Shropshire Magazine November 2022

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EDITOR IN CHIEF

Martin Wright

EDITOR

Caroline Jones caroline.jones@mnamedia.co.uk

FEATURES EDITOR

Vicki Jones vicki.jones@mnamedia.co.uk

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION

Deborah Clay deborah.clay@mnamedia.co.uk

NEWS EDITOR

Andy Richardson

FEATURE WRITERS

Heather Large heather.large@mnamedia.co.uk

Daniel Morris daniel.morris@mnamedia.co.uk

Matthew Panter matthew.panter@mnamedia.co.uk

EDITORIAL

01952 241455

ClareWeaver clare.weaver@mnamedia.co.uk

Colette Clark colette.clark@mnamedia.co.uk

Sharon

sharon.gri

Erica

FEATURES

7Walkingthe world

Andy Richardson catches up with well-travelled explorer Levison Wood on abreak between adventures

11 Animal magic

Heather Large meets a self-taught sculptor who specialises in wildlife

30 Interiors

Coffee lovers will feel right at home with adouble shot of rich browns and creamy tones, says Sam Wylie-Harris

36 Gardening

An expert o

tips on what gardeners can do to attract wildlife to their outdoor space this season

39 Coverstory

Ukrainian refugees havebeen given new homes, lives and jobs by the people of Cleobury Mortimer Matthew Panter takes up their story

42 Market Drayton

Andy Richardson explores the North Shropshiretown

47 Accidental Duchess

Heather Large finds out more about the life of awoman who went from being afarmer’s daughter to Duchess of Rutland

55 Movie magic

Daniel Morris meets the makers of anew werewolf movie filmed in the Shropshirecountryside

61 Art

AShropshireartist whose work is inspired by her love of nature chats to Heather Large

CONTENTS

66 Food &drink

Ella Mills has teamed up with health experts on her new book.

Katie Wright finds out more about her plant-based creations

84 Books

Renowned author Anthony Horowitz talks to Hannah Stephenson about cancel cultureand the fear of offending

100 Social scene

Acharity exhibition organised by the High Sheriff of Shropshire kicks off our social section

106 Wellbeing

Dragons’ Den star and multimillionaireSteven Bartlett chats about his childhood, and the importance of boundaries

108 Beauty

Katie Wright sniffsout the hottest new fragrances to sample this season

115 Travel

Winter holidays need to offer morethan just snowthese days, and France’s Paradiski area has it all –onoroff the skis

WALKING THE WORLD

Hewas born ashort drive away, in neighbouring Staffordshire. Levison Wood, however, wasn’t content with theleafy confines of Middle England. The critically acclaimed author and explorer decided to hit the road.

As an explorer,Levison trekked thousands of miles through some of the world’s most testing environments including the Nile, Himalayas and the Arabian peninsula –charted in his books and TV series, including Walking The Nile, Arabia With Levison Wood and Walking With Elephants.

To date, he’s visited something like 120 countries, though it’s difficult to identify afavourite one. “How do you

compare the Arctic North with Greece? But it’s more about who you’re with and what you’re doing.

“One of my favourite trips was with abunch of matesonaroad trip from Nottingham to Malawi. We went through 27 countries and covered 10,000 miles to deliver an ambulance.

“There are also places I’ve fallen in love with, like Nepal and SouthAfrica, and that’s often for the nostalgia of the trips I’ve had there. But Iwill also go and drink beer on abeach in Ibiza for achill it’s not alladventure travel.”

Despite being one of the most welltravelled humans onthe planet, there are still many more countries he’d like to see.

“I haven’t explored alot of South America

AS AN EXPLORER, LEVISON WOOD HAS TREKKED AROUND120 COUNTRIES. ANDY RICHARDSON CATCHES UP WITHHIM ON ABREAK BETWEEN ADVENTURES

–I’d love to do aproper expedition to Colombia, and parts of South EastAsia too, somewhere like Papua New Guinea.”

Levison’s latest book is called The Art Of Exploration, which was born out of lockdown. That gave him time to sit down and contemplate, reflect and take stock of everythinghe’s done.

“That’s how it was formulated, from looking at how travel and exploring fit together with everything else in our lives. Ithink foralot of people, me included, it was atime of tryingtounderstand what was important and where was important, and the book looks athow to integrate those things into normal life.”

ForLevison, the Art of Exploration is amindset. “Weare all explorers in our own right. Human beings have evolved to be curious by genetics. It’s a tenet of humanity.Twentyper cent of humans are pre-disposed to be more curious than others. Looking back to the nomadic times, sometribestravelled and continuously moved on, some became farmers and set up permanent homes.

“And to agreater or lesser extent, we can cherry pick the benefits of that to serve our daily life needs better in modern society.It’s about using those lessons and values we have learned through the years, and also those of others in history and who we have met along the way.Things like leadership, teamwork, determination, morals andethics.

“It’s aphilosophyand in away it’s a self-help book, seeing what we can learn about ourselves from this mindset. It’s not about how to pack, it’s not about simply how to travel, it’s about life.

“It’s how to plan and think, setting

goals, identifying what motivates you as an individual, what’s driving you as a person, and how to go forward using the ideas Ipicked up from my time on the road as atravel professional, as an explorer and in the Army.”

While Levison has visited hot spots around the globe, he’s also made time to visit dangerous countries closer to home –most notably Ukraine, which he visited following Russia’s invasion to produce a special Dispatches for Channel 4.

“When the war kicked off,Iwas following the developments very closely Ihave that interest from my own military background. Iwas concerned this could turn into World WarThree and wanted to see for myself what was happening on the ground.

“I was discussing it with MP Johnny Mercer,who also comes from an Army background, and said ‘let’s go out there’. We did it almost undercover in away,to get out there as afact-finding mission.

“Compared to other war zones I’ve seen, it was very different to say Iraq and Afghanistan. It most resembled Syria, in that it wasn’t low level insurgents fighting like seen in Afghanistan… This was a nuclear power invading another country

“Visually,itwas in some ways like I imagine World WarTwo to have looked lots of trenches, tank traps, tanks rolling down the motorways. It was pretty intense. In Kyiv,as air raid sirens were going off,you’d be thinking ‘Is it my hotel this time?’.

“When you’re in [military] uniform, you’re atarget. As acivilian, and when you’re wearing the press vest, you have to make avirtue of that fact. But then as we

saw when we were out there and since, Russians are targeting journalists, so it was no real protection

“I think the Russians didn’t expect the fight back But now, seeing Putin almost pushed back into a corner, that’s concerning too It has exposed the Russian weaknesses, what their actual capabilities are, but they are a nuclear power, so there’s a lot of caution needed Everyone thought the Russianswould take the capital in like three days. Yet, here we are, months later and it’s not happened.

“I would love to go back, to support the Ukrainians, but for now that’s best served through the media as Ican keep the spotlight on theissues, supporting causes and charities who arehelping peopleout there, and that’s more my focus right now

“It’s totally horrificthat they have been invaded. The governments of Ukraine and Russia had historical links, but now Ukrainians are saying ‘No, notat all, we have been betrayed’. There’s going to be along, deep-rooted hatred between these countries.

“I’ve seen people online saying that NATO should be doing this or that, and that membership isn’t all that. No. That’s not the issue. It’s Russia that hasinvaded, no one else is to blame.”

While he keeps busy with more expeditions, spoken word tours and books, Levison also makes time to support good causes. “That’s something that Covid has changed for me, Ibelieve.I am more picky now and I’ll now only do atrip I’m passionate about. Iget offered trips all aroundthe world, andIdosay no more often now

“Two areas I’m particularly passionate about are conservation and children’s education, and how they can go hand in hand –supporting children to learn how we protect the planet for the next generations, and that is at the heart of how Ichoose my projects now.There are alot of issues Icould be involved with, but I like to think I’ve chosen the ones which will have the greatest effect.”

‘Weare all explorers in our ownright.Human beings haveevolved to be curious by genetics’

Levison Wood Crossing the Caucasus, aregion between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

Photos:SimonBuxton

BRINGINGANIMAL CREATIONSTOLIFE

HEATHER LARGE MEETS ASELF-TAUGHT SCULPTOR WHO SPECIALISES IN WILDLIFE

Through the uncertainty of lockdown, Heide Meredith’s pottery studio became arelaxing sanctuary

Playing with clay and bringing her characterful animal creations to life proved just the tonic she needed.

“I am self-taught with no formal training;however,Ihave always been creative and over the years have kept coming back to my love of pottery,going on one-day courses but learning not much more than howtomake apinch pot,” says Heide, who lives in Iscoyd on the Shropshire/Welsh/Cheshire border

But for awhile,after her mum, Audrey,passed away and her son Miles and daughter Kimberley left home for university,Heide lost her creativity and her “spark for achallenge”.

“I lost my mum in 2015. She was my best friend and Ilost my way for abit. Iexisted rather than lived. The children went off to university,myson had taken agap year and gone to Asia and my daughter was doing ayear abroad in North Carolina.

“My daughter got evacuated afew weeks in because of hurricanes and my son lost his phonewhich was my lifeline to him,” explains Heide.

Although her creativity had taken a back seat for while, she decided it was time to return to her love of pottery in 2020.Whenlockdown came along, her children had returned from universityand herhusband, Michael, was workingfrom home

“Myhusband was working on one side of thehouse, my daughter who had

graduated and got ajob was on the other side and my son and Iwere in the middle. Istarted making sourdough as everybody did and then my husband bought me a kiln in September 2020.

“Weconverted our garage, added a window and Istartedtocreate things. I got my mojo back,” says Heide.

It wasn’tlong before her successes were starting to mount up on shelves and she started to see her pottery skills improving.

“My daughter set up an Instagram account, and within weeks several galleries contacted me to askiftheycould exhibitmywork,” says Heide.

From hares, owls and foxes to sheep, chickens and pigs, her pieces take inspiration from the animals livinginthe countrysidearound her rural home.

Potter Heide Meredith of Iscoyd, near Ellesmere.

“My studio overlooks the breathtaking views of theWelsh mountains –Icouldn’t picturea more relaxing and inspiring place to work.”

Heidi hand moulds her sculptures using stoneware clay and raku clay and no two pieces are ever the same.

“I try and push the claytoits limits and give movement to my pieces,” she says.

Each piece is left to dry,which can take around aweek,before being bisque fired in the kiln.

The next step is to apply the glazes before it goes back in the kiln for another firing.

“It’s not like painting apicture where you can see the coloursand you can blend them. With pottery the colours are completely different when you put them on to what they look like when they come out of the kiln.

“It’s alot of trialand error and practice,” says Heide.

To conserve energy –and ensureher billsremain manageable, she saves up a batch of claycreations and fires her kiln four or five times amonth.

“I’ve become good at organising and stocking thekiln efficiently,” explains Heide.

Sample washes of colours Heide has made.

Her work is sold at Canvas and Clay in Ellesmere, where she is the resident sculptor,Oswald’s Tree Candles in Oswestry and Shrewsbury Arts and Crafts in Shrewsbury

“I am very lucky that Ihavefull access to Morgan Estate Services window in Malpas, Cheshire, where Idisplay the pieces Isellonline.”

Other opportunities have included displaying her pottery at Ellesmere Colleges Open Art Exhibition 2022 and she was also short-listed for the Qube’s Open Art Exhibition 2022 in Oswestry

“Atboth exhibitions Isold my pieces. I have also taken part in the very successful Shrewsbury Arts Trail this year,where I have also sold pieces.

“Due to my increasing success, Ihave now set up my own website, where a selection of my work can be found.

“It hasprovedvery useful in giving customers ideas for their own personal commissions for that unique gift, commissions being something Iam now doing more and more of –from personalised pigs for abutcher’s shop to awarthog salt pig called Pumbaa for a wedding present. If you have an idea Iwill try and make it areality.”

Making people smile when they see her pottery pieces is what makes it all worthwhile for Heide.

“I think it’s wonderful to create something, stand back and think that looks like the animal. Ilove the business side of it too. It’s just lovely to be finally doing something for myself.Ithink my mum would be proud of it and I’m really loving it,” she says.

Heide, who previously ran acomputer software training company,isalso keen to share her knowledge with others by running workshops

“I want to carryonlearning and experimenting and start some workshops in my lovely studio, helping people achieve their dream –just like me –but for the moment it is full steamahead for Christmas orders!”

Heide’s first one-day pottery sculpting workshop, teaching participants to make an owl, will take place in January

Formore information or to book a place, visit heidespottery.co.uk or follow heides_pottery on Instagram.

‘I try and push the clay to its limits and givemovement to my pieces’

STUNNING DETACHED BUNGALOW

Atruly stunning countryside bungalow,15Old Coppice in Lyth Bank, Lyth Hill, is set injustunder two thirds of an acre of landscaped gardens, with glorious unrivalled views towards the Wrekin, within aconvenient andpicturesque drive from the historic market town of Shrewsbury

On the market with Miller Evans for offers in excess of £950,000, this superb detached bungalow has been recently refurbished and extended to aparticularly high specification with abespoke kitchen, including superior integrated appliances and stone worktops and luxurious bathrooms.

The accommodation is well planned and includes an incredible open-plan contemporaryliving, dining and kitchen space together with astunning formal sitting room.

The master bedroom is furnished with afantastic range of fittings and boasts aluxuriously appointed en suite shower room. There are three further bedrooms and two further exceptionally well appointed shower rooms.

There is an opportunitytocreate aseparate self-contained wing, which would provide comfortable accommodation for adependant relative.

Opportunities to explore the outdoors are plentiful, with Lyth Hill and the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty providing numerous

walking, cycling and riding routes.

The vibrant town centre of Shrewsbury includes anumber of dining options, high street shops, and independent boutiques, together with the Theatre Severn and renowned Quarry Park and Dingle Gardens. There is a number of excellent schools in both the private and state sector

To the front, the property is enclosed by an ornamental wall with apillared and gated entrance. The spacious in/

out driveway with central shrubbery bed provides ample parking andservices the open bay garage together with the formal reception area.

The extensive gardens are laid predominantly to lawn with well-stocked and established shrubbery displays, mature trees, etc. Paved patios to the side and rear provide ideal seating and entertaining spaces. There is alarge oak framed gazebo with atiledroof to the patio at therear of the residence.

CLASSY CONVERSION

The ultimate lifestyle property with fabulous views, Stonewood Barn is situated within beautiful Shropshire countryside near the hamlet of Marton. On themarket with Savills with aguide price of £600,000, the property enjoys fantastic walking,riding and cycling straight from the doorstep.

There are well regarded schools in the area including Long Mountain CofE Primary School, The Mary Webb School & Science College, Shrewsbury School, Welshpool High School and Leighton CPSchool

Stonewood Barnissituated in aruralposition approximately amile from Marton which has apost office, pubs andachurch. Shrewsbury is approximately 16 miles away and provides a number of restaurants, shops, supermarkets, atheatreand The Quarry park.

The barn was converted in 2009 and has been sympathetically and beautifully designed to averyhigh standard, retaining many of the original features. The house is double-glazed throughout and has wiring for asound system. The whole property is beautifully presented with tiled flooring throughout the ground floor

The ground floor offers versatile living accommodation with an open-plan sitting room andsnug with an exposed timber and stone open inglenook with awood-burning stove and a door leading to the rear courtyard garden. Steps lead down into the spacious family kitchen/dining room. The kitchen has an integrated pyrolytic (self cleaning) Neff oven with acombination microwave and awarming drawer.There is anumber of fitted units with acentral island. The worktops are fitted with oak and there is aBelfastsink and an integrated dishwasher

The dining area incorporates asitting room. There is autility room, plus aseparate WC. Adoor leads to the garage.

The first floor has aprincipal bedroom with an en-suite shower room. There is afamily bathroom withlarge laundry and towel cupboard. There are three further double bedrooms. One is currently being used as asitting room and one as ahome office.

The property’s Oriental Garden is ahaven of tranquillity surrounded by anatural bamboo fence, yellow and black bamboos, rhododendrons, camellias, ahuge Chinese Papyrus, and abeautiful Nyssa japonica tree.

The rear terrace is laid with natural limestone paving. Along the back fence, all year-round interest is provided by aPhotinia

“Red Robin” hedge. On the house side, seven different varieties of hydrangea and asolanum give summer/autumn interest. Steps take you to the upper level of the terrace which features the Vine House, while along the side passageway is amini orchard.

The main garden receives direct sunlight all day.The garden is organic, with no chemicals used, and planting has been done with birds, bees and butterflies in mind.

There is awildlife pond, behind which is the bog garden. To the front of thehouse is aseparate potting shed and acar port.

Agravel driveway provides ample parking.

of

Our track record speaks foritself

Newport, Shropshire

Ahouse of historical importance,sweeping drive,great hall with high ceilings and triple aspect views to the gardens, private chapel

Tony Morris-Eyton Director

PeterDaborn Director 01952239500

Church Stretton, Shropshire Guide £1.085 million

An elegant Grade ll listedformer Rectory with fineviews of the ShropshireHills, exceptional views,attractive landscapedgardens of justunder half an acre, situatedina popularshropshiremarket town

Astley, Shrewsbury

This

Shrewsbury,well

Beccy Theodore-Jones Associate 01952239500 btjones@savills.com

whatcan

do foryou?

DESIRABLE DORMER

Nine Old Coppice commands amatrix of wonderful walks in one of Shropshire’s magicallocations,Lyth Hill, five miles south of Shrewsbury. This dormer bungalow has four bedrooms, two of which are on the ground floor andtwo on the first floor,with bathroom and shower room respectively.Living quarters currently provide porch andhallway with principle ground floor rooms off

The dual aspect lounge is well balanced and benefits from alog burner.Anopen-plan kitchen/dining room is the hub of this home, bright and airy,again dual aspect, with contemporary bifold doors opening onto theterrace. The kitchen provides direct access to arear hall linking to acloakroom andtothe double garage which, subject to planning, could provide additional living accommodation.

On the market with Balfours, Charlie Giffard, Associate Partner,Country House Sales, says: “Old Coppice is beautifully presented. The accommodation is complemented by aprivate garden, mainly laid to lawn, with mature shrubs. There is a garden office with electricity and Wi-Fi, plus the property has solar PV and ample parking. Add the wonderful location, which is so sought after,and you have avery desirable package.”

Balfours are marketing Old Coppice with aguide price of £595,000. Formore information call 01743353511 or visit www balfours.co.uk

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If you are looking to sell or let your property/ land, or need advice on arange of professional matters, please call or use the QR code to visit our website

SUPERBDETACHED

Internal inspection is essential for this superbly spacious six-bedroom detached executive home in Cherry Tree Close, Wellington.

On the market with Prestige by Mannleys for offers in the region of £675,000 freehold, the property occupies an outstanding plot and has great local

amenities and road links and offers wellplanned and extremely flexible family accommodation.

The ground floor features alarge open-plan kitchen/dining/family room, separate sitting room,dining room, family room, utility,ground floor WC and an entrance hallway

The first floor offers aspacious main bedroom with fitted dressing room and an en-suite shower room, guest bedroom with en-suite shower room, twofurther bedrooms and afamily bathroom with bath and separate shower

The top floor has two largedouble bedrooms and afurther family bathroom.

The property occupies asuperb plot with extensive driveway parking, detached double garage and alovely,landscaped rear garden.

Viewing is amust to appreciate the fantastic space on offer with this superb family home.

The property is situated in one of Wellington’s sought-after residential locations and provides easy commuting options to Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury via the M54 and the excellent rail links from Wellington Station.

There is awealth of excellent local shops and amenities within easyreach and excellent local private schools such as Old Hall School and Wrekin College

MEET THE AGENCY DREAM TEAM

Barbers Rural efficient and effective estate agency department, based in the thriving town of Market Drayton, is led by the dream team of Annabel Fearnall and Steph Vernon

Both have awealth of knowledge in the estate agency world having worked in the industryfor acombined 30 years.

Their extensive experience means that they have seen and dealt with most situations and are able to offer wisdom and guidance in all scenarios.

Annabel is the longest standing member of the team having been involved in the firm since its inception in 2008 and in the industry since2001.Proudly becoming aPartner in 2021, Annabel was born and bred in Whitchurchgiving her an inherent knowledge of this stunning area. She is passionate about rural property and is keen to share this with anyone considering buying and selling. In her spare timeshe enjoys horseriding and outdoor sports and she specialises in thesale of equestrian and farm property

Cheshire born and bred, Steph is married to adairy farmer with whom she hasjust renovated their 18th centuryfarmhouse and she has lotsof vision when it comes to property that needs improving. Steph comes into her own when negotiating sales and she manages all the sales progression within the firm. It is testament to her skills that Barbers Rural hadan80% completion rate in 2021. “The thrill of the chase” is what motivates her to achieve the very best for her clients.

The sale of your property is truly in safe hands!

n Annabel Fearnall is aPartner in Barbers Rural andcan be contacted on 01630 692500 or sales@barbers-rural.co.uk

Bank Top House a stunning family home

Ivy House Farm –period farmhouse recently sold.

Hannah Titterton, Steph Vernon,Harriet Jones and Annabel Fearnall.

INTERIORS

GIVE YOUR HOME

COFFEE LOVERS WILL FEEL RIGHT AT HOME WITH A DOUBLE SHOT OF RICH BROWNS AND CREAMY TONES, SAYS SAMWYLIE-HARRIS

Blending warmth, atmosphere and the softest hint of luxe, Americano-inspired furnishings feel very on-trend right now Especially if you’re looking to create astylishsnug area,with coffee-toned accessories, textiles and tactile furnishings to soothe your soul andboost your mood.

Whether double espresso is more to your taste, or cappuccino topped with frothy foam, these dramatic dark browns and chic café au lait shades blend beautifully with wooden floors, contemporary and rustic furnishings and look as rich as they feel. Something we could all do with right now!

Who knows, asplash of coffeeinspired décor may even help us feel full of beans, with or without acaffeine hit…

ASPLASH OF CAFFEINE

Lavish deep browncurtains, from £99, Graham &Brown

Plush velvet curtains made to order means you can create aluxe, five-star boutique hotel look, with some swishy extralength on the floor for dramatic windowdressing (and reducing draughts in winter). Think gold decos and moody lighting for aseductivesetting.

George tufted hedgehog cushion, £10, Direct.Asda

They may be spiky but we can’t

Newton leather small sofa chaise faux leather peppercorn brown, items from aselection), Next If aluxurious leather sofa you can spr your wish list, you’renot alone. This is adecadentbuy but one that will rewardtenfold, with its contemporary silhouette, comfy support and addition of a fixed seat. Afasttrack to your owncafé society at home.

George tortoiseshell wine glasses, set of four,£14, Direct.asda

From arefreshing rosé to arichred, anything you pour into these striking tortoiseshell wine glasses will taste that much better

Browncurvy body torso candle by Belle Nous, £18, Rockett St George

An eye-catching candle and statement deco, this tasteful torso will bring everything bang up to date.

