pet memorials, war memorials, renovations & cleaning, memorial safety.

In addition to this, we offer a traditional hand carving service on request.

QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP, BESPOKE DESIGN Grove Lane, Retford, Notts, DN22 6ND 01777 710641 enquiries@grovegranites.co.uk

Home & Garden

Chiselwood Celebrates Chiselwood celebrate winning the Architecture Awards - The Kitchen And Bathroom Award, Yorkshire.

And Chiselwood's Director, Martin Holliday, to judge at the prestigious American KDC Awards.

Chiselwood are proud to announce they have been nominated and won the Architecture Awards - The Kitchen and Bathroom Award, Yorkshire.

Build Magazine have been running the Architecture Awards for six years. With an impetus on sustainable and efficient methods being placed on modern projects, the awards recognise those that are pioneers in passive design.

The Architecture Awards 2020 commends companies, individuals and projects across a myriad of sectors and through our meritdriven approach, ensuring that only the most dedicated, creative and awe-inspiring parties receive one of the prestigious accolades.

“We are excited to receive this award, especially as we were nominated. It is such a pat on the back for all of our team. They are working so hard in these very trying times and this has really lifted their spirits.” Said Martin Holliday, Design Director.

This award is one of two to celebrate for Chiselwood, as they have also just announced that Martin is going to be a judge for another prestigious award, The KDC (Kitchen Design Competition) run by Sub-Zero Wolf America.

“These two announcements have reminded us, that all our efforts over the last twelve months have been acknowledged by two amazing supporters of our industry. It has been really hard work and our team has shown such resilience and support to each other.”

Commented Mel Holliday. “I am sure this will make a difference to our spirits as we move forward into 2021” The prestigious American KDC Awards is notably the biggest kitchen design award in the world. Sub-Zero and Wolf have been running the awards for over 25 years with 23 contests and celebrated 14,000 designs, promoting 800 design professionals.

Martin Holliday is the Design Director of the UK award-winning company Chiselwood, founded with his wife, Mel, in Lincolnshire, UK in 1989.

Martin originally trained as an engineer on gas turbines, however, in his early 20’s, followed his passion to design and manufacture furniture. Using the knowledge and pension he gained in engineering, he found he could design furniture that not only looked beautiful but provide practical solutions for everyday life. This led, in time, from the creation of individual pieces to the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom industries.

Chiselwood is a design and manufacturing company based in Lincolnshire, UK. Chiselwood employs a team of designers and cabinetmakers, with Martin heading up the design of full room sets for any area in the home, specialising in kitchens. Martin

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loves colour, texture, and mixing materials. With his practical background, he only designs furniture that he would be comfortable making himself, creating confidence that his team at Chiselwood can make anything he designs in their workshops in Lincoln. His designs are totally bespoke and unique to the client and project. He is passionate about design and loves a challenge.

Martin is one of the leading designers in the UK. He has won may UK accolades over his 31 years in design, culminating with a win as the only UK and European award from Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove’s Kitchen Design Contest in 2017.

Martin’s most recent adventure is designing and building six ecohouses. Read about the new eco-houses in Made, page 46, issue 19 - Nov/Dec 20.

www.subzero-wolf.com/trade-resources/kitchen-design-contest www.chiselwood.co.uk

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Home & Garden

Gorgeous Gravel Gardens Making the perfect gravel garden is just a stone's throw away. Explore wonderful ways to enhance your outdoor space with a gravel garden. Landscape Designer, Sarah Murch explains how.

H

ow good it feels to be turning a corner on a long, wet winter and peering into Spring. The sap is rising, soil warming, days are stretching out and like many gardeners, I’m itching to get out in my garden, full of renewed vigour, developing new areas for our family, visitors and menagerie of animals to enjoy.

ideal for growing those Mediterranean plants that dislike sitting in cold, waterlogged soils during our wet winters. But don’t for a minute think of gravel gardens as a sparse looking rocky scree!

They are lush, vibrant, spaces where you can immerse yourself in colourful plants self-seeding, repeat flowering and enjoying life to the full.

For like many people today, we are working and spending more time at home and I realise how important our gardens have become as multifunctioning living spaces. Always a welcome extension to our homes, gardens today are a place for friends and families to socialise safely, for escapism and relaxation.

The allure of a gravel garden is its clean, non-slippery, functional surface. Just like a patio, you can use it for dining, for benches, extra loungers, for the BBQ at weekends, even for hot tubs and hammocks. And it is low cost too. A bulk bag of our local 10mm Trent pea gravel will set you back around £50.00. It will probably take you an hour or so to spread and will cover 16m2. Just compare that to the price of paving and you begin to see the value of a gravel garden. It’s like rolling out a new carpet. The effect is instant.

Yet it can be challenging sharing your precious garden with a multigenerational family. The trick is to create functional spaces that work for all ages.

So over the next few months I will explore easy and low cost ways you can turn your gardens into a user friendly space that is low maintenance yet full of colour, fragrance and wildlife, without the need for heavy machinery or professionals. Projects that are perfect for garden DIYers and novice gardener’s alike.

