SO Magazine January 2024

TRAVEL

The great escape Why January is the perfect month to jet, set and go somewhere warmer and sunnier

CULTURE

WELLBEING

We catch up with TV’s Stephen Mangan filming at Hever Castle for his Sky Arts show

Essential advice from our team of experts on starting – and maintaining – a healthy you in 2024

Picture this

Healthy start

LEGAL DUTY

THOMAS MANSFIELD SOLICITORS CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF THEIR SECOND OFFICE IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND REVEAL WHY THIS EXPANSION DEMONSTRATES THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

JANUARY 2024

AUTUMN/WINTER 2023 Book now at hemstedpark.com

© Photograph by Jan Versweyveld

A Little Life 30th September

The big dementia conversation Oh What A Lovely War

Kidenza

7th October

15th October

Kinder

The Great Think Pink Show 20th October

Join the big dementia conversation 23rd/24th October at our next event:

Let’s talk about dementia Tuesday 30th January 2024 2pm - 4pm Sleeping Beauty 27th October

Gary Delaney in Punderland 28th October

Learn more about the lesser-known A Very Old Man with symptoms of dementia and what you Trio Bohemo Enormous Wings 3rd November 16th November can do to support a loved one.

Trusted to care.

Weald Heights care home Sevenoaks Angela Hewitt To book please call Swinging 01732 at608302 the Cotton Club or November email amelia.moore2@careuk.com 19th 25th November

The Jazz Sapiens 8th December

Christmas with the Len Phillips Swing Orchestra 15th December

PHOTO KEY & QUILL

W

elcome to the first edition of SO magazine in 2024.

We start by looking ahead to some of the fun things you can do this month courtesy of our calendar picks (p4). We’re so lucky to have so many fantastic events to participate in which will be the perfect tonic for those January blues…

Our cover interview is with the team at Thomas Mansfield solicitors who have just opened their second office in Tunbridge Wells. The firm, which was co-founded by our interviewee Neill Thomas in 2004, has since gone from strength to strength, opening numerous offices in the South East and expanding its legal expertise. Turn to page 8 to discover why their approach to doing business makes them so unique…

Elsewhere in the issue we have an exclusive chat with actor and broadcaster Stephen Mangan who has filmed two episodes of his SKY Arts programme Landscape Artist of the Year at Hever Castle and Gardens. The first one airs later this

month and you can find out all about the show and Stephen on page 35.

A lot of people will be thinking about getting fitter and healthier this month and I am pleased to say we have plenty of expert advice on how to achieve your goals courtesy of our brilliant regular columnists who can guide you through exercise tips, nutritious diets and how to improve your mental health too.

If you’re not quite on the path of diets and detoxes then don’t fear as we have lots of delicious seasonal recipes thanks to Will Devlin of The Small Holding (p40) and our wine editor James Viner gives us his top tips on vegan approved wines if you’re wanting to celebrate Veganauary (p39).

With a fascinating interview with local interior designer Phoebe Oldrey on how we can achieve a more holistic – yet stylish – home and a fantastic travel piece on why Malta is a great idea if you want to escape the winter weather, we feel we have everything covered to make your January a good one!

Wishing you all a very healthy and happy 2024.

Eileen Leahy Editor SO magazine Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @somagazines

THE TEAM EDITOR Eileen Leahy eileen.leahy@onemediauk.co.uk ISSUE 183

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WELCOME

Culture vulture: What’s on where this month Tune in: Paul Dunton interviews talented musician Sean de Burca Law society: Neill Thomas, co-founder of Thomas Mansfield on the evolution of his law firm

contents January 2024

Fun into fundraising: Lord’s Taverners hold a special charity lunch Birthday wishes: Good to talk: Local media networking group celebrate a successful year Party on: Jess Gibson from the TN Card throws a seasonal soiree Style queen: Victoria Genevieve hosts a fashion pop-up at Hoopers Law and order: Thomas Mansfield opens its second Tunbridge Wells office Love Where You Live: Brittens’ Music Andrew Collins on where he shops and socialises Café society: The TN Card’s Jess Gibson meets the founder of The Lodge

57 59 61

Recharge yourself: Emma Sims talks energy flow – how to get it and keep it Shape of things to come: Fitness expert Sarah Gorman on achieving fitness goals Hit reset: Flow’s Lucy Parker tells us about her key retreats

63 64 66

Plan ahead: Tim Sykes on getting your garden ready for the new year Get away from it all: Karen Martin takes a magical trip to Malta Full speed ahead: We reveal the top cars for 2024

Award winning: Don’t miss your chance to be part of this year’s Times Business Awards Market value: Lettology’s founder tells us about her unique rental business Artistic endeavour: TV’s Stephen Mangan on filming at Hever Castle for SKY Make a toast: James Viner raises a glass to vegan wines for Veganuary Food for thought: We meet The Small Holding’s Will Devlin House beautiful: Local interior designer Phoebe Oldrey on achieving holistic interiors Fashion foward: Kitch’s Charlotte Newman’s top style tips Gut feeling: Hypnotherapist Karen Martin shares her tips on good gut health Good earth: Naomi Murray from Botanica Health on the powers of our humble soil SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 3

CALENDAR

Ben Cornwell brings you the most entertaining events happening this January

MUST SEE EVENT: ABBA VOYAGE SELECTED DATES Forget the January blues, why not live life in technicolour instead by seeing the phenomenal ABBA Voyage?

Although you can’t take pictures while inside the purpose-built ABBA arena - located at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London - audiences say that it really is amazing to see one of the world’s most successful pop groups of all time back on stage.

ABBA members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad perform digitally using state of the art motioncapture with a live 10-piece band during the 95-minute concert in the venue which seats 3000 and is the only place you can see Voyage in the world.

As you’d expect the show boasts loads of the legendary Swedish group’s fantastic hits including Voulez Vous, Mama Mia and Waterloo and sees the band, who first found fame when they won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, re-imagined as 21stcentury pop stars.

The incredible and immersive concert also features new material from ABBA’s latest album Voyage – their first in 40 years – as well as cutting-edge lighting and audio technology. We promise that if you go you will be thanking ABBA for their music for ever…

ABBA Voyage plays seven performances per week.These are: Monday 7.45pm,Thursday 7.45pm, Friday 7.45pm, Saturday 1pm and 6pm, Sunday 1pm and 6pm.Visit abbavoyage.com to book tickets.

LET’S DANCE JANUARY 5-6 Bowie Night is returning for its eighth edition at the Tunbridge Wells Forum.

The event features the incredible house band plus an astonishing array of guest vocalists and special appearances all covering David Bowie tracks. Proceeds from this event will support West Kent Mind and Nourish Food Bank.

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Limited tickets are still available on the Forum website, at twforum.co.uk/ listings.

DID YOU KNOW?

MAD ABOUT THE BARD JANUARY 11 Tortive Theatre’s smash-hit Edinburgh Fringe show, Shakespeare’s Fool arrives at the Trinity Theatre to kick off your new year.

Join Will ‘Cavaliero’ Kempe as he gives his final performance to an audience of a mouse and a marotte and tells us what really happened between him and Shakespeare. Not heard of him? Then briefly Kemp was a celebrity like no other and largely responsible for the success of Shakespeare’s early work. If Kemp was in a play…it sold! Sadly the pair fell out and Kemp died alone and poverty stricken – ironically not very far from the original Globe Theatre. A bittersweet and informative tale…

More info and tickets at trinitytheatre.net

The purposebuilt ABBA Arena houses 291 speakers, producing 870,000 watts of audio amplification and over 500 moving lights mapped to 30,000 points in the arena ,helping create an immersive live concert

SECRETS OF THE CASTLE JANUARY 15 (AND OTHER DATES) Discover the secrets of the castle with these rare behind-the scenes tours of Scotney’s old castle.The old castle has its origins in the 14th century and forms the centrepiece of Scotney’s Picturesque landscape. On this 45-minute tour you’ll see areas not normally open to the public such as the kitchen, garde-robe, priest hole, and inside the iconic Ashburnham tower itself.You’ll learn a little of the castle’s long and colourful history, hear what’s involved in looking after it, how it has starred in films, and about the recent archaeological dig and their

plans for re-planting the ruins.Tickets cost £5 and only ten people can tour at one time.You can check the full dates and book your visit on the National Trust website.

NO SUCH THING AS A GRUFFALO JANUARY 20-21 The Gruffalo’s Child will be coming to the Assembly Hall Theatre this January. Follow the Gruffalo’s Child on her adventurous mission in Tall Stories’ enchanting adaptation of the much-loved picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s Child ignores her father’s warnings

CALENDAR

about the Big Bad Mouse and tiptoes out into the deep dark wood. She follows snowy tracks and encounters mysterious creatures – but the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist... does he?

Tickets and timings are available on the Assembly Hall Theatre at: assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW?

WILD TRACKS

David Bowie had close family ties with Tunbridge Wells. Bowie’s mother, Margaret, grew up in Southborough and met the star’s father Haywood Stenton Jones at Tunbridge Wells’ former Ritz cinema.

JANUARY 26 Paralympic gold medal-winning cyclist Steve Bate MBE shares the incredible journey of riding to ascend the iconic mountain of Kilimanjaro, with fellow Paralympic gold medallist Karen Darke MBE at Trinity Theatre. With a diverse team, Wild Tracks explores themes of challenge, diversity and human potential.

This evening of film and insight will illuminate the gifts that lie within the tough stuff of life and how we might transform what, at first, seems messy, into something rich in meaning and magic. From the physical demands of the journey to the emotional healing that mountains bring, take a journey of discovery and inspiration.

Book your tickets at: trinitytheatre.net

I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS JANUARY 13 Award-winning storyteller Danyah Miller brings best-selling children’s author Michael Morpurgo’s treasured story to life at Hemsted Park, Benenden this January.

This intimate show is set in a library full of books that hold more than stories within their pages. It is a tale of the power of books, and the

bravery of 8-year-old Tomas who hates reading and school.The young boy’s world is turned upside down the day he meets the Unicorn Lady in his local library and embarks on a spellbinding journey…

An enchanting and interactive production, I Believe in Unicorns, which won an Argus Angel Award for Artistic Excellence at Brighton Festival, sparks the imagination in both the young and old.

Book your seats at: hemstedpark. com/events

RUN INTO THE NEW YEAR EVERY SATURDAY If your new year’s resolution is to stay active, why not head along to the Tunbridge Wells Park Run at Dunorlan Park every Saturday at 9am.

It is a free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event.You can walk,

jog or run it’s up to you. Make sure you register on the Park Run website before you go along and bring a scannable copy of your barcode with you.There will also be a chance to grab a post-Park Run coffee in the Dunorlan Park Café.

three tournaments: the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the 2020 European Championships and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. With one of the worst track records for penalties in the world, Gareth Southgate, played

by Joseph Fiennes, knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt, to take team and country back to the promised land.

The screening on January 25 starts at 7pm and tickets are available for £16 on the EM Forster Theatre website.

RIDE THE GIN EXPRESS JANUARY 20 For those not participating in Dry January, why not take part in an original gin-tasting experience on a Steam Locomotive? The Kent Gin train departs from Tunbridge Wells West for a return trip to Eridge, and along the way you get the chance to enjoy three different gins from local distilleries.

To enhance your gin tasting experience guests will also receive a bowl of ice and a selection of fruits to garnish your gins with and a complimentary Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water.You can mix your gins up to suit your taste in your very own branded Spa Valley Railway Balloon Gin glass and to keep hunger at bay a delightful selection of canapés will be served too.

REPAIR AND REFUEL JANUARY 27

KICK OFF YOUR EVENING JANUARY 25 A screening of the National Theatre’s new play Dear England about the England men’s football team is being shown at the EM Forster Theatre in Tonbridge this January. Filmed live on stage at the National Theatre, Rupert Goold (Director of the award-winning movie, Judy) directs this spectacular new play by James Graham.The play follows the England men’s team under Gareth Southgate in the run-up to, and aftermath of

Have you got broken household items? Bring them along to the Repair Cafe’s team of volunteer experts at Trinity Theatre from 10-1, have a cup of tea, some cake and get them repaired.

The Repair Café is a volunteer-led community event where people with repair skills help mend items that no longer work.This helps prolong the item’s life and ideally prevents them being thrown away unnecessarily.

The Repair Café team do this at no charge but if you would like to make a voluntary donation, they welcome these as that helps cover costs and any surplus money goes to charity.

This is all available for £35 per adult.

Visit the Spa Valley Railway website to book your train ride.

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 5

MUSIC

c i s u M o r t s e ma Kicking off his column for 2024 SO’s resident music guru Paul Dunton chats to talented guitarist Sean de Burca about his new record Revenant and discovers his plans for 2024...

Sean de Burca is a local guitarist based between southeast England and the west of Ireland. Using altered tunings, effects pedals, and guitar body percussion to create soaring, fast-paced and upbeat compositions, Sean has gained global recognition.

During 2014, having only played guitar for seven years previously, Sean was chosen as one of the ‘Top 30 Guitarists Under the Age of 30 Worldwide’ by Acoustic Guitar Magazine, alongside Ed Sheeran, Newton Faulkner and more. Over the last decade he has released three records and performed across the UK, Ireland, America and Canada. Here he reflects on a successful year and reveals what 2024 has in store for him...

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS? Most of the last year has been focused on creating a new CD, while also taking every chance to perform live the songs from ‘Shapeshifter’ - the album that I released during the first lockdown. I took time off from live performance at the end of 2019 in order to record the album, but by the time it was ready to release we were in lockdown.The album would be nearly two years old before I got the chance to take these songs to the stage. It’s been such an uplifting experience to be back playing live in Tunbridge Wells after waiting so long for this opportunity.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW RECORDING… The upcoming EP is called ‘Revenant’.

I composed this record entirely on a Harp Guitar. The Harp Guitar is traditionally just like a regular six string acoustic guitar, but with a further six sub-bass harp strings added to an extended guitar body shape.There

Paul Dunton

Music Editor Follow Paul @PaulDuntonmusic

are four compositions on the EP, but eight tracks in total: the first four tracks are the original solo Harp Guitar fingerstyle compositions played on just the one instrument, as I would play them live on stage, while the remaining four tracks are reimagined versions featuring electric guitar, electric bass, drums and piano.

I began my musical career behind a drum kit and later moved to bass and guitar. I like to create these reimagined versions as it both provides the listener with an alternative version of the solo fingerstyle pieces and gives me an opportunity to play the instruments I started out on.The first single from Revenant, ‘Reanimate’ is set for release on January 26. CDs and T-shirts can be pre-ordered from my Bandcamp page To preorder Revenant: www.seandeburca.bandcamp.com CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COVER ARTWORK FOR REVENANT? ‘Revenant’ means something or someone that has returned after a long absence. Taking a long time away from the stage due to Covid restrictions certainly could have inspired this theme. The cover art shows a skeleton playing a harp guitar, surrounded by clouds with the sun above - moon and stars below.

“It’s been such an uplifting experience to be back playing live in Tunbridge Wells after waiting so long for this opportunity”

The EP’s tracklisting features the titles ‘Deteriorate’ and ‘Reanimate’, emphasising the opposites, a darker more frantic composition followed by an uplifting hopeful piece. I have always created my cover artwork and I am fortunate to create artwork for many other musicians too. Graphic design is my day job and I work closely with all sorts of musicians around the globe to create cover artwork, logos, merchandise, vinyls, lyric books, and various hand rendered and embellished materials.

DO YOU FIND GETTING GIGS AND ATTAINING FANS EASIER OR HARDER AS AN INSTRUMENTAL ACT? In terms of live opportunities, being instrumental hasn’t held me back as much as I expected. It seems that having an instrumental act can sometimes be useful in terms of providing some diversity to a gig’s line up. I’ve been very fortunate to get performance opportunities at events such as Local & Live and the Black Deer Festival, through to heavy metal festivals like UK Tech-Metal Festival and MammothFest. Radio play however seems to be much harder to come by than live opportunities, this is definitely where I think vocal tracks would be beneficial.

WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT FROM YOU AT A LIVE SHOW? My performances usually comprise of songs from my Stormchaser, Mechanism and Shapeshifter records, with an occasional fingerstyle cover added into the set list. I use an array of effects pedals for added textures too, such as Overdrive, Wah, and a Digitech Whammy for pitch shifting.

There are few quiet moments, focusing mainly on groove driven, upbeat and fast paced pieces. I am very excited to start bringing the Harp Guitar out to gigs and playing

the ‘Revenant’ songs live on stage.

We’ve seen you play a handful of guitars on stage, can you tell us about your choice in guitars?

My main guitar for almost 10 years now is a Jupiter, made by Faith Guitars. This is a jumbo size six string acoustic, a true workhorse guitar. It’s withheld heavy playing and endless tuning changes over the last decade.

This guitar is fitted with a K&K Trinity Pickup, which combines three transducers and a small microphone - this setup allows all of the natural tones and guitar body percussion to be amplified accurately. I also play a seven string acoustic built by Carillion Guitars, who are based in Surrey. This guitar features an extra low string and provides a very wide range of textures and bass presence. And of course, the harp guitar, built by Timberline Guitars.

AND CAN YOU REVEAL WHAT YOUR PLANS FOR 2024 ARE? I am always writing music and right now I have a handful of new compositions and a few covers. I will begin focusing on these after the Revenant EP has been released. I have also been booked to perform and host a masterclass at The Fingerstyle Collective Guitar Festival, taking place July 5th-7th in Torquay, alongside guitar legends Gordon Giltrap and Alexandr Misko.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU ONLINE? The best places for regular updates are my Instagram and Facebook pages, whereas my website and Bandcamp page are useful for finding info on my records, merch and sheet music.

Instagram: @SdeBurca Facebook: facebook.com/sdbguitar Website: sdeburca.com To preorder Revenant: www.seandeburca.bandcamp.com SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 7

COVER FEATURE

DAVID BARTHOLOMEW PHOTOGRAPHY

LEGAL EAGLES: Kate Rayner, Neill Thomas and Emma Howlett

Expert counsel with a personal touch

Thomas Mansfield Solicitors has offices all over the South East including two in Tunbridge Wells – the second of which has just opened on the High Street. Eileen Leahy sits down to chat to the firm’s co-founder Neill Thomas along with partner and Head of Family Law Kate Rayner and Head of Private Client Emma Howlett to discover their unique way of doing business and why they are so happy to bring back a customer-facing office to Tunbridge Wells…

S

tepping over the threshold of the smart new Thomas Mansfield office, which is located at 65 the High Street in Tunbridge Wells, for the very first time I am greeted by a group of smiling faces.

The fizz is flowing and delicious canapes are being handed round to staff members and loyal clients.

People are chatting and laughing – and clearly excited.

Now, it has to be said that this is not the usual scenario you’d expect to be playing out in a law firm but as it’s the official launch for Thomas Mansfield’s second office here in Tunbridge Wells it’s clearly a very special occasion. The town’s

8 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

Mayor is also present and the mood is one of celebration.

When I return to the new Thomas Mansfield office, which is positioned right opposite the historic G Collins & Sons jewellers, a few days later the ambience is still very much upbeat. The firm’s co-founder Neill Thomas welcomes me in to the stylishly appointed space, where team members are chatting and passers by stop to peer through the windows.

