Lincolnshire January 2016

LincolnshirePride

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DEC 2015

Christmas Party Dresses with Red Carpet Ready

Caring for Lincolnshire’s Historic Churches

Covering Lincolnshire and Newark on Trent

LincolnshirePride

THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR HIGH QUALITY HOMES

Wishing all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes EXCLUSIVE

SAY FAREWELL TO DOWNTON Tattershall’s Lord of the Manor on his TV success...

Exclusive interview with the award-winning writer. Page 22

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTY Celebrating Christmas here in Lincolnshire...

From Page 38

RECOGNISING OUR WWII HEROES Bomber Command Memorial Unveiled...

Images from the VIP event on Page 26

Christmas Dining in Lincolnshire

The Comfy Duck, Grimsby & The White Horse, Baston

DECEMBER 2015

Boxing Day Hunting Meet

This Month: We ride out with The Blankney to mark the new hunt season...

£3.70

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JULIAN WILKINSON MANAGING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER

ROB DAVIS, EDITOR 01529 469977, editor@lincolnshirepride.co.uk

DEC 2015

Christmas Party Dresses with Red Carpet Ready

Caring for Lincolnshire’s Historic Churches

“Producing what we believe is the county’s highest quality magazine is hard work. But it’s rewarding.

In fact, it’s a little like Christmas.”

“The festive season may be busy, but who would possibly trade the hard work that goes into preparation for the opportunity to enjoy the company of friends and family over the season, or for the pleasure of coming home to a beautifully dressed Christmas tree?”

“Then there’s the giving and receiving of gifts. My little boy is four years old, so I’m looking forward to his unfaltering belief in Santa Claus, and to watching him excitedly unwrap his gifts.”

“This month, we hope we’ve provided a frisson of festivity in the form of a roundup of Lincoln’s Christmas events, the best ‘Grottos’ for children, plus recipes for decorating gingerbread.”

“Also in this edition, we meet one of the county’s most prolific Brussels sprout producers, we’re seeing red at a poinsettia nursery, we’re attending a Boxing Day meet with one of the county’s hunts, and we meet the creator of Downton Abbey, Lord of Tattershall Julian Fellowes as the last episode of the drama airs this month.”

Best wishes for a happy Christmas!

Rob Davis, Editor.

Covering Lincolnshire and Newark on Trent

LincolnshirePride THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR HIGH QUALITY HOMES

££ 3 . 7 0

EXCLUSIVE

Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes SAY FAREWELL TO DOWNTON Tattershall’s Lord of the Manor on his TV success...

Exclusive interview with the award-winning writer. Page 22

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTY Celebrating Christmas here in Lincolnshire...

From Page 38

RECOGNISING OUR WWII HEROES Bomber Command Memorial Unveiled...

Images from the VIP event on Page 26

Christmas Dining in Lincolnshire

The Comfy Duck, Grimsby & The White Horse, Baston

Boxing Day Hunting Meet

This Month: We ride out with The Blankney to mark the new hunt season...

COVER PHOTOS

We’re always looking for beautiful images for our front covers. Email your county scenes to the above email address if you’d like to see your photograph on our front page!

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1 - Lincs Pride DEC 161.qxp 02/11/2015 13:03 Page 4

DEC 2015

Christmas Party Dresses with Red Carpet Ready

Caring for Lincolnshire’s Historic Churches

Covering Lincolnshire and Newark on Trent

LincolnshirePride THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR HIGH QUALITY HOMES

£ 3 .. 7 00

EXCLUSIVE

Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes SAY FAREWELL TO DOWNTON Tattershall’s Lord of the Manor on his TV success...

Exclusive interview with the award-winning writer. Page 22

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTY Celebrating Christmas here in Lincolnshire...

From Page 38

RECOGNISING OUR WWII HEROES Bomber Command Memorial Unveiled...

Images from the VIP event on Page 26

Christmas Dining in Lincolnshire

The Comfy Duck, Grimsby & The White Horse, Baston

Boxing Day Hunting Meet

This Month: We ride out with The Blankney to mark the new hunt season...

With best wishes from the Lincolnshire Pride team Managing Director and Publisher: Julian Wilkinson.

General Manager: Ian Bagley.

Executive Editor: Rob Davis. Features Editor: Tilly Wilkinson.

Graphic Designer and Customer Care Manager: Mandy Bray.

Accounts Manager: Sue Bannister.

Sales Manager: Zoie Wilkinson.

Sales Executives: Liz King, Roberta Hall, Emily Brown, Lauren Chambers and Carissa Clay.

Distribution Manager: Joe Proctor.

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!

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.

Enjoy Lincolnshire Pride, read it cover to cover.

Pick it up, put it down and when you have finished with it pass it on. When everyone has had a good read, pop it in the recycle bin!

Pride Magazines Elm Grange Studios East Heckington, Boston Lincolnshire PE20 3QF Tel: 01529 469977 Fax: 01529 469978

www.pridemagazines.co.uk enquiries@pridemagazines.co.uk

Contents

06 22 26 38 44 82 110 126

December 2015

December’s NEWS, and festive events on our What’s On pages, with great ideas for spending the season in Lincolnshire.

As ITV’s Downton Abbey concludes with a festive special this month, we meet creator JULIAN FELLOWES, Lord of Tattershall.

Also this month, images from the unveiling of Canwick Hill’s BOMBER COMMAND Memorial, remembering our WWII heroes.

Spend CHRISTMAS IN LINCOLN with a roundup of the city’s festivities. Later in this edition, meet Santa in the county’s grottos, too.

We’ve FOOD & DRINK galore this month with two Eating Out recommendations, festive wines and Christmas recipes.

Our HOMES & GARDENS pages this month include property, Christmas tableware, a festive garden and beautiful poinsettias.

Celebrate winter in Lincolnshire this month, with Christmassy BRUSSELS SPROUTS, then, on Boxing Day, watch our local hunts move off.

Our FASHION & BEAUTY pages this month include party outfits for the season plus the best treatments for hands and feet.

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County News BBC Flog It’s Paul Martin visits Lincolnshire ‘Flog It’ came to the county recently after a successful visit to Scunthorpe in 2012...

Grimsby Minster last month hosted Paul Martin and his a large team of cameramen and producers as they shot the popular BBC television show, Flog It as Pride went to press.

The show is now in its 15th series and regularly achieves an audience of over two million viewers in its weekday afternoon slot.

The show came to Normanby Hall in Scunthorpe back in 2012, staging a very well-attended programme so the show decided to visit once more this time to Grimsby at the end of October.

Flog It is an auction-based show similar to Antiques Roadshow hosted by Fiona Bruce which has also visited the county on two occasions.

A 78th Birthday spent in the sky

Lincolnshire war veteran Peter honoured for his efforts in war

A Horncastle woman, Carla Temprell, sky dives for her birthday

Peter Heneage, Lincolnshire War Veteran, has recently received an award for his role in WWII, which involved liberating France...

Horncastle’s Carla Temprell, decided to spend her 78th birthday 15,000ft in the sky.

She was raising money for the Horncastle Memory Club and ESCAYP (Emotional Support for Children and Young People).

Carla decided to do the jump four days before her birthday with five other solo jumpers.

Four participants did the dive but the fifth changed their mind and Carla followed. She says she loved doing the skydive.

To date, she has raised £960 which is to be shared between her chosen charities.

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Paul and his team of experts invite members of the public to bring their antiques to be viewed and valued, with an option to sell at auction.

On Flog It’s visit to North Lincolnshire three years ago, the programme made a very significant find. It was a rare Aboriginal Broad Shield that had been kept hidden away in a Flog It viewer’s wardrobe.

Taken along to a valuation day, it went on to sell at auction for £30,000.

The items selected at the valuation day went under the hammer at Golding, Young and Mawer Auctioneers, The Lincoln Auction Rooms, Dunston House, Portland Street, Lincoln, on Wednesday, 18th November.

Lincolnshire war veteran, Peter Edward Findlay Heneage, has recently spoken of his honour after receiving an award for his very important role in liberating France in the Second World War. Peter, of North Carlton, was given the Legion d’Honneur, which is amongst the highest awards to be given in France, for his efforts in Normandy during the war, at a ceremony at the French Ambassador’s Residence in Kensington, London.

He was one of only 15 British veterans who attended the event which saw the French Veterans Minister, Jean-Marc Todeschini (left), present the awards.

Left: Bernard Morgan, 91, was amongst those to receive a medal.

He was said to have been the youngest RAF Sergeant on Nomandy’s beaches at the time.

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Send your press releases and county news to: Features Editor via tilly@pridemagazines.co.uk.

Lincoln Barons sell for £167,000 at auction

1,000s of Santas raise £1,000s for Lincoln...

£167,000 is heading to charity thanks to the Lincoln Barons - which have been dotted around the county all month - being sold at auction...

The Lincoln Santa Fun Run is scheduled for 13th December this year, so expect to see thousands of Santas running around Bailgate!

Lincoln is hosting its highly successful festive fundraiser again this Christmas and 2,500 people are expected to participate in bright red santa costumes.

Runners will set off at 11.30am from inside Lincoln Castle on two laps of the set course in the uphill part of the city.

The official charities supported by the event for 2015 include the Alzheimer’s Society, Candles, Ethan Maul ‘Up Yours To Cancer’, Linkage Community Trust, LIVES, Matt’s Fund, Samaritans Lincoln, St Andrew’s Hospice, Umbrellas and the Lincoln Rotary group.

Lincoln’s DoubleTree by Hilton was host to all 25 barons recently as they were auctioned off after appearing in a trail around Lincoln.

The Trussell Trust is a charity founded on Christian principles, that works with people regardless of religious belief or non-belief.

The Barons lined the streets of Lincoln this summer as part of the Magna Carta 800th anniversary celebrations to form the Lincoln Baron’s Charter Trail.

They want to bring communities together to end hunger and poverty in the UK by providing compassionate, practical help whilst challenging injustice.

The fans of the Barons had one more chance to see them all together at Lincoln Castle ahead of the auction on Lincolnshire Day.

From the Lincolnshire Baron to the 60s Baron to the Bomber Baron to the Lindum Baron, they’ve been a credit to the county this year and to raise so much for such an important charity is wonderful.

Few people could believe how successful the auction was which saw the Roman Barons raise almost £170,000 for Lincolnshire’s branch of the food bank charity, The Trussell Trust.

■ To find out more information about the Barons and to find out what all 25 were called, visit www.lincolnbarons.com or call 01522 545458.

the challenge of raising just £10 each,” said Race Director Chris Illsley.

“If everyone can raise this fairly small amount, we will hit our fundraising target and make a wonderful difference to the important local charities.”

It’s £10 to enter and every participant receives their own Santa suit to keep free of charge, and children under five can take part for free.

This year’s event has a lot to live up to with the 2014 Santa Run generating £83,681 for charity, and this year organisers are sure that more can be raised.

“As this is the tenth anniversary of the race, we’ve set everybody

A first for Lincolnshire - Red-footed Falcon spotted in Skegness...

A red-footed falcon has been spotted at Gibraltar Point; the first time the bird has visited our coast Skegness is now home to the very rare juvenile red-footed falcon and it’s one of only a handful of the birds you can see in Britain.

This small falcon breeds in Eastern Europe and birds occasionally overshoot their breeding grounds

on spring migration and a small number end up in the UK. The bird has attracted many birders to the reserve, regularly hawking dragonflies over the Beach Car Park and giving some great photographic opportunities for onlookers.

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Curtis House, Stoke Dry An outstanding country house, standing on the edge of the village, enjoying fabulous panoramic views over Eyebrook Reservoir, set in about 16.6 acres.

Little Acre, Morcott A stone built 5 bedroom contemporary village house.

GUIDE

£2,500,000

• 3 Reception Rooms, 2 Studies • 5 Bedrooms, 5 Bathrooms • Indoor Swimming Pool Complex • Garaging, Outbuildings, EPC = D • Orchard, Garden, Pasture Land

GUIDE

£785,000

• 3 Reception Rooms • 5 Bedrooms, Garaging • Gardens, Gym • Games Room/Office • Just under an Acre, EPC - D

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North Thoresby, Nr Grimsby, DN36 5QG This immaculate 4 bedroom home occupies a secluded, elevated position close to the centre of this popular village. The house is beautifully presented throughout and offers well-balanced and spacious accommodation with rooms that are flooded with light and finished to a high standard to include built-in carpentry, oak flooring, parquet flooring and a fabulous Clive Christian kitchen/diner. Seated within its sizeable and beautifully maintained grounds, the plot has a secluded, private and peaceful feel to it with the benefit of a large detached garage with Rosemary tiled roofing to match that of the house.

Guide Price ÂŁ440,000

St Marys Lane, Louth, LN11 0DT A secluded and deceptively spacious 3 bedroom dormer bungalow in a delightful elevated position off this most popular Louth street. The property, which is in need of some modernisation and renovation, boasts a delightful south-facing situation, with mature grounds and a feeling of peace and tranquillity which belies its proximity to the town centre. The property presently provides bright and well proportioned accommodation to include three double bedrooms, a large sitting room, a kitchen and a garden room and could be reconfigured to provide a fourth bedroom if required (STP). In addition to its internal space the property boasts delightful mature grounds filled with specimen trees and sweeping borders and benefits from a detached single garage.

Guide Price ÂŁ375,000

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NE

W

£495,000

HAWTHORPE, LINCOLNSHIRE

This peacefully located, elegant home combines historic charm with contemporary style. The simple decor enhances the original beams and deep sills, updated with new oak flooring, latch-handled doors and wood-burning stoves. A stunning designer Kitchen & Breakfast room has a cosy sitting space and bi-fold doors opening to the patio and further fittings include efficient insulation, satellite broadband and stylish bathrooms.EPC Rating: D.

N PR EW ICE

CLIPSHAM, LINCOLNSHIRE

£785,000

With a secluded location and rural views, this attractive period home has exposed original beams, high ceilings and open fireplaces.

Along with excellent entertaining space the house has a welcoming Kitchen Breakfast room with French doors opening the room up to the sunny terrace and garden beyond. The grounds extend to around three acres with a south-west facing garden and a large fenced paddock. EPC Rating: E.

Fine & Country 2 St. Mary’s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2DE Telephone: (01780) 750200 Email: stamford@fineandcounty.com www.fineandcountry.com

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NE

W

ÂŁ850,000

CASTLE BYTHAM, LINCOLNSHIRE

This large family home has a mix of smart reception rooms and informal living space, whilst windows throughout make the most of the countryside views. The centre-piece of the property is the open-plan Kitchen, Dining and Family room with bi-fold doors opening out to the garden. The house has contemporary bathrooms, natural wood and porcelain tiled floors, and under-floor heating in the main living space and bathrooms. EPC Rating: C.

NE

W

ELTON, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

ÂŁ1,150,000

In the heart of the village with views over parkland, this splendid period barn is built of local stone and has recently undergone total refurbishment. It retains original features including exposed beams, vaulted ceilings and high barn-door windows, whilst new bi-fold and French doors throughout the living areas make the most of the wonderful views and allow an easy flow between inside and out.

EPC Rating: C.

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W E N

MANTON Guide Price £785,000 A spacious stylish executive family residence with stabling set among secluded gardens and grounds of approx. 0.65 acres on the edge of one of Rutland’s most picturesque conservation villages. Reception Hall, Lounge, Dining Room, Breakfast Kitchen, 4 double Bedrooms, all with en-suite Bath/Shower Rooms. Outside: south-facing Gardens, detached dbl Garage, ample parking, 3 Stables, Tack Room.

Energy Rating TBC.

W E N

WING Guide Price £485,000 A spacious five bedroom Barn Conversion offering extensive family accommodation in one of Rutland's most sought-after villages. The accommodation is arranged over two storeys providing a good deal of flexibility. Large Sitting Room, spacious Living Kitchen, 5 Dbl Bedrooms, 3 Bath/Shower Rooms.

Outside: single Garage, patio style garden to front. Energy Rating D.

BARNACK Offers Invited £520,000 Established four-bedroom detached family home with double Garage, ample off-road parking and large, beautifully maintained gardens situated in a popular picturesque village. 2 Reception Rooms, Conservatory, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, 4 Bedrooms, En suite, Family Bathroom.

CALDECOTT Guide Price £475,000 A fine detached Grade II listed stone property overlooking the green with its origins believed to be dating back to early 1600's. The property provides well laid out and bright family accommodation alongside a wealth of original features. 2 Reception Rooms, Farmhouse Kitchen/Diner, 4 Bedrooms, En suite, Family Bathroom. 2 Garages, large Gardens. EPC Exempt.

W E N

WING Guide Price £395,000 An attractive single storey Barn Conversion situated in one of Rutland's most delightful villages and offering spacious and well proportioned family accommodation. Good sized Dining Kitchen, spacious Sitting Room, 3 Bedrooms, En suite Bathroom, Family Bathroom. Outside: area of hard landscaped garden to front bounded by timber fencing, a store and 2 off-road parking spaces. Energy Rating D.

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SE OU OON H EN G S OP MIN CO

BROADHOLME FARMYARD, MANOR LANE, ESSENDINE

Another distinctive development by Hereward Homes with the conversion of these former agricultural barns to form 3 unique properties on the edge of this Rutland village. With stunning views over open countryside The Hayloft, The Granary and Barn End vary in size from approximately 2565 sqft to 4255 sqft with each property offering excellent living and bedroom accommodation. Each property retains the characteristic features of the original barn and, as expected from Hereward Homes, the finish and specification is extremely high including stylish kitchens with granite work surfaces, under floor heating to the ground floors and fireplaces with wood burning stoves.

EMPINGHAM

ÂŁ499,950

Situated in a cul-de-sac within an established area of this much sought after Rutland village, this substantial detached bungalow has been updated and extended by the current vendor to provide a substantial property ideal for either the growing family or retiring couple that like to entertain or have space. The bungalow is set well back with an attractive twin gabled stone fascia with the spacious accommodation comprising reception area, entrance hall, approximately 5m square sitting room with opening through to a superb open plan living kitchen family dining room with vaulted ceiling and bi-fold doors, utility room, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, guest bedroom with ensuite wet room, two further bedrooms and family bathroom. The property is being finished to a high standard including Oak flooring and carpeting throughout. Gas fired central heating and double glazed units. The property is offered with no chain and an internal inspection is strongly recommended to appreciate this home.

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r u o h it w f f o g in Rid

BOXING DAY

HUNTS Words: Rob Davis.

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THERE’S NO BETTER TIME TO ENJOY THE SPECTACLE OF FOXHOUNDS SPEAKING, AND TO ADMIRE THE ATHLETICISM OF LOCAL PACKS’ HORSES THAN WHEN THE HUNTS MOVE OFF ON BOXING DAY. THIS MONTH WE CATCH UP WITH THE BLANKNEY HUNT. FIND OUT WHY THEIR TRADITIONAL MEET IS SO POPULAR WITH PEOPLE FROM ACROSS LINCOLNSHIRE, WHO WILL GATHER TO HEAR THE MASTERS GIVE A VOTE OF THANKS AND MEET THE GROUP’S ANIMALS...

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>> One of the highlights of winter is watching the county’s hunts ride out, and enjoying some fresh air, on Boxing Day. Southwold is home to the Blankney, Burton, Belvoir, Brocklesby, South Wold, Fitzwilliam and Cottesmore Hunts... just some of the UK’s 300 packs.

Over 45,000 people go hunting each year across the UK, but this month, over five times that number - 250,000 - will turn out to show their support during the sport’s traditional Boxing Day meets.

The Burton and Blankney hunts are two of the county’s largest groups, the latter formed with the division of the two hunts in 1871, to split up such an enormous territory. Today, the Blankney hunts in the triangle from Lincoln to Newark to Boston, meeting the Burton, Belvoir and Grove & Rufford - a total area of around 210 square miles.

Hunting on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, we joined the hunt’s Honorary Secretary Adrian Whitehead and huntsman Philip Stubbings as preparations were underway for the group’s opening meet at Temple Bruer, near Sleaford.

“We’re expecting around 70 or 80 horses at the opening meet,” says Adrian. “Autumn hunting is different; less formal, with earlier starts and more sedate. When the season starts properly at the end of October, the younger hounds are acclimatised and we can really enjoy making the most of our countryside.”

The hunt kennels, just 20 minutes from Lincoln, are a hive of activity even out of season. Philip, Callum McDonald (first whip) and Jan Lovely (groom) begin work at 6am, cleaning out the kennels then feeding and taking out the hunt’s 32 couples of foxhounds for their morning exercise.

The horses are then fed, mucked out and exercised before the three strong team ventured out into Blankney’s huge territory making any necessary repairs to the 70 acres of woodland coverts bequeathed to it during its history.

On a hunt day, the routine is much the same, though Philip and his team have to load the foxhounds and horses into wagons to arrive at the meet for around 10.30am, ready set off at 11.

“We operate a four-horses system, changing them at around 2pm,” says Adrian, “Hunters are the athletes of the equine world, we attached a GPS to the fieldmaster’s horse once and were surprised to see that it covered 27 miles. We think the majority of hunt horses cover between 35 and 40 miles >> on a typical day.”

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“Over 45,000 people go hunting each year across the UK, but this month, over five times that number - 250,000 will turn out to show their support during the sport’s traditional Boxing Day meets...”

Below: The Blankney Hunt has 32 couples of hounds.

Opposite: The hunt’s traditional Sleaford meet on Boxing Day, taken in 2014.

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“

�

If nothing else, we love when the public come to see us on Boxing Day as it proves just how accessible and welcoming the hunting community is...

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>>

“Seeing the horses in that environment is really incredible and I think that the majority of the public really enjoy seeing such athleticism being played out.

Since the ban support hasn’t plateaued or even diminished; it’s increased.”

“My own opinion is that support for hunting is growing year on year, in spite of the 2004 act. It was poorly drafted legislation with lots of contradictions – you can hunt rabbit but not hare, for example. I think the public are very pro-democracy right now, and very few people agree with the legislation in its current form, and I think that’s why support for hunting is at its strongest.”

