Lincolnshire Pride Apr 2013

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APRIL 2013

SPRING 2013

APRIL

NEW RELAXED LOOK

LincolnshirePride

LincolnshirePride T H E

N U M B E R

O N E

C O U N T Y

M A G A Z I N E

FRESH FOOD Cook Your Own

SEAFOOD PAELLA Keep Your Own

CHICKENS Restaurant of the Month

BROWNLOW ARMS

ROYAL VISIT SOCIETY EVENTS

ISSUE 129

ENJOY THE COUNTY’S FRESHEST FOOD THIS SPRING

Grow Your Own

£3.70

S PRING

Fashion

Food

Royal Visit

Spring style from local retailers

High quality spring dining

The Duchess of Cambridge

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LincolnshirePride April The number one counTy magazine

Lincolnshire Pride’s April edition is a spring treat indeed! We this month congratulate the county’s Mary Powell on her new Heritage Skills Centre in the grounds of Lincoln Castle, present the season’s most colourful fashions, meet Rosemary Conley and enjoy choosing and using fresh fish.

And finally we welcome a couple of VIP visitors to the county; the The Princess Royal and the Duchess of Cambridge, for two royal visits!

Enjoy!

Food

Flair

Fitness

Fashion

The county is famous for food and this month we’re looking at how to catch, choose and cook the best fish straight from Lincolnshire’s coast.

Unlock your creative potential with watercolour artist Sandra Peck.

This month she’ll show you how to make a start in creating art.

Enjoyable, effective and sustainable ways to get fit in time for summer.

We speak exclusively to fitness guru Rosemary Conley.

All things bright and beautiful this month as we focus on fabulous fashions that make the most of colour blocking and strong hues.

spring 2013

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Lincolnshire Pride – The Number One Team Spring is finally here... so how will you be marking the arrival of this glorious season?

Anna Morrish

Rob Davis

Rachel Jones

After Sales Manager

Executive Editor

Sales Executive

anna’s the hippy type... so she’ll be spending spring getting back to nature!

rob likes everything spick ’n’ span, so it’s time for a good old spring clean!

rachel’s putting her best foot forward this season and stepping out for spring!

“I love the warmer weather!

I love nature too, so I’ll be dragging my boyfriend off for a nice picnic somewhere pretty with lots of daffodils in sight... being the big strong chap he is, I’ll even let him carry the hamper!”

“After a week of concentration, it’ s nice to switch off my mind and just potter around the house. I really LOVE cleaning, so at the weekend I’ m happiest when I can put my iPod on and have a good old clean up... just pass the vacuum cleaner and leave me to it!”

“ It’ s been a really cold winter this year, and I’ ve spent most of it on the sofa waiting for better weather... now it’ s warming up a bit I feel a bit more like my old self, so it’ s time to get out and about with the kids and go for some long spring walks with the family!”

Jo Leadbitter

Mandy Bray

Jayne Broughton

Sales Executive

Customer Care Manager

Group Sales Manager

We like Jo... she’s our resident baker and creates teatime treats for the whole office!

Farmer’s girl mandy spends her spring weekends enjoying the great outdoors!

Fashionista Jayne is looking forward to treating herself to a spring wardrobe!

“ I enjoy baking cakes... and the Editor enjoys eating them, so we’ re a perfect pair!

As the spring months come around I’ m looking to move away from tea breads and bake him some lighter cakes he’ s a real fan of lemon drizzle cake, so that should go down a treat!”

“My partner is a farmer and during spring weekends it’ s really nice to get out in the fresh air. Trudging across a heavily rutted field in wellies isn’ t everyone’ s idea of appreciating the great outdoors but actually I really love it, and seeing the crops starting to come through is great!”

“I’ m tired of my winter wardrobe now so one of the things I’ m looking forward to this month is shopping for a new spring wardrobe... and I’ m going to make sure there’ s plenty of colour... Pride’ s fashion pages should prove to be a big help!”

LincolnshirePride The number one counTy magazine

pride magazines elm grange studios east heckington boston Lincolnshire pe20 3QF

Tel: 01529 469977 Fax: 01529 469978

www.facebook.com/lincolnshirepride Why not follow us on Facebook? you can keep up to date with any news we may have for our lovely magazine!

twitter.com/@LincsPrideMag Follow us on Twitter so you can read our tweets. We’ll let you know what’s going on and keep you well informed!

Web: www.lincolnshirepride.co.uk enquiries@pridemagazines.co.uk

enjoy Lincolnshire pride, read it cover to cover. pick it up, put it down and when you have finished with it pass it onto your best friend.

When everyone has had a good read, pop it in the recycle bin!

by supplying editorial or adverts to Lincolnshire pride you accept in full the terms and conditions which can be found online at www.pridemagazines.co.uk. in the event of an advert or editorial being published incorrectly, where pride magazines Ltd admits fault, we will include an advert of equivalent size, or equivalent sized editorial, free of charge to be used in a future edition, at our discretion. This gesture is accepted as full compensation for the error(s) with no refunds available.

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Excellence in

Hair, Health and Beauty

5 High Street, Tattershall, Lincoln LN4 4LE Tel: 01526 342309

www.johnandassociates.co.uk

Open Monday-Saturday, call for an appointment.

Hair Styling Electrolysis Men’s Barber Shop Jessica Manicures and Pedicures Waxing Lava Shell Massage Guinot Facial Treatments Tanning Complimentary Therapies

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TO VIEW AND PuRCHASE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM ‘THE EVENT’ VISIT WWW.PRIDEMAGAZINES.CO.uK The Duchess visited the Fishing Heritage Centre, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service and opened the Havelock Academy.

THE EVENT A Royal Visit to Grimsby The Duchess of Cambridge spent the day in Grimsby last month... and a flurry of media interest ensued as Kate was thought to have given away the sex of her baby! Reports later disproved claims Kate accidentally let slip that she was carrying a girl, but her trip to Lincolnshire certainly proved memorable! The Duchess toured the town’s Fishing Heritage Centre, then met staff at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service before officially opening the Havelock Academy School, as our exclusive photographs show.

Words and photos: Darren Garwood.

The Duchess was greeted by over 200 people at Humberside Fire and Rescue.

Feature your event in our magazine.

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call 01529 469977 and speak to our events Desk...

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THE EVENT Duchess

of Cambridge

Visitors queued for up to three hours to meet the Duchess.

The Duchess met firemen and volunteers from the Prince's Trust at Peaks Lane fire station.

Kate received flowers from children outside the station.

Purchase photographs from this event online.

Visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

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PANORAMA

Heritage Skills Centre February saw the official opening of Lincoln’s new Heritage Skills Centre in the grounds of Lincoln Castle. The centre’s date stone was unveiled by Viscount Linley with a speech by Lord Cormack, chair of the Historic Lincoln Trust. The centre will be a teaching base for traditional skills such as stonemasonry and stained glass, and will help future craftspeople to maintain the fabric of historic buildings like the Castle and Cathedral...

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The brainchild of Lincolnshire’s tourism and economic regeneration genius, Mary Powelll, the county’s Heritage Skills Centre is the first new building within the Castle walls for a century and a half.

June 23rd and 24th will welcome the public into the Castle with a 1,000 Years of Traditional Crafts event.

It’s the second such event in Lincoln, and offers the chance for adults and children to try their hand at some of the skills themselves!

Above: Lord Cormack and Viscount Linley opened the Centre.

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WeLcome home

Jacobean Style in

WELLINgoRE VILLAgE 12

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Graham and Lesley Secker’s Jacobean property in Wellingore is now on the market for £780,000 providing five reception rooms and five bedrooms.

The cLose, WeLLingore

bUILT IN 1625, THERE’S LoTS oF HISToRY bEHINd gRAHAM ANd LESLEY SECkER’S gRAdE II LISTEd JACobEAN PRoPERTY. FoLLoWINg A SYMPATHETIC RESToRATIoN THoUgH, THE CLoSE IS ALSo A ModERN, CoMFoRTAbLE FAMILY HoME 13

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T

he Close was clearly built for a person “We think it was the former home of the Catholic of great importance. That’s the priest who served the Private Chapel at Wellingore expert opinion of one of the heritage Hall.” says Lesley. “When we moved here there was an architects who approved Graham and active Catholic chapel - part of Wellingore Hall Lesley Secker’s restoration of their opposite the house, which was deconsecrated about Jacobean home in Wellingore.

14 years ago.”

Graham and Lesley have owned the property since “We know that both Wellingore Hall and The Close 1996 and have embarked on an impressive restoration were owned by the Neville Family of Aubourn Estates. that has ensured the property is still just as suitable for The Close was sold for the first time in 1970 by Henry VIPs today - albeit VIPs who enjoy the trappings of Neville, who was later to become Sir Henry Neville, modern living - following the kind of sympathetic Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire.” refurbishment that bridges the gap between history and The property is a satisfying blend of Jacobean style modernity.

The beamed ceilings in the (large Inglenook fireplaces and exposed beams) and property, built in 1625, are taller than is expected for the modern living (a well-equipped kitchen, plush en-suite period of the property bathrooms and indoor swimming pool)... which indicates a wealthier original resident.

Lesley is originally from Cheshire, whilst Graham is What’s more, the from Norfolk. The couple met during Graham’s property’s location next to the former blacksmith’s time working as MD for Cargill. In 2008 he took early cottage and church indicates someone of standing in retirement to take on the Role of Chair of The Board the village community. of Governors at The University of Lincoln. Today It’s a large and really very beautiful Jacobean house, he continues his involvement with the University as Grade II listed and set within over half an acre of Pro Chancellor. parterre gardens.

The couple moved to the village of Wellingore The architect’s opinion reflects hearsay evidence that the after deciding to try to find a period property in the property was called The Priest’s House in a former life.

Graham and Lesley’s property is a five bedroomed Jacobean property in the ‘cliff villages’ just 20 minutes from Lincoln.

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The kitchen features a glossy black Aga, integrated Ne appliances such as a dishwasher and oven, plus a tall integrated fridge freezer. There’s a separate utility and boot room, too.

The cLose, WeLLingore 17

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WELCOME HOME

The property’s five reception rooms include a formal drawing room and dining room, both of which access the former back-to-back fireplace and have exposed beams.

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The property’ s entrance porch was restored by architectural joiners, and its sundial carries its own Grade II listing...

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WELCOME HOME

‘cliff villages.’ When the couple came to the house in 1996 they embarked on a restoration that involved stripping back the pine panelling, woodchip wallpaper and restoring the thick beams which had long since been painted black.

The result is an L-shaped property over two floors with five reception rooms and five bedrooms. The couple’s next task was to create a split-level guest wing with two bedrooms, dressing room, separate lounge and kitchen/utility, plus a swimming pool.

The property’s period features include no fewer than three open fires and a glorious large Jacobean inglenook fireplace now home to a wood burner in the snug - formerly the property’s kitchen. There’s also a priest-hole (now a cellar), and original stone mullion windows in many of the main rooms.

The Close’s main kitchen was designed to the last detail by Lesley and constructed by Shirebrook in solid oak with black granite toppers flecked with gold.

Integrated premium appliances, neat storage solutions and a glossy black Aga complete the rural feel, as does the restored entrance with stable door and oak timbers created by period property restorers Wild Boar.

Bathrooms - including the three en suites - are equipped with fittings from Villeroy & Boch, Grohe and Matki, there’s a separate study and even a bar, too!

The property is, the couple says, perfect. However, with Lesley and Hannah’s two horses currently liveried nearby and with no land available in the village, the couple are putting the property on the market whilst renovating a converted barn a few miles away.

“We’ll miss this place enormously though.” says Lesley.

“We feel really fortunate to have been in a position to have owned and lived in a home as wonderful as this.

We’re fascinated by its 400 years of history and feel very privileged to have been its custodians during one relatively short period of its life.”

The Close, Wellingore owners: graham and Lesley Secker. style: Jacobean property restored from 1996. receptions: Five; currently arranged as drawing room, dining room, snug, family room and breakfast kitchen.

The property is set in over half an acre.

It has a indoor heated swimming pool.

bedrooms: Five, three with en suites. other features: Swimming pool, study, grade II listed sundial in parterre gardens.

Price: £780,000. estate agency: Savills of doddington Road, Lincoln.

Telephone: 01522 508908.

Website: www.savills.co.uk.

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Unsurpassed Quality, Affordable Craftsmanship Bespoke Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms - full project management and free quotations

Peter Jackson Cabinet Makers Ltd Devereux Way, Horncastle LN9 6AU

Tel: 01507 527113 Web: www.peterjacksoncabinets.co.uk Email: peter@peterjacksoncabinets.co.uk

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Fairc ry •

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Bea

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i ctu ral Jo

Beautiful Joinery, Established 1965 From Staircases, Doors and Windows to Kitchen and Conservatories...

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When you need a kitchen, you need choice, quality and expert advice.

That’s why Kitchen World (Mansfield) Ltd, Nottinghamshire’s award winning kitchen retailer of contemporary and traditional kitchens, offers the range you need, with expert guidance and the reassurance of full project management. We also have our own 8,000 sq ft manufacturing department where your cabinets are made here on site to the specification of your choice. With made-to-measure cabinetry available and a ten year installation guarantee as standard, you’re assured of quality, and we even have fresh tea/coffee and a seating area to make choosing your next kitchen a comfortable, stress-free undertaking. We’ve over 60 years of experience and typically work with budgets from £10,000 to £70,000 so we’ve the expertise, the choice and the design talent to create the kitchen of your dreams...