First up is how to make a Gravel Garden.

Gravel gardens are versatile gardens with a surface mulch of aggregates. This 40mm thick gravel layer is clean and free draining,

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But the real advantage of a gravel garden for me is the planting opportunities it opens up.

Our gravel garden is around 100m2. It wraps sinuously around a patio, a buffer between soft lawn and hard paving. We’ve laid stepping stones through the main routes, edged with a creeping thymes, a tapestry of mauves covered in bumblebees in spring.

Lavenders, sage, rosemary, santolinas and artemesias form an aromatic shrub layer, handy for snipping and throwing on the BBQ. We have small specimen trees and tall pencil junipers for height and

Home & Garden

structure, and an architectural evergreen conifer Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Pendula, which waves its weeping branches in the slightest breeze.

Low level planting includes airy gauras, fragrant dianthus, long flowering asters, and frothy geraniums with diverse grasses forming waves through the gravel. Accent perennials flower in succession including echinaceas, echinops, eryngiums. Verbenas and Verbascums self-seed with wild abandon throughout the entire space.

I don’t try to control them. I love these vibrant pairings that you could never plan even if you tried.

Gravel gardens are wildlife friendly too. We leave the perennials and grasses standing throughout winter as seedheads for the birds. Goldfinches feast off verbena bonariensis, balancing on the desiccated stems like miniature circus acrobats. Tiny wrens dart at floor level feeding on invertebrates and nesting in the junipers. Our gravel garden is a feeding station for wild birds, dropped seeds and insects are easy picking. In Spring I enjoy watching sparrows gathering up tufts of dry stipa tenuissima grass to line their nests. In summer our gravel garden becomes a magnet for pollinators, shimmering with butterflies and bumblebees.

Flexible design possibilities.

I’ve been creating gravel gardens for my clients for over 20 years and I love their vibrance, flexibility and functionality. Gravel gardens work beautifully in small and large gardens and suit all styles from contemporary urban exteriors to rural cottage gardens. They can replace grass entirely in a small garden, link a driveway to a house, unite a formal terrace with a rolling lawn and are a flexible living space as an extension of a patio. They also act as an all-weather pathway across your garden too.

How to make a gravel garden.

Benefits of a gravel garden • Low cost and easy to install.

• Increases outdoor living space.

• Wide variety of gravels readily available in large and small bags.

• Low Maintenance.

• Once established, no irrigation is required.

• Flexible design.

• Wrap your gravel garden around water features and ponds, use it to edge patios and as pathways to new seating areas.

• Suits contemporary, formal and naturalistic gardens.

• Non slippery surface, good burglar deterrent - you can hear footsteps crunching.

• Wildlife friendly.

• Mark out your area, strip off the grass and remove all perennial weeds or kill off the foliage with a proprietary herbicide.

• Next cultivate the area, consolidate it by treading down, then rake the soil level.

• Lay down a non-woven geotextile membrane (a fleece type membrane), leaving the edges untrimmed until last.

• Spread the gravel of your choice in a 30-50mm layer on top of the membrane and rake level. Finally trim the membrane around the edges.

• Set out your plants in position, scrape back the gravel, cut a generous cross shaped slit through the membrane, plant your plant, fold back the membrane and spread the gravel back around the crown of the plant.

Which gravel is best?

Choose a small 10mm diameter gravel for a pedestrian friendly surface. There are different gravels readily available to suit your style. Choose from granite or limestone chippings to multi coloured quartz and slate. In a recent project we spread different sized Scottish pebbles in drifts to mimic the shoreline of a river broken up with larger boulders and softened with planting.

Where is the best place for a gravel garden?

Some sunshine is best, avoid putting gravel under deciduous trees and in deep shade.

Main page: Stands of verbena bonariensis attracting butterflies in summer at Ellicar's gravel garden; Top right: A gravel garden wrapping around a pond creates the perfect spot to sit back and relax; A sloping gravel garden with swathes of scottish cobbles, softened with aromatic plants is a an extension to this lively stream.

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Home & Garden

What about a slope?

You can create gravel gardens on gentle slopes. Gravel is stabilised easily by plants and use path grid to stabilise sloping pathways or build in steps.

Maintenance requirements.

Cut back perennial plants and deciduous grasses in late winter.

Rake through the gravel to remove leaves and dead foliage. Use a garden blower to blow away fine debris.

Surface weeds are easily removed by agitating the gravel surface usually with a hoe or fine rake in spring. Leave plants to self-seed and move about or simply pull up any unwanted plants if you feel they are getting crowded

Ideal plants for your gravel garden.

Plant your gravel garden in layers like your garden but leave space between planting for pathways and openings for seating.

Specimen trees Pinus mugo, Cercis canadensis Forest Pansy, Cercis siliquastrum, Cornus mas, Juniperus scopulorum Blue Arrow.

Flowering shrubs Buddleja sp., Viburnum sp., Potentilla sp., Abuliton, Rosmarinus officinalis sp.