“Since the ban, support hasn’t plateaued or even diminished; it’s increased...”

“All of the Lincolnshire packs hunt within the law; we trail hunt, laying three or four trails each day, or we flush to bird – our eagle owl, Jazz.”

If anyone needed to be further convinced that hunting is more popular than ever, this month should prove convincing. Like other hunts in the area, the Blankney ride out for a traditional Boxing Day meet from the centre of Sleaford. The town’s Market Place gets very busy from around 10.30am, and in recent years, as many as 1,000 members of the public have gathered to see the hunt ride off.

“Boxing Day will see around 50 or 60 horses riding off,” says Adrian. “The Blankney Hunt is virtually unique in the sense that it has no masters at the moment. Rather we’ve divided the territory into eight ‘parishes,’ and have fieldmasters – members of the committee – who organise a day’s hunting in their area.”

“We have a great deal of support from our local landowners and farmers in the country, and an average day of hunting may take place over a territory of 5,000 acres.”

“So at our Boxing Day meet we like to acknowledge the role that our landowners play in helping us to continue the sport. Each day may see us passing through anything up to 20 of our landowners’ estates.

Having just one person to coordinate two days of hunting each week is a huge undertaking so organising ourselves into smaller ‘parishes’ allows us to share the work and liaise much better with our neighbours.

It’s rather a sign of the times.”

“If nothing else, we love when the public come to see us on Boxing Day as it proves just how accessible and welcoming the hunting community is.”

“Thankfully, we’ve moved away from the misconception that hunting is just a sport for the elite. The 35-or-so subscribers we have come from a very diverse background, and we’ve 300 members of the hunt in total.”

“The Blankney is especially good at welcoming new members. Everyone at some stage has had their first days hunting. They may have been six or 60 but the important thing is they went and did it. One of my roles within the hunt is to promote hunting and part of that is to give newcomers the confidence to come out hunting.”

Above: Emma Elliott one of the fieldmasters and grooms at The Blankney’s kennels, near Lincoln.

Top: One of The Blankney’s 2015 pups, whose first season will be in 2016.

■ The Blankney Hunt will ride out from Sleaford’s Market Place on 26th December from 11am. For more information see www.blankneyhunt.co.uk 19

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- TATTERSHALL’S LORD OF THE MANOR -

Tattershall’s Lord of the Manor Julian Fellowes is, of course, also responsible for bringing another fine manor to our screens. Downton Abbey is a property which also has a connection to Lincolnshire, albeit one of nomenclature, featuring a fictitious seignory title of Lord Grantham and family.

Whilst Lord Grantham might be an imposter though, Julian is every bit the aristocrat. The son of a foreign diplomat, born in Cairo, he spent his teenage years in Kensington and entered Parliament in 2011, created Baron Fellowes of West Stafford, sitting as a Conservative backbencher.

Julian’s father Peregrine had been encouraged by his mother Olwen to move up the social echelons by acquiring a lordship and with the death of Tattershall’s incumbent Lord of the Manor, Earl Fortescue, he somehow obtained the title which later passed to Julian.

Marrying Emma Joy Kitchener - a lady-in-waiting to Princess Michael and the great-grandniece of Lord Kitchener - in 1990, he then adopted the title of Lord of the Manor for Tattershall in 1999.

For the most part Julian regards his title as ‘just a piece of paper,’ though he did bring his influence to bear in 2010, opposing Tesco’s proposed creation of a supermarket in the town.

“I don’t live in Tattershall but, as Lord of the Manor, I am entitled to have my voice heard and, perhaps, being slightly wellknown helped as well, he says.

“I represented the general feeling in the town, which is that it was not appropriate. I am not anti-Tesco in general but, in this particular instance, it would have intensified traffic and could have killed off a lot of local businesses, potentially. It was understandable that the locals were very worried.”

Talk is bubbling under about a feature film based on Downtown Abbey, but Julian refuses to be drawn. For now, at least, fans will have to be content with the series bowing out with a Christmas 22

special due to be screened on the evening of 25th December, time to be confirmed.

Meanwhile, Julian will continue to support a charity close to his heart, The Stroke Association.

During a recent evening in aid of the charity, Julian’s head was moulded by Frances Segelmen, the professional sculptor who has produced over 90 works for celebrities from the world of sport, politics and entertainment. The sculpting took place in front of a live audience in central London.

I’m very impressed by the speed of [Frances’] work, that she can get it all done in one night. I didn’t realise that one of her things was to work very fast.”

The event was the brainchild of Segelmen, who explained why the Stroke Association is an important cause.

“We’re hoping to spread the word and save people’s lives; let people know how to avoid having a stroke and to raise awareness about what to do if people have one. It’s an amazing charity and we’re doing what we can. Every single family will know friends who have had

For he’s a jolly

GOOD FELLOWES

THIS MONTH WE SAY GOODBYE TO DOWNTON ABBEY AS THE SERIES BOWS OUT WITH A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL. CREATOR JULIAN FELLOWES IS LORD OF THE MANOR AT TATTERSHALL, WE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM AS HE IS IMMORTALISED IN PLASTER BY SCULPTOR TO ROYALTY, FRANCES SEGELMAN...

“I like Frances’ work very much and I feel very flattered to have been asked to sit for her,” Fellowes said on the night.

“I am, of course, curious to see what she makes of my bonce… I am not foolish enough to think that I am a thing of beauty so I don’t think there are any harsh surprises in store but I shall be curious about the overall effect it gives off - will it be one of power or misery or fearfulness? You do get a notion coming out of sculptures that way.

strokes, and if people know the signs it can save people’s lives.”

As Segelman says, she has a reputation as sculptor of the stars - “I’ve got known for celebrity sculptures, which seems to be my thing” - but having reimagined clay likenesses of everyone from Sven Goran Erikson to Sir Bruce Forsythe and everyone in between, there is no question as to who her favourite subject was.

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“Oh, the Queen!” she says with a huge smile. “It was the best experience, the epitome of my whole career. I look up to her, she’s my idol, I often think about my experience with her. She was fantastic. It was really scary, I was shaking as I was measuring her up. But she did like it!”

So after working with Her Royal Highness, how did she feel about the prospect of producing a sculpture of Julian Fellowes?

“I am so looking forward to it! Julian is quite usual, I watch Downton Abbey

and I love it. I did look at Fellowes beforehand and thought ‘there is so much there, he’s got real character’.

All faces are fantastic to sculpt, but to do the man who wrote Downton Abbey is special.”

the worst! So the sculpture was actually very good.”

But the proof is in the pudding - and Fellowes revealed what he thought of the final product.

“The first series was the great adventure. We made a show that we believed was good and thought would find an audience, but we didn’t have any idea what was coming. As it continued airing, it picked up more and more viewers and references to the show started appearing in the newspapers, in Coronation Street, or someone would be talking about Downton Abbey in relation to butlering or the sale of tweed. That was a rather extraordinary moment: to realise you’d written a show that was reaching parts that other shows don’t reach was very exciting. There are also certain

“It’s odd really, because when you’re in the public eye, even in a minor way, and you’re used to seeing unflattering photos of yourself in magazines and newspapers, you get used to learning

“THE FIRST SERIES WAS THE GREAT ADVENTURE. WE MADE A SHOW THAT WE BELIEVED WAS GOOD AND THOUGHT WOULD FIND AN AUDIENCE, BUT WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WAS COMING...!”

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It’s a shame that, just as Julian is immortalised, we’ll say farewell to Downton Abbey and the Grantham family for the final time.

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- TATTERSHALL’S LORD OF THE MANOR -

storylines that stand out for me. I loved the romance between Matthew and Mary in the second series, when she was winning him back and more recently, I loved Violet’s past being revealed.”

“We were going to finish it at the end of series five, but as we got nearer there was too much story that needed to be tied up and we realised that to have a satisfactory conclusion, we needed another series to devote to it. The sixth series, therefore, is not a cut-off but an extension.”

“You want to leave a party while people are still sorry to see you go, rather than waiting for them to be thrilled that you’re leaving. This has been an extraordinary adventure and one that is very unlikely to be equalled in the rest of my life. So obviously, I’m sad to bring it to an end, but I’ve never thought we were wrong to do so.”

“The final series is set at a time that was very complicated for this particular group of people, both the family and servants. Between 1912 and 1925 spans only 13 years, but nevertheless, their future at the end of that time looked completely different to the way it had looked at the beginning.”

“Enormous numbers of people had to make that adjustment. People whose career had been in service, which we have to remember was the biggest employer in the country at the beginning of the series. By the end of it, they knew that their futures were not at all secure because the market that remained, those increasingly few people who did have household servants, were getting fewer and fewer. These men and women were only really qualified to do these jobs that were vanishing every day and that was another part of the adjustment. So in a sense we needed to deepen the

characters to absorb the changes that are coming. I think that’s enriched the performances.”

“These characters have served me well and I think the actors have made a terrific go of it and the entire association has been a happy one.

Of course, I’ll look back on it as a happy and successful job, as I’m sure everyone involved with Downton Abbey will.

“The stand out moments are some of the visitors we’ve had on the set, for example J.J. Abrahms and George Clooney; the many awards the show has received in America; the charities we have supported; the premieres around the world – it has all been both extraordinary and very exciting. I’ll rather miss all that.”

■ The final episode of Downton Abbey will screen on Christmas Day. For more information on Stroke UK see www.strokeuk.org.uk.

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Bomber Command Memorial Opening...

Lincolnshire’s hosts an event of recognition, remembrance and reflection this month as some of the heroes of bomber command unveiling the county’s Memorial Spire at Canwick...

Words: Tilly Wilkinson.

The Rt The Hon Earl Howe officially unveiled the International Bomber Command’s Memorial Spire and Walls of Remembrance last month.

Earl Howe is Minister of State for the MOD, as well as Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and a Conservative member of the House of Lords.

The Memorial Spire and Walls of Remembrance is the initial significant and visible development in the building of the brand new International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill. The centre will create a world-class facility to serve as a poignant reminder of the losses suffered by Bomber Command in the war.

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THE INTERNATIONAL BOMBER COMMAND CENTRE ON CANWICK HILL WILL CREATE A WORLD CLASS FACILITY TO SERVE TO REMIND US ALL OF WHAT A CONTRIBUTION TO VICTORY IN EUROPE BOMBER COMMAND MADE...

Above: Names of Bomber Command’s heroes were etched on panels around the spire.

The Memorial Spire is based on two wing fragments, tapering as they rise towards the sky. The height of the memorial is 102ft, which is the exact wingspan of the Avro Lancaster; the width at the base is 16ft/5m, which is the width of a Lancaster wing.

The Spire was erected on May 10th this year marking the 70th anniversary of VE Day. The memorial’s unveiling ceremony was attended by 300 of the remaining WWII Bomber Command veterans with their families and dignitaries who were treated to a fly-over of a Vulcan, Blenheim, Lancaster, two GR4 Tornadoes, three Hawks and the MacRobert’s Reply.

Also, the veterans, the oldest of whom is 101, were treated to a celebration with the performance of Strike Hard, Strike Sure, which is a Bomber Command motto.

Application has been made to officially recognise the piece as the ‘Bomber Command March.’

Veterans and guests also enjoyed a selection of musical and dramatic entertainment during the event including a performance of If You Hadn’t Done What You Did written and produced by Jim Dooley.

Jim is a former member of The Dooleys 70/80s pop band, and the performance was sung by Charlotte Mellor. Dooley had composed the song to mark the 75th Anniversary of The Battle of Britain.

Tony Worth CVO, Chairman of the IBCC Trust said, “It has been a momentous day both in terms of having reached this milestone in the creation of International Bomber Command Centre, which has taken eight years so far, and in having, in one place, so many of the last remaining veterans.”

■ Visit www.internationalbcc.co.uk or call 01778 421420.

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What’s On...

Find out What’s On this month with events taking place in many different venues across the county. We’re getting very festive with pantomimes and Christmas shows throughout December...

CHRISTMAS DANCE Saturday 5th December Join the Guildhall in Grantham for a fantastic evening of Ballroom, Latin and Sequence dancing. Dance the night away at their festive Christmas Dance in the impressive Victorian ballroom of the Guildhall Arts Centre.

New Year’s Eve Parties

LINCS FOOD AND GIFT FAIR Saturday 28th November Spanning two exhibition halls, Lincolnshire Food & Gift Fair is the perfect place to find gifts for loved ones with all sorts of goodies on offer to start your Christmas the right way. Held at Lincolnshire Showground.

01522 522900 www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk

THE FULL MONTY Monday 30th Nov - 5th Dec In 1997, a British film about six out of work Sheffield steelworkers with nothing to lose, took the world by storm! Now, they’re back and this time they really have to go The Full Monty, live on stage...

08448 713016 www.grimsbyauditorium.org.uk

WILLOW CHRISTMAS DECS Friday 4th December Join resident cutting gardener and florist Rachel Petheram and willow artist Alison Walling for this seasonal course at Doddington Hall creating the perfect willow Christmas decorations. Perfect for beginners.

01522 694308 www.doddingtonhall.com

A TOUCH OF HOLLY Friday 4th December Marc Robinson from Stars in their Eyes, Buddy The Musical, and Rockin’ on Heaven’s Door, brings you an uplifting two hour show this season, to deck the halls with Buddy Holly at Trinity Arts Centre, Gainsborough.

01427 676676 www.microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk

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01476 406158 www.guildhallartscentre.com

THE NUTCRACKER

- THE NEW YEAR CHILDREN’S DISCO Thursday 31st December New Year’s Eve has a very special disco for children at Baths Hall in Scunthorpe recommended for children aged 10 and under. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times during the new year’s disco!

08448 542776 www.bathshall.co.uk

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY Thursday 31st December This year you can bring the whole family to Spalding’s South Holland Centre’s great value New Year’s Eve Party so everyone can enjoy a buffet, party games and disco dance through to 1am. All ages welcome.

Sunday 6th December Audiences have the opportunity to catch Tchaikovsky’s world famous classical ballet, The Nutcracker, when the highly acclaimed Vienna Festival Ballet company returns to Blackfriars Theatre in Boston.

01205 363108 www.blackfriarsartscentre.co.uk

THE SNOW QUEEN Sunday 6th December Join Ballet Theatre UK at Stamford Corn Exchange in their beautiful re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale ballet, the Snow Queen. This is the story that inspired the hugely popular Disney’s Frozen.

01780 766455 www.stamfordcornexchange.co.uk

01775 764777 www.southhollandcentre.co.uk

NIGHT AT THE BRITS Thursday 31st December Celebrate this New Year in style at Grimsby’s biggest New Year’s party ‘A Night at the Brits’ hosted for the first time at the Grimsby Auditorium.

A party in true Brits style with exquisite dining and a glittering line-up of some very familiar looking and sounding live entertainers, including Andy Wood as Sir Tom Jones.

08448 713016 www.grimsbyauditorium.org.uk

Christmas with the Overtones at Baths Hall...

THE OVERTONES Tuesday 8th December After four top ten albums and 800,000 sales, The Overtones celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with Good Ol’ Fashioned Christmas, a collection of festive family favourites that will be released on November 27th.

08448 542776 www.bathshall.co.uk

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Send your press releases and events to: Features Editor via tilly@pridemagazines.co.uk.

THAT’LL BE THE DAY Wednesday 9th December The UK’s most popular Rock ‘n’ Roll variety show celebrates the festive season with all your favourite Christmas classics from the 50s, 60s & 70s, plus plenty of hilarious comedy performed at Baths Hall, Scunthorpe.

0844 854 2776 www.bathshall.co.uk

CHRISTMAS WREATHS COURSE Friday 11th December Make your own luxury Christmas wreath to hang on your door. Learn how to make a range of wreaths and then make your own mossed wreath using a sumptuous range of seasonal materials at Doddington Hall.

01522 694308 www.doddingtonhall.com

CHRISTMAS PARTY NIGHT Saturday 12th December Lincolnshire Showground are hosting a Christmas Party Night for all Christmas Parties to come together in their Epic Centre. You’ll enjoy bubbly on arrival, live music and a three course Christmas menu for £42 each.

01522 522900 www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk

CAROLS IN MARBLE HALL Saturday 12th - 20th December An evening of carols and Christmas cheer in the Marble Hall of Belton House with mulled wine and mince pies during the interval.

Santa will make an appearance on Saturday 20th December with a gift for children.

01476 566116 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/belton-house

- HIDDEN ENGLAND BURGHLEY HOUSE

LINCOLN CATHEDRAL

Saturday 28th - 29th November A food market with a difference!

Come and meet around 30 local suppliers in a celebration of local produce with handmade cheeses, artisan breads, organic vegetables, luxury sweet treats and rare breed meats at one of Burghley’s four seasonal Fine Food Markets.

Thursday 10th December Rock legend Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull will be performing a Christmas Jethro Tull benefit concert at Lincoln Cathedral at 7.30pm on Thursday 10th December.

All profits from the concert will be donated to maintain and care for this magnificent building.

01780 752451 www.burghley.co.uk

01522 561600 www.lincolncathedral.com

DODDINGTON HALL Monday 1st December Visit Doddington’s Bauble Barn that’s open throughout December offering a variety of Christmas decorations, buy a Doddington Christmas Tree and take a look at Doddington’s Toy Shop to tick things off your Christmas list.

Super with Santa at Belton House...

01522 694308 www.doddingtonhall.com

Lincoln Cathedral` have some fantastic events on throughout December...

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What’s On...

- CONTEMPORARY CRAFTS GIFTED 2015 AT THE NCCD

Sat 28th Nov 2015, 10am – 4pm at National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford (formerly The Hub), free entry and parking.

The fourth instalment of NCCD’s contemporary Christmas market makes a return this November bringing everything you need for a festive, family day out!

As in previous years there’ll be a delicious selection of local food to indulge in and a craft tent brimming with unique handmade gifts from some of Britain’s top designer makers.

This year’s craft market will offer even more stalls than in previous years, selling unique contemporary glassware, textiles, jewellery, ceramics and more.

Along with wonderful gifts and treats, there will also be free activities and live music for everyone to enjoy.

Visitors can stamp their mark on the NCCD café crockery with ceramicist Kate McBride and truly get into the Christmas spirit with pyrography cards by Susan Robey.

If you’d rather admire creativity from afar then the NCCD shop will have maker demos from textile artist in residence, Ruth Singer too.

Also new for 2015, NCCD will be showcasing an exclusive ‘Best of British’ design installation with work from selected members of Design Nation and Design Factory. As well as all of the special events taking place at gifted.15, the exhibition spaces at NCCD will be open as normal. In the Main Gallery textile artist Michael Brennand-Wood’s exhibition will be on display for its final weekend and Ruth Singer’s solo show ‘Narrative threads’ will be in the Roof Gallery.

01529 308710 www.nationalcraftanddesign.org.uk

Lincoln Cathedral in Winter...

CHRISTMAS CAROLS IN LINCOLN Saturday 12th December This is a fantastic performance written by Benjamin Britten and sung by the Cathedral Choristers. It will be followed by a very beautiful candlelight tour around Lincoln Cathedral.

01522 561600 www.lincolncathedral.com

CRACKIN’ CELEBRATION Sunday 13th December Live entertainment, local crafters and artists market, mini food fayre plus a special visit from Santa. Children can also get involved in free drop in sessions - make your own Santa Claus and reindeer to hang on your tree.

01522 500676 www.lincstrust.org.uk/whisby-nature-park

A CHRISTMAS CONCERT Sunday 13th December Could it be presents, reindeer or snow? If you want to find out what Santa loves best then join him and his friends in this fun filled family musical complete with all your favourite Christmas songs at Louth Playgoers.

01507 600350 www.louthplaygoers.cloudvenue.co.uk

SANTA IN LOVE Monday 14th December Could it be presents, reindeer or snow? If you want to find out what Santa loves best then join him and his friends in this fun filled family musical complete with all your favourite Christmas songs at Louth Playgoers.

01507 600350 www.louthplaygoers.cloudvenue.co.uk

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Send your press releases and events to: Features Editor via tilly@pridemagazines.co.uk.

CHRISTMAS IN HARMONY

Thank You For The Music

Friday 18th December Join the Stamford Arts Centre choir Woven Chords to celebrate an evening of festive music. You’ll hear classy Christmas standards, haunting traditional carols and heart-warming festive songs from around the world.

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

01780 763203 www.stamfordartscentre.com

LA NATIVITE DU SEIGNEUR HISTORY LECTURE Wednesday 16th December How was the work of Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole during the Crimean War regarded by contemporaries and how has this changed since? Discover Nightingale, Seacole and The Nursing Profession...

01780 763203 www.stamfordartscentre.com

SANTA’S CHRISTMAS CRACKER Thursday 17th December Brand new for 2015, from the team behind Marty MacDonald’s Farm, comes Santa’s Christmas Cracker at Lincoln Theatre Royal, a festive, interactive, song-filled visit to Santa’s home, before meeting Santa himself !

01522 545490 www.lincolntheatreroyal.com

SUPPER WITH SANTA Friday 18th December Join Father Christmas for supper and enjoy party games in the Ride Play Café. Father Christmas will have a present for all boy and girls. Children under 3/£6, 3-6 years/£10, Above six years/£12, Adults £6.

01476 566116 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/belton-house

STAMFORD GHOST WALKS Friday 18th December Stamford has a late night ghost walk, lead by professional actor Martin Tempest and with more ghoulish characters waiting to pounce and make you jump on what will be a fun, yet informative, walk.

01780 763203 www.stamfordartscentre.com

Sunday 20th December There will be an organ concert by Colin Walsh at Lincoln Cathedral as he performs Messiaen’s La Nativite du Seigneur. Colin Walsh is an organist, who has played in various religious venues around England.

01522 561600 www.lincolncathedral.com

DICKENS OUT LOUD Monday 21st December Several years ago, Mark Crees discovered a 39-volume National Edition of Dickens’s works in a junk shop in Liverpool and ever since, he’s been reading Dickens out loud. In the talk, he discusses Dickens life and literature.