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Hallam Way, Old Mill Lane Ind Est, Mansfield, Woodhouse NG19 9BG 01623 651 435 info@kitchenworldmansfield.co.uk Opening hours: Mon, Wed 9-5.30pm, Tues & Thurs 9-8pm, Sat 10-4pm.

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JB Engineering — 30 years experience in gates and railings...

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Keeping pets in and people out; powered gates and railings AV intercoms, security grilles and bespoke ironmongery...

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07931 510621 Corner Farm, Tattershall Road, Boston PE21 9NL. Email jb.engineering@hotmail.co.uk.

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THE CHATTERTONS WAY

APPROACHABLE FAMILY LAWYERS When a relationship breaks down the resulting situation can place a huge amount of stress on the whole family.

A

t such times the assistance of a Family Lawyer is required who can guide you through in a calm and professional manner, and provide practical solutions to problems which can, at first, seem insurmountable.

Chattertons Solicitors is one of the largest firms in Lincolnshire and has a specialist Family Law Department offering just this sort of support.

Liz Graham (pictured), married and with three children herself, is an Associate Solicitor and Head of Chattertons Family Law Department. Liz is based at the firm’s Sleaford office. Liz says, “We are able to provide assistance if you are ending a relationship, dividing property or finances or have issues concerning children.

We offer a truly specialist service in all areas of family law, and are proud of our reputation throughout the county.

It’s vitally important in this area of law that clients feel that they are more than just a number on a file. They need to know that their lawyer cares about their particular situation.

Clients want to feel secure in the knowledge that we will act in their best interests at all times, to move matters forward for them in a sensitive, practical and cost-effective manner.

If Court proceedings become necessary it is important that their lawyer is someone who will guide them through and ensure that their position is put before the Court with the utmost clarity and firmness.”

Family breakdown is one of the most stressful experiences which anyone will suffer, both emotionally and financially.

The Chattertons family team is able to offer expert and confidential advice, with the support and guidance necessary to help resolve difficulties as quickly as possible.

Contact Us If you would like to arrange an appointment to see one of our Family Law Team, please e-mail family@chattertons.com or telephone one of the numbers given below.

Liz Graham - 01529 411500 Robert Smith - 01205 310025 Jo Chidlow - 01476 591550 27

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RESTAuRANT OF THE MONTH

BROWNLOW ARMS at Hough on the Hill, Grantham

a Trio oF brighT young Things are bringing FLair anD imaginaTion To The broWnLoW arms aT hough on The hiLL. This monTh We’re inViTeD by oWners pauL anD Lorraine WiLLoughby To reacQuainT ourseLVes WiTh one oF The counTy’s mosT highLy regarDeD pub resTauranTs...

We enjoyed a Roast Fillet of Beef with Fondant Potatoes, Baby Leaf Spinach, Horseradish Purée and Red Wine Glazed Shallots.

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>>

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Attention to detail at The Brownlow Arms is impressive - its cheese board features home-made cheese biscuits and home-made quince paste...

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RESTAuRANT OF THE MONTH

The Brownlow Arms’s brigade of chefs includes Oliver Snell (centre), Ruaraidh Bealby and Lizzy Goodwin.

L

The venue dates back to the 17th century and has been run by Paul and Lorraine Willoughby since 1979.

ove at first sight. That’s how Oliver Snell, Head Chef at the Brownlow Arms, describes the first moment he walked through the doors of the pub restaurant in Hough on the Hill in which he has worked for four years. We were happy to echo his sentiments, on a cool afternoon, with dusk about to descend. Owner Paul Willoughby had stoked the fires, Lorraine gave her customary warm welcome, and most importantly the brigade was ready to bring out some epic pub restaurant cuisine using the very best Lincolnshire ingredients.

The venue was constructed of local stone in 1680, extended in 1857 with the addition of a gamekeeper’s cottage. It has been a pub since the 1960s but only gained local acclaim as a restaurant after Paul and Lorraine’s arrival in 1979.

Paul and his family refurbished the restaurant and have capitalised on stone mullion windows, wood panelling and several small-ish rooms in which to dine, with red and green colours creating a traditional look. The Brownlow Arms feels more like someone’s dining room at home than a restaurant, and the snug, in which diners can enjoy pre-dinner drinks, is just as cosy for cooler April evenings. If, however, the weather is better behaved, there’s a large landscaped terrace overlooking farmland in the pretty village.

Either way, The Brownlow Arms’s food is exceptional.

An AA Rosette acknowledges the talents of Oliver and his brigade of three chefs, as does a coveted place in Lincolnshire Pride’s Good Food Awards 2012. The venue has enjoyed a place in Michelin’s guide for a number of years and in the Good Food Guide produced by Which?.

Likewise its seven rooms have earned it five stars from the AA and a stirring recommendation from Fiona Duncan in the Telegraph last year.

Evening dining is via a set menu with two courses for £16.95 or three courses for £21.95. Diners can choose from five starters, five main courses and five desserts. Alternatively, there’s an à la carte option with six starters, seven main courses and five pudding options. There are also nightly-changing specials, in addition, to supplement these options too.

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Right, individual Griottine cherry frangipane tart, with home-made marzipan ice cream.

Below, our starter option was Grilled Sardine in a Filo Basket with Rocket, Anchovy, Egg and Cherry Tomato, with Salsa Verde & Cherry Tomato Coulis.

Whilst the dining room is plush and comfortable, The Brownlow Arms nonetheless never concedes its position as a venue in the heart of the countryside.

Its ingredients are all sourced from the region with Abbey Parks and Sleaford’s Craig Benson providing vegetables & herbs and Belton Lamb providing meat and game - the latter sourced from local shoots when in season.

The venue’s sous chef Ruaraidh creates his own chutneys and pickles which have proved so popular the pub has taken to selling them on the bar. Also on the bar is Hive-on-the-Hill honey, produced just down the road from the venue.

The restaurant also bakes its own bread, creates its own sorbets and ice creams, and creates the biscuits it offers on the cheese board, all in house.

All this allows the restaurant to keep quality high, attention to detail keen and diners really happy indeed.

“The whole kitchen brigade are more like a family than workmates.” says Paul. “We have a great time and all work towards one aim - to create happy diners.”

THE BROWNLOW ARMS at Hough on the Hill, near Grantham 32

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The Brownlow Arms offers an Ă la carte menu comprising spectacular dishes that really make the most of the local produce available in the area...

Dessert options include this Green Apple and Blackcurrant Mousse with Cassis Compote, Apple Crisps and Blackcurrant Sorbet.

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Sample M enu £ STARTERS Soufflé Twice-baked cheese soufflé with crispy pancetta and chestnut mushrooms.

£8.95

Tiger Prawns beer-battered tiger prawns with lime, green chilli and coriander dressing.

£8.95

Partridge pan seared partridge breast, confit leg, and cardamom purée, red wine pickled shallots, blackberries in cassis.

£7.25

£ MAINS Spring Lamb roast rack dauphinoise potatoes, baby leaf spinach and rosemary jus.

£23.95

Belly Pork slow cooked belly pork with crushed root vegetables, quince & apple compote.

£16.95

Duck breast of barbary duck with petit pois à la francaise, butter mash and madeira jus.

£18.95

Steak pan fried rib-eye steak, with black peppercorn and brandy sauce.

£23.95

£ PUDDING Frangipane individual griottine cherry frangipane tart, with home-made marzipan ice cream.

£6.90

Poached Pear glazed mulled wine poached pear with mixed spice ice cream and roast nut crumb.

£6.90

Cheese Board selection of english and continental cheeses with home-made water biscuits, quince paste and grapes.

£7.85

£ OPENING TIMES TUESDAy-SATURDAy 6.30PM - 11PM SUNDAy LUNch 12.00 - 4.00PM

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RESTAuRANT OF THE MONTH

During our visit, we enjoyed Grilled Sardine in a Filo Basket, whilst our second dish was Beetroot Mousse - pictured below - served with beetroot purée, orange marmalade, crumbled feta and watercress. A vibrant, colourful and lively dish perfect for spring, the light salad proved the perfect precursor to our main courses.

Lincolnshire Beef is always a mainstay of a pub restaurant menu but The Brownlow Arms’s take on the dish is rather smarter than you might expect, with its fondant potato and red wine glazed shallots. The beef was beautifully pink and a home-made horseradish purée gave the dish a real kick.

We also tried the restaurant’s Sea Bass offering and were delighted to see one of Lincolnshire’s most understated ingredients - coastal samphire - making an appearance on the menu along with garlic mussels and red pepper coulis with balsamic vinegar for extra flavour.

It was the restaurant’s dessert offerings that we felt really deserved the strongest praise though. Pastry chef Lizzy Goodwin is given free reign and Oliver is full of nothing but praise for her flair and creativity.

Our previous spread shows a Griottine Cherry and Frangipane Tart with home-made marzipan ice cream. With vanilla créme anglaise, it’s a soft, sweet and more-ish pudding.

Our second dessert was Green Apple and Blackcurrant Mousse with cassis compote, apple crisps and home made blackcurrant sorbet. Delicious, juicy and tangy, it’s a winner for those who prefer a lighter, fresher dessert.

A wine list with around 50 bins provides the perfect accompaniment with house wines from £16.50 and a few special options available like a Grand Cru Burgundy Pinot for £89.50 and a Mersault white Burgundy for £55.

With a cosy country feel, plush dining room, a wide choice of dishes available on a well-considered menu plus a talented brigade in the kitchen, The Brownlow Arms is justifiably one of the county’s most respected pub restaurants.

“We think we’ve created a place where our diners can enjoy their experience and really celebrate the best local produce.” says Paul. “More than anything else we enjoy reminding customers that good food and good company in a good environment can be one of life’s really profound pleasures.”

The brigade of chefs took a well-earned breather in the snug after preparing the dishes for our shoot!

THE BROWNLOW ARMS at Hough on the Hill, near Grantham

Hough On The Hill Grantham Road Lincolnshire NG32 2AZ

From Lincoln - Head out of Lincoln at Cross O’Cliff Hill signposted A15 Sleaford. At the junction of A15/A607 Grantham Road, turn right and continue to follow the A607. After 13 miles, turn right onto Hough Road and continue onto Frieston Road, then continue onto High Road; the Brownlow Arms is on the left hand side with parking adjacent.

To book a meal call

01400 250 234

www.thebrownlowarms.com armsinn@yahoo.co.uk

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d a e H s Queen T H E

I N N

&

R E S TA U R A N T

Don’t be a fool this month... ...enjoy high quality pub restaurant dining for a bargain price!

Early Bird dining at The Queen’s Head this month; from 6pm-9.30pm you’ll enjoy a choice of main courses and a selection of puddings with after dinner coffee for just £13.95 per head... you’d be an April Fool not to love that offer!

Just off the A17 at Sleaford, NG34 9NU Call 01529 305743 or see www.thequeensheadinn.com.

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THE EXPERT

Fish and Shellfish Cockles and mussels are alive, alive oh, in the Wash thanks to gerald Fletcher who this year celebrates 40 years in business. Here we tell the story of the Lincolnshire grandfather who created the largest oyster farm in the Uk, right here in the county...

Words and photos: Julian Wilkinson

Gerald Fletcher’s seafood business has had its ups and downs, but his business is now in rude health. For many years Gerald has worked with his son Graham, but it’s now Gerald’s Grandson, William (pictured) who now has the same ambitions as his grandad.

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THE EXPERT Fish

W

hen you interview a well-known local character for the first time, it’s impossible to guess where their story will go. Essentially, journalists are storytellers for other people’s lives, so we shouldn’t be surprised that everyone we meet has a story to tell. The maxim ‘never judge a book by its cover’ is a phrase not lost on local Boston fishmonger Gerald Fletcher.

I spent a morning with Gerald on a rather overcast and cold day; an ordinary day, meeting an ‘ordinary’ guy, but Gerald tells me his story from some rather modern premises which is far from expected given his traditional role as the town’s friendly local fishmonger for 40 years.

I could see in the way he delivers his story that he doesn’t think his tale is particularly dramatic. But in our business we meet lots of people, and we enjoy hearing real stories with unexpected twists. We love to share these with our readers, and Gerald’s story certainly has some dramatic ups and downs.

Leaving school at 15, and with no qualifications, Gerald soon found himself working for one of Boston’s big business players, Van Smirren Seafoods, who were established in 1803.

They owned buildings right on the side of the Witham and also the iconic white ‘skyscraper’ in Boston known as ‘number 50.’ Here, Gerald would get his first taste, and smell, of the fishing trade, working as an apprentice.

Three years later an opportunity arose to work for Boston Docks which was renowned for paying well and looking after its staff. Gerald recalls clearly, though, that it was piece work and hard work - very hard work. His main duties would include loading and unloading the ships that dock at the previously very busy and highly significant port.

and Shellfish

East Lincolnshire Seafoods is a family run business established in 1973 in Boston. Now selling fresh and frozen seafood to the public and wholesale, their fresh fish is delivered daily from the major importers they have dealt with for many years.