People and Planet natural traditional cork flooring, £70 per squaremetre, Carpetright Why limit yourself to some new cork flooring, when you can create afeaturewall as well? This rich tobacco shade works likeadream with neutrals, bleached and dark woods, plus it provides warmth, thermal and sound installation. Suitable for kitchens, living rooms or ahomeoffice, what’snot to love?

Faux leather footstool, £60, Habitat

Fancy giving your living room anew look, or just putting your feet up at the end of along day? With its distressed leather effect and chunky squareshape, this footstool fits the bill. Think old world charm with benefits.

Zaani glass vases, from £29.50, Kayu Home Recycled glass in an earthy brownbringsnatureone step closer,and it only takes acouple of stemsofdried flowers or grasses to makeareal featureof these curious vases.

Bronx mugs, set of four cappuccino, £22, Next These stylish stoneware mugs will up your coffee

Molton Brownhome collection of scented candles, from £42 Molton Brownhavelaunched ahome collection inspired by their Seventies roots and signatureebony shade. With five fragrances to choose from, favourites include Re-charge Black Pepper with woody top notes, and Mesmerising Oudh Accord& Gold for something spice-infused and sultry.

cork round placemat set, bode Living ndly and fashionable, cork amoment –and these placemats look and feel good. ape with ivory tablewarefor a offee vibe.

COSY WINTER HAVEN

Acosy home doesn’t just keep us physically warm. It’s soothing for the soul –and many of us are feeling the urge to nest up in asafe, cosy haven more than ever

Acosy haven isn’t just an aesthetic –it’s afeeling –solet this guide how you create your space, whether you’re restyling aroom, just making afew changes, or maximising little touches, like extra cushions, blankets and candles.

Softly, softly

The likes of throws, blankets and curtains will all help keep our homes warm this winter,and the sensation can bolster us psychologically too. Arug canbea cost-effective way of adding warmth and texture to ahard floor.For ultimate cosiness, choose athick pile rug, like a shaggy-style faux fur.Knitted rugs are also extremely popular and will give you that feel of acosy,knitted jumper

Bring on the colour

We may typically associate colour with summer,but there’s no rule against embracing the rainbow in winter too. After all, ‘dopamine dressing’ is allthe rage right now,for our bodies and homes.

There are plenty of beautiful colours to inspire. One that stands out is mulberry or adamson jam. It’s romantic and can instantly lift your mood, and it’s transseasonal, meaning it will take you from Indian summer throughtothe depths of winter

Not braveenough to paint your walls

with it? Add accents within your decor instead. Tryfaux botanicals featuring damson hydrangeas, or add rosy cushions framed with gold. Rich, dark greens bring adeep sense of fulfilment and joy and it’s the colour of the moment for autumn/ winter

Feed the senses

According to ConservatoryLand (conservatoryland.com), who analysed Google data, the most popular scented candles include sage, figand lavender Cinnamon and clove are especially suited to winter

Scented candles can promote the release of dopamine and serotonin, which can help to regulate our moods. Candles are also great for helping us feel warm and relaxed.

Nature’stouch

Candles also create acosy atmosphere via soft lightingeffects –but there are other ways to harness the power of scent.

Visit your local florist or forage for some seasonal scented foliage, such as eucalyptus or pine, which can then be arranged in avase.

The warmth of a fire canencourage the release of the scent and the oils, which in turn can encourage wellbeing through their aromatherapy benefits.

Foliage, fresh or dried flowers and foraged finds like pinecones and artful twigs will also tap into our connection with nature –taking cosy hibernation mode to the max.

faux mohair throw, multicolour check, £45.

M&S Apothecary Calm 30ml mini diffuser,£6.

Cult Furniture dahlia oval jute rug, from £169.

Oliver Bonas oriel orange &nectarine scented candle, £16.50.

Avalana LakeSantharia gold wall mural, from £295.

George orange check super soft throw,£6.

PLANT ATREE TO HELP CUT POLLUTION

The UK needs to plant 150 billion trees to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, according to the Committee on Climate Change. It’s astarkreminder –which fora gardener might sound too overwhelming to consider

But if each UK household with a garden planted one tree, that would mean more than 22 million more trees.

“Asthe old Chinese proverb goes, ‘The best time to plant atree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now,’” says TV gardening expert, awardwinning wildlife author and RHS ambassador Kate Bradbury (right) in the foreword to her new book, in which she has curated acollection of 50 trees packed with information about appearance, care needs, carbon capturing ability and wildlife.

Here, Bradbury offers five of her favourite pollution-busting trees, some of which can often be grown ashedges.

Ginkgo (maidenhair tree)

These slow-growing andrelatively compact trees are perfect for small gardens, she says, thriving in full sun

“It’s an ancient tree, dating back 270 million years, which has survived climate change and extinction previously.It has beautiful leaves which go yellow in autumn and it’s very tolerant of pollution so can grow in very urban areas. Neither a broad-leaf tree ora conifer,it’slike afossil of former times. It grows to 10m over around 20 years and isn’t fussy about soil, you don’t have to prune it and because it’s so old, it doesn’thave any pests or diseases because all of the things that used to eat it didn’t survive.”

Crab apple

“You can get really small compactcrab apples –you can grow some varieties such as ‘Evereste’ in large pots. ‘Aros’ is anew dwarf crabapple growing to amaximum height of 3m and has almost black foliage,

dark pink flowers and red crab apples. The beautiful blossom is invaluable to pollinators,” she notes, adding that any deciduous tree is good at busting pollution because theleaves absorb it and then when they shed the leaves in autumn the pollution is removed from the air

Hazel

This is such aversatile tree and could be grown as part of ahedge, or as astandard or as ashrub or small tree, she says. It grows quickly so will soon fill its space.

Trim hazel hedges in late winter, before growth starts in spring. Never let the soil around hazel dry out completely –water in very dry weather if there is a long, dry spell. Explaining the added benefits of hedging trees of all kinds, shesaid: “Hedges are atthe same height as the pollution so if you think about cars on amain road, if you have areally tall tree it’s not going to absorb the same level of pollution asa hedge. Because of its density the pollution is caught more on the leaves.”

Hawthorn

On Hawthorn, she notes:“Thesecan be grown as trees or hedges, andare quite small leaved, soare pretty dense.” They are also thorny,so will deterburglars, while pollinating insects love the flowers and birds enjoy the berries.

Yew

“This is avery good pollution-busting tree with very small leaves, which gives you agreater density of surface area to absorb pollution. If you grow yew as a tree it can be enormous, but you can grow yew as ahedge.”

n RHS The Tree In My Garden by Kate Bradbury is published by DK, priced £20.

From top: Agingkotree; Malus‘Evereste’, a blossoming crab apple; hazel leaves; yewhedge behind a flowerborder; robininhawthorn.

RHS AMBASSADOR KATE BRADBURY RECOMMENDS HER FAVOURITES AND GIVES ADDITIONAL TIPS ON GROWING

WALK ON THE

AN EXPERT OFFERS TIPS ON WHATGARDENERS CAN DO TO MAKE THEIR OUTDOOR SPACE MORE WILDLIFE-FRIENDLYTHIS AUTUMN

Autumn is upon us –soit’s agood time to plan some rewilding schemes. If you’re emptying containers, considering what to do with your lawn and want to encourage wildlife to your garden, there are some simple changes you can make which will benefitbiodiversity and be amagnet for insects.

“Autumn is agood planningtime to make your garden more wildlife-friendly,” says Richard Bunting (right), spokesperson for Rewilding Britain (rewildingbritain.org.uk) and director of Little Green Space (littlegreenspace.org.uk), an award-winning environmental project.

“Rewilding offers hope and is apowerful solution for tackling nature andclimate crises. An estimated 22 million people have access to agarden in Britain. If people start gardening in away that helps nature bounce back, that will have a really big impact.”

Youmay think that your garden is too small to make any huge changes to the environment, but even the smallest spaces can undergo arewilding make-over.Rewilding Britain offers the following tips:

1. Plant pollinator-friendly species

Choose plants which will provide plenty of nectar and pollen all year round. If you are bulb-planting in autumn, snowdrops are a goodbet, while lavender and clover are also insect magnets.

“Even if you’ve only got awindow box you can make a difference by planting some nectar-rich flowers in it. Bumblebees can only flyfor about 40 minutes between feeds so every nectar rich flower you plant could be the pit stop which saves abee,” says Richard.

During autumn and winter,when most nectar rich plants are starting to die off,ivy’s flowers are now beginning to blossom, providing avital late source of food for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

More bee-friendly plants and advice on gardening for bees can be found at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (bumblebeeconservation.org).

2. Welcome weeds

Weeds are simply plants which are maybe in the wrong places, but are hugely beneficial to insects, and other wildlife so leave dandelions –which flower quite early –inyour lawn, allow a patch of nettlestogrow which will givebutterflies places to lay their eggs andleave brambles and wild roses to do their thing, as they offer dense shelter for creatures. “Allowing dandelions to grow can give biodiversity areal boost,because dandelions can support over 50 species of insect,” he says.

3. Leaveyour grass long

With the summer drought, manylawns have ended up like hay but they are likely to recover with autumn rains. So, consider leaving at leastsome areas of your grass long, just cutting it occasionally.Flowers will spring up to provide blooms and seedheads which will attract insects and birds.

Apple trees in pots on an urban balcony.

WILD SIDE

Shropdoc teams up to launch Growing Together project

“Weare finding that in some areas councils or people have over-mown, leaving the grass looking fried. Often, if you leave grass longer deliberately,those areas areoften looking quite a lot better and can have acooling effect,” says Richard. “Mix up grass types, mow the grass close to thehouse, which will attract ground-nesting bumblebees, and if you have other areas create an area of wildflower meadow or just let the grass grow.”

4. Avoidtoo much pruning beforespring

He advises gardeners to avoid cutting back perennials and other plants which may have seedheads for birds and insect habitats over the autumn and winter.“If plants have seeded, leave them for the birds. We’ve apatch of teasels which have come up this year and it’s been covered in bumblebees.

“I’ll leave it now and goldfinches will almost certainly descend on them during the autumn and in winter they will provide ashelter for bugs and beetles. Put off tidying up until early spring next year.”

5. Plant nativetrees

“Eveninurbanareas, you can plant anative tree which has a massive coolingeffect on our living environments,” he says, recommending plum, crab apple, elderberry,hawthorn, holly and silver birch, all varieties that have evolved alongside wildlife and planting amixture of them will encourage different species.

“Consider small trees –rowan is fairly small and produces berries for wildlife, while fruit trees can be kept small and will produce fruit for you and for wildlife.”

6. Avoidtoo much hardlandscaping

“It can be actively harmful to paveover gardens or put down plastic grass because they will add to urban heating and when we have flash floods they won’t be soaking up water,they will just be adding to the run-off problems we have, when towns and cities end up flooding,” he says, also advising gardeners to replace garden fences with hedgerows to allow nature to take the lead m more

7. Leavethings messy

“DDead branches, logsand piles of leaves prrovide ahabitat for insects andhedgehogs, w whose populations are crashing. Amessy coorner will alsoprovide nutrients to the groound.”

8. Don’t over-dig

Your soil needs to be healthy –and preferably peat-free –solet wormsdothe work instead of you endlessly digging. Create bare patches by rucking up the soil in afew places, , which will encourage microhabitats for seeds to germinatee, he advises.

9. Include water

Water is so beneficial to wildlife, so even apond in acontainer can do wonders, he says. Tryto incorporate some stones or gravel to create an entry and exit point for wildlife visitors.

SHROPDOC has partnered with The Rural Charity to launch a grow project which will allowthe team at its Shrewsbury site to access fresh vegetables while hopefully acting as acatalyst to encourage morepeople to takeupthe scheme

It is hoped the project will help to raise awareness about the ease and cost-effectiveness of growing vegetables while also highlighting the benefits to general health and wellbeing.

The Rural Charity has funded the troughs that will be used to grow the vegetables and Dr Simon Chapple from Shropdoc will lead the ‘Growing Together’ project. It is hoped that other groups and businesses will sign up to the scheme.

Dr Chapple said: “I decided Iwanted to grow vegetables and Iset myself achallenge to grow something from AtoZ,from asparagus to zucchini and Irealised howeasy it was to grow your ownvegetables.

“Wewant to sharethe benefits of growing your ownfood, and of howtouse and eat it. We will be starting off at Shropdoc with things that you can pick and eat, so when staff areon their lunch they can come and grab some salad from our own vegetable garden.

“A diet rich in fruit and vegetables is extremely important. It can help to prevent certain types of cancer,benefitblood sugar levels, and reduce the risk of astrokeand heart attack. Growing your ownisalso acheaper option –something which is particularly significant at the moment with soaring food prices.”

Deborah Evans, atrustee of the Shropshire&West Midlands Agricultural Society behind The Rural Charity, said: “As acharity, we aimtopromote agricultureinall its forms and being able to help launch this project, which encourages people to grow their own, gives people access to ‘homegrown’ food –which is fantastic.

“Our way to promote agricultureand rural life has always been to bring town and country together and it is great to see a large workplace encouraging a‘grow your own’ ethos.”

The Rural Charity is an arm of the Shropshire&West Midlands Agricultural Society and is committed to supporting the local rural community through the provision of equipment, sponsorship, donations and support to individuals, groups and other organisations.

Shropdoc is anot-for-profitorganisation which has been delivering high-quality primary healthcarefor 25 years and today provides services for 600,000 patients across Shropshire, Telford&Wrekin and Powys –dealing with morethan 200,000 calls and 50,000 patients every year

n For moreabout Shropdoc, visit www.shropdoc. org.uk and for moreabout The Rural Charity, visit www. westmidshowground.co.uk/about-us/our-charity-shops/

Shropdoc’sDrSimon Chapple and Deborah Evans, Trustee of the Shropshireand West Midlands Agricultural Society.

NEWLIVES BORN OUT OF WAR

UKRAINIAN REFUGEES HAVE BEEN GIVEN NEW HOMES, NEW LIVES AND JOBS BY THE PEOPLE OF CLEOBURY MORTIMER. MATTHEW PANTER TAKESUPTHEIR STORY

The peace and serenity of a Shropshire town offers an escape from harrowing scenes and the daily horrors of war Life in Cleobury Mortimer must seem aworld away from the dreaded sound of explosions and sirens which many across Ukraine woke up to in the early hours of February 24.

Families from the war-torn country have found safe haven here, awarm welcome, jobs and security

It doesn’t take away from the torment caused by the way in which President Vladimir Putin and the Russian army have mounted acampaignofbrutality and destruction on their homeland.

Nor does it remove the worry and anxiety –most still have family in thewar ravaged country and have no idea when they will see their home again.

But, as guests of families across the county,Ukrainian families are, at least, finding love and support.

And they are finding their own way too, settling into life in thecounty, finding jobs andforging new friendships.

Take artist SvitlanaDzedzei, from Lviv,for example, who is selling her work and now even has amarket stall in Ludlow

Svitlana studied and graduated from art school and college in Ukraine but was forced to leave her native country

and has settled in Cleobury Mortimer

Her artwork, which has been on display in Ludlow recently,focuses on oil works created in the technique of impressionism, using brightcolours and portraying heremotions. Each work indicates the state or feeling of the inner world of people.

“I love to paint,” she says. “I like using colours and getting fluidity and emotion into my work. In theearly stages of the war,Ipainted with the raw emotion of what was going oninmycountry at the time. But now Iwant to go back to what Iwas trying to achieve with my paintings prior to the war.”

Svitlana and husband Volodymyr are just two of the Ukrainians who havebeen given awarm welcome by Salopians.

Volodymyr has found work locally with Pineland and the pair’s host, Paul Serrell-Cooke, says: “Our whole community here has been fantastic, particularly when you consider all the issues going on in the countrywith the cost of living.

“People have been exceptionally kind and generous to our Ukrainian friends. Individuals have offered financial support, school uniform, gifts of musical instruments and more.

“And offers of employment have been invaluable. Volodymyr,for example, could barely speak English when he arrived.

“The team at Pineland kindly gave him work and he has settled in so well. He gets on with them alllikea house on fire and they think he’s absolutely great.

“It’s given him apurposeand asalary and when he walks around the village now and anyone from Pineland sees him, they shout across theroad. He’s very very popular.”

Hobson’s Brewery is another

CLOCKWISE FROM TOPLEFT:

Volodymyr Dzedzei, from Lviv, Ukraine, at work in Pineland; Ukrainian guests meet up in St Mary’sChurch, Cleobury Mortimer, on aweekly basis should they want to; Ukrainian artist Svitlana Dzedzei with one of her paintings that she commissions locally; Hobson’s Brewery employMrs Olena Konieva, pictured with one of her colleagues in the TapRoom.

PREVIOUS PAGE:

Svitlana Dzedzei showing off her paintings; her husband Volodymyrona local walk. He lovesmushroom hunting.

company offering support, employing Olena Konieva, while The Talbot Hotel has also been asourceofwork.

ForPaul, giving up partofhis home to strangers hasn’t always been easy but he says everyone learns to adapt.

“It’s like Christmas,when you have family come to stay,” he says. “You have to learn to cope with it,in the nicest sense.

“Wehave been lucky because we have alovely family staying with us. They are very pleasant people and they have become friends now,without doubt.

“Weare enjoying it, learning alot about Ukraine. They are just lovely people, with amagic sense of humour and their work ethic is very strong, both at work and around the house. They are always keen to make themselves useful.”

Paul says Cleobury Mortimer’s success in housing Ukrainians has been born out of atremendous team effort.

Cleobury Mortimer Town Council, for example, has been proactive in earmarking funds for certain support activities such as English lessons and transport costs to attend job interviews.

Lacon Childe School andCleobury Mortimer Primary School have welcomed younger Ukrainian members and provided places for them to continue their education.

Cleobury Mortimer Medical Centre has registered the new guests with the NHS and the dental surgery has accepted Ukrainian children as NHS patients.

St Mary’s Church, through the local diocese, has also been at the forefront of co-ordinating activities for both guests and hosts.

Liz Smith, aChurch Warden, reflects: “Weare quite asmall community but the response has been amazing. Schools

have accommodated thhechildren, local traders have stepped u upoffering services, employers have proviided jobs.

“Asa church, we e open up every Thursday night as a space where Ukrainian families can meet up together without anyone elsse.

“They can jusst talk to each other in their own languaageand not feel as if they have got to join inour conversation

“They can juust get together and be Ukrainian, if yooulike. We leave coffee facilities out foorthem and toys for the children, and they can all just talk together about whatis going on at home.

“They might be here but they still have othher family members back in Ukraine, so it’s aconstant worry but somethhing they can share among themselveeswhich is important.

“Whaatthey feel is notgoing to be what we feel, however sympathetic we are to w what is going on. It’s very hard to think abbout what they have been through and IthankGod Ihave never been in that positioon.

“It must be appalling to suddenly have to leave everything you have and have known. All we can do is offer them love, kindness and support.”

It’s such support which makes life a little more bearable as our Ukrainian guests wait for the day they can return home

As Svitlana reflects:“There are no words to describe thesituation in Ukraine It’s very terrible. It is catastrophic Life just stopped.

“I am here (in Shropshire) now but every day I think aboutUkraine. My heart isthere. My emotions are still very much with it. But I want to thank the people here who have been very good and very kind We are just so grateful.”

Whywelove. ..

ANDY RICHARDSON EXPLORES THE NORTH SHROPSHIRE TOWN

There’s the gingerbread. And there are the yoghurts. And then there are the sausages. So for all of its glorious history,the best place to start when reflecting on the joys of Market Drayton is undoubtedly with its food.

The traditional North Shropshire market town, with originsdating backto before the Domesday book, doesn’t have the sort of reputation for gastronomic excellence that Ludlow once enjoyed. In many ways, it’s far from it. It does, however,havea proud heritage of food production, which owes much to the terroir and success of the many farmers in its hinterland.

Gingerbread is one of the town’s great stories of the past 200 years –and Billington’s is synonymouswith Market Drayton. Since 1817, artisan bakers have been keeping aclosely guarded secret: the coveted recipe of Billington’s Gingerbread.

With links to the ancient spice routes,

Billington’s Gingerbread, is still crafted today using one of the oldest gingerbread recipes in the country.With ablend of secret spices, adash of rum and the smooth velvetiness of golden syrup, Billington’s Gingerbread is composed into crisp gingerbread fingers that are perfect for dunking.

Forover 200 years, therich, exotically spiced and crisp gingerbread, has been celebrated for its dunking delights by many across the town. The famous gingerbread fingers have always been enjoyed dunked into acup of tea, coffee or glass of Port. That tradition, which is still enjoyed today,enriches the flavour of the gingerbread, intensifying the sweet and spicy notes for which the biscuit is celebrated. Once tasted it is never forgotten.

Remarkably,a time existed before that when there were fourgingerbread bakers. The smell of the spicy biscuits would waft through the town throughout thelate 18th century,into the19thcentury

The first mention of gingerbread was attributed to Roland Lareward, maltster, who was baking it in 1793. It was probably made earlier and large stocks of ginger were present in High Street businesses in the 1640s and1680s.

Such stories hint at the town’s rich history.More than 1,000 years ago, Drayton was recorded as asettlement in the Doomsday Book.

It was asmall place, even then with just five households. However,nearly 200 years later in 1245, it was granted aRoyal Charter for aweeklyWednesday market, and became known as Market Drayton.

In 1651, agood 15 years before London had its famous great fire, Market Drayton had one of its own, which is said to have destroyed over half the town. Even in the 1960s, when many fine

historic buildings were demolished across the UK, nothing has been seen to match the destructiveness of the 1651 event. A bell sits at thetop of the Buttercross now Allegedly it is there just in case.

In 2015, the Office for National Statistics estimated Market Drayton’s population at 12,100. Without doubt the town has grown since then. Today, modern buildings in the town centre mix with fine examples of 17th century black and white constructions.The Wednesday street market dates back over 750 years, having been established by the Abbot of Combermere as aplace to sell the Abbey’s produce.