01522 873894 www.lincolndrillhall.com

A SUPREME CHRISTMAS DINNER Friday 25th December Enjoy Christmas Dinner at one of the Green Welly Inns. The Red Lion, Hotel Supreme and The Poachers Country Hotel all offer a four course menu, £50pp/adult, with features like mulled wine on arrival and more.

01775 821200 www.greenwellyinns.co.uk Belton House’s Marble Hall...

- ABBA Claiming to present the world’s longest-running ABBA concert show, the cast of Thank You for the Music, which comes to the county in the coming weeks, are celebrating the trade-marked show’s 22nd anniversary this year.

In addition to releasing singles and albums that chalked up worldwide sales totalling 370 million, there followed a record-breaking movie, a smash-hit West End musical and now the UK’s number one concert show... Thank You for the Music.

They will revive ABBA’s chart toppers, such as Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, Mamma Mia, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Chiquitita and, of course, Waterloo.

They’ll be performing at Grantham Mere’s Leisure Centre on 4th December and you can win tickets by answering the question below...

■ Lincolnshire Pride is offering four tickets to see Thank You For the Music in Grantham. Just answer the following question correctly and you could be in with the chance of winning: in what year did ABBA win Eurovision Song Contest?

Email editor@pridemagazines.co.uk with your answer and if you’re right, you could win tickets to see the ABBA tribute!

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. . . n u F e v i Fest

IN LINCOLN

THIS YEAR’S LINCOLN CHRISTMAS MARKET, FROM 4TH-7TH DECEMBER, WILL CONTRIBUTE £10M TO THE CITY’S ECONOMY AND WILL ATTRACT OVER 250,000 VISITORS...

The oldest traditional Christmas market in the UK, Lincoln Christmas Market now helps more than 250,000 visitors every year get into the festive spirit.

This year, the market will run from noon on Thursday, 4th December until 7pm on Sunday, 7th December.

Since its humble beginnings as a traditional German Christmas market in 1982 with just 11 stalls, the market has welcomed visitors from across the world to savour the atmosphere, enjoy the entertainment and browse more than 200 stalls nestled in and around the city’s magnificent cathedral and castle.

Organised by City of Lincoln Council, Lincoln Christmas Market brings in more than £10 million to the city every year.

A survey carried out by the University of Lincoln last year showed that visitors see the event as one of the ‘founding’ Christmas markets in the country, with the average number of times visitors had attended being between four and five.

“LINCOLN’S CHRISTMAS MARKET ATTRACTS 250,000 VISITORS EACH YEAR, AND THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE EVEN BETTER THAN BEFORE!” 38

Claire Thompson, Principal Events and Culture Officer at the council, said: “It’s fantastic that the market has such a renowned reputation. We’re really excited about this year’s Christmas market - there already seems to be a real buzz about it.”

“Lincoln’s Christmas market is well-known for its festive feel, attracting thousands of visitors from around the world, and this year is going to be even more festive than before.”

“Last year people told us they wanted more entertainment, so that’s something we’ve worked hard to expand on this year. Buskers will be dotted around the whole market, along with more performances from bands and theatre groups.”

“Following a successful trial last year, we’ve going to have more seasonal chalets in the castle grounds, Castle Square and Minster Yard, providing a really authentic feel.”

“With an unrivalled setting in Lincoln’s historic centre, Lincoln Christmas Market offers something for everyone. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of delicious food from the local area and abroad, find that perfect present among the unique gifts and homemade crafts and enjoy all the sights and smells of a traditional Christmas market.

“Of course Santa and his sleigh will be flying in for the duration, so there’s plenty for the kids to do as well. This year we’re also encouraging our visitors to support Small Business Saturday on 6th December.

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Christmas in Lincoln

Lincoln is fortunate to boast a huge number of high quality, independent shops and small businesses and it would be a shame not to check them out while you’re visiting.

“We can’t wait to welcome all our visitors and stallholders who can help us to make Christmas in Lincoln really magical.”

Of course it’s not all about what’s new, visitors will also be able to enjoy all the things they already love about the Christmas market, including mulled wine and roasted chestnuts, and fun for all the family in the form of a fun fair and big wheel offering spectacular views of Lincoln.

The German link is still strong today, with treats and unusual gifts on sale from Lincoln’s twin town of Neustadt-an-derWeinstrasse, and the Market Makers introduced last year will be returning to help people find what they need.

The Park and Ride system will once again be based at Lincolnshire Showground on the outskirts of the city.

The market will officially launch with a traditional carol concert at the Cathedral on the Thursday evening hosted by the Right Worshipful Mayor of Lincoln Brent Charlesworth.

■ For more information go to www.lincolnchristmasmarket.co.uk.Over the page we’ve more festive events taking place this month in Lincoln.

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Christmas in Lincoln

>> Lincoln Ice Rink 28th November

2015 represents the 10th anniversary of a quirky event for those who want to get their skates on! Real ice rink made in Lincoln’s City Square.

This family friendly event welcomes over 20,000 people each year.

Skating aids for children, open from 10am-9pm daily. £4.50-£7.50.

■ 01522 717118, see visitlincoln.com.

Food & Gift Fair 28th November

Based at the Showground, spanning two exhibition halls, Lincolnshire Food & Gift Fair takes place as Pride goes to press and is the perfect way to kick-start your Christmas preparations. From 10am-4pm, with cooking demonstrations and a and craft market too.

■ www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk.

Snow White 7th December

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Sleeping Beauty 7th December

Join Snow White at the Drill Hall.

Enjoy the wonderful and well-loved tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - with all your favourite characters. This spectacular production will be packed full of sing-along songs with laughter and dancing.

Tickets £8-£16.

Lincoln’s Theatre Royal hosts its annual pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, with special guest star, local resident Vicki Michelle, formerly of ‘Allo, ‘Allo and Martin Daniels. Tickets £16-£22, runs from 7th December to 10th January, call 01522 519999 for details.

■ 01522 873894, lincolndrillhall.com.

■ www.lincolntheatreroyal.com

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. . . n u F e v i t s e F IN LINCOLN Jethro Tull

Carols on Cornhill

British musician Ian Anderson, formerly of the rock band Jethro Tull, performs with his band some festive songs and traditional folk songs.

A talented vocalist, flautist and acoustic guitarist, this one off concert is at the Cathedral, 7.30pm, call 01522 561600 or see online.

Lincoln’s medieval tradition continues into the 21st century as the city hosts its Cornhill carol service. From 5.30pm, Newport Arch, the procession continues onto The Strait and reaches Cornhill at 6.30pm, with the Mayor and civic party in attendance. Free to attend.

■ www.lincolncathedral.com.

■ 01522 545233, www.lincolnbig.co.uk

10th December

10th December

Cathedral Carols

12th/16th December Enjoy carols by candlelight in the nave of Lincoln Cathedral this month, with a performance by the Cathedral Choir including works by Britten on Sunday 12th and a concert on 16th December too.

Organised by the Friends of the Cathedral, call for prices etc.

■ 01522 561600, lincolncathedral.com.

Santa Fun Run 13th December

The city’s Running Imp Fun Run and Walk takes place on 13th December from 11.30am. 2,500 participants are expected to take part, with runners both starting and finishing at Lincoln Castle. The event will raise money for 10 local charities. 2014’s event raised £84,000.

■ See www.lincolnsantafunrun.co.uk.

Lantern Parade 17th December

Leaving Cornhill at 6pm, the Lantern Parade sees children from Westgate Academy and members of the public making their way to a traditional nativity play in Castle Square. A wonderfully festive family evening, free to attend. Also features carol service.

■ www.visitlincoln.com.

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CELEBRATE THE FESTIVE SEASON...

DECEMBER LUNCHEON SPECIALS Menus from £14.95 for 2 courses, £16.93 for 3 courses.

Available 31st Nov – 23rd Dec (excluding Sundays)

NEW YEARS EVE 2015 7 course dinner, disco and live band, £85.00 per person 7.30pm for 8pm, carriages at 1am BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT

SUNDAY LUNCHES £21.95 for 3 courses in restaurant only.

Bar meals also available.

OPEN TO NON RESIDENTS Lunch Monday to Saturday 12 noon – 2.30pm, Dinner 6pm – 9.30pm. Food served all day Sunday, last orders 7.45pm

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Ahead of the

GAME The Comfy Duck, at Grimsby-based Oaklands Hall Hotel, is approaching its fourth anniversary and is celebrating with a makeover and a new menu for the festive season. The Lincolnshire Chef, Steven Bennett, explains more...

Words: Rob Davis.

He’s ‘The Lincolnshire Chef.’ Steven Bennett had a vision for Oaklands Hall Hotel and has, over the past four years, brought high quality dining to Grimsby with a few interesting twists, for diners to enjoy.

The hotel is the former country house of the Lockwood family, and was sold in 1966.

The house became a hotel but the granddaughter of the previous owners was dismayed when the hotel fell into disrepair and purchased it to rescue it from bankruptcy.

Starter: Garden pea panna cotta with pickled vegetables, feta cheese and black olives.

New owners John & Caroline Lawson, and fellow Directors Nigel & Sarah Underwood wanted to create a restaurant at Oaklands Hall Hotel, and sought the advice of hospitality consultant Steven Bennett to implement their vision for the hotel’s Comfy Duck restaurant.

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Left: Warm smoked and cured salmon with roasted butternut purée and stout jelly.

Bottom: Caramelised Calvados apples layered with local bramble fool and crumble topping.

Opposite: The hotel’s monthlychanging afternoon teas will this month include a festive theme.

“We’re a responsive team and pick a product to work with, one that’s in season, then create menus around that product, rather than trying to make ingredients fit our menus...”

Steven. “Ours comes from local shoots from a real expert, and if you think about it, a gamebird, for example, will be one of the most free range examples. It’s had a long, happy life, enjoying a natural diet and it doesn’t incur many food miles to reach us.”

Steven’s new menu features strong game influences, as well as seafood elements with fresh fish delivered by Oscar Cleave in Grimsby each day. In addition, the restaurant uses suppliers like Peterborough Game Company, Boston’s LKTE Vegetables, and butcher John Pettit & Sons.

Steven has achieved a great deal in his time and remained in post in the capacity of Executive Head Chef. He this year became a co-Director, and founded his company, using his identity as The Lincolnshire Chef, to promote the county’s farmers, food producers and its restaurants.

Earlier this year, Steven could be seen on our screens in the Estuary TV cooking series Two Men & a Fish, and is currently in talks to produce another series for the regional channel.

Steven’s tenure at The Comfy Duck has seen the restaurant transformed to one of Grimsby’s best dining rooms, with fine dining menus that change every month or so.

This winter will see a subtle redesign of the dining room with new lighting design and a rebranding, as well as a menu that features strong influences of game, including our cocoa venison.

“I really do think that game is one of our most underutilised local products,” says

Dining at The Comfy Duck takes place seven days a week in the 46 bedroom hotel’s dedicated dining room with a lunchtime and lounge menu, and an à la carte menu served seven days a week in the evening. Service times are noon-2.30pm and 5pm-9.30pm with slightly longer times during weekend service.

Our recommendation is evening service, and the à la carte menu, and a choice of eight starters, eight main courses and eight desserts plus a cheese option.

There’s always a theatrical element in Steven’s food with different presentation, crockery, and themes, plus more imaginative processes like cooking with a sous vide, or smoking dishes at the table. This is far from style over substance though, because Steven’s approach to food is determinedly focused.

“We’re a responsive team and pick a product to work with, one that’s in season, then create menus around that product, rather than trying to make ingredients fit our menus.”

“Our presentation may be more imaginative, but fundamentally our philosophy is one of combining flavours and textures conservatively to enable our key ingredients to really come to the fore.”

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“We’re really happy with where the food is right now - both its quality and its appearance...”

During our visit, Steven presented a homemade Scotch egg with pork crackling, grain mustard and apple purée, along with a smoked haddock dish with onion consommé and coddled egg yolk.

Each were imaginatively and luxuriously presented, and preceded main courses of cocoa roasted venison sourced from local game dealer Billy Walker. Vac-packed and cooked sous vide, the dish is an example of the intensive effort the brigade of chefs invest in each dish, cured, then dried and smoked on a barbecue before being presented with a bitter chocolate jus and roasted beetroot.

We also enjoyed fillet of turbot presented with saffron potatoes, with steamed mussels & clams, and watercress purée.

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Dessert options during our visit included our plum and star anise parfait presented as an assiette of desserts in miniature with roasted Damson plums, frangipane sponge bites and a Damson sorbet. To accompany, there’s a choice of 55 bins of wine from £16 - £45, with three rosé, two sparkling and 10 champagne options.

The flavours and look of each dish produced

by Steven and his brigade are imaginative, but never gratuitously so - everything is immaculately presented, well-considered with plenty of taste and lots of thought put into their creation.

“We’re looking forward to making cosmetic changes in the restaurant this winter, because we’re really happy with where the food is right now, in terms of its quality and its appearance. Giving the place a facelift will ensure the dining environment is just as appealing.”

“We’ve had some really good feedback about the quality, imagination and chefcraft employed in all of our dishes, so we hope that 2016 will give us the opportunity to build on our reputation, and affirm our position as one of Grimsby’s best dining rooms.”

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Sample Menu STARTERS Smoked Haddock

£7.50

Smoked haddock with onion consommé, asparagus, broad beans, coddled hen’s yolk and Parmesan crisp.

Homemade Scotch Egg

£6.95

Homemade Scotch egg with pork crackling, grain mustard and apple purée.

Scallops

£7.95

Scallops St Jacques, seared and served in the shell with cream leek and white wine sauce, mushroom, crispy bacon, truffle oil and sea vegetables.

MAIN COURSES Cocoa Crusted Venison

£19.95

Cocoa crusted venison with rosemary mash, roast beetroot, butternut squash, squash purée, bitter chocolate jus and mustard frills.

Pheasant Breast

£16.95

Fillet of Turbot

£18.95

Chateaubriand

£45.50/two people

Roasted pheasant breast with roast Jerusalem artichoke, artichoke purée, rösti potato, croquette, wild mushrooms, shallots and mustard cress.

Fillet of turbot with saffron potatoes steamed mussels and clams, caper powder and watercress purée.

Chateaubriand with red wine jus, dauphinoise potatoes, French beans, roasted shallots and Béarnaise sauce.

PUDDING Calvados Apples

£6.25

Caramelised Calvados apples layered with a local bramble fool and crumble topping.

White Chocolate Cheesecake

£6.25

Ginger, vanilla and white chocolate baked cheesecake with maple syrup and blueberry compote, served with gingerbread and vanilla ice cream.

Cheese

£6.95

Four British cheeses with frozen grapes, celery, fruit chutney, dried fruit salami and homemade crackers.

Find Out More: Oaklands Hall Hotel, Barton Street, Laceby, Grimsby, DN37 7LF. Dessert: Plum and star anise parfait with damson sorbet, demerara roasted plums and frangipane sponge.

Tel: 01472 872 248 www.thecomfyduck.com.

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The Queen’s Head KIRKBY LA THORPE, SLEAFORD

CHRISTMAS MENUS NOW AVAILABLE It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at The Queen’s Head we’ve seasonal menus now available to view on our website, plus dinner dance evenings available too. Visit us this season for festive cheer and warm up your winter with quality dining...

ON THE A17 AT SLEAFORD, NG34 9NU Call 01529 305743 | www.thequeensheadinn.com

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BLUE is the Colour Reports of the demise of the village pub are greatly exaggerated. In fact, with quality pub restaurants created when fans of food bring elements of fine dining into a relaxed and traditional setting, examples like Baston’s White Horse are positively thriving...

Words: Rob Davis.

“It’s called Baston Blue,” declares Ben Larter. “Well, it’s not. But that’s what it’s been nicknamed.” Heading up the White Horse in the village of Baston near Bourne, Ben is referring to the colour of the building’s unusual exterior hue.

This time around, the sun was attempting to shine, but only discreetly. The welcome, nonetheless, was just as warm as on the previous occasion. It’s nice that licensees Ben and Germaine can still spare a smile despite how incredibly busy they must be.

Notwithstanding the success of the White Horse, they’re also creating a second venue in Bourne, The Golden Lion, and have just embarked on a mini-farming operation to breed pigs and cattle that the two venue can butcher locally to use across both.

Main Course: Slow roasted pork belly, pomme purée, heritage carrots and apple compote.

The restaurant is managed by the couple and owned by Mark Richardson, a local 53

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Left: Our starter option of fresh mackerel with fennel orange salad.

Bottom: Pan fried cod, saffron, cauliflower purée with carrot and courgette ribbons.

Opposite: Autumn vegetable salad, lightly pickled beet, radish, heritage tomatoes, beans, herb dressing.

“I had used the pub for many social occasions and meetings for village events such as the fireworks,” says Mark. “To lose this asset would have left a massive hole in the fabric of the village...”

area has to offer. In conjunction with a well-implemented refurbishment, they’ve done a cracking job in creating a venue whose dining environment and provision of food are on the same wavelength.

farmer who didn’t want to see his local pub turned into a private dwelling when the last custodians decided they’d had enough.

Mark purchased the place after it closed in October 2012 after a Facebook campaign to resist its closure couldn’t quite achieve its objective in time. He worked with Ben and Germaine to create a new pub restaurant, with the three deciding to entrust the creation of food to head chef Leighton O’Callaghan, who has been with the place since it opened in July 2013, and now greatly assisted by Ben Clark and Lewy Dickins.

“I had used the pub for many social occasions and meetings for village events such as the fireworks,” says Mark. “To lose this asset would have left a massive hole in the fabric of the village.”

It’s fair to say that all those involved in The White Horse are keen foodies determined to make the most of the wealth of local suppliers and local produce that the

“Since buying the place we’ve completely transformed both the interior and the exterior,” says Mark. “We’ve stayed true to our background in farming, with many elements from the farm tastefully incorporated into the interior design of the building; The bricks in the bay window, the floorboards in the ceiling and the wonderful piece of Sycamore Timber in the snug bar are all from the 90 acre family farm at Twenty near Bourne. Some of the beams in the place are from the barn that was taken down next to the house where Frank, Mark’s grandfather, grew up.”

In practice, the pub’s appearance and its provision of food are equally satisfying, unpretentious and enjoyable.

It helps that Ben comes from farming stock – his grandfather farmed in the area – but his enthusiasm for food is really the result of his time spent as a chef, and using that knowledge front of house most recently at Stamford’s Bull & Swan and The White Hart at Ufford.

Ben usually remains at front of house, but oversees the creation of menus working along Leighton. The White Horse is open from Tuesday to Sunday with service times of noon until 2.30 then 5.30pm until 9pm – service is slightly longer in duration on Saturday and Sunday.

Dining is by way of an à la carte menu which changes every six weeks, and comprises a choice of six starter options, eight main courses and five desserts plus a local cheese option. Additional options appear on the

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“The place is a great find that’s perfect for quiet autumn dining, with a high quality, rustic feel...” for autumn, with pomme purée, heritage carrots and apple compote. A second option of pan-fried cod was prepared with saffron, cauliflower purée, carrot and courgette ribbons and new potatoes. restaurant’s specials board, and there’s a menu of bar snacks too. There’s also a wine list of 36 bins with prices from around £14, topping out at £32 for an Italian Barolo.

During our visit, our starters comprised of a vegetable salad with pickled beets, heritage tomato varieties, which were slow roasted in garlic and rosemary.

We also tried a grilled fresh mackerel option with fennel orange salad. Dishes included the restaurant’s own veg and salads provided by the kitchen gardens of Baston’s villagers.

Other suppliers include King’s Lynn fish merchant Coles, and Bourne’s Groovy Foods – who also butcher the restaurant’s own herds, farmed in Morton.

Main course options during our visit included a slow roast pork belly just perfect 56

Dessert options included our peach melba with caramelised peaches, toasted almond ice cream and raspberry compote.

Elements like ice creams and bread all made in house, demonstrating the commitment of the brigade to providing a good dining experience.

With a high quality, rustic feel to the pub restaurant, and fine-dining oriented food served in a comfortable and relaxed environment, The White Horse is about ten miles from Stamford, and close to Bourne and Sleaford. Is it worth the journey?

In our mind, absolutely yes. The place is a great find that’s perfect for quiet autumn dining – and we can’t wait to try the White Horse’s sister restaurant in Bourne when it opens next year.

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Sample Menu STARTERS Mackerel

£6.50

Soused fresh mackerel with a fennel orange salad.

Pork

£6.75

Sticky chilli Thetford pork, bean sprouts, coriander and baby gem heart salad.

Autumn Salad

£5.95

Autumn vegetable salad, lightly pickled beet, radish, heritage tomatoes, beans, herb dressing.

MAIN COURSES Pork Belly

£13.50

Slow roasted pork belly, pomme purée, heritage carrots and apple compote.

Pan Fried Cod

£14.95

Burger

£12.95

Sirloin Steak

£18.50

Pan fried cod, saffron, cauliflower purée with carrot and courgette ribbons.

The White Horse burger with tomato chutney, chorizo, mozzarella, hand cut chips and salad.

Sirloin steak served with watercress, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and hand cut chips.

PUDDING Peach Melba

£6.25

Peach melba, caramelised peaches, toasted almond ice cream, raspberry compote.

Chocolate Tart

£6.25

Cheese

£7.50

Bitter chocolate and raspberry tart with malted milk ice cream.

Selection of local cheeses with biscuits.

Find Out More: The White Horse, 4 Church Street, Baston, Lincolnshire PE6 9PE Tel: 01778 560 923 www.thewhitehorsebaston.co.uk 57

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Give the Gift of Lincolnshire With bespoke hampers from Abbey Parks Farm Shop...

Lincolnshire has a superb array of speciality food, best enjoyed over the festive season. Now though, you can also give ex-pats, loved ones or that ‘difficult person to buy for’ a treat, with a Christmas hamper full of the best Lincolnshire food.

The farm shop can produce gift and speciality food hampers with speciality cheeses, meats, pâté, olive, jams,

chutneys, sauces and biscuits from £15-£50, either for collection, or delivery anywhere in the UK (at just £7.95 extra).