“We’re so happy with how our official opening went,” states Neill as we walk up to the main meeting room which is positioned at the back of the new office which is decorated in a sleek combination

of navy and white and feels genuinely inviting.

“We were looking for quite some time,” Neill goes on to explain.

“We have wanted a customerfacing office in Tunbridge Wells for a good while and so when this premises became available we knew we had found the right space.

It was a very natural progression for the business.”

Neill co-founded Thomas Mansfield in 2004 with his colleague Jonathan Mansfield. The firm now boasts offices all over the South East of England – and even one in Frejus, France which is proving to be a huge success for ex-pat clients.

“Over the past 20 years since the firm was established the company boasts legal expertise in a number of different areas but in Tunbridge Wells the focus is very much on family law and wills and probate”

Over the past 19 years since the firm was established the company boasts legal expertise in a number of different areas including employment law and dispute resolutions but in its Tunbridge Wells branches – the first of which is located at the top of the town near Pret a Manger – the focus is very much on family law and wills and probate.

Thomas Mansfield is Lexcel accredited (the Law Society’s law management quality mark) and recognised by the leading independent legal directories, Chambers & Partners and Legal 500.

“Although our business has expanded over the years our initial

COVER FEATURE

commitment to provide the best expert legal advice from lawyers who also connect with their clients on an individual level has never changed,” continues Neill as he introduces me to the firm’s Head of Family Law Kate Rayner and its Head of Private Client (Wills and Probate) Emma Howlett.

“When Jonathan and I established Thomas Mansfield in 2004 we felt we could offer clients a more personal and costeffective service that would make a difference to their lives. This simple principle still drives our lawyers’ work today,” adds Neill.

It’s a good time to be opening a new premises and being featured in SO magazine as Neill tells me that January is traditionally the busiest time of year for any law firm, with divorces and tax being two of the biggest legal issues to have to deal with.

That’s why in 2017 Thomas Mansfield created a new Family Law team, which is now run by Kate Rayner who, Neill tells me, is one of the country’s finest experts in this particular area.

“The team has expanded rapidly in Kent, London and Surrey, and we now employ a number of solicitors and paralegals in this team,” he states.

In 2019, the firm grew into yet another specialist area, that of private client law which encompasses estate planning, wills and probate. This particular team is run by Emma Howlett and helps clients draft wills, create Powers of Attorney, administer the estates of people who have died and also provides advice to clients about reducing their inheritance tax liabilities.

Neill says that having the new office on Tunbridge Wells High Street will help the firm to be more

“We have wanted a customerfacing office in Tunbridge Wells for a good while and so when this premises became available we knew we had found the right space. It was a very natural progression for the business”

accessible to the local community in all of the matters above.

“When the opportunity arose to take over this place we jumped at it because it’s a way of raising awareness of our services,” explains Kate before adding that they are not really ‘expecting walk in trade.’

“But if people can see the areas we specialise in then hopefully, should they need us, they know where to find us. It also gives us the chance to be closer to the community in which we work and to be more accessible. As a Tunbridge Wells local I deeply understand the nuances of our community.”

Neill goes on to say that by having such a prominent premises in Tunbridge Wells means that Thomas Mansfield are helping to bring the traditional solicitors office back onto the High Street.

“Traditionally most solicitors would have had a visible presence in towns some decades ago but with the rise of the internet most firms are no longer accessible to the general public. Now if you walk up and down a high street there are literally no other firms there. If you are looking to instruct a solicitor then most people would have to do a Google search if they didn’t already know one. We are trying to make the whole process of using our services as personable as possible.”

Emma then makes the valid point that when most people contact a lawyer it is not for the most positive of reasons.

“Now having this type of visibility we hope will break down some barriers and mean that potential clients aren’t having to do a blind search on the internet.

It will also help raise awareness of our brand and if people are on the

Why Choose Thomas Mansfield: Thomas Mansfield Solicitors are a leading practice in London and the South East: The law firm is proud of its record on client care and has a history of delivering first class legal services to individuals at reasonable cost. “Most people choose us through a recommendation or after having read our client feedback,” Neill Thomas tells SO magazine.

When you come to make a will, want advice about inheritance planning, probate or a power of attorney you want to ensure you are putting yourself in a safe pair of hands.

Thomas Mansfield’s wills and probate solicitors are chosen not just for their legal acumen but how they relate to clients. “We are good listeners, empathetic and want what’s best for you and your particular circumstances,” adds Neill.

high street they can look in and immediately see what we do and keep us in mind should they need help.”

“It’s like a gentle reminder,” smiles Kate whose work sees her doing everything from pre-nups and divorces to family mediation.

And although Thomas Mansfield have numerous other offices including in Sevenoaks, Guilford and London, Neill admits there is something special about doing business here in Tunbridge Wells.

“It is particularly good as it’s a commuter town with plenty of character, excellent schools, great places to eat and excellent entertainment. It’s an attractive place to live and also has great transport links.

“And whatever situation clients contact us about we want to ensure they receive the best possible advice and service. We do this by putting a lot of effort into recruiting people with excellent academic records who have had extensive training, experience of life and an ability to see clients as individuals with a problem to solve.

You only need to read our client feedback to see why the firm has become so popular.”

Another value to the new office is that it can serve as a bridge between the Thomas Mansfield team and the residents of the town.

Community is very important to

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 9

COVER FEATURE

the business and so by having a customer-facing bricks and mortar premises the firm now has the opportunity to hold regular events with various legal experts.

“This could be for wills and probate or family affairs. It is all about offering guidance where we can and giving back to the community by sharing advice on matters that are relevant to them,” says Neill.

“The law is something most people don’t understand so these drop-in events will be an opportunity for people to come in and engage with us.”

Although Thomas Mansfield

staff members won’t be in the new office every day – with the exception of a full-time receptionist - the idea is to hold meetings there on designated days.

“It’s great to be here as local clients can see us at a time that is convenient for them and in between seeing people we can work from here too,” adds Kate - who says the main aspect she enjoys about her role is the journey she goes on with clients.

“When they first meet me, they are usually going through an awful lot of emotional turmoil. So to see them gradually come through that, get stronger, achieve their financial

“The law is something most people don’t understand so these drop-in events will be an opportunity for people to come in and engage with us”

10 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

FAMILY LAW: THE AREAS THOMAS MANSFIELD SPECIALISES IN: • Thomas Mansfield offers a full service of family law matters, advising on the division of matrimonial assets including the family home, second homes, cross-jurisdictional assets such as holiday homes overseas, pensions and long-term incentive or investment schemes.

• It also advises clients on the division of businesses on divorce or separation.

• The firm additionally advises clients about contact arrangements for children, domestic violence issues, prenuptial and cohabitation agreements, civil marriages and separation.

COVER FEATURE

WILLS & PROBATE: THE AREAS THOMAS MANSFIELD SPECIALISES IN: • Probate and Letters of Administration Probate is an umbrella term for estate administration, but in fact it means obtaining a Grant of Probate and administering the estate where the deceased left a will. Where there is no will, the same process is called obtaining Letters of Administration.

Both are the legal processes you have to go through in order to gather in, sell or pass on someone’s property, possessions and money.

Administering the estate includes dealing with all the tax consequences of this and passing the estate to the beneficiaries.

• Wills If you die intestate (without a will) your property and valuables may not go to the people whom you most want to inherit them, it will be difficult to administer your estate, and you could end up paying large amounts of tax that would otherwise go to your loved ones.

Therefore, the sooner you make a will and plan for life after you have gone, the better off your intended beneficiaries will be.

• Financial Planning The importance of financial planning Our private client lawyers will discuss how you can pass any property you leave so the maximum goes to your family and friends and

independence and then be able to move on with their life is very rewarding.”

When I ask Neill about what he enjoys most he replies that he ‘likes dealing with people’.

“And the feedback we receive is excellent - that’s what also makes the job so worthwhile.”

As well as connecting face-toface, Neill says the company would like to look at sponsorship and also introduce more volunteer days for the firm’s employees.

“Thomas Mansfield team members are encouraged to take a paid day off in order to undertake voluntary work. That is something that we do across all of our branches. It’s about having that compassionate touch.”

“In many ways this office reflects the fact that our USP is that we are very personal, specialist and bespoke in our approach to legal matters,” states Emma.

Neill adds that unlike traditional solicitors, Thomas Mansfield doesn’t ‘do a bit of everything.’

Instead it is firmly focused on the aforementioned key areas of law which means it has extensive knowledge and expertise in the family and wills and probate sectors.

“In days gone by your local solicitor would do a bit of everything. That could include criminal law, conveyancing, divorce and assets. But the fact is you can’t know all areas of the law inside

the minimum to the tax man!

Looking at how your property will pass on death is also the moment to look at your financial plans more generally. Our solicitors don’t give investment advice but they can point you in the direction of an independent financial advisor (IFA). This is the help you need to keep and grow your assets to pass on to your loved ones.

• Powers Of Attorney Most people live their day to day lives without thinking what would happen if they suddenly became incapacitated, for example in an accident or sudden ill-health such as a stroke. Others have some inclination that they are losing their mental capacity as it is a slow process as old age starts to take a hold. Either way, thought should be given to who will manage their affairs, whether temporary or permanently. This is called a power of attorney. It authorises a specific individual called an attorney to take decisions on behalf of another either generally or in limited circumstances. These are not to be confused with an ordinary power of attorney, which may be granted on behalf of someone who still has mental capacity but may require a nominated person to sign a document on their behalf.

“We have also built a team of lawyers specialising in international family law so we can offer our services in other countries thanks to investing in good IT which means we can carry out high level work on a global scale”

out. The strength of our team is fantastic because their knowledge is excellent.

“We hire from the best law firms in the country and people want to work for us because we pride ourselves on what we do but crucially we are also flexible. So if someone wants to work from home for example then we can offer that hybrid. I think that really enhances our offering. That is then reflected in the type of clients we attract.”

Emma reveals the main part of her job she loves the most is having that very personal relationship with her clients.

“I really enjoy the contact aspect of my work. A lot of my clients are elderly so it is very rewarding to be able to help them through the often complex world of wills, probate and estate planning.”

“We are very fortunate to have Emma,” says Neill. “She has so much expertise in this particular area – and also in the international arena. She has brought us clients from all over the world including Nigeria and Hong Kong.

“We have now built a team of lawyers specialising in international family law so we can offer our services in other countries thanks to investing in good IT which means we can carry out high level work on a global scale. We have a lot of ex-pat clients in places such as India, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates and Australia. And since opening our dedicated office in Frejus, France

in 2018 this has also proved to be a huge success.

“London is known as the divorce capital of the world because the legal system starts off with a presumption of an equal spilt of assets and offers maintenance to the spouse, which is much more favourable to wives than most other countries,” advises Neill.

But whether dealing with international clients or ones who are just on their doorstep here in Tunbridge Wells, Thomas Mansfield’s approach is always the same.

“We’re here to guide, support and stand by every individual navigating the terrains of family law,” continues Kate. “Our doors, both old and new, are always open to those seeking expert counsel with a personal touch.”

Next year Thomas Mansfield will celebrate its 20th anniversary.

How does Neill feel to be still here 20 years on?

“It’s great to know the business is going from strength to strength.

And I think that branching out into Tunbridge Wells a good few years ago has helped with the firm’s natural expansion. This town has really made a difference for us and encouraged us to open in other parts of the region. I’d say it’s actually been quite pivotal. I love the idea of us having a High Street presence here in Tunbridge Wells and if it works out then we will look to roll out the idea elsewhere.”

ABOUT THOMAS MANSFIELD Keeping your personal affairs in order gives you peace of mind and guarantees that your family’s interests are properly protected, both now and in the future.

At Thomas Mansfield their lawyers play a crucial role in helping clients manage their personal legal affairs and achieve their financial and estate planning goals.

They provide advice on a wide range of legal matters, including Wills, Inheritance Planning, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Probate, Will and Inheritance Disputes and Court of Protection.

They also advise clients with overseas property about Wills and powers of attorney and overseas clients with property and assets in the UK. The firm takes the time to understand clients’ circumstances and goals, and are expert in sensitively guiding clients through the complex issues relating to inheritance, protection of wealth, capacity and family disputes.

Thomas Mansfield advises a broad range of clients, including entrepreneurs, landowners, families and their businesses, together with individuals from the UK and overseas.

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 11

Are your finances in shape?

Learn how to track and take control of your finances, so you can invest in your future financial wellbeing.

Download our free Financial Health checklist and feel more confident with your money.

I can be more with Charles Stanley.

So can you.

Call the Tunbridge Wells team 01892 883 987 The value of investments can fall as well as rise. Investors may get back less than invested.

Charles Stanley & Co. Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Take control of your finances this new year

By Katie Presland Senior Investment Manager Charles Stanley Tunbridge Wells We all have different backgrounds, goals, attitudes and ambitions. But the foundations needed to build a secure financial future are similar for all of us.

What should you do?

While many of us know the importance of being in control of our finances, we are not always sure what this means or how to go about it.

What would you like to happen if something happens to you?

It is important to ensure all your paperwork is in order and that you have spoken to your loved ones about your wishes to avoid any surprises. Make sure you have your wishes documented legally with both a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and a Will.

Are you taking advantage of your available allowances and exemptions?

By placing your money in pension or ISA accounts you can save tax and make your investments work harder for you.

You won’t pay capital gains tax on any profits and there’s no tax on dividends from shares or the income earned on bonds.

Are you protecting yourself against fraud?

It is crucial to protect your online finances. Create unique, strong passwords; such as combining three random words.

Use a password manager, which creates and securely stores passwords for you.

Having a conversation with a financial professional can help you take control giving you freedom and peace of mind.

And set up two factor authentication, which protects access to your online accounts by having to enter a code sent to your mobile phone.

Before you seek professional help, there are some things you should think about that form the basis of a strong financial position, both now and into the future.

Regularly check your online financial accounts to spot unusual activity, and subscribe to a free credit checking service to find out if someone is trying to use your identity.

Do you have control of all your finances?

Gathering information about all your bank accounts, savings, mortgages, pension pots and investments is a good place to start to fully understand your financial situation. It may immediately raise some questions as to whether your finances are being managed as effectively as possible.

Is your debt under control?

The main foundation of a healthy financial position is keeping debt under control. For many, the ideal situation is having no debt at all. However, debt is often a necessity as, in most cases, you are unlikely to be able to pay for higher education or buy a house without it.

Are you prepared for the unexpected?

Nobody likes to think about death, serious illness, or losing their job, but being prepared for the unexpected is vital if you want to protect yourself and your loved ones if the unfortunate occurs.

Trust no-one, and assume every email, text message or phone call is bogus until you can independently prove it is genuine.

Always ask yourself, “Is this contact unexpected and is it asking me to do something?” If the answer to both questions is yes, it could be a fraud attempt. Resist responding and if unsure, check with a friend or family member, or call the supposed organisation’s main office number.

To find out how Charles Stanley can help you take control of your finances, contact Katie and the team today.

01892 883 987 www.charles-stanley.co.uk The value of investments can fall as well as rise. Investors may get back less than invested. Charles Stanley & Co. Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

35 Monson Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1LS 01892 517986

w w w. e d n e y a n d e d n e y. c o m

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Fun &

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ast month, the West Kent Lord’s Taverners hosted a special lunch at the Spa Hotel.

More than 180 members, business partners and guests of the West Kent Region of the Lord’s Taverners – which is headed up by Dinah Morgan and David Carter - were present at the event which was hosted by comedian and MC Ian Irving, who was ably assisted by fellow comedian and auctioneer, Adger Brown.

“Following a delicious lunch gold medal paralympic table tennis champion, Will Bayley OBE, revealed how he had risen to No1 in the world of paralympic table tennis and regaled guests with tales from his time on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2019. Ian Irving then took the opportunity to share his comedy take on life, much to the amusement of everyone at the lunch,” a Lord Taverner’s spokesperson told the Times.

Adger Brown then oversaw an auction which raised muchneeded funds to support the Lord’s Taverners charity whose work empowers and positively impacts the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality.

For more info on the Lord’s Taverners West Kent Region, contact Dinah Morgan and David Carter at LordstavernersWKT@ lordstaverners.org PHOTOS BY TINA CHATFIELD

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 15

Atelier de Linde: Architects FIVE DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2024

New year, new colours, new technology: 2024 promises to be exciting for architecture and home design. Within such a dynamic industry, it can be overwhelming keeping on top of what’s hot and what’s not. Angie Pool and Tara de Linde – directors of RIBA-Chartered Tunbridge Wells architects, Atelier de Linde – share their top five trends for the coming year.

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SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION: LOCAL TALENT With construction accounting for 38% of carbon emissions globally, the drive for sustainable solutions will increase. Atelier de Linde has been at the forefront of championing sustainable design; using local materials and talent is a key element within this, and we are proud to have developed a network of aligned professionals to help bring our clients’ dreams to life.

PANTONE COLOUR OF THE YEAR: PEACH FUZZ In sharp contrast to the bold Magenta ‘Chip’ Colour of 2023, Pantone has selected an altogether softer shade for 2024. Described by Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute™, as a tone which “effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless,” look out for interior designers incorporating this warm, fresh, feminine colour into their work.

TARA AND ANGIE’S TOP TIP: “We would pair Peach Fuzz with deeper blue tones for some dramatic effect, and with olive greens for a fun, mid-century aesthetic.”

2

TARA AND ANGIE’S TOP TIP: “Clarity Homes and Commercial are helping raise standards within the construction industry, including empowering clients, challenging poor mental health within the sector and offering stable employment and great opportunities for their employees.”

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS: SIP PANELS Structural Insulated Panel Systems significantly improve sustainability, both during the build and once the building is complete. SIPS panels are a high-performance construction method, providing excellent insulation and dramatically reducing both overall build time and the end-user’s energy consumption.They regulate temperature extremely effectively and reduce the reliance on mechanical ventilation systems.

TARA AND ANGIE’S TOP TIP: “By implementing SIPS in your home designs, you can be sure your home is sustainable, low maintenance and healthier – another key trend for 2024 – as SIPs improve indoor air quality as well.”

3

AI IN ARCHITECTURE

AI has become such a powerful tool for many industries, and architecture and design is certainly one of them. We’re applying AI that integrates leading expertise on renewable energy and sustainability, making sustainable design more affordable for our clients, as well as exploring how AI can be harnessed to enrich our clients’ experiences. For example, we recently took our design team to an exhibition of AI integrating with art.

TARA AND ANGIE’S TOP TIP: “Expect to see an explosion of creativity fueled by AI in 2024 to add focal interest to your interiors.”

BEAUTIFUL, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Award-winning, RIBAchartered architects We realise your dreams with tailored service, combining high-quality design with sustainable principles.

Experts in:

5

HIDDEN AUDIO VISUAL AT HOME The future is smart: from big-ticket appliances down to lightbulbs, there is a rising trend to integrate technology throughout homes.

We’re looking forward to embracing this further in 2024, through designs that seamlessly take the finished home to the next level. Expect home technology to interface with you intuitively, learning your routines and preferences – from temperate control to lighting – for a fully optimised lifestyle.