There are other,important, historic associations. Robert Clive (Clive of India) was educated at the local grammar school. He was born at Styche, the Clive family estate, near Market Drayton in Shropshire, on 29 September 1725 to Richard Clive and Rebecca (née Gaskell) Clive. The family had held the small estate since the time of Henry VII and had alengthy history of public service: members of the family included a Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland under Henry VIII, and amember of the Long Parliament. Robert’s father,who supplemented the estate’s modest income by practising as alawyer,also served in Parliament for many years, representing Montgomeryshire. Robert was their eldest

CLOCKWISE FROM TOPLEFT: StaffordStreet, Market Drayton; Hodnet Hall and Gardens; Festival Drayton Centre; a selection of Billington’s gingerbread products.

son of thirteen children; he had seven sisters and five brothers, six of whom died in infancy

Robert Clive became Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, KB, FRS, also known as Clive of India. He was the first British Governor of the Bengal Presidency.Clive has been widely credited for laying the foundation of theBritish East India Company rule in Bengal. He began as awriter (the term used then in India for an office clerk) for the East India Company (EIC) in 1744 and established Company rule in Bengal by winning the Battle of Plassey in 1757. In return for supporting the Nawab Mir Jafar as ruler of Bengal, Clive was granted a jagir of £30,000 (equivalent to £4,300,000 in 2021) per year which was therent the EIC would otherwise pay to the Nawab for their tax-farming concession. When Clive left India he had afortune of £180,000 (equivalent to £25,700,000 in 2021) which he remitted through the Dutch East India Company.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOPLEFT: Aplant fair at the Dorothy CliveGarden; CliveofIndia; Tudor House &Hotel; Market Drayton Square; the Town Hall;Brigadier Heber-Percy’ssitting room at Hodnet Hall; the sign on the approach to Market Drayton; ShropshireUnion Canal.

The Dorothy Clive Garden remains one of the town’s key attractions. It is acharitable garden trust, set up by Colonel Harry Clive as aplace of rest and continued horticultural education for the general public. Located in glorious countryside on the NorthStaffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire borders, the garden is both formal and informal, hosting anetwork of paths that invite the visitor to explore and discover the intimacy and tranquility of the garden.

There are other much-loved attractions, not least Hodnet Hall Gardens –aspace likely to give people serious dahlia envy.The gardens have existed in some form or another for many hundreds of years. Their design today reflects the changing shape and fortunes of Hodnet Hall –three different dwellings have existed within the grounds in the past millennium. What people see today represents atapestry of human endeavour, beginning with the construction of a Norman castle in the 12th century,whose residual earthworks can be seen behind the visitors’ car park.

In the16thcentury,a large, timber framed Tudor mansion occupied the area at the end of Beech Avenue –adamp and inauspicious location at the bottom of the valley.The Tudor stable block –now the Garden Restaurant –isall that remains; the Heber-Percy family vacated the house in 1865 to build aneo-Elizabethan red brick mansion on higher ground, with far reaching views over theShropshire hills. Around this house, they built aterraced walk and formal circle garden, both of

which form part of thegardens today

It was the young army officer Brigadier A. G. W. Heber-Percy,Sir Algernon’s father,born in 1904, who had the vision to build a flightofsteps that would link the house to the established gardens below,and to dig outasuccession of pools; he was apassionate landscaper even in his twenties. Encouraged by his mother,hewould invite members of his regement from London to Hodnet on the promise of agood weekend, and on the proviso that they helped him dig, which is how the daisy chain of pools came about.

With such beauty,a great sense of communityspirit and plenty of green and pleasant spaces, Market Drayton remains one of Shropshire’s best-loved towns.

ACCIDENTAL DUCHESS

EMMA WATKINS WENT FROM FARMER’S DAUGHTER TO DUCHESS OF RUTLAND. HEATHER LARGE FINDS OUT MORE ABOUTHER EXTRAORDINARY LIFE

Life changed beyond recognition for Emma Watkins when she fell in love with the future Duke of Rutland.

When she first met David Manners, the pony-mad daughter of aWelsh farmer had no idea that he was heir to one of the most senior hereditarytitles in the land.

When David succeeded his father, Emma, who grew up on the WelshShropshireborder,became the chatelaine of Belvoir Castle, the ancestralhome of the Dukes of Rutland.

Now Emma has shared her story, from her childhood in Radnorshire, now Powys, to her current responsibilities running the commercialactivities of Belvoir Castle in her new autobiography, The Accidental Duchess.

But the mother of five freely admits that writing abook about her life had never featured on her to-do list.

“I was approached by the publisher.I didn’t think there was astory to write so it was abit of asurprise. They said they thought there was agood story.Iwasn’t looking to write the story –itcame at me,” she explains.

During the three months spent writing the book, she found the process “very cathartic”.

“I was dipping into my memories. I really loved the whole journey of writing it,” says the Duchess.

The book describes how her life changed after becoming thenow-Duke’s partner,and later wife, as well as all of the ups and downs along the way

Emma grew up on the family farm at Heartsease, three miles east of Knighton and went to the local school in Bucknell.

Her father ran amixed farm, mostly sheep and beef,and her mother ran a B&B from their home.

As achild, she was pony mad and would often work as abeaterfor theshoot at GradeII-listed Stanage Park riding her pony into the undergrowth to put up the birds and spending every day after school riding her pony through the local fields and woods.

Photo: SamChurchill

It was in Wales that, having failed miserably at school, Emma –who has previously worked as an estate agent marketing properties in London –started her first business as an interior designer, founding Eardisley Park Interiorswith her friend Janet.

At this time she was livingwith her brother William, who discovered spring water on the family farm Heartsease and started Radnor Hills Spring Water

Emma’s work as aninterior designer led her to meet David at the age of 27.

They were married in 1992 and became the Duke and Duchess of Rutland after the 10th Dukeof Rutland, Charles Manners, aformer captain for the Grenadier Guards, died in 1999, aged 79.

Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire is said by experts to be one of the finest examples of Regency architecture in the country

The couple were faced with avast estate in desperate need of modernisation and staff who wanted nothing to change.

It would be adaunting responsibility foranyone and the Duchess chose to roll up her sleeves and tackle the challenges straight on with optimism and gusto.

“It’s been awonderful journey of discovery,” she says.

The castle visitorstothe estate see today was built for the 5th Duke and Duchess of Rutland between 1801 and 1832.

Elizabeth, the 5th Duchess of Rutland, had been fascinated by her father’s lavish and fashionable improvements at their family home, Castle Howard in Yorkshire.

Sharing her father’s passion for architecture and design, the young Duchess abandoned Capability Brown’s plans to rebuild the castle and chose

leading gothic romantic architect James Wyatt to create her dream home.

“I think the thing Ienjoy most about the castle are the views. My favourite room is the Elizabeth Saloon because I love Elizabeth who built the castle,” says the Duchess.

If the castle looks familiar,it’sbecause it stood in for Windsor in popular Netflix drama The Crown.

It has featured in all three series of the worldwide blockbuster charting the ups and downs of the Royal Family as well as films including Young Queen Victoria, Da Vinci and Victoria &Abdul.

Among the well-known faces who have been guests at thecastle over the years are Susannah Constantine, known for her TV fashion show with Trinny Woodall, Elizabeth Hurley,Hugh Grant and David Furnish.

In herbook, the Duchess recalls Grant staying at Belvoir for ashooting weekend.

Some of the magnificent roomsatBelvoir Castle, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Rutland.

FROM TOP: Earls Landing; Tapestry Bedroom; Kings Room; Elizabeth Saloon. Photos:Sam Churchill

Emma with her second pony Tina and Tina’s first foal.

“He was absolutely terrified of ghosts and the children delighted in playing tricks on him,” she writes.

This included “making scratching noises with their nails on hisbedroom door, scuttling away before he could catch them at it”.

“Elizabeth Hurley turned out to have asurprisingly good voice,” Emma also recalls in her book. “She and David Furnish would always do aduettoElton John’s ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’.”

The Duchess has presented on various television programmes, including ITV’s Castles, Keepsand Country Homes, and has produced abook about Belvoir Castle.

And in 2021, the Duchess created apodcast titled Duchess, where she interviews chatelaines of castles and stately homes throughout theUK.

In her podcast’s first season, her interviewees included Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill of Blenheim Palace and Lady Mansfield of Scone Palace.

The Duchess says she enjoys “listening to other people’s challenges” that have often been quite similar to her own.

Over the years, it has become the Duchess’ mission to make Belvoir “what once it was” and to build abusiness that

will support the castle andestate for many generations to come.

Running the commercial activities of Belvoir Castle, including shooting parties, weddings and arange of furniture, means there is never adull moment.

“I enjoy keeping the bottom line balancing and having a happy,coherent team around me to help me run it,” she says.

n The Accidental Duchess by Emma Manners Duchess of Rutland is published by PanMacmillan, £22

ROOMS WITH AVIEW

MATTHEW PANTER MEETS AWOMAN WHOSE LOVE AFFAIR WITH SHROPSHIRE LED HER OPENING AN HISTORIC GUEST HOUSE

We’ve all taken awrong turn in our cars, haven’t we? Youknow,what’s it like. Aconfused nav,or your own misguided sense of direction, means you end up having to take adiversion, delaying your journey,causing anything from mild annoyance downright panic. But for Julie Darby,taking awrong turn car was alife-changing moment.

It started alove affair with Shropshireand an appreciation of the countryside which led to her becoming asuccessful businesswoman within the hospitality industry.She runs Heritage View Guest House –which once housedCaptain –inthe beautiful surroundings of Ironbridge.

The sights you see when looking out of the house’s on acrisp autumnal morning, she says, are ajoy to behold.

And Julie has gone further,taking on asecond historic home, Humbug Cottage, in Much Wenlock. Demand for properties is high.

Heritage View Guest House in Ironbridge, run by Julie Darby

And, it all started from that wrong turn in 2011.

“I was aprofessional DJ for ten years,” Julie recalls.”I became acommercial DJ, doing longer sets. Iwould do seven-hour sets at places like Lloyds Bar

“One night, Iwas heading to agig in Oakengates and Itook the wrong turn and it said ‘Coalport’. Ithought ‘I wonder what’s down here then?’ So Istarted driving into Coalport, heading down some winding roads.

“I drove through andended up in Ironbridge and Ijust had an immediate feeling of ‘wow,I’d love to live here’.

“It’s funny because I’d been looking for somewhere to live in thecountryside.

“I’d lived in Birmingham for 21 years, but Istarted doing alot of walking and wanted somewhere alittle quieter

“My DJ-ing had taken its toll abit to be honest and I’d be going home with ahumming in my head most nights. I wasn’t having good sleep.

“So when Ieventually got to my gig, I asked people what Ironbridge was like and Iwas told it was agreatplace. Ithought ‘I’ll get aplaceinIronbridgeand anice job in ashop and have the quiet life’.”

That’s what happened.

Ironbridge made such apositive impression that she went to an estate agents on theMonday after that weekend.

“The next thing Iwas looking around this house and thinking it was amazing,” she recalls.

“The views of Ironbridge in every room –itwas just beautiful andIended up buying it!”

Once settled, she turned her home into aguest house –Heritage Viewtobe precise.

“I started with one room and it was fullybooked all the time,” Julie reflects. “I then opened more rooms up as aBed and Breakfast and it just took off and went mad.

“It’s become one of the busiest around here and aproper business.”

Among the attractions are Heritage View’s history –“Captain Webb, the first man who swam the channel, lived here for atime in 1870,” she says. “That’s something that fascinates people.

“But another great thingisItry to give people areal flavour of Shropshire.

“Weuse local products because Ireally believe in helping fellow businesses in the county

“So the jams and chutneys Iuse for the guests are all locally sourced, from Nancy Helen Relishes.

“Cakes Iprovide are locally made, by alady called Dawn, and fresh flowers are from Nettie of the Gorge, Ironbridge.

“And Iget Hog Roast sausages from Broseley Butchers.

“I have had guests who have come here, tried those sausages and the next time they have come, they havebrought ice packs so they can visit thebutcher to buy more!”

Julie is someone who loves to chat and so you can see why she enjoys welcoming guests into her home.

She’s personable and interested in them. She says making sure they have agood experience of Shropshire is important to her.

“I do try to be nice and happy and make people relaxed,” she says. “I get alot of people returning which is a compliment.

“Some people might come here a bit stressed, but when they come in, go to their rooms and see the views,

they change completely.The scenery is absolutely amazing and, when people walk down to the gardens, they always say ‘this is stunning’.

“It’s aplace where people can lose themselves and Itry to go above and beyond to help guests

“I want them to have areally nice time. Idoloveit.

“I get people from all over the world the USA, Canada, China, Japan and then you get visitors from Wolverhampton!

“Everyone wants to come and see the famous Iron Bridge and how it is lit up every night.

“Ironbridge is alovely base to explore the county, Ludlow,ChurchStretton, Much Wenlock and all.”

Julie’s gamble with aguest house paid off to the fact that shehas now become quite the entrepreneur

She purchased Humbug Cottage in Much Wenlockearlier this year and has now made that into ahome for people wanting astaycation.

“It was asweet shop and atea room in the past,”she says.“It has lots of history, its 450 years old.

“It has had such feedback already and it’s full for mostofthe year

“It was actually used in a film recently called ‘Can YouHearMe?’.

“They used it for adressing room and it was amazing seeing actorsinmynew holiday let!

“They also used it as the front for a pub where they had ascene outside!”

Twopropertiesinand Julie is already looking towards her next project. An extension at Heritage View is on the horizon, with plans for abuilding she owns at the bottom of her gardens to be turned into acottage.

And, moving forward, she has lots more plans.

“When Icame to Ironbridge, Iput all my money into the house so Ididn’t have anything else left,” she says.

“I had to work hard but Ilove being my own boss and Iamproud knowing how successful these projects have become.

“I’m always getting itchy feet and thinking about the next plan. My dream is to end up in the Lake District and I’d like to go there in the next five to 10 years and do the same thing.

“I love walking every day and want to get out there into the open air.”

After living in the city for years, Ironbridge and stunning Shropshire have given Julie azestfor outdoor life.

Since that initial wrong turn at the start of her journey, she’s been heading in the right direction to happiness and you wouldn’t bet against her fulfilling her next ambitions.

Captain Webb’sroom.

Local preserves from Nancy Helen Relishes.

down?

Keyhole varicose vein treatment

COMEDYHORROR IS SIMPLY WICKED

Having been known to have inspired the likes of Charles Dickens, Mary Webb and Edith Pargeter,Shropshire is no stranger to serving as amuse for the creative –the beauty of its rolling hills in the light of the sun unparalleled.

Yetwhat about when the darkness comes, the moon is full, andthings start to go bump in the night? This, ladies and gentlemen, is when the real fun begins.

Lights, camera, action...

Earlier this year,our county’s countryside provided astunning backdrop to new British horror movie, Wolf Manor

Paying comedic homage to its genre, the flick tells the tongue-in-cheek tale of a film crew who, while shooting avampire movie at acountry estate, fall prey to its resident werewolf beast. An unapologetic celebration of creature-featurehorror, Wolf Manor has the gore, the grit and the gruesome deaths. But –channelling the spirit of its makers –itiskeptlightwith plenty of comic relief driven by acheeky senseofhumour

Largely filmed at acountry property in Wheathill, the film was directed by

none other than actor Dominic Brunt famous for therole of Paddy Kirk in ITV’s Emmerdale –who wasattractedtothe project’sno-nonsense nature.

Executive producer Pete Wild –owner of the property at which filming took place –was keen thatWolf Manor’s roots were firmly planted in Shropshire from day one. As such, he had quickly enlisted the services of local film company,Wild Edric Media, who would come to serve as co-producers along with Mitchell-Brunt Films –the production firm run by Brunt and his wife, JoanneMitchell.

“Pete contacted us to say he had an idea for alocal film project and at that time he wanted somebody to do some drone filming,” said Carl Walker,Wild Edric’s founder and technical director “That was our originalinvolvement, but four to sixweeks from Pete contacting us the project went from quite asmall local film to something that was way and above what anybody expected. We agreed to co-produce but Pete also mentioned that the production was going up ahuge level as some big guns from the TV and film industry were about to be rolled in.”

Though he laughingly describes himself as “moreofa waterpistol” in this regard,DominicBrunt is aseasoned director whose horror credits include 2013’s Before Dawn and 2017 flick, Attack of the Adult Babies.

DANIEL MORRIS CHATS TO THE MAKERS OF WOLF MANOR –A NEW WEREWOLF MOVIE FILMED AGAINST THE STUNNING BACKDROP OF THE SHROPSHIRE COUNTRYSIDE

Carl Walker,Wild Edric Media’s founder and technical director

When approached about Wolf Manor,hewas enamoured with its fun, straightforward premise and uncomplicated sense of itself

“With our films, me and my wife usually write our own stuff and then spend acouple of years trying to get the budget together,” said Brunt.

“But here, the editor from our last film phoned and said, ‘there’s a film ready to go, it’s fully funded and its already written, would you be interested?’ I had the needed time off,soI said, ‘yeah I’ll read the script’. And it’s kind of this unapologetic puregenre story,which, instead of dealing with allegories, was literally like, ‘we’ll line up these ten people, get them in ahouse, and then set a werewolf on them’, and Ireally, really was drawn to that.

“Everything I’ve ever done has usually had an allegorical side to it, and Ithink horror does thatvery well –unless it’s a slasher film, what it’s about isn’t usually what it’s reallyabout. But this one really was!

“The script was brilliantly written by Pete Wild and Joel Ferrari, andthe film really knows itself.Iwas completely willing to get on board with that.”

With the production crew assembled, the job now was to find the star of the show.Inthisregard, Brunt’s was to be far from the only famous faceseen on set, with the shoes of Wolf Manor’s lead about to be filled by anational treasure who could boast creditsincluding The Vicar of Dibley,Bridgerton and Four Weddings and aFuneral.

“Wedidn’t think we could get him,” said Brunt. “James Fleet was our hypothetical casting note from Pete. He kept saying, ‘we need somebody like James Fleet’, and it was constantly referred to –‘somebody like James Fleet’. So we said, ‘well, let’s ring him and find out’.

“I know he’s from an engineering background, which Iam–Iwas awelder and sheet metal worker.He’soriginally an engineer and his father was, so over aphone call which took aboutanhour before we even got talking about the script, we kind of bonded and he said that he wanted to do ahorror film and he wanted to play the lead, so it was perfect for him. And he was magnificent.”

Fleet joined the cast in the role of ‘Oliver Lawrence’ –abig-name veteran actor who is somewhat disgruntled to be slumming it in avampire pic. He had himself referenced the phone call with Brunt in other interviews, and when asked why he chose to accept the part, he said: “I was desperate to do it after a long conversation with Dominic. His enthusiasm is infectious. On location

Actor James Fleet getting into character as Oliver Lawrence; below, the werewolf is played by Shropshireactor Morgan Rees-Davies.

in Shropshire, there was nothing hard about it apart from the night shoots and the cold weather.Ihad ahot water bottle under my cloak between takes. That’s very ‘Oliver Lawrence’, we should have written it in!”

ForBrunt too, Wolf Manor’s night shoots have remained astand-out memory

“Whatwas strange was becoming nocturnal,” he said. “At first we were kind of flagging by three or four o’clock in the morning, but once we adapted, we were finishing at six o’clock at around sunup. That was the end of the day,sothen people were cracking open agin and tonic and having beers watching the sun come up and having abit of breakfast.

“That was really,really odd because you think, ‘you don’t start getting drunk at half-six in the morning after working soberly all night!’. Then people would go to sleep at maybe 10 in the morning, and then wake up at five, six, seven, have abit of food, and then we’d get going again. It was areally weird world that we worked in.”

Alongside Fleet, Wolf Manor’s other big star was, of course, its werewolf. Played by Shropshire actor Morgan Rees-Davies, the beast was brought to life through acombination of Rees-Davies’ formidable presence, and the genius of special effects wizard and prosthetics

expert Shaune Harrison –achapwhose creditsinclude Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Marvel’s Avengers:Age of Ultron.

“Before we started filming Iwanted to go and see Shaune and the costume and he was sculpting the werewolf ’s face as we arrived,” said Brunt. “He was showing us this invisible gauze with hair coming out of it that had been invented by an American company.With this, he could sculpt the suit with different sections of the face so it could sneer and growl

without splitting, and the eyes blended brilliantly.You could get really good closeups of the werewolf with it, and that’s not true for alot of low-budget werewolf films, so that was very exciting.”

“I think the fur itself was imported yak hair,” added Carl. “It looked amazing. Morgan’s about 6ft 4in,and when he puts the suit on he has to sortofgoontotiptoes so he’s about 6ft 6in. When you see him with all thelighting and the sound effects, it does the job and then some!”

After aproduction and editing

schedule that was wrapped within six months, Wolf Manor was finished and ready to terrify the masses at its world premiere in Leicester Square.

“The London screening was at Frightfest, one of the UK’s premier film festivals down in Leicester Square, and the film was shown at the big IMAXcinema,” said Carl. “I was burstingwith pride. And just to hear the audience’s reaction was brilliant.”

“Wedid alap of Leicester Square with the werewolf,” added Brunt. “It was brilliant –wegot lots of pictures of it –but Idon’t think we’d planned for the hundreds of screaming, crying children! So we got him out of there quickly.People were running out of the way and being frightened, so we quickly got in the pub!”

It wasn’t longthen before the beast came home to avery warm welcome.

“Wehad the local premiere at the Ludlow Assembly Rooms in September,” said Carl. “That was great because it was like the film was coming full circle, back to its Shropshire roots. The audience reaction was even better –there were loads of gasps, lots of ‘arrgh!’ butalso lots of laughter at the right points.”

Reflecting on the film’s Shropshire location, Brunt and the crew could not have been happier

“It seemed like you could point a camera anywhere and there was beauty there –itwas stunning,” he said. “I love the area, Ithink it’s incredible. And Ludlow is just such aprettytown –you’ve got the market, we went to the castle, it’s all just beautiful.”

Set for general release early next year,Wolf Manor has been picked up for distribution across theworld –from North AmericatoEurope and also the Far East.

As he and Carl grin with thoughts of the fun they had making the film, and the knowledge that audiences will soon get the chancetoenjoy their work as much as they have, for Brunt, there arethree great reasons above all others for thecrowds to get excited.

“We’ve got the holy trinity,” he said. “We’ve got James Fleet, we’ve got thegore and we’ve got awerewolf.Imean, what’s not to like?!”

n Formore information about Wild Edric Media, visit www.wildedricmedia.com

Formore information on MitchellBrunt Films, visit www.mitchellbruntfilms.com

Emmerdale actor Dominic Brunt, left,directs the film Photos:AshleighCadetandChrisChapman

TheBankofMumandDad–Helpingyour childrenontothepropertyladder

Withincreasingproperty pricesandacost-of-living crisis,raisingthefundsrequiredto purchaseyourfirstpropertyremains adifficultfeatformanyyoungpeople. Understandably,parentsarekeento providetheirchildrenwithfinancial supportifpossible.Accordingto figuresfromLegalandGeneral,nearly 1in5propertypurchaseswillbe supportedbyafinancialcontribution fromfamilyorfriends

Providingfinancialassistancetoa lovedonecannotonlybehugely beneficialtothembutifcarefully thoughtout,canalsoformpartofyour ownEstateandSuccessionplanning fortaxpurposes.