Hampers can include Lincolnshire produce like Dambuster cheese, Batemans ale, local plum loaf, Grantham gingerbread and Pipers Crisps.

“Customers can choose from wicker or wooden hampers, and they can even be branded with your company name and given as corporate gifts.”

“You can choose your own produce or we can design one to your budget,” says Abbey Parks’s Sophie Loweth.

“We offer a totally bespoke service aimed at creating a thoughtful gift of local produce that everyone will enjoy over the season.”

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■ Abbey Parks Farm Shop’s bespoke hampers are available by calling 01205 821610 or by visiting the farm, located on A17 at East Heckington, between Boston and Sleaford.

See www.abbeyparks.co.uk for more information.

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FABULOUS FOOD

Relaxed Atmosphere, Great Service is what you discover in our bar and restaurant Take a look at our delicious Autumn Food & Wine menu

CHRISTMAS FAYRE MENU

Come and get festive this year in our restaurant.The Christmas Fayre menu is available from the 1st December till 24th December - ÂŁ28 per person Bookings advised to avoid dissapointment See our website for all our special offers

Riby Rd, Stallingborough N/E Lincolnshire DN41 8BU.

Tel: 01469 561302

reception@stallingboroughgrange.co.uk

www.stallingboroughgrange.co.uk

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- LOCAL FOOD -

CHRISTMAS

BISCUITS ich are ideas wh to try s a tm is r “Our Ch ly simple and funn...” delicious ildren this seaso with ch

Recipes: Steven Bennett, The Lincolnshire Chef. Styling: Charlotte Hay, The Creative Larder.

Photography: Elizabeth Clarke, Pink Feet Photography. Kitchen: Red Kitchens & Bathrooms Grimsby.

“

”

Our festive treats are easy to make, fun to decorate and will add the perfect finishing touch to a family Christmas Lincolnshire Chef Steven Bennett provides some inspiration...

THIS MONTH GINGERBREAD Gingerbread was invented in Grantham in 1740. This month, make and decorate your own; it’s an ideal activity to enjoy with children when they’re stuck indoors this month!

CLEMENTINE MINCE PIES We’ve a delicious festive twist on the traditional mince pie!

MULLED WINE Make your own mulled wine for a more authentic festive tipple.

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THIS MONTH WE’VE A GINGERBREAD RECIPE FROM THE COUNTY THAT FIRST INVENTED THE BISCUIT. INVOLVE THE CHILDREN AND CREATE BISCUITS, BUNTING AND CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATIONS - THE ONLY LIMIT IS YOUR IMAGINATION!

GRANTHAM GINGERBREAD BISCUITS

everywhere), mix on a medium speed for eight minutes until the mixture has thickened.

Place a into a piping bag and decorate as you wish... encourage the children to pipe, their own designs, from Santa Claus faces to snowflake designs.

INGREDIENTS • 2 tbsp GOLDEN SYRUP • 1 tbsp BLACK TREACLE • 75g LIGHT BROWN SOFT SUGAR • 1 tbsp WATER • 1 tsp GROUND CINNAMON • 1 tsp GROUND GINGER • ½ tsp GROUND NUTMEG • ZEST OF ½ ORANGE • 95g UNSALTED BUTTER • 1 tsp BICARBONATE OF SODA • 225g PLAIN FLOUR, SIFTED

Why not thread use a skewer to create round holes in your biscuits before baking, then thread ribbon through when baked to create festive tree decorations?

Alternatively, create holes and thread one long piece of ribbon through to create festive gingerbread bunting for your branches.

FOR THE ICING: 3 LARGE EGG WHITES • ½ tsp CREAM OF TARTAR • 500g ICING SUGAR

Sift the flour into a large glass bowl and leave to one side. In a medium saucepan place the sugar, golden syrup, black treacle, water, spices, orange zest and butter, then bring to the boil.

Remove from the heat and stir well, making sure all of the butter has melted.

Add the bicarbonate of soda and stir until everything has combined.

Gradually add the mixture into the flour, and fold together. The gingerbread will be

ENCOURAGE THE CHILDREN TO PIPE THEIR OWN DESIGNS, FROM SANTA CLAUS FACES TO SNOWFLAKE DESIGNS...

IT’S FUN TO BE CREATIVE! too hot to handle at this point, so leave in the bowl, cover with cling film and leave for 30 minutes to an hour to cool down.

You can also use food colouring and divide up your icing to create several smaller batches of different colour icing, or utilise edible glitter or metallic icing for an extra festive sparkle.

The same recipe, with the rolled out dough shaped into panels, can also help you to create a festive gingerbread house.

■ Over the page we’ve Steven’s recipes for Clementine Mince Pies and Mulled Wine...

Once cooled, roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut out your desired biscuit shapes.

Place onto a baking tray using a palette knife and then bake in a 180ºc oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the baking tray immediately to make sure they don’t stick and leave to cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar in a glass bowl until combined. Add the icing sugar to the mixture and, covering any gaps with a tea towel (unless you want icing sugar 61

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- LOCAL FOOD -

MAKE A MOUNTAIN OF MINCE PIES AND DEVOUR THEM WITH A GLASS OF WINE OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON IN FRONT OF A ROARING FIRE... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

CLEMENTINE MINCE PIES • 120g SELF RAISING FLOUR PLUS EXTRA TO STIFFEN. • 50g GROUND ALMONDS • 75g UNSALTED BUTTER, COLD AND CUBED • 25g LARD, COLD AND CUBED • ½ tsp GROUND CINNAMON • ¼ tsp GROUND NUTMEG • ZEST OF 1 CLEMENTINE • 2 tbsp GRANULATED SUGAR • 1 LARGE EGG YOLK • 1 tbsp CLEMENTINE JUICE • 1-2 tbsp COLD WATER • 12 tsp MINCE MEAT (OR AS MANY AS YOU NEED) • ½ ORANGE ZEST & 1 tbsp BRANDY, TO TASTE

Rub in the cubes of butter and lard until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and zest of a clementine.

Mix together well and add the egg yolk and clementine juice. Mix together and ½ tbsp of water at a time as needed and then bring the mixture into a ball. Cover with

• 1 ORANGE • 1 LEMON, HALVED • • ½ BOTTLE FULL BODIED RED WINE • 25ml VODKA • 1 STAR ANISE • 2 BAY LEAVES • 1 CINNAMON STICK • 4 CLOVES • 3 tbsp HONEY • 2 tbsp REDCURRANT JELLY • ½ PINT ORANGE JUICE

Steven’s version uses redcurrant jelly and orange juice for maximum zestiness, whilst the addition of both red wine and vodka provides a magnificent kick, making it a real winter warmer!

STEVEN’S DELICIOUSLY DIFFERENT TAKE ON MINCE PIES INCLUDE THE ADDITION OF CLEMENTINE JUICE FOR A ZESTY CITRUS VARIATION... cling film and chill in the fridge for between one and two hours.

Pre heat your oven to 160ºc before cutting out the dough. Roll on a floured surface, until 3mm thick and cut out 12 3-4” circles, placing into a fairy cake tray and place a tea spoon on mince meat into each case.

Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out the pie tops using a 3-4” star shaped cutter.

Once you've used up any remaining pastry, brush the tops of the mine pies with some milk and place in the oven, baking for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the mince meat is bubbling. Once cooled, dust with icing sugar and serve with a helping of brandy butter.

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INGREDIENTS

This Christmas favourite is available from wine merchants and supermarkets, and in the form of packets of mulling spices... but we think they lack the necessary punch no pun intended.

INGREDIENTS

Create these beautiful mince pies with added zestiness and a more rounded flavour by sifting the flour and ground almonds into a bowl, sifting twice to fully combine.

MULLED WINE

Place all of the ingredients into a heavy based saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes before serving in your favourite glass mug.

■ Our recipes have been provided by The Lincolnshire Chef, Steven Bennett, chef patron and Executive Head Chef of Grimsby’s Oaklands Hall Hotel. Steven has just taken up a co-directorship of the venue with its Comfy Duck restaurant and the chef also demonstrated at this year’s Lincolnshire Show.

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“

”

This month’s Christmas recipes come courtesy of The Lincolnshire Chef, Steven Bennett, of Oaklands Hall Hotel - read more about the hotel’s Comfy Duck restaurant in this issue...

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- WINE -

f o s e n i W The 12

CHRISTMAS SIX RICH REDS...

Prunetto Barolo, Italy, 2010 £32.95

Masi Costasera Amarone Classico, Italy, 2010 £32.95

Nuit Saint-Georges 1er Cru Burgundy, France £54.95

The quality of this wine goes without saying, but the rest of the range is made with equal aplomb.

The style is modern without being exaggerated: freshness of aroma and approachability.

Produced in the Piedmont region, it’s floral and smoky... Barolo at its best!

Bright and intense on the nose with aromas of preserved cherries and dried plums together with hints of fruits of the forest and cinnamon. Good weight from the alcohol and structured on the palate, opening out to attractive aromas of cherries and vanilla. Long, velvety finish.

A sleek, aromatic burgundy with the typical blackberry and spice character of Nuits. Full in the mouth yet beautifully poised, this wine shows the depth and precision that come from old vines.

Produced in the Nuits Saint-Georges appellation of Côtes d’Or.

Brocard Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy, 2013 £21.50

Puligny Montrachet, Burgundy, 2007 £47.95

Jaqueson Rully 1er Cru, Burgundy £24.75

A young Burgundy Chablis from Jean-Marc Brocard whose 180 hectare site is practically organic. Spicy notes with flint and citrus fruit aromas on the nose, followed by a subtle palate showing beautiful minerality and notes of lemon.

A beautiful 100% Chardonnay burgundy from the generous style of Puligny-Montrachet from a famous vineyard, offering succulent peach and summer flower aromas, albeit balanced by the village’s trademark mineral tautness. Oak with a long citrus finish.

Premier Cru 100% Chardonnay based wine from the Rully Appellation.

The fruit is ripe which provides a rich touch on the nose and depth of flavour on the palate.

Under the greengage richness citrus and apple refresh and give a racy lighter feel to the finish.

SIX WINTER WHITES...

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ON THE 12TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: 12 TANGY CHABLIS, 11 RICH BAROLOS, 10 MONTRACHETS, NINE SANCERRES, EIGHT CHATEAUNEUFS, SEVEN WHISPERING ANGELS, SIX VALIPOLICELLAS... FIVE COLD THINGS... FOUR POUILLY FUISSE, THREE CHIANTIS, TWO COOL CHARDONNAYS AND A LOVELY GLASS OF FIZZ FOR CHRISTMAS DAY...!

Christmas is a time to enjoy festive cheer with loved ones, so we’ve asked wine writer Harish Khanderia to recommend the 12 Wines of Christmas for those seeking to raise a glass with friends and family over the

season. Harish has personally selected six whites and six reds which are ideal for enjoying in front of a roaring fire, for your festive table and turkey dinner or for enjoying on December 31st to toast the new year!

n Our featured wines are available from Lincolnshire’s leading independent wine retailers, prices are correct at time of going to press but may vary according to each retailer.

Chateau Kirwan, Margaux, 2008 £59.95

Châteauxneuf du Pape, Rhône Valley, France £32.95

Gevrey Chambertin Burgundy, Côte d’Ors, 2011 £44.95

A classic medium-bodied Margaux, showing good aromatic depth of cassis, blackberry and smoke, and a palate of charming freshness and succulence.

A beautiful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Frank and Petit Verdot grapes from appellation Margaux.

Domaine de Beaurenard’s exceptional Rhône with Grenache and Syrah plus Mourvèrde and Cinsault grapes. Immensely fruity nose, with spicy and balsamic notes, then great complexity on the palate: power, finesse, and an incredibly long, mineral-fresh finish.

An elegant style of Gevrey from a wellsituated single vineyard, offering a beguiling blend of red and black berry fruit, a juicy texture, and a hint of earthy complexity.

100% Pinot Noir grapes, from the Gevrey Chambertin appellation.

Charles Dupuy Sancerre, 2014 £17.95

Conde De Valdemar Gran Reserva, 2005, Spain £24.95

Caves d’Esclans Whispering Angel, Provence £24.95

Classic crisp Sancerre, with aromas of currants and grapefruit, a dry, elegant palate with a layer of minerality, and a neat, focused finish.

100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Sancerre appellation’s Verdigny village in the Loire Valley.

An excellent example of white Châteauneuf with Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussane, Grenache and Picpoul grapes. Gently aromatic, with notes of pears, apricots, hawthorn and fennel, then round and textured in the mouth, with a seam of minerality providing focus.

A Rosé with Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Vermentino and Carignan grapes. The palest of pale pinks, this delicate rosé offers a core of pretty stone fruit with some herbal notes. The palate is dry but smooth-textured, with an appetising mineral finish.

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o Going back t

BARNSDALE THIS MONTH WE PAY A RETURN VISIT TO BARNSDALE LODGE AND SEE THAT THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME, AS ED BURROWS AND PAUL FREEMAN WORK TO MAINTAIN THE HOTEL’S HIGH STANDARD OF DINING AND ACCOMMODATION 25 YEARS AFTER THE HOTEL WAS FIRST CREATED...

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Barnsdale Lodge is an old favourite in Rutland. And rightly so.

Created in 1989 by Thomas Noel, who still owns the hotel, the former farmhouse, which dates back to 1760, is celebrating 25 years as one of the area’s best known venues for dining, accommodation, functions and weddings.

During our first visit a few years ago, we were assured by Managing Director Ed Burrows and General Manager Paul Freeman that everyone is welcome, and that the guy in muddy boots with his gundog would probably be standing next to a besuited businessman whilst a group of ladies enjoyed morning coffee. It was true then, and it’s true now.

DINING AT BARNSDALE LODGE “A la carte dining at Barnsdale Lodge has always been very special,” says Paul. “But that’s only part of the story. Whilst our Head Chef, Steven Conway, comes from a fine dining background, the menus at Barnsdale are accommodating, with attention focusing on quality, locally sourced, seasonal produce.”

Winter sees the launch of a new promotion with lunchtime diners able to enjoy game casserole or fish & chips with a glass of wine for £10 from Monday to Friday - something diners will warm to in the cooler months (it’s available throughout January).

Barnsdale Lodge opened its new garden room in August, built by Auburn Hill. It’s already proving a popular place to enjoy a coffee and home made pastries and provides lovely views over the hotel’s courtyard. Light and airy, it has a different feel to the hotel’s existing snug, which is cosier and more intimate. This room, too, has also had a redesign with more window seating and plump furnishings all a rich red colour scheme.

STAY A LITTLE LONGER With 45 en suite bedrooms all subject to a rolling programme of refurbishment, the provision of accommodation at Barnsdale Lodge is also excellent, with accessible and pet-friendly rooms available. Adjacent to the hotel are Barnsdale Lodge’s Rutland Retreats. The first of these two and three bedroom luxury Retreats were created in July 2013 and provide self-catering accommodation, popular with guests visiting the area. With a concierge service and

“WE’RE A REALLY POPULAR PLACE FOR MORNING COFFEE AND AFTERNOON TEA, AS WELL AS À LA CARTE DINING. OUR NEW GARDEN ROOM PROVIDES A LIGHT, AIRY SPACE TO MEET FRIENDS AND ENJOY A DRINK AND SOME HOME MADE CAKE...

the hotel’s bespoke menus available in your Retreat lodge, they’re a fantastic alternative to Barnsdale Lodge’s hotel rooms.

“Our Retreats have proven really popular with demand far exceeding our expectations,” says Paul.

BARNSDALE LODGE AT LARGE The hotel has been taking its reputation for quality dining further afield with an outside catering operation providing dinner parties, shoot dinners and larger functions for parties of anywhere from two-250.

With the expertise of Barnsdale’s kitchen brigade, the team can provide anything from canapé receptions to dinner parties and wedding receptions all cooked - on site - in marquees and other venues.

Top: Created in 1989, the hotel has a reputation for excellence in Rutland.

Above: The new garden room, created by Auburn Hill.

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SAY “I DO!” AT BARNSDALE Barnsdale Lodge’s outside catering operation is especially popular with brides-to-be, and Paul and the team are now able to offer the Grade II listed Exton Estate fishing Folly, Fort Henry for weddings too.

Top/Left: Barnsdale Lodge’s new salon, Glow, and one of the hotel’s newly refurbished bedrooms.

Left: Barnsdale Lodge’s new Garden Room is adjacent to the conservatory restaurant and overlooks the hotel’s courtyard.

Above: Fort Henry, now available via the hotel as a civil licensed wedding venue.

“Fort Henry is licensed for civil marriages and can also accommodate wedding receptions for up to 120 guests in a marquee.

Fort Henry is a great venue; quirky, with a beautiful lakeside location.”

“In addition to Fort Henry, Barnsdale Lodge has its own self-contained function suite, The Barn, which can accommodate weddings of up to 180 people, as well as the conservatory restaurant and private dining rooms for smaller events.”

“Our wedding planner, Jane Hales, has over

30 years experience and walks brides through each stage of planning their wedding. She’s really excellent at her job and ensures that each wedding is personal to her couples.”

GLOW-ING REPORTS Barnsdale Lodge is now home to Gemma Frisby’s Glow, a luxurious hair salon working with the hotel to provide styling and colouring, with light lunches available too.

With none of the parking problems associated with in-town salons, it’s already proving popular with ladies seeking winter escapism.

■ For more information on any aspect of Barnsdale Lodge, visit the hotel at The Avenue, Exton, Oakham LE15 8AH. Call 01572 724678 or see www.barnsdalelodge.co.uk.

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- CHRISTMAS GIFTS -

s a m t s i r h C

GIFTS

Celebrate the season and give your loved on a gift they’ll treasure courtesy of the county’s best independent retailers.

This month we’ve asked them to suggest thoughtful gifts for ladies, gents and younger members of the family too...

Above: Dubarry Fancroft Handbag, Gente Bella, £229. Necklace, John Greed, £38.95.

Girls’ tweed fleece, £44.95, Doubleday. Breitling watch, £6,500, Andrew Michaels.

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Cushions Two Hand made Kilim Cushions, £45, from the Rug Studio, 01572 829927, www.therugstudio.co.uk.

Earrings John Greed, Ice Warrior Silver CZ Earrings, £61.95, 03453 190008, www.johngreedjewellery.com.

Boots Dubarry Galway boots in walnut £299, available from Chic, Marshall’s Yard, 01427 611699, www.marshallsyard.co.uk.

Cushions with deer, William Morris ‘Brook’ available in fabric and wallpaper Cushions, £39 each, 01522 810961, www.aitchinteriors.co.uk.

Candles True Grace scented candles £28, and reed diffuser, £48, from Maudes Jewellers, 01205 367959, www.maudesthejewellers.co.uk.

Slippers Barbour Alice Slippers, £54.95, from Thomas Bell Country Store, 01652 600690, www.thomasbellcountrystore.co.uk.

Diffusers Amphora aromatics diffusers £9.95 each, from Aitch Interiors, 01522 810961, www.aitchinteriors.co.uk.

Fine Art Dale Bowen, In Off The Baaarrr, Signed Limited Edition Print, £455 from Little Red Gallery.

01522 589134, www.thelittleredgallery.co.uk.

Charm Set Links of London, City Chic Charm Set, £240, 03453 190008, www.johngreedjewellery.com.

Headband Faux Fur Chinchilla headband from Dubarry stocked at Robinsons of Stamford, £20, 01780 755378, www.robinsonsofstamford.com.

Cake Dome and stand in Pressed Glass from Elizabeth & Stevens, £32, 01636 822000, www.elizabethandstevens.com.

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Speaker BeoLit 15, £399, superb, powerful and portable Bluetooth speaker, Bang & Olufsen, 01522 542180 , www.bang-olufsen.com.

Candle Sparkling Cinnamon Yankee Candle, £18.99 from Johnsons of Boston.

01205 363408, www.johnsonsofboston.co.uk.

Mugs Stamped mugs, £6.50 each, from Hector & Eve. 01400 279081, www.hectorandeve.com.

Necklace John Greed, Ice Mist Silver CZ Necklace, £38.95, 03453 190008, www.johngreedjewellery.com.

Bowls Hand painted Mango Wood Bowls, £12.95 from Aitch Interiors, 01522 810961, www.aitchinteriors.co.uk.

Gates Gifts Rowallan Leather Handbag, £84.99, Powder Wool & Fur Gloves, £19.99, Ted Baker Stationery, £14.99, www.gatesnurseries.co.uk.

Rings Pandora Boston offer a wide range of jewellery from Pandora, £call.

01205 364587, www.pandora.net.

Handbag Dubarry Fancroft Women’s Handbag from Gente Bella, £229, 01636 643733, gentebella@btinternet.com.

Earrings Thomas Sabo, Glam & Soul Silver & CZ Fatimas Garden Drop Earrings, £179, 03453 190008, www.johngreedjewellery.com.

Candle Culinary Concepts Stag Candle Pins Set of Three, £12.95 from Grace Gentle, 01636 611933, www.gracegentle.co.uk.

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- MENS GIFTS -

Cufflinks Philip Kydd cufflinks, precious metals, enamel and stone set, Maudes Jewellers, 01205 367959, www.maudesthejewellers.co.uk.

Magnifying Glass Luxury magnifying glass in wooden case from Libra at GH Shaw, £call.

01522 521066, www.ghshaw.co.uk.

Washpack Ashwood Men’s Washpack, £49.95, from Robinsons of Stamford, 01780 755378, www.robinsonsofstamford.com.

Slippers Barbour Monty Slippers, £54.95 from Thomas Bell Country Store, 01652 600690, www.thomasbellcountrystore.co.uk.

Umbrella Land Rover Golf Umbrella, £30, from Duckworths Land Rover, 01673 799393, 01205 499758, www.duckworthlandrover.co.uk.

Watch Breitling Transocean Chronograph Watch, £6,500 from Andrew Michaels, 01636 679638, www.andrewmichaels.co.uk

Suit Accessories Cufflinks £50, Tie Clips £35 and Lapel Pins £30, from tailor Andrew Musson, 01522 520142, www.andrewjmusson.com.

