Glossy Magazine Aug | Sep 2022

GLOSSY

LONDON

Restaurants worth travelling for AT THE KITCHEN

Perfect picnic ideas

ALTRINCHAM & HALE

So many reasons to visit Naxos Cycladic

Welcome to summer!

At last we reach the much-awaited school holidays, but the unrelenting rain and grey skies have put a dampener on the kids playing in the garden and picnics in the park. Festivals, makers’ markets and theme parks are also affected, while in other countries, they are experiencing temperatures in excess of 45 degrees and wildfires. Mother Nature certainly has her own agenda!

This issue, we want to introduce you to Naxos, also known as the hidden gem of the Cyclades. In June, we went island-hopping around Greece and our unforgettable visits included: Santorini, which was already a firm favourite of ours; Ios, which holds a special place in our hearts as son number two was married there in 2017; Sifnos, which we’d never heard of before; and Naxos, where Salim visited in his 20s as a singleton (many years ago!). Hopefully, in the next few magazines, we will reflect on the beauty and diversity that each of these islands offered us.

Also this month: Peppa visits The Refuge at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester; Angela and Janet check out the businesses in Altrincham and Hale (see pages 23-31); we feature five London restaurants considered to be the best in the world; and Angela from At the Kitchen in Cheadle shares her Perfect Picnic ideas.

This year, we are supporting Endeavour at our Step into Christmas Party, which is being held at The Edwardian Manchester Hotel on Saturday 25th November. Tickets are £99 or £950 for a table of ten. Our host this year is the lovely Johnny De M, with music from Boy Gorgeous and a disco that takes us in to the early hours.

Endeavour is a charity providing a range of services to help people and their pets who are victims or survivors of domestic abuse and violence. So, if you fancy a great night out with family, friends, colleagues, or maybe all three, book your tickets now. You won’t be disappointed, and you may even win one of our wonderful prizes!

Whatever you are doing over the summer holidays, stay safe and we will be back in October.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER2023

Bringing

GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Beverley Uddin-Khandakar beverley@glossymagazine.co.uk

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR Salim Uddin-Khandakar salim@glossymagazine.co.uk

ADVERTISING

Call Angela Halligan on 07477 154 213 Or 0161 388 2353 angela@glossymagazine.co.uk

ART DIRECTION & DESIGN

Paul King / Claire King www.twistedgifted.co.uk creative@twistedgifted.co.uk

WEB MANAGER

Philip Valentino

CONTRIBUTORS

Catherine Reed

Fay Wertheimer

Oliver Chesher

Catherine Saunders

Lisa McMahon

Daisy Hogg

Angela Boggiano

Janet Reeder

Jo Davies

PHOTOGRAPHY

Craig Robertson

Matt Priestley PR Shots

Bigstockphoto.com istockphoto.com Press Loft

This Magazine is published six times a year by UK17 Consultancy Limited. The contents may not be reprinted or reproduced without prior written permission. The publishers are not liable for statements made and opinions expressed. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and the publisher can take no responsibility for omissions and errors. UK17 Consultancy Limited. 5 The Stables, Wilmslow Road, Didsbury, Manchester M20 5PG 0161 388 2353 | www.uk17consultancy.co.uk. Full terms and conditions can be found on the Glossy Magazine website – glossymagazine.co.uk

By Janet Reeder

Lowland Heather dress, £79.95, seasaltcornwall.com

Orange kaftan, £65, nologo-chic.co.uk

Off-shoulder sequin mini, £59, belissh.com

One-shoulder sequin mini, £89, belissh.com

Pink horse wide-leg pants, £350, jessicarussellflint.co.uk

Mitende beach bag, from £59, thebasketroom.com

By Janet Reader

Be beach-ready

You’d be forgiven for thinking that when the sales start in June, that summer is over – and in the world of fashion, it is. Which is ludicrous because come August, the busiest time for jetting off, you’ve worn your summer stuff to death and are crying out for new, new, new.

Luckily, many brands are now clued into the fact that we don’t all want to finish shopping for summer clothes by the end of May and they’ve got the hottest months covered with high-summer ranges as well as pieces you can wear when it gets a little cooler.

If you are feeling you want clothing that takes you into the next season, invest in a sparkly sequinned dress and you can wear it now with bare legs and sandals and with an ankle boot later in the season, or stick a jacket over a sundress worn with thick tights and a platform shoe.

For holidays, I’m a huge fan of the kaftan, which you can wear to the beach or dress up with heels for nights out, and you can rock a pair of wide-legged pants with a swimsuit or bikini top, then transform it into a dressier outfit by pairing with a silk shirt and chunky, gold jewellery.

Duke’s Place bag, £179, radley.co.uk

Whether you’re heading for Ibiza or holidaying at home, you need a new wardrobe

Contrast textured rib tie bikini top, £12, and bikini bottoms, £10, prettylittlething.com

Twist & Shout black bikini top, £33, and bikini brief £21, curvykate.com

One Hundred Stars stork print orange kaftan, £150, monsoon.co.uk

John Lewis Cheadle in collaboration with St Ann’s Hospice

Fashion Show

Thursday 12th October

Arrive 5.30pm for a 6pm start

Where: Place to Eat Restaurant, John Lewis Cheadle

Tickets: £15 available at sah.org.uk/johnlewis

Join us for an evening of fun and fashion with John Lewis to raise money for the Build it Together new hospice appeal. Watch the catwalk show featuring the St Ann’s team as models and have the opportunity to shop on the night as well.

Your Ticket Includes Glass of fizz on arrival

Hand massage from the St Ann’s Complementary Therapy Team and Clarins

Entertainment from the Crystal Chords

Barbershop Chorus

£5 voucher to spend at John Lewis (minimum spend of £50)

Raffle tickets available at the St Ann’s Hospice reception or on the night to win some amazing prizes

We’ve all been told "you cannot wear that!” We hear it frequently at Black White Denim. Partners (usually husbands who don’t like shopping), siblings, kids and sometimes friends (what kind of a pal are you?) when faced with an outfit they weren’t expecting instantly dismiss it rather than pause to consider the potential of your new look.

Ok, dress-codes sometimes do apply. Cultural compliance can override fashion choices and if an item obviously doesn’t fit, one should suggest the wearer reconsiders their look. However, on occasions other than these, you can wear whatever you damn well like!

Here are some examples we consider to be wardrobe staples that do not deserve the “YCWT!” label:

Oversized blazer

Fashion dictates fits. A classic, standardfit blazer may be de rigeur one year but not the next. Today, we’re living in the era of the over-sized, masculine aesthetic, which means that your blazer has permission to be slouchy, manly and cool. Don’t overthink it. We’re talking wide shoulders, long sleeves (roll them up to show some arm candy) and a boxy silhouette. Layer your blazer over a hoodie for a Y2K vibe or go simple over a slim -fitting knit or tee for a pared-back look.

Stomper boots

You don’t have a pair of chunky Chelsea boots? Where have you been hiding for the last few years? We think the chunkier, the better. Feel free, of course, to choose a sole that works for you and get stomping. As well as being very comfortable, they’re unbelievably versatile. Pair with SLJs, pleather leggings, dresses, skirts or tuck in a jogger if you’re feeling really fashiony. They take years off your look.

Pleather leggings

There’s no-one on this earth who cannot wear a faux-leather legging: my 78-year-old mum, my son’s 18-year-old girlfriend and everyone in between. They’re a CLASSIC! We never doubt wearing a black gym legging or black skinny jeans, so why the fuss about pleather? It’s totally not necessary, girls. Fill your wardrobe gap now!

Straight-leg jean

“The skinny jean is dead,” they say. We beg to differ. However, its straight-leg cousin most certainly isn’t. Straight-leg jeans (SLJs) are having a moment so buckle in for the ride. When choosing a SLJ there are three things to focus on. (1) Length: go either cropped or long. Do not let them sit half-mast. (2) Rise: mid or high-rise are best. Avoid low rise as the proportion doesn’t work with the wider leg opening.

(3) Fly: a zip fly flatters if you have a bit of a tummy, whereas a button fly looks more vintage.

Dad trainer

Divisive, I know, but these will become your best-footwear friend when you find the right pair. Axel Arigato is the go-to brand for fashionable but functional styles that turn heads, coming in a range of classic and colourful styles. Pair them with cheeky ankle socks and cropped SLJs to be bang on-trend or pop on with your latest activewear co-ord to be the envy of your gym buddies. Treat yourself. It’s why you work out, after all.

You cannot wear that!

Jo Davies, Owner, Black White Denim

WE LOVE...

Seasalt Cornwall

The Janelle knee-length waterproof raincoat is made with a recycled nylon Tide Cycle® outer and, with plenty of room for layers underneath, is designed to withstand the worst of the Cornish weather. The upper half is lined with cosy tonal fleece, while the lower half is quilted for warmth and ease of movement. The detachable hood has a peak to protect your face from the wind and rain, and there are reflective strips on the back of the hood and the bottom of the sleeves to make you more visible after dark, £160, seasaltcornwall.com

Kudd.ly cooling weighted blanket

Cooling weighted blankets are designed to provide the same calming pressure as a traditional weighted blanket but with a lightweight and breathable feel. The weight is evenly distributed throughout the blanket to provide gentle pressure to the body and mimic the feeling of a gentle hug, which can help to promote feelings of relaxation and reduce anxiety. Cooling weighted blankets are made from breathable and moisture-wicking materials such as Kudd.ly’s HydroCool™ material to prevent overheating in the summer. You can either lay your blanket on top of your bed or wrap it around your body, covering your shoulders down to your feet. £99, reduced to £59, Kudd.ly/shop

Chilli No. 5

Whether you love to travel, are health conscious, enjoy a lazy pizza night in or love to grill on the BBQ, Chilli No. 5 has six gourmet gifts for chilli-loving foodies. The gift sets explore a variation of spices and hot sauces and give you the opportunity to experiment with new flavours, food cultures and recipes. A taste explosion, packed with superfood ingredients and arriving in luxe, high-end packaging. Gift sets range from £12 to £60, chilli-no5.com

Delicious affirmations

Spread positivity and kindness with these delicious personalised ‘positive affirmation’ biscuits from The Biskery a Leeds-based bespoke biscuit company, using a secret recipe passed down through generations. You can order branded and personalised biscuits for a range of occasions, beautifully presented in letterbox-friendly packaging. The perfect gift!

Affirmation Biscuit Box, £21.95, thebiskery.com

12-piece charcuterie set

Stored inside this elegant slate and wooden storage box are all the tools necessary for crafting a fancy cheese board. Perfect for picnics or dinner parties, the set includes a storage box, slate board, three serving knives, five cheese markers, one chalk and a tray for accoutrements with three sections, £35, Kikkerland

Pink beach towel £12.99, Homesense

Barbie sweater £18 from George at Asda by Beverley

When you rightsize and buy an Adlington retirement apartment, purpose built for later life, you also open up new opportunities within a thriving community of like-minded people. With access to a host of facilities and an on-site team available 24/7, 365 days a year, you can spend more quality time doing the things you love, free from everyday worries.

“If

• On-site restaurant*, coffee lounge, hair salon*, and therapy suite*

• Beautiful, private landscaped gardens

• Tailored personal care packages* available if required

Re-mineralising Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste –English Mint Designed to have a positive effect on your teeth, your health and the planet, Dimples is the eco-conscious choice for great oral care. Vegan, cruelty-free, all-natural and a plastic-free alternative to traditional toothpaste. The tubes are made from eco-friendly and recyclable sugar cane, £7.99, dimplesoralcare.com

Upgrade your daily skincare regime with the Stylpro Fabulous Firmer. This handy little device brings the innovative technology of modern spa treatments straight to your home. It utilises a combination of heat, massage, and coloured light technology, to fight wrinkles, age spots, acne and an uneven skin tone.