Aromatic herbs Lavandula sp., Salvia officinalis, creeping Thymes, Santolina sp.

Grasses Stipa tenuissima, Stipa gigantea, Pennisetum alopecuroides Hameln, Pannicum Squaw.

Low growing perennials Geranium sanguineum, Dianthus sp., Aster sedifolius, Aster frikartii Munch, Gaura lindheimerei.

Accept perennials Echinops ritro, Echinaceas, Verbena bonariensis, Verbascum sp., Veronicastrums, Digitalis ferruginea.

Suppliers: Local builders merchants and internet stockists for specialist gravels.

Visit Ellicar Gardens in April.

See www.ellicargardens.co.uk for opening dates and to find out more about Sarah’s garden and landscape design services.

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This page from top: Stipa gigantea grasses tower above carpet of low growing thymes in Ellicar's gravel garden; A riot of summer colour in a newly planted courtyard gravel garden in Blythe; the same gravel garden cut back in early spring, brightened by acid yellow flowers of Euphorbia charcias subsp. Wulfenii.

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So much that now all governments are targeting zero carbon either before or by 2050. In the UK the preferred target is to cut emissions by 68% by 2030. We already know that petrol and diesel driven vehicles are going to be phased out and that the burning of fossil fuels will cease at some time. Major changes, therefore, but the single biggest action the world can take is to make use of the world’s oldest and versatile material for building and construction, namely timber.

It's time to put timber at the heart of the climate debate.

This was the headline used this week to report on the Climate Change Committee (CCC) release of their sixth Carbon Budget report which sets out a detailed and achievable

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Has been assessed as competent to self-certify that the following type of building work have been installed to meet the requirements of Regulations 4 and 7 of the Building Regulations 2010.

List of work: Installation of replacement windows, doors, roof windows and roof lights.

“Balanced” route for the UK to drastically15/10/2020 15:35 Timber windows and doors as supplied Member No: reduce emissions by 2050. locally by The New Window Company 15-5292 Date of Issue: come in hardwoods and softwoods that 21/12/2020 The report recommends that the UK cuts its are engineered to suit the customers territorial emissions by at least 78% by 2035 bespoke needs and to avoid the issues of compared to 1990 levels. warping or rotting. Modern paint finishes are offered in a myriad of colours to To achieve this the CCC suggests ramping up match the customer’s needs and are now the use of wood in construction, a £12 billion guaranteed for 12 years before any further investment in a long-term refurbishment decoration is necessary. There are lots programme to existing housing stock that of initiatives sponsored by government would create an additional 200,000 jobs by grants (Green Deal) and help for listed 2030 and planting two billion trees in the UK. buildings where heritage products meeting todays demanding performance standards So, timber framed houses should be used but also fit in with local planning rules. which are quicker to build and much easier to keep warm using less energy.

So, our world wants to grow green and we can help the cause by using We also need to recognise that using wood timber wherever we can. Your valley and as the material for our windows and doors establishment would then be very green. is a no brainer as timber any form and particularly in finished products is a natural Roy Wakeman is Chairman of the New carbon sink and the carbon will be stored Window Company based in extensive within the products for their life time which showrooms at Frieston Heath near has been proven in Life cycle analysis to be Caythorpe Grantham. at least 65 years (Herriot Watt University and www.newwindow.co.uk the BRE green guide).

The New Window Company Ltd is subject to periodic surveillance and is licensed to use the mark of Certass Ltd.

To determine if this certificate is current, valid, and for further clarification on certification scope, please visit www.certifiedcompetent.co.uk , inputting the company name in the search field. Alternatively, call Certass on 01292 502 396. This certificate remains the property of Certass Limited and must be returned on request or termination of membership.

Scope of Certification

Self-Certification of replacement window, door, roof lights and roof windows in existing NON-DOMESTIC properties.

Signed on behalf of Certass Limited

Jason Clemmit

Certification Managing Director

Health

Back

To Basics...

What are the effects of very little physical activity and poor posture on your back? Joanne Pritchard, Chartered Physiotherapist, explains.

F

ollowing on from my previous editorials on ergonomics and exercise when working from home, this month we are going to look at one of the most common injuries resulting from lack of physical activity and poor working posture: back pain.

Millions of us are less physically active than we were before Covid-19 struck, and many more are spending countless days looking at our screens without leaving the house. It has been estimated that 80% of people working from home have experienced some back, neck or shoulder pain since the first lockdown, so you are not alone!

There may be a specific cause for your back pain; if you also experience leg pain, tingling or numbness this can be caused by nerve irritation or compression in the back, however in most cases it is not actually possible to identify the exact cause of your pain.

It may be due to a combination of many different physical and psychological factors including a simple strain, over protecting the back, low mood or stress (because of your back pain or due to other psychological or social issues), poor sleep quality, lack of physical activity; the list could go on! It is however vital that you realise that all pain is 100% real regardless of the cause; you are

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not imagining it even if factors like stress or low mood are involved.