Themainoptionsavailableareas follows:

•CashGift

•Loan

•DiscretionaryTrust

CashGift

Agiftofcashcanhelptoboost anyavailabledepositandcanbe astraightforwardwayinwhichto provideyourchildrenwithfinancial support

Whenmakinglifetimegifts,youneed tobemindfuloftheInheritanceTax (IHT)consequences.Agiftofmoney, overacertainamount,isusually classedasaPotentiallyExempt

Transfer(PET).WithaPET,ifyoulive for7yearsaftermakingthegift,itis exemptfromIHT

Whenmakingoutrightgiftsofmoney tochildren,itisalsoimportantto considertheneedtoprotectthat money;forexample,intheeventofa relationshipbreakdownorfinancial difficulties.Thiscanbedealtwithvia thedrawingupofadocumentknown asaDeclarationofTrust Loan

Ifanoutrightgiftisnotfeasible,an alternativeoptionmaybealoan.

Itisimportanttoevidenceanyloan viawrittenagreementbetweenthe parties.Aloancanalsobesecured bywayofaLegalChargeoverthe property

Itshouldbenotedhowever,thataloan willnothavethesameIHTplanning benefitsasagift

DiscretionaryTrust

Athirdoptionistosetupa DiscretionaryTrust.Thisisan arrangement,wherebyfundsfor thepurchaseofapropertycanbe transferredintoatrust.TheTrustees couldthenpurchasethepropertyfor oneofthebeneficiariesofthetrust allowingthatpersontoliveinthe propertyrentfree.Alternatively,funds canbeloanedtothebeneficiary,so

thattheymaypurchasethepropertyin theirownnameandaloanagreement isdrawnup.

ATrustcanprovideflexibility,asset protectionandhasIHTplanning benefits.However,therearevarious legalandtaxationconsequencesof settingupatrust,whichshouldbe considered.

Theaboveoptionseachhavetheir ownprosandconsanditistherefore importanttoensurethatyoutake advicefromasuitablyqualified professional,beforeproceeding.

AmyMorris Wills,TaxandTrustsSolicitor

PAINTINGFOR JOY

HEATHER LARGE TALKSTOA SHROPSHIRE ARTIST WHOSE PAINTINGS ARE INSPIRED BY HER LOVE OF NATURE

From much-loved pets and family homes to local landmarks and childhood memories, they all feature in Susan Kynaston’s colourful paintings

Taking inspiration from the beautiful Shropshirecountryside around her home and her love of nature, she enjoys creating rural scenes full of birds, wildlife, gardens, village life and country houses.

Her eye-catching pictures are designed to make people smile and help lift their spirits.

“I like to paint happy pictures. I always say my aim is to take people to a happy place,” says the artistwho lives in Ellesmere.

Her love of art goes back to her childhood when she could often be found painting anddrawing. “I used to paint on every scrap of paper Icould find,” says Susan.

EllesmereArtistSusan Kynaston.

She went on to train at Shrewsbury Art School in the1980sand later secured her first job as agraphic designer for Shropshire Museum Service.

“It was areally nice job,” Susan recalls. “Our aim was to find amuseum for north Shropshire. We used to exhibit

in the towns in the north of thecounty like Market Drayton and Whitchurch to see what interest there was.

“I used to do all of the illustrations for that. Unfortunately the funding ranout and Iwas made redundant. After that I wasn’t surewhat to do and it was difficult

to get ajob in art so Idid asecretarial courseand worked as asecretary.”

But after awhile she was drawn back to graphic design and spent 10 years working in the medical illustration department at Charing Cross Hospital.

“When I’d had enough of London, I returned home andgot ajob at Tanners as their graphic designer and then after Ileft there Iwent to workasasecretary again,” explains Susan

She returned to her love of painting three years ago and after positive encouragement from awork colleague began selling her work on Etsy

“I became more well-known and when people saw my paintings on Facebook and Instagram, Istartedgetting commissions. Canvas &Clay in Ellesmere also started selling my paintings and prints,” says Susan.

Most of her work, which includes whimsical flourishes from her imagination, is created with acrylics but she also works in other mediums such as gauche and watercolour

Each piece starts as asketch and she gradually builds up the painting, adding in little details that catch the eye of the viewer

“I mainly start with thebackground, thingslike the sky,the green grass, and the

house. People always want blue skies in commissions. Then Iput all of the detail on top.

“Once Iget started on apainting, I let my imagination run wild. I’ll keep thinking of things Ican put in. Iget lost in my paintings.

“I find it very relaxing.It’s nice to lose myself in apainting and not have to worry about anything else,” says Susan Commissions provide her with endless opportunities to be creativeand she loves capturing her customers’ideas and wishes with acrylics.

She has completed paintings of people’s families and homes around Ellesmere and Shrewsbury but also takes on work from other parts of the country.

Family pets, local landmarks and favourite haunts appear in many of her pictures, which can take around three weeks to complete, depending on the level of detail.

“For one painting, the customer wanted the Mere at Ellesmere in the background of the painting of their house –their house is nowhere near theMere. Idid another painting for somebody who lived in Pontefract.

“They wanted some local landmarks in the background including the Haribo factory and some Haribo in thegarden so Iput agummy bear amongst the flowers.

“I did apainting of Shrewsbury for somebody who was moving. They wanted all of the things they could remember from their childhood in Shrewsbury,like the Quarry,the Market Hall andtheir favourite pub. Ireallyenjoyed doing that one.

“I’ve also hadarequest for another painting to include adonkey,soI put one in a field at the back of the house, and someone else asked for me to add a lobster so Ipainted a flower pot in the garden with ared lobster on it so it looked like apot decoration. I’m happy to do any request people want,” says Susan. She finds creatingcustom art for people, along with working on her own projects, very rewarding.

“I think some people have no idea what it’s going to look like so it’s a complete surprise when they see the painting for the firsttime. Idolove to hear what people think –itmakesitall worthwhile,” says Susan.

n To seemore of Susan’s paintings visit etsy.com/uk/shop/SusanKynastonArt or her Susan Kynaston Art page on Facebook. Susan’s work can also be found at Canvas& Clay art gallery and shop in Scotland Street, Ellesmere.

MEDIEVALMAJESTY

BY ANDY RICHARDSON

Ittakes alittle over 90 minutes to enjoy stunning scenery in Ludlow’s hinterland, with majestic views of the centuries-old castle.

Awalk from Castle Square to Priors Halton and back takes in splendid sights, while offering ramblers an easywalk, with some stiles and undulating fields, in addition to afew steep sections.

From Castle Square, take one of the paths around the castle down to theroad. Turn left past the Mill on the Green then right to cross over the bridge that spans the River Teme. After 350 yards, take the lane to the right, which is Halton Lane, then join the footpath on theleft, just after The Cliffe at Dinham Restaurant.

Follow the path alongside the allotments through agate to afootbridge until you reach the second field gate. Then take to the lane and continue for around half amile.

In Priors Halton, take atrack to your right, signposted Shropshire Way, and a few metres on pass through akissing gate.

Cross the first field at an angle and pass through asteel fieldgate. Then cross thesecond field, aiming at adistant line pole to your left and an oak tree in the hedge to your right.

Head up to the hedge and through a kissing gatethen following waymark posts

for half amile, through agate. Stop, for amoment, to enjoy the thrilling views of Ludlow Castle.

Now cross the field to agate, then pass over afootbridge and asecond gate.

Cross the bridge and walk up thebank then head diagonally down the field to a kissing gate and rejoin Halton Lane. Bear left, retracing your stepsback to Castle Square.

The views of Ludlow Castle make

the walk worthwhile. The construction of the castle started around 1085, with many later additions in the following two centuries. It is one of the most interesting castles in the Marches, in adominant and imposing position high above the River Teme. It features examples of architecture from the Norman, Medieval and Tudor periods. The building of the castle led to the development of Ludlow itself,at first grouped around the castle; the impressive ruins of the castle occupy the oldest part of Ludlow

In thelate 12th and early 13th centuries, the castle was extended, and part of the grid pattern of streets immediately to the south was obscured by the enlarged outer bailey.From 1233 onwards the town walls were constructed; Ludlow Castle stood within the circuit of the walls.

Ludlow Castle has played akey role in some turbulent events in English history. One of its 14th-century owners, Roger Mortimer,helpedhis mistress Queen Isabella, in the overthrow of her husband King Edward II.

In 1473, the Prince of Wales and his brother were held here before their mysterious death in the Tower of London. In 1502 Prince Arthur,Henry VII’s son and heir to the throne, died at Ludlow

Ludlow castle

The CliffeatDinham in Ludlow

With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

THERAPY

ELLAMILLS: DEMYSTIFYING PLANT-BASED DIETS

THE DELICIOUSLYELLA FOUNDER HAS TEAMED UP WITH HEALTH EXPERTS ON HER LATESTBOOK. KATIE WRIGHT FINDS OUT MORE

Ella Mills celebrated amajor milestone this year,marking 10 years since she posted the first recipe (spiced sweet potatoes with an avocado cream) on the blog she titled Deliciously Ella.

Now amulti-million pound company with astaff of 50 run by the food writer and her husband and business partner Matthew,the brand was bornout of a “horrendous situation”, when Mills, now 31, was forced to drop out of university due to ill health.

“I had lots of digestive issues, Ihad chronic fatigue, chronic pain, Ihad a consistent UTI for four years,” she says on aZoom call from Deliciously Ella HQ. “I was on antibiotics,Iwent into hospital for antibiotic drips, Iwas on steroids, Itried beta blockers…”

Eventually diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome and prescribed drugs that still weren’t working ayear later,the then 21-year-old was running out of options. “I just hit an absolute rock bottom with my physical health, but also with my mental health,” sherecalls.

Taking matters into her own hands, Mills –who was born in Warwickshire, and is the daughter of former Labour MP Shaun Woodward –decided to overhaul her diet, cutting out meat and processed foods, which she found worked wonders for her health, and gradually she came off all medication.

Teaching herself to cook from scratch and sharing her experiments online, the culinary seeds were sown and the novice cook’s following began to grow –today Deiciously Ella has 2.1m followers on Instagram.

Today,plant-based cookery has well and truly hit the mainstream, but back then it was adifferent story

“Ten years ago, you felt really lonely and like you’re acomplete weirdo,” Mills says. “Going out for dinner,I’d be like, ‘Do you have anything that’s plantbased?’ They’d be like, ‘Oh, you can have

Ella Mills, husband Matthew, and daughters Skye and May

agreen salad’. That’s not dinner! Now you find amazing options everywhere, which is completely new and so exciting.”

Six cookbooks, an app, arestaurant anda supermarket product rangelater, the mum of two daughters (Skye, three, and May,who turns two this month) is as surprised as anyone about her phenomenal success.

“My mum’s the firstperson to say, ‘No one expected this of Ella’,” she says with alaugh. “It’s said with love, but it’s completely true. Iwas really not someone who had big plans in life.”

So, what changed?

“I think I’ve realised the power of finding apurpose,” she reflects. “That has totally transformed everything Ido–that sense of excitement around ameaning. I’ve been really surprised by how much that’s changed me.”

While the business has mushroomed, that purpose has remained the same, Mills insists: “I obviously started Deliciously Ella for my own needs, but I’ve always been really passionate about being useful for people. It’s all about trying to genuinely give goods and services thatare helpful.”

That’s why the bestselling author’s latest title is something of adeparture from the standard cookbook format. How To Go Plant-Based: ADefinitive Guide ForYou And Your Family features advice from arange of doctors, nutrition experts, and apsychologist.

“I think what we’ve really seen over the last few years is you’ve now got this huge swathe of the population who identify as flexitarian, or are trying to be more plant-based,” Mills explains. Yeta lot of people are are still confused when it comes to swapping meat for veg-focused meals, she believes.

“There obviously are so many myths out there and so many concerns, you know,doyou need to take supplements? How do you get protein? How do you get

calcium? Is it safe for me to do when I’m pregnant? Can my children do it? What about my teenagers?”

Along with answers to those questions, the seventh Deliciously Ella book is packed with easy,one-pan dinners like roasted squash and dhal tray bake, and family favourites regularly wolfed down by Mills’ own little ones, such as 10-minute pea and pesto orzo.

Time, the working mum knows, is of the essence, as is proving thatembracing a plant-focused diet doesn’t necessarily have to be at odds with the cost of living crisis.

“You can’t hide from that,”Mills says. “But equally,lots of recipes you can make at home, like lentil-based bologneses, they can be pretty inexpensive and arguably alot cheaper than lots of meat-based meals.”

And while afully plant-based diet works for Mills, she stresses that munching aburger or bowl of mac and cheese –even after you’ve vowed to quit your carnivorous diet –doesn’t mean you’ve fallen off the wagon.

“There is no wagon!” she says. “I am very passionate about the fact that a dogmatic approachtoanything in life just doesn’t work.”

Instead, she hopes readers discover the health-giving power of plant-based meals, whether they’re vegan, veggie, flexitarian or anywhere in-between.

“It’s about trying to look after yourself for decades, not days,” says Mills. “You’re not being ‘good’ or ‘bad’, you’re just trying to genuinely nourish your body.”

n How To Go Plant-Based:A Definitive Guide ForYou And Your Family by Ella Mills is published by Yellow Kite, priced £26.

Ellas cauliflower& cashew tray bake

“The ginger,garlic, bay leaves and spices givethis cauliflowerand cashew pilaf loads of depth, with anice pop of colour from the beans,” says Ella. “You can swap the cauliflowerfor squash or sweet potato –justpeeland chop into pieces and add it in the same way.”

Ingredients:

(Serves4)

1onion, finely sliced

1cauliflower, tough outer leaves discarded, cut into florets

1thumb-sized piece of ginger,peeled and finely grated

2garlic cloves, crushed

1½ tbsp coconut oil, melted

1cinnamon stick

2bay leaves

1tsp cumin seeds

½tsp turmeric

1tsp ground coriander

50g cashews, roughly chopped 40g sultanas

250g white basmati rice, rinsed and drained

200g green beans, trimmed and cut into 4-5cm lengths

500ml hot vegetable stock

1lemon, halved

Small handful of coriander,roughly chopped Harissa, to serve(optional)

Method:

Preheat the ovento180°C fan.

Put the onion, cauliflower, ginger and garlic into alarge roasting tin. Add the coconut oil, cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin, turmeric, coriander and cashews. Mix everything together and spread out in asingle, even layer.Place the tray in the ovenand bakefor 10 minutes.

Take the tray out and add the sultanas, rice and green beans. Stir them through the veg, then spread everything out in an even layer.Pour overthe hot stock.

Coverthe tray with foil and bakefor 25 30 minutes, until the cauliflowerand rice aretender.

Season and add asqueeze of lemon juice to taste, then servewith agenerous sprinkling of coriander,and adrizzle of harissa, if you like.

Creamy beetroot and walnut spaghetti.

Banana and oliveoil loaf.

OFFERS IN STORE

RANGE ON DISPLAY

THERE’S BLACK GOLD IN THOSE SHROPSHIRE HILLS

OURSHROPSHIRE PRODUCER SERIES CONTINUES WITH ED THOMAS TRAVELLING SOUTH FROM SHREWSBURY TO SEEK OUT ONEOFCUISINE’S MOST OPULENT AND LUXURIOUS INGREDIENTS –TRUFFLES

After awarm welcome from Oscar and his human Mike we ventured off into the truffleorchard in search of the famous fungus.

On the walk over,Mike explained how he had been drawn into theworld of truffles. Mike had been running a successful tree nursery.He was supplying trees across the country and he was importing plants from suppliers on the continent. It was achance conversation with aFrench supplier that changed everything.

Afew conversations later and suddenly hundreds of truffleinfused saplings were on their way across the Channel. These were sold as Christmas gifts and the following year it was bigger and better.The success begged the question, could these trees produce the goods in Shropshire? Could an interest become ahobby,and even abusiness?

Only one way to find out. Mike planted his firstorchard in 2008 anda second in 2009. Then the waiting game began. Truffletrees can take at least five, and often ten, years to begin producing black gold, some never produce at all.

When selecting asuitable trufflesite, Mike explained that you don’t want to use the finest agricultural land, if anything you want to find some marginal land. Perhaps moreimportantly you need land with no existing fungus. Then you need to make sure the pH of thesoil is on the alkaline end of the scale, at least pH7. Mike selected his site and limed the soil ready for planting. He continues to measure the pH as partofthe routine maintenance of the woodland.

When you have asite selected you

need trees. As anurseryman, Mike had a head start here; he tapped into his French network, took advice, read, learned and eventually was ready to start. Mike added trufflespores right at the beginningto the acorns and seeds, leaving them to let nature take its course.

The small woods are mixed with familiar varieties such as oak, hazel, hornbeam, beech and evergreen oak. Hazel trees make up the majority of the tree stock. The planting is in simple rows, with the varieties mixed up. Mike interplanted faster growing non-truffled trees to encourage shade as early as possible in the establishment of the wood.

Adding more shade is good for the truffles, they want aniceshaded spot, not too wet, but not too dry,with leaf cover, or thin grass. Mike irrigates when it gets very hot and also makes surethe wood is well managed and healthy,soitiswell pruned and the grass is kept neat and tidy Everything is geared up to encourage the spores to work their magic and produce as many truffles as possible.

But it’s a fickle game. It was the second orchard that yielded first and why is amystery.It’s precisely that mystery and intrigue that creates the scarcity of the product and drives high prices. Now both woods are yielding and they should continue to do so for up to 30 years.

That means plenty of exercise for Oscar theLagotto Romagnolo. Lagottos are an Italian breed that were originally bred as retrievers and used as gundogs over the marshes of Romagna, but with the draining of themarshes their use changed and now they are considered pre-eminent truffle dogs.

Nose to theground, tail wagging, watching Oscar work it is clear that he is taking things as seriously as you can take any big game, which is exactly how he sees it. Not only is he atrufflehunter,heis also afamily pet, much loved by Mike and his family.

What Oscaris sniffing out are the finest black autumn truffles While autumn may be peak season, in Shropshire truffles can appear as early as May,but they are only collected from August; early in the season they are small and have anuttier taste.The real peak is in the autumn months and collecting ends in November,or perhaps early December.Its hard frost that puts an end to the season. In that time truffles are collected daily.Great fun on a sunny morning, less soona

thoroughly wet October afternoon!

British summer truffles and French, or Burgundian, autumn truffles have different Latin names, but in fact are genetically the same. Mike used French plants to create his trufflewoods so he considers them to be more autumnal.

Shropshire Truffles arenow supplied to keen home cooks, to restaurants, delicatessens and wholesalers. You will need 20-30g per person, although there is nothing other thanyour budget stopping you adding more if you are keen. Afresh truffle will keep for 7-10 days depending on how it’s stored.

Truffles can be shaved over thetop of acreamy pasta dish, added to the filling of ravioli, or used in stuffing. Or why not use some trufflebutter on your toast with some poached or scrambled eggs for breakfast? Fora truly decadent, and pretty calorifictreat, slice your Brie or Camembert in half,horizontally, add truffleshavings, then bake, before attacking with crusty bread.

n Visit www.shropshiretruffles.co.uk to buy online and to find out moreabout their taster days.

MikeCollison,ofShropshireTruffles, with his Lagotto dog Oscar

PERKY PINOTS TO SIP AND SAVOUR

APLUSH PINOT NOIR IS HARD TO RESIST,SAYS SAM WYLIE-HARRIS

One of the most popular reds in the world, pinot noir reallyisa wine forall seasons. While we love it lightly chilled when it’s hot and sunny,its savourynotes bridge the gap between autumn and winter.Not to mention its sweet perfume, purity of fruit and bright acidity,all of which make it a sommelier’s favourite.

Versatile, food-friendly and apleasure on the palate, what’s not to love? And with such abroad range of styles and price points from varied regions, pinot noir doesn’t have to be limited to aswish setting or autumn treat.

Get the pinot party off to a flying start with these six top drops…

Brochet Alias Pinot Noir 2020, LoireValley, France, £13.75, Vintage Roots

An organic wine to celebrate, this scented beauty draws you in with itsrapturous raspberry and kirsch aromas, pure perfumed black fruits enhanced by gentle smoke, and herbal, peppery notes adding to itscomplexity. Really stunning,its purity of fruit carries through on thelong finish.

Cadus SignatureSeries Pinot Noir 2019, Mendoza, Argentina, £18.95, Vivino

Astep up the ladder and showcase for how this grape gifts in so many ways. Savouryand earthy,with concentrated flavours, while on the nose, perfumed raspberries mingle with hints of undergrowth leading to dark cherry,plum compote, hintsof rhubarb, vanilla spice and along, elegant finish. Aprize pinot worth seeking out.

Co-op Irresistible Casablanca

Valley Pinot Noir 2021, Chile, £8, Co-op stores

With enticing, lightly smoky plum-berry and cherry aromas, atouch of mocha and hint of spice, similar flavoursunfold on the plush yet lively palate, with black cherries alongside delicate spice on the smooth, supple finish

Dragon Hills Pinot Noir 2020, Romania, £10, Virgin Wines Funand fruity,expect aburst of winter sunshine from thefragrant bouquet, boasting ripe plums,violets and strawberries and becoming broad midpalate, with classic dark cherries and raspberry flavoursriding on the lingering finish. Alight chilling will make this pinot purr

The Ned Pinot Noir 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand, £14, Waitrose

Expressive and scented with vibrant aromas of red cherry,raspberry and dark berries, the rich berry fruits have atouch of baking spice with integrated smoky oak tones. Very seductive with savoury nuances, everything glides along beautifully on the satin smooth palate, keeping you coming back for more.

The Society’sFrench Pinot Noir 2020, France,£7.50, The Wine Society

Soft and plump, this cherry-fruited crowd-pleaser from the Languedoc offers baskets of fruit, with bright berry notes, aromatic florals and asmooth, silky finish. Gorgeous and great value.

DOTRYTHIS AT HOME

Autumn is hereand thesedelicious recipes from MichelinstarredAndreas Antona, at Simpsons, in Birmingham, make the most of seasonal flavours. All the dishes servefour people.

20cm sweet pastry tart case, blind baked Pumpkin purée

2sugar pumpkins vegetable oil

Prehheat oven to 210C and line a baking tray y with foil. Slice the top of the pummpkin off to remove the stalk and creaate a flat surface Place the pumpkin flat side down and cut in half Using a spooon, remove the seeds and pulp Coat the pumpkins in vegetable oil and place skin n side up. Roast for about 40 minutes or until very soft Remove the flesh from the skin and blend in a food processer untiil smooth Place into a sieve lined with cheeesecloth to drain any excess water Leavve to cool Alternatively, you can use one tin of pumpkin purée.

Pumpkin Pie

170g caster sugar

½tsp salt

1tsp ground cinnamon

½tsp ground ginger

¼tsp ground cloves

½tsp mixed spice

¼tsp nutmeg

¼tsp ground cardamom

2large eggs, beaten 425g pumpkin purée (see above) 285ml condensed milk

Preheat oven to 180C. In abowl combine the caster sugar,salt, cinnamon, ginger,cloves, mixed spice, nutmeg and cardamom together.Ensure to mix well.