The STYLPRO Fabulous Firmer boasts different settings offering red and blue light therapy, which prevents oil build-up to reduces acne and blackheads and stimulates the production of collagen to increase firmness and elasticity, £29.99, stylpro.co.uk

MURAD With summer in full swing, Murad’s selection of bestselling SPFs has got you covered, come rain or shine! With a perfect match for every skin type and concern, there’s no excuse to skip on sun protection. Correct & Protect Broad Spectrum SPF 45 PA++++, £70, 30ml

It’s TRUE Skincare with NO H20

It’s time to say hello to a new era of skin hydration and dive into TRUE’s natural, organic, waterless, and transformative skincare formulas to leave your skin healthy, hydrated, plump and radiant – with NO H20.

1% Hyuralonic Acid Complex, 30ml, £17.50 | Hydrating Blossom & Pine Toner, 75ml, £15.50 | Prickly Pear & Algae Collagen Renewal Moisturiser, 50ml, £18.50Available from Holland & Barrett and trueskincare.co.uk

SBC Skincare has carefully designed a range of gentle but effective body products to carefully nourish your sensitive skin without triggering redness, acne or irritation. Salicylic Body Wash, £16 | Body Firming Moisturising Gel, £24 | Hydra-Collagen Body Butter, £26 | Rosehip Oil Moisturising Gel, £24 | Hydra-Collagen & Black Pearl Indulgent Body Silk, £26 SBCskincare.co.uk

BEAUTY BOX

We all know that a good makeup beat is nothing without the right tools to perfect it. Below are three base makeup tools that you need to take your makeup to its flawless next level.

"The One" Multipurpose Face Brush Made from 100% German synthetic bristles, this multipurpose face brush is perfect to use with any cream or liquid products. Its dense, angled shape expertly applies product while seamlessly blending it out, £16, Pearl Beauty Teardrop Velvet Powder Puff Helps to apply powder products seamlessly, and its teardrop shape is perfect for all angles of the face, £7.50, Bedew Skin

The Cloud Beauty Blender Apply your liquid cosmetic products flawlessly. A super soft and bouncy beauty blender that expands and softens when wet to give a glowing finish. Simply soak in cold water and squeeze out excess water before using. Available in black and light grey, £9.50 Bedew Skin

By Beverley Uddin-Khandakar

TRUE Skincare

Oils deeply penetrate the skin to replenish, lock in moisture, protect and strengthen the skin barrier function for a plump, supple, smooth complexion that glows. TRUE skincare’s luxurious, targeted facial oils are packed with potent, natural and certified organic ingredients to target and treat your skin’s needs through every stage of life.

20s – moisturise and balance oily, congested skins, 30ml, £15.50 | 30s – hydrate, plump & brighten skin, 30ml, £15.50 40s – replenish, stimulate & regenerate ageing skin, 30ml, £18.50 | 50s & beyond – soothe, replenish, nourish & moisturise, £30ml, £15.50 trueskincare.co.uk

Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle

Cleanser Gently removes impurities and excess sebum while tackling acne and blemishes. Non-drying, so perfect for daily use. Leaves skin soft and smooth without that tight, stripped feeling, £16, Beauty Bay

AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment

Toner Gentle toner suitable for everyday use to help clear your skin of impurities, dead skin cells and clogged pores and glycolic acid and betaine salicylate work to remove dead skin cells that can lead to clogged pores, £19.99 Superdrug

Master Patch X-Large

Suitable for the large acne-prone areas, this hydrocolloid patch with niacinamide helps care for dark spots and acne scars. A large patch designed for the natural curves of the face, it applies smoothly and blends right in.

COSRX Master Patch X-Large can be used to visibly reduce coloured spots from acne or to absorb the gunk in a particular region of pores, £22, Sephora

Centella Blemish Cream

Acne can leave behind scars that appear as red or dark spots on the skin. Thanks to Centella Blemish Cream, these spots will disappear in no time. Enriched with centella asiatica leaf water, a healing ingredient that helps to prevent scarring and future breakouts, this cream will help to fade red and dark marks, rebuild irritated skin and calming inflammation, £24, Beauty Bay

Legology

The awesome twosome – Hot Legs Transformation kit for legs – everything you need to get your legs instantly ready for exposure is in this kit: Air-Lite contouring cream and Sun-Lite tinted gel work like a dream to bring lightness, shape and a realistic tint to legs. Your passport to bare-legged confidence when you step out into the warm sunshine! 2 x 100ml, £75, legology.co.uk

Ultimate Nourishing Rice

Overnight Spa Mask

Lightweight, multitasking overnight mask with 68% rice bran extract and niacinamide to brighten and hydrate skin as you sleep. An all-in-one moisturiser, overnight and wash-off mask, this gel-like formula works to even out skin tone and soothe irritation, or give thirsty skin a boost of hydration, £23, Sephora

Menu Toothbrush Holder £45, nest.

The skincare must-haves from trending Korean skincare brand COSRX

Carrie Make-Up Bag, £22, Oliver Bonas

TRIED & TESTED

ESPA Powered by the Light

Salon treatments at King Street Townhouse Spa

My first visit to the King Street Townhouse Spa in the centre of Manchester and what a surprise. For a start, it isn’t actually part of the hotel but a couple of doors down and is a subterranean complex of treatment rooms and state-of-the-art sauna, wet room, and experience showers.

The reason I was there was the launch of ESPA Powered by the Light – a new spa treatment that combines the power of ESPA’s natural skincare with The Light Salon LED.

I love ESPA as a brand, as they are all about natural, beautifully scented products that cocoon and pamper your face and body, but now they’ve been harnessed to the phenomenon that is light therapy, a previously costly treatment that is also extremely popular thanks to the fact it’s non-invasive with minimal complications.

It’s a treatment that essentially further advances ESPA’s resultsdriven facials without compromising the brand’s roots in aromatherapy and nature-derived formulations. There’s a lot of industry experience piled into two facials available: the LED + Nano-Dermabrasion Tri-Active Treatment and the LED + Nano-Dermabrasion Active Nutrients Treatment, which use the power of touch combined with LED and microdermabrasion. From the get-go, the whole experience feels nurturing. There’s a smoothie and tea that have been specially formulated to suit my sleep-deprived self and later, the energizing and deliciously healthy kale and quinoa salad followed by a pistachio cake I chose from an uber-healthy menu for lunch.

Then there’s the treatment itself, which begins with the deep inhalation of ESPA’s beautifully scented oils before cleansing and microdermabrasion. Finally, I’m strapped into a facial mask that will deliver the LED light. It’s slightly weighty but no more uncomfortable than that.

LED energises the cells to work more youthfully promoting collagen and works on the barrier to promote healthy skin. The body absorbs light and uses it in a way that is applicable to you, so it’s effectively bespoke. There’s a super-relaxing facial massage included somewhere too, but oh dear! I’m afraid I drifted off so couldn’t tell you whether it was before or after the mask. Honestly, you’re just going to have to try it.

Post or pre-treatment, there is plenty of opportunity to relax at the King Street Townhouse Spa on heated marble loungers (they only allow eight people into the spa at any one time, so you won’t be queuing up for one). This is a gorgeous subterranean escape from the city with each area taking you to a different place, from Greece to Scandinavia, via essential oils that run through everywhere, changing frequently to complement the seasons.

The results of the treatment on my mature skin were definitely apparent. Everything felt a lot firmer, my skin was glowing and youthful and the effects lasted days. The treatment is also available at Hale Country Club & Spa and treatments start at £120.

By Janet Reeder

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel celebrates Manche ster Pride

Queen Club and Mix Club (Paris), Cocoon (Frankfurt), Ibiza Rocks at Pacha and at Pikes Hotel (Ibiza). An award-winning champion of great music, DJ Paulette is set to bring sets of uplifting house, party hip hop, raw rare grooves, soulful vocals and blistering funk to diamond strewn disco, jacking deep house and tearing techno to The Refuge during Manchester Pride.

As Manchester is booming with art and music events this summer, and ramping up to the iconic Pride weekend, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and The Refuge is keeping up with the city’s spirit.

The legendary Come As You Are Weekender is returning to Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, headlined by multi-gold record holder DJ Paulette. With an international music ca reer spanning over 20 years, DJ Paulette is set to bring electric beats to the iconic Manchester hotel, having previously played at the Hacienda (Manchester), The Zap Club (Brighton), The Ministry of Sound,

The Come As You Are Weekendersespecially around Manchester Pride - have developed an electric reputation throughout the UK and have become synonymous with a special and unique togetherness that only Manchester can magic from its people. Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is proudly joining the celebrations with the message “Let us be perfectly queer!”

Other names on the Come as You Are Weekender line-up include; Hush Club, Eves Drop Collective, Supernature and Sticky Heat - with more acts to be an nounced over the next few weeks.

The Come As You Are Weekender at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is the culmination of the summer of Pride and a celebration of music, love and inclusivity across the weekend of Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August.

Those looking for a place to rest their head over Manchester Pride weekend whilst being centre of the action can take advantage of the hotel’s ‘Double Double’ rooms as well as the special Pride weekend package. The ‘Stay with Pride’ package consists of Come as You Are survival kit tote bag – including a hangover kit, two cocktails, water bottles and £30 to spend at Kimpton Clocktower’s Refuge Bar each night. Rooms part of the ‘Stay with Pride’ weekend are available from £368 through Kimpton Clocktower’s website.

“Let us be perfectly queer!”

AO Arena introduces The Mezz

For the past 30 years, Manchester’s AO Arena has been a cornerstone in the city’s rich and vibrant musical heritage. It’s now preparing to take it up a level, a mezzanine to be exact, offering two unique but con nected experiences guaranteed to take guests above and beyond the show.

One destination, two experiences

Exuding excellence, The Mezz is lavish from arrival to encore. As you step inside, you quickly realise you won’t be a spectator at any regular show, instead about to em bark on an experience for the senses. Expect the grandeur of a Michelin-star restaurant mixed with the cool, calm de meanor of a 1930s’ New York speakeasy, The Mezz oozes a hedonistic vibe that is set to make guests feel elevated yet at home.

The minute members walk through the door, they are greeted with a plethora of options to see where the night will take them. Complete with their own exclusive concert concierge service, they can rest assured knowing that all the finer details for perfect night are looked after. Whether

it’s getting the party started with a cham pagne cocktail at the bar, indulging in the very best of British cuisine at the restaurant before the show, or continuing to dance the night away with an exclusive after-show party, guests needn’t look any further for the most luxurious night in live entertainment.

The luxury of a lifetime

Although The Mezz will dazzle guests with its Hollywood-esque glitz and the glamour, there is an undeniable warmth that radi ates from its core. The buzz of the city of Manchester is irrefutable and The Mezz personifies this, dedicated to creating an experiential and innovative experience for each and every member.

Ultimately, The Mezz offers guests the op portunity to share something special, making memories to last a lifetime and taking time to connect with those that mean the most. When it comes to experience, The Mezz makes no compromises. At The Mezz, your time is precious. That’s why members can enjoy fast-track entry via a private VIP entrance and once inside,

de light in direct access from the bar and restaurant to a selection of the best seats in the house.

No more waiting in line or squeezing through a buzzing concourse, guests at The Mezz have the luxury of exclusivity that those not lucky enough to be on the guestlist can only dream about. The Mezz is the destination, offering an immersive experience that no other night can rival.

Exclusive flexibility

Whether guests are looking to fully immerse themselves in the fabric of Manchester with an annual membership or prefer the flexibility of choosing various packages of the hottest shows, tickets are guaranteed, even when the show is sold out. With an unmissable calendar lined up for the re mainder of 2023 and beyond, The Mezz members can take their pick of the bunch with a full-service food and drink offering that comes with no hidden or extra costs.

As a member, you choose your experience depending on what works best for you.

Opulence in the heart of the action, The Mezz has it all. As the UK’s first members-only restaurant and bar experience within a live entertainment venue, it guarantees a night like no other.