TARA AND ANGIE’S TOP TIP: “Be sure to outline your needs early with your architects, as collaboration with the smart-home experts is a process best started as early as possible.”

• New builds • Passive House retrofits • Carbon neutral buildings • Schools, hotels, public spaces

www.atelierdelinde.co.uk hello@atelierdelinde.com 01892 571474

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Media

force

PHOTOS BY JAMES TRAVIS OF TRAVIS DIGITAL

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TW Media Group hosted its annual Christmas Party at Hotel du Vin, Tunbridge Wells, last month. 80 professionals from the media industry, who live in and around Royal Tunbridge Wells, and many of whom work locally too, celebrated their 2023 achievements and networked with peers whilst enjoying a stunning three-course lunch and entertainment from the talented magician, and Edinburgh Fringe hit, Pete Heat.

Andy Evans, Investor, Business Advisor and Founder of RTW Media Group, commented: “We are committed to cultivating a vibrant media business community in and around Royal Tunbridge Wells, uniting likeminded individuals driven by a shared passion for the industry who are keen to help each other.

We are beyond delighted that our members now exceed 300 individuals, and this is growing month on month.”

Anyone interested in joining this free group can find out more by visiting www.rtwmg.com

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 17

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Say

cheers!

J

ess Gibson hosted the TN card’s annual Christmas social for Tunbridge Wells town centre business owners last month.The venue was Bocca Social on Mount Pleasant Road and drinks and canapes generously sponsored by RTW Together.

Attendees included TN partners Trinity Theatre, DoDoMi, Geography, The Finance Hub, Glass by Claudia, The Herbal Dispensary, Fonthill Brewing Co., Kent Cricket Direct, OsteoStrong, Revive Hairdressing, Simply Luxury Escapes, Pure Therapies and The Festival Theatre at Hever.

Bocca Social is a TN partner and gives members 25 per cent off their food bill for themselves and up to three guests from Sunday to Thursday of each week.

The TN card hosts free events for business partners each quarter as one of the many ways it helps to support local businesses. Its next event takes place at Old Auction House on January 9. For more details visit thetncard.com/events.

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 19

ADVERTISING FEATURE

How your home can help you be healthier in 2024

throughout your home you can enjoy the benefits of multiple speakers in different areas of your home. These mood-based soundscapes can be linked with low-level lighting to create a spa-like relaxing environment in your own home,” says Charlie.

BREATHE IN THE BENEFITS

Smart home technology that can help improve your mental health and well-being is improving all the time

After an indulgent festive season, many of us will be looking to set some health goals for 2024. If you’re hitting the gym with renewed vigour and scrolling for healthy recipes, you’ll be pleased to know that your home can also help you feel healthier and happier this year. Charlie Hibbins, Managing Director of Symbiotic Smart Homes, explains how a smart home could be your biggest supporter in 2024 and beyond.

HEALTH BEGINS AT HOME

The UK health and wellness industry is estimated to be worth over £7.0bn – and rising. The Covid-19 pandemic, in particular, forced us to reevaluate our homes and our health simultaneously, so it is perhaps not surprising that the latest trend is seeing health start with the home.

“There are many drivers prompting the growing trend in optimising homes to support our health,” Charlie explains. Lockdown made us all realise how important our homes are – after all, we spend most of our time there, whether that is to relax, eat, exercise, or sleep. Many of us now work from home at least some of the time, so it has become more important than ever to create a space that works with us.

“The smart home industry has responded to this demand by refining and improving technology that can help improve both mental and physical health | | 20

JANUARY 2024

SO Magazine

and wellbeing.

“Everyone’s priorities will be different, so it is important to get the balance and the budget right when you are considering implementing smart technology to make your home environment healthier. You could opt to optimise air quality, sound and lighting – or implement one change that will make the biggest difference to you.”

SEE THE BENEFITS

21st-century routines don’t necessarily suit our bodies’ natural state. The importance of our circadian rhythm in relation to our overall health is becoming more widely understood; light can greatly impact our physical and mental well-being. ”Smart lighting is not only aesthetically pleasing, but can also be hugely beneficial to our health,” advises Charlie. “By installing circadian lighting systems, you can transform your home. It can be set

HEAR THE BENEFITS

Everyone’s priorities will be different, so it is important to get the balance and the budget right

to mirror the outdoor environment, bring nature inside, or provide you with sunshine-level lighting to wake you up on a grey rainy day – avoiding the dreaded Seasonal Affective Disorder so many of us suffer with.

“Smart lighting can also be adapted for different times of the day and tasks – everything from low lighting in the evenings to help you wind down before bedtime, to using tailored task light so you can read without straining your eyes.

“Smart lighting can transform the way your home looks and make it feel more in tune with your needs.”

A smart home allows you to fully integrate many aspects of your home’s lighting and audio, which can have a transformative effect on how you live in your space. “By installing low-voltage audio systems

As more and more airborne viruses and pollution threaten our health, air quality has never been more important in preserving our well-being. Air conditioning has become more popular with rising temperatures, keeping you cool and comfortable during even the most relentless of heatwaves. However, it also has many health benefits and can greatly reduce the spread of airborne viruses around your home.

“Air conditioning is much more than just a temperature regulator,” urges Charlie. “It’s great for people who suffer from hay fever, and can also help eliminate problems such as mould, which can seriously impact your breathing.”

There is a virtuous circle between supply and demand: as we all become more health conscious and want more from our homes, the technology to meet this demand to create optimised home environments keeps improving.

There are more options than ever to turn your home into an environment that can help you and your family enjoy a healthy 2024 – and beyond. If one of your New Year goals is to improve your health, smart home technology can be one of your solutions.

Transform your home with smart technology and our expertise Specialists in: • Home automation systems • Multi-Room Audio • Home Entertainment Systems • CCTV and security • Networks and Wi-Fi 01892 257258

www.symbioticsmarthomes.co.uk

MAKING HOMES SMARTER

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Fashion

focus

V

ictoria Genevieve Styling hosted a Christmas Gifting Party at Hoopers Tunbridge Wells last month.The popular local stylist and personal shopper gave her sartorial advice on how to dress for the season – picking out some of her favourite pieces from the department store’s extensive collection of timeless and on-trend labels.

Also in attendance at the event were beauty experts from Clarins and Sisley who were on hand to advise on any make up and skincare dilemmas invited guests had.

“The event was a huge success and showcased some of the must-have looks for the festive season – along with plenty of gifting inspiration for friends, colleagues and loved ones,” Victoria Genevieve told SO magazine after the successful event.

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 21

Royal Tunbridge Wells Together RTW Together (RTWT) is a Community Interest Company that runs the Business Improvement District (BID) for Royal Tunbridge Wells. In essence, local businesses within the town centre collectively pay for RTWT, which then invests that resource in a range of initiatives that support business, and in turn, local residents. One of the main benefits being that, as a collective, we can achieve economies in scale, whether its radio advertising, street furniture, Christmas lights or CCTV, things a sole business might not be able to afford alone. In February 2024, the local businesses will hold a ballot to decide whether to continue with a BID for another five year term.

The £500,000 helps provide for:Supporting – direct support for businesses including free resources and training, identifying cost saving initiatives, town footfall counters, safety and security including patrols, investing in town CCTV and the Safe Town Partnership Promoting – through our Rediscover campaigns (on buses, train stations, radio and magazines) to encourage tourism Support Local campaign to encourage local residents to spend locally TW Works campaign to drive employment, retention and investment Events, like the Coronation weekend, family trails, Bake Off, Arts Week and The Big Reveal Provision of grants to most cultural events, festivals and venues to help bring more people to the town and make it a place we can all be proud of Enhancing – by supporting public realm improvements including paying for the town Christmas lights, installing decorative lighting schemes like in Chapel Place, paying for planters and supporting Royal Tunbridge Wells In-Bloom as well as free wreaths, public art schemes and removing graffiti.

The small team are supported by a voluntary board of directors made up of representatives from across the local business community. The 650+ members come from all sectors including retailers, hospitality and professional services, and includes any business in the town centre, (that extends to cover the large Sainsburys in the South, up to the roundabout where Grosvenor Road meets St Johns Road, Mount Ephraim on its West, Camden Road/High Street on our East and most in between) that has a rateable value of over £15,000.

“The BID board is made up of businesses that represent a cross-section of industry sectors and all areas the BID encompasses, and it is our job to ensure the BID delivers the core objectives that drive us all – generating footfall and more income for local businesses, making it a place employees want to work and live as well as ensuring the town is a destination locals and tourists alike want to visit.” Alex Greig, Chair of the BID Board and Owner of Fuggles Beer Café & Fuggles Bottle Shop

Top 10 Priorities Street cleaning/repairs

Town-wide community events

Retaining youth for work & further education Promote RTW as place to work

Promotional visitor campaigns

Recruitment & retention Grants for local attractions

Social media campaigns

Street furniture

Free resources & training

“You could not choose a better place to live and work than Tunbridge Wells. Living in a town vibrant with restaurants and bars, extensive events and entertainment, beautiful history and tourism, topped off with warmth and spirit of the community, in my opinion is second to none.” Gillian Palmer, Founder of The Finance Hub & The Property Hub

yes

“We stay here because Tunbridge Wells is a hugely attractive place to live, work and play.”

James Beatton, Managing Partner, Cripps

@rtwtogether

Royal Tunbridge Wells Together

Royal Tunbridge Wells Together BID

E: biddirector@rtwtogether.com W: www.rtwtogether.com Address: 52 High Street, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1XF

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homas Mansfield Solicitors celebrated the opening of their second office in Tunbridge Wells, 65 The High Street, with a launch party on December 7.

This expansion enhances their presence in the town’s heart, demonstrating their commitment to the local community. The new office complements their existing location on Mount Pleasant Road, improving access to their specialist services in family law and wills and probate.

“We are thrilled to reinforce our commitment to Tunbridge Wells with our second office, 65 The High Street,” said Neill Thomas, Managing Director at Thomas Mansfield Solicitors.

Kate Rayner, Head of Family Law at Thomas Mansfield Solicitors, added: “Family matters touch the very heart of our lives and, as a Tunbridge Wells local, I deeply understand the nuances of our community.

“We’re here to guide, support, and stand by every individual navigating the often complex terrains of family law. Our doors, both old and new, are always open to those seeking expert counsel with a personal touch.”

Photos by Charlotte Knee.

(L-R) Kate Rayner, Head of Family Law, Emma Howlett, Head of Wills and Probate, Neill Thomas, Managing Partner and then Hugh Patterson, The Mayor of Tunbridge Wells and Nick Garaty, Trainee Solicitors (SQE).

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 23

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01892 520 587 @onewarwickparkhot el onewarwickpark.co.uk 1 Warwick Park, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5TA

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COMMUNITY

Pantiles market

independent retailers wherever possible. The Old High Street and The Pantiles offer a great selection of independent and specialist shops as well as market stalls at the weekend.

The Warren

Where do you like to grab a tea, coffee or a slice of cake?

My favourite haunt for coffee, tea and or lunch is Arté Bianca on the corner of Chapel Place and the High Street. There is quite a community built up by those that use it and I have made many friends and business contacts from my visits there.

Andrew Collins of Brittens Music on Grove Hill Road tells us where he likes to stroll, shop and socialise in Tunbridge Wells…

Whereabouts do you live in the borough of Tunbridge Wells?

I have lived and worked in the Tunbridge Wells area for around 28 years. I am lucky enough to have a flat in The Pantiles but am presently living in Wadhurst.

How long have you lived there and what made you decide to move to the area?

We moved to the Tunbridge Wells area in 2000 from North Kent.

Having already bought what is now Brittens Music in 1996, we were finding the long commute each day very stressful so relocating to the area made perfect sense.

Are there any nice views or walks near to your home?

We presently look over Wadhurst but for other wonderful views we tend to venture either to Burwash

Penshurst Place

Arté Bianca

or the area between Langton Green and Penshurst, where we can see beautiful Penshurst Place.

Where’s your favourite place to go shopping?

I always like to support

“I always like to support independent retailers wherever possible. The Old High Street and The Pantiles offer a great selection of independent and specialist shops as well as market stalls at the weekend”

Do you have a preferred restaurant you like to dine in regularly?

When dining out is for taking on fuel then Côte or Wagamama offer consistent quality and speed of service. Not very independent but quick. When I have the luxury of time it would be spent at The Warren in the High Street or Sankey’s fish restaurant.

Which places do you take people when they come to visit?

I always bring visitors down to the Old High Street and on to The Pantiles. The trick is to look up as the architecture is fascinating.

Calverley Gardens is another favourite haunt on a sunny day.

Where’s the best spot to go for a Sunday stroll in the area?

I would recommend any of the wonderful parks for a stroll but especially Dunorlan Park. There is a sense of space there that gives you a feeling of being out in the countryside whilst still having the convenience of a town.

Dunorlan Park

If you’re looking to relax and unwind, where’s your favourite place to go?

I tend to do most of my relaxing at home but during the day I often go to Arté Bianca to unwind with the interesting clientele I know there.

What do you like to do when you spend a weekend or day off in the local area?

As a retailer days off are few but I do enjoy an amble around the local shops where I will often meet people I know for impromptu chats. Walks with my cockapoo Connie are a favourite, along with leisurely lunches in the many local cafés.

Why do you love where you live?

I have always loved the friendly welcoming vibe in Tunbridge Wells, and we have made many friends since we moved here long ago. Even before I had a business here it was always a favourite place to visit.

Sankey’s fish restaurant

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 25

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NOW IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS W I N T E R

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CREATING BEAUTIFUL BATHROOMS SINCE 1988 | r i p p l e s b a t h r o o m s . c o m RIPPLES TUNBRIDGE WELLS, 13 THE PANTILES, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT, TN2 5TD | 01892 341284

S H O W R O O M S N AT I O N W I D E

COMMUNITY

Café society hospital and serving, patients, staff and visitors. We also have our commercial kitchen operation in East Grinstead where we make all our bakery goods for the shops, offer event catering services and prepacked sandwiches, salads etc for grab-and-go businesses as well as our own needs in our stores.

Our Head Office and warehouse is located in East Grinstead too.

We also have Lodge Coffee Shops running in Wealden Indoor Bowls Club, Maresfield and The Royals Indoor Bowls Club in Tunbridge Wells, where we provide catering services for players and members.

The TN card is the Tunbridge Wells loyalty scheme rewarding shoppers for supporting local.

This month, founder Jess Gibson chats to David Martin, owner of The Lodge Coffee House, Kitchen and Bar at 67-69 High Street to discover the secret recipe for his establishment’s success David, when did the Lodge story begin and when did you expand into Tunbridge Wells?

Lodge began in February 2008 at Hollybush Park in Sevenoaks.

In March 2020 I purchased the existing Javabean Cafe on Tunbridge Wells High Street and in November 2020 we transformed the site into The Lodge Tunbridge Wells.

How would you describe The Lodge’s offering?

The Lodge is about great food, drinks and people, all day, every day. It’s an experience for people to enjoy and be a part of, whether over brunch with family and friends, a few cheeky cocktails or coffee while you catch up on some emails. We want people to share and enjoy what we love about food and drink and the experiences we associate with it.

You have an online ordering system for Tunbridge Wells, which is great for those in a hurry…

Yes, we have our own online ordering platform where people can place an order to collect from The Lodge during the week.

WHO: The Lodge Coffee House, Kitchen and Bar WHERE: 67- 69 High Street, TN1 1XX WHAT: Brunch, lunch, coffee, cake and drinks TN REWARD: 15% off food FOR ENQUIRIES EMAIL: thetncard.com/ the-lodge

People love being able to order in advance. Our website for orders is the-lodge-coffee-house-kitchen. square.site.

You have your own branded tea and coffee too.

Yes, we have used our own Lodge blends of espresso, decaf, six blends of tea and drinking chocolate for nearly 15 years in our coffee shops/restaurants, and we also sell it on a retail basis in store and through our website. As well as selling direct to customers, we are also pleased supply local businesses, councils, car dealerships and other coffee shops and restaurants.

Where else can we find The Lodge?

We operate at Teston County Park in Maidstone from a converted shipping container offering a simple drink and snacks service throughout the year. We are hoping to extend and develop this with an upgraded facility next summer.

Allowing us to offer a greater range of products like lunches. We have also been operating at The Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead for about five years now, running a Lodge Coffee Shop inside the

“We want people to share and enjoy what we love about food and drink and the experiences we associate with it”

Jess Gibson

Founder, The TN card

Thank you so much for joining the TN card. Why is it important to support local in Tunbridge Wells?

We like to support local anywhere we operate as we feel it is crucial to be a part of the immediate community and help support other local, independent businesses, just as we would want to be supported by our fellow, neighbours and businesses. This local support allows and encourages, variety and diversity for businesses and people passionate about what they do which in turn helps everyone succeed and helps attract visitors to our town or area. You really seem to understand this and do a huge amount to help expose, promote and support the businesses in and around the TN area. We thank TN members for visiting us with 15% off our food at Lodge Coffee House, Kitchen and Bar, and discounted tickets for our events and we’ve hosted a member party too.

The Lodge goes from strength to strength. What are your plans for 2024?

We are lucky, as we always seem to have a number of options on the table for the coming year with new projects, partnerships and new ideas. Our plan is to ensure we maintain stability in what we are currently doing and to look at ways to improve what we are already doing. We are having a big push into our online retail and wholesale business early next year and we are currently looking for our next site to set up another Lodge Coffee House, Kitchen and Bar with interest in the Brighton and Cambridge areas. Another busy year!

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 27

SECTION

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28 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

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BUSINESS

SPONSOR A TIMES BUSINESS AWARD

THE Times Business Awards is returning in 2024 to find the best businesses in and around Tunbridge Wells - and local companies now have the chance to sponsor an awards category...

THE BEST IN LOCAL BUSINESS Each category is available for sponsorship. For details please contact Robin Singer at: robin. singer@onemediauk.co.uk 1. START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR This award recognises companies founded since January 2022, which have been attracting lots of attention.

2. CREATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR This is a very strong sector for Tunbridge Wells, covering the creative, design, marketing and PR sectors which have made our town their home.

T

his year’s Times Business Awards promises to be another showstopper, with two new categories and former Strictly starturned-business entrepreneur Brendan Cole as the celebrity host at the gala awards ceremony. This event, organised by SO’s sister publication the Times of Tunbridge Wells is also a fantastic opportunity to network . This year’s black tie dinner will take place at Salomons Estate on Thursday March 14, 2024.

There are ten categories available to sponsor including two new ones for 2024: Food & Drink Hero and Retailer of the Year.

Retailer of the Year recognises outstanding contributions made to the local area by a retailer. While Food and Drink Hero is for the best companies in food and drink, with a focus on those who source locally and sustainably.

For the first time in the event’s history these will be voted for by the general public. Head to www. timesbusinessawards.co.uk to have your say.

And given the fact that each category is so diverse there is certainly an award that’s suitable for every business trading in the town and borough of Tunbridge Wells to sponsor.

These include Creative Business of the Year, Green Business of the Year and Charity of the Year, which returns for the second year and honours local charities and not-for-profit organisations who play a positive role in the life of the local area.

In Best Family Business of the Year, judges will be acknowledging businesses that show how being a family business has had a positive impact on its achievements.