In aseparate bowl, mix the eggs, pumpkin purée and condensed milk. Add the spices and mix until fully incorporated. Pour into prepared sweet pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes or until set. Leave to cool.

Specaloos

½tsp ground anise

½tsp ground ginger

½tsp ground cloves

½tsp ground cardamom

¾tsp ground cinnamon

¼tsp ground nutmeg

½tsp salt

90g plain flour ¼tsp baking powder 55g unsalted butter,atroom temperature 55g dark brownsugar 50gcaster sugar 25g whole egg 50g pumpkin seeds, toasted

Preheat oven to 180C and line abaking tray with greaseproof paper.Ina bowl, combine the anise, ginger,cloves, cardamom, cinnamon,nutmeg, salt, baking powder and flour together

Using amixer,cream the butter,dark brown sugar and caster sugar together until light, fluffy and pale in colour.

On alow speed, add in the whole egg followed by the flour mix and continue to mix until thedough has formed.

Wrap in cling film and place in fridge to chill for at least an hour.

Once the cookie dough hasbeen chilled,roll between two sheets of greaseproof paper until about 0.5cm thick.

P Place on baking tray and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Once baked, break into pieces and blendtomake acrumb. Roughly chop the pumpkin seeds and mix through the crumb. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Vanilla cream

400ml double cream

30g caster sugar

1vanilla pod seeds, ground

In alarge bowl, whip thedouble cream until it starts to thicken. Add the vanilla seeds to the cream along with the caster sugar.Continue to whip until soft peaks have formed that are stable enough to hold their shape.

To finish

Place aslice of pie on aplate and add a tablespoon of the specaloos crumb on top.

Topwith adollop of vanilla cream.

PUMPKIN PIE, SPECALOOS, VANILLA CREAM

Roast butternut squash

2small butternut squashes, quartered, skin and seeds removed

4tbsp oliveoil

2thyme sprigs, leaves only 2garliccloves, minced Salt &pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the butternut quash on atray, cut side up and coat in the olive oil. Sprinkle over the thyme leaves and garlic and season with salt and pepper.Roast in the oven for 45 minutes or until soft and fork tender Remove from the oven and keep warm.

Pearl barley

160g pearl barley

750ml vegetable stock

Salt

2thyme sprigs

1bay leaf

1carrot, peeled and finely diced

1celery stick, finely diced

200g baby spinach, washed

2tbsp unsalted butter

Place the pearl barley and water in apan with apinch of salt, thyme and bay leaf and bring to the boil over amediumheat.

Once it has reached aboil, turn down the heat to alow simmer.Cover and cook for 25-35 minutes or until tripled in volume and tender yet chewy.Gently boil the finely diced carrot and celery until tender Drain and mix with the pearl barley

Sage pesto

2garliccloves, roughly chopped

35g sage leaves

50g walnuts, toasted 25g parmesan, grated ½lemon, juiced 250ml oliveoil

Blend the garlic, sage leaves, walnuts and lemon juice in afood processor until coarsely chopped. Add in the parmesan and slowly pour in the olive oil. Blend until almostsmooth.

To finish Parmesan shavings

Spinach leaves

Heat apan with the butter and addthe spinach over amedium heat. Cook until wilted and add the pearl barley.Heat until warmed through andseason totaste.

Spoon the pearly barley onto aplate and place the warm butternut squash on top. Add acouple of teaspoons of the pesto around the plate. Garnish with spinach leaves and Parmesan shavings.

SEA BREAM, BRAISED LENTILS, TENDERSTEM BROCCOLI, SAUCE EPICE

Braised lentils

150g puy lentils

1carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1celery stick, roughly chopped

1onion

1garlicclove,chopped

1thyme sprig

375ml vegetable

Place the puy lentils in apan and cover with the stock. Add the roughly chopped carrot, celery and onion to the pan along with the garlic and thyme.

Bring to the boil, simmer gently for about 15 minutes until tender and the stock has been absorbed. Remove the vegetables and thyme and set aside the lentils.

1carrot, peeled and finely diced

1stick celery, finely diced

1shallot, finely diced Salt &pepper

2tbsp oliveoil

Gently saute the diced carrot, celery and until tender in olive oil. Mix with lentils. Season

Tenderstem broccoli

12 tenderstem broccoli, trimmed

Bring alarge pan of salted water the boil. Prepare anice bath alarge bowl. Reduce the heat immer.Add the broccoli and for3-5 minutes or until tender into the ice bath. Once cooled, and set aside.

Sea bream

4sea bream fillets, skin on, boned, trimmed

Plain flour Oliveoil Salt &pepper Maldon seasalt

Season the fish on bothsides and lightly coat in flour.Heat olive oil in afrying pan, add the fish skin side down and cook for 3-4 minutes until the skin becomes crispy and nicely browned. Reduce the heat and carefully flip the fish over.Cook for 3-4 minutes. Season with Maldon salt. It is recommended to cook the fish right before serving.

To finish Parsley bunch, finely chopped Sauce epice (four-spice sauce)

Reheat the lentils and mix with the parsley leaves. Place in thecentre of the plate. Place sea bream on the lentils followed by three pieces of broccoli. Drizzle with warmed sauce epice and serve.

ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BARLEY,SPINACH, SAGE PESTO, PARMESAN

4x 10cm non-stick tartlet moulds

Roscoff onion tartlet

500g all-butter puff pastry

4Roscoff onions

100g unsalted butter

100g honey

100ml balsamic vinegar

Fresh thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out the puff pastry as thinly as possible (roughly 2mm) on a floured surface. Using atartlet mould, cut out four discs of pastry and place on two large baking sheets lined with silicone paper.Prick the dough all over with afork.

Slice the Roscoff onionsintowedges. In afrying pan, melt the butter.When

beginning to foam, place the onion wedges and thyme sprigs in the pan

Cook for acouple of minutes, turning over every so often, until the onions are starting to become soft. Add the honey and vinegar to thepan and continue to move the onions in the pan so they are evenly coated and do not stick.

Cook for five minutes to create aglaze for the onions. Arrange the onion wedges into the tartlet mould and spoon over some of the glaze from the pan.

Lay the puff pastry on top and tuck the pastry down the sides of the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and firm. Once baked, leave to cool slightly before removing the tart from themould.

Lemon and herb crème fraîche

200g creme fraiche

½lemon,zested Dill, finely chopped Parsley, finely chopped Salt &pepper

Place the lemon zest and crème fraîche in abowl and mix until thezest has been evenly incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold through the dill and parsley just before serving

Herb salad

80g herb salad –mixtureofrocket, watercress, parsley, dill, pea shoots

2tsp lemon juice

2tsp olive oil Salt &pepper

Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil to make the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the herb salad with the dressing and evenly coat right before ready to use.

To finish Olivetapenade

Place the hot tartlet on aplatealong with some of the herb salad. Serve with a spoonful of lemon and herb crème fraîche and olive tapenade.

PRAWN, CHILLI, ORZO, PESTO

Orzo

250g orzo pasta

Oliveoil

Cook the orzo in boiling, salted water according to package instructions, normally about 8-12 minutes. Drain when cooked.

Prawns

20 rawking prawns, deshelled and cleaned

2red chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced

Vegetable oil

25g unsalted butter

Whilst the pasta is cooking, heat afrying pan with alittle vegetable oil and butter

Add in the chilli and cook for aminute or two until just softened.

Place the prawns in thepan and cook on one side for about two minutes until golden.

Turn them over and cook for another minute.

To finish

2-3 tbsp pesto Parsley leaves

Salt &white pepper

A Add the pesto and orzo to the prawns whilst the pasta is still hot Check the seasoning and stir through the parsley leaves before serving

ROSCOFF ONION TARTLET,HERB SALAD, LEMON &HERB CRÈME FRAÎCHE, TAPENADE

SEVEN BUBBLES FOR SOCIALS& PARTIES

THESE SPARKLING WINES STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD, SAYS SAM WYLIE-HARRIS

Fizz, bang pop! When it comes to happiness in aglass,you can’t go wrong with bubbles. Asteady stream of tiny beads cascading into crystalware seems to always fitthe bill –and brighten up anyparty

From mood-enhancing budgetfriendly bubbly to artisan champagne and afew corkers along the way –here’s what to have on standby this autumn…

Crémant de LoireRosé Brut, Loire, France, £10, Lidl

With an impressive 90 points (outstanding) from Lidl’s master of wine, this crémant is agreatalternative to champagne –and what abeauty from the romantic Loire Valley.A beguiling ballet slipper pink, attractive strawberry aromas combine with delicate red fruits, followed by a fine mousse withdelicious depth and touches of creamy cherry fruit. Love at first sip.

Gentle Riot Sparkling Rosé 2021, Bordeaux, France, £15, Laithwaites

Ashimmering, salmon pinksparkle from the red wine capital of the world –and crowned with acap. Made from merlot, there’s definitely grapey fruit notes on the nose with hints of herbs, while the core of fresh strawberry and redcurrant fruit coasts effortlessly along, with atouches of lemon sherbet on the finish. Lots of fun and enticingly different.

BirdinHand Sparkling Rosé Wine, Australia, £16, Tesco

The third rosé on our list, and just as playful, baby pink is the colour to sink this season. Full of strawberry-scented, cherry charm with blossomy,citrusy aromas, it’s soft and rounded with beautifully balanced acidity and sunny deliciousness.

Easy drinking, think adreamy outdoor sun-trap with climbing roses, deckchair and smoked salmon sarnie.

Asquith Gardens Traditional English Sparkling Wine, £16.50, Asda

Adelicious introduction to British bubbly, here we have apretty pale fizz with a flourish of honeysuckle, ripe apples and zesty lime on the nose, similar flavours unfold with alively character,biscuity note and delightfully crisp finish.

One for classic cucumber sandwiches.

Bottega Gold Prosecco, Italy, with Gift Box, £24, Moonpig

There are countless Proseccos out there, but if you want to gift someone (or yourself) ashowy Italianfor atasteof la dolce vita, Bottega Gold’s right on point.

With classic notes of honeysuckle, pear and white peach, accented with delicate florals, this striking looking sparkle will bring more than alevel of luxury to any soirée –aProsecco that sings from the glass.

Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2017, South Africa, £20, Majestic

South Africa excels when it comes to fizz –and youknow you’re on to awinner when you pull back the foil wrapping aka the ‘coiffe’ –and the message reads: ‘Celebrate what matters’.

From the inviting, biscuity nose laced with zesty limes and juicy pears which carries through on the palate, to the yeasty complexity complimenting the green apple flavours, hint of spiceand refreshing, long finish, this chardonnay more than delivers.

Aparty pleaser for sure.

Champagne William Saintot Blanc De Noirs Premier Cru, France, £38, Sip Champagnes

An exciting release from Sip, thedrinks business specialist online retailer of the year 2022, this artisan champagne has landed on our shores for the first time.

Ashimmering rose gold, it’s intensely aromatic and offers glorious red fruit aromas (it’s made from pinot noir) with athreadofcassis, wonderful fruit presence and real drive mid-palate, with a persistent, long finish.

Averycompetitive price for agrower champagne (made and bottled by the same people who tend the grapes) and something so niche.

Tanners.WinesTannersWines

POWER OF THE MOON

OnMay 16, atotal lunar eclipse took place at about 4.45am in the UK. Should you have been up and about at this ungodly hour,wewould have implored you to refrain from tending your grapevines.

This reason is answered in the theory behind Biodynamic Farming, pioneered and researched by Rudolph Steiner (18611925) and Maria Thun (1922-2012). The basis upon which the theory operates is that themoon and planets and their movements throughout thesolar system have an impact upon individual plants and how they grow,and if we manage our crops with respect to their cycleswewill be rewarded with asuperior and plentiful yield; as well as maintaining thesoil and enabling the surrounding ecosystems to thrive.

This has been an incredibly attractive premise to viticulturalists across the world, who understand that minute changes in the composition of their grapes have acritical effect on their final wine. However,itwould be far too easy to brand Biodynamics aswishy-washy, astrologicalpoppycock alongside psychics and tarot cards. The moon, after all, has the gravity to move entire oceans, so imagine that same force applied to the water in vines and even the grapes.

When the viticulturists behind Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (the infamous DRC) –whose wines consistently top tables in termsof

price and sheer mind-blowing-ness adopted the practice, it made people sit up and recognise that the theory might be more than afairy-tale after all…

Biodynamics in the vineyard looks very similar to organic practices, and shares manyof the same benefits; namely the exclusion of synthetic andoften dangerous chemicals used to fertilise soils and manage pests and disease in thevines.

The key difference with biodynamics is the intricate calendar of vineyard interventionsthat must be followed (based on the phases of the moon), and the ‘preparations’ used to promote growth and ward off pesky organisms.

Some of the reasons behind biodynamic practices can be explained scientifically; for example, it’s best to take cuttings when the moon is ascending to draw sap upwards into the plants making them prime for successful propagation.

So, substantiating the earlier plea of not tending vines duringthe eclipse, when the moon, sunand Earth align creating what’s known as a‘node’ on their elliptical paths, as this has been shown to have an unfavourable effect on plant growth and vines.

Thousands of wine estates and growers follow the biodynamic calendar,some without even practising completely organic viticulture or using labour-intensive preparations. One such estate is Te Mata, the oldest winery in New Zealand based in Hawkes Bay

They make quite afew wines, mostly single varietal with afew Bordeaux style blends, my personal favourite is theEstate Chardonnay,a little Burgundian in style, with blindingly ripe fruit. Te Mata practice biodynamic viticulture(preparations and calendar), but sometimes use manufactured fungicides on the vines to protect against mildew,which means the estate in fact is uncertifiable as organic.

We move on to the preparations, which some may feel have the connotations of Pagan rituals, but all seemingly have positive effects. There are nine different preparations, someof which focus on theactivation of compost through animal partsand soil, for example burying ayarrow in adeer’sbladder.This helps promote soil biodiversity,worms, microbes and nutrient balance restoration.

Other practices include adding a teaspoon of fermented stinging nettles to amassive pile of compost. But why would this be of any benefittothe aromatic complexity and texture of aglass of dry Riesling?

Put conciselybythe Peter Jakob Kühn estate, based in the Rheingau, Germany, their job is to “initiate and regulate the rotting process”. Maintaining and promoting the health of soils keeps them going for longer; if the roots are happy and thriving morewater and nutrients are drawn into the plant, thus resulting in a greater range of aromatic chemicals. It’s simply achain of cause and effect which ends up with amassivegrin on awine

TANNERS’ CELLARS SHOP MANAGER ERICA BAKER-VILAIN EXPLAINS THE PRINCIPLES OF BIODYNAMIC WINES

obsessive’s face on the firstsniff of Kühn’s biodynamic Hallgartner Hendelberg.

Other preparations include the biodynamic sprays –the most interesting is Horn Silica. Puresilica or ground quartz is put into acow horn andburied forsix months, then dug up, dynamised (stirred backwards) in water and sprayed onto the vines at certain times. This is thought to encourage ‘systemic disease resistance’ similar to ‘vaccinating’ aplant against disease.

All in all, biodynamic wine producers are supremely dedicated. It is hard to make acommercially viable wine organically,let alone biodynamically,due

to increased costs of labour required to make all the preparations (although they can be bought) andmuchmore monitoring of thevines on an individual level. In some regions, like Bordeaux and the Loire, the climate conspires against good wine at every stage. Rain, cloud and humidity all make diseases, like downy mildew,somuch more prominent and if you’re hell-bent on not using synthetic sprays to keep them at bay,then prepare for crop losses or tainted wines.

Estates like Bonnet-Huteau in Muscadet never cease to amaze me; their Gautronnieres Muscadet is essentially natural, as well as

biodynamically made in the often damp and rainy Loire Valley,and yet they manage to make afaultless wine. It’s not cloudy or fizzy,orinany way funky like you might expect (avoiding the telltale ‘farmyardy-ness’ associated with wines made this way) it is in fact perfect, light, racy,saline, textbook Muscadet. It is indeed impressive to be able to use only natural resources to make something so fine-tuned.

So, to round off this biodynamic rambling –biology and physics are powerful, and coordinating their facets creates somethingsimple and beautiful, whether through the moon and the massive effects of gravity on the sap within the vines, or viaminibeasts, microorganisms and molecules in the soil. This would all be speculation if we didn’t know how to harness any of it, but there is ablueprint thatcan help; although I’m still notentirelyconvinced neither the Tooth Fairy nor Father Christmas is mentioned in the small print somewhere…

Bonnet Huteau estate in Muscadet; right, Bonnet Huteau’s Muscadet Sevre & Maine

Peter Jakob Kühn estate, in the Rheingau, Germany.

Riesling Grapes at Kühn.

‘Biology and physics arepowerful, and coordinating their facets creates something simple and beautiful’

MEALSMADE FORSHARING

Even legends like Mary Berry sometimes get thrown. “I’ve had many disasters in the kitchen,” the 87-year-old admits –but she sounds so self-assured, you can’t imagine her getting knocked off course for too long.

ForMary,surprises tend to come in the form of her children, Annabel and Thomas (her other son William died age 19) and five grandchildren turning up for dinner unexpectedly.Itseems no one is that fond of phoning ahead.

“Very often Ihave family coming round, lots of young [people] –and then two more turn up.” Adding with cheeky groan: “I know exactly what they’re like, and they’re very hungry.”

But she certainly seems to relish being surrounded by her family –and she has a few nifty tricks up her sleeve for catering when unexpected guests turn up. “If it’s a big pot of something, I’ll add another can of flageolet beans or black-eyed beans or even acan of baked beans, to spin it out which is what we have to do.”

Mary Berry, with husband Paul Hunnings.

MARY BERRY TALKSTO PRUDENCE WADE ABOUT THEIMPORTANCE OF PREPARATION IN THE KITCHEN, AND MAKING YOUR MEALS GO FURTHER

Many families will be thinking of ways to stretch their meals further,as food and energy prices continue to soar –and Mary’s top piece of advice for cutting costs in thekitchen is all about preparation. “I thinksaving money on cooking is being organised, and abit of planning beforehand,” she says. “If you’ve got people coming round –relations, friends, whatever –it’s doing the shopping list and not veering from it.”

Mary might seem asput together as it gets, but she hasn’t always been the pinnacle of organisation. “I’ve learned it over the years,” she says –and practice makes perfect. “If I’ve gonetothe trouble, which indeed, Idid at the weekend –Idid two roast chickens, which is one of the recipes in the book. Imade really good stock –really good gravy, far too much for that day,and Ifroze the rest. That means when you’ve maybe just got achicken breast and you want to have gravy with it, you’ve got it in thefreezer

“I don’t wasteanything. If there’s something left, Iusuallyfreeze it.”

While Mary’s style is definitely classic,

she’s slowly but surely incorporating newer ingredients into her food vocabulary –largely thanks to her family members. She says: “Atthe moment they’re all at the age where they eat alot, and they like very much trying new things –soIuse moreof the ingredients they enjoy the most.”

That means you’ll see alot more avocados in Mary’s recipes than you might have previously,along with other family favourites, including beans, lentils and chickpeas. “They’re willing to try anything,” sheadds.

Many of these ingredients feature in her latest book, Cook And Share, which very much does what it says on thetin, and puts sharing food centre. Mary suggests food has become more laid-back, and her recipes reflect this.

“I wanted it to be more relaxed sharing, help yourself,and still [thinking] what Ican prepare ahead,” she says. “Most people are working, and they can’t always do everything just before friends are coming round.”

At 87, Mary shows no sign of slowing

Spaghetti with peas and pesto

Mary Berry calls this “a quick and easy midweek pasta dish”.

She says: “Adding peas to the pesto gives alovely natural fresh flavour.Use fresh garden peas, if you grow them, instead of petits pois. We have used cashew nuts instead of pine nuts in the pesto to givecreaminess to the sauce.”

Ingredients

(Serves4-6)

350g spaghetti 250g frozen petits pois 115g unsalted cashew nuts 55g Parmesan, grated, plus extrato serve

2large garlic cloves, halved Large bunch of basil, roughlychopped 100ml oliveoil

Method

1. Cook the peas in asaucepanofboiling water for three minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water.Drain again.

2. Place half the peas in asmall food processorand add the nuts, cheese, garlic and basil. Whiz until finely chopped. Slowly add the oil, alittle at a time, until you havea paste consistency. Season with salt to taste.

3. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Reserve50ml of the pasta water beforedraining.

4. Place the pesto in alarge non-stick frying pan, add the reserved peas and the cooked spaghetti and alittle of the pasta water.Toss everything over ahigh heat until well coated.

5. Season well with freshly ground black pepper and servewith extraParmesan, if liked.

down –her new book is accompanied by aBBC series of the same name –soshe’s eager to make life easier for everyone in her recipes. “I do quite abit of preparing ahead, just adding something at thelast minute,” she says –whether that’s fresh herbs or another garnish to bring the dish to life.

Fans of Mary’s recipes won’t be disappointed by her latest offering. “There are some classic things that I’ve relooked at,” she says. “We’ve got theultimate chocolate brownie –that’stodie for.I’ve done many brownie recipes and blondies and things in my time, but we’ve put the ultimate chocolate brownie in there, and afew casseroles –the Sunday best minted lamb is delicious… Then there’s one pot things like Tuscan chicken, which is the sort of dish you can share for avery special occasion. It’s done with chicken thighs, which if you overcook and people are late –itdoesn’t matter abit, it just means it is more tender.Whereas if we use the breasts, it would have become tough.”

She’s always afan of theclassics, but Mary isn’t afraid to branch out either, saying: “We’ve included brunch this time, because brunch seems to be very popular –especially on aSunday morning, when you have friends round,” she adds. “Perhaps they don’t necessarily want to do aroast –they do brunch, because everybody gets up abit later,and it’s a lovely meal to share.”

Mary might seethe appeal of brunch, but that doesn’t mean she’s completely ditched her Sunday routine. “In our family,it’sstill the Sunday roast,” she admits. “But of course, this summer’s been so warm, we’ve often had brunch instead.”

n Cook And Share by Mary Berry is published in hardback by BBC Books, priced £27

Mary’sultimate chocolate brownies

“This is our favourite brownie; it has a wrinkled top and agooey middle,” says Mary. “Perfect for eating as it is, or you could add atopping of your choice.”

Ingredients (Makes24squares)

360g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 225g butter,cubed,plus extrafor greasing 225g light muscovado sugar 4eggs, beaten 75g self-raising flour 1tsp vanilla extract 75g chocolate chips Method

1. Preheat the ovento180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 30×23-centimetretraybaketin with nonstick baking paper

2. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over apan of simmering water until melted. Stir to combine.

3. Remove from the heat and add the sugar and eggs. Mix well until smooth, then add the flour and vanilla and mix again. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Pour the chocolate mixtureinto the prepared tin and bakefor about 45 minutes, until well risen and set around the edges, with aslightly soft centre.