Wash Bag Widdop Bingham RAF Dambusters Wash Bag, £16 from Oldrids, 01205 361251, www.oldrids.co.uk.

Softech Designer Watch, £30, exclusive to Signature of Lincoln, 19 Bailgate & 42 Steep Hill, Lincoln. 01522 530204.

iPad Case Book Brown Leather iPad Case, £69 from Oldrids, 01205 361251, www.oldrids.co.uk.

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Puzzle Gibsons Christmas Puzzle ‘Midnight Delivery’ from Johnsons of Boston, £call, 01205 363408, www.johnsonsofboston.co.uk.

Gates Books Alpha Books, £12.99 each, and Ted Baker Pen Set, £24.99, from Gates Nurseries, 01664 454309, www.gatesnurseries.co.uk.

Tweed Jacket Girls Tweed Fleece lined Jacket, £44.95 from Doubleday,01205 822440, www.doubledaygroup.co.uk.

Snakes and Ladders Orchard Toys Learning Games 61 Rockets and Comets from Oldrids, £9.50, 01205 361251, www.oldrids.co.uk.

Christmas Bracelet Nomination Christmas Bracelet, £29.00 (without links), links from £16.00, 01427 613051, www.marshallsyard.co.uk.

Mirror Compact Handbag Mirror from Hector & Eve, £8.50, 01400 279081, www.hectorandeve.com.

Bear Land Rover Teddy Bear, £30 at Duckworths in Boston & Market Rasen, 01673 799393, 01205 499758, www.duckworthlandrover.co.uk.

Bike Cavallo 20” Land Rover Girls Bike £239.99, from Duckworths Land Rover, 01673 799393, 01205 499758, www.duckworthlandrover.co.uk.

Wellington Boots, John Deere Children’s Wellington Boots £23.50, from Doubleday, 01205 822440, www.doubledaygroup.co.uk.

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Take out one of our Christmas

Gift Subscriptions It’s the perfect gift idea for your loved one You can choose to have a six month subscription for £14.75 or a twelve month subscription for £29.50 We’ll deliver Pride free of charge to your friend or loved one’s doorstep - every month!

They’ll never miss a single issue!

SIMPLY CALL US ON

01529 469977 DEC 2015

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- HOMES -

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Spend your life in the

COUNTRY A move to a newly created country estate near Alford was a wise move for Mike and Lynne Henden who, 12 years later, have decided to downsize. The couple are putting the 12 acre Beesby Hall estate on the market and are seeking new custodians looking to spend their lives in the country...

Words: Rob Davis.

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- HOMES -

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The beauty of Beesby Hall is its versatility and size. It’s the perfect compromise between a substantial home in the country, with a more than generous 11 acres of space and 6,300sq ft of living space, whilst still remaining manageable in size, providing its new owners with adaptable accommodation.

“We were the first owners,” says Mike Henden.

“The house was created in 2003 and replaced an earlier Victorian rectory which was a bit of a haphazard mix of architectural styles.” It was pulled down in 2002 and the Beesby Hall was created in its place in a neo-Regency style with stucco exterior.

The house is arranged over two floors and comprises a formal drawing room, dining room, informal family room and the now ubiquitous living kitchen in which most families’ day-to-day lives are now acted out.

Mike and Lynne run a firm specialising in the supply of professional audio and visual equipment to installers. Originally from Bedfordshire, the couple are used to working all over the UK, but found themselves in Lincolnshire on a couple of occasions and

Above/Main: The property’s two main reception rooms both enjoy south-facing aspects and have oak parquet flooring and hand-carved fireplaces.

“The couple found themselves in Lincolnshire on a couple of occasions and quickly warmed to the county, joking they could see themselves living here...” quickly warmed to the county, teasing that they could see themselves living here.

The couple viewed the house almost on impulse but were quickly won over by the space on offer, by Beesby Hall’s versatility and by the setting which, with the removal of the old rectory, was then created to suit the property.

“The move was a real lifestyle change for us,” says Mike. “Our children are now 17 and 18, so for all intents and purposes they’ve been raised in the house, and it enabled us to take advantage of the excellent schools in the area - especially Alford’s Queen Elizabeth, and a slightly slower pace of life, one that offers something more than just a choice between home or work.

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- HOMES -

The property’s substantial entrance hall enjoys a black and white marble floor, and the original staircase reclaimed from the rectory.

Typical Regency-era symmetrical proportions to the front see two east and west wings providing the principal drawing room and dining rooms, each of which feature oak parquet flooring and two of the four hand-carved carrara marble fireplaces.

The kitchen is equally hand-crafted, designed and installed by Wiltshire-based Smallbones of Devizes. It features oak cabinetry, a black four-oven Aga and Falcon gas/electric range cooker, as well as other appliances by names like Miele.

A separate utility takes care of the family’s household clutter, whilst a large study comfortably accommodates the couple’s business and provides space to work.

“We do like the way the house looks, but it’s the way it works which is a real pleasure.

The family kitchen is where we spend most

Above/Main: Outdoors the property has a swimming pool measuring 40ft x 20ft.

Inside are four reception rooms currently arranged as a drawing room, dining room, family room and living kitchen.

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“The property’s entrance hall has a black and white marble floor, and the former rectory’s original staircase...” of our time and with two teenage boys, we’ve had a few parties which never actually leave this room.”

On the first floor there is no fewer than seven bedrooms, with two en suites and two family bathrooms. The master suite also features a large dressing room, and some of the upper floor of the house is equipped with underfloor heating.

“It’s a great place to live in the respect that there’s a lovely period look to the house with Regency grandeur and great proportions, but, being a newly-created property, all of the technology, features and modern building standards you’d expect from a newly constructed home.

Outside, too, the estate’s proportions are well-considered with 11.25 acres of grounds and paddocks providing as much space as a

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- HOMES -

family could need but with gardens that are easily managed, mostly laid to lawn.

In the grounds of the property is a coach house currently used as a gymnasium, and changing facilities for the 40ft x 20ft heated swimming pool.

The coach house would suit conversion into an office annexe, or, with its kitchenette and shower room, accommodation for parents, teenagers or staff.

There’s also a tennis court complex, and for Lynne’s two horses, a stable complex with manège with its rubber and Combiride surface.

Above: The property sits in 11 acres and provides 6,300sq ft of accommodation.

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The family say that the stables could provide space for up to six horses and/or additional garaging.

The equine des res boasts a washroom and solarium, four loose boxes, feed room and two additional barns currently used for the family’s groundskeeping equipment.

“There are beautiful views from every window in the house and really low-maintenance grounds. Even in the summer months we only need a gardener a day a week to keep the place looking good,” says Mike.

“It really has been a great family home, somewhere safe, spacious and practical to raise our boys, and somewhere which provides the modern accommodation families need but with the good standard of living that being in the country ensures.”

“With the boys off to university it’s time to downsize, but we really hope the next owners will have a family of their own and will make as many happy memories in the place as we have done!”

Beesby Hall, Beesby, Alford Location: Alford three miles away, Louth 12 miles, Lincoln 38 miles.

Style: Stucco-fronted Regency revival property created in 2003.

Receptions: Four, currently arranged as drawing room, dining room, family room and living kitchen.

Beds: Seven, master with dressing room and en suite, principal guest suite with en suite. Two family bathrooms.

Other Features: Study, stables, swimming pool, tennis courts.

Guide Prices: £1.85m.

Find Out More: Agency: Robert Bell & Company, Horncastle and Lincoln.

Tel: 01507 522222, 01522 538888.

Web: www.beesbyhall.com.

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Wander into Winter at

ELIZABETH & STEVENS FANTASTIC GIFT IDEAS FOR ALL, HOME FURNISHINGS AND GARDEN DECOR

The Showrooms, Great North Road, Markham Moor Retford DN22 0QU Telephone: 01636 822000

www.elizabethandstevens.com

Open daily Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm. Free parking.

Please call us if you are making a special journey

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THE ONLY NUMBER YOU WILL NEED 01205 350737

Household appliances for any home!

We are a family owned and run business serving Boston and South Lincolnshire since 1985. Whilst shopping in Boston this festive season come along and visit our showroom. We have everything from Fridge freezers to light bulbs! Washing machines to blenders!

WATER SOFTENERS Prices start from

£479.99 inc VAT

Are you fed up with limescale and scum around sinks and baths? Do you find it is hard to get lather in the shower?

Do you have to keep descaling your showerhead?

Put an end to all of this with a new water softener Ring us for a free quote or advice to have a water softener installed. No obligation, no gimmicks no high pressure sales people. A water softener is one of the best inventions ever. It will save you money over the years by reducing the amount of detergent needed in the washing machine, reducing scale build up in boilers , make towels feel softer and less cleaning of shower, toilet and bath.

As well as the battery powered model illustrated, they do run off the mains as well. We supply several different models to suit all sizes of house.

Give us a call 01205 350737 We have been installing softeners for 30 years

30 YEARS REPAIRING DOMESTIC APPLIANCES for the people of Boston & surrounding areas

Norfolk Street, Boston PE21 9HG Tel: 01205 350 737

www.bostonelectrics.co.uk Mon - Fri: 8.30am - 5.00pm Saturday: 9.00am - 4.00pm We Deliver • We Install • We Demonstrate • We Take Away Your Old Appliance We also Provide Servicing, Spares and Repairs for your Existing Appliances...

£40

OFF

WATER SOFTENERS

Valid until 31st December 2015 on production of this advert.

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1.

2.

3.

r. . . u o y g n i t a e r C

CHRISTMAS

1. Table Setting white Cashmere crockery from £10/plate, Viners Eden cutlery £50/24 piece, Walton & Co - Taffeta Tartan Napkin Set of 4 £13.

2. Centrepiece so easy to make!

Gold effect bowl £42, baubles from £1.25.

HOME THIS MONTH WE PRESENT A STYLE EDIT IN ASSOCIATION WITH OLDRIDS, WHO HAVE PAIRED RED AND GOLD IN A SELECTION OF PRODUCTS FOR YOUR HOME...

Images: Rob Davis.

3. Gold Tree Large Decoration £13.

4. Lanterns for pillar candles in frosted glass and gold metal £6, £15, £33.

5. Deer in glittery gold, for your hearth or mantlepiece, £8.50/pair.

6. Baubles gold sequin £2.25, starry bell design £2.25. Frosted pine cone £1.75.

7. Dartington Glitz glasses.

Champagne flute £35 pair.

Red wine goblet £35 pair.

Martini glass £35 pair,

6.

5.

7.

8.

8. Tealight Votives in red with candles within £3/each.

Featured Items from Oldrids Downtown, Boston 01205 350505, and Downtown Superstore, Gonerby Junction Grantham 01476 590239; www.oldrids.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

W: www.peterjacksoncabinets.co.uk E: info@peterjacksoncabinetmakers.co.uk

Peter_jacksonCM

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- CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS -

g n i e e SRED

Will you be seeing red this Christmas?

Over 8,000,000 of us certainly will, as we adopt a poinsettia for the festive season.

The UK consumer will spend over £25,000,000 on the plants this season, and the great news is that well over half of all of the plants we buy are produced in the UK by growers like Robert Bell of Benington based Bell Brothers Nurseries, whose 50-strong team swells in number to over 150 in order to cope with seasonal demand for the bright red plants.

“We’re really proud of our crop of poinsettias and rightly so,” says Robert.

“We do import some from countries like Belgium and Holland, but UK poinsettias really are the best.”

Lincolnshire’s Robert Bell is seeing red. That’s because a large percentage of his 35 acres of glasshouse is a blanket of bright vermillion, with poinsettias growing as far as the eye can see. The plants are a festive favourite so we wanted to see for ourselves how much work goes into their production...

Words: Rob Davis.

“They’re grown slower, stronger and better than imported plants, and reach nurseries in less than 24 hours, compared to the three days it takes international plants to reach the shelves.”

The firm has been growing poinsettias for 20 years, and produces six acres of them ready for sale from mid-November.

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“

Whilst the plants are predominantly purchased at Christmas, there’s no reason they shouldn’t last much longer. In their native countries they can grow up to six feet in height...

”

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- CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS -

The plants are native to South America, specifically the Taxco del Alarcon area of southern Mexico, so as our climate falls a little short, Robert employs bio-mass heating and solar panels to heat his glasshouses to sufficiently emulate the warmer climate. Cuttings are rooted in June then repotted in July, and by this time of the year, the glasshouses are a vast blanket of crimson.

“I love walking around the glasshouses at this time of year,” says Robert. “There are plenty of bushy bright red leaves as our plants tend to have three time the heads - bracts to give them their proper name - than other plants. And yet, just before Christmas , it’s also the calm before the storm, as we get ready to send them off to our customers, high end supermarkets like Waitrose and Marks & Spencer.”

The firm ensures the correct temperature, light, humidity and nutrition to provide ideal growing conditions, but of course, our homes don’t adhere to those conditions, so what can we do to get the best from our poinsettias at home? “The plants don’t like cold or chills, so they should be kept at around 20°c,” says Robert.

“Avoid placing them indirect sunlight, and if they’re on a windowsill, at least diffuse the sunlight coming into your home with a shade or sheer curtain.”

“Poinsettias don’t like too much water, so it’s important to only eater your poinsettia when it feels try to the touch. You’ll find that removing the plant from its protective container, so that any excess water can drain out of the bottom, will prevent the roots going rotten and help to prolong the plant’s life.”

“Whilst the plants are predominantly purchased at Christmas, there’s no reason they shouldn’t last much longer. In their native countries they can grow up to six feet in height. They won’t quite reach that height in the UK, but they can be trimmed back to around 1ft in height by late March when the bracts lose their appeal, at which point they should successfully rebloom.”

“Pruning will help in the summer months, ideally in June or July, but avoid doing so from September onwards, and if you’re pruning your poinsettia mid-summer, it’s probably the ideal time to consider repotting it too, with some peat moss or leaf mould the ideal supplement.”

If disaster strikes and you do find yourself with a poorly poinsettia, soaking the root ball in warm water then leaving it to drain can revive its fortunes.

“PRUNING HELPS IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, IDEALLY IN JUNE OR JULY, BUT AVOID DOING SO FROM SEPTEMBER ONWARDS, AND IF YOU’RE PRUNING YOUR POINSETTIA MID-SUMMER, IT’S PROBABLY THE IDEAL TIME TO CONSIDER REPOTTING IT TOO...”

The leaves of poinsettias are quite hardy, so if you find yourself with leaves falling off, it’s a good idea to review the environment your plant is in, and work out what’s wrong.

In rare conditions ‘stress’ can be the cause, but temperature and drafts are a more likely cause.

Above: Robert Bell amongst his six acre poinsettia crop.

Poinsettias are the second most popular potted plant in the UK, after orchids.

To many they’re as ubiquitous at this time of the year as a family Christmas tree.

“We grow cyclamen, fuchsias, soft fruits and bedding and flowering plants all year round but there’s something about poinsettias that are so vibrant and so cheerful that they really bring a smile to my face.”

“Perhaps it’s because they’re arrival means that Christmas is on its way, but whatever the reason, they’re definitely a plant which cheers me up a great deal and they bring a great deal of pleasure to others too!”

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- GARDENS -

The Holly &

THE IVY

As most gardens go to sleep in winter, it’s hard to find one that thrives during the coldest time of the year. Mark and Pam’s Hall Farm Garden, though, is just such a garden, with snow at Christmas ensuring it looks like a dusting of icing on a cake...

Words: Tilly Wilkinson.

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Winter. The days are shorter and colder and, as November heads towards December, the last of the autumn colour disappears and gardens everywhere shut down. This doesn’t mean that Hall Farm garden in Gainsborough is without interest, as it provides an opportunity to appreciate the structure and the ‘bare bones’ of the garden.

At Hall Farm, walls, hedges, fences and box hedging come into their own through the winter months and within a few short weeks, the anticipation of spring is in the air and early spring bulbs and flowers are on the move. A few varieties of early flowering snowdrops can often make their appearance before Christmas and some shrubs and trees begin their display of flowers, fruit or stems in winter.

Dogwoods (Cornus) bear colourful stems in reds, oranges and golds. Delicate scented flowers appear on Viburnum x bodnatense ‘Dawn’ and Lonicera fragrantissima. Glossy crab apple fruits linger on the branches of some varieties of Malus, providing food for hungry birds, and the beautiful white stems of Betula jacquemontii shine in winter sun.

Hall Farm has been in Mark Tatam’s family for several generations with Mark following his father and grandfather before him into farming. When Mark and Pam moved into the farmhouse with their young family over 30 years ago, the plant nursery set up by Pam was still in its infancy.

As the nursery expanded so too did the garden. The nursery closed at the end of 2011, and the sales and growing areas were assimilated into the garden creating an area of more than three acres.

The garden combines formality with the less formal, and has been divided into different areas with each area at its best in a different season. There is a large range of trees, shrubs and perennials in the garden, and where there was once a field containing 16 polytunnels growing plants for sale, now there is a flowering meadow which is at its best in the summer months.

At present, Pam and Mark are working on a project to reclaim and restore the medieval moat area, which had been neglected for many years. A two minute walk down an avenue of lime trees leads to the moat.

Although this is very much a long term

project, the work of felling trees and chopping down nettles and elders that has already been undertaken is already showing the potential the site offers.

It’s turning into a popular dog-walking site too. Visitors can either walk to the moat through the gate at the bottom of the garden or through the farmyard to see how the area is developing.

Visitors are welcome to go round the garden at any time in the year; just put £3 into the honesty box. Hall Farm hosts a number of charity events each year, when the house is also open for refreshments.

This year the garden has opened for The National Garden Scheme, Oxfam, Macmillan Cancer Support and the British Red Cross.

It has also hosted two weddings for family friends although it is not a regular wedding venue. Pam and Mark own a holiday cottage on the farm, the Old Stables, which is available for renting throughout the year.

Pam organises speakers for the Lincolnshire group of the Hardy Plant Society. Many people came along to the William Farr School in Welton on Saturday 26th October at 2pm to hear Geoff Hodges’ talk on Beating the Winter Blues.

Not only does Hall Farm offer beautifully landscaped gardens, there are three craft workshops available on site. These are held

by Tim Rinaldi who makes beautiful contemporary furniture, Dave Payne who specialises in artistic ironwork and James Sutton who is an artist and sculptor.

With Tim, work is undertaken on furniture of all descriptions, using the finest quality materials to create stunning pieces. He can offer bespoke finished products.

Dave runs a blacksmith’s workshop and forge.

He specialises in artistic ironwork, producing both his own designs and work to commissions, and restoration work on period ironwork. As for training courses, he offers workshops in all aspects of forge work, tailored to the trainees interests and needs.

An elected associate member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, James exhibits his work throughout the UK, producing work for private and public collections.

“Not only does Hall Farm offer beautifully landscaped gardens, there are three very professional craft workshops available...”

Above: Enjoy a winter walk through Hall Farm Gardens this December.

Left: The garden at Hall Farm still looks interesting even in winter and - with a sprinkling of snow sparkles in the sun.

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- GARDENS -

James also runs all kinds of workshops for individuals, schools and community groups.

He is happy to work to commission.

“The crafters are wonderful and we’re very lucky to have them here,” says Pam. “We’re able to offer so much more with them being a part of Hall Farm.”

“We’re open all year round for visitors, for an admission of just £3, but we do hold special events throughout the year too.”

“WE HOST A BROAD RANGE OF EVENTS IN OUR GARDEN. IT SUITS ANY OCCASION AND LOOKS BEST WHEN IT IS FULL OF PEOPLE...”

“The NGS open days we host are very special.

This year, we held a Fools & Angels weekend in July; a group of Lincoln-based artists and craftworkers exhibited their beautiful works of art throughout the weekend in Hall Farm garden. Another NGS event involved a weekend of free seed collecting around Hall Farm garden throughout September.”

“We’ve hosted two weddings for our son and our daughter in the garden, and we’ve only very recently held host to Twink Addison, a fantastic cartoonist, in October. So you can say we host a broad range of events in our garden!” It suits any occasion and it looks its best when the garden is full of people enjoying their surroundings.”

■ For more information, to book a course with one of the crafters, or to stay at Hall Farm in one of their holiday cottages visit www.hall-farm.co.uk, or call Mark and Pam on 01427 668412.

Top: Hall Farm throughout the autumn months.

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LIFESTYLE & GIF

TS

Get ready for Christmas

at The Willows, Glentham

NT QUALITY RESTAURA

We’ve Christmas decorations, gifts and food to ensure you have a wonderful season!

DECORATIONS

GARDEN CENTRE RESTAURANT COUNTRY LIVING STORE ‘ODLINGS’ BUTCHERS ‘LIFESTYLE’ CONTEMPORARY LIVING ‘CATKINS’ LITTLE HANDBAG SHOP ‘TREEHOUSE’ FRUIT & VEG ‘BLOSSOMS’ HAIR & BEAUTY

Gainsborough Road, Glentham, LN8 2EG Tel: 01673 878971

WillowsGardenCentre

Mon-Sat: 9:00am-5:00pm Sunday: 10:00am-4:00pm Holidays: 9:00am-5:00pm

w w w. t h e w i l l o w s g l e n t h a m . c o . u k

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n e d r a G e In Th SIX OF THE BEST BULBS TO PLANT IN YOUR GARDEN NOW FOR A WEALTH OF SPRING COLOUR...

Snakes Head Fritillary These are now protected plants and are rarely seen in the wild so they’re well worth planting in your own garden. Flowers in spring if planted now.

Puschkinia Also known as the Russian Snowdrop, plant these now to see them appear around March. Plant them in full sun or dappled shade.

‘Purple Wow’ Tulip Tulips are beautiful flowers with such a large range of species.

This is our favourite, ideal for a cut flower garden or a patio area.

Bluebells Bluebells are such magical flowers perfect for a meadow or copse at the end of a garden. English bluebells are best, flowering in May time.

Hyacinth There are many species that need planting at different times of the year.

Buy specially ‘prepared’ (heat-treated) bulbs if you’d like blooms for Christmas.