As

provider, we invest in our people and our environment to provide the best possible support for older people. Our village is a stunning example of how advanced design and very high standards of care combine to ensure quality of life, wellbeing and peace of mind.

There are so many reasons to visit… ALTRINCHAM & HALE

If proof was needed that Altrincham has risen phoenix-like from the ashes of recession, it is in the “phenomenal number” of new openings that have recently occurred in what is now one of the most desirable locations in the Northwest. Not only that, but there are also more business to come, making it a great example for other towns wishing to stop the downward spiral of boarded-up properties and empty streets.

Hale has a fantastic night-time offering which makes it a destination for leisure and pleasure. And just like, Altrincham, Hale includes a plethora of prestigious businesses and is attracting newcomers to the high street, that is famed for fashionable restaurants and bars.

By Angela Halligan and Janet Reeder

Serendipity

Serendipity Gift Store is a brand-new gift store in Hale Village. There is an amazing and eclectic range; something for everyone. Pop in, you won't be disappointed. So much to look at and they offer a free gift wrap service.

225 Ashley Road Hale WA15 9SZ

T. 0161 302 5377

Find us on Facebook and Instagram

Altrincham Garrick Theatre

Based on the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, The Shawshank Redemption examines desperation, injustice, friendship and hope behind the claustrophobic bars of a maximum-security facility. This play is directed by Joseph Meighan and is showing between 15th and 23rd September. Recommended age 14+.

To book online, please visit: www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/shows/shawshank/

Barrington Road, Altrincham WA14 1HZ T. 0161 928 1677 www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk

Dunham Massey Farm Ice Cream

Situated in the village of Dunham Massey, this yummy ice cream is hand-made on the farm by Dianne, who came up with the recipe herself. They serve hot food including pizza and toasties, hot and cold drinks, and of course, the very best homemade ice cream in the area. FREE car parking, no booking required, indoor seating and a giant Teepee.

Ash Farm Station Road, Dunham Massey, Altrincham WA14 5SG

www.dunhammasseyicecream.com

Dunham Barn Tea Rooms

The Dunham Barn is a cosy café located on the doorstep of Dunham Massey. We strive to serve the finest, fresh and ethically sourced local produce to provide you with the most delicious food in the area. With an onsite car park available, dog friendly and with plenty of spacious indoor and outdoor seating – what are you waiting for? We look forward to welcoming you to The Dunham Barn!

Dog Farm, School Lane Dunham Massey, Altrincham WA14 4TR T. 0161 941 6889 / www. Thedunhambarn.co.uk

Kenway Miller

Kenway Miller are Hale and Altrincham’s leading experts in defending drivers accused of motoring offences including speeding, careless and dangerous driving and drug driving.

Visit our website motoringoffencelawyers.com or drugdrivingsolicitors.co.uk if charged with this type of offence.

Freephone 0800 4334 678

T. 0161 241 3322

E. contact@mol-ltd.com

www.motoringoffencelawyers.com

Hill and Company Solicitors

Specialists in a wide range of legal services, including probate, estate planning, family law, conveyancing, wills, lasting powers of attorney, attorneyships, deputyships, trusts, tax, and elderly and vulnerable client services, Hill and Company Solicitors have maintained a professional, traditional solicitors' practice for over 170 years.

4-8 Market Street

Altrincham WA14 1QD

T. 0161 928 3201

www.hillandcompany.co.uk

AVEC Cookers

At Avec Cookers, we are proud to offer the highest quality, bespoke service when choosing your range cooker. Come and see our showroom and talk to our experts, who will help you find the right range cooker. Everhot and Lacanche. AGA repairs and servicing.

AVEC Cookers

Mereside Farm, Millington Lane, Altrincham, WA14 3RU

T. 01565 830885

www.aveccookers.co.uk

Altrincham Bathrooms

Discover your new bathroom at Altrincham Bathrooms new showroom. Showcasing 23 stunning displays, let the friendly and knowledgeable team guide you through the process, from planning to the all-important finishing touches. Call in and discover everything you need to turn your bathroom dream into a reality.

Altrincham Bathrooms

Unit 1F, Stag Industrial Estate, Atlantic Street, Altrincham WA14 5DW.

T. 0161 926 1400

E. altrinchambathrooms@plumbase.co.uk

Town and Country carpets

Town and country have been providing high quality flooring and carpets for over 25 years, opening a fabulous new showroom in Hale in June 2021. We are a family run business priding ourselves on customer experience and quality installations. Our showroom has everything you need to transform your home, from bespoke woods and luxury vinyl tile to luxurious silk, wool and synthetic carpets.

Town and Country carpets

32 Park Road, Hale WA15 9NN 0161 300 3119

info@townandcountrycarpets.co.uk

We mean business!

BID,

business-funded and business-led initiative

VisitAltrincham.com

And it’s not just Altrincham which is attracting newcomers. Hale recently welcomed gorgeous lifestyle /gift store Serendipity on a high street that is famed for fashionable restaurants and bars but also includes prestigious businesses like Blackstone Solicitors and stores like Town and Country Carpets.

Like Altrincham, it has a fantastic nighttime offering, which makes it a destination for leisure and pleasure in its own right. The area is booming, so much so that if you’re not planning a day out with friends or family in what is surely one of the most exciting suburbs outside Manchester, you’ve got to ask yourself why.

“We’ve had a phenomenal number of new businesses establishing themselves in the town, with further new openings to come over the summer,” says Communications and Events Manager Kate Gerbich.

“Also ongoing is the private and public sector investment in the town, which is positive. It is a challenging time for businesses, but there’s a huge amount of entrepreneurial talent in Altrincham and that really shines through.”

Amongst the new arrivals in the town is a swanky new Beverly Hills-themed café, then there’s Foundation, the Bruntwood and Trafford Council joint venture devel opment designed to breathe new life into the site of the old House of Fraser (Rackham’s) store, which closed several years ago. Its mixed-use concept, which includes workspace and offices, bars, res taurants and Lane 7 bowling alley and bar, is fuelling the appetite for competitive social spaces.

“Bruntwood is now a huge stakeholder in the town and what it’s doing is absolutely incredible,” enthuses BID Manager Mandy White.

Other new openings include Plumbase, one of the largest regional suppliers of

plumbing, heating, bathroom and kitchen products in the UK as well as two new kitchen showrooms and a smor gasbord of restaurants.

“We also have a number of residential de velopments soon to open in the town, including The Address, The Downs Quarter and Allingham Place, with others in the planning stage,” explains Mandy.

“This is really positive because it means people will live and work on their doorstep.”

Altrincham’s appeal lies in the diversity of businesses; from Kiss Dental, Hill & Co So licitors, Mathew Miller Solicitors and FIXX Salons to Dunham Ice Cream and Dunham Barn Tea Rooms. And with Altrin cham Garrick Theatre on the doorstep, locals don’t have to go far to be enter tained

Less than half an hour’s stroll away from Altrincham is Hale Village, which also has its own attractions, not least its premium housing and independent shopping.

Hale’s more laidback vibe doesn’t equate to boring, in fact, the village is jam-packed with smart restaurants, unique bars, top hairdressers, beauty salons, art galleries and a library.

Back in Altrincham, Kate and Mandy also report that the town has capitalised on the trend for flexible working.

“We are also noticing the trend for people working outside the city centre, so we are seeing a growth in co-working spaces, but we are also noticing head offices moving to the town, for example, the Manchesterbased company Dandara Living,” says Mandy.

“There’s an interesting pattern here, which is being reflected in the footfall. It’s very much that 15-minute neighbourhood concept of people living, working, shopping and socialising in the town.”

Altrincham

the

that produces

and whose mission it is to drive more footfall into the area, is excited to see this recent growth and the changes taking place.

FIXX FIVE

What have you enjoyed most about FIXX?

Creating the perfect team and watching them grow has been amazing; having full creative control; meeting lots of different new faces; and watching the brand develop from absolutely nothing to something. We’ve also had a lot of laughs and a lot of fun along the way.

What have been your biggest challenges?

Surviving Covid was such an uncertain time; learning the business side of the salon as we go along is a completely new experience, especially in the current climate with increasing costs; and building a salon brand. However, hiring assistants, to keep up with our growing number of stylists, has been our biggest challenge. There’s certainly a lot of trial and error!

What are your biggest accomplishments as a salon?

We did our own photoshoot! Which was amazing, the whole team got involved and we used our own clients for a real authentic feel. Ben Page was our photographer and he made everyone feel totally comfortable.

What are you doing differently to other salons in the area?

We are dog friendly and a trans allies salon. We invest highly in regular training, product training and workshops – keeping up to date with current trends and new techniques is so important. We also have a Resilient Hairdresser membership, which is a fantastic resource to help manage stress levels and mood in a busy environment – happy staff, happy clients, right?

Any hair tips?

If you’re struggling to get your hair colour to last, think protection, protection, protection and use colour-safe shampoo and daily SPF for the hair. Everyday sun and heat-styling can dramatically fade your colour. And try washing your hair in cooler water as that will help to hold in the colour pigment.

ANIMAL PLANET

OutdOors

When it comes to nature-themed days out for the whole family, one thing that always unites the generations is spotting animals. We’re privileged here in the North West to have world-class honeypot destinations, including Chester Zoo, the Blue Planet Aquarium and Knowsley Safari Park, where you can get up close with some weird, exotic and fascinating creatures and contribute to their conservation and protection. But let’s not overlook some of the smaller attractions, because often we might prefer options that are closer to home, cheaper or lower key.

Here are three favourites:

The Garden House, Marple

The Garden House is a registered charity and community farm based in Marple Bridge, which plays home to a variety of animals, including pigs, alpacas, rabbits, goats, Shetland ponies and more. It also has a sensory garden and riverside walk, which provide a calm, tranquil space to enjoy the natural environment.

Donations of £5 per person. Under 3s are FREE.

Reddish Vale Farm

Reddish Vale Farm is a family-run animal farm park and riding school on the outskirts of Stockport. Kids can feed carrots to the bigger animals, including one of the biggest shire horses they’ll ever see, or they can quietly cuddle smaller creatures, such as rabbits, chicks and lambs. This place is loved by parents of young children for its seasonal themed days, such as the extremely popular Easter egg hunt, Halloween pumpkin picking and Christmas visits from Santa, and the tractor trailer ride out to visit the pigs in the far field is a real treat for the little ones.

Midweek offers start FROM £8.

Martin Mere

Martin Mere Wetland Centre, near Bur scough, is a great place to spend warmer days in nature, thanks to its cool and shady wetlands. It’s famous for being a wild habitat for birds, insects and aquatic mammals and you can ex plore their world with tours, including a canoe safari. Creatures range from some of the most eye-catching water birds from around the world – so, of course, you’ll see flamingos – to tiny underwater pond life that you can ob serve out in the water.

A full family ticket is £43.18. Under 4s are FREE.

By Oliver Chesher

Ask the Expert

Paul Dempsey

Owner of Town & Country Carpets, Paul has been creating beautiful flooring for over two decades. Learning the trade through installing products in the early days, to now owning three showrooms in Sale, Hale and Wilmslow; ensuring clients receive exceptional service along with products to suit any budget and design brief. From high-end, luxury carpets and woods to soft and silky synthetic carpets.

What is the latest trend in flooring?

Trends for this year and beyond are based around sustainability, with a definite move towards quality flooring materials that will stand the test of time, negating the need for quick replacements and giving way to a timeless look that has a simpler vibe. Herringbone-laid woods or luxury vinyl tiles continue to be popular, and I am seeing clients opting for more oak shades, which bring warmth and a classical, timeless look to a room. Loop pile carpets are often favoured on stairs and in bedrooms, adding texture and interest but with a calming quality.

How do you help a client decide?

First, consider the room where the flooring is going to be laid. Size, shape and lighting play an important part in making the right choice. Style is also important and whilst it is easy to get carried away with the many options in our showrooms, it is crucial that the flooring you choose suits what you already have in your home. Practicality is key, so consider footfall and room function as this will help influence your decision. We are there to help you.