Gerald was also responsible for working with the landmark cranes which are now a daily sight for local residents. After 28 years of hard work, sadly, the Docks had to make redundancies and Gerald could see that he had to change career to earn money from the sea.

In 1973 he set up in business; his first step was as an entrepreneur at Carrington Rally. He set up a small stall selling cockles and mussels and had a very successful weekend.

From this experience Gerald found himself working all over the country with his stall selling shellfish. He was buying his stock from his former Dutch employer,

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Van Smirren, but soon made contact with a gentleman in a tin hut at the side of the docks, just off London Road. His unique selling point was that his fish was half the price of other retailers, so profits for Gerald were handsome.

Within a few years Gerald had made enough money to be able to buy the ‘tin hut’ business, and later bought a fishing boat. His little blue fishing boat, ‘Katie Girl,’ would be his first step into fishing from the nutrient rich Wash. This took his business to the next level!

After a few fruitful years, business was good and a visit from a Frenchman called Michel Mousett would take Gerald into a brand new venture; “If you’re making good money from cockles and mussels, imagine how wealthy you could be with oysters.” he said.

It all made sense to Gerald and he started to look into the possibility of growing his own oysters. His research took him to an oyster hatchery in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Gerald was shown how their water was pumped from wells in sandy ground, which meant it was ready filtered, then pasteurised and used to grow marine algae for their hatchery and micro-nursery.

Most of this algae was used in the hatchery where the farmers heated and recovered around 5m3 per hour of pond water to grow the newly set young oysters - or ‘spat’ - until they could sit on a fine mesh.

The new world to which Gerald had been exposed was puzzling to start with, but the Frenchman’s promise of wealth kept Gerald determined and positive.

Graham’s working life hascentered around the Boston Docks, his shop can be foundon London Road at the side of the Witham. Gerald is pictured right with his first fishing boat ‘Katie Girl.’ After the boat and business were purchased , Gerald had plans... big plans!

Securing 10 acres of marshland on the edge of The Wash, Gerald purchased his first batch of spats all 400,000 of them - which were then delivered in two boxes; Gerald could easily carry each box in one hand.

This modest man was just about to set up the largest oyster farm in the UK. The 6mm seeds, the size of your small fingernail, had to be inserted into a fine mesh bag, then placed on a rack which is embedded into the silt.

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THE EXPERT Fish

and Shellfish

This modest man was just about to set up the largest oyster farm in the united Kingdom

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THE EXPERT Fish

and Shellfish

For the most part, it was Gerald’s son Graham who was responsible for the farm. If you have ever been for a walk on the marsh - especially on a cold day you’ll know how lonely, bleak and isolated his job must have been.

All the oyster tables were built by Gerald and Graham, using a tool to bend the metal which Gerald had constructed himself. Every table was built, every bag attached and to every bag the small spats were added.

It was now the turn of The Wash to work its magic.

The nutrient rich water filled the bags with goodness, and as each tide came and went, the oysters would begin to grow.

Oyster farming is a slow business and a time-consuming business; that’s what makes oysters so expensive.

Once the spats reached a certain size they had to be inserted into a bag with a larger mesh. Then, each bag had to be shook and turned to prevent ‘rabbit ears.’

This is how an oyster will naturally grow, but higher quality meat is found in oysters which are round and deep. Therefore a good oyster has to be ‘worked’ turned and shook. This is a simple task, with no skill required, except the desire to get out of bed every morning, go to the marsh on your own, put on wading wellies, then turn and shake each bag... all of them!

The farm quickly grew. Many of us could do this task for one day, even a week, but it takes three years to grow the oysters to size for market.

Each bag has to be shook and turned to prevent ‘rabbit ears’ this is how an oyster will naturally grow, but higher quality meat is only found in oysters which are round and deep as a result of this movement...

Only mussels, cockles and brown shrimp are fished from The Wash by the Boston fishing boats now. Fresh fish is delivered every day from Grimsby and Lowestoft to Gerald and his team.

They sell a wide range of fresh and frozen fish as well as shellfish which is sold to the public and wholesalers.

Tammy, pictured, is one of Gerald’s loyal staff who has worked for the business for over 12 years.

By now Gerald and Graham were the proud owners of over one million oysters... but no money had yet been made. “The bank manager was going crazy!”

Gerald says, but he knew he had a pot of gold growing in the silt and sludge. However, it would take three weeks, with constant calls to fish merchants and wholesalers around the country, before Gerald realised that perhaps the Frenchman’s promise of wealth was a little idealistic.

Finally Gerald spoke to his first oyster customer, Douggie Chadwick, from Smiths Sagar. He could now tell the bank manager not to worry, as all of the hard work over the previous three years was to pay off.

“I’ll take 100 please, Gerald.” said Douggie, to which Gerald replied; “Wow, that’s amazing! I’ll organise a lorry for delivery.”

“Why do you need a lorry?” asked Douggie.

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Increased levels of certain hormones in the blood means you are more active sexually, proving oysters are indeed an aphrodisiac!

You can tell whether an oyster is well looked after because of its shape. It’s the time and effort to achieve the ‘right’ shape - deep and round - which makes the oyster expensive.

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“Well you can’t get 100,000 oysters into the back of a car!” joked Gerald happily. “I need one hundred, not 100,000...” came the reply!

After tax, and the many bills that needed to be paid, Gerald was left with little reward for the thousands of man hours that were put into the farm.

The pot of gold that Gerald was sitting on would take many, many more sales over the coming years; an order of 300 to 500 is considered a big sale. Gerald’s oysters proved as hard to sell as they were to grow, except on Valentine’s Day where sales would more than double.

Not surprisingly, shortly after the tribunal, Graham was angry that the farm could not continue and was sadly forced to leave the fishing industry.

For centuries, old wives’ tales have stated that eating molluscs - oysters in particular - would stimulate the libido, but until recently there has been no real evidence that this is true. However, scientists in California now believe there’s some merit in the old wives’ tale.

They used a process called high-performance liquid chromatography to identify which amino acids were present and in what quantities. They found two unusual ones - D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA).

Many people buy fish from the supermarket, because it’s convenient.

But a local fishmonger is usually cheaper and the fish will prove to be of a much higher quality!

“They’re not the normal amino acids that Mother Nature uses.” said Dr Fisher, one of the scientists. “You can’t just find them in a shop, it’s pure Mother Nature!”

The research team found in experiments that oysters triggered a chain reaction of hormones that ended with the production of testosterone in males and progesterone in females. “Increased levels of those hormones in the blood means you are more active sexually.” he said.

“Whatever the science, Valentine’s Day each year proved good for sales.” Gerald says. Over the years more and more sales came in and business grew.

Ironically though, it would be the Environment Agency that would bring a damning and severe end to Gerald and Graham’s farm.

They broke-up the tidal banks in three places near the farm to create a ‘managed retreat.’ This was to allow an area that was previously unexposed to flooding to fill with water following the removing of coastal protection. The managed retreat was created, the EA says, to help prevent Boston from flooding.

Gerald said that one month later they measured around one inch of water on the oyster farm when the tide was out. Three months later, the entire 10 acre site would be under ten feet of sea water. Although the EA suggested accessing the farm with divers, the scale of the farm meant it simply could not be saved Lincolnshire Pride covered this story ten years ago.

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Gerald mounted a battle against the Environmental Agency with a team of costly barristers and accountants.

The battle was hard-fought but Gerald says that the barrister was worth every penny, even though he charged £7,000 for a day at the tribunal. They won the case and a handsome payout was made.

It would be the last time the business could earn money from oysters and Gerald no longer sells them, but, as he admits with hindsight; “Business has to move on.”

Within a few years the arrival, in a Rolls Royce, of a Mrs Landau, owner of the land where Gerald’s tin shed business resides, would present another twist in the tale.

Mrs Landau, who had bought the former Boston Seeds factory site, was interested in selling the land to a property developer. But Gerald proved to be the fly in the ointment; he was a tenant and wasn’t prepared to relocate his business. He had just lost his oyster farm and was growing tired of being pushed around by large organisations and businesses.

“I’m not moving.” he said and continued with his shellfish business. His stubbornness proved to be a strong force. Pressure was mounting against him.

Many visits and letters came, but Gerald stuck it out.

Finally, realising that Gerald meant business, Mrs Landau offered him a plot of land, right next to the main road, and the developer would build him a new shop, with two flats to rent out above.

They even offered to fit out the new shop with all of the equipment he needed, new fridges & freezers and so on. Naturally, Gerald agreed!

It’s heartwarming to see that a gentle man with humble beginnings was not to give in. He was determined to stand-up for himself and not be pushed around.

With the shop paid for, and fresh fish being delivered everyday, Gerald now sleeps well at night, knowing that his grandson, William, has a great career ahead of him as a local fishmonger, in a family business.

It’s a business which was hard won, but is long established and now more highly-regarded than ever, in an age where the provenance of our food is more important than ever to lovers of fresh fish.

EAST LINCOLNSHIRE SEAFOODS Fish and Shellfish Merchants Call Gerald Fletcher on 01205 364372 London Road, Boston, Lincolnshire, Web: www.eastlincsseafood.co.uk Email: els@telemaxx.co.uk

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THE EXPERT Fish

and Shellfish

The quality and freshness of the family’s produce are great reasons to visit Gerald’s shop, but the firm’s fish and shellfish is generally cheaper than those found in the supermarket, too.

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PARAPHERNALIA

Fish and Shellfish

Fish Merchant gerald Fletcher shows off a small selection of the wide variety of fish and shellfish he sells from his shop on boston’s London Road.

Here’s a brief insight to help you become more knowledgeable about the ‘fruits de la mer’. www.eastlincsseafood.co.uk

COCKLES Cockles are the common name for a group of small, edible, saltwater clams. They live in sandy, sheltered beaches and silt in and around The Wash.

RAINBOW TROuT When purchasing rainbow trout, or any fish, check for freshness.

Fresh whole trout have clear bulging eyes, light pink or white firm flesh, shiny skin, no brown or yellow colour on their edges and an ammonia-free odour with red, moist gills.

Gerald has fish delivered every day from Grimsby and Lowestoft using trusted suppliers with whom they have traded for many years.

This means their fish is sourced from the major importers and is the best quality available in the world.

photo: Julian Wilkinson

BLACK TIGER PRAWN Black tiger prawns are harvested all year round from farms and are very rarely caught in the wild.

Peak supplies are from February through May.

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PARAPHERNALIA Fish

and Shellfish

DOVER SOLE Dover sole is a versatile fish that can be cooked whole or as fillets, either grilled, fried or poached.

It’s traditionally cooked on the bone, with the upper skin stripped off. It works best cooked as simply as possible, either grilled, pan-fried or roasted.

ROLLMOPS The word rollmops refers to a pickled herring fillet, rolled, hence the name. The name ‘rollmops’ is German in origin, originating from the words rollen (to roll) and Mops (German for pug dogs).

This small selection of seafood available in Gerald’s shop. Interestingly, only mussels, brown shrimp and cockles are now fished from The Wash by the local boats in the town.

LuMPFISH CAVIAR The eggs of a lumpfish are known as lumpfish roe. They’re often sold as caviar but should not be confused with true sturgeon roe, the source of ‘real’ caviar.

KING SCALLOP Place king scallops into a smoking hot pan of olive oil and do not move them. The scallops will immediately stick to the pan, but don’t worry about that. Add butter and fry the scallops for around one minute; the scallops will become unstuck from frying pan. Turn them onto the other side. On medium heat, fry other side for one more minute and keep them moist with melted butter.

Finally, add a squeeze of lemon.

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recipe oF The monTh

grandad Neal’s

SeafoodPaella

Easy to make, easy to enjoy... great for a night in with friends!

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THE bIg NIgHT IN

Grandad Neal told us his Seafood Paella is the best in the county. Sounded fishy to us, so we challenged him to prove it... and share his recipe with the rest of us!

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Words and photos: Julian Wilkinson

F

ormal dining is great - who doesn’t like a smart meal with friends in a nice restaurant? However, for those Friday nights when you’re home late and have friends coming round, it’s great to dine casually with friends and create a meal that’s easy, versatile and great fun.

Enter Grandad Neal; the stalwart chef in our family and the guy who can, without fail, whip up an inextricably excellent ad hoc dish to delight anyone.

Paella purists argue that whatever your preferred ingredients - and there are some wacky ones; l’escargot being one such example - there’s one inescapable truism. Paella is, for its myriad variations, fundamentally a rice dish. In this respect, a short grain rather than long grain rice is best, and one that defiantly refuses to dry out.

Paella is a one-pan-wonder that’s great when you want to cook a feel-good-feast casually, to enjoy with family and friends. It can adopt fish, chicken, vegetables and even game to suit your guests’ tastes...

His speciality is paella.

Anyone who’s ever been put off by the complexities of making paella needn’t fear. This oft-maligned but really versatile dish can adopt chicken, fish, vegetables or even game (duck, rabbit) to create a one-pan wonder that’s great for casual dining.

Dedicated paella rice is best, but in dire circumstances arborio rice, normally the preserve of risotto, will suffice.

The other ingredient universally acknowledged by those with a passion for paella is good quality stock.