Pleione A beautiful orchid you can grow in an exotic or woodland garden. If planted now, it will flower around April. It makes a lovely pot plant for a cool windowsill indoors.

■ Our recommended Garden Centres are Johnsons of Boston (01205 363408) and The Willows Garden Centre, Glentham, Market Rasen (01673 878971).

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WINTER wonderlands Visit one of Santa’s Grottos at the wealth of garden centres and farm shops across the county, with the family, to enjoy late night shopping, beautiful Christmas displays and a trip to see live reindeer...

Words: Tilly Wilkinson.

106

Belton House, Grantham...

Father Christmas in the Stables - Belton House is home to Santa on 4th, 6th, 11th, 13th, 18th and 21st December.

Come and meet Father Christmas as he visits Belton and turns The Stables into a winter grotto!

Have fun making Christmas crafts and be prepared to tell Father Christmas what you love the most about this time of year and what you’d like most from him for Christmas! £3.50/child including a gift.

■ For more information on Belton House or their events, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01476 566116.

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- CHRISTMAS GROTTOS -

Sacrewell Farm, Peterborough...

Get a date in your diary to visit Father Christmas at Sacrewell, as he returns to the attraction on 28th November.

Described by a visitor in 2013 as “The best Father Christmas ever,” Sacrewell prides itself on its Christmas event, which continues to develop each year.

“I think one of the things that keeps people coming back to visit Father Christmas at Sacrewell each year is that he spends a decent amount of time with each child.

We don’t like to rush them,” says Sacrewell’s Megan Allen.

“Last year we did have longer queues, so in order to combat that we have reduced the number of children on each tractor ride this year to provide a quality experience for everyone.”

After jumping on a tractor ride to the old farm house where Father Christmas will be settled by the roaring fire, children will be entertained as they wait their turn to meet him by activities and characters.

Elsewhere on the farm there will be a Living Nativity in the Animal Village, the mill will be decorated for a Wartime Christmas and the Playbarn will be open with Origin8

serving hot drinks and snacks from the kiosk.

Christmas at Sacrewell takes place at weekends from 28th November and daily from 19th – 24th December. It costs £9 per child to include a tractor ride, visit to Father Christmas, and farm entry.

The members’ and under twos price for Father Christmas is £5.50 and adults pay normal farm admission.

■ Pre-booking is available. Please call 01780 782254 to book your time to see Father Christmas. Sacrewell is open from 10am to 4pm every day and under twos can visit for free.

The Willows, Glentham...

Christmas Tea Party - 10th & 17th December, with the elves and then Santa will arrive to meet the children and give them a pre-Christmas present from 4-6pm. £12.50/Children (party food, games and a gift). £5.00/adults (tea or coffee and biscuits), tickets and places are limited.

Breakfast with Santa - 12th/13th & 19th/20th December, a magical Christmas event. A full English breakfast with crackers and mince pies, followed by the

arrival of Santa and his friends to sit by the log fire and meet each child individually and give them pre-Christmas gifts. Children & adults £17.00 for breakfast and Santa with gift. Under Ones/£8.00 to include Santa and gift. This event includes free entry to the farm afterwards. Please book early to avoid disappointment.

■ The Willows is based at Gainsborough Road, Glentham, Market Rasen LN8 2EG. Call 01673 878971 or see www.thewillowsglentham.co.uk.

Oldrids and Downtown...

Santa’s Grotto Meet Santa in his grotto at the Grantham store, £6.50/person, from 28th November.

Supper with Santa Also at the Grantham store, enjoy supper with Santa on 3rd, 10th & 17th December with children’s entertainment, £3.50/person.

Magical Wonderland From 28th November, explore Oldrids’s Magical Wonderland, £1.50/person.

Giant Snow Globe Up to seven people at one time, £5 for five minutes at Grantham and Lincoln from 31st October.

Tea with the Minions At the Boston store, £5/person to have tea with one of the ‘Minions,’ 26th November.

Meet Santa and Tea with Santa You can see Santa at the Gainsborough Store on 28th and 29th November from £3 to £5.

Meet Santa and Tea with Santa You can also see Santa at the Lincoln Store on 5th and 6th November from £3 to £5.

Late Night Shopping From 15th December - see online for specific store details.

■ Oldrids is located at Wide Bargate, Boston, or at A1 Gonerby Junction, Grantham.

See www.oldrids.co.uk or call 01205 361251.

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- CHRISTMAS GROTTOS -

Johnson Garden Centre, Boston...

Gates Nurseries, Cold Overton...

Father Christmas will be making a grand entrance to Johnsons Garden Centre... appearing in a Rolls Royce! Santa will be staying at the garden centre from 21st November onwards throughout the festive period.

Visit the birds before going to see Santa in his grotto, and enjoy Breakfast with Santa - pre-booking essential, see website for details.

Christmas Display - Gates Nurseries recently opened their beautiful Christmas Display. You can enjoy 14,000 sq ft of truly beautiful Christmas displays at Gates providing a range of Christmas tree decorations, wreaths and other home interior gifts and decor with a festive touch. Their displays are themed in each section including a tartan theme, a gold theme, and a brightly coloured theme.

Santa’s Grotto - Gates Nurseries, on top of hosting 14,000 sq ft of Christmas displays, will have late night shopping every Wednesday in December and a beautiful Christmas grotto only £7.99/child for a chance to meet Santa and receive a free gift.

■ Find out more information about the events at Johnsons of Boston; call 01205 363408 or visit www.johnsonsofboston.co.uk.

■ For more information on the events at Gates Nurseries and their Christmas display, see, www.gatesnurseries.co.uk, or call 01664 45430.

Not only will he be appearing in the Rolls Royce, you can visit him on The Johnsons Express that goes around the garden centre, specifically through the falconry and owl centre.

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Main Image: Johnsons Garden Centre.

Above: Gates Nurseries.

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Our huge Christmas Decorations department is now open, with 1,000s of ideas for your home this season!

SANTA’S COMING

ALL ABOARD! GARDEN CENTRE • FINE FOODS • RESTAURANT • GIFTS

Santa will be at Johnsons from Sat 21st November Take a train ride to Santa’s Grotto and meet our real live snowy owls on the way!

Bring the children to see Santa Claus in his grotto this month, and enjoy our winter wonderland!

14,000sq ft Christmas decorations, gifts and more!

Gates Nurseries & Garden Centre Somerby Road, Cold Overton Oakham LE15 7QB

01664 454309 | www.gatesnurseries.co.uk Open Seven Days a Week

£9 including a little present from Santa or why not book for our very special ‘Breakfast with Santa’ just £6 or £13 with a ride on the Johnsons express to the Grotto afterwards.

Booking for breakfast is essential... call us today or see our website for dates and details! Group bookings available.

Wainfleet Rd, Fishtoft, Boston PE21 9RL. Tel: 01205 363408 www.johnsonsofboston.co.uk OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK

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- FARMING -

A new dawn for

SPROUTS

IT’S THE ‘CINDERELLA’ VEGETABLE, A BRASSICA SUBJECT TO MERCILESS HOSTILITY BY CHILDREN AND ALL TOO OFTEN TREATED WITH DISDAIN

BY ADULTS, TOO. IT HAS TO STOP. WE THINK THE HUMBLE BRUSSEL OR OLERACEA GEMMIFERA - IS SPROUT OF THIS WORLD, SO THIS MONTH WE CHAMPION THIS MUCH MALIGNED CHRISTMAS STAPLE, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM ONE OF THE COUNTY’S BIGGEST PRODUCERS, VERNON READ OF LINCOLNSHIRE VEG GROWERS STAPLES... Words: Rob Davis.

T

he poor brussels sprout. It’s a much-maligned vegetable, shunned by children, and often by adults too. We think it’s time for the winds of change to blow - actually that’s a poor choice of words, given the subject matter - rather, we think it’s time for a new dawn, for the season’s most opinion-polarising vegetable.

Just one supermarket chain alone claims to sell 140,000,000 sprouts, just in the two week run up to Christmas alone, and there are no fewer than 110 varieties of them in total.

As the grandson of a Boston greengrocer - ‘Reg The Veg,’ who owned Priestley’s Fruit Market in the town for over 30 years - I love sprouts. But my passion, and big numbers, won’t help me to persuade my four year old son George to enjoy his help-

ing sprouts when they’re dished up onto his plate this Christmas.

Instead, I’ve enlisted the help of another one of Lincolnshire’s most prolific growers to make the case to George and to other children (or stubbornly reluctant adults) everywhere, to look more kindly on oleracea gemmifera, of the brassica family.

Each year, in the UK, we consume over £650,000,000 worth of sprouts. It takes over 3,240 football pitch-sized fields to feed the market, and unsurprisingly, over

JUST ONE SUPERMARKET CHAIN ALONE CLAIMS TO SELL 140,000,000 SPROUTS, JUST IN THE TWO WEEK RUN UP TO CHRISTMAS ALONE... >> 111

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80% of our annual consumption occur over the last two weeks in December.

The UK’s supermarkets’ insatiable appetite for sprouts are services predominantly by Lincolnshire’s largest growers, like TH Clements, which is growing 30% more land than in previous years dedicated to the vegetable, and Staples, whose co-owners Vernon and George Read estimate they produce 840,000,000 individual sprouts each year.

That’s almost enough to feed Swedish sprout-lover Linus Urbanec, who holds the world record for the most sprouts consumed in one minute - 31 sprouts in under 60 seconds.

“We’re one of the biggest growers in the UK,” says Vernon. “and whilst we’re busiest in the run up to Christmas, the hard work begins in early spring when our crop is planted out in greenhouse modules.”

“They’re planted out into the fields in May and June, and harvested from as early as August.”

Today’s brussels sprout harvesting operation is necessarily more mechanised to cope with the pre-Christmas rush, and supermarkets which each demand around 1,000 tonnes over the weekend preceding Christmas week. That means a 24-hour harvesting operation which is highly mechanised.

“There’s a 24-hour turnaround from field to supermarket shelf,” says Vernon. “The crop is gobbled up by specialised machinery which cuts the stalk, strips the sprouts from the stalk, then removes the leaves.”

“The crop is then graded by both size and quality both by an optical device similar to a camera and by people to make sure each sprout we produce is of the highest quality.”

The Brussels sprout is one of the world’s healthiest foods too, with 100g about 10 sprouts - providing 140% of your recommended Vitamin C intake (four times that of an orange of the same weight), as well as being rich in folic acid and

“WHEN YOU OVERCOOK A SPROUT IT RELEASES BITTER-TASTING COMPOUNDS WHICH RELEASES SULPHUR-LIKE SMELLS. THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE FIND OFF-PUTTING.”

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- FARMING -

Opposite: Our photos show sprouts grown by Lincolnshire Field Produce in Spalding.

Above: Blanching your sprouts for too long will give them a bitter taste.

glucosinolates - the body’s natural chemical for helping prevent cancers.

That still doesn’t address the issue of how to encourage children like George not to turn their nose up when faced with a plate full of sprouts this Christmas. Fortunately though, Vernon many have the answer.

“We’re growing red sprouts, which are unique to us and have a sweeter flavour.

They’re providing really popular with younger consumers, and we’ve developed a flower sprout, which looks appealing with a fluffier, more open texture - it’s sort of half-sprout and half-kale.”

Vernon says his teenagers love the vegetable, and claims the secret to cooking the perfect sprout is not to overcook them.

“When you overcook a sprout it releases bitter-tasting compounds which releases sulphur-like smells. That’s what people find off-putting.”

“They just need to be gently steamed or boiled very quickly - around seven or eight minutes to cook, but no more. You can put

pancetta with them, but I prefer to serve mine with just butter.”

“You’d think I would be tired of the sight of them by the time Christmas comes along, but I still look forward to serving them up on Christmas Day. They’re a really important part of the our Christmas lunch and I really look forward to tucking into them!”

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- FARMING MATTERS -

A Summary of the Year

On The Farm Barry Poston considers the plight of root growers in the past few months and how blackgrass has had an effect on crops this year. Also this month, the nationwide final yield of wheat, what the four sugar beet factories across the UK are doing this year, and the struggles onion growers have had to contend with this year.. `Most arable and root growers were happy with the spell of fine weather in September and October, when potato and sugar beet are mostly harvested. Drilling of rape and wheat took place in good conditions except where farmers delayed early sowing to help control next year’s blackgrass population.

Early rape had a severe attack of cabbage flea beetle and most crops had to be sprayed against the pest besides having seed dressing applied.

“Most crop potatoes will be harvested by the start of November when soil conditions deteriorate rapidly...”

The nationwide final yield of wheat for 2015 was 6% up on last year and most growers feared that the abundant supply will increase pressure on the market.

It is most noticeable to see many fields of next year’s wheat have been held back in sowing due to most farmers’ efforts to help control the obnoxious blackgrass.

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Most potatoes will have been harvested by the start of November when soil conditions deteriorate rapidly, however such is the efficiency of modern day harvesting, potato crops will be safe in their temperature controlled stores.

It is most noticeable how little damage has been caused to the crop this year, which has very little scab on the skin.

There are now only four sugar beet factories across the UK in total - at Cantley in Norfolk, Wissington in King’s Lynn, Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk and Newark - started processing a little later this year.

The crop yield and sugar content is better than expected and many farmers will miss their crop return next year, with British Sugar Corporation reducing its price and tonnage. It is hoped that world demand for

sugar should increase and that prices and tonnage increase accordingly.

Growers of onions this year have had a very tiring season. With most crops grown on light sandy land, severe winds in the late spring caused considerable blow, taking not only the light sand but also the chitting seed, which had to be redrilled, in some cases twice. Fortunately the crop recovered with reasonable yields although there was a quantity of ‘thick neck’ at harvest.

It is good to hear a recent report, whereby most small to medium growers supplying a large supermarket were going to be paid for their produce on an earlier time scale, with the various incentives likely to be discontinued.

Barry Poston is the area’s foremost farming expert with a long history working in both arable and livestock environments. During his career he has seen a great many changes in the county’s main industry!

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Main: One of Lincolnshire’s Fields in Bourne. Photo credited to Lee Morley.

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- NATURE -

Searching for Sparrows in

Nature

Richard Owens is searching for sparrows this month as he explains the distinction between a tree sparrow and a house sparrow and explains what to feed the birds through winter and what you can do to help our sparrows to no longer be classed as a species of conservation concern...

Also this month, a polite reminder to please continue to help our feathered friends by keeping your feeders filled up on a regular basis. This is especially important during the winter months as natural food sources start to dwindle.

I would like to start off this month by apologising to any arachnophobes, who may have chosen not to read my October feature, and for those who did I hope you found it interesting and informative. I promise I won’t mention the S word this month! This month we are going to look at one of our sparrows.

It’s always best to provide as wide a range as possible including mixed seed, niger seed, peanuts and fat balls. Remember, the greater the variety of feeds, the greater the variety of birds. You never know, you may even be lucky enough to attract a tree sparrow.

As I’m writing this in September, with harvest in full swing, it felt appropriate to look at another of our bird species that is often associated with the farmland environment, the tree sparrow.

I’m often asked the question, ‘what is the difference between a tree sparrow and a house sparrow?’

Well at first glance not much, although on closer inspection, you will notice the chestnut cap and the white cheek feathers with a very prominent black dot. These are the key areas to look out for in separating them.

Both sexes are identical so it’s almost impossible to establish numbers of both within a colony.

The only way to get any indication would be for birds to be trapped by experienced ringers who can check for a brood patch on the females. This is the area where she will shed her breast feathers for the purpose of incubation. Alternatively the males may display a cloacal protrusion. Both happen only during the breeding season.

Sadly, the tree sparrow has been in decline in the UK for a good few years now and is sat quite firmly on the RSPB’s red list - a species of conservation concern.

So what can we do to help? Despite the name, the tree sparrow actually likes to live within the safety of our hedgerows.

Hawthorn makes a fantastic wildlife hedge, and should not be written off in any hedge planting schemes.

Also, if you know or suspect that you already have a number of tree sparrows in the locality of your home then please put up plenty of nest boxes with a 28mm hole. They will nest communally and can raise up to three broods in a good year. It’s great to see birds in your garden too.

On a final note, I hope you all enjoy my features as much as I enjoy writing them, and if there are any topics you would like me to write about in 2016, or indeed if you wish to make any other comments, I would really love to hear from you via email to richard@tillersturf.co.uk.

Wishing all of the readers a very Merry Christmas and a Great New Year.

■ Richard has spent his career promoting bio-diversity within the world of turf and is a former UK Golf Course Conservation Greenkeeper of the Year.

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To view and purchase photographs from The Event visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk

The Orthopaedic Ball

Raising funds for Alzheimers UK, in Boston...

The Orthopaedic Ball was recently held at Boston’s Haven High School, raising money for the charity Alzheimers UK. Organised by a committee of four ladies, led by Samantha Goy, the event was attended by over 150 people, predominantly from Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital’s orthopaedic wards. It included a three course meal, fundraising activities and live music.

The charity says it is leading the fight against dementia and other degenerative conditions which will this year affect over 850,000 in an ageing population, a number set to rise to 1,000,000 by 2025.

■ For more information on the condition see www.alzheimers.org.uk.

Feature your event in our magazine.

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Call 01529 469977 and speak to our Events Desk...

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Purchase photographs from this event online.

Visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

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Andrew J Musson

Bespoke Tailor of Lincoln

Bespoke & Made to Measure Suits

by Savile Row Tailor, Andrew Musson

CALL TODAY TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A BESPOKE OR MADE TO MEASURE SUIT.

39 High Street, Lincoln LN5 8AS Tel: (01522) 520142 info@andrewjmusson.com | www.andrewjmusson.com

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‘Tis the Season to Get

MARRIED Living on the other side of the world, made it increasingly difficult for couple Deborah & Lee to see their family and friends. A reunion was what made their intimate and romantic winter wedding in Woodhall Spa that little bit more special...

Images: Symply Photography. Words: Tilly Wilkinson.

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There’s something so heart-warming about a traditional winter wedding especially in a location as beautiful as the Dower House in Woodhall Spa. Deborah was born and raised in Coningsby but moved to Sheffield for university in 1997. She lived and worked as a nurse before emigrating to Australia three years ago with her husband Lee. He was born and raised in Sheffield working as a sales representative for various timber companies around South Yorkshire since leaving school.

“We met at Easter in 2010 in a favourite bar of mine where I used to go regularly with a close friend who has since emigrated to Dubai and gave one of the readings at our wedding,” says Deborah. “Lee was out with 122

a friend and made a point of coming over to say hello. I’m now told by the same friend, Craig - who was Lee’s best man - that he told a group of girls who were showing him some attention that night that I was his girlfriend so he could escape and chat to me.

Turns out that actually our paths had crossed several times but we never properly met. I’m a great believer in fate and some things are just meant to be; that’s how I felt when I met Lee.” “Lee and I used to do a lot of walking in the Peak District where I was working as a practice nurse at the time. We were out walking in Hathersage one weekend a few weeks before we were due to emigrate to Australia in May 2012, when he stopped me in my tracks in

“We crossed paths several times but never formally met. I’m a great believer in fate and some things are just meant to be; that’s how I felt when I met Lee.” Photography: Symply Photography, www.symplyphotography.co.uk, 01529 241633.

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- WEDDINGS -

the middle of a deserted meadow and asked me to marry him!”

“I’d always thought that I’d know when the proposal was coming, but I truly had no idea, it was so unexpected and the location he picked was beautiful and very personal.

We named all of our tables at the wedding breakfast after some of our favourite walks in the peak. Our top table was the walk where Lee proposed - Stanage Edge.”

“There wasn’t enough time to plan a wedding with all of the chaos that comes with emigrating to the other side of the world, so initially any wedding thoughts were on the back burner. Once we arrived in Perth and settled in, we quickly realised that the only place to get married was back in the UK with friends and family around us.”

“But how do you plan a wedding when you live 24 hours away with an eight hour time difference? It wouldn’t have been possible without my mum. My mum and dad have lived in Coningsby all their lives. My mum was amazing - she did everything from checking out the venues to sending out the invitations. I suspect I was a little demanding at times!”

“I flew home, without Lee, for almost two weeks in February to do some intensive wedding planning, prior to our wedding in December.

In a 10 day visit home, my mum and I managed to find my dream dress at Belle & Bouquet in Lincoln, buy the perfect mother of the bride outfit, organise suit hire for the grooms party, sort the flowers from Flowers

By Maxine, and we wanted a slightly Christmassy theme so we chose burgundy roses with the tables arrangements made into christmas wreaths.”

“During the short trip, we also managed to book a photographer. Sharon at Symply Photography was great - she put me at ease on the phone and I knew that we’d be able to relax on the day in her expert care.

Neither of us really like being in front of the camera. We booked a hair and make up artist for myself my mum and my sister, and squeezed in a trial two days before flying back to Perth with Emily Johnson.”

“My mum had already suggested the Dower House in Woodhall Spa as a venue but I’d actually never been there. Even though, as a teenager, I used to work as a waitress just around the corner in what used to be called the Tea House in The Woods. I checked it out with my parents and we booked the

venue for the 28th December. The Dower House is absolutely gorgeous and perfect for a winter wedding as there are plenty of lovely spots for indoor photos. Anne at the Dower House was great and really looked after us from start to finish.”

“We chose a winter wedding because Christmas in Perth just isn’t the same as the UK. We really wanted to come home and visit family and friends at Christmas time and it seemed like the perfect time for a wedding. It’s a romantic time of year and the weather wasn’t important to us. We have gorgeous weather all year round in Perth.

Secretly, I would have loved a little flutter of snow on the day.”

“We wanted a traditional but informal wedding with a sprinkling of Christmas.

Our wedding favours were miniature Christmas stockings which we filled with nougat all the way from the Swan Valley Wine Region in Perth.”

“I’d done plenty of wedding dress research online before I came home. I knew that I wanted lace and I though it would be perfect for a Christmas wedding. Nice and simple, understated but elegant. The dress I’d seen online was very kindly ordered in by Belle & Bouquet for me to try. The original lace dress I’d chosen was lovely but as soon as the assistant had worked out my taste she produced a second delicate ivory lace dress, and it was perfect. It brought a little tear to my eye when I saw myself in it. I don’t think I’ve ever shopped for a dress so quickly, usually I like to shop around for hours and then return to the first shop. This dress seemed to pick me!”