Other Times Business Awards celebrate environmental achievements, creativity, and businesses of varying sizes.

CELEBRATING

“This year’s Times Business Awards promises to be another showstopper, with two new categories and former Strictly starturned-business entrepreneur Brendan Cole as its celebrity host”

Apart from the aforementioned two new categories being voted for by the public, the winners in all the others will be chosen by a panel of independent judges.

These are drawn from a range of sectors, with each selected to bring their unique insight into not only what makes a good company, but also what makes business good for the local area.

Launching in 2016, the glitzy awards ceremony showcases the best businesses the area has to offer and welcomes over 200 guests to the gala evening. Over the years celebrity presenters have included former MPs Michael Portillo and Edwina Currie, Radio DJ Ken Bruce and Strictly’s Anton du Beke have overseen the popular awards ceremony.

This year you can look forward to welcoming Brendan Cole who will host the evening at Salomons Victorian Theatre on March 14.

Commenting on his involvement Brendan told SO: “I am pleased to have been asked to present the Times Business Awards for 2024.

I’m looking forward to being part of honouring the best businesses that have triumphed over the past year.”

3. CHARITY OF THE YEAR For this category, judges will analyse the charities and not-forprofit organisations which play such a positive role in the life of our area.

4. GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR This category will recognise companies for their commitment to the environment, whether through reducing energy usage, ‘localising’ their supply chains or any other green initiatives.

5. BEST FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR The judges will be looking for the business that best demonstrates how running a family business has added significantly to its competitive advantage. The winner will need to show how being a family business has had a positive impact on its achievements.

6. BEST BUSINESS 1-25 EMPLOYEES This award is for companies with a workforce of up to 25 which have

maintained consistent growth and strong financial performance, both meeting customer expectations and supporting employee welfare and growth.

7. BEST BUSINESS 26+ EMPLOYEES Consistent growth, financial performance and an engaged, positive workforce are just some of the criteria that set these companies apart from other medium to large businesses in the area.

8. OUTSTANDING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR This award will reveal which company demonstrates the best combination of growth, ambition and quality of management in the area. The ‘outstanding’ company has delivered on a compelling business strategy, while developing its employees’ skills and looking after staff.

9. RETAILER OF THE YEAR – NEW CATEGORY This new award, nominated by the general public, will recognise outstanding contributions made to the local area by a retailer. Open to retailers large or small, with a local or national presence.

10. FOOD AND DRINK HERO - – NEW CATEGORY This new category, also voted for by the general public, is for local companies that produce or serve the very best in food and drink, especially those that source locally and sustainably. All kinds of establishments are eligible, from fine-dining restaurants to smallscale producers.

For more details, visit the dedicated website: timesbusinessawards.co.uk

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 29

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www.lettology.co.uk 30 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

ADVERTISING FEATURE

A passion for property

A year after establishing Lettology, her unique letting agency in Tunbridge Wells, Alexia Hollands shares her passion for property and plans for 2024 with Rachael Hale

Hi Alexia, how did you get into the lettings business?

Within one week of stepping into the world of lettings, I knew I was hooked forever. I was 16 at the time and providing maternity cover for a local entrepreneur, who owns commercial and residential properties in central Tunbridge Wells. I’d grown up helping my parents run their own on-site holiday rentals, but this was my first real taste of ‘business’ and I loved it. Learning how to look after a property, helping to match landlords and tenants, the steps of the rental process and, of course, all the challenges that can crop up along the way. I couldn’t wait to finish my A levels and start doing it full-time. And now, some 23 years later I’m still hooked, have my own rental property and have just celebrated my own company’s first successful year in business.

What’s the best thing about running Lettology?

The flexibility - to be there for my sons when I need to be, but also to be able to offer my landlords the kind of service I’ve always wanted to give. I’ve managed teams within the corporate private rental sector for Savills, Kings, Andrews and Batchelor Monkhouse. I’ve also provided expert consulting services and managed both individual house and group property portfolios for numerous happy clients. And, while I have loved it all, I feel I can now adapt quicker to market changes and offer a truly bespoke service.

Why are you so passionate about the lettings market?

Because although my career is focused on property, its actually about helping people, and I know I can make a difference. I can make life easier for landlords by taking all the routine tenant and maintenance hassles out of their hands so they can enjoy receiving a rental income without having to worry about their own lives being interrupted to deal with any issues.

At the same time, I can help their tenants by ensuring they know they always have someone to ask questions or turn to if an issue arises with the property.

By working as a friendly yet professional go-between, I can also ensure there’s a clear line of communication between both parties so, if an issue does arise, it gets sorted quickly and without aggravation or conflict.

Why do you focus on the Tunbridge Wells Area?

I can’t imagine covering anywhere else! I’ve lived and worked here so long that the area’s in my blood.

My very first job in Lettings was in Tunbridge Wells, and I know this area, its people, the history of its property market, and its amenities so well that I can’t envision not being able to share that with my clients. Both my children attend schools in Tunbridge Wells, so I have a knowledge of clubs, parks and where we can find the best ice cream in the summer!

Works is my sister’s bistro in Camden Road – so I’m often popping in there for a lovely prawn cocktail!

Favourite place to shop?

I love Kitch on the High Street, Hoopers (they always have what you are looking for!) and Renaissance in The Royal Victoria Place.

What type of properties do you manage and let?

All sorts! One day, I can be finding a tenant for a unique countryside bolthole or a family home close to a fabulous school, and the next, I can be offering expertise to a landlord thinking of renting out an extremely large country estate or a brand-new warehouse conversion.

I also manage numerous properties on a long-term basis, so I’m always running around checking facilities, organising maintenance tasks or getting things sorted. Every day really is different, and I love it.

What makes you different to other letting agents in the area?

That’s definitely my adaptability and availability to my clients. Being independent allows me to adapt every package I offer to suit the precise needs of my landlords, and I’m at the end of the phone for them, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Even when I’m on holiday, they can contact me with a question or problem, and I will help them.

As a landlord myself, I know it’s a service I would appreciate. The buck stops with me!

What are you looking forward to in 2024?

I’ve got a new website launching soon, so I’m very excited about that, but there are also going to be huge changes relating to legislation in the world of property lettings this year. They’re going to affect every landlord and tenant and I can’t wait to see where that goes. I love learning, and being able to help people navigate these new waters is going to be a fun challenge, it will keep me on my toes.

Favourite place to eat locally?

I love The Beacon in the Summer, Juliets for brunch, and Soprano’s for quick tapas after work. The Fish

Favourite place to hang out?

Dunorlan Park, without a doubt is my favourite place. I’m always there with my boys, trying to wear them out, and it’s a great place to go no matter what time of year it is. It also has a good café with a reasonably priced all-day breakfast.

GET IN TOUCH – Website - www.lettology.co.uk Instagram - @Lettology LinkedIn - Alexia-Elliott-04020b42

www.lettology.co.uk SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 31

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32 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Honouring the departed: Do you know the right etiquette for a memorial service?

What happens after the service?

People may stay behind to offer their condolences to the family or to support one another. The attendees may be invited to the burial or cremation site for the committal service. Or they may be asked to join the family at a wake – for some refreshments at a local venue or a relative’s home.

What to say to the family

It’s good etiquette to express your sympathies to the grieving family.

If you don’t know them well, introduce yourself and explain your relationship to the person who has died, and share a few kind words.

It’s good etiquette to express your sympathies to the grieving family

Is it appropriate to send flowers to a funeral?

Sending flowers is a traditional way to express condolences. However, it is essential to consider any cultural or religious factors. Some families request an alternative, such as donations to a charity.

People celebrate a life in a variety of ways and it can be confusing to know what to wear, what to say to the bereaved family, and how to conduct oneself at a service or wake. Simon and Rebecca Welham – the father and daughter team behind Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials – have some advice on general etiquette that will help you set the right tone Who can attend a funeral?

A funeral service is open to anyone, unless the family specifies that it is to be a private ceremony. Usually, a funeral notice is publicly shared in an obituary or on social media, so those who wish to pay their respects can attend.

What to wear to a funeral

Dress respectfully and conservatively, unless dressing for a particular cultural tradition or religion or faith. Traditionally, this means dark, neutral colours such as black, navy, or dark grey. It also means choosing modest clothing like suits, dresses, or trousers with a blouse and smart shoes. Avoid casual dress like jeans, clothing with slogans, and trainers.

Should I wear all black to a funeral?

While black – representing the sadness of bereavement – is a traditional colour for funerals in the UK, it is not mandatory. Dark, neutral colours like navy or dark grey are also appropriate.

What does ‘no black’ at a funeral mean?

When a funeral notice specifies ‘no black’, it indicates that the

family prefers those attending to wear colours other than black. You can opt for other dark or muted colours, or if asked to wear a specific colour or pattern, follow the family’s wishes.

in the service venue, with friends and other mourners on the left side. There is not usually a seating plan.

Who goes with the funeral procession?

Usually, at the end of a funeral service, the officiant or celebrant offers some closing words or a benediction and will leave the venue.

For a burial, the pallbearers will then carry the coffin out to the grave, followed by the family and then the congregation.

At a cremation, the curtain is either closed around the coffin or it is left on view for mourners to pay their last respects, and the congregation waits until the family files out after the celebrant.

What happens at the end of a funeral service?

Conventionally in a funeral procession, immediate family follow the hearse in a funeral car, often a limousine. Other family members and close friends form a cortege in their own vehicles.

Who goes in first at a funeral service?

This varies, depending upon tradition and where the service is being held. In a church, the officiant or celebrant typically enters first, and guests usually take their seats before the family do. However, at crematoriums, immediate family lead the procession and other family members and friends follow to take their seats afterwards. Then the pallbearers carrying the coffin enter before the service starts.

Where do I sit at a funeral?

At a funeral, family members sit at the front and to the right side

“In the UK, it is important to dress respectfully and conservatively, unless dressing for a particular cultural tradition, religion or faith”

How much should I donate?

Requesting money in lieu of flowers for a chosen charity is accepted as part of modern UK funeral etiquette. There is no set amount to give in someone’s memory, so pay your respects with whatever amount feels right. If you donate online, you can opt to not show the amount you have given.

Can I take photos at a funeral?

It is not usual to take photos or videos at a funeral. But the deceased’s family may decide to record the event this way.

Are children allowed at the funeral or memorial service?

Attending the funeral can help children process their grief, and they should be welcomed unless the notice specifically mentions that they should not attend. But do consider that very young children may struggle to sit through a long service.

With these etiquette points in mind, you can focus on supporting the close family and remembering your deceased friend or relative in a meaningful way.

Support at an emotional time 01892 300330 | tunbridgewells@welhamjones.co.uk www.welhamjones.co.uk Tunbridge Wells ¦ Tonbridge ¦ Sevenoaks ¦ Chislehurst ¦ Borough Green ¦ Swanley ¦ Chelsfield

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 33

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CULTURE

“Hever is a little pocket of history” RADA trained actor and presenter Stephen Mangan is known for his work on stage and screen, from appearing in Green Wing and Episodes to I’m Alan Partridge, Silks and Watershed Down, he’s one of our most popular TV stars. From this January, he returns to front popular Sky Arts show Landscape Artist of the Year. Vikki Rimmer met him while he was filming at Hever Castle & Gardens last summer to talk art and how he juggles his busy life…

S

o Stephen, given you’re constantly busy presenting, acting and writing how do you fit it all in?

I’m exhausted! But, if it’s a challenge or project that interests me then I find it hard to say no.

encouraging atmosphere.

You worked with Matt LeBlanc on the TV show ‘Episodes’, were people’s reactions to him different because he’s so wellknown from his role in Friends?

It was odd to meet someone you’re that familiar with through TV shows. When you first meet them it’s odd to be in the same room, but he’s a very down-to-earth guy so it quickly didn’t feel hard at all. It’s nice to work with people who you respect and admire and if you’re lucky in this business you do have those odd moments where you go from watching someone when you were a kid and admiring them and suddenly finding yourself in a scene with them.

There’s such a diversity to what do, so how would you describe your work?

I still think of myself primarily as an actor but I’ve started writing a lot more. I wrote my fourth children’s novel last summer. It’s a Christmas book which was fun to write in the heat of summer!

Tell us a little about the book - you have three sons so do they feature in this book?

My boys are in the first three books but this one is about a reindeer called ‘Dave’, Blitzen has retired and slightly mucks things up. So he and a young girl called Holly have to save Christmas by finding all the reindeer who have been scattered to the four corners of the earth.

This is your fifth season of Landscape Artist of the Year, what keeps you coming back?

It’s a joy to watch talented artists doing their thing - especially as it’s something I don’t do. When you’re engaging with art it makes you look at the world in a different way - or feel it in a different way.

It’s just inspiring to watch people who are good at stuff. I love the fact that on our show we strive to be encouraging and enthusiastic and we want people to succeed.

It’s not a show that trips people up or makes them look daft, it’s very much a show where we look to discover eight fantastic paintings every day.

Do you find it personally inspiring?

It never ceases to amaze me how people see, feel and think about the world in different ways.

Everyone has had that feeling of coming out after seeing a film and suddenly they’re seeing the world in a different way because they’ve been so moved or tickled by what they’ve seen - the world feels different - and that’s what all art is about. Art makes you feel things you wouldn’t normally feel or see the world in the way you wouldn’t normally see and think about your story, and the stories

of others in a different way.

You’re not a trained artist, does this help as the presenter of a show that’s essentially about people?

The show is very cleverly put together, and because I’m not an artist or profess to know anything about art particularly, it gives me license to ask the basic questions and to understand who we’ve got painting. No one is chosen for their wacky back story or their eccentric personality. They’re chosen because the judges like their art. So we get a whole range of people from all backgrounds, different personality types, some shy and retiring, some very exuberant and funny - it’s such a joy and a treat to talk to people and to get to know a bit about them.

and are absorbed by it, they get lost in the artwork. It’s all-encompassing and the nerves fade away. We’re not watching machines in a carmaking factory, as impressive as that can be, there is that element of unpredictability and that’s what makes it so exciting to watch.

Landscape of an Artist is a feel-good show, which is good for the darker days of January wouldn’t you agree?

I genuinely think everyone comes away having had a kick out of the day. Sometimes they may be disappointed they didn’t do as well as they hoped, or feel they could have done better, but the process is a fun one in an

“Art makes you feel things you wouldn’t normally feel or see the world in the way you wouldn’t normally see and think about your story, and the stories of others in a different way…”

How have you found your visit to Hever Castle & Gardens where you filmed some episodes of Landscape of an Artist?

It’s a stunning place and the countryside around here is so beautiful. It’s a little pocket of history, I mean it’s a gorgeous castle – not too big or intimidating and it feels quite manageable. I’m hoping to move in!

At the time of SO going to press the new series of Landscape Artist of the Year is due to air on Sky Arts on Wednesday January 10 at 8pm. There were two episodes filmed at Hever Castle and the first will feature on January 24.

Hever Castle & Gardens re-opens for the 2024 season on Wednesday February 7 when it will be hosting its famous Snowdrop Walks.

Do you find yourself looking forward to seeing the artists when they return for the semi-finals and finals?

Yes, I look forward to seeing what they’re going to do, how they’re going to react. It’s an intense process. The show is becoming more and more popular and the crowds larger and it can be quite intimidating for people.

Is there an element of performance to being a participant in the show?

It can be intimidating, as I said, particularly at the beginning of the day, but once they get into their art, SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 35

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01892 354091 07748056177 wg@abode.homes www.abode.homes

For all enquiries 07748056177

GRAYSTONE VILLAS

Southborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN4 0NR

Graystone Villas harmoniously blends classic exteriors with stunning, luxury interiors. This beautiful home benefits from private parking, and beautifully designed landscaped gardens, within walking distance of many local independent boutique shops.

Graystone Villas in Southborough continues the tradition of fine period properties in the borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells, drawing inspiration from the area’s most cherished residential dwellings.

This collection of four, three/four-bedroom properties enjoys a central Southborough position, within walking distance of the town’s amenities, the common and several grammar schools.

Classic exteriors, crisp render, bay windows, and architectural plasterwork mouldings are blended with contemporary interiors. A mix of formal reception rooms, open-plan living and generous ceiling heights create a formal yet contemporary flow throughout.

An elevated specification is abundantly apparent throughout.

Bespoke kitchens with fabulous entertaining spaces that feature quartz worksurfaces, boiler taps and Bosch appliances, Bifold doors seamlessly guide you to beautifully landscaped courtyard gardens.

Prices From £795,000

Lonsdale Gate Lonsdale Gardens High Street Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1NU

01892 354091 07748056177 wg@abode.homes www.abode.homes

For all enquiries 07748056177

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know your area, because it's our area too.

After more than 160 years working in property, we have the heritage, experience and support of our leading market knowledge to help our clients navigate the current landscape, no matter how uncertain it may feel.

The combination of our global network of buyers and our in-depth local knowledge of Tunbridge Wells means that we’re well placed to find the perfect match for your property.

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Robert Jacobs Head of Residential Sales +44 (0) 1892 507 000

WINE

Toast this month’s Veganuary Raising a glass to 2024 and this month’s annual Veganuary movement, SO’s Drinks Editor, James Viner discovers five flavourful vegan-friendly tipples… whether you’re already a committed vegan, vegetarian or simply just want to try something new, there is something to suit every wallet and occasion this year. Don’t overlook Spain’s cava (made in the painstaking traditional method.) A mouthwatering mix of lemon zest and Granny Smith apples, with a little toastiness from bottle ageing, this makes a good perky winter vegan-friendly sparkler. Pair with paella or risotto.

4. Errazuriz Wild Ferment Pinot Noir 2021, Aconcagua Valley, Chile (£14-£17, VineKing, Wholefoods, Amps Fine Wines, NYWines, WineDirect) The ‘New World’ is the place if you want to spend less money on Pinot Noir. Crammed with fresh cherries, a little smoke and red fruit, this veganfriendly Chilean Pinot Noir is a must-buy. So supple, so mellow, with

magnificent flow and a drawn-out finish.

5. Davenport Vineyards, Limney Estate 2018, E. Sussex/Kent, England (£29, Davenport Vineyards) Produced using the traditional method, Will Davenport’s first-rate organic, canapé-loving, Chardonnayforward sparkling Limney Estate 2018 has been ideal for those on a vegan diet for many years. Aged 5 years on lees. A classy bottle brimming with enticing red fruit, citrus and light biscuity notes. The acidity is the highlight, saline and sinuous. Will is buoyant about the 2023 vintage and recently told me ‘We ended up with the biggest crop we have ever picked.

Quality was good as well.’ Certified organic by The Soil Association.

Follow James on Instagram @ QuixoticWines

HOW CAN WINE NOT BE VEGAN?

J

anuary is a time for a gastronomic reset, with a developing trend of avoiding meat and alcohol for the month to recover from December’s excesses. Concurrently veganism is gaining popularity and this year’s 10th annual ‘Veganuary’ anticipates a record number of participants worldwide.

Launched in 2014, Veganuary is a yearly campaign that challenges people to eat plantbased for January. In 2023, over 600,000 people participated globally, joining millions of others who have already completed the program. This commitment contradicts predictions that the vegan trend is starting to wane.