Since the rice absorbs the liquid, it stands to reason that the best flavour in your stock will result in your rice imbibing the best flavour too.

Next; the pan! Valencians pour scorn on anyone failing to adhere to paella protocol and using anything but a proper paella pan, the shape of which is designed to

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THE bIg NIgHT IN

“The best thing about Paella is its versatility...” advised Grandad Neal, whilst diligently tending to the stove. “You can add ingredients or take them away to create your own variation...!”

allow the rice to cook evenly (hence the pans grow in width rather than height) and has a flavour ‘well’ where oil can pool.

“Making paella is a sociable event, the contant stirring of the rice with one hand leaves the other spare for a cold bottle of beer!” suggests Grandad Neal.

The exact composition of your paella is, of course, a subjective concern, but as the dish is traditionally a coastal one, seafood with chicken is a convention.

One final thought; traditionally paella was cooked outdoors on an open fire, so if you’re hosting a barbecue in the warmer spring months, don’t chain yourself to the stove - enjoy an al fresco adventure instead!

One ingredient we can’t forget to mention is friends and family... essential for creating the perfect paella ambience!

Barbecues with gas burners in the middle are ideal, the only practical limit will be the size of your paella pan.

Over the page, we’re happy to invite you on a paella pilgrimage with Grandad Neal, who shares his take on this classic dish.

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grandad Neal’s

SeafoodPaella Easy to make, easy to enjoy...

Serves 8; takes 45 mins fish stock (about three pints) eight cloves of garlic Small hand full of thyme Small hand full of parsley 2tsp paprika two packets of saffron (1g) eight tbsp of olive oil one onion chopped

C

hop the onions, peppers, tomatoes and garlic, and fry in the olive oil in a good sized paella pan. At the same time put the chicken drumsticks into the oven.

Chop and fry the chicken pieces. Add the fish stock and paella rice straight into the pan.

It’s important to never stop stirring the dish; keep adding the fish stock as the rice absorbs the liquid.

two red peppers three tomatoes 500g bag of paella rice mussels, king prawns, langoustine, clams, New Zealand greenshell mussels, mixed fish - (all available from eastlincsseafood.co.uk); adjust quantity to suit. chicken breast and drumsticks.

In a cup add some boiling water to the strands of saffron. Stir a little and leave for a minute.

Add the mixed fish to the dish and the cup of saffron. Whilst stirring, be careful not to break up the pieces of fish.

Add the paprika now, along with the salt and pepper and keep tasting until the rice is cooked.

If you leave the rice too long it can stick together.

When you are happy that the rice is perfectly cooked, the drumsticks should be ready at the same time.

In a separate pan boil some water and the shellfish.

After boiling for a few minutes the shells should open.

Chop and stir in the thyme and parsley.

Place the drumsticks and shellfish into the paella pan, and arrange. Slice and add the lemon! It’s really important that you add the lemons; I forget to add them all of the time and always curse myself!

Then serve the magnificent dish onto a wooden chopping board in the middle of the table.

Drink white wine, rosé, beer or whatever makes you happy. It’s a rustic dish so don’t worry about etiquette. Let your friends help themselves to as much as they want... they should pick up the shellfish and drumsticks to eat with their hands!

Just one rule, squeeze the lemon over the dish before eating; it makes all the difference, then have a fun night and enjoy!

Grandad Neal

Salt and pepper French breadsticks ...and don’t forget the lemons!

Let your friends help themselves to as much as they want, and they should pick up the shellfish and drumsticks to eat with their hands!

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THE bIg NIgHT IN A trip to your local bakery will provide the perfect accompaniment - fresh wholemeal bread and ‘proper’ butter with sea salt.

The essential ingredient to add is saffron. Currently, it’s more expensive than gold, but with its explosive colour and sweet flavour the spice which is actually a member of the crocus family - will add a unique flavour to even Grandad Neal’s practically perfect paella!

Don’t let anyone tell you to drink only white wine paella is so versatile that a rosé or cold beer will prove just as good as an accompaniment!

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APRIL 2013

APRIL

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Advertise in the number one county magazine.

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2013 SPRING

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01529 469977 www.pridemagazines.co.uk

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Recipes with Michael Binnington

Glazed Smoked Haddock Omelette Makes one omelette; preparation time approximately 15 minutes.

100g natural smoked haddock (skinless; pin bones removed) 100ml whole milk 3 whole eggs 1 knob butter 2 egg yolks 1 tsp white wine vinegar 100g of clarified butter 1 pinch of grated parmesan 1 pinch of chopped chives

1

First make a hollandaise sauce. To do this place a bowl containing the egg yolks and vinegar over a pan of just simmering water, but not directly in contact with the water, and whisk continuously until the yolks go pale and fluffy.

2

Then, remove from the heat and gradually add the butter, a little at a time, whisking all the while until the sauce becomes silky and tastes buttery. Season and set aside.

3

Next poach the haddock gently in the milk until the flesh starts to flake. Strain off the milk but keep about 50ml warm in a pan.

A delicious and luxurious take on the traditional omelette with chives and parmesan perfect for a light spring lunch...

4

To make the omelette, melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan and add the beaten eggs with a pinch of salt. Keep the mix moving in the pan as the eggs cook so the omelette doesn’t colour on the bottom and cook until the omelette is only very slightly runny on top.

5

Melt the parmesan in the warm milk and add the flaked smoked haddock, followed by the chives and hollandaise sauce and combine.

Turn the omelette out onto a serving plate and cover the top of it completely with the haddock mix. Place under a hot grill and gratinate, then serve.

Source your haddock and bream from Lincolnshire’s Gerald Fletcher - see our feature in this edition.

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Thai Style Bream with Coconut, Galangal and Sweet & Sour Peppers Serves four; preparation time approximately 15 minutes.

4 x 180g Gilt head bream fillets (filleted, scaled and pin boned) 1 tin coconut milk 1 lime, juiced 2 lime leaves 40g grated galangal (thai ginger) 5 sticks lemongrass (grated) 2 heads bok choi 100g oyster mushrooms, shredded 1 red pepper, finely diced 1 yellow pepper, finely diced 40ml red wine vinegar 30ml mirin 10ml sweet soy sauce 30g sugar

1

First make the sauce; pour the coconut milk into a saucepan and add the lime leaves, galangal and lemongrass and gently heat to infuse for at least 90 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and season. Keep this warm.

2 3 4

For the peppers boil the vinegar, sugar, mirin and soy until dissolved and then add the peppers.

Cook until sticky and glazed; keep warm.

Separate the bok choi leaves and cook them along with the mushrooms in the sauce.

Meanwhile to cook the fish pan fry it skin side down in a large non stick pan for three minutes, then remove the pan from the heat, flip the fish and leave to sit for a further minute or until the fish is cooked.

5

To serve, place a pile of bok choi and mushroom in warmed serving bowls, then divide the sauce between the bowls, top with the cooked fish and then spoon the peppers over the fish. Enjoy!

About Your Chef...

Michael Binnington is Chef Patron at the Chequers at Gedney Dyke, a stylish fine dining restaurant and bar, serving freshly prepared dishes.

The Chequers, Main Street Gedney Dyke, Spalding Lincolnshire PE12 0AJ. Tel: 01406 366700. www.the-chequers.co.uk

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TO VIEW AND PuRCHASE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM ‘THE EVENT’ VISIT WWW.PRIDEMAGAZINES.CO.uK

Dean Wann’s party.

THE EVENT Happy Birthday, Doubletree by Hilton!

Congratulations to Lincoln’s Doubletree by Hilton on reaching its first anniversary!

The restaurant is a year old this month and had a huge crowd along, some in their finest 1920s outfits, to celebrate! The evening included paparazzi photographers with Ferarris parked outside the venue, stilt walkers, flapper girls and dancers in giant Martini glasses... it was certainly an evening not to be missed! Look out for our full Eating Out feature in next month’s edition - the Lincoln Doubletree’s Electric Bar and Restaurant is fantastic!

Words and photos: Darren Garwood.

A couple of Ferarris were parked up outside.

Flapper Girls celebrated the venue’s first anniversary.

Purchase photographs from this event online.

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Visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

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THE EVENT Doubletree

by Hilton

Attendees enjoyed live entertainment until very late in the evening!

The venue’s first anniversary party had a 1920s theme.

The Electric Bar and Restaurant enjoys spectacular views over Lincoln’s skyline.

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rosemary conLey

The Die T anD FiTness experT

Rosemary Conley was awarded by a CBE in the 2004 New Year’s Honours and has over 40 years experience as the UK’s leading diet and fitness expert.

Words: Rob Davis

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A RENDEZVOuS WITH

Rosemary Conley Spring into action now and you’ll look good and feel great in plenty of time for summer. This month we enjoy a spring dog walk with Rosemary Conley - who we think is the Uk’s most trustworthy expert for diet and fitness advice that really works...

T

he world of dieting and fitness is replete with misconceptions, falsehoods, diets that don’t achieve the desired results and fitness products that don’t work as well as they claim. Thankfully, for over four decades, Rosemary Conley has been offering advice that’s safe and easy to follow, and more importantly, advice that really does work. What’s more, the diet and fitness expert assured us that with just a little effort over the Spring season, anyone can see a dramatic improvement in their health and appearance in plenty of time for the summer months.

“Your motivation is at its greatest in the first couple of weeks.” she says. “I usually advocate a short sharp regime that will begin to give visible results after just a couple of weeks. That provides the encouragement and motivation you need to sustain your efforts.”

After that, it’s important to make a plan and create simple rules you can follow - taking 30 minutes exercise each day, cutting your portions by a quarter, or giving up alcohol mid-week, for example.

The idea is that, in conjunction with an activity you find enjoyable, the reward of being able to see the results of your lifestyle changes will spur you on to continue your efforts.

Motivation and Dieting “Dieting is as much about your head as it is your body.”

Diet and Food says Rosemary as we joined her for a Spring dog walk Rosemary’s seminal book, The Hip and Thigh Diet, with labradors BB and Sky, and her Lurcher Whippet cross published in 1998 went on to sell over 2,000,000 copies, and Waise recently.

“For most people, the desire to diet is acute, “For more people, the desire to diet is something rather than chronic. It’s usually the result of seeing some footage of themselves on acute rather than chronic. It’s the result of seeing holiday or an unflattering photograph.”

unflattering photographs or footage of themselves.

In order to sustain a healthier lifestyle, But a healthy lifestyle should be sustainable, Rosemary says, you should make changes that are easy to live with. Walking her dogs not something that serves as a quick fix...” is an activity Rosemary loves and describes the effect of just half an hour each day as ‘amazing.’ Since strongly influences her new book, The FAB (that’s Fat her appearance on Dancing on Ice last year she has taken up Attack Booster) diet which launched last month. The book skating, with great enthusiasm, and was leaving for Austria offers a diet that is easy to stick to, with over 50 choices for for a skating and skiing break just after our interview. Finding healthy breakfasts, lunch options and dinner suggestions. an activity you love makes your lifestyle changes more sucThe plan advocates an allocation of 1,200 calories for the cessful and more sustainable. first fortnight; 1,400 thereafter, with 200, 300 and 400 Fast Results calories for breakfast, lunch and dinner, power-snacks and Diets that promise quick fixes are often unrealistic, however milk permitted in-between and a high fat treat or alcohol Rosemary does believe in ensuring you can at least begin to permitted after the first couple of weeks. Thereafter, a see the results of your work as quickly as possible. personal FAB plan is based on the individual’s basal According to Rosemary, making changes to how you look metabolic rate to create a tailored plan. and feel about your body is 50% will-power or motivation, “The FAB Diet speeds up your rate of weight loss like never then 25% diet and 25% exercise. before. It is so versatile it caters for all tastes and >> 65

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RENDEZVOUS

>> “Just walking the dog each day can be absolutely health-transforming.” says Rosemary. “The best way to exercise is to do something you love. That’s why our exercise classes work so well. They’re as much of an opportunity to socialise and support each other. I still do classes twice a week and I still absolutely love them.”

Enjoyable Ways to Kick-Start your Healthy Lifestyle Here, Rosemary suggests five healthy ways to spend your bank holiday with the family, appreciating all the county has to offer and enjoying some exercise in the process.

If you’re looking for other ways to get fit, Rosemary’s website (www.rosemaryconley.com) offers a searchable directory of fitness classes across the county. Alternatively, her TV channel (www.rosemaryconley.tv) broadcasts online and offers participatory channels for aerobic, toning and family fitness. Her new DVD, Kardy-O-Fun has three ‘chapters’ - easy, classic and peak - which can burn off 500 calories with fun workouts you can enjoy in your own home.

£ Walking the dog shouldn’t be a chore, it should be a pleasure!

What’s more, doing so for 20 minutes can burn over 100 calories.

Starting a healthier lifestyle - and seeing results in time for summer - can be really enjoyable.

With a spring bank holiday coming up, we’ ve asked Rosemary for five ways to burn calories this season... £ A family bike ride on the Viking Way lasting four hours will burn 4,000 calories!

£ Look out for charity fun-runs such as this month’s British Heart Foundation Fun Run or Cancer Research’s UK’s Race for Life which, at 5-10km are gentle but rewarding events that also raise money for charity.