How does business come to you?

Our business thrives on recommendations

from satisfied customers, which means it is of the utmost importance for us to give in-depth, thorough and honest advice when making important decisions around your flooring. We then go on to provide a professional and efficient installation service, with attention to detail that is second to none. As a company, we pride ourselves in providing an outstanding service and have built up an enviable reputation for quality, affordability, unrivalled customer service and consistency.

Terracotta vase with handles, £80, spicerandwood.co.uk

Angers Acacia wood chopping board, £32.99; Riflessi drinking glass, set of 6, £19.99; Excelsa Amal fi porcelain china dinnerware (set of 18), RRP £130.16; Lemons glass carafe, £31.99. All available at wayfair.co.uk

lemon vase, £345, thehouseful.com

Rattan sideboard, £599; Scandi oak mirror, £180; Iittala Nappula plant pot, £61; LSA International epoque round vase, £65; Broste Copenhagen Asger vase, £40; West Elm ceramic bottle vase, £21.75; Serax Costa pot, £42; Dartington Crystal posy vase, £30; Rectangle U shopper basket, £30; House by John Lewis Callum ceiling light, £30. All available from johnlewis.com

Mediterranean pattern sink, £69, little vanporium.com

By

Mediterranean vibes

Invest in gorgeous pieces designed to bring back memories of your vacay

The happy days of the holidays need not end after you step off your flight back to ‘real life’, because you can recreate the vibe in your very own home.

I don’t know about you, but I love the fresh whites and blues of Greece, the citrus lemon hues redolent of the Amalfi Coast and terracotta and aqua of exotic Marrakech.

The feel of a Mediterranean summer can be recreated in colour and in texture and the lightness of rattan, the rustic appeal of terracotta pottery and the glitter of gorgeous glassware are a great way to bring an airy holiday feel into the home and garden during the warmer weeks ahead.

A great reason for buying your garden furniture now means you can make some great savings, for example, this stunning sofa set from Housing Units is down from £2,547 at the moment. Buy now and you’ll be ‘Med-ready’ for next year.

And even when the nights draw in and get a little darker and cooler, your home will remain as bright and beautiful as any holiday haven. What’s not to love?

Souk wall-mounted water feature, £250, coxandcox.co.uk

Icon Kyoto round outdoor footstool in Aztec print, £49.99, beanabagbazaar.co.uk

Biarritz sun pillow, £188, uk.jonathanadler.com

Venice rattan garden lounge sofa set, £1,999, housingunits.co.uk

Janet Reeder

IVY AND DUKE OFFER A LUXURY RANGE OF FABRIC AND WATERPROOF, MEMORY FOAM DOG BEDS.

All of the covers on our beds are fully removable and machine washable, so keeping your dog’s bed clean and smelling fresh is easy! No more worries about muddy paws! All of our beds are handmade at our factory in Manchester, using the highest quality, locally sourced materials. From the sewing of the covers to laser cutting the labels, it is all done in-house. All dogs are unique so to ensure that we cater for dogs of all sizes, we offer a bespoke sizing service. Whether you have a small space you want to fit a bed into or have a Great Dane that needs a huge supportive bed, we have you covered. To make your dog feel extra special we can personalise any pillow, stocking or blanket with your dog's name.

OUR NEW FACTORY SHOWROOM IS NOW OPEN!

You can bring your loyal companions along to try out our beds for size and feel exactly how comfy our beds are! Dogs spend over half their lives asleep, so choosing the perfect bed is crucial. Treat your best friend to the bed they deserve

By Janet Reeder | Images Paul Morgans

The woof guide to The Refuge at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel

frequent the bar, but I could also accompany my humans into the restaurant itself. A huge, windowed, light-infused, New York loft-like restaurant that’s upmarket without being up itself.

It’s often hard for humans who don’t want to leave their dogs at home. They are banished to the outdoors in all weathers just for the privilege of having us sit close by and look into their eyes with a face that says, ‘feed me’.

On the day we headed over to The Refuge, which is a bar and restaurant based in the majestic Kimpton Clocktower Hotel on Oxford Road in Manchester, they went to see an exhibition at the new Aviva Studios. Of course, they both had to go in to see the exhibition separately as even art-loving dogs like me aren’t allowed in the gallery space, but I’m pleased to report I am al lowed in the ‘Social’, which is the name of the bar/café area, so doggies and their owners won’t be missing out on all the action when the impressive arts venue officially opens in October.

Neither are we made to feel third class at the Refuge, because not only could I

The staff here are really, really friendly. If they had tails, I think they’d wag all the time. And they are helpful without being pushy or annoying. I mean Francesca, who was lovely and friendly to me never kept doing that annoying thing of pouring wine as soon as the humans had taken a few sips and although she had to explain the menu, which had big plates and small plates, she didn’t spend ages boring us all with the details.

I had my own bowl of water, while the wine they drank was a light, slightly fizzy Vinho Verde. If it had been a Sunday, I could have had a dog roast – a roast dinner designed for pooches, but because it was a weekday, I was given delicious treats, plus I had a taste of whipped Kidderton Ash goat’s cheese, which was super-nice for humans as it was topped with a hot sauce called zhug. I was also allowed a tiny piece of the dry-aged sirloin steak, jazzed up with zhug and another Middle Eastern sauce called shatta. I was allowed to sit at the table and watch as small plates of highly addictive Padrón peppers, charred carrots coated in a spicy roasted mix called za’atar, blackened tenderstem broccoli, which was revved up with crispy onion dukkha and artichokes and aioli were delivered to the table. After such delicious ness, they had to have puddings – the sticky toffee pudding was OK, but the

chocolate and raspberry delice was excellent. On the whole though, the cooking was fantastic and as you’d expect from The Refuge, a little bit leftfield. It’s a beau tiful, modern restaurant space and we all love the big, busy bar too. And noth ing is too much trouble for the staff, especially when it comes to pleasing dog guests.

Also, Just in case you don’t know, it's Na tional Dog Day on August 26th and Kimpton Clocktower will be rolling out the red carpet for humans and their hounds. That’s definitely something to bark about.

Kimptonclocktowerhotel.com

“Is this the most dog-friendly restaurant in Manchester?” asks Peppa

The Swinging Sixties

When my big brother, Marcus, flew out last month for his first holiday with us, I really had not anticipated his apparent pensioner-pin-up status here. To me, he is my 61-years-young, newly separated, fa vourite sibling, but to the single, overfifty women of Nerja, he was pure catnip. You see, the single ratio of women to men here is not in the women’s favour. So, when a sixty-something man arrives, with a full head of hair, two functioning hips, his own teeth and the ability to string a sen tence together, word spreads fast.

Tuesday morning Padel Club was my first encounter with this strange phenomenon. Highly intelligent, independent, attractive women suddenly started simpering like

teenagers, twirling their hair, licking their lips and strutting their stuff around the court. Me, mortified. My brother, absolutely loving it. Encounter number two, Gardening Club’s monthly meeting at my house. In stead of talking all things Monty Don, they were crossing their legs Sharon Stone-style whilst throwing their heads back, laughing loudly at all of Marcus’ jokes. Me, mortified. My brother, again, absolutely loving it.

But these were just warm-up acts to the main mating event, La Noche de San Juan festival, down at Burriana Beach or, as I now like to call it, spring break for oldies. The over-fifty female international com munity were out in force, having heard fresh meat had arrived. As soon as we stepped on the beach, I was greeted like a long-lost friend by women I barely knew, desperate for an introduction. Meanwhile, the over sixty-five cougars took a more direct approach, moving in to form a tight circle around him, each looking to drag their prey to a secluded spot to feed undisturbed.

As my brother seemed to still be loving the attention, I left him to it. But after a

couple of hours, Marcus appeared at my side, looking dishevelled, out of breath and, frankly, a little scared. “Hide me. Now.” Not knowing what was going on, but sensing alarm in my usually confident brother, I shoved him into a friend’s nearby pop-up tent. Just in time too, because a posse of sangria-filled, swingingsixties senoras descended on me. “Where is he?” Yvonne from Sweden demanded angrily. “It's time to go skinny dipping,” shouted Parisian Marie. “It's my turn to dance with him,” whined Dublin-born Caitlin from the back. Sensing my brother quaking, I protectively lied: “I’m so sorry, Marcus had to head home, his colostomy bag needed changing.” But, as they shuffled off, disheartened, I felt bad about lying to them, especially when I heard Mia from Frankfurt forlornly mut tering, “See, I told you he was too good to be true.”

But as soon as the coast was clear, up popped my brother, now giggling. Apolo gising to him profusely, he simply replied: “What on earth are you sorry for? Best trip of my life. Haven’t had this much action in years. I just need some wingmen, can’t handle that lot on my own.” And with that, off he shot to WhatsApp his rugby club teammates of ‘83, inviting them out for the Festival de las 3 Culturas in Frigiliana next month. Oh, dear lord.

Right, must dash! Just heard his sexagenarians are coming over. Fifteen of them. Marcus has bagged a lastminute villa cancellation. With hot tub. And I really need to make sure it has a defibrillator…

London Restaurants worth travelling for…

London has long been a haven of top restaurants and bars, with people travelling from far and wide to visit what are considered some of the best restaurants in the world. And with all of the capital’s spoils (almost) on our doorstep, here’s our pick of the best places to eat on your next trip to London.

The Fan Favourite – Zuma London

A celebrity and foodie favourite, Zuma is one of the most established and well-regarded Japanese restaurants not just in London but around the world. The very first Zuma opened its doors in London 21 years ago, but this restaurant is certainly not stuck in the past. Zuma remains a must-visit for those looking for a sophisticated take on Japanese izakaya-style dining.

“2023 sees Zuma London celebrating our 21st anniversary. As the original flagship location of what is now an international restaurant group, we are thankful to all our guests over the years for their custom. For those who haven’t visited yet, the miso black cod is a firm fan favourite!”, according to General Manager Natalia Pasich.

Must try: Miso marinated black cod wrapped in hoba leaf

Zuma London, 5 Raphael St, London SW7 1DL | Open every day for lunch 12 noon-3pm & dinner 6pm-11.30pm

The New Kid on the Block – Pavyllon London

Fresh on the block, Pavyllon London opened its doors on the 1st of July and is much more than a new restaurant, marking the arrival of the lauded French chef Yannick Alléno to the capital. Famous for his sauce techniques, guests can expect a creative, ever-changing menu with dishes rooted in French gastronomy, inspired by Great British produce.

Chef Yannick told us: “Pavyllon London is an embodiment of my lifelong dream to redefine French dining. It combines my family's bistro-running legacy with my passion for culinary innovation. I am so thrilled to now be open in London, after dreaming of this for many years, and look forward to welcoming guests to Pavyllon London so they can experience our live kitchen counter dining for themselves!"

Must try: Thin langoustine tart with osciètre caviar

Pavyllon London, Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, Hamilton Place, London W1J 7DR

Open for breakfast 6.30am-11am, lunch 12pm-5.30pm & dinner 6pm-10.30pm

The Theatrical Steakhouse – Grill 88

Another freshly opened restaurant to try is Grill 88, located within The Biltmore Mayfair on Grosvenor Square. Fast becoming a go-to spot for convivial dinners, private gatherings and celebrations, Grill 88 serves up high-quality steaks and seafood, all grilled over specially sourced Holm Oak charcoal. For a touch of theatre, you can order steak cooked live at the table on Himalayan salt, or peek into the open-plan kitchen.

“When I designed the menu, I wanted to create a variety of prime beef cuts, including grain-fed Japanese A5 Kagoshima black breed ribeye wagyu, and large cuts to share, including the full-blood wagyu Chateaubriand,” said Executive Chef Luis Campos.