For vegan oenophiles the use of animal-based products for fining and stabilising wine is a major concern, although some producers have started using plant-based fining agents. Among the most commonly used agents, only bentonite is suitable for vegans as well as vegetarians. Casein and albumin are acceptable to most vegetarians, while isinglass and gelatin would be distasteful to most vegetarians and vegans.

Here are the champs of my Veganuary 2024 Wine Taste Test.

Put your mind at rest with five of the best bottles below. Whether you’re merely Veganuary-curious or committed to the cause, you

may be reassured to know that I enjoyed all of these without realising they were suitable for vegans. Drumroll, please…Cheers!

1. Hartley’s Block Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Marlborough, New Zealand (£7.99, down from £10.99, until 30th January, Waitrose) All the piquant flavours of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc are here: green mango, passion fruit, blackcurrant leaf, gooseberry and elderflower. Runs long and delicious. Lovely. Vegan certified and a brilliant offer.

2. Château Pesquié ‘Edition 1912m’ 2021, Ventoux, France (£11.99, mix six, Majestic) Ventoux, one of France’s largest appellations on the south-eastern

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border of the southern Rhône, just east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is a fab place to look for super-value reds like this one. From a vineyard at around 300m above sea level, this cracking Grenache-Syrah-CinsaultCarignan blend takes its name from Mont Ventoux, a peak rising 1,912 m/6,273 ft high that overshadows the district. Look out for delicious layers of red fruits, spice, violets, black pepper and blackberries with a lifted, clean finish. A hug in a bottle, it’s a fab wine for hunkering down on darker nights. Both organic and vegan-approved.

3. Segura Viudas Brut Vintage 2021 Premium Cava, Spain (Tesco, £12, 12%) With over 250 vegan/vegetarian bottles at Tesco, selecting a suitable wine has never been simpler. So

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It’s made from grapes so surely, it’s appropriate for vegans?

Made from fermented grapes, it’s entirely logical to think that all wine must be suitable for a vegan diet. The critical issue here is the fining agent, which may be used to stabilise and clarify the wine before it’s bottled (so it’s star-bright and not hazy). Not all wines are fined but most are and a surprising number of the fining agents are animal-derived. Popular non-vegan fining agents include albumin (or egg whites), isinglass (a protein derived from

fish bladders) and casein, the main milk protein.

But fear not, since two vegan fining agents are more and more used, including kaolin and bentonite (both clays) as well as proteins derived from corn, wheat, potatoes and other plants.

Some retailers and winemakers already make this information available on the bottle. Look out for the words unfiltered/unfined on the bottle as that will indicate the wine was made without fining agents and is likely vegan-friendly.

FIND YOUR MOJO:

Method: Clean the chestnut mushrooms and cut them into quarters. Clean the oyster mushrooms and cut them into strips 1.5cm long.

Sauté the mushrooms with the garlic paste, thyme, some salt and black pepper, in a glug of olive oil. Take off the heat and leave to one side.

Roast the jalapeños, then remove the seeds and skin. Toast the cumin in a pan, before blending the jalapeños, cumin, coriander, parsley, three garlic cloves, 50ml of oil and 10g of salt.

Sautee the remaining garlic, the chopped onions and bay leaves in a pan with a glug of oil. Drain the cooked beans before adding to the onion mixture, along with a pinch of salt, pepper, and tomatoes.

Add the vinegar to the Mojo Verde just before serving.

To serve, mix the mushrooms and beans together and plate onto a bed of the Mojo Verde.

For vegans, Nacho’s Mushroom and Butter Bean Mojo Verde, which is easy to assemble. Try it with my Errazuriz Pinot Noir selection. Salud!

Ingredients 1.5kg sliced chestnut mushrooms 500g oyster mushroom strips 25g garlic paste Thyme 2 jalapeño peppers 50g coriander 50g parsley 100g ground cumin 6 garlic cloves 200ml extra virgin olive oil 10g salt 10ml apple cider vinegar 1kg cooked white beans 2 bay leaves 2 onions, brunoise-cut 100g sun blushed tomatoes, cut into strips

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 39

FOOD & DRINK

Winter warmers

January may traditionally be the month of diets and detoxes but if you’re not in the mood to go cold turkey after Christmas why not consider easing yourself into a more seasonal way of eating – that’s pretty healthy too. The Small Holding’s Will Devlin shares the recipes for these delicious dishes…

Loin of venison with chestnuts, bacon and cabbage Venison is a hugely underrated meat. It’s wild, plentiful, sustainable and delicious cooked fast and pink or low and slow. This is a warming wintery dish, but it is celebratory enough for a special occasion.

Ingredients: Serves two but can easily be scaled up Two x 200g venison loin pieces, trimmed of any sinew 300g winter cabbage such as savoy or cavolo nero, washed and shredded 100g chestnuts, ether vac packed or roasted and deshelled weight 100g smoked belly bacon Four cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed Three sprigs thyme 500ml beef or chicken stock 250ml red wine 150g unsalted butter

All of the menu below can be made a day or two in advance if you like - or kept in the fridge until assembly.

Kimchi cured sea trout Ingredients: 1kg side of line caught sea trout, pinned and scaled 70g kimchi spice 50g flaked sea salt 30g sugar

kimchi juice at the restaurant by dehydrating it and crushing it to a fine powder. If you don’t have a dehydrator, make a wet cure with the juice left over from a tub of kimchi. Mix in the sugar and the salt.

Method: We make use of leftover

Check over the fish for any missed pin bones and make seven or so evenly spaced scores into the flesh side and place into a shallow tray.

Cover the fish all over with the cure making sure it gets well into the scores. Put in the fridge to cure for 12 hours. After this time, turn the fish over and cure for another 12 hours. After 24 hours in the cure, wash the fish and pat dry and leave in the fridge to air dry for a further 6-8 hours.

Serve with black treacle bread, sourdough crackers or as twist on the classic canape, blinis, with a dot of gochujang (spicy) mayonnaise and pickled sea vegetables.

Method: Prepare the sauce by simmering the stock and wine until reduced by three quarters and intensely flavoured. Keep warm.

Season the venison pieces well with salt and pepper and sear in a medium hot pan with a little rapeseed oil, turning often for an even colour all over. Add 50g butter, two lightly crushed garlic cloves and a sprig of thyme. Keep spooning the foaming brown butter over the venison as it pan-roasts, for

PHOTOS BY KEY & QUILL

40 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

about four minutes. At this stage it should feel firm to touch and will be medium rare on the inside and caramelised and golden on the outside. Keep warm and leave to rest.

In a small frying pan, add a drizzle of rapeseed oil and the bacon and fry until the fat renders and is crispy. Add the chestnuts and coat in the bacon fat until starting to caramelise and add the reduced stock and wine liquid to deglaze the pan. Stir and keep wa rm.

In a small saucepan, with a lid, add 100g of butter and the remaining cloves of garlic and thyme. Stir until melted and you can smell the garlic and add the finely chopped cabbage. Stir and replace the lid, moving the pan every so often while the cabbage cooks in its own steam. Remove the garlic cloves and thyme and season with salt.

To serve, slice each venison loin into three or four pieces and plate with the cabbage and bacon and chestnut sauce. Delicious served with mashed potato and swede and a glass of the same wine used in the sauce.

“Venison is a hugely underrated meat. It’s wild, plentiful, sustainable and delicious cooked fast and pink or low and slow”

FOOD & DRINK

Apple terrine and hazelnut ice cream Ingredients: Serves four to six 600g dessert apples, such as Rubens or Braeburn 600ml fresh apple juice, not from concentrate 100g soft brown sugar, or to taste depending how sweet your apples are Two sticks cinnamon Two star anise 3 ½ (10g) leaf gelatine Method: Prepare a 2lb loaf tin by lining the bottom and sides with greaseproof paper. Leave an overhang on the long sides to help demould the terrine when ready to serve. Cut another piece of greaseproof paper ready to sit on top of the terrine and put to one side.

To make the jelly: Wash, core and peel the apples.

Combine the saved peels with the apple juice, sugar, and spices in a deep pan and bring to a simmer, stirring to melt the sugar and soften the peels. Cook for 10-12 minutes to reduce and then off the heat, cover and leave to infuse. You will need 500ml of liquid once the peels have been strained from the juice.

Keep the liquid hot.

Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water to soften.

Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice the peeled and cored apples into rounds, 3-5mm thick.

Work quickly to avoid the apples browning. Squeeze the excess water out from the soaked gelatine and whisk into the hot apple juice. Pour into a lipped jug, to help avoid any spills, and pour the hot apple jelly into the apple terrine tin; go slowly to allow the jelly to work its way in between all the layers. Cover with the reserved greaseproof paper lid and cover lightly with a tray, you don’t want to add any weight or push down as the liquid will spill out over the sides. Put the tray covered terrine into the fridge to set over night.

For the dried apple slice garnish: The dried apple slice is an optional but welcome garnish, given a little chew and texture and it’s surprisingly easy to make. Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice thin circles from a whole skin-on apple. Brush the apple slices with a simple sugar glaze made from heating 50g sugar and 50ml water together. Line a flat baking tray with silicone or parchment paper and carefully arrange the apple slices, making sure they have lots of space and put in the oven at 50c. Bake for two hours before removing the trays and cooling completely as the slices will carry on drying and crisping. Alternatively, you can put the apple slices in a dehydrator.

For the hazelnut ice cream We’ll often make a cobnut ice

cream with the apple terrine but as they can be hard to find or forage yourself, hazelnuts are a delicious substitute. Don’t skimp on the salt, it seasons and enhances the flavour of the nuts and cream. For the best results, use an ice cream maker or scrape the mixture into a lidded container and freezer/whisk at onehour intervals until the mixture has increased in volume and is frozen.

Ingredients: 100g blanched hazelnuts 600ml whole milk 150ml double cream Large pinch of flaky salt 150g golden caster sugar 3 egg yolks Method: Preheat the oven to 160c and toast

the hazelnuts, spreading them out into an even layer; give the tray a shake every four minutes until the nuts are hot and smelling delicious, which will take about 12-15 minutes. You don’t want any colour on the nuts, as this will make the ice cream taste bitter.

Make the custard by heating together the milk, cream, and sugar, stirring often with a spatula so the mix doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl and as the milk mixture reaches a simmer pour the hot liquid over the eggs in a thin stream, whisking continuously. Give the milk pan a quick wipe round to remove any residue and pour the combined milk and egg mixture back into the pan. On a low heat, stirring

constantly, cook until the mixture as it slowly thickens and reaches 82c on a digital thermometer, or until a finger run down the back of the spatula leaves a clean line.

Take the hot hazelnuts from the oven and slide them quickly into the hot custard, there should be hissing sound as they drop in, this is a good sound as it will help release the flavour and oils from the nuts. Whizz the mixture in a food processor for at least three minutes until the mixture is super smooth and a creamy golden colour. Scrape into a bowl and sit in a sink of iced water until the mixture comes down to room temperature. Cover with cling film on the top of the custard to avoid getting a skin and chill in the fridge overnight.

To make the ice cream the following day, remove the bowl from the fridge and using a stick blender whizz the mixture to complete re-amalgamate. Pour into your ice-cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Scrape into a lidded container and cover with a piece of waxed paper, cover and freeze until ready to plate.

To serve, gently unmould the apple terrine from its tin on to a flat serving plate and slice into portions and serve with a scoop of hazelnut ice cream and a slice of dehydrated apple.

OPENING HOURS ‍Monday / Tuesday – Closed Wednesday – Dinner Thursday – Lunch & Dinner Friday – Lunch & Dinner Saturday – Lunch & Dinner Sunday – Lunch Lunch sittings 12pm and 1pm.

Dinner sittings Wednesday to Friday – 6.00pm, 7.30pm and 8.30pm Saturday – 5.30pm, 8.30pm Ranters Lane Kilndown Cranbrook TN17 2SG thesmallholding. restaurant @the_small_ holding_

The Small Holding: all you need to know The Small Holding is a Michelin green-starred kitchen and farm on a country lane in the village of Kilndown on the Kent and East Sussex borders. Run by brothers Will and Matt Devlin, as Chef and Head of Operations, respectively, The Small Holding is part of the Acre Group which also includes Birchwood in Flimwell, East Sussex.

The Small Holding is open Wednesday to Sunday with an eight-course Full Acre menu costing £85 per person and a five-course Half Acre menu costing £65 per person, with the option of a wine flight. The drinks list also includes house made soft drinks, kombucha and non-alcoholic wine, beer, and spirits.

The 36-cover restaurant and farm are set in one acre of land, permitting a unique connection between the land and table.

Growing, foraging, and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with monthly changing tasting menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm, which is less than 10 feet from the kitchen.

The Michelin Green Star for sustainable gastronomy recognises restaurants with a focus on environmental practices; it encompasses everything about The Small Holding and the teams’ drive for sustainability.

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 41

BUSINESS

IN A SPIN… Award-winning Mint DJs on why it’s so important to have a professional sonic soundtrack to your big day…

Are you looking for a DJ for your Wedding? It is essential to book a reliable, and experienced DJ for your big day, as it is what the guests take home with them. It is very important to have a DJ that listens to all of your needs and reads the room, mixing and blending the tracks to keep people on the dance floor.

Mint DJs is a multi awardwinning company boasting a team of highly experienced, reliable DJs covering the South-East of the UK. They play the music that YOU want, and use their experience to keep the dance floor as energetic as possible.

They also provide some great

“We play the music you want and keep the dance floor as energetic as possible!”

extras to really add that extra WOW factor, and ensure the day runs smoothly.

- Award winning DJs playing all genres from Motown & Disco to House, RnB & Garage to Indie Rock & 80s / 90s club hits - Professional sound and lighting - Microphones for speeches & ceremony - Live sax/percussionists to play alongside DJ - Selfie mirrors - Starlit dance floor hire - Fully insured and PAT tested Get a quote – www.mintdjs.co.uk Let us ensure your big day goes off with a BANG!

KATA Jewellery | 48C St. John’s Road Royal Tunbridge Wells TN4 9NY 01892 482 659 | katajewellery.com

Ethical Luxury Jewellery & Bespoke Designs Art Gallery Showcasing Local Artists Handcrafted in our In-House Workshop Jewellery Services including Jewellery Remodelling | Bespoke Design Repairs & Alterations

42 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDITS: FAY ANDREA WEDDINGS, PETER REYNOLDS & LOIS BROWN.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Say I do in style...

Winter weddings are increasing in popularity and it’s easy to see why. There’s no fretting about the weather and you can often benefit from some really great out of season packages. Here Molly Miller reveals why tying the knot during the chillier months is the hot new thing…

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If you’ve recently said ‘yes’ to the one you love during the festive period, Salomons Estate and One Warwick Park Hotel are here to turn your dream wedding into a reality. Nestled in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, both venues, part of the Elite Leisure Collection, offer a perfect blend of luxury, flexibility, and awardwinning service that sets them apart in the world of weddings.

The holiday season is more than just a time for joy and celebration; it’s also the peak time for proposals. According to Bridebook, a popular wedding planning app, December is the chosen month for 26% of those who popped the question, with Christmas Day and Christmas Eve standing out as the top picks among those who

proposed in 2023.

If you’re one of these recently engaged couples, congratulations are in order! As we enter a new year of new beginnings, now marks the perfect time to start your

wedding journey, considering the rising trend of making this season your chosen time to say ‘I do’.

Salomons Estate and One Warwick Park Hotel have earned their stripes as award-winning venues in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Salomons Estate, a Grade II listed Victorian manor house on 36 acres of gardens, is a multiaward winner at the Kent Wedding Awards, boasting titles such as Events Team of the Year and Heritage Venue of the Year.

On the other hand, its sister venue, One Warwick Park, a luxury, four-star hotel near The Pantiles, claimed the title of Boutique Venue of the Year at this year’s awards.

Both venues have seen a rising trend in winter weddings,

SALOMONS ESTATE AND ONE WARWICK PARK HOTEL ARE PART OF THE ELITE LEISURE COMPANY WHICH ALSO OWNS SO MAGAZINE

challenging the notion that summer and spring are the only seasons to tie the knot.

Karen Emberson, Event Manager at One Warwick Park Hotel, notes a significant increase in winter weddings from December to March, indicating a shift in the traditional wedding calendar.

“Over the past month, we had the pleasure of hosting eight winter weddings,” Karen told SO Magazine.

“It’s becoming the preferred choice for those seeking something a bit different and memorable... they bring an enchanting and magical touch that stands out from the typical summer wedding.”

While Salomons Estate and One Warwick Park Hotel are known for their lavish ceremonies in luxurious

surroundings, they also cater to intimate celebrations and bespoke requests.

Melissa Omer, Event Manager at Salomons Estate, adds, “We offer tailored and bespoke solutions and accommodate unique requests too – one couple wanting their dog to accompany them down the aisle!”

Melissa highlights the evolving landscape of UK weddings, emphasising individuality and straying from tradition.

“Our wedding plans are created element by element, so we can build a bespoke celebration for each couple based on their unique requests,” says Melissa.

The whole team, including chefs, goes above and beyond, providing options like pizza ovens, paella stations, gourmet burger bars, pimp your prosecco stations, and pop-up gin bars.

Partnering with local suppliers such as Bows Hire and Rare Nature Design, the venues transform their function rooms into enchanting spaces with fairy lights, candles, floral arrangements, and sweeping drapery. They collaborate with recommended suppliers, covering everything from hair and makeup artists to photographers and DJs, ensuring that every detail of your special day is taken care of.

“Couples are not restricted to our recommended suppliers; they have the freedom to bring their own teams on board to shape their dream wedding” Karen explains.

“We prioritise working around our guests, ensuring they don’t have to make compromises.”

Whether you want to say “I do” surrounded by 36 acres of breathtaking grounds or tie the knot in a luxurious boutique hotel, Elite Leisure Collection’s awardwinning events team and venues are nothing short of exceptional, promising magical memories to last a lifetime.

To enquire, you can contact the team by emailing Salomons Estate at leisuresales@salomons-estate. com or sales@onewarwickpark. co.uk for One Warwick Park Hotel.

Wedding brochures can also be downloaded by visiting their websites. salomons-estate.com/weddings onewarwickpark.co.uk/weddings

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 43

ADVERTISING FEATURE

A fresh start...

January can often be a time for feeling the need to recharge and reset and what could be better than getting out in the great outdoors and walking, running or cycling your way to a fitter and healthier body and mind? Read on to find out what Bewl Water has in store for the winter months…

A

s January, often dubbed the most challenging month of the year, sets in with post-Christmas blues, Bewl Water in Lamberhurst invites families to combat the gloom by immersing themselves in the great outdoors and adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Scientifically proven, activities such as walking and bike riding stimulate the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain, enhancing self-esteem, focus, and sleep.

With its natural 800-acre landscape, Bewl Water stands out as the ideal destination for those seeking a healthier start to January, drawing over 140,000 visitors annually.

44 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

Situated on the Kent and Sussex border, the reservoir provides expansive landscapes that cater to a variety of outdoor activities.

Whether engaging in open parkland exercises, cycling along woodland trails, taking the dog for a walk, or finding tranquillity on the water, the reservoir offers a refreshing backdrop to kickstart the new year.