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£ With the capital just an hour or so train ride from Lincolnshire, sightseeing in London can burn loads of calories whilst you walk around.

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LOSE WEIGHT AND GET FIT IN TIME FOR SuMMER

Diet and Fitness Advice from Rosemary Conley Introduce the children to gardening this month - digging borders or planting tubs burns 10 calories a minute, using a lawnmower five calories a minute, and three hours weeding will burn 800 calories!

In addition, you can teach children to grow their own vegetables, bringing knowledge of nutrition and science into the activity too...

Rosemary Conley’s FAB Diet Book (Arrow, £6.99) and Rosemary Conley’s Kardy-OFun DVD with Kardy Laguda (£9.99) are both available by calling 0870 050 7727 or at www.rosemaryconley.com.

The Fat Attack Booster diet promises a better body and healthier lifestyle in time for summer. For details of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs in the county call 01509 620222 or visit www.rosemaryconley.com.

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LOOKING AFTER YOu WITH

Quality Care donna Read this month explains why private healthcare means patient choice, high quality consultant-delivered care and no waiting lists...

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HEALTH & BEAuTY St

Hugh’ s Hospital

ST. HuGH’S HOSPITAL – THE OBVIOuS CHOICE

I

t’s your health and taking care of it is of the utmost importance. So, when you become a patient, you need to know that you are going be in the best hands.

Did you know that St Hugh’s Hospital - Grimsby’s modern, private hospital with a reputation for its strong caring ethos - can be your chosen specialist for health care via the NHS’s patient choice initiative?

St Hugh’s Hospital’s private health care services, which include an extensive range of inpatient and outpatient diagnostic facilities, are available to everyone via private medical insurance or a fixed price, direct pay system.

The scheme means people can choose where they go for treatment when referred by their GP. St Hugh’s has an X-ray and ultrasound department together with a weekly visiting mobile MRI scanner plus modern theatres.

St Hugh’s, part of the Hospital Management Trust, is a not-for-profit making organisation and registered as a charity.

It aims to keep its fixed prices both competitive and good value for money. Some patients are now choosing to pay for treatment of NHS low-priority health issues including varicose veins, carpal tunnel treatments and minor lumps and bumps.

The hospital, in Peaks Lane, Grimsby, is independent, but can provide a service to insured, self-pay and NHS patients.

As of July last year, St Hugh’s was successful in obtaining what is known as ‘qualified provider status.’

The hospital has a contract with Care Trust Plus and GPs to provide a wide variety of operations, from orthopaedic and general surgery to ophthalmology and gynaecology.

All patients are offered consultant-delivered care and high quality nursing care from the team of staff, all in a small, friendly hospital which has had no known cases of MRSA...

All patients are offered consultant-delivered care and high quality nursing from the team of staff, all in a small, friendly hospital, where there are more than 100 free parking spaces and where there have been no known cases of MRSA. Among the reasons patients choose St Hugh’s for their treatment is the fact they are cared for in a clean environment in individual rooms – St Hugh’s believes this contributes significantly to patients’ recovery.

Above: Donna Read is Hospital Director at St Hugh’s in Grimsby, and is in charge of ensuring the hospital offers high quality, consultant-delivered care.

All outpatient appointments and operations are performed by a doctor of consultant status. These are NHS specialists who work locally. A resident duty doctor is on site, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is an open visiting policy and patients can be assured of nutritious meals, prepared at the hospital, from fresh, high-quality ingredients.

Appointments can also be made quickly and at times to suit the patient, as St Hugh’s has the option of evening and Saturday clinics. Private, insured and self-paying patients enjoy the additional benefits of hotel-style comforts and flexibility.

Many patients are pleasantly surprised by the low cost of a self-pay package – an all-inclusive price for an operation where there are no hidden charges.

Though originally established in Cleethorpes in 1938, St Hugh’s moved to purpose-built premises, in spacious grounds in Peaks Lane, in 1994, and continues to provide an excellent range of private health care services.

St Hugh’s cosmetic surgery service is very popular, not least because it is unique with a huge emphasis on it being personal, amd tailored to the individual client.

Cosmetic surgery evenings are held most months and consist of an informative presentation by one of the hospital’s cosmetic surgeons, and the opportunity to have a free, one-to-one initial consultation. Cosmetic Surgery Sister Lynda Thorndike is dedicated to the service and her clients; she’s very knowledgeable and holds her own clinics.

Having cosmetic surgery can be a major decision and understanding the process can be daunting, which is why, from the first appointment, patients see the consultant who will actually be carrying out their surgery. St Hugh’s has a number of experienced and skilled consultant plastic surgeons who specialise in this field.

The nursing team is also experienced in post-operative recuperation, ensuring patients receive the attention and care they need to recover swiftly.

Whatever your reason for a stay at St Hugh’s, the hospital makes it a priority to ensure you have a comfortable one.

Rigorous controls mean that there is a very low incidence of post-operative infection and patients can be assured of a peaceful and relaxing environment in which to recuperate.

St Hugh’s Hospital is at Peaks Lane, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN32 9RP. Call: 01472 251100; e-mail: admin@sthughshospital.co.uk or visit the hospital website at www.sthughshospital.co.uk.

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SPRING 2013

APRIL

NEW RELAXED LOOK

LincolnshirePride T H E

N U M B E R

O N E

C O U N T Y

M A G A Z I N E

Grow Your Own

FRESH FOOD Cook Your Own

SEAFOOD PAELLA CHICKENS Restaurant of the Month

BROWNLOW ARMS

ROYAL VISIT SOCIETY EVENTS

ISSUE 129

Keep Your Own

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Spring style from local retailers

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TO VIEW AND PuRCHASE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM ‘THE EVENT’ VISIT WWW.PRIDEMAGAZINES.CO.uK

BBC Radio Lincolnshire interviews Hannah Hicks.

THE EVENT Bishop Grosseteste University Bishop Grosseteste University was last month delighted to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to officially open its new library and student support services building. The Princess Royal unveiled a plaque at the £2.75 million Cornerstone Building on the University’s Newport campus, she also toured BG Futures, the University’s business incubation centre, and visited its coffee shop Curiositea. During her visit she met staff and students at Bishop Grosseteste University and dignitaries including Vice Chancellor, Professor Muriel Robinson OBE, and the Mayor of Lincoln, Councillor Karen Lee. The Princess also viewed an archive of photographs displaying the University’s 150-year history.

Words: Jennifer Ogden. photos: Emily Bennett.

Students’ Union President Rob Thorpe.

Rob Jones, Director of BG Enterprise and Business Development Manager Mark Bowen.

Feature your event in our magazine.

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call 01529 469977 and speak to our events Desk...

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THE EVENT Bishop

Grosseteste University Lincoln - Royal Visit

Vice Chancellor Professor Muriel Robinson OBE applauds as The Princess Royal unveils a plaque.

Lord Lieutenant Tony Worth

HRH The Princess Royal meets sta at BG Futures.

Hannah Hicks presented a posy of flowers to the Princess Royal.

Purchase photographs from this event online.

Visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

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THE COuNTRYSIDE

Spring Chickens one of the perks of living in the countryside is the ability to keep chickens. These crazy creatures quickly become part of the family... and they’re easier than you’d think to rear. Here two families tell us how they came to love this feathery stalwart of country life!

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THE COuNTRYSIDE

Keeping Chickens

birds which should provide around 200 eggs a year and you can expect for pay around £15 per point of lay pullet.”

Alternatives to commercial producers include rehoming charities like the British Hen Welfare Trust (www.bhwt.org.uk) and Fresh Start for Hens (www.freshstartforhens.co.uk), which charge less for ex-battery birds at the end of their commercially productive life.

Top; Sophie’s new range was inspired by her love of keeping chickens.

Below; Eggs from Bob and Joy’s Geeno Blue flock.

L

incolnshire’s Sophie Allport knows only too well that moving to the country affords a better way of life. Having relocated from London in 2008, the butterflies, roses and now chickens around her all provided the inspiration for her homeware ranges which include china, linens and her new range of designer handbags.

Keeping chickens is something that appeals to those in the countryside every bit as much as village life or the ability to live in a pretty cottage made of local stone.

The good news, is that it’s also really easy to start keeping your own chickens; just ask Bob and Joy Jeynes of Westaway Poultry. The couple has around 1,000 birds on their two and a half acre smallholding.

Bob and Joy supply everything the enthusiastic amateur needs to create a loving home for their chickens, from a wealth of advice to bedding and feed, and of course the birds themselves, specifically prettier rare breeds like his own

Keeping chickens is both more rewarding and easier than you think - a set-up costs from around £200, and they will soon become part of the family, yielding fresh eggs each morning Geeno Blue flock, as well as Orpington and Sussex plus hybrids, which have greater capacity for egg-laying than their rare breed contemporaries.

Finding Your Chickens Chickens are a real pleasure, from their skatty, skittish disposition to the fact that they’re the only ‘pet’ that gives something back (aside that is, from affection).

“They’ll quickly become tame, they’ll get to know your family and you’ll get to know their individual personalities.” says Bob. “If you’ve fewer than 50 birds you don’t need to register, so there’s no paperwork. Pure breeds are prettier

A Des Res for Your Flock The next consideration for those keeping chickens is accommodation. Anyone with a large garden has sufficient room, but a coop is essential since the birds must be shut away each night - once established in a routine, they should make their way easily to their accommodation each night.

Bob and Joy used to provide exceptional quality runs from £400-£1,000. With the advent of cheap imports, they’ve ceased supplying their own coops because they don’t seem competitive, even though Westaway’s accommodation was vastly superior in quality, with second hand examples now highly sought after.

Online, you’ll find coops from £100, but quality counts when it comes to finding a des res for your poultry. It has to be weatherproof and sufficiently secure from foxes. Pay a little more and you’ll certainly reap the benefits; find a Westaway coop and your chickens will be eternally grateful. Your accommodation should be warm, draft-free and well-ventilated, situated off the floor.

Making Them Comfortable “Chopped straw is the best bedding.” says Bob. You should look to pay around £8 a bundle, but it must be sterilised to kill parasites; the best bedding is mixed with wood chip too.”

Changing bedding every two weeks is essential to create a sweeter-smelling run and more importantly to ensure no parasites are present in your coop.

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THE COuNTRYSIDE

Keeping Chickens

“Once you’ ve had your own eggs you’ll never go back... going out to collect them in the morning is such a pleasure! ”

Above; Bob and Joy Jeynes can supply everything you need to embark upon your chicken-rearing endeavours; telephone 01572 737310 or see www.westawaypoultry.com.

Chicken Feed Expect to pay around £8 for a unit of food - Bob recommends a mixed layered mash. This is rich in soya beans and can be mixed with water to make it a little easier to digest. Charities like the BHWT recommend Smallholder Range, a commercially available product for around £10.

Both of these should last for around a month if you’ve two or three birds.

Keeping Them Healthy Plenty of food and water is essential along with good coop hygiene. The lifespan of a laying chicken kept domestically is between five and 10 years, with a yield of five or six eggs weekly. Point of lay pullets are sent out at around 16 weeks, and will begin to lay around five weeks later.

Sophie Allport’s Chicken range comprises fine bone china, fabrics and accessories. They are available direct from the designer at www.sophie allport.com.

“To ensure your chickens enjoy good mental health, it’s best to buy in threes.” says Bob. “One chicken will usually become depressed if it’s alone. If you purchase two chickens and one dies it can affect the remaining bird; three provides a bit more security.”

Rejoice in Your Flock “I think once you’ve had your own eggs you’ll never go back!” says Sophie. “I’ve three boys, Max, Freddie and Arthur. They’re aged between four & eight so from a young age they’ve collected the eggs, and have always been over-awed by the opportunity do so.”

“We love ‘dippy eggs’ with toasted soldiers and especially our own pancakes. The boys are all keen rugby players and my husband loves making them blueberry pancakes when they come in from playing outside!”

Spending time with chickens is a simple pleasure for anyone who lives in the countryside. With even a modest cottage garden it’s easier than you think to get started, and with their quirky characters, you’ll soon be enjoying a rewarding past time and, of course, fresh eggs each morning just in time for easter. That leaves only one unanswered question; why did the chicken cross the road? Perhaps, to find a new home with a loving family in Lincolnshire.

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Young Abigail tends her family’s chickens.

Photo: Joanne Ireland.

Domestic Breeds Hybrid breeds will usually yield a greater number of eggs, whilst pure breeds such as those pictured below will prove to be the ‘prettiest’ domestic breeds...

£ ORPINGTONS: Price: £20/mature hen.

Varieties: black, blue, buff, White.

Standard Weights: cock: 4.53kg (10lbs); hen: 3.62kg (8lbs); cockerel: 3.85kg (8.5lbs); pullet: 3.17kg (7lbs).

£ SUSSEx: Price: £18/18 week pullet.

Varieties: speckled, red, Light, buff.

Standard Weights: cock: 4.08kg (9 lbs); hen: 3.17 (7 lbs); cockerel: 3.40 (7.5 lbs); pullet: 2.72kg (6 lbs).

£ PEKIN bANTAMS: Price: £15/point of lay hen.

Varieties: black, blue, buff, White.