Must try: Black pork Iberico presa, cooked at the table

Grill 88, The Biltmore Mayfair, 44 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 2HP

Open Tuesday-Sunday from 6pm-10.30pm

The Quintessentially British Spot – Charlie's

Charlie’s at Brown’s Hotel in the heart of Mayfair is the perfect place for all the family. With menus overseen by Chef Director Adam Byatt (of Trinity fame), Charlie’s is serving up a revitalised menu of British classics with European influences, using exceptional local produce.

New Head Chef, Michael Shaw, told us: “At Charlie’s we strive to incorporate the finest British ingredients and create a truly unique dining experience for our guests. We evolve the menu frequently to coincide with the changing seasons to deliver classic dishes but with a modern twist.”

Must try: Charlie’s Sunday roast, served from a silver trolley

Charlie's, Brown's Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel, Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4BP

Open Monday-Saturday for lunch 12 noon-3pm & dinner 6pm-10pm; Sunday for lunch 12.30pm-3.30pm

The Grande Dame of East-meets-West – Sumosan Twiga

Located in Knightsbridge, Sumosan Twiga is a unique spot that brings together the culinary excellence of the Japanese Sumosan restaurants and the Italian Twiga by Flavio Briatore. But this is much more than a restaurant. Pay a visit to the bar for sundowner cocktails, to the restaurant for dinner, or to the downstairs club for late-night festivities to the soundtrack of world-class DJs.

Through the summer, this Knightsbridge institution has undergone a dramatic transformation, opening its doors with a whole new look this September. Whether you’re a Japanese food lover or prefer Italian flavours, Sumosan Twiga really does give the best of both, with two menus that combine the beauty of Japanese culture with the timeless magic of Italian tradition.

Must try: Wagyu sando sandwich or the salted crusted branzino

Sumosan Twiga, 165 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9QB Monday-Thursday from 6.30pm-1am, Friday-Sunday from 7pm-2am

NAXOS

Naxos is the largest and most fertile island in the Cyclades and, undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful and most popular summer destinations.

Think endless beaches, crystal clear waters, picturesque villages, rich history and delicious local produce...

By Beverley Uddin-Khandakar

Here, you’ll find nice bars, serving colourful and delicious cocktails, nightclubs with music for the young and not-soyoung, and tavernas and restaurants with live bouzouki music and tasty specialities.

It is also the Cycladic Island with the longest coast. The most popular beaches are located on the western side and are considered the most beautiful in the Aegean Sea. Clear turquoise water and pure soft sand are the main features of the shores. Naxos was one of the last islands of the Cyclades to open its gates to tourism and why it has kept its natural, unspoiled beauty.

When entering the port by ferry, you can see Portara, the island’s landmark. It’s a huge marble doorway, built in the 6th century BC as a temple dedicated to Apollo that was never completed. Centuries later, it stands proud and welcomes all travellers arriving on the island and is apparently the best place to see the sunset.

Because of its plains and valleys, Naxos is famous for being fertile and produces agricultural products like olives and high-quality wine. Although its meat and cheese are very good too!

Naxos offers interesting archaeological sites, such as temples, beautiful Byzantine churches and Venetian towers, and there are organised hiking trails passing through the fields of olive trees, traditional villages and abandoned settlements, making this island a popular hiking destination.

GETTING THERE

Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades islands. It has an airport; however, you can’t fly direct from Manchester. You can fly to Athens and get an internal flight to Naxos or hop on a ferry, which, in my opinion, is the only way to travel around the islands. Or you can do what we did, fly to Santorini and get the Seajet to Naxos. The ferries are nothing like they were on my first visit to Spetse in my 20s. They now have Seajets, offering speed, luxury and brand-new lounges. Seajets operates the largest high-speed fleet in the Aegean and one of the most comfortable and punctual fleets in the Mediterranean. Whether you visit a single island or you go island hopping, the largest network of high-speed vessels worldwide guarantees a great trip. seajets.com

WHERE TO STAY

Next to Saint George beach, one of the most beautiful beaches of the island, is Hotel Princess of Naxos, a well-maintained hotel with good rooms in a peaceful location. There’s a nice swimming pool looking out to the sea and the hotel offers easy access to the beach and town too.

Saint George beach offers a wide variety of watersports (water skis, banana, wakeboard, tubes, kneeboard, sea jet, cycling, canoeing, sailing) with organised schools and qualified instructors for groups or individuals. www.princessofnaxos.com

WHERE TO EAT

Meze Meze

Meze Meze serves tasty grilled sea bass as well as a great choice of Greek and Mediterranean dishes. It’s one of the busiest restaurants on the waterfront and worth the wait should you have to queue for a table. Service is efficient, food is fresh and it’s a great spot to sit and people-watch. Highly recommended, but don’t over-order as portions are large. Facebook - mezemezenaxos

Boulamatsis

A lovely, cosy and authentic Greek, family restaurant in the Old Town of Naxos. It was empty when we sat down, but by the time we left, it was full; obviously a popular restaurant. We ordered bread with dips, followed by prawns and sea bass. Boulamatsis had a very laid-back atmosphere and wasn’t too expensive.

Overall, the beaches, the gastronomy, the architecture and the activities make Naxos a great example of an island that has preserved its natural beauty and traditional character. And it’s no secret that many tourists visiting Naxos go back year after year

Naxos is a destination that satisfies any taste and offers a wide variety of activities for its visitors – beautiful beaches, traditional villages, delicious food, archaeological sites, numerous hiking paths, windsur fing, kitesur fing spots, and beautiful weather.

Apricot & almond olive oil cake

Spiced beef & chorizo pasties

Grilled sweetcorn & tomato salad

THE PERFECT PICNIC

Food editor, stylist and author Angela Boggiano and her photographer husband, Craig Robertson, owners of At the Kitchen in Cheadle Hulme, share their recipe ideas.

Spiced beef & chorizo pasties

The pastry for these pasties is really simple and easy to make, giving a crispy pastry that is perfect for transporting on a picnic. However, feel free to use ready-made shortcrust pastry if you wish.

Makes 12

For the pastry:

300g plain flour

150g butter, place in the freezer for 10 minutes

Pinch of salt

For the filling:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

250g minced beef

100g cooking chorizo, finely chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded & chopped

finely

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp tomato puree

200ml beef stock

Large bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped

1 medium egg, beaten

75g mature cheddar cheese, grated

1. To make the pastry, place the flour in a large bowl and grate the butter on the largest cutter into the flour. Add the salt and about 100ml ice-cold water. Carefully mix together until a dough has formed. Knead lightly and then wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for the filling, heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Stir in the minced beef and chorizo and cook until the beef is browned. Add the red pepper, cumin seeds, paprika and tomato puree. Season well with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes, then pour in the stock and simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced, leaving you with a lovely, thickened sauce. Remove from the heat, stir through the coriander and set aside to cool completely.

3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Cut the pastry in half and roll out one half to a 3mm thickness and then, using a saucer or bowl measuring

12cm, cut out circles. You will get approximately 6 discs from each half of pastry. Divide the filling between the 12 doughcircles and brush the edges with a little of the beaten egg. Fold over the dough to enclose the filling and press along the edges to seal. Press a fork along the edges to seal. Brush with egg, sprinkle with cheese and when you have completed all the pasties, bake for 15 minutes until golden and crispy.

Grilled sweetcorn & tomato salad

This speedy, fresh salad is perfect for barbecues and summer picnics. Just add the corn to the barbecue and then chop and stir with juicy tomatoes and a tangy lime dressing and fresh coriander.

Serves 4

2 corns on the cob

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small, red onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp lime juice

250g pack cherry tomatoes, halved

1 green chilli, finely sliced

½ cucumber, chopped

Bunch radishes, trimmed & thinly sliced

30g fresh coriander, chopped

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Use either a barbecue or heat a griddle pan until hot. Brush the corn with the vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the corn on the barbecue or griddle pan and cook for about 10 minutes, turning regularly until charred and cooked.

2. Place the red onion in a large serving bowl and spoon over a tablespoon of the lime juice and toss together well. Set aside whilst you cook the corn.

3. When the corn is cooked, leave it to cool for a few minutes. Holding the corn cob upright, cut the kernels off the cob using a sharp knife. Place the kernels in the bowl with the onion and then add the tomatoes, chilli, cucumber, radishes and coriander. Stir through the coriander and mix everything together well.

4. Pour over the remaining lime juice and

extra virgin olive oil and season well to taste. Toss everything together and serve alongside the pasties.

Apricot & almond olive oil cake

When apricots are in season, you have got to make the most of them, and this cake really does make them sing. The combination of apricots and almonds is a beautiful pairing and it’s such a simple recipe to put together. Olive oil creates a light, textured sponge along with the yoghurt – a perfect summer treat simply served with crème fraîche.

Serves 8-10

8 ripe apricots

200g caster sugar

180g self-raising flour

40g ground almonds

150ml olive oil

4 medium eggs

100ml full-fat natural yoghurt

2 tsp almond extract

2 tbsp flaked almonds or chopped pistachio nuts (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas

4. Grease and line a 23cm x 16cm baking tin. Cut the apricots in half and remove the stone. Place in a bowl and add 20g of the sugar and toss together well. Set aside.

2. Place the flour, ground almonds and remaining sugar into a mixing bowl and mix everything together well.

3. In a separate bowl or jug, pour in the oil, eggs, yoghurt and almond extract. Whisk everything together.

4. Pour the wet egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until you have a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the cake tin and top with the apricot halves, cut side up. Scatter with flaked almonds or pistachio nuts if using.

5. Place in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove and transfer to a wire cooling rack and leave to cool completely. Serve in squares with a crème fraîche.

Photos: Craig Robertson

A long-awaited Gail’s Bakery has opened in the old HSBC building on Wilmslow Road. Handmade bread, pastries and cakes are baked throughout the day in all Gail’s bakeries and served with handroasted, speciality-grade house blend coffee. Everything is made with care, and by hand, according to the season.

Gail’s Didsbury bakery has a small number of outdoor tables, so weather permitting, could be the perfect start (or end) to your day, enjoying a cinnamon bun and coffee soaking up the sun, but failing that, whatever time of day, there’s plenty of indoor seating to save disappointment.

Everyone is welcome at Gails. The team believes in the power of the community and gives back as much as it can by donating any leftover food to 95 charities in its neighbourhoods. And it's always looking for more charities, so if you are passionate about a cause, Gail’s urges you to contact them.

Sustainable packaging is used wherever possible and everything else is, at a minimum, recyclable or compostable. The Didsbury bakery is open from 7am-6pm, SundayFriday and until 7pm on Saturdays.

You can order online for a home or office delivery or click and collect. A catering service is also available and if you’re looking for a foodie gift, check out the website for a hamper, gift box, gift card or order a box to bake at home. You can even buy a Gail’s cookbook.

Make sure you’re not hungry whilst checking out their website. Just saying…

Riva Blu Italian Restaurant & Bar Manchester

menu boasts 20 new dishes, including ex clusive ‘Biga’ dough pizzas, made inhouse by master baker Davide Argentino. This super-light dough will be sliced, Italian style, at the table with scissors. Sal setta a limone and salsetta n’duja dips will complement the lightness of the dough, which is so tasty, you won’t want to leave even the crusts!

Capturing a true taste of Italy, other menu items include staples like linguine vongole, tuna tartare and Gamberi Rossi. There will also be dishes that capture the vibrance of Naples’ street food, such as mozzarella, ham and pea frittatina, arancini and pop lette di melanzane.

– made with its very own limoncello. Made exclusively with lemons from the Amalfi Coast, this zesty limoncello will even feature in a new tiramisu offering. The re freshing limoncello tiramisu will be made at the table right in front of guests, so they can really soak in the atmosphere!

Riva Blu’s revived summer offering is set to combine the glamour of the Amalfi Coast with the edgy back streets of Naples.

Using only the finest and freshest ing redients, Riva’s impressive summer

The menu will be paired with a new, or ganic wine list for the season.