For the little ones, there are two free outdoor playgrounds open daily from 8 am to 5 pm.

These spots aren’t just fun, but they also help children improve balance and agility. With features like slides, climbing frames, a rocking boat, and a basket swing, these playgrounds provide a great environment for fostering creativity and enhancing mood through play in natural surroundings.

If you’re up for some cycling, the round reservoir route is still open despite the cold weather conditions. While certain sections have been temporarily closed for health and safety reasons, there are still 2 ½ miles each way available, providing ample space for both beginners and seasoned cyclists.

Whether you bring your own bike or take advantage of the 20%

discount on adult rentals, cycling not only supports heart health but also reduces stress and promotes a sense of freedom and relaxation.

Additional activities include family-friendly self-guided walks and bird watching in the hide and nature reserve. There’s also a free adventure trail that changes with the seasons, giving you a fresh reason to visit as the weather shifts.

Ranger Bear’s Winter Quest

encourages little ones to explore the woodlands, fostering a love for nature and sparking their imagination as they hunt for hidden clues. Grab trail maps at the Waterfront Café, where you can also enjoy a healthy bite to eat from their lunch menu to refuel after a day outdoors.

For those looking to explore water-based activities, Bewl Water offers options like canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, sailing, windsurfing, wing foiling, and fishing.

With club options and day passes available, water sports not only contribute to physical fitness but also foster mental well-being. The calming effects of water, coupled with the outdoor environment, can alleviate stress, promote relaxation, and improve overall mental health.

SPECIAL OFFERS: • There is now 20% off bikes for both adult and kids •You can currently purchase an annual parking pass for just £65 For more details on deals and activities available this New Year, visit bewlwater.co.uk.

BEWL WATER IS A PART OF THE ELITE LEISURE COMPANY WHICH ALSO OWNS SO MAGAZINE

A

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Award-winning bathroom showroom opens in Tunbridge Wells

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ward-winning bathroom retailer Ripples has opened a brand-new showroom in The Pantiles. Ripples Tunbridge Wells, which is open now, features an array of quality products from some of the top bathroom brands in Europe. From painted boat baths and sleek LED mirrors to special finish brassware and stylish tiles, the showroom features products and design solutions to surprise and delight. Once customers have browsed the product selection, showroom owner Roan Kelly will be on hand to expertly guide them through their bathroom project, creating a unique design specifically tailored to their needs.

Ripples works with renowned bathroom suppliers across Europe to offer clients a collection which is

varied and of exceptional quality.

Its product range includes luxury baths, showers and enclosures, WCs, basins and brassware in almost every style, colour and design imaginable. It also offers unique collections and materials that provide something a little bit different including fluted pendant lights, concrete basins and bespoke solid wood furniture. With styles to suit all tastes, Ripples showrooms act as the perfect showcase to spark the imaginations of clients before the in-house designer gets to work creating bespoke bathroom solutions for them.

Owner and Director of Ripples Tunbridge Wells, Roan Kelly, said “I’m so excited to bring my knowledge and passion for

bathrooms to Tunbridge Wells with my very own Ripples showroom. Having gained over 10 years’ experience within the bathroom industry, I understand the importance of each part of the process, from providing an inspiring showroom setting filled with sought-after products, to designing a room which exceeds expectations. I’m looking forward to designing bathrooms for the people of Tunbridge Wells and beyond, and to be doing so with the support of the wider Ripples family.”

Founded in 1988 by Roger and Sandra Kyme, Ripples has 35 years experience in designing bespoke bathrooms for customers up and down the country. With an impressive collection of 20 showrooms nationwide, Ripples has built a reputation for creating innovatively designed and beautifully finished bathrooms, earning over 70 coveted industry awards across the group, including a recent ‘Bathroom retailer of the year’ award for its Southport showroom.

Ripples Tunbridge Wells is now open at 13 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TD. For more information, visit ripplesbathrooms.com or call 01892 341284.

Download or request a copy of the FREE Ripples Style Guide brochure for inspiration and advice on all aspects of bathroom design.

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 45

INTERIORS

The feelgood factor

For holistic interior designer Phoebe Oldrey of Smartstyle Interiors, our homes need to do more than just look pretty – they need to make us feel happy, too. Rachael Hale visited her to discover more…

H

i Phoebe, what exactly is holistic interior design?

Every interior designer assesses how a space looks and functions, it’s part of our bag, but as a holistic interior designer, I go beyond that to assess how a space actually makes my clients feel. On the surface, that can sound a little ‘Woo Hoo’, but a big part of my job is looking at the psychological effect of each interior design element and then, ultimately, the effect they have as a whole.

A lot of our identity is tied

up with how we put our homes together and what message that impression gives to others, but our priority should be on creating homes that make us feel happy, healthy and comfortable. For example, the way a room is laid out can make someone feel vulnerable or protected, colour can make you feel stimulated or relaxed and the way we use and place everything within a room can make us feel stressed or in control. And then, of course, there’s a health and environmental impact related to everything we choose to have in our homes. There’s far more to

great interior design than a pretty mood board.

Why do you think this approach is so important?

I think it’s the unseen element of how we can take care of ourselves. If you’re trying to sleep in a bedroom where you can’t relax that’s detrimental to your long-term health. Likewise, if the layout of your kitchen means the countertops are cluttered and you keep bumping into things, you’re going to take that frustration out on your kids or partner. All those daily hassles and frustrations can make a huge difference to how happy we ultimately feel in our homes.

When did you first get into holistic design?

The first time it crossed my radar was at a conference about 10 years ago. Until then, I didn’t really think

46 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

“A lot of our identity is tied up with how we put our homes together and what message that impression gives to others, but our priority should be on creating homes that make us feel happy, healthy and comfortable”

there was much more to interior design than ‘make it work, make it pretty’, but people were talking about interior design as a solution to a much bigger issue. Revealing how the use of colour can change the behaviour of prisoners and school students or have an impact on the recovery of medical patients. It completely blew my mind and gave my work a deeper purpose.

If someone wanted to make their home more holistic, what can they do?

I’d say the first thing they need to do is consider how they actually live. What bothers them about their home? Where does everything get dumped, not sorted?

What are the problems they always encounter when trying to do a task? I spend a lot of time getting to know my clients, not just their styles and pattern choices, but their habits so I can ensure every space I design not only looks great but enhances the way they live.

Where’s the best place to buy things for a holistic home?

I wish there were a one-stop shop, but it’s not just about the accessories and items you buy but the materials those pieces are made from. So, for example, if you’re choosing a new floor, go for a wooden one rather than a

INTERIORS

vinyl floor that’s potentially full of harmful phthalates. Likewise, when choosing paint, go for one that’s free of harmful VOCs - the horrible-smelling fumes that are released while, and even after, a paint dries. The more artificial smells and products you put into your home the less healthy it, and you, will ultimately be.

When you start to break it down like this, it can feel a little overwhelming, but your home really can support how you live, make you feel good and look gorgeous. It just takes experience and know-how, and I can help you with that.

And here are Phoebe’s favourite local spots to shop and socialise: Favourite place to eat?

The Vineyard. The food’s good, the people are friendly, and it always feels nice and cosy.

got gorgeous things and proper assistants who want to take care of you and make sure you leave with exactly what you want!

“I spend a lot of time getting to know my clients, not just their styles and pattern choices, but their habits so I can ensure every space I design not only looks great but enhances the way they live”

Favourite place to explore?

The real luxury of living in Tunbridge Wells is that we have the best of both worlds. If I go out my

front door and walk for 20 minutes in one direction I reach The Pantiles, yet if I walk in the other direction, I reach some of the most beautiful countryside you’ll ever see. It’s perfect.

Website - www.smartstyleinteriors.com Instagram - @phoebeoldrey

Favourite place to shop?

Anna Poulsen’s fashion and lifestyle boutique in Chapel Place. She’s SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 47

BUSINESS

Top trends for 2024

This month, Jamie Edney, who runs designer eyewear boutique Edney & Edney with his optometrist wife Ayshah on Monson Road, discusses the glasses trends that will be making an appearance in 2024…

Nothing cures the January blues quite like some good retail therapy.

Enhancing your 2024 look by investing in a fabulous new pair of spectacles is a wonderfully simple way to ensure that at least one new year’s resolution is seen through to completion. So with that in mind I would I would like to offer an optician’s predictions for the eyewear trends of 2024.

Last year saw a year of resurrections of styles from decades gone by – thin metalrimed, shallow frames inspired by the eyewear of the 90s, oversized patterned acetate from the 70s and 80s, and neutral-coloured, heavyrimmed styles from the 60s all made a reappearance.

This year promises to bring an exaggerated continuation of these trends – the oversized will get bigger,

and the shallow frames will get shallower. The latter style threatens to revive the low rectangle, thick sided ‘letter box’ style of the early 2000s – a look I was personally glad to see the back of!

By contrast, I am delighted to see the return of the aviator which, admittedly, has never exactly been out of fashion. The characteristic double bridge, or ‘brow bar’ looks fantastic on an acetate or acrylic frame, as seen in the new Kirk & Kirk and Cutler & Gross collections.

For 2024 there will be a renaissance of 20thcentury eyewear, taking the best elements of fashions from the past six decades

Another emerging trend is the pale ‘day tint’. This is a low absorption lens tint which serves no purpose other than aesthetic, as opposed to a dedicated pair of sunglasses. By either complimenting or contrasting the frame colour, the tint offers another way to personalise your appearance and add another facet of uniqueness to the completed spectacles.

One collection that promises to showcase many of these trends is Mykita, their re-engineered screwless hinge in the Acetate range provides the wearer with an elegantly minimal yet dependable and robust mechanism, so that no clunky hardware distracts from the beautiful contours of the frame.

Oversized geometric styles combine with retro colour ways to pay homage to eyewear of the

70s and 80s. Similarly, Mykita’s 3D printed Mylon range utilises contemporary manufacturing techniques to produce a modern, original take on chunky tortoise shell and horn rim frames from the 60s.

So there we have it, a renaissance of 20th-century eyewear taking the best elements of fashions from the past six decades.

Our stock is ever changing so will reflect these trends, and I believe

GET IN CONTACT: www.edneyandedney.com @edneyandedney @edneyandedney

2024 promises to further accelerate the significance of eyewear in the larger fashion market.

Gone are the days where spectacles were seen merely as a necessary health appliance; your glasses should be a reflection of your personality and offer the outside world an accurate impression of you.

If you would like to see our ever-evolving collections, pop into Edney & Edney on Monson Road, call 01892 517968, or email hello@edneyandedney.com

DISCOVER MUST-HAVE WARDROBE PIECES AND EFFORTLESS STYLES FROM MISS JUNE PARIS, THE GOTO FOR BOHEMIAN HOLIDAY STAPLES.

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48 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

FASHION

Sun seeker

Chasing the winter sun? Then Charlotte Newman of Kitch boutique on the High Street suggests you invest in some key pieces from Miss June’s Radiant 2024 Collection…

A

s the winter season unfolds its chilly embrace, we turn our attention to the sun-drenched allure of winter getaways. Miss June, a brand synonymous with bohemian elegance, unveils its eagerly anticipated 2024 collection, a celebration of sunlit escapes and the free-spirited soul.

In a world that can sometimes feel monochromatic during the winter months, their Spring collection is a burst of colour reminiscent of a tropical paradise.

Vibrant hues reminiscent of a warm sunset—think coral reds, sun-kissed yellows, and oceanic blues—dominate the palette, evoking the radiant glow of a winter sun.

The collection seamlessly blends the brand’s signature bohemian flair with a contemporary edge, offering a range of pieces that effortlessly transition from beachside bliss to city chic.

At the heart of the collection

“The collection also places a strong emphasis on versatility, offering a range of pieces that effortlessly transition from day to night” www.kitchclothing.co.uk @kitch_clothing

are flowing maxi dresses that billow with the gentlest of breezes, capturing the essence of carefree island living. Each piece is meticulously crafted with lightweight fabrics that cascade elegantly, creating an ethereal silhouette. The dresses feature intricate embroidery and playful patterns, transporting you to a world where the sun never sets and every moment is a celebration of life.

The collection also places a strong emphasis on versatility, offering a range of pieces that effortlessly transition from day to night. The collection’s signature maxi dress boasts a flowing silhouette that can be paired with ankle boots for a daytime stroll or elevated with statement accessories for an evening out.

Short dresses adorned with delicate detailing can be paired effortlessly with a pair of metallic gladiator sandals and straw basket bag, creating a playful yet

sophisticated look. Accessories also play a pivotal role in completing the winter sun ensemble.

Oversized sun hats with wide brims provide both style and shade, while beaded sandals add a touch of bohemian chic to any outfit. This adaptability reflects their understanding of the modern woman’s dynamic lifestyle, where clothing must be as adaptable as she is.

As we navigate the winter months, let Miss June be your guide to a wardrobe that effortlessly blends warmth, style and femininity, proving that even in the coldest of days, clothing can radiate with the warmth of the winter sun. The collection stands as a testament to their ability to capture the spirit of adventure and infuse it into every thread, making winter sun a perennial state of mind. So why not escape the winter blues and immerse yourself in a world of colour, prints and unparalleled style.

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 49

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HYPNOTHERAPY

launch last year. The brainchild of Professor Tim Spector, who was also involved in rolling out the Covid tracker app, Zoe’s 18 week personalised programme follows five basic principles to improve gut health: • Try to eat 30 different plants each week including nut, seeds, spices and herbs as well as fruit and veg. Diversity cultivates a healthy gut biome.

• Add colourful portions of polyphenol rich plant food to your plate to stimulate healthy microbes.

• Experiment with fermented food like live yoghurt and Kombucha to increase the range of healthy gut bacteria.

• Avoid snacking and fast overnight so microbes can cleanse the gut. This also improves your immune system.

• Restrict ultra-processed food as it increases the risk of obesity, type II diabetes and heart disease and creates unhealthy bacteria in the gut.

Mind body connection

Health bites

In her first column of 2024, hypnotherapist Karen Martin, who is based at the Salomons Estate, looks at some groundbreaking apps that can help you achieve a healthier diet and happier you…

T

he diet industry is highly skilled at adapting science and technology to meet the insatiable appetite for new weight loss fixes. The latest trend is for personalised nutritional programmes using sophisticated apps, gadgets and tests to identify individual needs.

At the forefront of this growing marketplace is Zoe, a programme designed to provide strategies for evidence-based weight loss and better health. As a hypnotherapist, working with clients to achieve behavioural change and establish permanent healthy eating habits, I’m always curious to explore new initiatives.

My approach is never one size fits all because no two people have the same tastes and preferences, level of activity, physical condition, lifestyle and genetic makeup.

These variables make everyone unique in the choices they make and the way their bodies process nutrients. The Zoe programme starts with tests to identify the state of your insides so a bespoke menu can be devised to make your gut happy and your body fit.

Test and track

A finger-prick blood test, several packets of standardised muffins to challenge the metabolism with high doses of fat and sugar, a continuous glucose monitor and

a stool sample kit are provided to test blood sugar, blood fat and gut microbes. Results are stored on the Zoe app which then crunches the data and provides advice supported by a personal nutrition coach.

Records from keeping a detailed two week food diary are then combined with information from the glucose sensor and poo sample to calculate individual responses to different types of food. It’s then possible to identify which foods create the inflammatory spikes in blood sugar or fats which can contribute to the development of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease or dementia. That knowledge is power as it informs better food choices to optimise health.

Familiar basics

Many of the findings will be obvious to serial dieters who understand all too well how their body piles on the pounds and what they should be doing to improve their health. Things like white bread, many processed foods and sugar all create blood sugar spikes which cause the cravings that lead to overeating. Gut flora thrives when fed with a variety of different fruit and vegetables and fermented food like sauerkraut and kimchi. Intermittent fasting works.

Processed food is bad for us. These are all familiar basics.

Zoe isn’t offering a quick fix. It requires commitment and motivation. As well as the initial cost, there’s a monthly subscription. The app and website are rammed with loads of useful information and hundreds of meal recommendations. There’s flexibility in the bespoke plans provided but it takes discipline to hit the points-based goals which signify healthy eating.

More than 130,000 people have signed up with Zoe since its

“Good nutrition is important for the maintenance of a happy mind and body.

The Zoe app provides the opportunity to know your own gut reactions to different food types and adapt eating habits accordingly”

Karen Martin Hypnotherapist

hypnotherapykent.co.uk

Eating in this way not only improves physical well-being but has mental health benefits too. The stomach is sometimes described as the ‘second brain’ as it contains neurotransmitter cells and produces serotonin, the active ingredient in many antidepressant drugs.

And, of course, the mind-body connection is a two-way street.

Stress and anxiety have an effect on gut function, accelerating acid production, disrupting the gut biome and causing bowel symptoms like diarrhoea. A healthy diet helps rebalance the effects of the continuous stress of day-to-day life.

When the body is sick, inflamed or in pain, it causes stress and anxiety. Good nutrition is important for the maintenance of a happy mind and body. As a learning experience, Zoe provides the opportunity to know your own gut reactions to different food types and adapt eating habits accordingly. This is a great start in the process of making permanent changes for lifelong health and well-being.

It’s now understood that healthy eating isn’t just about calorie intake. It’s so much more complex than that. I follow scientific developments closely and monitor the effectiveness and validity of various emerging diet ‘fads’ so I can give the best advice to those who see me about changing their eating behaviour. My aims are always to make the changes easy, effective and permanent.

Programmes like Zoe: www.zoe. com and Lumen: www.lumen.me, a gadget that analyses breath to assess metabolic needs and then provides app-based support, are sophisticated tools to facilitate that.

Scientific advances are enabling us to make better-informed decisions about how to look after our unique selves.

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 51

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WELL-BEING

Ground works

J

Naomi Murray of Botanica in Rusthall begins the new year by looking at the quality of soil and how good, organic produce can have a beneficial impact on our overall health…

anuary is a time when most of us set out a goal or two for the year ahead, but unfortunately by the end of the month half of these good intentions fall by the wayside.

What if there was something that could transform the way you think and feel and it just meant being more mindful about the food you consume? Perhaps this could be an achievable new year’s resolution where you reap ongoing benefits.

Gut health is recognised as a pivotal aspect of overall well-being.

This is not surprising when you think that the surface area of the gut is that of half a badminton court.

The gut is responsible for most of our immune function and produces a huge amount of hormones.

Known as the ‘second brain’ is it any wonder when you look at the astonishing vagus nerve that the health of the gut massively impacts mental health.

The gastrointestinal system plays a crucial role in digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function. Poor gut health is linked to many conditions which seem to have become more prevalent, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Anything we can do to improve our microbiome can only lead to better health outcomes…

The microbiome

At the heart of gut health lies the microbiome—a diverse community of trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes, residing in the digestive tract. This intricate ecosystem plays a fundamental role in maintaining a balanced and harmonious environment within the gut. The delicate balance of this microbiome is crucial for the prevention of infections, the digestion of certain foods, and the synthesis of essential nutrients.

Research is clear that an unhappy gut makes for an unhappy mind.