“Due to marriage legalities and time constraints we actually had our official registry office wedding in Perth in early December. A very close friend of Lee’s performed our ceremony at the Dower House giving a personal touch to the ceremony which you could only get from someone who knows you well. We were able to personalise our vows which was lovely.”

“I’d been on at my dad for ages about walking slowly down the aisle, as he’s known for charging around at 100mph. On the day, it was me who scooted down the aisle in record time. The harpist had only just got started and I was already standing next to Lee!” “In the run up to the wedding I thought I’d be so nervous on the day and I expected to

“We didn’t actually take a honeymoon since the wedding was a three week long holiday for us but we stayed in the Dower House honeymoon suite...”

Above: Deborah opted for a delicate lace dress supplied by Lincoln’s Belle & Bouquet.

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- WEDDINGS -

Left: The couple cutting the cake in the Dower House.

Photography: Symply Photography, www.symplyphotography.co.uk, 01529 241633.

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be up half the night stressing about late minute details! How wrong I was. I slept like a baby and I hardly had a hint of nerves. For the first time ever in our lives - and it will probably never happen again - Lee was more nervous than I was. I stayed with my parents the night before the wedding and he stayed in The Dower House with the best man.”

“I remember thinking when I was getting ready on the morning of the wedding how lucky we were. It was the most beautiful crisp clear winters day. We even got some photos outside without our lips turning blue.”

“Our wedding was small, intimate and just how we wanted it to be. We wanted close family and friends to share our very special day. Emigrating to the other side of the world makes you realise how important those people are. That’s what made our

wedding special - having all of the important people in our lives together in one place.”

Deborah & Lee’s Wedding

“We didn’t have a honeymoon since the whole wedding was a three week long holiday for us. We did have a short stay in The Dower House honeymoon suite after the wedding which was lovely, they really looked after us.”

Venue: The Dower House, www.dowerhousehotel.co.uk, 01526 352588.

“I never imagined living in one continent and getting married in another and I never expected to hand over the planning and preparation to anyone else - I’m definitely a self-confessed control freak.”

“Lee and I can’t thank my parents enough, especially my mum, for making our wedding day so special. It was perfect in every single way and we’ll cherish the memories forever.

Most of all, I would like to thank my wonderful husband and soul mate for the perfect marriage.”

Dress: Belle & Bouquet, www.belleandbouquet-wellingore.co.uk, 01522 811122.

Photography: Symply Photography, www.symplyphotography.co.uk, 01529 241633.

Flowers: Flowers by Maxine, 01526 342591.

Hair & Makeup: Emily Johnson, www.emilyjohnsonhairand makeup.blogspot.com, 07870 443419.

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- FASHION -

DANCE THE NIGHT

AWAY Vera Mont is this month’s featured designer, providing an enviable range of dresses perfect for your Christmas parties and events...

Dance the night away this winter with the new collection from designer Vera Mont. Vera has choreographed her luxurious womenswear collections so exquisitely, creating elegant and ultra-feminine looks, ensuring that you will look sensational for the season.

The mix of gold and black hues add something special to your party look, celebrating the time of year.

This unique designer style would shine on any dance floor this month as Christmas parties come into full swing.

The talent from sister brand, Betty Barclay, woven into very high quality fabrics and textures can only result in good things in the fashion industry, which you know just by taking one look at the dream dresses. We definitely recommend Vera Mont for your Christmas parties.

Far Left: A print dress from the designer mixing blue and green tones with black and white, highlighting its colour.

This Page: Navy dresses always exude class and with a dress commensurate with the Vera Mont name, you’ll create an enviable style at Christmas, £235.

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- FASHION -

Above: Designer frames from brand Bulgari available at O’Briens Opticians in Brigg, call 01652 653595 or visit www.obriensopticians.co.uk for more information on the designer products they stock.

Right: Vera Mont’s gold and black evening dress with fine lace looks, £300.

Above: Beautiful golden dress with rabbit fur jacket.

All our featured fashions are from Vera Mont.

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Top Left: To attend a more casual event, we suggest wearing this Vera Mont look with a black and gold mixed top and black fitted trousers and heels.

Top Centre: This cocktail dress incorporates a jewelled neckline, putting aside the need for a necklace ÂŁ215.

Top: Perhaps more formal, this little black dress suits an outdoor event and matches with black lace heels and a hat.

Above: A glamourous and elegant golden cocktail dress, ÂŁ245.

Left: Sweet and delicate, this dress adds a little glamour with a shiny skirt and matte black top.

All our featured fashions are from Vera Mont, sold online and at a store in Newark: 7 Chain Lane, Market Place, Newark, NG24 1AU, 01636 703511, www.bettybarclay.com.

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2.

1.

Winter Fashion Show in aid of St Barnabas & Marie Curie

WITH CINDY’S OF SUTTON BRIDGE Fashion retailer Cindy’s of Sutton Bridge recently unveiled its range of winter fashions at a fundraising Ladies’ Day at Boston West Golf Club. Here, we present a selection of quality designer fashions for all occasions...

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Images: Rob Davis.

5.

8.

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3.

4.

1. Ann Wright, Catherine Stone, Rebecca Slator.

2. Sue Slator, Ann Elwood 6.

7.

3. Anita Saul, Mary Middleton, Ann Wood.

9.

10.

4. Betty Barclay co-ordinates from the Winter Touch collection.

5. Day wear separates from Eugen Klein & Just White.

8. Fabulous wedding ensembles, designs from John Charles & Zeila.

9. Eveningwear from The Frank Lyman Winter collection.

10. Cosy Ice separates from Betty Barclay. n Featured fashions available at Cindy’s of Sutton Bridge. Visit Bridge Rd, Sutton Bridge, Spalding PE12 9SA. Tel: 01406 350961, or see www.cindysfashions.co.uk.

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PARTY

Christmas parties will soon be in full swing so we sought the advice of makeup artist, Emily Johnson, who has created the perfect look for the festive season.

Emily worked on a model to demonstrate her makeup skills and gave us a step by step guide to party perfection.

PERFECTION

Christmas party makeup can be more or less dramatic than this look I’ve created,” says Emily. “You can use more glitter on the cheeks or eyes or you could use some of the golden shade under the eye alongside or instead of the black eyeliner.”

THIS MONTH EMILY JOHNSON, LINCOLNSHIRE MAKEUP ARTIST, PROVIDES US WITH TIPS TO CREATE PARTY PERFECTION...

A colour to enhance the look further would be red. Although considered quite daring and bold, this festive colour can really make your Christmas party makeup look powerful. See the next page for our recommended products.

Words: Tilly Wilkinson. Makeup Artist: Emily Johnson.

If you feel black is too harsh for you, then you may prefer a dark brown to shade the outer corner of the eyes and a dark brown eyeliner. Make the look yours by adapting it to suit your taste.

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1 2

“

- BEAUTY -

8

Choose a lipstick or gloss in a colour which complements what you’re wearing and then a blusher which goes nicely with the lipstick. Apply your blush to the apple of the cheek and blend outwards along the cheek bone.

Begin by applying a little of your eyeshadow primer, for example, a product called Urban Decay potion with your finger, all the way across the eyelids.

Apply your lightest eyeshadow shade to the inner corner of your eye and the brow bone, just below the eyebrow arch. Now take a pale gold eyeshadow such as All That Glitters by MAC and create a wash of colour over the lid.

3

Use black eyeshadow and apply it in

a small semi-circle in the outer corner of each eye working it into the crease in the outer third of the lid. Take a fluffy blending brush and blend the black out and up a little to soften the edges. Very gradually build the depth of the black in the corner blending lightly each time until you’re happy and then finally put one last little dab of black in the centre of the blended section.

4

”

Christmas parties will soon be in full swing so we sought the advice of makeup artist, Emily Johnson, to create the perfect look for the season...

Apply a gold or bronze sparkle to the centre of the eyelid before finishing the lids with black eyeliner along the lash line on the top lid and a little along the bottom lash line and smudging with your finger or a cotton bud. Finish with a few coats of mascara.

5

Wipe up any eyeshadow which may have dropped under the eye and apply some foundation primer such as MAC Prep & Prime to the skin. For a light, sheer foundation try MAC’s Face & Body or for a much heavier coverage, Lancome’s Teint Miracle works just as well.

6

Apply either with a foundation brush. Begin at the centre of the cheek and blend outward in all directions. If you’ve blemished skin in one area, begin there and blend out.

7

Use a neutral light or dark

brown eyeshadow shade to fill your brows, depending on your hair colour using an angled brush. If you have chosen to use a liquid highlighter such as Benefit High Beam, apply this now at this stage of the makeover to the top of the cheekbones between the hairline and beneath the centre or outer third of the eye, not going too close to the eye.

9 10

Taking a fluffy powder brush, blend your blush. If you’re using a powder highlighter such as MAC’s Soft & Gentle, now’s the time to apply this. It should sit just above the blush.

Check to see if you need a little more mascara and you’re good to go! Remember, practice makes perfect. The lipstick Emily used is MAC’s Ruby Woo with a gold based lip gloss over the top. She used Soft & Gentle to highlight the tops of the cheek bones and the cupid’s bow. The blusher is MAC’s mineralise blusher in Warm Soul.

■ Emily is a professional makeup artist available for weddings etc., for more tips call 07870 443419 or see emilyjohnsonhairandmakeup.blogspot.com.

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Go Crimson for

CHRISTMAS We’ve provide our top recommendations for makeup quite fitting for the festive season; dare to go red this Christmas...

THIS MONTH, WE RECOMMEND our favourite brands and products to suit the Christmas season.

Red is the festive colour and can be used in a look in many different ways...

1

ROSY CHEEKS

Perhaps a dark red is too much for you. To create more of a natural look but still incorporate the colour into your look, use MAC’s bright red blusher, for a natural warmth to the cheeks, £18.50.

2

STILETTO STYLE

Christian Louboutin, the designer brand in stiletto heels, don’t just do beautiful luxury shoes.

They also have a range of beauty products and we’re loving their bright red nail varnish, £36.

3

GO GLOSSY

A red lip gloss is a great option if you suffer from dry lips - lipstick is always such a tempting option with the range of colours available but a gloss is best for not drying your lips out and leaving an even, shiny finish.

“IT’S ALL ABOUT SHINE: SHINY NAILS, SHINY LIPS AND GLITTERING EYES STAND OUT WHEN USING SUCH A BOLD COLOUR...”

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4

THE CLASSIC

A classic red lipstick from your favourite brand is the best way to tie in a little festive cheer to your party look. You can’t go wrong with a MAC lipstick, £15.50.

5

FRAME THE LIPS

You could add a dash of red to your lips by using a lip liner. Use two different reds, a red gloss and red lip liner, for contrast.

Doing this will create a frame around the lips, making them look fuller.

“PLUM IS A VERY POPULAR RED COLOUR AT THE MOMENT. IT MAY BE A LITTLE TOO DARING FOR A LIP COLOUR, BUT IT SUITS A MANICURE...”

6

DARINGLY DARK

A plum colour as a nail polish is very popular at the moment even though it’s quite a dark shade for a nail colour. We recommend Chanel’s Lotus Rouge range for a perfect, designer coat of polish.

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Confidence in Your

SMILE

A confident smile is now easier to achieve and virtually pain-free thanks to modern dentistry. Gemma Watson is Treatment Coordinator at Grantham’s Dental Health Centre; her free of charge, no-obligation one hour consultations talk patients through their options - the procedures, the likely cost, and the results...

Words & Images: Rob Davis.

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- DENTAL HEALTH -

It’s that time of year. We’ll be planning our New Year’s Resolutions, from losing weight to taking up a gym habit. Most resolutions are aimed at boosting your confidence, but there’s no better - and no more permanent - way to improve your confidence than to improve your smile... and a beautiful smile will no doubt last longer than your motivation in the gym!

Gemma Watson is the Dental Health Centre’s Treatment Coordinator and says; “We provide a free, no-obligation consultation so our patients can find out about their options. We go through the type of treatments we offer, what they involve and their cost. Patients can come with the simple request to ‘improve my smile’ and we’ll have a good idea which combination of procedures to recommend.”

and dental implants. Its cutting edge dentistry uses state-of-the-art equipment, such as its Cerec machine, which fabricates crowns and veneers in-house while you wait; and the cone beam scanner that allows us to take 3D radiographs of the jaw assisting with precision placement of dental implants.

“Our clients are more confident and happier with their smile after our implant treatments,” say implant nurses Precilla Renshaw and Jessica Cary.

“Our patients report how happy they are with their chosen treatment and how confident they feel afterwards...”

“I’m here from initial consultation right throughout the patient’s chosen treatment pathway, answering any questions they have and, best of all, I’m there at the end to see how happy they are with the results.”

“All of our patients report how happy they are with their chosen treatment and how much more confident they feel afterwards.

It is great to see them so much happier with their smile!”

The Dental Health Centre offers general and cosmetic dentistry, as well as orthodontics

Practice owner, Colin Sutton, says “I’ve been a dentist in Grantham for over 20 years but established the practice in 1995 with a view to providing private dentistry of the very highest standard.”

“We welcomed two new dentists, Dr Vishal Rana and Elisa Lago Garcia, into the practice this year, a great way to celebrate our 20th anniversary. This month, the whole team is looking forward to welcoming patients who want to smile with confidence over the festive season and into 2016... a resolution to improve your smile is definitely one that will ensure a very happy new year!”

Above: Tracey Lagden greets patients into the Grantham based dental practice.

Opposite: Colin Sutton, practice owner, with Vishal Rana and Elisa Lago Garcia.

■ Find Out More: For a free, no obligation introduction to treatments, and a personal consultation of how they can help you to achieve a better smile, visit The Dental Health Centre on Avenue Road, Grantham, NG31 6TA, call 01476 594480 or see www.dentalhealthcentre.co.uk 139

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Complete your smile with DENTAL IMPLANTS An attractive smile reflects a healthy life – and natural-looking teeth help us look and feel our best. Dental implants are a long lasting way to replace missing teeth and can also be used to provide a secure anchor for bridges and dentures.

There are many benefits to having dental implants – and many of our patients have described them as life changing. At The Dental Health Centre in Grantham, we encourage our patients to visit us for a free 30-minute consultation with our implant expert, Colin Sutton. This helps them make an informed decision so they feel reassured and confident.

Here is a testimonial from one of our patients, who had a single dental implant.

“I had spoken to my previous dentist about dental implants and they promised to call me to make the necessary arrangements. They never did despite me reminding them so I decided to look elsewhere. The advert in Lincolnshire Pride magazine caught my eye and I read the article about dental implants, which I found very informative.

Everything about implant treatment was explained to me in detail at my free initial consultation with Mr Sutton. This was

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followed up with written confirmation of what happens at the various stages and the costs involved.

I needed a single implant at the front of my mouth because I had a tooth that had become very discoloured and eventually broke in half after I had bitten into something. It wasn’t long before the other half broke as well.

The treatment plan went exactly as Mr Sutton had explained at the initial consultation. The root of my broken tooth was removed, a base was then fitted before the implant could finally be put in place. The whole process required recovery periods after each stage and so from the initial consultation to my new tooth being fitted took about five months.

Even after the tooth had been made Mr Sutton said that it could be altered if I felt it wasn’t quite right. Fortunately it looked great and I was more than happy.

The tooth feels absolutely fine. I was a little tentative when cleaning it at first but you soon get used to it.

Everybody at the Dental Health Centre was very pleasant and helpful. I felt very well treated and informed throughout.

If you would like to find out more about how dental implants could complete your smile, please visit us for a free 30-minute initial consultation with Colin Sutton.

The Dental Health Centre, 3 Avenue Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6TA. www.dentalhealthcentre.co.uk

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Main: An acupuncture treatment at one of Boston West Hospital’s pain management clinics.

Pictured here is Julie Esprit, Outpatient Recovery Team Leader; Sue Harvey, Matron; Michelle Drifill, Healthcare Assistant specialising in outpatient care; Dr Mohammad Sohail Malik, Consultant Anesthetist specialising in Pain Management; Jess Barrymore, Senior Staff Nurse, and patient Claire Dearing.

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- HEALTHCARE -

High Quality

HEALTHCARE Boston West Hospital is celebrating a positively glowing report following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission - the independent body responsible for the monitoring of health and social care in the UK. The report confirms what we already knew; that the Ramsay Group hospital provides exceptional, accessible and high quality consultant-led healthcare...

Boston West Hospital is this month celebrating following publication of a report praising healthcare at the Ramsay Group hospital.

The Care Quality Commission’s new, stricter inspection regime was introduced for the independent sector as well as the NHS, in 2015. The regime saw six inspectors visit Boston West Hospital in April, spending two days at the facility, followed by ‘surprise’ follow-up visits.

describing the care they received as ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent,’ and 100% saying they were treated with privacy and dignity.

reducing waiting lists and providing self-pay, insurance and NHS ‘Choose & Book’ care pathways.

The report also confirmed that the hospital had absolutely no outbreaks of MRSA or C-Diff infections in the past three years of monitoring (in fact, the hospital has never had such an outbreak in its history).

The hospital has access to 35 credentialed consultants and 57 members of staff, and it can also serve as an outreach clinic for its sister hospital, the Ramsay Group Fitzwilliam Hospital in Peterborough.

Having celebrated its 10th anniversary in Boston West provides a comprehensive range of consultant-led services including

The Fitzwilliam Hospital boasts a similar Quality Account, and is a 47-bedroom facility with dedicated imaging department comprising MRI and CT scanning facilities, as well as four state-of-the-art operating theatres.

The hospital’s acute care, outpatient care, diagnosis and clinical governance were all areas of inspection, with key lines of enquiry asking whether each aspect of the hospital is caring, safe, effective, responsive and well led.

Awards of ‘Outstanding,’ ‘Good,’ ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’ are then awarded in each area.

“We can provide patient choice, ease the burden on the NHS and ensure consultant-led care...”

“We’ve had the 40-page draft report and we’re delighted!” says Matron, Sue Harvey. “It’s usual that any hospital has something to do following an inspection - the CQC almost always creates some kind of action plan - but there’s no action plan here.

We’re totally compliant and have been rated ‘Good’ in every area. It’s the best result any hospital could hope for and overall feedback on the report is excellent, so we’re delighted.”

orthopaedic, general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, E.N.T, urology, pain management and gynaecology.

The report follows the hospital’s own Quality Account, highlights of which included 100% patient satisfaction with 97% of patients

The purpose-built hospital performs around 3,500 procedures annually, and works with NHS partners, cutting waiting times,

Clinical facilities include an outpatient suite with five consulting rooms, a pre-operative assesment area and a spacious operating suite. “We have a spacious operating theatre allows us to be efficient in delivery high volumes of surgical procedures by a skilled surgical team,” says Sue.

“We really do believe that facilities like Boston West Hospital will play a crucial role in the UK’s healthcare infrastructure in the future,” says Sue. “Boston West Hospital can provide patient choice, ease the burden on the NHS infrastructure and ensure consultant-led care for our patients.”

“We believe in making continuous improvement in all our hospitals and addressing public concern about standards in healthcare. We’re committed to compassionate patient care, assurance about patient privacy and dignity, hospital safety and good outcomes of treatment. Meanwhile our affiliation with the Fitzwilliam Hospital ensures convenient access to care and to the facilities that our sister hospital provides.”

■ Boston West Hospital is based at West Business Park, Sleaford Road, Boston PE21 8EG. Call 01205 591860 or see www.bostonwesthospital.co.uk.

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To view and purchase photographs from The Event visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk

Red Carpet Ready

Dress specialists expands after 18 months of opening...

Branston based dress specialists Red Carpet Ready last month celebrated the official expansion of their premises.

The retailer now provides two luxury dress showrooms in a single location. The firm now offers one of the biggest dress selections you will find with over 1,500 dresses long, short & midi-lengths stocked across 28 designers, along with all of the accessories you need to enjoy the parties over the festive season and new year, and for 2016’s prom season.

Customers from across the UK attended the day, which featured an appearance by ‘Chico’ from the X-Factor and the Crowning of the Retailers 2015 Prom Queen Winner. n For more information call 01522 793777 or see www.redcarpetready.co.uk.

Feature your event in our magazine.

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Call 01529 469977 and speak to our Events Desk...

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Purchase photographs from this event online.

Visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

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- MOTORING -

A BRAND NEW

DAWN A Triumph of Excess: The new Dawn is Rolls Royce’s £250,000 flagship 2+2 convertible GT. At £250,000 and with a 12 cylinder engine, it’s a rival to the Aston Martin Vanquish and Mercedes S65AMG Coupé.

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WELL-HEELED MOTORISTS SEEKING THE ULTIMATE STATUS SYMBOL CAN NOW ENJOY FIRST CLASS MOTORING IN THE IMPECCABLY APPOINTED ROLLS ROYCE DAWN. BUT WITH AN ANTICIPATED PRICE TAG OF £250,000, ARE GERMAN RIVALS BETTER VALUE? Words: Rob Davis.

If Rolls Royce proves anything, it’s that there are the haves, the have-nots and then, the ‘have-too-much’s in this world.

That’s because, with an anticipated price tag of over £250,000, you’d have to be exceptionally disappointed - and therefore exceptionally demanding - to justify choosing the new Rolls Royce Dawn over the Mercedes S-Class Coupé or Bentley Continental or Aston Martin Vanquish Volanté. Especially given that each of these are more or less £50,000 less expensive.

The Dawn is the company’s newest 2+2 open-top car, it’s a flagship, and it’s the ultimate expression of Rolls Royce.

The car enjoyed a debut at last month’s Frankfurt Motor Show and joins an elite clique of six-figure, 12-cylinder GT models such as Bentley’s Continental GT Speed (£185,000), Aston Martin’s Vanquish (£205,000) and Mercedes Benz’s AMG65 S-Class coupé (which is expected to cost £180,000, and will next year appear as a convertible model too).