It is also important you know that back pain is not usually caused by a serious problem, any structural damage to the spine is rare and most back pain (98% according to the research) normally gets better within a few weeks.

Although it can be painful and upsetting, research shows that most back pain can be successfully treated with a combination of remaining as active as the pain allows, simple painkillers if needed, and advice from a healthcare professional. Exercise has been shown to be the most effective treatment for back pain. It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do, as long as it keeps you active*. Choose something that you like to do it, and keep it going even when your pain has resolved to protect your back in the longer term too.

New research is constantly emerging giving us some extremely interesting insights into previously held beliefs. Bed rest is NOT recommended for example, and will actually make your back pain worse, whereas 7.5–8 hours of good quality sleep helps to tackle the pain. You may find it reassuring to know that your spine is a strong and stable structure and is not easily damaged. Scans

10 things you need to know about your back: • Your back is stronger than you may think.

• Avoid bedrest, stay in work and gradually resume normal activities.

• You should not fear bending or lifting.

• Exercise and activity reduce and prevent back pain.

• Painkillers will not speed up your recovery.

• You rarely need a scan and it can do more harm than good.

• Surgery is rarely needed.

• Get good quality sleep.

• You can have back pain without any damage or injury.

• If it doesn’t clear up, seek help but don’t worry.

Symptoms to be aware of: These symptoms are very rare but you should contact a doctor immediately if you experience any of them: • Difficulty passing urine or having the sensation to pass water that is not there.

• Numbness/tingling in your genitals or buttocks area.

• Loss of bladder or bowel control.

• Impaired sexual function, such as loss of sensation during intercourse.

• Loss of power in your legs.

• Feeling unwell with your back pain, such as a fever or significant sweating that wakes you from sleep.

CT MRI Stress Test Echocardiogram Ultrasound ECG

are rarely required; these usually show normal changes to your healthy spine, however seeing these changes can cause stress and anxiety making you overprotect you back and avoid the activities you need to be doing to make it better! A scan is only needed if your GP or healthcare professional send you for one.

If simple painkillers and staying active are not working after 6–8 weeks, then it may be time to seek advice from your GP or Physiotherapist.

*Please ensure you consult your GP before starting any new form of exercise* Joanne Pritchard BSc (Hons), MSc, MCSP, HCPC registered Principal Physiotherapist and Director Physio Pilates Retford. www.physiopilatesretford.co.uk References: Working from home: four in five develop musculoskeletal pain - Personnel Today Back pain | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (csp.org.uk)

X-ray Chest Pain Pacemakers Heart Valves Blood Pressure Blackouts Heart Failure Palpitation Breathlessness

0115 727 0025 www.consult-hc.co.uk

r e t s a E y pp a

Easter Treats

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Made's favourite Easter treats for your home.

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1. HOME by Sainsbury's and Argos, Easter Cushion, £8. 2. HOME by Sainsbury's and Argos, Light Up Bunny Cloche, £8.

3. Hotel Chocolat, Easter Goody Bag, £18. 4. TK Maxx, Easter Plate, £6.99. 5. B&M, Easter Bunny Wreath, £10.

6. Biscuiteers Baking, easter bunny jolly ginger, £9.95. 7. HomeSense, Easter Wreath.

8. HomeSense, Homesense Easter Bunny Gentleman, £12.99

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Food & Drink

Eggstravaganza

Eggs are readily available, affordable, a great source of protein, selenium, iron and vitamins including Vitamin D which aids bone health and the immune system. They are an easy to cook versatile food and contain between 66-80 calories depending on their size, so popular for slimming and healthy lifestyles.

Recipes by food demonstrator & home economist, Teresa Bovey.

Food & Drink Food & Drink

Shakshuka Shakshuka is a classic North African and Middle eastern vegetarian dish. It can be eaten for breakfast or anytime as it is one of the best one-pan all purpose egg dishes. Shakshuka translated is Arabic for ‘a mixture’ as it is a mixture of tomatoes, vegetables, spices and eggs. As a variation try adding tinned beans, chick peas or green vegetables such as spinach or kale in fact anything you may have in your freezer or store cupboard. Fresh chilli may also be added if you like more heat.

Ingredients 1 tbsp oil 1 green pepper, thinly sliced 1 red pepper very thinly sliced 1 small onion finely chopped 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp cumin ¼ tsp chilli flakes 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 4 eggs Salt and pepper To serve – Chopped parsley, flat breads or sour dough Method 1. Place the oil in a saute pan with the green pepper, red pepper, onion and spices gently cook for 5 mins until softened.

2. Add the garlic and the canned tomatoes and season with salt and pepper cook until it starts to simmer.

3. Crack the eggs on top, spacing them out, cover with a lid and leave to poach on a medium heat for 15-20 mins to ensure eggs are cooked.

4. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Serves 4

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Food & Drink

Prawn Souffles Ingredients 125g small frozen prawns, defrosted 100g brown breadcrumbs Zest and juice of ½ lemon 1-2 tbsp milk 2 tbsp chopped parsley 1 tbsp very finely chopped chives Salt and pepper 4 medium eggs, separated Butter for greasing To serve Lemon slices Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Fan 180ºC/Gas 6.