But before we think of what we can do to support our gut health it is imperative to keep in mind that a diverse microbiome starts here, in the fields that surround us …

As the American writer and philosopher Aldo Leopold said: “Land is not merely soil, it is a fountain of energy flowing through a circuit of soils, plants

and animals.” The Farmers – stewards of the land - agriculture is our primary health service.

Patrick Holden, CBE is a UK organic dairy farmer and campaigner for sustainable food and farming. He established his biodynamic farm in 1973 and is qualified to say that a healthy gut microbiome begins in the soil. And science has revealed that when the soil microbiome is healthy and in balance it directly and positively affects the health of the plants that grow in it, and so us.

There is a call to connect the human biome to the soil biome. It all starts there and it really makes you think about the food you buy.

We can look at the farm as the cell and if the cell is sick, i.e. the soil, then we have a sick population.

We know that intensive farming methods and toxic chemicals are depleting our soil and compromising our health, leading to low nutrient levels in vegetables and in turn us. Patrick gave up selling carrots to supermarkets long ago. They squeeze the life out of farmers. We need to support local farms, and eat seasonally and organically as much as possible.

And support people like Patrick in this most life-giving work.

He doesn’t need science to tell

“Land is not merely soil, it is a fountain of energy flowing through a circuit of earth, plants and animals”

Naomi Murray Co-founder of Botanica Health

botanicahealth.co.uk

him organic is better. But studies do show that organic produce contains significantly more nutrients, minus the nasty chemicals. Almost nothing influences our gut bacteria as much as the food we eat. We must keep in mind that every meal we eat changes the environment in the gut and literally speaks to the body,

influencing the expression of genes.

Forget the five a day, which has no scientific basis, for maximum biodiversity we need around 30 different plants a day in our diet.

That sounds like an impossible task but this could be seeds, herbs, spices, fruit or vegetables. It’s not unachievable.

Here are 10 ways towards a healthier gut, mind and overall health for a brighter 2024: • Eat a diverse and colourful plate • Consume ‘microbe fertilisers’, prebiotic-rich foods like onions, garlic, leeks, chicory root, slippery elm, dandelion greens and asparagus to feed the friendly bacteria in your gut • Choose a good quality sourdough bread – this type of bread can actually benefit gut health due to the fermentation process • Provide the microbiome with some beneficial bacteria by eating probiotic-rich foods -sauerkraut, natural yoghurt, olives, unpasteurised cider vinegar, kimchi, kefir, kombucha •Look at ways to reduce stress - it has such a negative impact on gut health •Enjoy dark chocolate and red wine

in moderation – both improve gut microbes • Avoid sweeteners; animal studies show they produce abnormal chemicals and reduce microbe diversity • Only use antibiotics when absolutely necessary and then take a probiotic • Dirt makes you happy - gets your hands in the soil. Studies show that coming in to contact and inhaling bacteria from the soil when gardening lifts the spirits. A natural anti-depressant, the effects can be felt for up to three weeks • Footnote: Interestingly studies show that patients undergoing immunotherapy for cancer have better outcomes if they have a rich biodiversity in the gut…

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 53

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Glow with the flow

SO magazine meets Louise Carolan from Body Glow Pilates and finds out why this type of exercise is perfect for both mums-to-be and new mums and their babies…

When did you start your business and why?

I started Body Glow Pilates in September 2023. My “why” started on my journey to becoming a mum for the first time, giving birth to my son, honestly, wreaked havoc on my core strength! I felt weak and disconnected from my body and myself in general.

Luckily, Pilates safely helped me regain the strength and confidence I had lost. I felt amazing, and so much happier physically and mentally.

I also struggled to feel safe exercising, both when I was pregnant and during my early post-natal recovery. Many fitness instructors I came into contact with weren’t officially trained for preand post-natal exercise. On one occasion, I was even asked in front of a large class if I should even be exercising ‘in my condition’!? I felt extremely shamed and upset.

I set up Body Glow Pilates so that others didn’t experience this. It became my mission to help other mums pre- or post-natal to feel safe and reassured that Pilates IS beneficial for so many reasons.

I honestly used to believe that high-impact exercise was the only way to get true results, but

54 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

I have also just this month started at a new Crowborough location at the beautiful Tranquility Yoga.

Private and semi-private sessions are available too.

now I know that there is another answer. Pilates serves the body in a powerful, kind holistic way, low impact does not mean less results!

What is unique about Body Glow Pilates?

I feel very passionate that good teaching is to be able to really see the individual body in front of you and to always help improve as best you can. Anyone can move, but to move with precision requires technique.

Quite often such a small adaption can make a really positive difference, and it’s my responsibility to make that happen.

I used to find especially with large classes that corrections weren’t given, so that clients wouldn’t ever know how they could improve, and if they even needed to! I cap my classes at 12, to make

sure everyone gets the care and attention they deserve.

I also offer Mumma & Bubba Pilates classes to allow new mums to bring their babies along! As a new mum I found it can be difficult and overwhelming to even get out the house, so to offer a class that’s actually focused on the mum and their individual post-partum recovery, without needing childcare support is necessary.

It’s also so important for mums to make friends and meet other mums, building their support network and community.

Where do you host your classes?

At the moment I offer The Essentials Pilates class (mixed ability) at Skinners Primary School, and Mumma & Bubba Pilates at Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre,

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Hands down the progress I see in my clients. Sometimes it might be a small thing that gradually improves over time, often the client doesn’t initially even notice themselves.

But I do, and it makes me feel very proud of them, I can see they are walking out of class feeling and looking 2 inches taller, glowing with positivity and strength inside and out...hence the name Body Glow! (cheesy but true – lol!)

Secondly, I’ve got to mention the sense of community at Body Glow Pilates. We have fun in class.

I am someone who takes Pilates seriously, but never myself ! I want exercise to be enjoyable, so expect some banter, questionable jokes and always a warm smile.

I never expect perfection, I just ask for commitment, presence, and awareness. If we bring that to the mat, we will improve over time, and feel so much better along the way.

Do you hope to grow your membership?

Absolutely! My mission is to share the positive force that Pilates can have on us, Pilates is such a functional form of exercise, improving how you feel day to day.

Learning to move better with more awareness in your everyday life compounds over time and makes a HUGE positive, healthy difference in both body and mind.

Is the health and well-being community in Tunbridge Wells a supportive one?

100 per cent! I’ve already met so many other incredible experts in their field that I’m super-excited to collaborate with in the future for events/retreats, and eventually an online platform. Watch this space!

Additionally, I have discovered wonderful support networks for mums in Tunbridge Wells who make a real positive impact, in particular I personally found Baby Umbrella and the Mum Club especially supportive and helpful. www.bodyglowpilates.com louise@bodyglowpilates.com

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Intrinsic well-being: Finding a balance of physical and mental health

H

ave you ever noticed that dedicating yourself to one aspect of your health inadvertently leads to the neglect of other areas?

As a former competitive athlete, I’ve experienced firsthand the frustration of only working on one area of my health. I’ve poured effort into training my body yet neglected my mental health. Other times, I’ve nourished my mind but lacked physical vitality. I never felt balanced or enjoyed the process.

My breakthrough happened when I began exploring the science behind the mind-body connection.

I recognised how my thoughts impacted my physical state and vice versa. Focusing on just fitness or just mental health was futile; I needed an intrinsic approach.

It was only when I combined my efforts. Nurturing my body with nutrient-dense foods and managing stress through finding self-care activities that suited me and understanding my own strengths, weaknesses, emotions, values and motivations that I

felt mentally clear, emotionally balanced and physically energised.

At The Wells Mind & Body Coach I apply everything I have qualified in and use in my everyday life to help you balance different areas of your life, enjoy better health and achieve your goals

I use a combination of hypnotherapy, NLP, nutrition and life coaching to enable you to look, feel and perform at your best. Crucially this combination is bespoke to you. Together, we’ll create your unique roadmap, exploring underlying emotional and/or psychological factors to help you break through any barriers holding you back.

Whether that’s unwanted weight, lack of energy, sleep issues, stress, anxiety, self-doubt or to move forward.

The results are transformative.

You’ll learn to trust yourself, accept yourself and gain awareness of how your mind and body interact.

This builds resilience and balance tools we all need to make the most of the opportunities and challenges in the year ahead.

If you are interested in finding out more about an intrinsic approach to your wellbeing.

Please go to www.thewellsmindbodycoach.com and click ‘book a discovery call’.

“Anita has helped me to look deep inside at my values, behaviours and limiting beliefs and review and challenge all those things….I’ve also spent time looking at nutrition and how to improve my physical well-being. I made a number of changes to my diet and routine which significantly increased my energy levels and overall health….Anita is open, knowledgeable, non-judgmental and clearly passionate about her work.

I would not hesitate to recommend her”

Achieve what you truly want, balance your life, enjoy better health and achieve your goals.

NLP * Hypnotherapy *Nutrition Coaching Life Coaching.

In person appointments in Tunbridge Wells & Online appointments available Email: anita@thewellsmindbodycoach.com www.thewellsmindbodycoach.com

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 55

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Nature’s best As it’s January the experts at Helios Homeopathic Pharmacy on Camden Road share their advice on what holistic products to use if you are looking to make some changes to your health and wellbeing in 2024…

I

t’s a cliche to talk about New Year New You, but for many of us the start of a New Year really is about making changes for the better whether it be resolutions in your personal life, your job or your health and lifestyle.

For those of you wanting to address changes to your health and wellbeing, here at Helios we’ve got some great tips, products and homeopathic remedies to help you on your way.

Maybe you are looking at improving your diet or making changes to your health by detoxing. To help you start you might find the book ‘Optimal Detox’ by Naturopath Christopher Vasey helpful. The book offers clear, practical instructions and guidance about how to identify which type of toxin is triggering your illness and which medicinal herbs, hydrotherapy techniques

or nutritional options are the best choice for your ailment. Bioforce Milk Thistle Complex might also be useful to help support the liver and digestion after a period of over-indulgence during the festive season.

If the new year inspires you to improve your fitness or take up a new sport, then there are plenty of homeopathic remedies to help support those tired and aching joints and muscles after strenuous exercise, or support you through the recovery of an injury. We recommend Helios Injury, a combination of Arnica, Rhus Tox and Ruta, to support soreness and/or injury to soft tissue, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Our Rhus Tox and Ruta Cream with added Ginger

“Flower essences are a great way to brighten up the dark months and can be so beneficial on an emotional level, uplifting your mood and motivating you to make positive changes”

essential oil is also wonderful at soothing tired and aching joints.

Bryonia is also a great remedy for overstrain of joints, where the pain is always worse for movement, and Symphytum is the number one remedy for fractures.

The new year is also a time when people start considering their health and wellbeing on a more holistic level. Maybe you are considering visiting a Homeopath for the first time. Please call our advice line to find out more about our Homeopathic consultations we offer at our Clinic either in person in Tunbridge Wells or online.

During the winter, nutritional supplementation is key to supporting your immune system.

We stock a wide range of immune booting supplements such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Zinc. If you are struggling to bounce back after a winter virus then consider energy boosting supplements such as Lamberts Multi Guard ADR. It includes the full vitamin B complex, magnesium, ginseng and rhodiola, all of which help to reduce fatigue and increase energy.

Tissue Salts are also brilliant at gently aiding healing especially when convalescing after an illness.

A SUBURBAN JEWEL IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS

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56 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

The Helios Kali Phos Tissue Salt is especially good for this.

If you are wanting to make changes to your health and wellbeing but it simply feels too overwhelming then you might benefit from some flower essences to start you off. Flowers are a great way to brighten up the dark and often dreary months at the start of a year. They can be so beneficial on an emotional level to help with uplifting your mood but can also help motivate you in making those positive changes. The Australian Bush Flower combination Transition Essence and Bioforce Mood Essence are both popular choices at this time of year.

Our expert homeopaths are available to help you further on our advice lines, via email or pop in and see us at our pharmacy in Camden Road. We wish you well with whatever new venture you choose and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Helios Homeopathy Ltd Tel: 01892 537254 www.helios.co.uk 97 Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 2WR

WELL-BEING

Time to energise

In her first column for 2024, local Intuitive Healer, Reiki Master/Teacher and Crystal Therapist Emma Sims discusses the important power of energy – your personal, precious frequency – and how to make the most of it

Y

our energy has the power to transform your life, it is a precious frequency that is unique to you.

So before you get swept away on the current of New Year’s resolutions, goal setting and drastic changes you can’t stick to, know that by cultivating calm, respecting rest, and formulating a regular energy ritual you will move closer to creating your new reality.

January is when the earth is still in a deep slumber, there is a shift in energy happening beyond what the eye can see. As the winter solstice leaves behind the darker nights it’s a time of slow transition into the light. The frequency of energy moving through you begins to seek expansion, new thoughts and ideas germinate, projects and creativity are in fruition. The yang energy starts to want to move and wake up from the deep hibernation, yet your energy is being called to be slow, create calm and nurture your inner winter.

When you take the time to notice what your body feels and nurture the messages you receive you move your energy at a deeper level and begin to create from this space.

Cultivating an energy ritual by means of a spiritual practice is far from ‘woo-woo’ in fact through consistency you will begin to see the results in your inner and outer world. As the inspirational speaker Esther Hicks said: ‘Take the time to line up the energy first, and action becomes inconsequential.’

Try these rituals for a manageable five minutes a day and the ritual will slowly become a habit:

Respect rest

On rising and before reaching for your phone, take five minutes to sit with your breath. Relax your tongue and inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your nose. Move the energy through your body with your breath by visualising the breath moving from the crown of your head to the tips

Emma Sims

Energy Master/Teacher local Intuitive Healer, Reiki Master/Teacher and Crystal Therapist

of your toes. Do this quick energy shift when you need to return your body to a state of calm and receive rest.

Creative visualisation

Create five minutes to do this as part of a longer meditative practice if not this could be carried out on the train, whilst eating your breakfast, or in a five-minute break.

Imagine this exercise as similar to daydreaming.

Visualise what you would like to bring into your life, how would you like your life to be, a new job, a relationship, for example. Visualise how you would like to feel in this new situation. Close your eyes, if this feels safe, see it in your mind’s eye as if it has already happened.

Breathe it and feel it in every cell of your being.

Connect with your energy

Rub your hands together quickly and ignite the energy. Moving them slightly apart to feel the

“When you work on creating a new reality, idea or project, you can amplify the energy by focusing all your attention on this vision during a meditation”

flow of energy between your hands. Bring them back together and continue rubbing for a few minutes, taking deep breaths in and out. Visualise how you would like to be feeling.

reality which is…. (for example) Hold the prayer position for five minutes and visualise your breath flowing in and out of your heart space.

Invite in stillness

Ask yourself a question, preferably in the present tense, write for five minutes what comes into your mind when you ask yourself the question, don’t procrastinate, let it flow. Base the question on your new reality to receive the answer from your higher self.

Choose which of these rituals resonate most and work with them over a week and see how you get on. The one that you intuitively go to the most is the one best suited to you.

Would you like to invest your energy in creating a new reality and connect to your true purpose?

Improve your physical, mental and spiritual health? Formulate a deeper relationship and connection releasing wasted time. If you would like to be held on a path to selfdiscovery and be held accountable you can find the five-week True Self programme, incorporating five Reiki treatments, ancient wisdom practices and guidance with Emma Sims, Energy Master/ Teacher, here: www.emmajanesims.com/ true-self

When you work on creating a new reality, idea or project, you can amplify the energy by focusing all your attention on this vision during a meditation. Place an oil that you like in the palm of your hands, frankincense or rose are key to opening the senses, inhale the oils by rubbing your hands together and placing your hands over your nose. Inhale and exhale. Bring your hands to prayer position and set an intention. I am creating my new

Intuition

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 57

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FITNESS

routine is not sustainable, become demotivated, and give up. Small steps and a sustainable plan, are definitely the key to success here

Know your goals

• Be kind: Aim for improvement, not perfection, and always be kind to yourself along the way. We are only human at the end of the day • Gently does it: If starting out, even 5/10 minutes of exercise a day can get you on the right road.

Build up slowly and gradually, and always give yourself at least one rest day per week, to allow your body to recharge, and work the magic of your sessions • All about you: Remember that this journey is about YOU. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing. Make it work for you, in a way that is sustainable, and will leave you feeling healthier, fitter, and happier throughout the whole year. Get the support of your friends and family and celebrate every success • You are now ready to become the best version of YOU. Let’s GO!!

Move of the month: SO’s resident fitness guru Sarah Gorman welcomes in the new year by revealing a series of top tips that will kickstart your exercise regime for 2024 – and keep you motivated all year long…

J

anuary: Does the very mention of the word make you groan and feel deflated or do you kick off the year with a spring in your step and feelings of positivity and change?

Either way it’s that time when lots of us decide to make changes to our current lifestyle, sometimes in the form of New Year’s resolutions and sometimes simply through the need to make some big or small life changes.

We may have overindulged over the festive season, and let our fitness routines slip in the build-up to Christmas, and so we decide that now is the time to get our fitness and nutrition back on track – or maybe even begin our fitness and healthy lifestyle journey.

Sometimes we are so eager to get going that we go ALL out within the first few weeks of January, in an unsustainable way, and by mid-February, we realise that what we are doing is either not realistically sustainable in the long term - or we have simply given up.

Sarah Gorman Fitness professional and entrepreneur

@sarahgormanblendfit sarahgorman.fit

Our new habits start to slip, and before we know it, we are back where we started, feeling deflated or even like we have failed. At this point either the whole process starts again as we return to wanting to be fitter and healthier and making more promises or you opt out entirely making excuses as to why it is just never going to happen.

Sound relatable?

OK, here are some tips to assist you in integrating your changes into your busy lifestyle, and help lead you to achieving your goals throughout the whole year: • Make your mind up: what it is you would like to achieve and why?

• Know your goals: Write down realistic, achievable goals or it could lead to personal disappointment, lack of motivation, and feelings of failure • Plan ahead: Having a planner where you can write down your workouts, and meals for the week, can help to give you structure. And if one day, it doesn’t quite go to plan, as things often do, know that all is not lost. Pick up where you left off and remind yourself that all is not lost in the process. The important thing is that you are as consistent as much as is possible

“Small steps and a sustainable plan, are definitely the key to successful exercise regime and healthier you”

• Habit stacking: When wanting to change current habits, rather than trying to change everything at once, try ‘Habit Stacking’. Set yourself small goals to change one or two things at a time. It could be something as simple as saying to yourself ‘Today I am going to drink more water’; ‘Today I am going to complete a 10-minute workout’ or ‘Today I am going to cut down on my sugar intake’ etc. Notice I said ‘cut down’, not completely cut out. This way, we don’t feel like we are denying ourselves, but we are setting ourselves up to lead a healthier lifestyle • Small steps: You may be returning to exercise after a break, and be so eager to get going, that you go hammer and tongs, burn yourself out, increase the risk of injury, and shortly realise that the

Let’s get mobile. Adding mobility into your exercise and fitness schedule is going to assist you at every level. You will be less prone to injury and keeping mobile keeps you young.

I’m going to look at hip mobility in two positions. Pigeon Pose and a seated twist. Both of these moves are fantastic for hip mobilisation and flexibility throughout the body: 1. Start with your leg bent under you at the front and the other leg stretched out behind.