Standard Weights: cock: 4.53kg (10lbs); hen: 3.62kg (8lbs); cockerel: 3.85kg (8.5lbs); pullet: 3.17kg (7lbs).

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£ CARMEN

£ MARSHALL’S YARD

Everything will be completely normal at Marshall’s Yard on 1st April... or will it?

, What s On in April £ CARMEN

£ BEATRIX POTTER

£ ANTIQUES & HOMES

Directed by Ellen Kent, Grimsby Auditorium stages a dazzling new production of Carman. Stars international mezzo-soprano Nadia Stoianova, whose portrayal of the titular role has won rapturous reviews. Carmen features some of the most evocative and best-loved melodies in opera, including perhaps the best-known baritone aria of all, The Toreador’s Song. Takes place on Friday 19th April, tickets £15-£29.50.

Visit Normanby Hall near Scunthorpe on 10th April and enjoy Peter Rabbit and Friends, with a re-telling of Beatrix Potter’s classic tales. Meet outside the entrance to the Walled Garden from 10am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 2pm.

April 1st and April 3rd sees the return of Arthur Swallows’s Antiques and Home Show on the Lincolnshire Showground.

Also this month at Grimsby Auditorium, Saturday 20th April sees Vienna Festival Ballet return to town with their traditional, enchanting production of The Sleeping Beauty; a classic fairy tale set to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score, with stunning choreography and beautiful costumes. Tickets; £14.50-£28.50. www.atgtickets.com 01472 311300

01724 720588

With thousands of stalls from all over Europe, where else would you find such a diverse collection of fine antiques, furniture and jewellery alongside an array of garden furniture and statuary, stained glass windows and vintage furs and linens?

As well as enticing numerous buyers from across the world, this event regularly attracts the attention of well-known television shows such as Bargain Hunt and Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, who use the venue to film some of their latest episodes!

Tickets £20; from 8am. www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk 01522 524240

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WHAT’S ON WHAT’S ON

Coming Soon

Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra...

Get ready for the smoothest boogie woogie boy in town on 8th June, as former Squeeze musician and Hootenanny host Jools Holland comes to the area with his rhythm and blues orchestra.

Jools is appearing in concert with Roland Gift of 1980s group The Fine Young Cannibals, and specials guest vocalists Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall. Also appearing with be Gilson Lavis, with whom Jools has performed for over 25 years.

From playing pubs in the East End docks as a teenage greaser, to leading his rhythm and blues orchestra and selling millions of records this century, it is his passion for music that has made Jools into a doyen of the rhythm scene.

£ HAIR-RAISING FUN

Si and Dave - TV’s Hairy Bikers.

Jools was awarded an OBE in 2003 for his services to the British music industry. He is married with four children and lives, well, in a world of his own.

The event will be organised by Live Promotions, whose Colin Ward says; “We’re delighted to be featuring Jools Holland and his orchestra together with such fabulous guests this year. Burghley House makes such a spectacular backdrop, and this is one concert not to be missed this summer!”

£ THE HAIRY BIKERS

£ MARSHALL’S YARD

The Hairy Bikers are coming to Skegness!

Simon King and fellow biker Dave Myers will be bringing their tour to The Embassy Theatre this month.

Great shopping, a grand day out for families, plenty of parking and great places to eat. Marshall’s Yard in Gainsborough has 30 stores, with luxurious fashions and homes shopping; Laura Ashley, Next, M&S and Chic.

“It’s now been over two years since we did our last stage tour, and we can’t wait to do it all over again. We’re not just giving you a show, we’re giving you a real night out!” “ There will be some cooking, a sprinkling of special guests you all know and love, and a chance for some of our lucky audience members to enjoy a slap up meal on stage! We also promise a bit of dancing, a bit of flirting, a bit of singing, and some downright hilarious stand-up comedy!”

The centre’s independent department store, Browns, offers the best designer names and luxury homeware.

Look out for farmers’ markets on the second Saturday of each month and a craft market on the last Saturday of each month.

Tuesday 2nd April, Embassy Theatre, tickets £26.

This April 1st - April Fool’s Day everything will be juuuuust the same as ever... or will it? Maybe something wacky will be taking place, maybe it won’t... you’ll have to go along yourself to find out, because we’re not telling!

www.embassytheatre.co.uk

www.marshallsyard.co.uk

“The public are recommended to book early to ensure that they get tickets, which are bound to be in big demand.”

Tickets cost £37.50 and are available by calling 01780 752451 or via www.burghley.co.uk.

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Pansies and Lobelia are good hanging basket mainstays for traditional, formal gardens. Plugs should be planted directly into baskets from late April after frost risk has passed.

IN THE GARDEN

Hanging Baskets Brighten up gloomy corners of your garden or transform a stark patio with a shock of colour.

Hanging baskets are a practical and easy to create method of adding visual interest at a higher level in your garden...

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gardening

C

reating a really great looking hanging basket is a skill that’s worth learning because their creative potential is practically limitless. They can brighten up any area, adopt a formal or informal look and even offer colour in the autumn and winter seasons too. With such versatility, it’s worth getting to grips both with the basics of hanging basket techniques and advanced ideas for creating both variety and individuality.

The Basket Conventionally, hanging baskets are plastic covered wire frames, and that’s fine for formal baskets, but being a little more imaginative can yield impressive creations too. Requisition vintage kitchenalia like colanders, old milk jugs and old wicker shopping baskets, they can all look great.

Old leather boots with shoelaces have a ready-made way of being hung!

The Lining Avoid plastic liners, and use sphagnum moss-liners. Liners are necessary to retain some water but also provide drainage - so colanders are ideal, but plastic or other materials will need drainage holes installing.

Preparing Your Basket Use hanging basket compost and always mix in a slow-release fertiliser and water retaining granules such as perlite, or Miracle Gro All-Purpose Continuous Release. Give the basket a thorough soaking before planting.

Top; Diarmuid Gavin’s wicker planters utilise giant geraniums ‘Octavia Hill,’ which will flower in May and June, lasting throughout summer.

Above; Symmetry and consistency works well when creating ‘formal’ hanging baskets, whereas old or repurposed containers with plenty of foliage spilling over can create a more rustic look.

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Right; Requisition an old colander as a quirky planter.

Strawberries and mint make a great combination for a kitchen garden themed hanging basket.

Hanging Basket Mainstays Fuchsias, lobelia and sweet peas all create trailing colour.

Use petunias, begonias and primroses, pansies and geraniums to create a block of bold, imposing colours.

One-colour schemes look just as effective as multi-colour ones.

Our suggestions include giant pelargoniums and petunias with a single colour or single colour with white accent.

Kitchen Garden Baskets Strawberries make a beautiful and delicious hanging basket addition; summer fruiting berries produce a flush from early-summer, Alpine strawberries are a little later. An ideal filler plant is mint which, when otherwise free to grow in borders, can overtake other plants. Alternatively, plant hardy herbs like parsley, topiary bay or lemon balm in your hanging basket. You can also grow cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets for a quirky twist on a kitchen garden basket theme.

Made For Shade Create a Japanese themed basket with painted fern, hosta or heuchera - these also work well as hanging topiary style ‘balls.’

Autumn and Winter Baskets Don’t restrict your hanging baskets to just the summer months. In winter, use conifer, chrysanthemum and hebe or coloured heather as ‘filler’ foliage. Ivy can be used to trail over the edge of your basket, and colour can be created with winter flowering pansies, violas and primroses.

Right; Always use slowrelease fertiliser and water retention gels or beads when preparing your hanging basket.

Underplanting for Year Round Colour If you’re planting a winter basket, underplant dwarf bulbs of narcissus, tulips and irises for a spring display too.

Far right; Use filler foliage around key flowers as your source of colour.

Think differently with your hanging baskets both in terms of your container and your chosen plants - strawberry and mint work well and herbs will grow brilliantly in a hanging basket...

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gardening

Petunias are a hanging basket mainstay and work great with single-colour planting schemes.

You should budget one plant for each inch of your basket’s diameter.

in The garden

Jobs for April £ Feed roses, borders and shrubs with general purpose fertiliser. Spring clean borders of weeds using a hoe and prepare your borders for summer bedding plants.

£ In the kitchen garden, sow crops like summer cabbage, brussels and early peas, cauliflower and broccoli, salad crops, carrots and onions.

Plant early and main crop potatoes, earthing up shoots of early potatoes to protect them from frost.

Create beds in which to plant your asparagus crop and sow hardy herbs.

£ Plant spring bedding plants for your borders and plant summer bulbs in pots. Plant compact evergreen trees, conifers and shrubs.

£ Look after your lawn by treating moss and weeds with three-in-one treatments. This will also patch-in sparse areas of lawn.

£ Tie-in climbing and rambling roses and wall-trained shrubs, pruning spring shrubs and winter jasmine.

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This month, the real life ‘Tom and Barbara Good.’ The couple grow their own veg and rear their own meat... but also hold down full-time professional careers!

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kiTchen garden

Self-Sufficiency

The Good Life

Ever wanted to step out of your back door and pick your own vegetables, harvest your own fruit, collect your own fresh eggs? It’s easier than you think...

O

n Tom Good’s 40th birthday back in 1975, he and wife Barbara decided to become self-sufficient. They packed up work to follow their dream and had a great time doing so. Despite Richard Briers’ death last month the much-loved Tom lives on in popular culture - but how easy is it - really - to become self-sufficient? We decided to ask a local couple who have done just that! >> >> Words and Photos: rob davis

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The couple have created a kitchen garden which is easy to maintain but productive. They grow their own vegetables and keep their own animals...

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kiTchen gardening

Self-Sufficiency houses on the site. However, the developer changed his mind and instead offered the land for sale with one of his properties instead.

The second surprise, then, is the fact that rather than the charming old cottage we were expecting when we pulled up to the couple’s home, the property is actually just the kind of immaculate, newly built detached executive home you’d expect a professional to live in.

It’s smart, with formal planting and block paving to the front. Even to the rear of the property a conservatory leads to a clipped lawn with pond and neat borders. Beyond this is a beautiful rose garden and only behind the ‘pretty’ part of the garden is the plot’s true kitchen garden purpose apparent.

The Victorian-style orangery was an investment but it’s practical and warm, enabling the couple to extend their growing season throughout the year.

W

hat will you be doing this weekend?

Perhaps spending a little time in the garden? Colin and Janet Johnson will be doing the same, only their efforts in the couple’s three acre plot, created in 2006, hold a rather more practical purpose than the efforts of most gardeners.

The couple have been self-sufficient for a number of years, and designed their plot to be both manageable and productive whilst remaining pretty, too.

The obvious comparison is to the late Richard Briers’ character, Tom Good, in The Good Life. It’s a lifestyle to which many faintly aspire, but shy away from because of the obvious amount of work involved.

We joined the couple on a nippy March morning one Saturday. It had to be a weekend appointment because both Colin and Janet work throughout the week as a Management

With three acres of land the couple are entirely self-sufficient in terms of vegetables and meat.

They keep chickens for eggs, rear their own pork and still have enough space for a pretty garden... consultant and Legal Secretary respectively. The fact that the couple could find the time to maintain a three acre plot whilst holding down demanding jobs was to be the first of several surprises.

“It’s all about being organised.” says Colin. “We kept chickens before and moved here in 2006 hoping to grow our own produce. The plot was fallow grass so essentially it was a blank canvas.”

“That enabled us to plan the garden from scratch to make it as productive - and as easy to maintain - as possible.”

The plot was originally much larger, and the property developer who owned it intended to create several more

The couple, then, haven’t given up their right to a nice garden in which to sit in the summer months. However, beyond the rose garden are 11 veg plots, a small paddock for the pigs with electric fencing, the Victorian-style greenhouse, a small paddock for the couple’s goats, a fenced chicken area and the couple’s orchard.

The vegetable plots were the first areas to be instated, created in January 2006. Sheep followed in April before Colin and Janet brought their pigs to the plot in June and created their pond that summer.

Today, the couple have six Lincoln Longwool sheep, 40 chickens, a couple of Sebastopol geese, three turkeys, three pygmy goats, three hives of bees and they are currently awaiting delivery of their four Old English rare breed pigs.

To ensure maximum productivity from their vegetable beds, the couple rotate their crops and are able to produce potatoes, carrots, parsnips, swede, leeks, sweetcorn, beans, various pulses and peas at relevant times throughout the year.

Salad crops are a mainstay of the couple’s diet throughout the warmer months, and the couple freeze anything they don’t eat immediately to use later.

Fruit was a disaster last year, and the couple’s apple and pear crop gave a poor yield. Strawberries, rhubarb and soft fruits are a treat in the summer and excesses of these, too, are frozen.

With the purchase of a fruit press, Colin has been producing his own apple juice as well as a particularly special cider, and their new hives yielded 15lbs of honey last year too.

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The couple keep three pygmy goats as well as a flock of Lincoln Longwools, 40 chickens and four or five pigs.

You’d think, with such a productive plot, that the couple would be unable to hold down full time careers. In fact, Colin and Janet have taken every possible opportunity to make their lives as easy as possible.

“We’ve planned the plot so it’s easy to manage.” says Colin.

“All of the gaps between borders need just one pass with the mower, and the animals keep the grass in the paddocks down with their grazing.”