2. Defrost the prawns, drain off any water and place them into a medium sized bowl.

3. Add the breadcrumbs, milk, egg yolks, chopped parsley, chives and season well with salt and black pepper.

4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and gently fold them into the prawn mixture.

5. Divide the mixture into 6x buttered 125ml ramekin dishes and stand them in a small roasting dish. Add hot water into the dish so that it comes half-way up the ramekins. Bake for 20 mins until golden and well risen.

Cooks tip – Defrost the prawns for 2-3 mins in a microwave. Leave to stand for 10 mins. Drain off any liquid.

Indian Inspired Tortilla Ingredients 1 tbsp oil 1 large onion, finely diced 1 red chilli deseeded and chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp curry powder 50g wilted spinach leaves 300g leftover cooked potatoes, peeled and diced 100g frozen peas 6 eggs Method 1. Preheat oven to 180ºC Fan/Gas 5.

2. Fry the onion in the oil in a medium sized frying pan until softened. Add the chilli, garlic and spices and cook for 1 min, 3. Stir in the spinach leaves, cook until wilted and add the potatoes and peas.

4. Whisk the eggs, season and add the coriander to the mixture then pour over the potato mix.

5. Cook on a low heat for 3-4 mins and then transfer the pan into the preheated oven.

Bake for 18 mins until golden.

6. Turn the tortilla out onto a board, cut into 4-6 wedges and serve with a spicy chutney, some raita and a green salad.

Serves 4-6 Cooks Tip – To cook potatoes - place diced potatoes into a bowl, add 1 tbsp water cover and cook in the microwave for 3-4 mins. To wilt spinach- place into a bowl with 1 tbsp water and microwave for 1 min, alternatively place the spinach in a colander and pour over a little boiling water.

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Food & Drink

Chocolate Pancake With Black Cherries Ingredients 3 eggs 125mls milk 80g self-raising flour 15g cocoa powder 15g caster sugar Butter or oil for frying Filling Canned or fresh black cherries Yoghurt or single cream Method 1. Blend or whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, cocoa powder and caster sugar to form a smooth batter and leave in the refrigerator for ½ hour.

2. Grease a 6-7 inch frying pan with butter or oil and pour in a small ladleful of the pancake mixture. Once set flip the pancake over and cook for a further minute.

3. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make 6 or 7 pancakes.

4. Serve with black cherries and yoghurt or single cream.

Makes 6-7 x 6 inch pancakes Cooks Tip – For an adult treat add 2-3 tbsp Cherry Brandy or Kirsch to the canned black cherries and leave to marinate when you make the batter.

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Did you know?

Easter can fall as early as March 22nd or as late as April 25th. It is determined by the Lunar calendar always falling on the first Sunday after the Full Moon.

Decorating eggs, Easter Egg hunts and Easter Bonnet parades are a few of the customs we are all familiar with in England.

You may however not be familiar with a Polish Tradition called Smigus-Dyngus (Lany poniedzialek translated – Wet Monday) where on Easter Monday at the end of the Lent fasting period you can pour water over someone you fancy! It is all part of a courting ritual as an expression of interest.

Not sure how this would go down here now after a year of lockdown. Much simpler to carry on eating chocolate! So with thatin mind, try my twist on a chocolate pancake!

www.teresabovey.co.uk

Mr & Mrs Fine Wine add the perfect wines to match perfectly with your Easter inspired recipes this spring...

Prawn Souffles Domaine Bott-Geyl Cru d’Alsace Grafenreben Organic Riesling, Alsace, France £26.99

What better that an organic, Biodynamic wine maker from the gastronomic hub that Alsace.

Jean-Christophe Bott is heir to the family tradition dating back to 1795, when his ancestor, Jean-Martin Geyl tended his vines and made his wine. JeanChristophe Bott has been responsible for Domaine Bott-Geyl since 1993 and he converted the vineyards to be organic in 2000 and then biodynamic in 2002. Grafenreben is a vineyard on a slope of clay and chalk that faces southeast. It is ideal for Riesling, creating on that is both intense and salty with nuances of stone fruits. Organic and Biodynamic.

Indian Inspired Tortilla Domaine Gondard Perrin Viré Clessé, Burgundy, France £18.99

This is a relatively new domaine, having been created in 2008. The Gondard familly have been ensconced in the Mâconnais village of Viré for centuries and have been vine growers since 1981. Until 2007 they were selling their grapes to the local coop buy came to realise that their parcels of vines produced grapes of such good quality that they deserved to be vinified seperately and so created their own domaine and started to vinify and bottle the wines themselves.

The wine show the typical richness of mâconnais wines but also a surprising level of elegance and minerality. Lovely white Burgundy with notes of citrus, exotic fruits and white flowers from a lesser known appellation at sensible prices.