If that wasn’t enough, Riva Blu will also be serving up an exclusive Limoncello Spritz

June will also see the art of aperitivo arriv ing in Manchester. Served until 7:30pm, light nibbles will be offered with all aperitivo drinks, including a selection of Italian wines, Campari cocktails and beer. What better way to enjoy the sun than by kicking back on Riva Blu’s summer terrace, surrounded by lemon trees, with a cold drink and an authentic Italian nibble? After all, Italian dining is all about ‘la dolce vita’!

Riva Blu Italian Restaurant & Bar

11 Corn Exchange

Manchester M4 3TR

Tendinopathy Clinic at the OrthTeam Centre

Tendinopathy is the general term for a range of medical conditions in and around tendons, usually arising from ‘overuse’ injuries and which are often accompanied by pain, weakness, inflammation or stiffness.

OrthTeam experts treat a wide range of tendon problems, which include:

Patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee) –is pain in the patellar tendon, a band of tissue connecting the kneecap (patella) to the shin bone (tibia). It’s usually caused by repetitive activities, such as running based sports, basketball and volleyball.

Common symptoms: Pain just beneath the kneecap during activities such as jumping, running, kicking and squatting.

Elbow tendinopathy – is associated with repetitive use activities of the wrist and hand, and results from overuse of the ten dons on the outside or inside of the elbow. Lateral elbow tendinopathy or ‘tennis

elbow’ and medial elbow tendinopathy (golfer’s elbow) affect many people, not just athletes.

Common symptoms: The primary sensation is pain on the outer or inner aspect of the elbow. Lateral elbow tendinopathy (tennis elbow) involves the common extensor tendon origin and is felt on the outside of the elbow. Medial elbow tendinopathy (golfer’s elbow) involves the common flexor tendon origin and is felt on the inside of the elbow. Pain typically develops gradually and at the start following exercise, but later, there may be pain also at rest. Stiffness or tightness in the elbow and forearm re gion may also be present.

Achilles tendinopathy – is a painful con dition affecting the Achilles tendon and tends to be an overuse injury. Profes sional and weekend athletes can suffer from the condition, however, it’s also common in people not involved in sport. Sometimes, it can be related to certain types of arthritis.

Common symptoms: Pain at the back of the heel and in the middle of the tendon, also causing pain with running and jumping activities and sometimes painful when walking, swelling and tenderness of the Achilles tendon.

Diagnosis and treatment of tendinopathy

Your OrthTeam Sport and Exercise Medicine Consultant will take a full medical history, focusing on common risk factors, and an examination is usually fol lowed by an ultrasound or MRI scan to confirm the diagnosis and to look for any associated problems, such as a tear within the tendon.

Your specialist will advise you on how to modify any identified risk factors and how to adapt exercise. The treatment will depend on where you’re experiencing tendinopathy and may include physiotherapy, nutritional advice (including optimal protein intake and collagen), an ultrasoundguided injection of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) or corticosteroid, shockwave therapy or GTN patches.

Dr John Rogers Dr Rebecca Robinson Dr Jim Kerss

The OrthTeam Centre’s Sport and Exercise Medicine Consultants

Incredible design plans for St Ann’s Hospice go above and beyond usual stereotypes

Axi, an architecture and interior design studio in Manchester, is creating the interior design of a world-class palliative care facility akin to a five-star hotel for St Ann’s Hospice’s new building.

The group has designed a comfortable, homely and welcoming space while keeping the infection control and hygiene levels that are vital for the facility as a priority at all times.

This is all due to its clever interior design solutions, which will create a technically compliant and unique Manchester hospice. Axi has been working with St Ann’s Hospice since the start of last year and has designed a thorough and well-thought-out design plan using CGI. Both St Ann’s and Axi were clear from the beginning that their vision for the new building was for it not to look like a typical hospice, and that it didn’t have that often overly medical or clinical feel.

Their main goal is to make the space a welcoming area for families to come to gether and for those at the hospice to feel as close to home as possible.

Sarah de Freitas, Creative Director of Axi, says: “We want the new hospice to be somewhere friendly and relaxing, not sterile, which these places can often be. We want patients and families to feel relaxed and at ease when they are at the hospice.

“We’re keeping the bedrooms simple with clean lines and a neutral palette. All necessary medical equipment will be housed within considered joinery, preventing the rooms from feeling cluttered. By pairing timbers with a neutral colour palette, we’ll provide a calm and relaxing environment.

“A timber-effect vinyl flooring will be used for practicality, but we have worked with specialist suppliers to ensure it looks as close to real timber as possible. We have opted for a lighter-toned wood to keep the space bright and to provide a clean and contemporary look.

“The use of timber connects with the architect’s vision for the building itself, all the rooms are positioned around a central courtyard, allowing each patient to have their own terrace space and direct access into the communal gardens. We have tried to use this vision of connecting patients to nature where possible when making interior design decisions.”

Lucy Atwood, interior designer at Axi, added: “By introducing softer colours and tones, such as blues and greens, we will keep the rooms feeling fresh. We’ll also be installing sheer curtains and any other homely touches that keep those at the hospice feeling comfortable.

“Another important feature is the soft lighting, which will be used instead of the glaring clinical lights associated with a very sterile environment. Making each room a soft, inviting and calm space will mimic the overall feel of the new building.

“Providing a practical environment for the hospice staff to work in is at the forefront of our minds when designing the new build, as we have juggled many aspects to create the perfect space. Com bining medical needs and hospitality will make a welcoming environment, which we can’t wait to see come to life.”

Axi has been working alongside the architects and team from the hospice, with a collaborative approach combining all aspects of the new build.

Anne-Marie Wynne, Head of Fundraising at St Ann’s, said: “It has been an exciting process to work with the team at Axi and bring our vision for the new hospice to life. We are all committed to ensuring the new hospice is a welcoming, relaxing place for our patients and their families. The designs by Axi have more than achieved this vision and we think together we have created something really special.”

Central to the design of the new hospice are the 21 private bedrooms. You can help to bring these beautiful rooms to life by sponsoring a bedroom. To find out more, visit www.sah.org.uk/newhospicebedrooms

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We pride ourselves on quality and reliability supporting the most vulnerable people in our community. We have a “GOOD” rating with the CQC and our team are fully qualified and experienced in handling all tasks required in later life. Each client has their own care plan personalised to their needs, this can vary from companionship, shopping and providing personal care in the home.

We provide each client with the utmost respect and ensure they are able to stay in their homes for as long as possible. Due to our diligent and trustworthy service we have been recognised in the community

and Zeenat has won Registered Manager of the Year award in 2022. This expertise, knowledge and close team network puts us at the top of the social care provider list with the local authority and private clients. The team at SureCare Trafford are provided with full resources and training to ensure safe and compliant working methods. This is shown in our rating of 9.9 in the Homecare network.

The team is cosmopolitan and has a vast amount of experience in different lan guages and skill sets. All clients are welcomed and we ensure that the carers are matched up to clients based on

Zeenat: Registered Manager of the Year award in 2022.

The Private GP & Night Doctor Service

We are a group of experienced GPs based in South Manchester, we offer the highest level of medical care, above and beyond the NHS. Whilst the NHS is a good system, demand has increased so much that it has become almost impossible for it to offer the prompt and personal care that we all wish for.

We believe our registered patients want a professional service with peace of mind at all times – from prompt telephone advice, a face to face consultation or organising an admission into hospital, anytime, day or night – all provided by a small group of doctors whom they know.

Hopefully, you will not need to see a doctor urgently, but accidents or illnesses can occur when least expected, and having to travel or wait several hours for healthcare can only make the ordeal worse.

You can stay registered with your NHS GP, as our aim is not to replace your care but to work alongside it, providing you with our extra medical care when you or your family need it most.

4

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It only takes two minutes to register online today, so we can look after you in the future. Dr

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If this service is of interest to you or your family, please contact us to register.

family

Bruce Jobling

incision is made (scalpel or non scalpel) in the scrotum to get to the vas deferens. The vas deferens are then cut, tied and sealed off. The wound is then closed with absorbable stitches.

It is important to note that a vasectomy does not affect a man’s sex drive or ability to have sexual activity. A vasectomy procedure usually takes about 15-30 minutes in total. The decision to have a vasectomy is not one that should be taken lightly. You and your partner should take time to really think about whether it is the right choice for you. A vasectomy should be considered a permanent form of contraception when you are sure that you do not want more or

children.

3. Quick recovery: The procedure itself is relatively quick and the recovery time is usually short. Most men can return to their normal activities within a few days.

4. Cost-effective: Vasectomies are a cost-effective form of birth control.

5. No hormones: Some forms of birth control involve the female taking the oral contraceptive pill, which contains hormones. These can have side-effects and a vasectomy avoids that. This makes it a great option for men whose partner does not want to take hormones or who cannot take hormones due to medical reasons.

of early failure of 1 in 250 patients where there is persistent sperm on post-op semen analysis and late failure of 1 in 2000 patients where the end of the tubes rejoin after initial negative semen analysis.

If you would like to speak to our team about having a vasectomy, please call us on 0161 327 1269 or email us at info@urologyclinics.co.uk.

their clinics.

Mr Karyee Chow, Consultant Urological Surgeon

Mr J. Graham Young, Consultant Urological Surgeon

Ask the Expert

Mr J. Graham Young

Mr J. Graham Young is a consultant urological surgeon based at Wythenshawe Hospital and the Alexandra Hospital, Cheadle. Appointed in 2008, after extensive training in Cambridge, Oxford and the Bristol Urological Institute, he has a vast experience of general urological conditions and a subspecialist interest in endourology and kidney stone disease.

Why have I got a kidney stone?

We don’t always know why stones form. Sometimes, there are inherited conditions or metabolic abnormalities that need to be investigated. For most people, it is probably a mixture of what we eat and drink. The most important factors are poor fluid intake and diets with too much salt, sugar and protein. The Atkins diet is not good for avoiding stones!

What problems can kidney stones cause? Small stones sitting in your kidney are often harmless and do not necessarily need any treatment. However, if a stone

moves into your kidney tube (ureter), then it can cause incredibly severe pain and block your kidney.

What can I do to avoid them?

The most important factor is to maintain a high fluid intake. A healthy diet, low in salt and refined sugars and high in fibre, is recommended. One example of these types of healthy diets is the DASH diet.

What treatments can I have for kidney stones? There are a variety of treatments available. Sometimes, we do not need to treat stones if they are very small and not

causing any problems, such as blockage, and the stones can just be monitored. There are non-invasive treatments, such as shockwave treatment, which breaks up the stones and you can then pass the small fragments. There are also surgical treatments under an anaesthetic, where we break stones up with a laser or remove them with keyhole surgery. Another important aspect of treatment, which we feel it is important not to neglect, are biochemical tests to see if there is any underlying reason for you making stones.

Founder at Delamere Health Ltd, the UK's only purpose-built addiction treatment clinic, Martin has been helping people grow beyond addiction for over a decade. As someone with lived and professional experience in the field of addiction and mental health, Martin is passionate about stamping out stigma and making recovery accessible.

What are the symptoms of addiction? Addiction is quite simply the repetition of a behaviour, despite negative consequences.

In struggling with alcohol or prescription medication, some people become physically dependent and require clinical detox to stop safely and prevent withdrawal symptoms. With 'process addiction' or behavioural addiction (e.g. gambling, sex, internet), the psychological aspects can be just as devastating. Addiction affects all manner of people and the way in which it does can vary. For anyone who's questioning their relationship with alcohol, substances or behaviour, if it is costing you more than money and you're unable to set limits, it's time to reach out for professional help.

How do I help someone who’s struggling with addiction?

Denial is often symptomatic of addiction and as such, friends, family and colleagues tend to realise that addiction has become an issue long before the person who themselves is struggling does. Rather than pointing the finger, try outlining how their behaviour is affecting or concerning you.

How is addiction treated?