5. Leavetocool in the tin, then slice into 24 squares.

Tuscan chicken

“Based on aclassic, this is one of our favourites for an easy supper.Use chicken breasts, if you prefer,” says Mary.

Ingredients (Serves6)

6large skinless chicken thighs, bone in 2tbsp plain flour

2tsp paprika

2tbsp oliveoil

1large onion, finely chopped

1large redpepper, deseeded and finely diced

2garlic cloves, crushed 2tsp tomato purée

30g sun-blushed tomatoes, chopped 150ml white wine 150ml chicken stock 150ml pouring double cream 150g baby spinach 55g Parmesan, grated

Method

1. Place the chicken thighs in abowl. Add the flour and half the paprika and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.Toss together to coat.

2. Heat the oil in alarge, deep frying pan overa high heat. Add the chicken and fry for three to four minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. Set aside on a plate.

3. Add the onion and pepper to the unwashed pan and fry for four to five minutes overa medium heat, until soft Youmay need alittle moreoil. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds.

4. Stir in the purée, tomatoes, wine and stock and bring up to the boil. Return the chicken to the pan with any resting juices, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until tender

5. Add the cream and spinach to the pan and stir until wilted. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese and serve piping hot.

ANTHONY HOROWITZ: CEL CULTURE THE FEAR OF NDING

HO ANC ND FFE

of the writer journ ideas, creati it’s am clarity To bestselli prolificis of some including the A series, thre and seve Sherlock Ho

There’s a restlessness to Anthony Horowitz, master mystery novel, TV r, playwright and nalist, awhirlwind of ,juggling so many ive balls at once that mazing he has such of thought. describe the ing author as an understatement. e56books Alex Rider teen eJames Bond eral reimaginings olmes, plus TV hits

including Midsomer Murders, Foyle’s Warand Poirot, he’s already had three books published this year –hewas on a roll during the pandemic –and is now looking forward to making asix-part TV series with his producer wife Jill Green.

Mementoes related to Horowitz’s work adorn his office –a human skull on his desk reminds him time is short, Tintin figurines because Tintin was his first inspiration, models from the world of Bond, favourite Sherlock Holmes books, acomputer from the Stormbreaker movie.

“I try to make sure that wherever my eye settles in my office, it

TO TAKE OFFENCE AGREATDEAL MORE HEY USED TO,’ THEBESTSELLING AUTHOR TER TELLS HANNAH STEPHENSON

SEEM T HAN TH WRIT

Anthony Horowitz in his home

is something that will remind me of my work,” he observes.

Horowitz, 67, divides his time between his London home and his Suffolk bolthole, switching off to walk his dog for at least two or three hours aday He runs all his work pastJill, to whom he has been married for 34 years and with whom he has two grown-up sons.

“Jill reads everything Ido first and is my best and wisest critic and is completely honest. It matters agreat deal to me what shethinks. We’ve always had amarriage and arelationship partly based on work because we are both very driven.”

Today,while in the process of moving to West London, he’s talkingabout his 56th book, The Twist Of AKnife,a clever locked room mystery and fourth in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series.

Horowitz appears in thebook as himself,accused of murdering atheatre critic who gives his new play,Mindgames (which was actually aplay that he wrote), abad review

There are plenty of lighter moments in the latest novel –inrecent weeks Horowitz has voiced his concern at how the so-called ‘cancel culture’ is putting writers in fear of what they are penning. He thinks carefully before elaborating today

“These days, writers do have to self censor.Before you speak in an interview, or at aliterary festival, and when you are writing abook, you always have to put a

three-second delay into your mind so that what comes out of your mouth or on to the page has that consideration.

“Weare living in asociety where people seem to take offence agreatdeal more easily than they used to, where the reaction is often alittle extreme.

“There’s no grey area on social media, which has fuelled the society in which people are less willing to consider thenuances of an argument and go immediately for one point of view.”

Horowitz has personal experience of this, saying: “I noticed on Twitter that if people send me angry or unpleasant tweets, they don’t know who Iam. They have no idea what Ireallythink.They have an idea in their head which is far from the truth.”

In an interview with the New York Post, the manwho allegedly stabbed Sir Salman Rushdie on stage at an event in New York on August 12 was reported as saying he hadreadtwo pagesof The Satanic Verses. Hadi Matar,24, has pleadednot guilty to attempted murder and assault charges.

Making his argument morewidely, Horowitz continues: “I do think writers are by and large now afraid of causing offence.

“They have to pause for thought in everything they do. The extremes of it is when you get people like Sebastian Faulks saying that he might even consider not writing adescription of awoman in his

books. What an earthisgoing on if thatis the case?”

What about James Bond, who might well be seen as un-PC in this day and age?

“When I’m writing thebooks Ialways hear Sean Connery and see Daniel Craig. Iamperfectly happy to defend Bond. My Bond is aman of the 50s and 60s, so he lives by adifferent moral code to the one we have now.Irefute thesuggestion that he is chauvinistic or sexist or misogynistic. Ithink he treats women very well in the books and has great respect for them, yet Iadmit he has some of the attitudes that we now would not celebrate in the 21st century,but that’sbecause thebooks were written in the 20th century.Itwas a different time.”

Never still for long, he and Jill are working on asix-part TV series and hope to create aTVadaptation of his novel Moonflower Murders next year.There’s no sign of him slowing down, although he keeps threatening to do less but then gets astreamofideas.

Future ambitions? “Write abetterbook –the next one’s got to be better.”

n The Twist Of AKnife by Anthony Horowitz is published by Century,priced £20

‘I do think writers are by and large nowafraid of causing offence ’

HIGH STAKES FORFUGITIVES IN HARRIS THRILLER

BOOK OF THE MONTH

The year is 1660 and two English colonels areonthe run in America, accused of high treason. On their trail is a man tasked with bringing to justice those responsible for the murder of Charles I.

The stakes could not be higher for thefugitives –faced with a mandatory death sentence of the most grisly and painful kind.

Billed as the greatest manhunt of the17thcentury,Act Of Oblivion does not disappoint. Harris breathes life into historical events as they may have played out, through his beautifully crafted characters,who are not simply products of the turbulent times.

He also achieves what historians often fail to do, by remembering the stoic women left behind to fend for themselves and take care of their families.

Agrippingthriller and atimely reminder of the dangers of adeeply divided and intolerant society

n Act Of Oblivion by Robert Harris is published in hardback by Hutchinson Heinemann, priced £22 (ebook £10.99)

BOOKCASE

Fairy Tale by Stephen King is published in hardback by Hodder & Stoughton, £22 (ebook £12.99)

Aboy,his dog, and ashedthat hides aportal to aparallel universe –Stephen King’sFairy Tale is amodern takeonJack

AndThe Beanstalk, peppered with amyriad of classic fairy tale legends. After inheriting the shed, the secret and Radar the dog from an old recluse, seventeen-year-old Charlie descends into the world of Empis, wheretwo moons fill the sky and the Grey plague is slowly killing the population with horrificdisfigurements. From exiled princesses to child-eating giants and dungeon prisons, Fairy Tale is brimming with folklorereimagined through King’sexpert imagination.

In true fairy tale tradition, King’s latest fantasy novelisastory of good vs evil, and Charlie must help the people of Empis escape the tyrannical rule of the Flight Killer

Girl Friends by Holly Bourne is published in hardback by Hodder & Stoughton, £16.99 (ebook £7.99)

Holly Bourne’s latest novel, Girl Friends, follows the life of 32-yearold Fern, asuccessful writer living in London with her boyfriend, when an old friend from her past, Jessica, re-enters her life.

Each chapter flits between present day Fern and her teenage self, unravelling the reasonsbehind her current mistrust of Jessica and her intentions for reigniting the friendship.

With each chapter,you learn more about what made their friendship bloom –while the unease of an unspoken ending to it lingers.

Girl Friends is funny, painfully relatable and at times shocking, as Holly Bourne explores the growing pains of teenage girls and learning to let go of the past.

Hysterical: Exploding The Myth Of Gendered Emotions by Pragya Agarwal is published in hardback by Canongate, £16.99 (ebook £13.59)

Why arewomen seen as the emotional sex? It’saquestion behavioural scientist Pragya Agarwal tackles in her enlightening book Hysterical. Drawing upon history, data and pop culture, she explores the nuances behind gendered emotions –how they came about, howour society’s stereotypes reinforcesthem, and moreimportantly –how they harm us, not just women, but men too. At times the book can be abit dry, when Agarwal cites afew too many case studies, but on the whole she makes her point clearly. Agarwal is at her best when relating the impactofgendered emotion in her personal life, and making insightful pop culturereferences –including mention of Pixar film Inside Out.

Marcus Rashford(Little People, Big Dreams) by Maria Isabel Sanchez

Vegaraispublished in hardback by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, £9.99 (ebook £7.99)

Nourish young minds with inspirational tales of achievement with the latest addition to Vegara’s Little People, Big Dreams series which introduces children to icons from politics, film, sport, technology, science and more, through engaging, narrative and colourful illustrations. The latest addition brings us the tale of a young, working-class boyfrom Manchester with arealtalent for football. He often relied on free school meals, and went on to become aPremier League hero representing his country, and a passionate campaigner for child hunger in the UK. Rashford’sstory is impressiveyet relatablefor a young audience.

PINNING DOWN COLLECTING

BY MARYANNE LINEKER-MOBBERLEY,ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND HEADOFJEWELLERY AND SILVER AT HALLSFINE ART

Asanauctioneer andvaluer,I often get asked how easy it is to start collecting in the field of antiques and what pieces to be on the lookout for

Of course, there is no one simple answer.Some people have very deep pockets while others only want to spend afew pounds. Some will choose to focus their collection on one particular object, while others choose to centretheir purchases on aparticular era or style. In short, the possibilities are endless.

However,as aspecialist in the jewellery field, Ibelieve agood place to start, especially if money and space are limited, is with stick pins. Also referred to as ‘stock’ or ‘tie’ pins, these small pins, designed to be worn on atie or cravat, are abundant in both the auction andretail markets. Although early examples can date from the 18th century,itwasn’t until the 19th centurythat their popularity and abundance soared. Unlike most pieces of jewellery and adornment, astick pin’s purpose was functional. However,they soon became an easy way to express the wearer’s individuality and status.Created in silver,gold or other metals and adorned with countless materials including gemstones, cameos and enamel, the choices were almost endless.

As would have been the case at the turn of the century,when they were at the height of fashion, today good examples can be seen at arangeof prices. The fact that they were so popular and copiously produced means there is ahuge amount on the market to choose from.

The diversity seen across this field is also extraordinary with countless designs and motifs on offer.Novelty examples

in the form of animals, flower heads and bunches, intaglio painted rock crystals, single precious gemstones, coronets, lucky charms and simple architectural themes include just someofthosethat have been produced over the years to suit changingfashions and attitudes. The variety available makes stick pins even more appealing to abudding collector, as no matter what your interest, whether it be sport, history,nature or just alove of aspecificera,you’llalways find an array of stick pins to match. Their modest size is also perfect if collecting becomes a healthy obsession.

Let’s not forget they can alsobeworn and enjoyed as they would have been over acenturyago, either presented in atie or cravat as tradition dictates, or perhaps on the lapel of ashirt,jacket or coat, providing not only apop of colour,but also abold and unique fashion statement.

Starting acollection,orjust starting to collect antiques in general is not as daunting as manypeoplemay think. Whether you choose to buy at auction, in fairs, at shops or markets, themain thing to consider is if you actually like the piece. Afterall, you may well be considering it as an investment for the future, but markets fluctuate, and increases in prices cannot be guaranteed. Appreciating the piece for what it is and taking enjoyment from it is much more important. So, whether it be a humble stick pin or something completely different, next time something sparks your interest, why not see what treasures you find?

If you would like to receive afreeno obligation valuation of your antiques, please contact Halls Fine Art at fineart@ hallsgb.com or call 01743 450700.

Diamond and pearl coronet stick pin.

Collection of stick pins being offered into the November auction

Enamelled stick pin depicting adog and a blue enamel set stick pin.

ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY

We’ve all heard the story of an auctioneer digging through abox of odds and ends and uncovering arare piece of Chinese porcelain worth six figures, or fighting their way through adark, dusty attic to find abejewelled specimen table, much to the shock and delight of the unsuspecting client.

In fact auctioneers often consider themselves akin to treasure hunters, constantly on the hunt for thediamond in the rough.

While part of thefun is in the hunt, it can be just as satisfying to go straight to the source and seek out thosewho have spent alifetime amassing their passions, which is why,inour experience, the best treasures are to be found in private collections and English country estates.

“You might wonder how much more there is to discover on this small island,” says Auctioneer and Founder Christina Trevanion. “However,after working in the industry for over 20 years, every day proves that there is awealthoftreasures to be found, if you know where to look. Country house contents and private estates are often an auctioneer’s dream awash with pieces of exceptional quality that capture the quintessentially eclectic ‘English Country House style’ which is always en vogue with seasoned collectors, interior designers and first-time buyers alike. These collections have been amassed and carefully curated over many years and are often where we find the most rare and important works of art.”

“Private collectionsand historic English estates generate an enormous amount of pre-sale interest,” says Associate Director Ashley Jones. “In our experience, lots which are part of alarge estate or private collection sell better than the same items standing alone. There are several factors which contribute to this.For one, is provenance –items which hail from the collections

of along-term buyer or from an estate which has been in the samefamily for many years give our bidders more confidence in buying. Theytrust that these pieces are what they appear to be. Furthermore, pieces which hail from a private collection have acertain cache for potential buyers. Forexample, maybebidding for a Roman age bust, which is interesting enough in itself,but there is added interest if it hails from afamous estate or prominent family collection.

“Second, estate pieces generally fresh to the

17th century and later walnut veneered cabinet on chest

market. Works in private collections often remain in the family y for decades (if not centuries) and estate sales offer buyers a rare opportunity to purchase something totally unique.

“In the last 12 months we have had the privilege of handling sales for several country houses, and many of our auction highlightshave come from their contents” says Christina. “In May 2021, the Ruyton Hall collection brought us manysurprises, including acollection ofexquisite botanical drawings which made £15,000, arare Chinoiserie lacquered cabinet which made £14,000, and aselection of works by famed 18th century maritime painter Peter Monamy which made over £26,000. And of course, who could forget the Kenyonestate in which we discovered aCromwellian era portrait of two ladies which sold for £220,000?”

Of course you don’t have to live in a grand house to accumulate afascinating and important collection. “In January we had the Alison Barker collection, which boasted fine medieval carvings,portraits of historical figures and incredible roman marbles, with the top price for asingle piece being £27,000,” notes Christina. “Alison lived in an unassuming town house which gave no cluetothe marvels hidden inside, and there are similar passionate people up and down the country who spend alifetime seekingout and bringing together the pieces which bring them joy.”

If you have acollection you are looking at refining, contact Trevanion Fine Art Auctioneers &Valuers on 01948 800 202 or info@trevanion.com

Roman marble bust sold for

Collection of botanicals of fruit watercolours.

Peter Monamy oil on canvas.

Buntingsdale Hall, Shropshire

READY, STEADY, GIRL!

With Shrewsbury High School’s Ready,Steady, Girl programme, girls aged 3-4 who are preparing to start school now have the opportunity to spend time in the school’s innovative Early Years environment once amonth.

Early learners are invited to discover arange of exciting activities, givingthem the opportunity to explore new ideas and skills. Themes such as coding, construction, engineering, art, storytelling, drama and maths provide the stimuli for hands-on exploration, collaboration and fun.

At “Curious Coders”, girls spend the morning coding robots and exploring algorithms and what’s not to love about getting messy with mud recipes and outdoor art in “Messy Mudketeers”?

Shrewsbury High Schoolisthe only all-through school for girls in Shropshire, experts in educating girls from Reception to Sixth Form and afamily of big and little

sisters in theheartofShrewsbury Head of Juniors Kate Millichamp explains how the launch of Ready Steady Girl helps set girls up ascurious andinspired young learners: “In our school, girls learn without limits. We understand how girls learn, have adapted our environment sothatitisdesigned specifically for them in mind and our whole school, all-girl, all-through culture is conducive to providing the very best learning experience.

“AtSHS, the journey begins with our Ready Steady Girl programme for 3-4 year olds who are preparing to start school. Each year,Shrewsbury High Junior girls continue to work through the Ready Steady Girl programme. They will develop the dispositions needed to become successful learners as we lay the foundations for them becoming real

world ready.Our girls will possess a strong spirit of enquiry,see themselves as empowered, strong and capable and they will be proactive participants in their own destiny

“Learning is an exciting adventure and one which sparks creativity,curiosity and courage.And our commitment to excellence in that adventure starts long before our girls join us in Reception.

“Our girls learn to be confident, positive and fearless and if you have a daughter,there is no better place for her to find her voice and prepare her for the exciting future that awaits.”

To book atour,register for the Junior SchoolOpen Day on November 17, or aplace on our Ready Steady Girl programmefor your daughter,please visit www.shrewsburyhigh.gdst.net or email admissions@shr.gdst.net

THE POWER OF VERSE

Wolverhampton Grammar School challenged young people across the region to write an original poem themed around the environment.

There was afantastic responsewith more than 150 11-18-year-olds submitting work for the contest, which was organised in celebration of National Poetry Day

The competition finalists were invited to perform their work in aPoetry Live Event at Wolverhampton Grammar School on October 11

Before their performances, the 25 finalists took partinaworkshop with rap artist, poet and author,Breis. Breis is a dynamic Nigerian rap artist based in the UK. Growing up in both theUKand Nigeriainfluenced Breis’ sound, which is afusion of hip hop, jazz and Afrobeat.

Breis is also the author of ‘Brilliant Rappers Educate Intelligent Students’. Following Breis’ workshop, students performed their poem to apanel of judges.

Six students from Beacon Hill Academy,Codsall Community High School and Wolverhampton Grammar School were all presented with prizes for their thought-provokingpoetry and powerful performances.

Wolverhampton Grammar School is

getting ready to host aSixth Form Subject Choices Evening on Thursday,November 17, from 6.30-8.30pm.

From art to languages, business to psychology,chemistry to sport, students can study from achoice of 20 A-levels and two Cambridge Technicals

Many students also take the Extended Project Qualification. Enviable staff to student ratios mean that class sizes are no

more than 15 and teachers really get to know each individual well.

This summer saw students achieve the strongest A-level exam results for over 10 years, with 48% of all grades awarded A*/A and 72% A*- B.

Register online for the event at wgs. org.uk/sixth-form-subject-optionsevening or call admissions on 01902 422 939.

Rap artist Breis, with pupils from Codsall High School, Beacon Hill Academy and WolverhamptonGrammar School, during the National Poetry Day event.

Students celebrating their results –Aaron Giri, Emma Herritty, Josh Harris and MathuraPrabakar

Academic excellence in a caring environment

Whychoose us?

•Wide choice of subjects –A Level and BTEC

•Excellentpastoral care

•Extensive bus routes and train links

•Outstanding post-18advice and guidance

facilities in arural setting

within a30-acrecampus

study hub sessions

to atutor

range of enrichmentactivities

and weeklyboarding available

AdamsHouse

Ahome away from home!

forboys and

and

of

MEET THE HEAD

Packwood is aleading co-educational dayand boarding prep school for children aged 4-13. Set in 65 acres of tranquil Shropshire countryside, just fifteenminutes from Shrewsbury, thebeautiful siteand facilities make Packwood atrulyspecial place for children to grow and develop.

Packwood has anational and international reputation foracademic strengthcombined witha focus on all-round education in acaring environment.Small class sizes and dedicated, specialist teachers help to ensurethat every child makes theverybest academic progress.

The extensive co-curricular programme plays acentral role in school life. All pupils enjoy lessons in thecreativeand performing arts as well as playing sportalmost every day. Every child is encouraged to discovernew passions and talents as well as further develop their existing strengths.

RobFoxtookuptheroleofHeadofPackwoodin

April 2019. He believesthat astrong emphasis on pastoral carehelps children to grow in confidence and thrive in all areas of school life He is aspecialist in Prep School and boarding educationandparticularlylovesthewelcoming and genuinelycaring atmosphereatPackwood.

All pupils benefitfromthe close-knit community–it is so much morethan aschool, withmany staff and pupils calling Packwood home.

Ifeel incrediblyprivileged be thenew Head at Prestfelde having startedin Septemberofthisyear.Ihaveworkedin anumber of schools around theworld and this is my second headship. With Prestfelde having established itself as one theUK’s leading Prep schools, it is an exciting time to join withexciting plans forthe future.

It is also aschool that shares my belief in three things that make foranoutstanding education. The first is thestrong sense of community.

Children aregenuinelyhappyhereand the qualityofrelationships between pupils, staff and parents is thecornerstone of what we offer The second is about valuing alove of learning.

Great schools nurture, foster and develop this forevery child. Finally, it’s aboutopportunities forpupils to develop confidence, learn new skills and fire passions.

Presfelde does these things brilliantly meaning our pupils arefullypreparedfor thenextstage of their education.

Forfurther information on Prestfelde School, please visit www.prestfelde.co.uk

To book atour of theSchool please email admisisons@ prestfelde.co.uk

RobFox

Mr Nick Robinson

SOCIAL SCENE

MEMORIES EXHIBITION

Broseley

Talented artists from across the globe were in the spotlight at acharity exhibition.

Memories II featured morethan 700 works of art, from oil paintings and watercolours to photographs, drawings and sculptures.

The event, which has so far raised morethan £150,000, was organised by the High Sheriff of Shropshire, Selina Graham, along with adedicated committee of volunteers. It was held at the Old CowPalace at Willey, near Broseley, in aid of the Alzheimer’sSociety and the Community Foundation for Shropshire.

Photos: Jamie Ricketts

Artist Amy Magee with her artwork.

Sarah Callander-Beckett, Isobella Kreizel, Georgina Swire.

Chloe Jarvis, Ian Jarvis.

Sandy Densem, Sheena Chadwick.

Henry Cecil, ClareCecil

Rhydian Scurlock-Jones, Juliet Scurlock-Jones.

Gareth Williams, High Sheriff of ShropshireSelina Graham, Christina Trevanion, Ashley Jones.

Artist Beverley Frywithher artwork.

Alice Stoker,Andrew Stoker

Philippa Wiggin,Mark Wiggin

GuyElliott, Sophia Elliott.

CliveBeer, Freda Beer

Caroline Magnus, Andrew Tweedie.

Dianna Hill-Trevor,James Sibley.

Miranda Kirkpatrick, FrancisKirkpatrick

Glynis Abraham, Philip Abraham.

BEER &BANGERSNIGHT

Bellstone

ABeer and Bangers night organised by Shropshire supporters of the NSPCC was agreat success, raising £2,510 for the charity.