Shakshuka Seven of Hearts Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Oregon, USA £34.99

Seven of Hearts features wines from distinct appellations within Oregon’s Willamette Valley and neighbouring regions, including specific vineyards and portions of vineyards that show unique characteristics. As a cool climate Pinot noir this is a remarkably generous, rich, complex, fruit-driven and layered wine. Delivering all this while maintaining the balance, vibrancy and finesse that is prized in their Pinot Noir. Medium but full of vibrant fruit to compete with the spices found in this dish without overpowering it. Vegetarian and Vegan friendly too.

Chocolate Pancakes With Black Cherries Ca Dei Maghi Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso, Veneto, Italy £24.99

You could go for a sweet red as a great pairing but how about this Ripasso from Italy. Often called a baby Amarone, this shows an intense red colour with light garnet tinges with powerful aromas of sweet spices with hints of red cherries. Broad, harmonious and lasting flavour with a great fruit finish.

Perfect Accompaniments

We Recommend...

Speciality Takeaway Dining Lockdown celebrations just got a little juicier... introducing our new speciality takeaway nights at Ye Olde Bell. This is food worth lighting candles for. Enjoy a fine dining experience in the comfort of your own home.

6 March Portugal - £19 Char Grilled Peri Peri Chicken Or Vegetable Empanadas, Buttered Corn On The Cob, Mediterranean Salad, Portuguese Spicy Rice, Peri Peri Aioli.

Portuguese Custard Tart.

13 March Thailand - £19 Thai Green Chicken Or Vegetable Curry, Steamed Jasmin & Coconut Rice, Spring Rolls & Chilli Crackers.

Banana Sesame Fritters, Vanilla Ice Cream & Caramel Sauce.

14 March Mothering Sunday - £25 Choose from a range of delicious main courses and desserts. £25 per head.

Under 12s half price.

17 & 20 March St Patricks, Ireland - £19 Traditional Irish Lamb Stew Or Spring Vegetable Stew, Rosemary Dumplings, Colcannon Mash, Buttered Spring Greens & Honey Roasted Carrots.

Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake & Praline Ice Cream.

Visit our facebook page or www.yeoldebell-hotel.co.uk for dates and further information.

Although started in the 1950’s it is only since 2011 when Paolo Creazzi took over the reins that this estate has gone from being ‘good’ to outstanding.

Each year he seeks to express classical Valpolicella at its very best while his natural inclination to experiment and try new things is shown in the small range of IGT wines produced.

Mr & Mrs Fine Wine - The Wine Bank, Independent Wine Merchant & Bar IWSC Independent Wine Retailer of the Year 2018 www.mrandmrsfinewine.co.uk

Barnby Moor, Retford, Nottinghamshire DN22 8QS 01777 705121 enquiries@yeoldebell-hotel.co.uk www.yeoldebell-hotel.co.uk

Wedding Style Sarah Rockley and Lisa Holland of Conscious Closet look at sustainable wedding style for 2021 and beyond...

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any weddings were cancelled or postponed in 2020 for obvious reasons, but a lot went ahead in smaller venues with seriously reduced numbers and a more relaxed attitude. Hopefully the Covid-19 vaccine programme will pave the way for weddings to finally go ahead from mid-2021 onwards.

At Conscious Closet we have seen how couples postponing their weddings now have time to re-think their event and the trend for more sustainable weddings is without doubt moving forward. From the actual ceremony, the party, the food and decorations and the numbers who will attend. There is a definite feel for more intimate and meaningful celebrations.

Gone are wasteful and extravagant purchases as more brides are opting to choose transformative outfit styles that can be worn in different ways from day to evening or continue to be worn at other events. This includes simple slip dresses that can be dressed up in different ways, suits or two pieces that can be worn separately in the future. We have been styling our clients using a lot of layering so the bride can have multiple looks, throwing on a leather jacket for cooler climates or introducing capes, overskirts and embellished tops.

The pandemic has had a huge impact on how brides are planning their outfits for the big day with financial constraints in mind. We have noticed recent brides in ivory trouser suits reminiscent of Bianca Jagger in her iconic YSL tuxedo. One of our favourite style queens, Laura Whitmore recently tied the knot in a sharp white tailored suit and pearl headband in keeping with her own “re-wear” sustainable values. At Conscious Closet we are happy to provide a solution to this by renting your wedding or bridesmaid outfits for the big day.

From our newfound love of nature during lockdown comes a more natural aesthetic to the wedding day-in keeping with the garden party receptions. Brides are opting for oyster rather than crisp white, embellished with crystals and diamante to add a modern uplifting touch.

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Food & Drink

Imagery: Page opposite, Ariana Lace Wedding Co-ord, by Whistles, imagery courtesy of Whistles.com. Left top and below imagery courtesy of Ghost, www. ghost.co.uk. Image above courtesy of Alan Zepeda.

It’s all about the sleeves this year too, be it capped, puff or big and billowing - following on from the trend of romantic statement dresses from the spring 2021 virtual catwalks. Many are opting for the backless trend worn with a cape or veil and then revealing all later. Some brides are also feeling bolder stepping out of the ivory traditional bridal colours and going for more fashion colours to reflect their personalities. On trend soft blues for example or pops of colour in the shoes they choose. The gorgeous Skylight Claudia dress by Ghost is one of our favourites.