The couple spend a total of an hour each day looking after their livestock and enjoy spending time together at the weekend to work on the vegetable beds and maintain the plot itself...

The couple have also employed permanently plumbed-in drinkers for the animals which keep themselves topped up, and duskactivated doors for the chickens coops to automate their animal husbandry as much as possible and this year the sheep lambed themselves, which helped.

Every morning Janet is out by 7am. Her routine is the same each day and it’s well-rehearsed to ensure maximum efficiency. “I feed the goats, sheep, geese and turkeys, then feed the bantams and muck out the hen houses. I water the plants in the glasshouse and feed the doves.” says Janet.

“After that it’s a simple matter of having my own porridge, feeding the dog and heading off to work!”

Janet says her morning routine takes no longer than 45 minutes, and in the evening a further 30 minute routine takes care of feeding the goats, the sheep, putting the ducks to bed and collecting the eggs from the hen houses. Maintaining the whole plot takes just over an hour a day, plus time spent together at the weekend to give the fruit and vegetable beds some attention.

“It’s a common interest we share, but it works well for us as a couple because we can both spend time working together on something, but equally, we can spend time working on something on our own if we want our a bit of space.”

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kiTchen gardening

Self-Sufficiency

“We love rearing our own animals, but it’ s important to make the garden as easy to manage as possible... a lot of thought has gone into planning the plot.”

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kiTchen gardening

Self-Sufficiency

Recent food scandals have made the issue of knowing where our food comes from ever-more important.

It’s interesting to note, though, that whilst self-sufficiency is more labour-intensive than a trip to the supermarket it isn’t necessarily more expensive.

The couple says they spend around £100 a month on feed and hay, and find that the chickens cover their costs with a good surplus for family and friends. Janet and Colin’s pigs cover their costs and yield pork throughout the year, being butchered locally.

“We’ve worked it out and we don’t think we spend any more than we would on groceries..” says Janet. “A trip to the supermarket once a month is still necessary for cleaning products and toiletries, but overall we think we have a better diet and a better standard of living for being self-sufficient.”

“We do eat well.” adds Colin. “There’s absolutely nothing like being able to tuck into a Sunday lunch and know that everything on the plate has come from your own garden.

It makes all of the hard work worthwhile!”

“It’ s possible to start small and gradually take on more responsibilities On our scale it’ s harder work but it’ s still perfectly manageable. What’ s more, we believe that we spend no more than we would do shopping for groceries...”

The couple’s orangery allows them to get a head start on their growing whilst rotation of beds enables them to be completely self-sufficient for both vegetables and fruit.

The couple have 40 chickens and ease the job of keeping them with self-filling drinkers and dusk-sensitive automatic coop doors.

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“We eat really well and have a great standard of living.

We’ re not martyrs to the plot either - both of us are itching to get into the garden by the time the weekend comes along!�

Colin and Janet open their garden and smallholding as part of the National Garden Scheme to raise money for charity, this year they open on the 23th June and 7th July more information is available from their website www.thehawthorns rarebreeds.co.uk or from the National Gardens Scheme website.

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On The FarM

BarrY POSTOn Inclement weather and cool soils are encouraging the crops to stay in the ground... Barry Poston this month wonders if their human custodians should do the same!

T

he type of soil on a farmer’s land determined how much outside farm work took place in the county during early March.

On lighter, sandier soils and heathland farmers were able to proceed with spring cereal and vining pea sowings. However, on heavier and silty soils, very little work was able to take place.

I am certain these farmers are waiting for dry, warmer weather and it’s hoped this arrives before this article is read although as Pride goes to press we’re experiencing an unexpected dusting of spring snow! Great patience is proving an essential quality in getting seed beds ready for successful sugar beet and potato crops this spring!

A lot of spring barley will be sown this year on those fields that were badly damaged by the harvesting of potato and sugar beet in a previous wet autumn. The chances of selling for malting will be low, so growers must opt for the highest yields of feed barley. I suggest that two cultivations will be best; one to open the soils to allow drying more easily into the wetter soils below, this will allow the soil underneath to dry out before a second cultivation takes place.

There is no doubt that the recent discovery of horse meat in various processed food products has helped to increase the price of home-grown meat. All British cattle and sheep are carefully marked and their full history can be traced.

Words: Barry Poston

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This has clearly meant increased meat prices, but most purchasers are happy to pay for British assured produce as a mark of quality and a guarantee of good animal husbandry.

This is generally indicated by the little red tractor sign, and I hope households do not mind paying a little extra for assurance from where their product came. One penny in a pound can amount to several pounds per ton for most agricultural products.

Some early vegetable crops such as planted cauliflower, onion sets and onion seed have been planted by mid-March and these are generally covered by plastic.

Prices for over-wintered produce have been variable as supplies from Spain, Italy and Cornwall have been arriving steadily over the winter period. The county’s early vegetable crops will need considerable warmth to ensure higher soil temperatures if planting and sowing is to take place.

Daffodil flowers are about four weeks late this year and were in short supply for Mothering Sunday. The same will probably be true of Easter.

I always feel that these give a very good indication to what growing conditions for other crops are like. I have also noticed how slow seed potatoes are chitting in the seed store - this is another indication of later planting dates.

Perhaps these crops are telling us something!

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On The FarM with

Barry Poston

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Watercolour artist

sandra Peck

Sandra teaches people how to paint watercolour flowers across the county with regular classes for up to 15 people.

Words: rob davis

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a rendezvOuS wiTh

Watercolour Artist Sandra Peck If you’ve ever admired the beauty of a flower growing in your garden and found yourself wishing you could capture it forever, artist Sandra Peck may have a way.

For over 20 years Sandra has been teaching both novice and experienced painters the art of capturing nature in her preferred watercolour medium...

T

here are few things as beautiful as the flowers growing in our garden in spring and summer. For watercolour artist Sandra Peck though, preserving them in watercolour paintings adds an extra dimension to the pleasure of growing and appreciating flowers.

Working across both Lincolnshire and Rutland at venues including Burghley House and Barnsdale Gardens, Sandra teaches both novice and experienced painters how to paint in watercolours using a wet-into-wet technique.

“Anyone can have a go, with no experience necessary.” says Sandra. “All you need is an appreciation for the flower you’re working with, and a bit of patience. Your technique can be learned and with a bit of practice, refined.”

Growing up in Northamptonshire on the family farm, Sandra loved sketching and painting at school and a move to the county in 1973 when she married her husband Steve would see a resurgence in her artistic efforts.

“With lots of enthusiasm and constant experimentation I developed my own technique of controlled wet-into-wet, which works particularly well for petals.” says Sandra.

“I allow colours to mix on the paper, with attention to both wash and more defined brush strokes, so that each petal appears not only translucent but are also more lifelike when introduced onto the wet paper.”

By the early 1980s Sandra was exhibiting her work and hosting live demonstrations, teaching her technique to others.

“Whilst my exhibitions were on, I was frequently asked if I could sit in the gallery for a few hours to chat to visitors and to demonstrate and so I soon became accustomed to people watching me paint.”

“anyone can paint if they want to. it’s just a case of giving yourself time to practice. You’re bound to make mistakes at first, but don’t worry and don’t be put off; the more you do the better you will get.

Just relax and enjoy the creative process...!”

“When my children were very young I enjoyed drawing portraits of them - mostly when they were asleep, as any mum knows this is the only time that they keep still and the only opportunity you have for such things.” says Sandra.

The artist was, back then, an enthusiastic amateur but felt she could improve with some tuition. She attended a class at her local Riverbank Studios and gained some tuition under the guidance of John Gray.

“ I was asked if I would teach how to paint watercolour flowers at Riverbank, which I did for a number of years. I have always worked freelance and had no career plan, but fortuitously, I found that I received offers to teach from many different places, so each week I found myself in a variety of locations.”

“It was an invaluable introduction to watercolours and other mediums and brilliant instruction in figurative drawing and portraiture at his life drawing classes.”

“Some of these were initially booked as one-offs, but have then become a permanent fixture, as people were so keen to come. I am now extremely fortunate to paint in two of the loveliest locations, Burghley House, in Lincolnshire and Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland, where I have been Resident Artist for 12 years. I was also invited by the Royal Horticultural Society to tutor classes for them at Wisley.”

“After trying various different mediums, I became enchanted by the way watercolours interact with the paper you’re using and all the glorious possibilities that they offered.” says Sandra.

“I’ve also partnered with the RHS; Two of my painting days each year at Barnsdale are run in conjunction with the Society so there is a concession for members on those days.” >> 97

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rendezvOuS

>> Sandra’s next Barnsdale Gardens lessons take place on Tuesday 16th April with a theme of Tulips in Soft Focus, and on Thursday 23rd May with a theme of Watercolour Cards.

Similar courses at Burghley House on 10th April and 8th May provide the opportunity to paint Dover’s White Cliffs and the Chimneys and Cupolas of Burghley House but classes with floral themes on 12th June focus on Flag Irises and on 31st July painting the house’s hanging baskets.

The courses cost from £57 and run from 10.30am until 4pm with a break for lunch. Typically the format is one of tuition in the morning and a chance to practice in the afternoon.

“I think that everyone learns more easily from watching, so I demonstrate each stage of the landscape or flower subject for the day.”

“I have everyone sitting round a table with me so that they can watch the demonstration close-up and are able to ask any questions. I always include extra tips and techniques that might be helpful. They then have go themselves and I give

“I begin with a demonstration then offer people the chance to practice the various techniques.

In the afternoon they can create their own watercolour.

It’ s easy to get started and rather addictive!”

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Sandra begins each piece with a study of the subject, sometimes preserving the background, sometimes isolating her subject.

Above; Sandra’s Daffodils.

Below/Left; Afternoon tea by the wisteria at Burghley House’s Orangery restaurant.

Right; Sandra’s technique is ‘wet onto wet’ allowing colour to bleed into the page for subtle variations in tone.

Artist Sandra has been teaching novices and experienced painters her watercolour technique in the county for over 20 years...

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rendezvOuS

TrY iT YOurSelF

Paint Your Own Daffodil Painting from fresh flowers is always the most inspiring. Before you begin take a good look at your subject to select the best angle, often a slightly turned, or downward facing view is more interesting than head on. Notice how the light is falling on to the flower and try to capture this. I have given a step-by-step demonstration below, which you may like to follow...

1.

2.

It is worth spending a little time on your drawing, notice how the petals are turned a little, which will help to ‘lift’ them, so that they don’t appear pressed on to the page. Wet each petal and paint with lemon yellow, making sure that your brush-strokes follow the shape of the flower and leaving some highlights. Paint the trumpet in a similar way. >> individual help and encouragement and am happy to do extra demonstrations, or to help to rectify any parts of the painting which aren’t going to plan.”

3.

4.

Sandra says she hasn’t tired of providing tuition over her 22 years, and has clique of regulars as well as novice students who enjoy the experience and find themselves quickly gaining the skills they need to practice back home.

“Anyone can paint if they want to, you just have to give yourself time to practice... you’re bound to make a few mistakes at first, but if you’re diligent and aren’t put off, the more you do the better you will get.”

For Sandra, it’s a great opportunity to combine the pleasure of growing beautiful flowers in her cottage garden with the pleasure of painting and teaching others to paint too.

Opposite, we’ve provided the opportunity to sample Sandra’s tuition for yourself, but if you’d like to learn more, visit her website at www.sandrapeckwatercolours.co.uk or call 01775 761375.

All pictures from originals by Sandra Peck.

Whilst this is still wet, build up the tones with a rich buttery yellow, such as new gamboge or cadmium deep, dropping in some extra little touches of sap green, at the base of the petals and cadmium orange inside the trumpet. Add the stalk and finally the sheath, keeping this delicate and translucent.

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The FaShiOn PageS

Fashions For All Seasons whEthEr wE ENjoy a warm, Balmy SPrINg or ExPErIENcE aPrIl ShowErS, StEIlmaNN wIll ProvIdE FaShIoNS For all SEaSoNS...

Steilm ann’ s transparent rainc oat will show off an outfit worn below

The blue an d ‘n autic al ’ look nevewr hitdaetes .

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£ When iT rains: Versatile steilmann rain jackets in four different styles and colours.

R

emaining true to its values of being both poised and authentic yet continually breaking new ground. This is the ethos with which German brand Steilmann’s new collection is reflecting the spring season.

Steilmann this month puts an emphasis on modern prints especially for tunics and dresses but the print is also featured in its trousers.

Colour blocking stays important and is shown in all ranges; the styling is clean and chick.

Coloured blazer and chinos imply freshness and colourfulness. Bold geometric prints which have become established in blouses, light jackets and new shirt styles are particularly eye-catching.

The brand’s collection shows a reduced frock coat, simple trouser as well as shift dresses and a-line tops with colour blocking effects.

>> 103

FaShiOn

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Main: £ LiGhTWeiGhT jackeT Mint coloured showerproof jacket worn with a pair of floral print trousers and bright cerise cardigan. Finished off with a pair of colourful wedge sandals.

Above: £ fLOraL Floral t-shirt and matching cardigan, white trousers accessorised with a bright cerise clutch bag and fashionable wedge sandals. >> Above, designer glasses frames

by Gucci £225 and Max Mara £160. £O’Briens OpTicians 01652 653 595, www.obriensopticians.co.uk

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Brighten up spring with a combination of floral prints and blocks of bright colour - this practical jacket is weatherproof, light and versatile!