So, given that the Rolls Royce is a good deal more expensive than its highly desirable rivals, where is the extra money spent?

A good proportion of it may have gone towards the salary of the firm’s Director of Pretentiousness, a man who penned the media blurb pronouncing the car’s soft top mechanism as ‘the silent ballet,’ and who describes its orange leather interior and blue paintwork as ‘midnight sapphire over mandarin.’

Fortunately, one of the merits of the Rolls Royce buying experience is being able to customise the car’s colour to an almost unlimited degree. Suffice to say that if you’re parting with a quarter of a million pounds and don’t have a job in Premiership football, we’ll insist you choose a more tasteful, muted colour scheme.

THE DAWN IS THE COMPANY’S NEWEST 2+2 OPEN-TOP CAR, IT’S A FLAGSHIP, AND IT’S THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF ROLLS ROYCE...

>>

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- MOTORING -

>> Assuming, then, you’ve already opted for one of the firm’s more subtle colour schemes (from one of the 44,000 available), like a linen hide with a tasteful piano black or walnut veneer, you’ll want to know what else marks the Dawn out from its rivals.

For a start, there’s 80% unique body panels from its coupé stablemate, the Wraith.

Then, there’s the 12-cylinder, 6.6 litre engine which is turbocharged and generates 780nm torque - compared to the Aston’s 630nm and the Benz’s 1,000nm.

The finessed delivery of power is impressive in all Rolls Royce models, but it will need to be especially impressive in the Dawn given that its kerb weight is likely to exceed both 2.5tonnes and its rivals by a some degree.

Garish: The Rolls Royce is available in 44,000 colours, with myriad choice of hide.

THE DAWN IS LIKELY TO EXCEED BOTH TWO AND HALF TONNES - AND THE WEIGHT OF ITS RIVALS BY SOME DEGREE...

60mph is dispatched in 4.9 seconds, and top speed is limited to 155mph, as on the Mercedes. Unlimited, the Aston is able to reach 197mph, on track days, for example.

The car’s economy figure of just 20mpg and CO2 emissions of 330g are unlikely to bother well-heeled owners, but are poor compared to lighter rivals.

DAWN’S SISTER CAR If you prefer a coupé rather than a convertible, Dawn’s sister car is the Wraith.

At £235,000 its premium over the Mercedes S-Class and models from Aston Martin or Bentley is hard to justify. A 6.6 V12 engine ensures it reaches 60mph in 4.6 seconds.

The car also has 1,390 fibre-optic ‘stars’ hand-woven into its rooflining.

The Rolls Royce’s power delivery, via an eight speed gearbox, is likely to be unsurpassed, but UK motoring journalists can only look, not touch, until at least April next year.

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- MOTORING -

Top: Dawn is a four-seater Grand Tourer convertible with a hand-build engine and 80% unique coachwork.

Above: The car has an sound array of technology from adaptive cruise control to an iDrive controller and heated seats.

Inside the plush cabin, drivers can choose not just the colour of the hide, but the colour of veneers, seat piping, seat stitching and embroidery. The colour of coachlines can be changed, as can the colour of the hood, the carpets, and lambswood overrugs, seatbelts and the wood used on the rear deck into which the fabric hood folds. Customers can even choose alligator or ostrich hide, if the skin of bovine is a little too common.

keyless entry & go, and heated seats.

Meanwhile Rolls Royce’s epic bespoke coachbuilding operation ensures than no request from a customer is ever refused.

The firm’s parent company is BMW, which means all of the underlying technology is BMW 7-Series. As such there’s a modern rotary controller to keep the interior free from buttons, and an infotainment screen which rotates discreetly into the dash.

There’s no doubt that the Dawn is a GT par excellence, but one really must wonder what sort of person finds themselves underwhelmed by a Mercedes S-Class or Aston Martin. In our opinion, as impressive as the Dawn is, it’s a triumph of excess over necessity. Like many, we’d be just as happy with its ‘lesser’ rivals.

Standard equipment includes powered seats, windows and hood, adaptive cruise control,

A feature of the Dawn which exemplifies the brand is the Spirit of Ecstasy, which retracts into the bonnet electrically. It’s this kind of pointlessly obsessive detail that sets the Dawn apart from rivals, rather than anything more useful on a day-to-day basis.

DAWN’S

KEY RIVALS The Rolls Royce is in good company among other V12 GT models...

S65AMG

£160,000 (est)

For: Mercedes technology, space.

Against: Not yet on sale.

Verdict: HHHHH

Bentley GT

£185,000

For: Image, hand-built, quick.

Against: Cramped rear seats.

Verdict: HHHHH

Aventador LP750 £315,078 For: Lamborghini heritage, speed.

Against: Impractical, hard drive.

Verdict: HHHHH

Eagle Speedster £650,000

For: Pretty retro E-Type replica.

Against: Lacks technology. Price.

Verdict: HHHHH

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- MOTORS -

Something new for

Santa Claus

THIS MONTH WE THOUGHT SANTA COULD DO WITH AN UPGRADE. REINDEER AND A SLEIGH ARE A LITTLE LOW-TECH, SO LINCOLNSHIRE’S DUCKWORTH PRESENTS US WITH A BRIGHT RED ALTERNATIVE... >> 153

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Reindeer and a sleigh. It’s a low-tech form of transportation for someone like Santa Claus, who has many miles to cover and a large amount of Christmas presents to deliver to boys and girls all over the world.

We thought it was time the man in red had an upgrade, so we spoke to our friends at Duckworth of Market Rasen and Kirton.

The firm is best known for its Land Rover and Range Rover products, but the dealership, established in Market Rasen in 1962 by current Chairman Martin Duckworth, also specialises in the Isuzu range of pick-ups.

The brand’s latest model is the Isuzu D-Max Fury. A special edition of the D-Max, finished in a festive red shade.

We think it’s the perfect replacement for Santa, Rudolph and that draughty old sleigh.

For a start, there’s the crew cabin, which is spacious enough to transport Santa, and his entourage of reindeer, or for any Lincolnshire family who want a truck tough enough to throw the family and their mountain bikes in for, say, a boxing day bike ride to burn off some Christmas calories.

Then there’s the rear deck, which is available with an open load deck, a covered deck or a hard-top canopy. At 1.4m long and 1.5m wide, there’s plenty of room for several large sacks full of presents, for mountain bikes, or to venture into the woods to bring home a nice big Christmas tree.

Then there’s the truck’s off-road credentials.

It has chunky off-road tyres, 17” alloy wheels, 23cm of ground clearance, and 600mm wading capability. The D-Max also 154

has switchable two or four-wheel drive with low-range gears for really slippery off-road conditions, so it’ll ensure neither Santa, nor the rest of us, will end up stuck down muddy farm tracks or in the woods this season.

We took delivery of the truck with just 15 miles on the clock, and discovered that, despite the truck’s tough credentials, it’s surprisingly easy to drive.

The 2.5 litre four-cylinder diesel engine is partnered either with a six speed manual or five speed automatic gearbox. Ours had the latter, and at idle, it’s reasonably quiet.

You can move off slowly but the car holds its gears for a while, ensuring drivers can really make the most of a very torquey engine, which always feels as though it has lots of grunt and raw power, even if it isn’t as hushed as, say, a family saloon.

Above: With five seats and plenty of headroom for even the widest pair of antlers, Santa, Rudolph and the gang can trade in their sleigh for something a little more sophisticated this year, at Duckworth Isuzu.

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Steering is as light as a normal car though, and brakes are efficient. The D-Max even returns up to 38mpg combined economy, reaching 112mph where legal, and towing up to 3,500kg - which is about the same as a Land Rover Defender.

There’s lots of feel through the chassis, and whilst it’s definitely a bit more macho and rugged than your average runabout, it’s surprisingly civilised on Lincolnshire’s A-roads. Once the gearbox settles into sixth gear, it’s not too noisy, and is actually quite refined for such a rugged car.

Our car came with five good sized seats with a double crew cab body, and with optional black and red leather seats, as well as more gadgets than a teenager’s Christmas list; electric windows, power mirrors, air conditioning and Bluetooth. A reversing camera built into the rear view mirror really helps when reversing too.

A couple of notable omissions on the Fury are cruise control and steering wheel controls for the audio and phone system, but these are available on higher spec D-Max models.

Rugged it may be, but the D-Max is a remarkably pleasant car to drive. There’s no disguising the car’s massive size - the bonnet is enormous, and stretches out for acres in front of the driver - but its surprisingly easy to handle on the road, even if parking is a little daunting at first.

After a week of driving the D-Max we found that it’s certainly a car which could make us ‘ho ho ho.’ In our opinion, Santa should trade in his sleigh for a D-Max very soon indeed.

It’s ideal for those who enjoy the outdoor life and starting from £19,999, it’s priced competitively enough to be a credible second car. We’d especially recommend the Fury edition too, in its very festive red shade!

Isuzu D-Max Fury Price: £20,999 (automatic).

Engine: 2.5 V4 diesel.

Economy (automatic): 33.6mpg (comb), 26.9mpg (urban), 39.2mpg (extra urban). 220g/km CO2.

Top Speed (automatic): 112mph.

Equipment: Electric windows, mirrors, five seats, air con, leather, Bluetooth, reverse camera, iPod conn.

Find Out More: Address: Duckworth Isuzu, London Road, Kirton, Boston PE20 1JH, or Racecourse Garage, Willingham Road, Market Rasen LN8 3RE. Call: 01205 449758 /01673 79939.

Web: www.duckworthisuzu.co.uk.

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Normanby Le Wold: a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, participating in the West Lindsey Churches Festival next May.

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CARING FOR OUR

CHURCHES Words: Sam Phillips, Heritage Lincolnshire. Photos: Angela Montague.

IT’S INCREDIBLE WHAT A COMMUNITY CAN DO WHEN THEY BRING TOGETHER A SHARED PASSION. THIS MONTH, SAM PHILLIPS FROM HERITAGE LINCOLNSHIRE DISCOVERS WHAT THE PEOPLE IN LINCOLNSHIRE HAVE DONE TO SUPPORT AND PRESERVE THEIR LOCAL CHURCHES...

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- LINCOLNSHIRE CHURCHES-

R

eligious reasons aside, a visit to a church is a great way to delve into the heritage of the county. Architectural details reflect a town’s prosperity and way of thinking. A closer inspection of church buildings provides a variety of clues alluding to the rich past and centuries of stories many churches hold.

Many are jigsaws of different building styles, traditions and fashions which have evolved through time. Gravestones in churchyards are windows into social history, providing snapshots in time to local individuals.

Many churches have survived hundreds of years and still stand proud as a focal point of a community. Sadly many have seen a decline in use and some are falling into disrepair, relying on the support from local volunteers to help restore them to their former glory. Organisations such as the Church Buildings Department at Lincoln Diocese, Lincolnshire Churches Trust and Heckington-based charity Heritage Lincolnshire are on hand to offer advice and support and to help with obtaining funding.

One unloved and over-looked church is St John The Baptist in the hamlet of Sutterby, down the road from Langton by Spilsby, in the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This church has had a new lease of life breathed into it thanks to a bit of tender loving care from an organisation called Friends of Friendless Churches, a small charity which saves redundant, historic churches.

They own over 40 former places of worship, including St. John The Baptist church at Sutterby, which they preserve for visitors and the local community to enjoy.

A 100 strong community group of volunteers going by the name of Spirit of Sutterby, with full support from the landowners, have begun a project to find out how this church, which was once the centre of a community, now stands abandoned and alone.

Surrounded by only a few farm buildings and a deserted medieval village site, the landscape holds several clues to its previous existence. The group has had support from Heritage Lincolnshire and the Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service through a Heritage Lottery funded project called Down Your Wold.

“MANY CHURCHES HAVE SURVIVED HUNDREDS OF YEARS AND STILL STAND PROUD AS A FOCAL POINT OF A COMMUNITY. SADLY MANY HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN USE AND SOME ARE FALLING INTO DISREPAIR, RELYING ON THE SUPPORT FROM LOCAL VOLUNTEERS...”

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Volunteers have carried out fieldwalking, excavations and building surveying.

“Every piece of work we undertake opens up more unanswered questions,” says one volunteer. “It is amazing to think that this little church, easily missed when driving past, can hold so many secrets.”

Volunteers are the life blood in keeping churches running. Communities can be inspirational in their approach to keeping churches alive. Many people dedicate their free time in searching for funding to repair and restore churches and thinking of extra uses for the building to revive it as a community hub.

St Peter and St Paul in Algarkirk has been called The Mini Cathedral of The Fens and contains nationally important Victorian stained glass windows by the 19th century manufacturers, Clayton and Bell.

On the verge of closure in 2009 the community took things into their own hands by working with the Lincoln Diocese and Heritage Lincolnshire to develop a project plan and a funding bid to restore and revive the church into a relevant asset for the area.

The group behind the project have secured Heritage Lottery Funding for a development year to run events and work with an architect to create plans to develop the site, which will include a café, space for workshops, a local history archive and a reading and research room.

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West Lindsey have a Churches Festival which takes place every May, where a lot of smaller churches open their doors.

Listed on the Heritage at Risk register at Level C, the Grade I listed Benington All Saints Church had seen better days, especially after it has been closed for worship back in 2003.

Dating back to the 13th century, with many of its original features remaining unaltered, the local community knew they had to step in to rejuvenate the church and in 2007, the Benington Community Heritage Trust was formed to investigate the feasibility of undertaking repair and upgrading the building.

After a successful development stage with an action packed activities programme, volunteer training, capacity building and a series of repairs in place, the group is now waiting with baited breath for the announcement of their stage two application to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Lincoln Diocese and Heritage Lincolnshire are a great starting point if you are interested in seeing what you can do to protect and repair your local church, or any historic building for that matter. If you are interested in helping with your churches up-keep, you may wish to contact the Lincolnshire branch of Maintenance Cooperatives Project which helps to provide training and advice for those responsible for the up-keep of their places of worship.

While out visiting churches in the county, take a look not only at the beautiful history the buildings hold, but also the signs of the loving community behind it. A thriving church is proof that people power pays off. Make sure you don’t forget to sign the visitor book, to

ST PETER AND ST PAUL HAS BEEN CALLED THE MINI CATHEDRAL OF THE FENS AND CONTAINS MANY NATIONALLY IMPORTANT STAINED GLASS WINDOWS.

The 21st West Lindsey’s Churches Festival will take place in May 2016, with around 80 Lincolnshire churches open for visitors to explore. The dates for the festival are 7th and 8th May for the eastern churches in the county and 14th and 15th May for the western churches. leave your snippet of social history in years to come.

Also, remember to pay a visit to St James Church in Louth to say happy birthday to the spire.

Lincolnshire is home to the tallest parish church spire in the UK. Standing at 295 feet (90m) tall, St James church spire dominates the skyline of the quaint market town on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

This year has seen the church celebrate the 500th year of the special spire being completed, though written evidence shows that the site has been a place of worship since 609 AD. Originally commissioned by The Collection in Lincoln, Woolly Spires is an ongoing county-wide project managed by artsNK that takes its inspiration from the fact that many of Lincolnshire’s churches were funded by wealthy landowners who made their fortune quite literally on the backs of the county’s iconic breed of sheep, the Lincolnshire Long Wool.

An exhibition of all the Woolly Spires, knitted scale model churches, will be on show at Lincoln Cathedral in 2017, with a church from each Lincolnshire district represented.

The Lincoln Diocese has 630 churches in use and all are open to public. Why not plan a free day out for the whole family. Some churches, especially the more remote ones, may be kept locked for some of the time, but there are usually details of a key holder nearby.

■ The projects you can look out for in the area are as follows: the Spirit of Sutterby Project, www.spiritofsutterby.co.uk, the Algarkirk Project, www.algarkirkchurch.org.uk, the Woolly Spires Project, www.artsnk.org.uk, the Benington All Saints Project, www.beningtonallsaintschurch.co.uk, the Maintenance Cooperatives Project, www.spabfim.org.uk, and the Churches Festival, www.churchesfestival.info.

Opposite: Spirit of Sutterby volunteers.

Above: Gainsborough All Saints Church.

Below: Kirkby cum Osgodby Church.

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PRE-NUPS – Definitely Maybe?

Celebrity divorces are not often out of the news, but two recent cases caught my eye, not only because of who was involved, but also because they seemed to highlight different attitudes on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

I love the TV show The Big Bang Theory and so was disappointed to hear that Penny was getting divorced. My first thought was ‘Poor Leonard!’ However, thankfully, actress Kaley Cuoco is divorcing from her professional tennis player husband, Ryan Sweeting, rather than from her on screen husband, science geek Leonard.

Apparently The Big Bang Theory star, who is reportedly earning $1m per episode, had a pre-nuptial agreement (a ’pre-nup’) drawn up before she married Ryan in 2013.

I am also a huge Oasis fan, so it was interesting to see Liam Gallagher’s divorce from Nicole Appleton recently in the news. It would appear that here there was no pre-nup to protect Liam’s estimated £35m fortune and therefore he is embroiled in expensive litigation to determine who should get what in the divorce.

It may not be down to the pre-nup, but Cuoco has been pictured since separation looking happy and enjoying her beloved horse riding.

Pictures of Gallagher on the other hand have been of him on his way to Court with his lawyer…

Validity One reason why pre-nups may seem more popular in the US is that they have long been recognised in all States. They are seen as a normal part of the marriage process, rather than just for celebrities.

The situation is quite different in England and Wales where pre-nups were not properly recognised until the widely publicised 2010 Supreme Court decision in Radmacher v Granatino. Therefore they are not only new to the general public, but also to the judiciary.

The court in the Radmacher case made clear that such agreements were no longer against public policy and should be upheld provided: • They are freely entered into; • Each party fully understands the implications of the agreement; • It would be fair to hold the parties to the agreement.

Proper provision must always be made for children and if this is not done any agreement may unravel.

The Law Commission have also recently come out in favour of pre-nups saying that provided the above safeguards are in place they allow couples "autonomy and control, and make the financial outcome of separation more predictable".

Why get a Pre-Nup? Should you arrange for a pre-nup to be prepared? While couples generally accept that making a Will is a good idea to provide for their loved ones on death, making arrangements to split finances on divorce while planning for their big wedding day is certainly not for everyone.

A properly drafted and valid pre-nup will set out that certain assets and income, including inheritances and pensions, are to be ‘ringfenced’. Those involved in a business for example can specify that it will be protected on divorce, meaning that long-term planning and investment in the business can take place. Issuing proceedings through the courts can be unpredictable and expensive, and while the parties to a pre-nup cannot override the court's broad discretion to decide how to redistribute their assets and income when considering an application for a financial order, the court must give appropriate weight to a pre-nup as a relevant circumstance of the case. It may be that a pre-nup should be given decisive weight. This will depend on the particular facts of the case.

While pre-nups may be the preferred option for celebrities and the super-rich, they are not the only people who could benefit from such financial planning. Anyone who wants certainty and protection may find them useful. Of course, professional legal advice should be sought by both parties from the outset to make sure that any such agreement is validly entered into and will ultimately be binding on them.

‘Some Might Say’ that Liam Gallagher may have been an old romantic not to have had a pre-nup, but ‘Definitely Maybe’ a prenup should have been part of his ‘Masterplan’ as he may now see a sizeable portion of his fortune ‘Slide Away’.

For further advice on pre-nups contact Nick Robertshaw on 01780 764145 or a member of the family team by visiting www.chattertons.com Chattertons offer a full range of Legal Services and Independent Financial Advice.

For more information about any of our services or to contact a member of our team please visit www.chattertons.com.

trust us to take care of it

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Crosswords CRYPTIC CROSSWORD Test your lateral thinking skills with this month’s Cryptic Crossword. Each puzzle has a set of perplexing clues to unravel, and as every lover of logic knows, the frustration is all part of the fun!

ACROSS 1. Therapy with effervescent sounding ring to it (6) 5. Force employees to have hospital filling teeth (8) 9. Native American has not a lot going on, nose to tail with relatives (8) 10. Mawkish medic, one with flowers in ’is ’air (6) 11. Pretty, witty mistress, famously involved in making a 2 in the 22? (12) 13,7. 2 in the 22 of shop one can’t get repaired (9) 14. 22 must not get rebuilt with a 2 in it (3,5) 17. One Turin game that’s free of charge (8) 18. Finished deliveries in Llandovery (4) 20. Bloody landlord always stashes away a penny for a special occasion (3-6,3) 23. Servant uses 2 in the 22 in common location, withdrawing large amount (6) 24. Club I visit briefly, comic saying the opposite of what is meant (8) 25. Those taking over position initially held by moneylenders (8) 26. Agile doctor into line dancing (6)

DOWN 2. Women moved out of complete dump (4) 3. Deployment of cloth has covered uniform headgear (6,3) 4. Alternative name held by island archipelago (6) 5. Force nieces into cooking lots of sweets? (15) 6. Ex-moll, almost faded away (3,5) 7. See 13 8. Had kittens, possibly cloned (10) 12. Same as belt fashioned in lead and zinc? (4,6) 15. DIY mum, one surprisingly in element appearing nude regularly at 60 (9) 16. Aloofness first seen in Scandinavian that’s cold inside (8) 19. Meet a radio presenter at 2 in … (6) 21. … the 22 in Paris — an African native, often nocturnal (5) 22. Barrier hit after leaving work (4)

ACROSS

DOWN

5. Gripe (9) 8. US coin (4) 9. Ailments (anag) (4,4) 10. Unwell (6) 11. Free and easy (6) 13. Bloom (6) 15. Large milk containers (6) 16. Islands off Cornwall (8) 18. Religious ceremony (4) 19. Parsley-like herb used in cooking (9)

1. London airport (8) 2. Posh (6) 3. Celtic language (6) 4. Close friend (4) 6. Remember (9) 7. Embodied in human form (9) 12. Bushy-tailed rodent (8) 14. An iris (anag) (6) 15. Gambling establishment (6) 17. Facial expression (4)

CRYPTIC ANSWERS

QUICK ANSWERS

QUICK CROSSWORD

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