Adjust your position from side to side so you can feel the stretch across the hips. Gradually fold your body over the front leg and allow yourself to melt into the floor. From here you can again, create a gentle rocking motion with the body to open up the hips. Switch legs.

2. Sit up with one leg in front and the other behind both in right angle positions. Trying to keep your back straight and long move the body and allow the legs to switch to the other side.

You can start by using your hands as an aid to balance and assist but as you progress start to take the hands away.

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 59

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WELL-BEING

Honestly, what’s not to love?

Unless you’re a busy bee and you fear your buzz won’t be shushed so easily. And this is exactly when you’re most likely to benefit from exactly what a retreat has to offer.

A chance for the chaotic, crazy, monkey mind, to learn to SLOW DOWN and for your body to catch its breath. A retreat is like an elixir of life, replenishing the soul and sending you home full of joie de vivre…

TEMPTED? HERE ARE TWO OPTIONS FOR YOU TO TRY:

Yoga Jam retreat to Hadlow, Kent January 19-21, 2024 From £430 per person

Reset & recharge January is the perfect time to rest. This month, SO’s well-being guide, Lucy Parker from Flow reveals why it’s vital to make time for yourself – with a special retreat being the ultimate gift…

E

ven our smartphones need to be switched off and on again occasionally, and if you were to speak to the guys at Fixio they’d wax lyrical about the importance of shutting down your computer regularly too.

It’s even become a popular meme courtesy of Channel 4’s The IT Crowd, ‘Hello IT, have you tried turning it off and on again?’

Joking apart, it is called a ‘reset’ for a reason and it is vital for the health of our technology to declutter and restore every now and again. So why don’t we do that for ourselves?

I guess the idea is that a good night’s sleep is meant to do the job.

To offer a reboot to the system, recharge our batteries and repair any lingering injuries or cellular damage. The problem is that it doesn’t always do a good job if our sleep is interrupted, disturbed, or too short. Ironically, it’s often the technology in our bedrooms that creates the problems that a better night’s sleep might fix, affecting our pineal gland and stopping us from hitting the good delta brain wave activity required for our system’s natural healing to occur.

There’s also the very real and present danger of stress that can play havoc on our lives, regardless

Lucy Parker

Flow Tunbridge Wells

Senior Yoga Teacher, Integrative Counsellor & Coach https://flowtunbridgewells.com lucy@flowtunbridgewells.com

Hidden in the vast landscape of Hadlow Down is the stunning country estate, and grounds of Oxon Hoath, our setting for Yoga Jam, Flow’s 8th-weekend retreat.

This retreat is far enough away to feel like you’ve escaped the rat race and yet nearby enough to be home in a tick if need be. Oxon Hoath oozes stately charm and character, standing tall with timeless grace and infinite mystery. Although short, you’ll arrive on Friday late afternoon and be home soon after Sunday lunch. Our guests feel like this precious gem of a weekend gives them just enough space to expand into their sense of self with compassion and ease. flowtunbridgewells.com/yogajam/s

“A retreat is like an elixir of life, replenishing the soul and sending you home full of joie de vivre!”

Retreat to Ithaca, Greece October 12-19, 2024 From £1,900 per person of whether we’re awake or not.

What we need is a retreat, an opportunity to sink into our own reset and repair the damage our stressed-out, overworked, overstimulated lives may have caused. A retreat is a physical place you can go to quite literally, leave it all behind and soften into self-healing. A place where you will be fully supported to re-establish your connection to your body and mind, rekindle your self-love, refresh your values as well as rest

your tired old bones. A retreat is your invitation to turn off and on again, and I’m recommending you invest in at least one a year.

So what goes on at a retreat?

Well, glad you asked. Firstly, you’ll be cocooned in the warm embrace of seclusion and exclusively away from the madding crowd. You’ll be encircled by like-minded souls and guided every step of the way.

You’ll not have to lift a finger for the duration of the retreat and all your nutritional, entertainment, exercise, and general well-being needs will be taken good care of.

Prepare to enter a schedule balanced delicately between activity and rest with plenty of time for self-reflect and awareness in between. Each day is tailored and timetabled so you’ll be floating from one thing to another without a care in the world and nothing on your to-do list. And that is entirely the point. As you’ll have nothing to ‘do’ you can fall into the feeling of simply ‘being’. Being the person you’ve always meant to be – if only you had the time.

Itha108 is a breath-taking bespoke yoga retreat venue perched on the coastal clifftops overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, described by her visitors as ‘a hidden paradise’.

Bathe in the infinity pool, be warmed by the October sun, cooled by the afternoon sea breeze and immersed in a week-long voyage of self-reflection, growth and discovery. We will share a flight out and back and everything in between. This week is to let go of the forward momentum and relentless pace of life, to slow into a new nature-attuned rhythm and learn with expert guidance and support to simply be. flowtunbridgewells.com/ greece-2024/

SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 61

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OUTSIDE EDGE

features the more biodiverse it will be, and this will attract a greater variety of insects and wildlife.

Encouraging more biodiversity in your garden not only improves wildlife generally, but also improves the health of your garden. It helps plants flourish and multiply, plus naturally combat climatic effects, pests and diseases.

No matter the size of your garden, whether it’s a first floor flat with window boxes, to a large country estate you can create a more biodiverse environment.

Some practical improvements you can make:

By design...

Looking ahead to longer, warmer days, Tim Sykes of Gardenproud, advises readers on some top trends in gardening for 2024

T

he New Year is upon us and I hope like me you are eager to implement some fresh ideas in your garden.

Over the next couple of months I plan to share with you four new trends in garden design which will help you create and sustain a more beautiful outdoor space.

Sustainability is top of most people’s minds, and none more so than in the garden. Tackling this and building it into your plan for the garden invariably involves going back to basics, ensuring that the foundations for the garden are sound and the materials and features incorporated all contribute to a healthier and longer-term environment.

Trend No 1: Improving the health of your soil

Soil is essential to the sustainment of the world’s social, economic and environmental systems, so why shouldn’t it be one of the key influencers in your garden? But how can you prepare and look after your soil?

Many soils are degraded, so when we are designing a new, or refreshing an existing garden how can we expect a poor soil to support a beautiful new vista?

Typically soil is damaged by erosion through the force of wind, the passage of water and other substances, some cultivation techniques, or even the lack of good ground cover. We also

“The more plant species a garden features the more biodiverse it will be, and this will attract a greater variety of insects and wildlife”

Tim Sykes

Gardenproud

witness in many gardens the effects of compaction, pollution and increasingly too much hard landscaping using non-permeable materials such as porcelain and non-porous grouts and mortars.

Considering how the soil in a garden can be best sustained for the long term is one of the key factors any garden designer should have on their check list for improvement. Understanding the soil types, texture and ph. values and the underlying geology is a great start. A simple core sample can tell you a lot without investing in expensive lab testing. You can hire an auger and take your own sample. Aim to drill down about 1 metre. It will identify the depth of any good organic matter, then clay and compacted areas, plus strata that might appear grey where the soil is likely to be anaerobic (areas where the soil is suffocated of oxygen and likely to be damp and compacted). The absence of oxygen limits root growth and with time plants can display little growth and even die. So if you see this happening in your garden it is important to address it.

The latest thinking is that we shouldn’t automatically remove and replace degraded soil. Instead dig and de-compact existing soil, mixing in added organic matter and potentially grit to improve air flow, create freer draining strata and thus boost the soils general health and vitality. If you have a

small digger then dig down to 1m, or wherever your core sample/s are telling you there is an issue. If not then dig at least a spades depth.

You don’t need to create a fine tilth, in fact clods of soil are better for supporting good irrigation and air flow.

Breaking up the compaction and the soil will start to heal itself. The increased amount of organic matter will boost the soils biological community (eg. bacteria, fungi, nematodes, earthworms and insects) and gradually enrich its mycorrhizal content.

Trend No 2: Increase the biodiversity in your garden

A biodiverse garden is overflowing with life and has an abundance of different plant species attracting many forms of wildlife.

The more plant species a garden

- Consider re-wilding a small area of the garden. In a biodiverse garden an untidy woodland area is a healthy woodland, as it is this wilderness that creates a rich food source for insects and other wildlife. An old rotting log pile, tucked away from sunlight to prevent it from drying out will make a perfect home for fungi and insects.

- Creating your own compost area encourages biodiversity and recycles good garden debris it also supports worms and insects which are crucial to good soil health. So create your own and recycle leaves, grass cuttings, and chopped up dead perennials, but leave out the weeds.

- Water is a great magnet for wildlife in the garden. So if you haven’t room for a pond then consider introducing a bird bath, or water butt, even a decorative open water container or planter feature. A large open water butt lined with rubber, or painted with a waterproof sealer can provide a fantastic haven for aquatic plants and a rich community of wildlife.

- We regularly recommend dedicating a small area of the garden to a wildflower meadow.

A mix of long grass and ox-eye daisies, corn marigold and poppies will attract pollinating bees and butterflies and provide shelter for many other species. To create your own meadow simply check out Pictorial Meadows, or Meadow Mania. You can buy seed mixes or better still meadow turf. Before you create a meadow make sure you prepare the area properly. Remove any turf, rotivate and grade the soil and remove all weeds before laying fresh turf or sowing seeds.

A good time to seed a meadow is in the autumn, but you can lay turf at most times of the year. Whilst more expensive the turf gives you a nearly 100% success rate.

Look out for fresh garden design trends in the next issue of SO Magazine. For further information contact Tim Sykes on 07725 173820, or check out Gardenproud online at www.gardenproud.co.uk SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 63

TRAVEL

A crown jewel

To kick off the new year, Karen Martin takes a trip to Malta to discover its connections with the late Queen, its impressive historic sites and what makes it a perfect destination for some winter sun

T

he naval outpost of Malta received the royal stamp of approval from the young Princess Elizabeth and her officer husband Prince Philip during the early years of their marriage. It’s easy to see why this sunny sanctuary from the pressures of public life delighted the royal couple.

These idyllic isles were where the future Queen was able to live a relatively normal life as a young newlywed away from the spotlight of royal duty and responsibility.

Here she could do things we ordinary mortals take for granted like pay her own bills and drive herself through the narrow streets as well as dance the night away with Prince Philip in the ballroom of Hotel Meridien Phoenicia.

This grand hotel stands on the outskirts of the Maltese capital Valletta. It opened in 1947, and remains a stately,

64 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

sumptuous edifice, evoking a Jazz Age opulence that must have felt glorious so soon after the end of the Second World War. The couple lived in 18th century Villa Guardamangia, set to be transformed into a museum, after falling into disrepair in recent years. Queen Elizabeth revisited her favourite island many times and it was the destination of her final trip abroad in 2015.

“Malta boasts a rich history that dates back thousands of years. From the ruins of Neolithic temples Mediterranean gem to the Baroque At the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta is 50 miles south of Italy architecture of and nearly 300 miles north of Valletta, it is a Tunisia. An archipelago made up cultural and of Malta, Gozo and Comino, it historical treasure has a population of around half a million. The official languages of trove” this tiny country are Maltese and English.

With over 300 days of sunshine a year and bursting with history and culture, Malta is a charming

holiday destination with loads to do, ranging from diving to hiking, horse-riding to sight-seeing on Segways. And it’s just a three-hour flight from the UK. Its fortress architecture sets the scene for dramatic film and television productions including Gladiator and Game of Thrones.

The latest Jurassic World film features dinosaur chase scenes through the streets of Valletta.

World Heritage Site Malta boasts a rich history that dates back thousands of years. From the ruins of Neolithic temples to the Baroque

TRAVEL

architecture of Valletta, it is a cultural and historical treasure trove. The old cities of Mdina and Valletta and the megalithic temples of Hagar Qim, Mnajdra and the Hypogeum are built with honeyed limestone and worthy of Unesco World Heritage Site status.

Today, the ‘Silent City’ of Mdina, where monasteries and nunneries made it a tranquil place of prayer and contemplation, thrums with tourists, particularly

during the festival season in the Spring when the Catholic community gathers in celebration.

The Maritime Museum in Valletta pays tribute to the long naval history of the strategically positioned islands. It also offers a unique dining experience in a restaurant serving 18th century dishes made with local produce and using spices and ingredients from far afield.

Eco-friendly electric buggies

from Rolling Geeks, are a great self-drive tour of the piazzas, avenues, and sleepy backstreets of the historic Three Cities of Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua.

Pre-programmed directions guide you on a leisurely journey taking in museums, churches, and gardens..

Fit for a king

Historically influenced by foreign visitors, the island nation is foodie heaven with no fewer than six Michelin starred restaurants.

Maltese food is a unique blend of Mediterranean and North African flavours, with dishes like rabbit stew, pastizzi (flaky pastry filled with ricotta cheese or mushy peas), and ftira (a type of bread similar to focaccia).

But it’s not just the history that draws visitors to Malta.

Crystal-clear waters, golden sandy beaches and rugged cliffs attract sun seekers, nature lovers and watersports enthusiasts alike.

On the southeastern coast of Malta is charming fishing village of Marsaxlokk, where brightly coloured traditional Maltese fishing boats bring their daily catch to market. From here, you can jump on a boat trip around the bay and nearby rocky beaches like St Peter’s Pool, famed for its aquamarine hues and clear lagoon.

Crystal clear

Diving is popular in Malta, where the warm, clear waters are home to an abundance of marine life and shipwrecks to explore. Whether you’re an experienced diver or a beginner, there are plenty of diving schools and centres on the islands that can help you enjoy Malta’s underwater world.

For those who prefer to stay on land, there’s hiking, cycling, and horseback riding or just lying on the beach or by the pool if that’s your thing.

There are ferries running daily between Malta and the smaller sister island of Gozo, northwest of

“Maltese food is a unique blend of Mediterranean and North African flavours.

The island nation is foodie heaven with no fewer than six Michelin-starred restaurants”

Malta. Gozo is more rural, with farmhouse accommodation and space to find respite from the rat race.

Accommodation in Malta ranges from five-star hotels to private villas and B&Bs, including luxury options for those seeking a bit of royal treatment. Sliema and St Julian’s are where glitzy beach clubs and glamorous nightlife can be found. Here, shopping malls, cafes and bars sit on the waterfront alongside mediaeval watchtowers and Sicilian-era palaces.

Malta is a true gem. With its rich history, stunning natural beauty, and luxurious accommodation, no wonder it’s a popular holiday destination for those seeking a bit of royal treatment. www.visitmalta.com/en/ SO Magazine | JANUARY 2024 | 65

MOTORS

Full speed ahead for 2024 feel truly engaging, but that looks to change with the arrival of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N next year. The South Korean firm has already proven itself when it comes to EVs and performance cars and should be on to a winner by combining the two for the first time.

Hyundai has introduced numerous features to help liven up the experience, including simulated gearshifts, and with 641bhp, it isn’t exactly short of performance. It’s a real one to watch out for in 2024.

LAMBORGHINI REVUELTO

FIRST DRIVE:

Next year sees a range of exciting new launches in the car world says Ted Welford

While 2023 has been an excellent year for new car arrivals, 2024 looks to be an even more exciting 12 months.

With a host of important new arrivals – from low-cost electric cars to flagship V12 supercars – due to arrive in the UK. But what are the most important arrivals expected and are they worth waiting for? Let’s take a look.

DACIA SPRING

If you’ve wanted a low-cost new electric car in the UK, your options have been surprisingly limited. But that will change in 2024 with the arrival of the Dacia Spring. While it’s been on sale in other European countries for several years, this is the first time it will be sold in Britain.

Set to bring a price of under £20,000, it will comfortably undercut other EVs. Dacia promises

a ‘substantially updated’ version when it does arrive in the middle of 2024.

FORD EXPLORER

Ford has been somewhat lagging behind many competitor brands when it comes to EVs, currently just having one electric car available.

But in 2024 Ford will introduce the Explorer – a new mid-size electric SUV that’s expected to prove popular.

The Explorer, which is based on Volkswagen’s electric architecture, will be produced in the same factory where the Fiesta was discontinued earlier in the year, though the new SUV has already been delayed. It should arrive by next summer.

HYUNDAI IONIQ 5 N

Up until now, manufacturers have struggled to make electric cars

From electric cars, we arrive at monstrous V12 supercars with the Lamborghini Revuelto – the longawaited replacement for the famed Aventador. But even this supercar now adopts electrification, courtesy of a plug-in hybrid setup.

This primarily serves to boost performance rather than efficiency, however, with the Revuelto developing a monstrous 841bhp.

It features the typically outlandish Lamborghini design and will be one of the most wild arrivals to the new car market in 2024.

MG CYBERSTER

MG is a brand that continues to grow in the UK, with sales continuing to climb exponentially.

It’s so far focused on more run-ofthe-mill cars and affordable EVs but is now looking to add some spark back with performance models – principally the Cyberster.

Due to arrive in time for the summer, the Cyberster looks to revive MG’s performance car status, though the principle difference will be that this stunning two-seat roadster is powered by electric this time.

flagship SUV. It’s yet to be revealed, and many details are still under wraps. Expect a huge battery capable of a range of around 350 miles, with no compromise when it comes to luxury or off-roading ability. We expect to see it revealed in the first part of 2024.

RENAULT 5

One particularly interesting EV arriving in 2024 is the new Renault 5, as this French firm revives its classic nameplates for its nextgeneration electric cars. Already teased on numerous occasions in concept form, we’ll get to see production models for the first time next year, with a reveal planned at February’s Geneva Motor Show.

Expect a funky design, plenty of cool technologies and an enjoyable driving experience as the firm’s ‘Renaullution’ gets into full swing.

Renault’s new electric Scenic SUV also arrives in 2024.

SKODA KODIAQ

On a more sensible level, next year sees the introduction of a nextgeneration version of the Skoda

Kodiaq – the largest model the firm sells. This large SUV has been a huge hit with families since its introduction, with this new model likely to continue that.

The new Kodiaq grows further in size, and continues to be available with seven seats. It will also be offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the first time. Skoda will also introduce a new version of its flagship Superb in 2024 in what will be a very busy 12 months for the firm.

VOLVO EX30

The terms ‘good value’ and ‘premium SUV’ rarely go hand-inhand, but Volvo is looking to change that with the arrival of the EX30 in 2024. It will be the Swedish firm’s first bespoke electric car, and courtesy of a starting price of £33,795 – undercutting most rivals – is expected to prove a big hit.

It will also be the smallest Volvo model available, but still offer plenty in the way of technology, quality and a range of up to 298 miles. At the other end of Volvo’s spectrum, its flagship EX90 SUV is expected to be introduced right at the end of 2024.

MINI COOPER

One new car many will be looking forward to in 2024 is the arrival of the new Mini Cooper. This iconic British car returns for a new generation, and gains quite the styling revamp with a cleaner, less fussy design and high-tech interior.

Production will continue to take place in Oxford for the petrol models, though Mini will also offer an impressive new next-generation of its electric model (built in China for the time being), bringing a substantial uplift in the range – the firm claims up to 250 miles.

RANGE ROVER EV

Land Rover is now one of the largest car firms that still doesn’t sell an electric car, but that will change next year when the eagerlyanticipated Range Rover EV arrives.

It will be sold alongside petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions of this 66 | JANUARY 2024 | SO Magazine

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