At Delamere, we take a holistic approach which means we look at the whole person and work with them to arrive at a care plan that suits their individual needs. Many guests who stay with us need a detox initially and this is provided by our medical

team. Once the addictive fog has started to lift, our programmes help guests identify what has been underpinning the addictive behaviour and how to acquire a set a tools to help them stay well, long term. Most guests stay 4-6 weeks and return for weekly aftercare for 12 months. Addiction can be treated and recovery is possible. Delamere.com

Martin Preston

How to avoid cycling's most common injury before it sidelines you

In the UK, the total number of miles cycled per year has increased from 3 bil lion to 5 billion post-Covid.

As cycling continues to increase in pop ularity, unfortunately, so does the number of cycling related accidents. A broken collarbone or clavicle is one of the most common injuries for a cyclist. Sadly, most professional cyclists will break their collarbone at some point in their career and it is often regarded as a ‘rite of passage’.

A broken collarbone is usually the result of the way that a rider falls, as the majority of people tend to extend their arm/s to break a fall. The force travels through the arm and up to the shoulder. The collarbone is usually the weakest link in the chain and tends to break first.

Our shoulder team recommends the following steps to minimise the risk of injury:

● Try not to fall – this is often easier said than done as cyclists can take risks especially with speed. Keep in mind that this is more likely to happen on a descent because you will be moving faster and you are tilted forward.

● Be aware of your surroundings –look out for rocks and tree stumps, especially when going off-road/track as these are the obstacles that often cause a sudden stop.

● Make sure that your pedals are level –distribute your weight evenly between the left and right pedal. If you are unbalanced while riding, you will be more likely to go over the handlebars.

● Exercise caution when riding on wet surfaces – as this can make turns particularly treacherous.

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer from a fall or collision, and feel that something might be wrong with your collarbone, look out for these signs which might indicate a fracture:

● Pain that increases with shoulder movement

● Swelling

● Tenderness and bruising

● A bulge on or near your shoulder

● Stiffness or inability to move your shoulder.

If you do suspect you have a broken collarbone, you should see a doctor or specialist straight away as early diagnosis and treatment are key.

Education News

Activities week at Manchester Grammar School

Every year, pupils at The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) take part in Activities Week during the summer term. All teaching stops and every pupil chooses to do a week-long activity. Pupils enthusiastically take up the opportunity to explore and experience a variety of activities, including watersports, cricket, drama, natural history, cooking, art, mountain biking, computer science and martial arts, to name just a few… Life beyond the classroom is one of the special things about MGS and it is a key part of what the school is about. Activities Week offers pupils the chance to challenge themselves, develop teamwork and leadership skills, make friends and have fun!

Busy bees at Withington Girls’ School

As Withington Girls’ School’s academic year neared its close, the penultimate week of the summer term was action-packed, with pupils and staff immersed in a busy schedule of activities and events.

From a wonderful production of the musical comedy Sister Act for around 100 senior citizen guests – one of four Withington performances of the show held that week –to an extensive whole-school programme of community-based initiatives during Withington’s annual Citizenship Day, the focus was on giving back to the community, teamwork and pushing personal comfort zones to make a positive difference to others.

Under this year’s Citizenship Day theme of ‘Bee the Change’, chosen to illustrate how small behavioural changes can create lasting impact, Withington’s pupils participated in a range of activities both in and out of school. In the most extensive collection of external projects undertaken since Citizenship Day was first introduced as part of the school’s PSHCE curriculum in 2005, vol unteering work included environmental improvements, gardening, painting, writing, team building, reading and litter picking to provide practical help to a variety of local causes and charities.

One of the end-of-term highlights for many was Withington’s Sister Act, the school’s first large-scale production since the pandemic. The performing arts extravaganza, filled with drama, high-energy dance routines and rousing disco and soul music, saw nearly 100 cast members, musicians and production teams rehearsing over many months to deliver a fun and uplifting show, which was also enjoyed on one afternoon by senior citizens from across south Man chester. Local community groups and care home residents had been invited to a special matinee performance – complete with a delicious interval afternoon tea – and from the rapturous applause, the rhythmic tapping in time to the music and the glowing feedback after the event, the production went down a treat with Withington’s VIP audience.

Earlier in the same week, based on a comparison of school fees with public ex amination outcomes, Withington had been named by The Telegraph as the ‘best value independent school in the country’. “This is, of course, only one measure of the education a school provides, but we are de lighted to see these outstanding achievements of our school recognised,” said Withington Headmistress Mrs Sarah Haslam.

Paying tribute to the Withington School community, Mrs Haslam continued that as the end of the academic year approached, there had been many high points, with so much to celebrate and share.

“What a super week it was. We are immensely proud of our pupils, who consistently demonstrate a strong sense of community spirit and who, in this year’s Citizenship Day projects, worked so well both in teams and as individuals, drawing upon their talents, care and creativity to make a positive differ ence. It was a pleasure also as part of the day’s events to welcome in our senior neighbours to watch Sister Act – they were absolutely thrilled with their afternoon at Withington. And what a joy it was for us all to see Sister Act come to life on our stage on three evenings during that week. How to sum up this exceptional production? Joyous and uplifting for performers and audiences alike, the four performances will live long in the memory. The quality of the show was superb, the spirit of the production and the atmosphere in the Arts Centre in spirational. We all felt we had been part of something very special indeed.”

WHOLE SCHOOL OPEN EVENTS

THURSDAY 2ND & SATURDAY 4TH NOVEMBER

If you wish to attend these events or be kept up to date on other opportunities to learn more about a Withington education please call 0161 249 3371 or email admissions@wgs.org

Means-tested bursaries available at key entry points from Year 5.

STOCKPORT GRAMMAR SCHOOL

An independent school for children ages 3-18 years Assistance with fees available at 11+ and 16+ (means tested), academic and music scholarships

Senior School Open Events

Saturday 23rd September

Saturday 11th November

Junior School Open Event

Saturday 23rd September

Sixth Form Open Evening

Tuesday 10th October

Book online for open events

School Day Tours available

Extensive school bus routes including Sale, Altrincham and Didsbury.

SGS Inspires SGS Inspires

www.stockportgrammar.co.uk

Stockport Grammar summer of outdoor adventure

At the end of the summer term, almost 70 Year 8 pupils from Stockport Grammar School headed to Mid Wales for an actionpacked week of outdoor adventures. They enjoyed a night under the stars, camping in the Welsh countryside, before returning to the Outward Bound centre at Aberdovey.

From there, the students had great adventures, from scrambling up rocky out crops and abseiling down cliff faces to learning how to canoe! The Adventure Challenge and Leadership trip builds friendships, grows teambuilding skills and introduces the pupils to new experiences.

Speaking about the trip, which runs every year, Stockport Grammar’s Outdoor Educa tion Co-ordinator Adam Hughes said: “I hope that all of the pupils take away new skills and special memories from this trip that they can use at school, at home and for the rest of their lives.”

MHSG crowned winners of prestigious Engineering Competition

The talented team of MHSG Junior Sixth students, made up of Alex, Aimee, Yeni, Khushi and Lola, were announced as the Northwest Industrial Cadets Gold Project Winners at Liverpool University, for their programme to monitor and protect the health of some of Manchester’s bees.

Paul McDaid, MHSG’s Head of Physics, ex plained: “The team's objective was to create a new system, focusing on monitoring the health of bees throughout the winter season at Siemens offices in Manchester.

“The students developed a remote monitoring system that would measure the weight, temperature, and humidity of the beehive. The team also implemented an alert system that would notify the beekeeper via email and text messages in the event of dangerous weight, temperature, or humidity levels.”

The team demonstrated “exceptional skills

and commitment throughout the project” and were also named winners of the People’s Choice Award.

As part of the engineering challenge, teams are partnered with an engineering company, working with them on a specific project, gaining invaluable experience and contacts.

The MHSG team were partnered with global technology company Siemens and spent an afternoon at their Manchester of fices.

Increasing numbers of MHSG pupils are dis covering the opportunities that STEM subjects provide and more students apply to take part in the Industrial Cadets Gold Project each year.

Paul McDaid added: “I do hope this news of an all-girls’ team winning a regional

engi neering award will be an inspiration for our younger students, who might be con sidering Physics or Computing related subjects at A level and beyond.

“MHSG students are so enthusiastic about STEM and get so much out of the scheme. We hope to see more of them entering the field of engineering over the coming years. Next year’s budding engineers have much to live up to, but we are sure they are more than up to the challenge.”

MHSG is holding its autumn Open Events from September onwards. For more information and to register to attend, visit www.manchesterhigh.co.uk/admissions/open-events, call 0161 224 0447 or email registrar@mhsg.mancheter.sch.uk.

Multicultural CHS celebrations

Cheadle Hulme School hosted a rich cultural tapestry for its first ‘Multicultural CHS’ cele bration. Gathering to mark the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, 250 guests enjoyed workshops, talks, fun activities and homemade snacks from local businesses – all to celebrate dif ferent cultures and initiate conversation. CHS’s Pentagon Yard was the place to be as a vibrant fusion of music and performance, from bhangra to flamenco dancing, caught

the audience’s attention, with many joining in. The event also featured fascinating talks from Manchester University lecturer Dr Leonie Gaiser and ‘Made in Manchester’ poet Zahid Hussain. Event leader and CHS Junior School teacher Mrs Rebecca FoxPartridge said: “The event was utterly amazing and I won’t ever forget the strong sense of community, happiness and kindness that enveloped the whole day.”

Class of 2023 graduate

The energy was electric as friends, families and tutors gathered to celebrate Cheadle Hulme School’s graduating Class of 2023. Head pupils Josh, Alyssa and Natasha gave a rousing speech thanking their teachers and tutors for their support over the years as well as congratulating their fellow classmates on all they have achieved during their time at CHS. “What makes our year group particularly special is how close we’ve grown, even with such a wide variety of personalities and aspirations, we really took the Sixth Form experience in our stride.” Special prizes were also awarded, recognising pupils for their achievements within a subject or co-curricular club.

ASK THE STUDENT… Esme Gilligan

Esme Gilligan is an active and artistic Waconian and Junior School house captain at Cheadle Hulme School. As well as leading her classmates to success, Esme can often be found on the football pitch as a goalkeeper for FC Bluestar or helping with creative projects at home and in school. Her favourite subjects include art and English.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Being kind, loyal and helpful. Listening to people and hearing their opinions, not just yours. If you follow just yours, people might feel like they didn’t get chance to speak and they might feel a bit annoyed at you. My teacher Mrs Mason is really nice and kind; in drama, she adds in people’s ideas and always listens to people’s opinions. It is also important to be encouraging and speak up.

School encourages us to go for things and when we were selecting this year’s house captains, only one person went for it. Me and my friend told everyone how great it was to be a house captain, then a lot of other people decided to do it; one of my best friends was scared, but I told her all she would have to do was prove she could be a good house captain and show the Waconian values, then she got it. Remember to

con tribute too. If you get the role of house captain and let someone else do the work for you, you’re letting yourself down by giv ing up and won’t get the gratitude you deserve.

What is your top tip for working well as a team?

Offer help to people if they’re in bad situ ations. As a house captain, it’s not your job to be a school council member, you’re still a leader and you want to be kind to people. Say, for example, someone feels like they’re being left out – if you see them feeling like that and don’t do anything, it’s not very kind and people might notice. But if you help someone get back up, it’s a nice thing to do and people will see you as a very kind person. They will want you to carry on being a house captain and work better for you.

Stonyhurst rated excellent in all areas of latest inspection

under inspection. The dedication of the school in fulfilling its aims and the out standing achievements of the pupils in academic studies and attitudes to learning, in addition to personal development, were subjects of particular praise.

Stonyhurst College and its prep school, Sto nyhurst St Mary’s Hall have been awarded the highest possible rating of ‘excellent in all areas’ following an inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), maintaining its global reputation for outstanding teaching and care in the com petitive independent school sector.