What about the bridesmaids? We are seeing the love of the same dress in different colours as seen here in this gorgeous picture of two bridesmaids wearing the Ghost satin Salma dresses.

Alternatively, bridesmaids are looking eclectic in an assortment of on trend pastel shades of lilac, pale yellow, peony pink and green, this instead of the usual one dress same colour fits all theme.

The trend for more sustainable weddings is most definitely moving forward, no surprise after so much of a typical wedding is for single use only items from the dress to the shoes, the flowers and décor.

According to Lyst [a fashion search platform] online searches for wedding dresses including the words secondhand, to hire, preowned and vintage were up 38% year on year, averaging 20,000 searches a month.

There is therefore no denying the wedding look is all about adaptability, versatility and sustainability. These trends are certainly echoing our changing lifestyles and at Conscious Closet HQ we cannot wait to get our customers dressed up again and renting their future outfits. We are currently taking bookings for wedding styling upto 2022.

Follow us for style advice, wardrobe edits, and rental/fashion sale events: www.conscious-closet.co.uk  @consciouscloset.uk

Fashion

This spring find your casual style with dark blues, greens, earthy hues and denim. Add some cosy woollen jumpers to the mix and you're ready for anything.

Main image: FatFace Rigden Puffer Jacket, £89, Padstow Crew, £42, Slim Wash Denim Jeans, £59, Chilton Boots, £89. Below: FatFace Lewes Plain Crew, £45, Lean Mid Wash Denim Jeans, £59, Abbot Lace Up Boots, £89. Bottom opposite: FatFace Chore Jacket, £69, Slim Dark Vintage Wash Denim Jeans, £59, Chilton Boots, £89.

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Spring Clean & Casual

Fashion

Spring clean your wardrobe and then make sure you add a few new casuals...

Above from left: FatFace Rye Cotton Cash Half Neck in Navy, £48. FatFace Western Denim Jacket, £50. FatFace Compton Fisherman Crew in Sandalwood, £45. FatFace Slim Stretch Chino in Navy, £45. Footwear: FatFace Organic Lace Up Trainer in Navy, £34. FatFace Willow Lace Up Boot in Tan, £79 Imagery courtesy of FatFace. www.fatface.com

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Exclusively Porsche A sneeky peek at the Porsche 911 and Boxster? We don't mind if we do! Made had the chance to examine the finer details of these two iconic and beautiful vehicles from the Exclusive Manufaktur division at Porsche, available at the Porsche Centre Nottingham.

T

he latest in a long line of history, the 992 911 is, quite simply, a timeless machine. This one, however, is a little bit special. Hand-crafted in Stuttgart, this 911 showcases the best in what the Exclusive Manufaktur division at Porsche can achieve.

Exterior Whilst the iconic design of the 911 is indisputable, through a constant strive for perfection the EM division consistently offer ways to make it even more special.

The wheels on the 911 are arguably the most important feature, it’s one of the first elements you see. This 911, comes with the iconic Carrera Exclusive Design Wheels painted in gloss black.

911 has a vast array of colours available, this model however, comes in an special colour, ‘Crayon’. The Sports Design Kit offers extended styling features throughout the exterior, this particular version includes contrasting gloss black elements. At the rear, ‘hockey puck’ body-styling on the

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back corners is a striking feature whilst the raised number plate positioning creates a strong, aggressive profile. That aggressive styling is only pushed further with the incredible Sports Exhaust System, not only aiding in emotive sound but also adding a much more distinctive look.

Above the plate, the Gloss Black Porsche logo and model designation compliments other elements in the same finish.

As you step into the vehicle, although not instantly noticeable by the excitable among you, you’ll see the Porsche Logo cast down onto the floor with the Porsche Logo Courtesy lights.

Interior The interior is inherently the heart of the car (asides from the engine), as it’s where you spend most of your time. One of the most noticeable yet thoughtful features here is the hand-stitched leather components, coming in black with Crayon stitching throughout to tastefully compliment the exterior. The Sports Chrono Clock is a

staple in the world of 911, to enhance this feature further it comes in white rather than the standard black. To help finish and round off this exquisite vehicle, the Porsche Logo has been delicately embossed into both the headrests whilst the Model Logo has also had the same treatment on the storage compartment lid.

The Porsche Boxster The Porsche 911 isn’t the only icon in the Porsche lineup. The Porsche Boxster holds an incredibly special place in the Porsche family having come to the rescue when it was conceived in the mid-90’s.

The 718 is the latest in now a quite long line of the two seater convertible from Porsche. This Boxster S at Porsche Centre Nottingham is that little bit more special however, having been put together by the exquisite touch of the Exclusive Manafaktur department at Porsche.

Exterior Whilst small changes have brought the 718 Boxster into the 21st century, the lines and

styling are unmistakably that of a Boxster.

However, it’s down to the hand crafted materials and design that brings a Boxster into a league of it’s own.