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<< £ circLes & sTripes Bold, retro design is the theme for this colourful dress. the bright cerise blazer jacket and stylish pink platform heels finish off the outfit nicely. an ideal outfit for day or night.

£ sTOckisTs karen’s Market Place, donington; 01775 820808. eve & ranshaw Market Place, louth; 01507 602902. www.eve-ranshaw.co.uk.

Obsessions crown street, town centre, oakham; 01572 770457.

Sally’s swaton, near sleaford; 01529 421335.

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>> £ COLOUR BLOCKING 1970s inspired red, black and white block colour dress.

Accessorised here with black sandals featuring red wedges.

£ STOCKISTS Karen’s Market Place, Donington; 01775 820808.

Eve & Ranshaw Market Place, Louth; 01507 602902. www.eve-ranshaw.co.uk.

Obsessions Crown Street, Town Centre, Oakham; 01572 770457.

Sally’s Swaton, near Sleaford; 01529 421335.

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t p rint s ilk s h if.. . n r e t t a p s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; n d S teil m an t c o lou r o f re en c c a n a h it d res s w Beige dress with sli mm ing sid e panels, in navy and roy al blue.. .

th e Wear th is den im sh irt kn otted at ski rt. . wa ist with Steil mann â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s pattern ed

t b louse in r p ic r t e m S trip e d g eo s h a d es o f b lue .. . in va ry in g

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The FaShiOn PageS

<< £ Main iMaGe Pretty black and white spotted dress with leopard print panel adorning the front. teamed here with chunky red earrings and black sandals featuring chunky red heels to pick out the highlight colour of red in the dress.

£ sTOckisTs karen’s Market Place, donington; 01775 820808. eve & ranshaw Market Place, louth; 01507 602902. www.eve-ranshaw.co.uk.

Obsessions crown street, town centre, oakham; 01572 770457.

Sally’s swaton, near sleaford; 01529 421335.

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Seeing contact lenses clearly... acT YOur age, wiThOuT cOMPrOMiSe! vision shouldn’t be a barrier that prevents you from enjoying sport and leisure, and age is no barrier to wearing contact lenses.

Jackie lansell is a contact lens optician, and says she has an increasing number of older clients curious about wearing contact lenses. they’re slightly sceptical, having used the first generation of lenses some time ago with varying degrees of success.

“People are often surprised at how lenses have progressed since earlier products.” says Jackie. “i have customers as young as eight and as old as 90. anyone who can physically handle lenses can wear them, it’s just a matter of confidence.”

Whilst permanent lenses are still on the market in gas permeable form, these are smaller and lighter than ever before, and easier to insert and maintain. over 80% of wearers, however, opt for disposable lenses, with monthly variants from as little as £7/month. daily disposables are an additional option and are ideal for occasional

its easy to act your age with contact lenses that provide perfect vision no matter what your time of life. Jackie lansell talks us through the latest contact lens technology...

use or for those looking for wear a lens for sports of leisure. “in particular, they’re really popular with golfers and those who want a lens for occasional use — on the odd night out for example.” says Jackie.

“Modern lenses can also boast varifocal properties, and are popular with wearers who don’t like having to swap glasses for close-up or distance purposes. they’re ideal for driving as they make the dashboard and road ahead equally clear.” spalding’s eye care centre has two full-time contact lens opticians, each of whom can see patients who have an up-to-date prescription.

Beginning the consultation process with a chat about the patient’s requirements, Jackie then talks through the different options and measures the eye using spectral topography before selecting sample lenses for the patient to try out. “our patients are invariably really pleased with the result.” says Jackie. “We offer clear vision, convenience and peace of mind.”

More information: to discuss contact lenses or arrange a full consultation with experts Jackie lansell or Geoff eastwood, call into the eye care centre at 6 sheepmarket, spalding Pe11 1BH. alternatively, call 01775 722 141 or see www.eyecarecentrespalding.co.uk.

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} Weddings }

The wedding alBuM

Naomi and Tom Gawne... this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bride and groom enjoyed a wedding featuring vintage style with beautiful english roses and a classic car. Meet the couple whose blind date was a resounding success, resulting in a surprise proposal and a happily ever after for naomi and tom Gawne...

Photos: contact:

aMBa Photography 07790 581333, www.ambaphotography.co.uk

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lous flo ra l We ha d a vinta ge ca r an d fa bu d as deco rati on s both on th e ta ble piannk ro ses! hand -t ie d po sies featu rin g lig ht

tu re d s o me p a c a b m A A n d y fro m a g es o f ou r d a y ! stun n in g i m

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The wedding alBuM

“I brought a dress on impulse and immediately regretted it, so I had to sell it and buy another one!”

“Our honeymoon to Koh Samui was absolutely amazing; both the hotel and surroundings were really beautiful!”

W

e first met on a blind date.

Tom’s sister Hayley was a friend of mine and she was adamant that she was going to set us up.

We met for a meal, followed by a movie, and we just got on so well that the relationship grew from there.

absolutely beautiful the church looked all decorated, with flowers everywhere and flickering candles.

On our first anniversary we celebrated by going to a posh restaurant. I giggled and said; “This would be a great place to be proposed to, wouldn’t it Tom! Go on you may as well propose now!” So he did!

As a honeymoon, we went to Koh Samui in Thailand, and it was absolutely amazing... they look after you so well and the

I actually bought two wedding dresses! The first was an impulse buy, which I immediately regretted! I sold it and found my wedding dress at another shop! It was made out of a beautiful satin fabric which was layered and gathered.

Our wedding photographer andy Mcrobbie from amba, We quickly found the venue and a church. We also decided our florist lynda hymas, and our party band, the love on Andy, the photographer, as Boat captains were all amazing... it was a fabulous day! we knew him from doing nearly all of our friends’ weddings and hotel and surroundings were beautiful! have seen what beautiful pictures he takes.

Married life is perfect! We did things a little differently as Planning the day was so enjoyable; if I could be a professional wedding planner, I would! Tom also enjoyed the planning... especially the sampling and picking of the wedding menu!

I remember feeling so nervous about walking down the aisle as me and my dad drove to the church, but also how

we didn’t actually move in together until after we got back from honeymoon. That may seem a bit old fashioned but it gave us something to look forward to once we came back from Thailand! Being married has been an amazing experience so far... we are loving every minute of it!

Photographer andy Mcrobbie, aMBa Photography 07790 581333 ambaphotography.co.uk Florist linda hymas Floral designs cake - Yellow Bellied Bakery hair Stylist decadence hair design Makeup artist Stacey Stainton entertainment love Boat captains

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Stacey and Tony stacey and tony were married in the county recently, and left the cool climate of the uk behind for a sunny honeymoon in Florida! dean’s Street Photography Studio – Tel: 01572 757643 www.andycrossphotographer.com

K im an d A nd y B ent

kim & andy are huge notts county fans, so their engagement shoot was hel d at the team’s ground... their wedding reception dec or theme was all about their team too! their speeches inv olved lots of cardboard cut-outs made by one of the ushers... it was very funny! ali lovegrove Photography - Tel: 07735 974799 www.alilovegrovephotogra phy.com

} Weddings } Rebecca Rushton and Gareth Alcock rebecca and Gareth enjoyed a honeymoon to Majorca after marrying in the county recently.

John denton wedding Photography - Tel: 07971 147804 www.jdenton-weddingphotography.co.uk

Con gra tul ati ons ...

...to all couples marrying in the county this month .

To have your wedding featured here email – weddings@pridemagazines.co.uk or ask your photographer to contact us directly on 01529 469977 Planning a wedding? You can have free wedding planning tools, a free engagement photoshoot, you could win a £25,000 wedding and you can plan your wedding properly with...

visit www.ukbride.co.uk to see why we have over 300,000 members and over 25,000 Facebook Fans!

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TO view and PurchaSe PhOTOgraPhS FrOM ‘The evenT’ viSiT www.PrideMagazineS.cO.uk

Guests were made up of members of the CSHC.

thE EvENt Cottesmore Hunt Ball The annual Cottesmore Hunt Ball was held last month. A strictly black tie dress code was in place and guests enjoyed a three course meal as well as a live band, disco and raucous entertainment courtesy of a bucking bronco! The hunt’s territory extends from Uppingham and Oakham into Bourne, Spalding and Stamford, bordering the territories of the Quorn, Fitzwilliam and Belvoir packs. The Cottesmore can trace its history back to 1666 and was established by Henry, Viscount Lowther.

Photos: nico Morgan.

Entertainment at the event was courtesy of a live band, disco and bucking bronco.

feature your event in our magazine.

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call 01529 469977 and speak to our events desk...

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The evenT Cottesmore

Hunt Ball

The huntâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s territory includes both Lincolnshire and Rutland.

The event was held at Keythorpe Manor.

Around 200 supporters attended the event.

purchase photographs from this event online.

Visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

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MOTOring newS

Perfect for Spring meet the world’s fastest four-seater convertible Bentley’s new continental gt Speed is the firm’s flagship tourer that aims to offer cosseting luxury, a sporty drive and the surefootedness that comes from a wealth of roadholding technology...

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car to the edge of its already pretty impressive limits to notice and exploit its mechanical upgrades.

Far easier to enjoy, however, is the car’s sumptuous interior. Standard equipment is plentiful, with 17 colours of premium hide available to complement seven interior colourways, and four veneers.

The car’s seats are electrically operated, with electrically adjustable steering wheel and memory function.

Windows, mirrors, and roof are all electric, and there’s sat nav, DAB radio, climate control, parking sensors and a Breitling clock.

Delve into the options list and you can also specify TV tuner, heated steering wheel, massaging seats with air conditioning and neck-warmers, rear view camera and adaptive cruise control.

The cabin features a number of styling tweaks over the conventional GT, with aluminium finish, and diamond quilted hide.

B

eastly performance from the world’s fastest four-seater convertible.

Bentley’s Continental GT Speed is a mechanically revised version of the Crewe company’s grand tourer which will create a new flagship sports car for the firm, boasting a wealth of styling tweaks too.

Most notable is the car’s monstrous engine. With six whole litres, 12 cylinders, 48 valves and over 616bhp on tap, it’s a seriously powerful car.

The car will reach 60mph in a whisper over four seconds and has a top speed in excess of 200mph.

Even more impressive, though, is how easily such a reserve of power can be accessed and tamed.

The standard 4x4 system and eight speed gearbox makes the powertrain more tractable than ever, and a sport button offers faster gearshifts still.

compared to rolls royce’s £300,000 Phantom drophead, the Bentley is a bargain: powerful and luxurious, with a glorious 6.0 w12 engine and four wheel drive Bentley Continental GT Speed Price: £167,900 Engine: 6.0 W12, 48 valve Performance: 0-60mph 4.1seconds top speed 202mph Fuel Economy: 19.5mpg combined Equipment: Quilted hide, sat nav, four wheel drive, air suspension, eight speed automatic transmission

For a premium over the ‘standard’ car of nearly £20,000, the car features quilted leather upholstery aluminium dashboard inserts, and an uprated engine management system. The car’s suspension has been lowered by a centimetre, and Bentley has recalibrated both the car’s steering and chassis.

Whilst these sound like only minor tweaks for such a monetary premium, in context it’s fair to point out that if you can afford a Continental GT convertible, you can probably stretch to the Speed derivative.

The reality is, however, you’d have to really push the

Build-quality is impeccable, the materials are lavish, and the car is beautifully styled with no garish wheels or spoilers to ruin the car’s handsome, muscular proportions.

Moreover, there’s room for four to enjoy a cabin that has been tested in climates from -30°c to 50°c.

The car’s climate control has been beefed up to ensure it’s comfortable in all weathers and when the British climate is not so enjoyable, this - together with a four-layer hood and surefooted 4x4 handling - makes snowy or wet months a pleasure.

However, with spring here and summer around the corner, let’s put cooler weather to the back of our mind and embrace the fact that this is a car for long hot days!

Ideal for the county’s poorer back roads with pliant air suspension, and for its fast A-roads with monstrous acceleration and effortless cruising, the Bentley is a sports car that’s surprisingly easy to live with on a day-to-day basis.

Enough room for four, a boot that can comfortably accommodate a set of golf clubs and fuel economy of 30mpg on a long run all make the GT Continental Speed a flagship that’s practical and luxurious.

Compared to Rolls Royce’s Drophead Phantom, priced at £300,000, the Speed is great value, truly luxurious, powerful and stylish... in other words, pure Bentley.

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HANDY SIZE EDITION

2013 SPRING APRIL

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ROYAL VISIT SOCIETY EVENTS

ISSUE 1 29

the Month Restaurant of

HANDY SIZE EDITION

£3.70

Royal Visit Food Fashion

{Page 102}

High quality spring dining {Page 28}

The Duchess of Cambridge {Page 8}

The Event The county’s hunt balls {Page 44}

Harpist

Oakham’s Elizabeth Bass

{Page 27}

Fashion

Spring style from local retailers {Page 102}

advertise in the number one county magazine. to discover how we can boost your sales, call our friendly team now.

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Country Workshops Independent Landrover Specialists Bespoke Vehicles & Accessories.

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