Stonyhurst underwent a comprehensive inspection of its teaching, pastoral care, fa cilities and extra-curricular provision in April 2023 as part of the regular inspection procedures for independent schools. The key findings of the report acknowledged the excellence of the school in every area

The report recognised the high standards of academic achievement of the pupils, stating that ‘pupils of all ages and abilities display excellent attitudes towards their learning’ and ‘possess strong study skills and take an inquiry-based approach to their studies’ with their academic and other achievements being ‘wide and varied and highly accomplished’. Pupils were found to be ‘highly articulate and speak with eloquence when addressing others’.

From a personal development perspective, the report documents that ‘pupils of all ages show excellent levels of selfunder standing’ and ‘show strong levels of perseverance when faced with challenges’. Pupils were found to ‘demonstrate high levels of self-esteem’.

On global matters, ‘pupils have a highly de veloped sense of social awareness; they are passionate about making a difference and fully committed to helping others through service and voluntary work’, ‘pupils have a strong appreciation for the multicultural nature and diversity of the school community’, and ‘the overwhelming majority of parents agreed that the school actively promotes values of democracy and respect and tolerance of other people’, a reflection of Stonyhurst’s aim to develop men and women with a global outlook, who can play a positive role in the world as outstanding people of the future.

COMEBACK KIDS

We often come back to the idea of “retro-tech” on this page – because we just can’t get enough of it. Re-issues or redesigns of classic gadgets will always hit those nostalgia buttons, and the trend of resurrecting old formats and platforms is really skyrocketing right now. Here’s a roundup of the best out there.

Anbernic handheld retro game emulator

Imagine a Nintendo Gameboy (this looks very similar) that has 3,000 classic games already pre-installed! If you’d told any child back in the ‘90s that this would one day be possible, their mind wouldn’t have been able to process the idea. Mine still can’t – yet here it is in real life. The maths adds up though; the memory of one of those old Tetris or Sonic the Hedgehog game cartridges is so tiny compared to a modern SD card that you can fit thousands of those games in one. For under a hundred pounds, with modern colour screen and battery technology to boot, that’s astonishing – and scarily addictive!

£79.99, Amazon

Tamiya Grasshopper RC buggy

Every middle-aged dad will remember the world-dominating Tamiya remote controlled cars of their youth – yet not all of us could afford one at the time, nor did many of us have the patience or skill to assemble them from their kit form. Well, here’s our second chance. New for 2023 is the reissued Grasshopper – a classic shape we’d all remember – but, of course, benefiting from today’s improved battery life, better motors and more durable plastics. Buy it as a bundle deal to get the battery, motor, controller and kit in one go.

£150, Time Tunnel Models

35mm camera

The rapid advance in quality and functionality of phone cameras has commoditised photography, to the point that it’s now too easy to make your shots look flawless. Quite rightly, the backlash has flared up, with the new generation of creative people declaring this boring –and embracing the flaws, risks and complexities that their parents’ generation had with 35mm film photography. With a film format, every shot costs time and money, which forces you to learn skills, techniques and patience. The results, when done well, are all the more satisfying. This Kodak Ektar H35 is an attractive beginner’s option, plus film is about a tenner a roll.

£49.99, Jessops

Tangent CD II

All the kids have got record players nowadays and the bounce-back of the vinyl format has been great news for music lovers and record shops alike. Next in line for a revival is the only-recently-declared-dead compact disc. That’s also great news given how flooded the market is with classic albums on CD for pennies and the sound quality and tactile collectability of the format is attractive to a new generation of fans. This stylish, compact and robust Tangent CD transport plugs into your hi-fi separates system and looks and sounds fantastic.

£159, Richer Sounds

By Oliver Chesher

WHAT’S ON

There are lots of fabulous musicals and shows in the city’s theatres and venues to help us close the summer season and welcome in the autumn. Amazing shows like Everybody’s Talking About Jamie make a return, revivals of productions such as Jesus Christ Superstar light up the stage again and there is no shortage of brand-new shows, including Crown Jewels starring Al Murray at The Lowry and Derren Brown’s Unbelievable at the Palace.

Musicals

Everybody’s talking about Jamie

The Lowry / 7-17 September

Following a record-breaking three-year West End residency, sold-out UK and Ireland tour and Amazon Studios awardwinning film, the smash-hit and critically acclaimed musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie returns to The Lowry. It’s a fun, moving, fabulous musical set to an original score of catchy pop tunes written by Dan Gillespie Sells (lead singersongwriter of The Feeling) and writer Tom MacRae (Doctor Who) and choregraphed by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Kate Prince (Into The Hoods, Some Like It Hip Hop).

Jesus Christ Superstar

Palace Theatre / 11-23 September

Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) directs this mesmerizing new production of the iconic global phenomenon Jesus Christ Superstar, starring Julian Clary as Herod, Ian McIntosh as Jesus, Shem Omari James as Judas and Hannah Richardson as Mary. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, this reimagined production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.

INNIT Musical

The Lowry / 13-23 September

Based on the autobiographical story of actor and writer Micky Dacks, Innit is about an 18-year-old boy who falls in love and finds redemption from his troubled past through music.

Following its previously sold-out runs, critically acclaimed Innit Musical returns

to The Lowry with a brand-new team, a visually striking production design along with an eclectic array of original songs, spanning every genre from ska to pop and hip-hop to rock ’n’ roll, there’s something for everyone.

Annie

Manchester Opera House

18-30 September

The smash-hit West End production of Annie comes to Manchester for two weeks only staring Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood (Mon-Fri performances) and Jodie Prenger (Saturday performances) as the tyrannical Miss Hannigan.

Set in 1930’s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her luck soon changes when she's chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire Oliver Warbucks.

Tony!

The Tony Blair Rock Musical

The Lowry / 2-7 October

An uproarious musical of political intrigue, religion, power and romance, this new show by Harry Hill and Steve Brown received critical acclaim following a sold-out run at the Park Theatre in London. This story of how one man went from peace-loving, long-haired hippy and would-be pop star to warmongering multimillionaire in just a couple of decades. Throw in a stellar cast of larger-than-life characters – Cherie Blair, Princess Diana, John Prescott, Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell, Osama bin Laden, George W Bush, Saddam Hussein and Gordon Brown – it’s Yes, Minister meets The Rocky Horror Show!

Drama

Great Expectations

Royal Exchange

8 September / 7 October

Pooja Ghai directs Tanika Gupta’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, which uses the familiar Dickens framework, but it comes with a twist. Pipli moves from his home in Rajshahi to the bustling streets of Calcutta. With an open heart he navigates unforgiving darkness and unsettling friendships in his search for a better future. For Pipli, dharma – the right way of living – is never far away.

The

Crown Jewels

The Lowry / 19-23 September

The Crown Jewels is the brand-new comedy based on the most unbelievable royal caper in British history. Charismatic and unpredictable Colonel Blood, along with a trio of misfits, is planning the greatest heist of all time: stealing the Crown Jewels in plain sight.

With a brilliant star-studded cast, including Al Murray and Mel Giedroyc, the production also stars Joe Thomas, Neil Morrissey and Carrie Hope Fletcher and is written by BAFTA Award-winning Simon Nye (creator of The Durrells and Men Behaving Badly) and directed by multi-Olivier Award winner Sean Foley.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

The Lowry / 4-7 October

Following a phenomenal four weeks in December, the National Theatre‘s major new stage adaptation The Ocean at the End of the Lane returns to The Lowry for

one week only this October due to overwhelming demand.

From the imagination of Neil Gaiman, best-selling author of Coraline, Good Omens and The Sandman, comes this thrilling adventure of fantasy, myth and friendship, a five-star spectacular that blends magic with memory in a tourde-force of storytelling and takes audiences on an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten.

Family

Andy & The Odd Socks Tour

The Lowry / Sunday 24 September

Any fan of CBeebies will know them as the greatest sock and roll band in the world… and now they are on tour. Don’t miss the chance to see Andy and the band live on stage.

Dance

Eun Me Ahn – Dragons

The Lowry / 26-27 September

Eun-Me Ahn is one of the most important artists in South Korea. Founded in 1988, her contemporary dance company has performed at 11 major international festivals, including the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Eun-Me Ahn and her company of seven South Korean performers interact with stunning performer holograms on stage in a joyful riot of dance, music and non-stop movement. Vivid and colourful projections bring forests and clouded skies to life, while an evocative soundtrack seamlessly blends contemporary

pop and electronic music with a traditional score.

Comedy

Jack Whitehall – Settle Down

The Lowry / Thursday 28 September

Jon Richardson – The Knitwit

The Lowry / 29-30 September

Entertainment

Derren Brown’s Unbelievable

Palace Theatre / 29 August – 2 September

Words: Catherine Reed

Mrs

Brown’s Boys – Mrs Brown Rides Again

Manchester Opera House

30 August – 2 September

The multi-award-winning Brendan O’Carroll and Mrs. Brown’s Boys are back with their much-loved classic play Mrs. Brown Rides Again for the first time in 10 years.

Written by and starring Brendan O’Carroll as the beloved ‘Mammy’, the classic Mrs. Brown Rides Again follows Agnes Brown and her dysfunctional family romp their way through what seems to be the Mammy’s last days at home.

Derren Brown, with his long-time collaborators Andy Nyman and Andrew O’Connor, has created a new show starring a multi-talented cast of seven who will perform magic like you have never seen. Derren's one-man shows have won two Olivier Awards and played to sold-out houses on tour across the UK, both in the West End and on Broadway. He doesn’t appear in this show, but his creative involvement surely makes it an unmissable show!

Lost in Music

Bridgewater Hall / Saturday 2 September

Boasting a sensational live band and an incredibly talented cast, Lost In Music is a magical journey straight to the heart of disco; a feel-good celebration of some of the greatest songs of all time from artists such as Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Chic, Sister Sledge and Earth, Wind & Fire.

I’ve never got away with summing up a car in a one-word headline before but hear me out – this one’s a corker. We re cently had the pleasure of borrowing the new Hyundai IONIQ 6 for a family camping weekend and one of the things our entire group was most excited about was the ability to power our portable fridge straight from the car. It kept all our milk and beer cool for the whole weekend without so much as a twitch on the battery gauge!

That alone justifies the headline – but it’s not the only thing that makes this car, well, cooler.

First of all, the aesthetic is bang on-trend. Regular readers will know I’m a sucker for the four-door coupe look – or “streamliner” as Hyundai is billing it. I owned a MercedesBenz CLS for four years, mainly because I couldn’t quit that jaw-dropping long wheelbase aero silhouette and it turns out I wasn’t alone as it’s become quite a pop ular body style. But unlike the CLS at almost twice the price, this IONIQ 6 be longs to the new generation with its 100%-electrified powertrain, mindful

COOLER

in te rior space and calm functionality aimed at younger consumers who don’t want leather in all directions or internal combustion engines.

This aero body style isn’t just to look good though. With an ultra-low drag coefficient of just 0.21, the IONIQ 6 is one of the most aerodynamic and energy efficient EVs on the market. Its WLTP-rated range on a single charge is 338 miles. If “range anxiety” was once a concern that might put off cautious buyers from EVs, this puts paid to that.

And did we mention the awards? It’s won more awards all over the world than we could possibly list on this page – not least World Car of the Year 2023 – with judges raving about its safety, clever features, such as regenerative braking, and, of course, the impressive efficiency figures.

And finally, the toughest judges of all. Our campsite was absolutely overrun with ex cited kids of all ages. They took one look at the Hyundai with its futuristic laser-cut 20” rims, then at my battered Land Rover next to it, and the verdict was unanimous. This one’s cooler.

Fact file / Hyundai IONIQ 6 / Peak power: 228PS / Torque: 350 Nm

Battery: 77.4 kWh

Lithium-ion Polymer / Seating capacity: 5

Price: from £46,260

By Oliver Chesher