The event, attended by 125 people, was held at The Morris Hall in Bellstone, Shrewsbury.

The event included real ales, wine and sausages donated by WenlockEdge Farm Photos: Jamie Ricketts

Kate Bource, Julie Otter (joint chair), Sue Skinner (joint chair), Karen Miller,Mandy Armstrong.

Stuart Crocker,Derek AnitaSkinner. Lewis, Annie Duggan.

Hilary Majski, Helen Ryter,Jan Morris.

Einir Burrowes, John PaulBurrowes. McLoughlin, Fiona McLoughlin, Garth Marshall, Penny Marshall.

Chris Jones, Martyn ChrisJones. Smith, Emma Dalton.

Roisin Reeves, Jenny Price, Stephen Jenks, Maurice Price, Rachael Jenks.

Tony Whitehouse, John Parker.

Alison Holroyd, SteveHolyoyd, Lez Hurdiss, Sue Hurdiss. Simon Leader,DiLeader

TENNISTOURNAMENT

Shrewsbury

The League of Friends of Royal Shrewsbury Hospital served up its annual ladies doubles tennis tournament. The popular competition, held at Shrewsbury Town Walls Tennis Club, began with welcome hot drinks beforethe players took to the courts.

After the tournament, players tucked into alunch provided by the fundraising committee, which was followedbythe presentation of trophies to the winners.

Organising Secretary Sue Hurdiss said: “Therewere22 couples (44 tennis players in total) plus all the helpers from our fundraising committee who produced adelicious spread and afabulous selection of homemade puddings.

“In total £1,800 was raised, which included agenerous donation from Lloyds Bank of £500. All the money will be put towards patient monitors for the Day Case Unit at RSH.”

Photos: SteveLeath

Sharon McLaughlin, Antonia Bowett.

Edie Macalister.

Joanna Hughes.

Sandy O’Brien.

Celia Toogood, Meriel Smithyman.

Sarah Orr.

Karen Pearce.

Karen Sullivan, Alison Holroyd, Fiona Edwards.

Rachel Newby, Caroline Caudle.

Tricia Wells, Judy Edwards.

Catherine Moss, Julia Turner

STEVEN BARTLETT ON THESECRET TO SELF-BELIEF

THE DRAGONS’ DEN STAR AND MULTIMILLIONAIRE CHATS TO LAUREN TAYLOR ABOUT HIS CHILDHOOD, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BOUNDARIES

Hebecame amillionaire at 23, set up acompany valued at £300 million in 2021, and is the youngest ever member of BBCOne’s Dragons’ Den line-up, but no amountofsuccess can substitutegood health –and for Steven Bartlett, the last two and ahalf years really put thatinto

pandemic showed me firstfoundation, everything else is says the entrepreneur podcast Diary Of ACEO.“If like atable, our health is verything else is sat upon relationships all sit on, and on, my health.” -old started working out and has“just not stopped”. ess is apriority,rather something he tries to fitinto chedule.

“It’s super important. It’s non-negotiable at this point,” says. “I’ve pretty much been to the gym 90% of the days for the last two and a half years. In the last 250 days, I’ve been 230 times. I’ve only missed one day in the gym in the last three months!” (He tracks gym attendance with his friends).

There’s anaivety often comes with being young, he says, if you’ve fortunate enough not health issues. “You take you just assume your always be there, and that make certain decisions serve your health. Idon’t get to the point where I how importantitisthe way.” mixes it up with cardio workouts, strengthtraining football, while trying to hydrated and getting lots

of massages. And he’s more into spending quality time with people than going on big nightsout now: “I’m not into partying or that kind of thing anymore, Idon’t even like drinking, if I’m honest –itnever seems like agreatidea.”

But we often mistake massages or getting our nailsdone for self-care, he suggests. “Self-care in our culture has become, ‘run abath with abath bomb’ or something, but Ithink,inreality,self care is moreabout personal boundaries –defending yourself,defending your mental health, defending your wellbeing, defending how you’re feeling, defending the thingsthat [add up] to your recipe for happiness.

“I’m getting alot better at saying no now.I’m realising life ultimately is a marathon, it’s not asprint. So you have to be self-preserving in the short term, in order to make it to the finish line.”

Born in Botswana to aNigerian mother and British dad, he says he didn’t have aprivileged childhood. His mum left school “very,very young”, and worked on stalls with his grandmother

His mother –who was unable to read and write herself –would help Bartlett learn to read as achild by takingbooks off the shelf,asking him to copy them out, and then he’d read them back to his father on the phone. So Bartlett knows having access to books is crucial, which is why he backed Aldi’s campaign to donate over 100,000 books to children that need them.

Research by the supermarket found more than 410,000 kids in the UK don’t own abook (that’s as many as twoin every classroom).

“It feels like such asolvable problem and abit of acrime against society,” he says, and it’s predicted to worsen with the cost of living crisis

Despite her education being cut short, Bartlett gets his entrepreneurial spirit from his mum. “Seeing her create businesses is probably the reason why I knew it was possible, and seeing her hard work was the reason whyIbelieved that hard work was part of life,” he says.

He started small businesses from his bedroom aged 14, and by 18 had his first registered business –a marketing agency called Social Chain (which he stepped down from as CEO in 2020 to focus on new projects, Third Weband Flight Story).

Bartlett says his self-belief comes from his own experiences. “I think, for all of us, that’s where it comes from ultimately –weeither have built evidence about what we’re capable of in our lives, or we haven’t,” he says. He became independent from ayoung age (“my parents were very busy”), so “I started building evidence that Icould do things that probably alot of my peers at the time didn’t know they could do.

“A lot of people think self-belief is [about] quotes or clichés, looking yourself in the mirror and saying something. But if you want to become self-believing, you have to go and get evidence. So it’s going out to the edge of your comfort zone, putting your hand up and doing the presentation at work, the out of the box thing that makes you feel slightly uncomfortable. On weekends, it’s pursuing that passion you’ve been procrastinating on, or talking yourselfout of –all of these things will create new evidence, and that will allow you to do more in the future.”

Work probably has one of the most significant impacts on mental health, he believes, “Because it’s thething, for most people, that consumes most of their time”. But aside from doing work he finds meaningful, for him happiness means having “a very multidimensional life, good

friendships, good connections, having a loved one, having apartner”(he’s dating travel influencer Melanie VazLopez).

It’s hard to believe Bartlett only turns 30 this year –“People will stop mentioning my age, which will be abit heartbreaking,”hesays, with alaugh –and yet, incredibly, he wishes he’d achieved more, sooner

“I wish Ihad the greater courage of my conviction at ayounger age. I would have gone more aggressively in the direction of my dreams, and we’d be having this conversation when Iwas 25.”

So what does someone who’s achieved so much want to do next? “I’m looking forward to having kids and doing other things now.Ifeel weird that I’m excited by it, because Ididn’t think Iwould be,” he says. “It’s funny how thingschange.”

n Aldi has created atouching animation narrated by Marcus Rashford to encourage consumers to support the ‘My Reading Journey’campaign and donate books. To help, visit aldi.co.uk/ donatebooks

Steven has partnered with Aldi to support their My Reading Journey campaign.

An illustration from Aldi’sMyReading Journey campaign.

Steven Bartlett playing in the UNICEF 2022 Soccer Aid.

NEWPERFUMES TO KNOW ABOUT

KATIE WRIGHT SNIFFS OUT THE HOTTEST NEW FRAGRANCE OFFERINGS

Whether you like to douse yourself in acloud of signature scent each morning or prefer to peruse your perfume wardrobe and decide what suits your mood, winter is the perfect time to invest in anew fragrance.

The start of the season is when perfumeries and fashion houses bring out the big guns –major new launches vying for aplace on your dressing table, plus exciting twists on bestselling juices, and limited editions you need to snap up before they disappear

Richer than their spring/summer counterparts,these long-lasting aromas offer more bang for your buck. Just afew spritzes is all it takes to keep you sweetly scented all day long.

Here are seven much-hyped scents to get to know this season…

Prada Paradoxe eau de parfum refillable spray, £83 for 50ml (£59 for 30ml also available), Escentual Co-creative directors

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons collaborated with atrio of well-known noses to concoct this pale pink ode to contradictions. A sophisticated blend of neroli, amber and musk, it dries down to leave awonderfully warm, powdery floral trail.

BoySmells Hinoki

Fantôme eau de parfum, £105 for 65ml, Harrods

After customers clamouredfor awearable version of the muchloved Hinoki Fantôme candle, Boy Smells obliged, and the result is just as intoxicating. With notes of resin, leather, tobacco and hinoki wood, it’s a smoky sensation.

Jo Malone English pear &freesia cologne, £110 for 100ml (£55 for 30ml also available)

This fruity fragrance teams ripe King William pear and delicate freesia notes with the warmth of amber and patchouli, evoking the scent of an English orchard.

YSL Beauty LibreLe Parfum, £88 for 50ml (£62 for 30ml also available), The Perfume Shop

The latest addition to the Libre fragrance family, Le Parfum is aspicier, more intense take on the original eau. Adding Moroccan saffron, ginger, orange blossom and amber into the mix, plus honey and vetiver base notes, it’s an elegant, enigmatic fusion.

Molton BrownRose

Dunes eau de parfum, £120 for 100ml Rose and oud are often combined by perfumers, and with good reason.The queen of flowers and the eye-wateringly expensive resin mingle beautifully in this heady juice, which also adds spicy saffron and zingy geranium into themix. Topped with a pink marble-effect cap, the bottle is athing of beautytoo.

Paco Rabanne Fame eau de parfum, £86 for 50ml (£60 for 30ml also available), The Perfume Shop

Not only is this thecoolest perfume bottle of the season –the gold robot dressed in asignature Paco Rabanne chainmail frock –the fragrance is incredibly chic too, with lush jasmine, mango and vanilla notes giving it asassy,tropical sweetness.

Miller Harris Myrica Muse, £95 for 50ml

Inspired by an indulgent aperitif, the key ingredient in this delectable cocktail is myrica –or the bayberry plant which is joined by juicy strawberry and tangerine, abouquet of rose and white florals, and sandalwood to create amusky melange.

WINTER WARMERS

THESE ARE THE COOLEST COVER-UPS OF THE SEASON, SAYS KATIE WRIGHT

It’s that time of year again: there’s a real chill in the air, and summer is a distant memory As we head into winter, these are the jacket trends you need to know about

Heritage blazer

The tailoring trend is evolving, with tweed, check, houndstooth and other heritage patterns proving popular Keep it classic with a black and white cropped blazer, or go bold in a bright check print

Varsity

The preppy trend is still going strong, with cotton shirts, pleated skirts and loafers coming top of the class this autumn Complete your American inspired look with an oversized ‘borrowed from my boyfriend’ varsity t jacket

River Island blue check boucle blazer, £75

Joe Browns magnificent mono jacket, £80; jersey roll neck top, £26; magnificent mono skirt, £45.

George At Asda cream varsity bomber jacket £30

Biker

While black leather jackets will never go out of style, there’s something delightfully warming about a suede biker

From muted shades like khaki and brown to punchy pinks and berries, they’re ideal with jeans, swishy skirts or leather look trousers

Peacockswomen’s mink suedette biker jacket £28

FatFace Suzie biker jacket, £220; Swinley forest fauna midi dress, £79

V by Very jersey textured military button shacket, £35

Shacket

Halfway between a shirt and a jacket, the shacket is brilliantly versatile Throw a neutral style in grey or khaki over a midi dress and ankle boots for a casual look, while a leather shacket adds edge to the classic jeans and trainers combo

Supply & Demand varsity oversized jacket, £55, JD Sports

Quilted

Who would have thought a root vegetable would inspire such a huge trend?

The ‘onion quilted’ jacket (so called because of the shape of the pattern) has become a winter must have Lightweight but warm, these boxy cover ups are perfect for chilly mornings

Bonmarche collarless quilted jacket in denim rinse wash, £30

M&Co Spirit quilted jacket in pale green £65

Matalan pink boucle twin pocket shacket, £30

Le Ore Corso crossover two tone stretch s bra, £35 (was The Outnet.

Pocket Sport Plein air sports bra, black/

-tone tops prints take a eat this season,as ur blockingcomes to ore with two-tone sbras. mneutrals to bright urs, these crop tops upportive and stylish.

Activeblack leopardco-ord half zip top, £22, Sainsburys.

WINTER FITNESS

KATIE WRIGHT RUNS THROUGH THE HOTTEST SPORTSWEAR LOOKS

Ifyou’ve eased up on exercise, or if you’re looking for some gym kit to kickstart your fitness routine, now’s the right timetostock up. The winter collections are landing, and there’s everything you need to update your workout wardrobe –fromhightech, long-lasting essentials to affordable basics. Here are five activewear trends to help you get in gear for winter…

Flared fits

Under Armour women’s UA HOVR Infinite 4running shoes, £115.

Back to black

As sustainability becomes an increasingly important factor for shoppers, we’re seeing areturn to classic black gym kit that won’t fall out of fashion by next season. All-black outfits always look cool,oryou can easily mix and match separates with bright trainers for asplash of colour

MP XSinead short sleevetop, £24; rib seamless cycling short, £32; hoodie, £38, MP

Barbiecorepink

Ever since Margot Robbie was spotted shooting the Barbie movie, pink has become the hottest colour in thefashion world. But you don’t have to don cycling shorts and leg warmers to get the Barbiecore workout look –instead, take your pick of pinks, from pastel to fuchsia.

Lululemon AirWrapmodal pullover hoodie, £108; Softstreme high-rise shorts, £65, Lululemon.

The same way baggy and bootcut jeans have taken over from skinnies, flared leggings and trousers are now the coolest cut on the sportswear scene. Perfect for yoga or dance classes, they also double up as loungewear and look great with chunky trainers.

PE Nation rudimental sports bra, £84; Full Force leggings, £106, PE Nation.

New Balance DynaSoft Nitrel V5, £85.

Gilly Hicks Go Recharge flarepants, £39.

Neon trainers

NikePegasus Trail 4women’s, £115, JDSports.

Throwing it back to theEighties, winter’s coolest kicks are black with fluoro flashes. From hot pink to highlighter yellow,these retroinspired trainers increase your visibility –and your style credentials.

ports s £65),

taupe, £45, John Lewis and Partners

Two Busy backs colou the fo sports From colou are su

DECKINGTHE HALLS TO MATCHYOUR BUDGET

The Christmas Decorators (Shropshire &Staffordshire) is the localbranch of The Christmas Decorators UK.

Whether it is acommercial or residential property,interior or exterior decoration, Winter Wonderland wedding or Christmas-themed parties the company is here for you. As the branch is local, staff aim to ensure you receive a personal, bespoke service, no matter how large or small your scheme is.

Why aChristmas decorating scheme? That’s an easy one to answer.“I love Christmas,” said Lynette Percox, the Managing Director for the Shropshire and Staffordshire branch. “Aslong as Ican remember,I have loved getting ready for Christmas.”

Again, how many of us have enjoyed the wonderful sights of Gnosall and Haughtonduringthe festive season and all the joy their decorative schemes bring?

Many of us would want our homes and businesses decorated to the same high standards, but the time it may take and the stress may be daunting for some.

The staff thought ‘we can do that. We can decorate homes and businesses and help to take the strain away’.

Lynette added: “Many times, when Ihave visited one of our clients for the first time, they have said ‘haven’tyou got agreatjob’ and without exception Ialways say ‘yes’! But we genuinely enjoy discussing ideas and being part of your Christmas.

“Our clientschoosetheir preferred colour scheme, the location where they would like their scheme, the date they want us to install their scheme and the date they want us to take the decorations down again. With over 10 years of experience, The Christmas Decorators are agreat choice to ensure aperfect Christmas this year!”

HIT HIGH SPEEDS WITHOUT SKIS

ARE SLOPES AND LIFTS NO LONGER ENOUGH TO KEEP SNOW HOLIDAYENTHUSIASTS COMING BACK? LAUREN TAYLOR EXPLORES THE PARADISKI AREA –ONAND OFF SKIS

You may think aweek spent endlessly careering down slopes, followed by obligatory après-ski and agooey raclette, more than enough to satisfy your winter holiday needs. Particularly in the second biggest ski area in the world –France’s Les Arcs and La Plagne, with some 450km of slopes between them.

But resorts are stepping up their game. With an increasing number of non-skiers holidaying in the Alps, Les Arcs in particular has seen four times more pedestrians taking the cable car up from the resorts than two years ago. It proves enjoying winter mountain culture is not only the preserve of skiers and snowboarders.

The views, unsurprisingly,are one draw.“It’s known as the balcony of

the Alps,” says Cécile, our guide for the day,“because there are so many panoramic views.” At the top of the longest slope in Europe –a 7km winding red run in Les Arcs –she points out Italy and Switzerland across the sea of mountaintops.

Panoramas can also be enjoyed from the double-decker Vanoise Express, claiming to be the biggest cable carinthe world, connecting Les Arcs to La Plagne –known collectivelyasthe Paradiski area (paradiski.com). And instead of the classic dotting of chalets, Frencharchitect Charlotte Perriand designed Les Arcs in the late Sixties “with bigger buildings, so people would see more of the mountains rather than lots of chalets”, explains Cécile.

The multi-altitude offering is unique

too: there are five different resorts at five different elevations –from Arc 1600 to Arc 2000

The latter area is home to the area’s only 5* offering, Taj-I Mah Hotel (from £164pp B&B; hotel-tajimah.com/en), which makes full use of the views from the dining room andthe swimming pool –as well as my room with its plush, textured walls and luxe cabin vibes.

And there’s aserenity here. While other Frenchresorts like ValThorens and Tignes may offer more black runs,Les Arcs and neighbouring La Plagne (with no less than 11 resorts from 700m to 2,100m) have areputation for being better for families, both for gentle slope options (more than 50% are blue and green and there’s an excellent beginners’area) and for less nightlife.

But with alot of competition for our cash, many resorts are offering more than they used to. It may well be protection for the future too: with climatechange reducing snowfall in the lower resorts, more holidaymakers will be forced up to higher altitudes making pistes much busier.And so enters agrowing array of alternative adrenaline sports for skiers and non-skiers alike…

Ziplining

Anewly-opened zipline hangs directly above aspeed skating slope (known asthe extremelysteep ‘flying kilometre’), where Simone Origone set the world record of 252.4 kph in 2006. While you won’t reach Origone’s top speeds,itdoes claim to boast heart-in-mouth speeds of ‘up to 130 kph’. Its starting point is 2,680m at the top of the Varet telecabin, where Ipark my skis and step into aharness ready to be flung 1,800 metres down the mountain.

Forreal adrenaline junkies, there’s an option to go horizontal andhead first, but Iopt for seated (the views are more enjoyable apparently) and after being clipped in and aquick “un, deux, trois” the drop is steep, stomach-rising and exhilarating. It’s awonderful, if quick, way to see the snow-covered mountains in all their glory,the village of Arc 2000 hurtling closer towards me at such a speed, Iwonder if I’ll slow down in time at the bottom. It’s asofter snap back to earth than it looks, thankfully l £49pp or free with aPremium Pass (en.lesarcs.com)

Bobsleigh

Afavourite discipline in the Winter Olympics, it’s possible to hurtle down a professional bobsleigh track as anovice. La Plagne is home to France’s only bobsleigh and skeleton track, nestled into the mountainside at 1,800 metres.

In the1992 Olympic Games, world athletics descended on this small alpine village to compete on this track, and currently,the Danish national team trains here.

There are three options to suit your adrenaline needs: the ‘bob raft’, slightly wider than Olympic bobsleighs with plenty of padding, for three or four people, reaching speeds of 80km/h; the ‘speed luge’, for individuals lying down feet first, with top speeds of 90km/h; and finally the fastest, and closest to pro competition experience you’ll ever get, is ‘bob racing’ –adriversitsinthe front with three passengers behind and speeds of up to 120 km/h.

As first timers, my fellow travellers and Iopt for the bob raft, which Iwrongly assumed would feel tame as Ipop on a helmet and excitedly hop inside. The clock above counts down and we’re given apush down the slope, quickly picking up speed. Bend after bend (there are 19), it gets faster as the raft bounces of the tracks sides and theG-force builds, until we pull into the finish line. Absolutely exhilarating.

l £43pp for the bob raft (en.la-plagne. com)

Lauren Taylor ata view pointinLes Arcs –thenskiing and moonbiking in La Plagne.

Bob raftsatthe start of theLaPlagne bobsleigh track.

Moonbiking

It’s rare on skiing holidays to fully see the mountains in all their glory when the sun goes down. But for those who haven’t had enough of an adrenaline fixbyday, Oxygène in La Plagne offers moonbiking by night. An environmentally-friendly alternative to the petrol powered (and noisy) snowmobile, moonbikes are all electric, silent, and have fat wheels to help grip the snow.

Iquickly realise it’s trickier than it looks. Motorcyclists may find the super sensitive accelerator easier to control, but these vehicles have alot of power (which is needed to get up steep snowy slopes). Our guide, Gérard, takes pity on my nervy riding and offers to take me on an easier,but still picturesque, route. By the time we reach aplateau, thesun has gone down completely and La Plagne’s village lights sparkle in pockets in the mountain sides.

Descending is easier,and more fun, and back on the flat ground of 1,600m, I’m grateful our four-star Araucaria Hotel (from €156/£139 B&B; araucaria-hotel. com/en) has asteam room,sauna and swimming pool, where Ican relax my nerves.

l £80pp for one hour session with a guide (oxygene.ski)

n Visit lesarcs-peiseyvallandry.com for updated winter 2022/2023 Paradiski lift pass prices.

The zipline at Les Arcs.

Skiers relaxing in La Plagne.

AMERCEDES FOR THEELECTRIC AGE

CAN THE EQS DELIVER THATHIGH-END EXPERIENCE PEOPLE EXPECTFROMASIX-FIGURE LUXURY CAR? JACK EVANS FINDSOUT

Mercedes isn’t wasting any time in expanding its EQ range of electric vehicles, and this –the EQS –is there to sit at thevery top as the firm’s battery-powered flagship.

Designed to offer the sumptuous quality and peerless refinement that you’d get from the regular S-Class, the

EQS arrives with an impressive claimed range of up to 453 miles and performance that would give ahot hatch arun for its money

Mercedes has started strong from the get-go, creating abespoke platform for the EQS that will go on to underpin the firm’s future luxury and executive EVs. In doing so, it has freed up interior space

that wouldn’t be available had it adapted the EQS from an existing petrol or diesel chassis.

But asbefitting a flagship, the EQS is also kitted out with arange of nextgeneration systems. Youcan get it with the latest ultra-wide ‘Hyperscreen’ for instance, while rapid charging means drivers shouldn’t have to wait around too long for atop-up.