The wheels on any car are what makes the initial impression, it’s the first thing you notice. This Boxster S has the incredible 20-inch Carrera Sport Wheels painted in Black (high gloss). The Boxster has it’s iconic colours of years past, but there’s now a new colour on the block, one that has proven incredibly popular and that’s Crayon. An almost putty like colour, that offers a striking stance that shows off the perfect lines of the 718. One of the most compelling features of the Boxster is of course, the ability to drop the roof. As soon as you do that one of the first things you’ll notice are the roll over bars located

just behind the headrests. The reason you’ll notice them? Well, they are painted in the same colour as the exterior. That’s not the only customisable element on the exterior, the side air-intake grills also come in Crayon.

As you move round to the rear of the vehicle, the iconic Porsche logo and 718 Boxster S are exquisitely presented in chrome. As you move further down, the most striking feature is the twin tailpipes coming in black.

Arguably the best feature on this Boxster S comes in the interior. The full leather interior is complimented by the amazing decorative stitch in Bordeaux Red. Throughout the interior whether that be the door cards, the dashboard and the centre console, the attention to detail is second to none. The Bordeaux red doesn’t stop there though. The iconic Sports Chrono stopwatch is also finished off in this classic colour. Rounding off the interior the Porsche crest has been embossed on the back of the headrests.

Interior Where do you spend most of time when you own a car? The interior. So it’s incredibly important to get something that’s not only impeccably designed and put together but something to enjoy.

For further details contact: Porsche Centre Nottingham Tel: 0115 986 0911 www.porschenottingham.co.uk 77

Fashion & Beauty

The New Defender A sneek preview of the Land Rover Defender 90 & the new Hard Top Commercial variants.

Made’s weekend with the New Defender 110 at the end of last year was our first experience of this new Icon and we are looking forward to the opportunity of bringing you our opinion of the all new Defender 90 - and other Land Rover models in the range, in future editions of Made.

We have been able to work with Stratstone Land Rover in Nottingham to bring you a look at the first new Defender 90’s and the new Hard Top commercial variants available to order from their dealership and it has to be said we are not disappointed.

If anything the shorter wheelbase 90 version of the Defender looks even more rugged and utilitarian. In our opinion, the looks of this version of the brands most famous vehicle sits even closer to the ‘old Defender’. The question is will you want to get your new Defender dirty? Of course you will, that’s what it's built for.

For further details, please contact a member of the team at Stratstone Land Rover Nottingham on 0115 672 5491 or visit www.stratstone.com/land-rover.

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Leisure

Spring Clean Your Book Shelves Here's a few of our top choices for your reading pleasure this Spring...

Tomorrow Will Be A Good Day: My Autobiography

The Beauty of Living Twice

Tall Tales and Wee Stories: The Best of Billy Connolly

Arsène Wenger My Life in Red and White

From his humble Yorkshire childhood, via the battlefields of Burma and the peaks of the Himalayas, to becoming the NHS and the nation's hero during Lockdown, this is a journey for all of us.

Out on the 1 Apr 21. Over the course of these intimate pages, Sharon Stone talks about her pivotal roles, her life-changing friendships, her worst disappointments, and her greatest accomplishments.

She reveals how she went from a childhood of trauma and violence to a business that in many ways echoed those same assaults, under cover of money and glamour.

She describes the strength and meaning she found in her children, and in her humanitarian efforts.

And ultimately, she shares how she fought her way back to find not only her truth, but her family's reconciliation and love.

Tall Tales and Wee Stories brings together the very best of Billy's storytelling for the first time and includes his most famous routines including, The Last Supper, Jojoba Shampoo, Incontinence Pants and Shouting at Wildebeest. With an introduction and original illustrations

by Billy throughout, it is an inspirational, energetic and riotously funny read, and a fitting celebration of our greatest ever comedian.

This book is a must-read for not only Arsenal supporters but football fans everywhere, as well as business leaders and anyone seeking the tools for success in work and life. It will illuminate the mystique surrounding one of the most revered and respected managers, revealing the wisdom and vision that made him an icon in the world's most popular sport.

Who is Captain Sir Tom Moore?

You've seen him on the television walking the length of his garden. A frail elderly man, doing his bit at a time of crisis. But he wasn't always like this.

Helpful ideas on visitnorthnotts.co.uk The Visit North Notts website not only helps you to find local courses, classes and events it also has a guide to local food stores and farm shops, a guide to take away services and also a section of ideas for you and your family to keep you entertained.

Visit: www.visitnorthnotts and take a peek at what is happening in your area.

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For all things Porsche.

Breathtaking design, innovative engineering and a virtually limitless number of options to choose from. Contact us about the Porsche range, our Porsche Approved Pre-Owned cars, servicing, parts and Classic Porsche. Prepare to be inspired.

Porsche Centre Nottingham Electric Avenue Riverside Retail Park Queens Drive Nottingham NG2 1RS 0115 986 0911 info@porschenottingham.co.uk www.porschenottingham.co.uk