The EQS is available with a punchy all-wheel-drive set-up in the range-topping Mercedes-AMG EQS 53. The car we’re testingis the more efficiency-focused 450+. It’s got asingle rear-mounted motor with 325bhp and 568Nm of torque, which translates to a still-respectable 0-60mph time of just six seconds, while flat out it’ll manage up to 130mph.

But the real draw here is the range of the EQS. Mercedes claims thatyou could see up to 453 miles from asingle charge, which gives it oneof the longest ranges of any EV on sale today.Capable of charging at up to 200kW,the EQS couldtop up its 107.8kWh battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 31 minutes when hooked up to a rapid charger.This equates to 186 miles

of range for every 15 minutes spent on charge.

The EQS manages to take some of the superb refinement that you get in the regular S-Class and only elevate the experience. Because there’s alack of any engine noise, the cabin of the EQS is as hushed as you like, with both road and wind noise kept well isolated from interrupting the peace. It’s quick, too, but this isn’t acar you try to hustle along. It’s one that you’d rather just settle into acruise in, which it undertakes with impressive ease.

The rear-wheel steering fitted to the EQS is also arealmarvel. At slow speeds, the system allows the rear wheels to oppose each other,effectively shortening the car’s wheelbase. In reality,itmeans you can perform three-point turns in even the narrowest of areas with ease, which is something you wouldn’t expect acar measuring just over five metres long to be capable of It has been designed solely in the wind tunnel. Of course, aerodynamic efficiency is of great importance in an electric vehicle, but it’d be nice to see some interesting elements added to the EQS to spruce things up abit.

That said, you do get afull-width light bar at the front –something we’ve come to expect from nearly all new EVs –which gives the EQS afuturistic look at night. It’s just not the mostexciting-looking of cars.

The refined driving character of the EQS is mirroredwithin the cabin. It’s awonderfully comfortable place to be, with well-bolstered front seats ensuring that long-distance journeys won’t be accompanied by backache. We still have

our reservations about the steering wheel controls as, like they do in other current Mercedes models, they can feel alittle clumsy to operate and not as tactileas we’d like.

Forthose sitting at the back? They’re going to get one of the best experiences in the business. The flat floor of the EQS means there’s loads of legroom –even for the person sitting in the middle –while there’s plenty of headroom, too. When it comes to boot space, theEQS offers 610 litres with theseats up or 1,770 litres with them folding down. There’s quite alarge load lip to contend with, mind you.

Much like the S-Class, the EQS comes with some of the very latest technology that Mercedes has to offer Our test car didn’t come with the aforementioned ‘Hyperscreen’ –it’s availableasa£7,995 optional extra on AMG Line Premiummodels and above –but it stillhad alarge 12.8-inchcentral display alongside a12.3-inch driver display.Both are brilliantly clear and easy to read, with the main infotainment touch controls being responsive and quick.

Our Luxury Line car came in at £106,995 but had all of these features you’d expect from acar withthis kind of price tag. Highlights included ship-deckstyle wood on the dashboard, 22-inch alloy wheels and even a fingerprint scanner sothatdrivers can instantly load their pre-selected settings at the press of a finger

The EQS doesn’t just do well as an electric car,itdoes well as aluxury car in general. With its ultra-long range, there’s very little penalty for choosingitovera petrol or diesel option, while that silent powertrain only helps to elevate even further the hushed cabin experience that you get from acar of this type.

Although its looks might not have us sold, in all other areas theEQS is atruly impressive proposition.

FACTFILE

Mercedes-BenzEQS

Priceastested:£106,995

Engine:Rear mountedelectricmotor

Power:325bhp

Torque:568Nm

0 60mph:6seconds

Topspeed:130mph

Economy:N/A

Emissions:0 Range:453miles

FIRE AND ICE

BY HEATHER LARGE

November is the month when the days start getting noticeably shorter and temperatures starttodip.

It’s also atime when the communities around the county turn out to ‘remember, remember the 5th of November’.

Over the years, bonfire and firework events to mark Guy Fawkes Night around the county have always proved huge draws.

They include aspecial display at RAF Cosford in 1964, whichwas staged for 44 children from the Vineyard Children’s Home, Wellington, who were given the VIP treatment.

Meanwhile, members of the 4th Market Drayton Guides were out and about in 1966 carrying out asurvey of people’s views on fireworks which they hoped would result in an article for a Guiding magazine.

It’s also atime when children’s thoughts start turning to Christmas and their present wish-lists.

And in 1985, Christmas came early for West Midlands League division one club Newport Town and Hanwood, from the Shrewsbury and West Shropshire Alliance, who received new strips from their sponsors.

Burt Morris, former ShropshireStar sports editor,wrote that this was the Star’sannual fireworks night bonfire,in 1966, which his children remember with great pleasure. The canteen provided kids with sausages, chips and baked potatoes.

Members of the 4th Market Drayton Guides carrying out asurvey of people’s viewson fireworks for an article for aguiding magazine, back in 1986. Out and about in Market Drayton with the questionnaireare Claire Marshall, Sasha Talbot and LynHaynes.

Having agoodtime at Leominster Lions Club Victorian Street FayreinNovember 2002 areBromyardtowncrier Pete Dauncey and his wife the Mayor of BromyardCllr Joan Dauncey and the Mayor of Leominster Cllr Roger Hunt.

Tom, aged 10, Bill, six, and Bronwyn Harrison, 12, from Ludlow, were outonthe streets with their Penny for the Guy, to raise funds for Bitterley Youth Club, to buy some fireworks for November 5, 2001.

Whitchurch and District Lions Club held abonfire and firework display at Whitchurch Cricket Club in November 1999. Pictured demonstrating the safe way to enjoysparklers areShoana Simpson and daughter Abbie.

West Midlands League division one Newport admiretheir shirts from Wellington wine bar owner Tony Thacker in November 1985. From left,general manager Aled Jones, secretary John Tranter,Tony Thacker,manager Chris Cadman and vice president Derek Winkle.

Marcus McDonald, aged four,ofShrewsbury, finds just what he would likefor Christmas 1980 in the toy department of the town’s John Menzies store.

Weston Park accountant MikeAllen takes his lookalikeguy to the bonfire ready for the Sunday night display in November 1997.

Forty-four children from the VineyardChildren’s Home, Wellington, were given the VIP treatment when RAF Cosfordput on abonfire and fireworks display in 1964.

Enjoying their sparklers at the Newport Rugby Club’sbonfire in November 2001 arebrothers Jonathan and Daniel Barrass.

SHREWSBURYSEVERN ROTARY CLUB TREE OF LIGHT CHARITIES REVEALED

The Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club introduced the concept of the Tree ofLight into thetown 26 years ago. Last year the Tree of Light raised £7,500 for its sponsored charities and has raised more than £170,000 since its inception.

This year’s donations will be distributed to three local charities, namely,Hope House Children’s Hospice, Lingen Davies Cancer Fund and the Midlands Air Ambulance.

People are invited to sponsor one or moreremembrances in memory of adeparted loved one or of aparticular cause. Remembrances can be sponsored through aminimum donation of £5 per remembrance.

The Shrewsbury Chronicle and Shropshire Star have kindly agreed to publish the names to be remembered weekly from mid-November through to Christmas. In addition the remembrances will appear on the Shrewsbury Severn Rotary website over the same period. Donationscan be made by acheque made payable to ‘Rotary Tree ofLight’, or cash, andsenttoDyke Yaxley,1 Brassey Road, Old Potts Way, Shrewsbury,SY3 7FA. Please mark your envelope Rotary Tree Of Light.

If paid by direct banking, details are: Sort Code 20-77-85, Account Number: 50415472, Account Name: The Rotary Club of Shrewsbury Severn Tree of Light.

If you would like to donate online visit www.shrewsburyrotary co.uk

FOUR WSSUDOKU

WHO… directed and starred in the 1969 film Easy Rider?

WHAT… type of surface is the sport curling played on?

WHERE… is Tibet’s Forbidden City?

WHEN… did the SAS storm the Iranian embassy?

WHO… wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress?

WHAT… type of literature is known by the abbreviation SF?

WHERE… in Frankfurt would you find the statuesofabear and abull?

WHEN… wasthe century in which Samuel Pepys wrote his diary?

WHO… starred as Kojak on TV in the 1970s?

WHAT… imperial measure is equivalent to 4.546 litres? WHERE… were the two European countries which fought the Hundred Years’ War?

WHEN… did Miinnehoma win theGrand National?

WHO… wrote The Postman Always Rings Twice?

WHAT… religion has Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as its chief gods?

WHERE… in the US is Cape Canaveral?

REMEMBER WHEN

THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ALL OCCURRED IN AYEAR IN LIVING MEMORY.CAN YOUGUESS WHICH ONE?

The Vervehad aUKNo.1 hit with The Drugs Don’t Work

Jack Nicholson starred in As Good As It Gets

The Bank of England was given independence from political control

British nanny Louise Woodward was freed from prison after her murder conviction was reduced to involuntarymanslaughter

Enid Blyton’s first Noddy book was published

Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Leicester City 3-1 in the FA Cup Final

Orson Welles starred in The Third Man

Richard Gere was born

Anita Ekberg starred in La Dolce Vita

Author Nevil Shute died

Vivien Leigh and Sir Laurence Olivier got divorced

Johnny Kidd and the Pirates had aUKNo.1 single with Shakin’

Over

Hanna-Barbera Productions was founded

Actor Richard E. Grant was born

Guy Mitchell had aUKNo.1 single with Singing the Blues

The BBCbroadcastadocumentary about spaghetti harvests as an April Fools joke

Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in Total Recall

Madonna had aUKNo.1withVogue

Poundland opened its first store

113 people injured in the Trafalgar Square poll tax protest

Jenny Agutter starred in Walkabout

Fashion designer Coco Chanel died

TRex had aUKNo.1 hit single with Hot Love

Playwright Terence Rattigan was knighted

WHEN… did Edward Ibecome king of England?

WHO… was the child actor who starred in Home Alone and My Girl?

WHAT… is the name of the tissue damage caused by flesh being frozen?

WHERE… is the U.S. state of which Atlanta is the capital?

WHEN… was the Olympics at which Ben Johnson was disqualified for doping?

WHO… directed E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial?

WHAT… environmental group is known by the abbreviation FoE?

WHERE… is the country from which snooker player RayReardon comes?

WHEN… did Franklin DRoosevelt introduce the New Deal?

WORDWISE

THE WORD MAYSOUND FAMILIAR, WHATDOES IT MEAN?

1. DIADEM

A Crownorhead-band.

B Man-made stone used for jewellery C Maker of dials.

2. EDACIOUS

A Learned. B Gluttonous. C Bad tempered.

3. FRESCADE

A Not-too-sweet drink. B Fine gravel. C Walking when it’s cool.

4. EMMET

A Bee. B Beetle. C Ant.

5. GOBELIN

A Mischievous spirit. B Small deep sea fish.

C French tapestry

6. HEMATITE

A One who suffers adisease of the blood.

B Valuable red iron ore.

C Animal or plant in which the two sexes areunited.

CRYPTIC CLUES

Apainter,Iwas born in France in 1832. Amember of the Impressionist school, an early work featuring anude wasrejected by the Paris Salon, so Iexhibited it at theSalon de Refusés. My most famous paintings include Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe.

Anovelist, Iwas born in Ohio in 1931. Beforebecoming apublished writer,Iworked as an editor for Random House. My literature details the sense of alienation felt by African American women, and the relationship between black and white cultures in the USA. Iwon theNobel Prize for

What successful carpet manufacturers make (4)

Where infants are safe to triflewith writing implements (4-4)

Didn’t

Down

port (4)

Certainly not themost depressing form of epitaphs (8)

Italian port where one is found in dilapidated street (7)

Convert

being punctual (2,4)

He gets involved with wide, flat area of grain (5-5)

WHAT’SMY NAME?

Literature in 1993, andmyfamous novels include Song of Solomon andBeloved.

An actress, Iwas born in Chicago in 1968. Imade my movie debut aged eighteen. Ihavesince starred in many films, including Stigmata and Lost Highway.Iused to be married to Nicolas Cage, and my brother used to be married to Courteney Cox.

Muse and consider atopic in part(5)

Unpleasant expression from an unhappy monarch is heard (4)

This offers some relief for the geography student (7,3)

In this is asource of some interest, it’s assumed by the cleric (8)

Music when the students have fun (7)

Plane adjusted round the end of the flat work base (6)

Signor Marconi embraces the girl(5)

Return enemy detainees in exchange (4)

Anavigator,Iwas born in Portugal in about 1460. Adistinguished seaman, in 1497 Iwas selected to discover aroute to India via the Cape. I became viceroy to India in 1524.

Adramatist, Iwas borninDublin in 1751.Between 1776 and 1778 Ibought up thepatent of the Drury Lane Theatre, and Iproducedall my subsequent plays there. Ibecame a Member of Parliament in 1780 and held the posts of Receiver-General of the Duchy of Cornwall and Treasurer of the Navy.Iwrote the well-loved comedy The Rivals.

IMPOSSIPUZZLES

Betty was waiting at thegate when her husbandarrived. “You’re ten minutes late,” she told him. “Did you leave late?”

“No, and Icame the same way as yesterday,and drove asteady 42 kilometres an hour,” Keith replied. “I just don’t seem to get it right. Yesterday Idid asteady 54 kilometres an hour,and arrived ten minutes early.”

How far had he driven?

When Bob was as old as Rob was when Bob was half as old as Rob was when Bob was as old as Rob is, Rob was just athird as old as Bob was when Rob was half as old as Bob is.

Rob, who is younger,is in his ’teens, and we have of course taken ages in complete years. So how old are they?

“These 22 toy soldiers were cheap, Dad,” Mike said. “32 pence, 60 pence and 80 pence each. Theycost me just twelve pounds the lot.”

After scribbling some figures on ascrapofpaper,Dad shook his head. “I still can’t make outhow many you got at each price. Did you buy most at 60 pence?”

Mike replied “No” –and that enabled his father to solve the little problem. Youtry!

“It’s for our gang,” Andy explained. “Money from those odd jobs we all do, and Ishare it out equally among us every month. We’ve done it three months, and each time there’s been abit over.The first month the total was £23.30, and that gave some pence over.The second month £31.65, and Ihad just twice as muchover, and last month we got £37.24, leaving three times as much over as for the first month. I’m letting those bits over accumulate for now.”

How much did each boy receive for thesecond month?

word clue:

NOVEMBER

5Described as ‘a truly gifted stand-up’, join Joanne McNally as she revisits her irreverent and critically acclaimed show The Prosecco Express.

Due to arelentless ageing process, Joanne is suddenly in her late thirties with no husband, no kids, no pension and no plan. She is full of questions: if she doesn’t give birth, who will be obligated to watch her die so shedoesn’t have to do it alone? Can she start aGoFundMe page to get agolden tomb built for single people to get buried in together,ordowe all just get thrown intoamass grave and covered in cat hair?

When aman on adating app identifies as ‘spiritual’, is it safe to assume he has the personality of aspoon? If you do all your drinking in the bath,can you write it off as self-care?

Joanne will appear at Oakengates theatre. Visit www telfordtheatre.com for more details.

5&12

The fabulously festive Shrewsbury Winter Fair will be back by popular demand this year at the most beautiful St Mary’s Church in the centre of the county town.

Shrewsbury is the perfect place to visit during the Christmasseason. It has the most independent shops in the UK, aglorious magical atmosphere and an extraordinary number of Dickensian attractions to give anyone wanting atruly traditional and special festive experience goose bumps.

This year,Shrewsbury Winter Fair has two November dates, Saturday 5th and

Saturday 12th, both 10am until 4pm and entrance is as always completely free.

Aspokesperson said: “There will be lots of stalls offering awidevariety of products. We would absolutely love you to pop along and support our local traders. Youare guaranteed to find aspecial gift for aloved one, something you have always wanted to buy for yourself and alovely choice of localfood and drink which will be just too difficult to resist. The cafe will be open to offer alovely selection of breakfast,lunches, tea, coffee, cake and much more.”

Details from www.chantillygrey.com

11Star of the Royal Variety Performance, Would I Lie to You?, Have IGot News for You, QI, andLive at the Apollo, one of the UK’s top stand-ups Chris McCausland (left) is on tour with astandup show about life, family,and other nonsense, and will appear at Telford Theatre, Oakengates. Visit www.telfordtheatre.com

12The magical tale of Saint Nicolas by Benjamin Britten, and the premiere of The Age of Anxiety by John Bowen, will be performed by Shrewsbury Choral at Shrewsbury Abbey starting at 7.30pm. Achildren’s choir from Ellesmere College will also be performing with the choir.Shrewsbury Choral will be led by astring quartet, with their leader Alex Postlethwaite, and accompanied by Chris Barnes, tenor and trumpet soloist Peter Athans

This concert is adramaticcantata

consisting of various scenes depicting the life of Saint Nicolas,the patron saint of children, and his faith, his miracles and his enduring legacy.StNicolas was famous for many legendary miracles and for being the original ‘Santa Claus’. The audience will have the opportunity to join in to two beautiful hymns: ‘All people that on earth do dwell’ and ‘God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform’.

Their accompanist John Bowen has written Requiem in an Age of Anxiety This will be premiered at Shrewsbury Abbey.Itwas created during therecent lockdown and what he describes as “that strange time of isolation when choral music became lost temporarily and worship moved online”. Both compositions will be performed by Shrewsbury Choral, conducted by Dr Martin Cook.

Tickets for the performance are available online priced £15 adults, (under 18s free) at www.shrewsburychoral.org uk, from Pengwern Books, Fish Street, Shrewsbury,bycalling 01743 232236, or on the door on the night.

18Festival Drayton Centre welcomes adazzling new magic show presented by James Phelan, the magician most famous for jamming the BBC switchboards after he correctly predicted the lottery.This astonishing five-star rated show will leave you aching from laughter and dizzy in disbelief

Directed by the late Paul Daniels, this magic show comes to the stagefor the first time –you’ll be transported to ajawdropping world of light-hearted hilarity, wonderment, and mystery

Joanne McNally brings her irreverent comedy style to Oakengates TheatreonNovember 12; Saint Nicolas by Benjamin Britten and the premiereofThe Age of Anxiety by John Bowenwill be performed by Shrewsbury Choral at Shrewsbury Abbey.

Dr Martin Cook, Shrewsbury Choral Musical Director

Focusing on mind-bending feats of illusion, from making people forget their own names to vanishing them from the auditorium entirely,this sensational show is asure sell-out and showingexclusively for alimited run.

Visit www.festivaldraytoncentre.com for more details.

24-26

Bayston Hill Amateur Dramatics

Society presents Off The Hook, by Derek Benfield. Set in the lounge bar of the Hook House Hotel, the plot centres around two crooks, Fred Baxter and Charlie Mullins who have sprung Harold Spook from prison, so that he can lead them to asuitcase full of money Unfortunately,they have the wrong man. Add to this hotel owner,Major Catchpole, who is more interested in his animals than the hotel, Norah, his amorous wife, who

chases all the male guests, and her sister Edna, who is employed as acleaner,but steps into any role thrown at her.Then there are guestsMrs Fletcher-Brewer JP and her daughter Carol, who are enjoying aquiet country holiday.Finally,more chaos is added when Polly,and her elderly, hard-of-hearing father,Mr Parkinson, arrive at the hotel.

Venue is Bayston Hill Memorial Hall, Lyth Hill Road, Bayston Hill SY3 0DR Doors and licensed bar open at 7pm with curtain up at 7.30pm. Tickets £10 (including afree programme) online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/BHADS or by emailing bhadsdrama@gmail.com, or by calling 07814177540.

25Gordon Hendricks Is Elvis at Telford Theatre, Oakengates, this month. On the Graceland Stage at Memphis on the 40th anniversary of

Elvis’ passing, Gordon was crowned 2017 Ultimate Elvis Tribute ArtisteChampion, after winning Collingwood, Canada, again. He is the only Elvis tribute act to win it twice at the largest Elvis festival in the world; he is billed as the undisputed No.1 in theworld. Gordon brings his fabulous show back to Telford after sellout shows across the world. This show takes you on ajourney through all of Elvis’ iconic music.From the 50sthrough to the 68 Special to the Vegas years, this show is astunningreplication of Elvis and features all his great songs in aclassic show that gives you over two hours of sheer magic and enjoyment.

Gordon is accompanied by the TCE Band &Singers giving you all your iconic songs andrecreating thosemagical vocals –it’s as if Elvis himself is on stage.

Details from www.telfordtheatre.com

WORDWISE:

CROSSWORD: QUICK SOLUTIONS:

Brouhaha;

Repair;

Lure;

Preposterous; 20 Outsider; 21 Hide;

Disperse; 23 Shut. Down: 1 Calamity; 2 Arrange; 4 Recipe; 5 Unbeliever; 6 Apart; 7 Aide; 10 Accomplice; 12 Prospect; 15 Abolish; 16 Assess; 18 Rites; 19 Hold.

CRYPTIC SOLUTIONS: Across: 1 Hits; 3 Cog-wheel; 8 Paid; 9 Steerage; 11 In slow motion; 13 Sweets; 14 Pierce; 17 In full flight; 20 Workmate; 21 Pile; 22 Play-pens; 23 Left.

Down: 1 Happiest; 2 Trieste; 4 On time; 5 Wheat-field; 6 Erato; 7 Leer; 10 Contour map; 12 Vestment; 15 Ragtime; 16 Platen; 18 Norma; 19 Swop.

WHAT’S MY NAME?: 1.Édouard Manet. 2.Toni Morrison.

3.Patricia Arquette. 4.Vasco da Gama. 5.Richard Brinsley Sheridan.

WORDSPIRAL 1: 1.Roof 2.Feet 3.Toga 4.Avid 5.Daft

6.Tear 7.Rhea 8.Aged 9.Deem 10.Mini 11.Itch 12.Hush

13.Half 14.Frau 15.Unit 16.Tuba.

Key word solution: ALBANIA.

WORDSPIRAL 2: 1.Coma 2.Alms 3.Stir 4.Rest 5.Tuck

6.Kelp 7.Pool 8.Lime 9.Edge 10.Erse 11.Easy 12.Yank

13.Knob 14.Bone 15.Eton 16.Nabs.

Key word solution: LOBSTER

WORDSPIRAL 3: 1.Fish 2.Heed 3.Duke 4.Echo 5.Oast

6.Thin 7.Norm 8.Mark 9.Keen 10.Nazi 11.Item 12.Most

13.Then 14.Nuns 15.Snug 16.Gala.

Key word solution: MELANIE.

IMPOSSIPUZZLES: 1.Keith drove63kilometres. 2.Rob

18 years old, Bob 20. 3.10soldiers at 32p, 4at60p, 8at80p 4.Each received £1.37 for the 2nd month.

Magician James Phelan brings his incredible showtoFestivalDrayton Centre;Elvis tribute act Gordon Hendricks comes to TelfordonNovember 25.

A G A Z I N E S U B S C R I P T I O N