Thame Out Spring 2021 Issue 57

Thame Out Now in our 16th year

Spring 2021

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The complimentary magazine for Thame and the surrounding area

Sun Factor

Protecting your eyes this summer

Canine Capers

Hear To Help

Fighting Fit

Home Style

Inside the mind of a Dog

Invictus Gym and Boxing Studio

Oracle Ear Care

Creative Interiors from tillynilly

LEISURE > BEAUTY > HOME > TRAVEL > LOCAL > COMPETITIONS > AND LOTS MORE

Specialising only in the most innovative skin, face and body treatments.

With a highly experienced team of clinicians and therapists, ERA’s philosophy is to simply provide the best, safe, aesthetic procedures with an exceptional customer service.

Set in a beautiful period building in the heart of Thame, the clinic comprises pristine, dedicated rooms for each specialist treatment.

Book your FREE Consultation today. b Laser Hair Removal b Fat Freezing & Body Toning b HIFU: Non-Surgical Facelift b Advanced Facials / Hydrafacial b Pigmentation Reduction b Acne / Acne Scarring Treatment b Dermal Fillers & Anti-wrinkle Consultations b Microblading & Beauty Treatments b Gift Vouchers Available

Visit www.eraclinics.co.uk or call us on 01844 698441 email: info@eraclinics.co.uk

Waitrose

ERA

l ERA Skin & Laser Clinic 98a High Street, Thame Oxfordshire OX9 3EH

IGH THAME H

Town Hall

STREET

FREE PARKING AND Wi-Fi

We offer a complete design, supply and fitting service and a wide range of style and price options from two of the biggest names in German kitchens, including Nobilia.

Plus renowned, traditional, English, bespoke, kitchens, and a comprehensive range of flooring, accessories and

appliances, from AEG to Moduleo - everything you need for the ultimate modern kitchen. Come and see what is possible at our showroom near Aston Rowant - please call: 01844 875232 today, to arrange your appointment.

How to make your business more profitable. Sell it.

Promote your business or service through Thame Out magazine.

Delivered direct to homes and available at a number of selected pick-up points in Thame and the surrounding area. Places such as Waitrose, Thame & Haddenham and Princes Risborough railway stations, pubs, restaurants, leisure centres, shops and so on.

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To advertise in Thame Out Call: 01844 216847 or Email: julian@red-l.co.uk

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CONTENTS

6. LOCAL NEWS – Laptop Donations, Chinnor Rugby Club, Steve Hill Rallycross, Thame Food Festival and National Trust Gardens.

10. HEALTH & BEAUTY – Expert Eye Care, Healthy Skin Care, Invictus Gym and Ear Care.

20. TRAVEL – Travel Rules.

24. LIFESTYLE – White Hart Studio, fitch & fellows, and Lightfoots Solicitors.

28. HOME & GARDEN – 4 Seasons Tree Care, Kingsey Furniture, Haddenham Garden Centre, tillynilly and Ridgeway Interiors.

48. FOOD & DRINK – Wine Column and Mary Berry Recipe.

50. PETS – Inside the Mind of a Dog. 53. ENTERTAINMENT – New Theatre and Oxford Playhouse.

Simply Bookkeeping of Thame

All accounts prepared for you to simply hand over to your Accountant.

Ideal service for small businesses and sole traders.

Online account packages. £15 to £20 per hour or agreed monthly fee.

email crysti@simplybookkeepingofthame.net.

Cover: Ivan R Cammack See page 12.

Thame Out

Opinions expressed in Thame Out Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher and the magazine is in no way liable for any such opinion. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this publication is correct, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained within. No part of this publication including any article, advertisement or graphic in whole or part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publishers. The company nor its agents accept any liability for loss or damage of manuscripts photographs and any other materials submitted to the magazine.

Copyright ©2021 Red Letter

Published by Red Letter, 25 Southern Road, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2EE 01844 216847 Email: julian@red-l.co.uk www.thameout.co.uk

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LOCAL NEWS

‘Top’ people Laptops donated to local Schools

Lucy Electric, part of the Oxford based Lucy Group, has donated a total of 86 laptops and Chrome books to local schools to support the local community and, in particular, students disadvantaged by a lack of technology during the Covid-19 crisis.

As John Griffiths, CEO at Lucy Electric comments: “Many students are at an educational disadvantage by the lack of appropriate technology to help them with their remote studies. Many are currently being home schooled, and the lack of access is having a real impact their schoolwork. We very much hope that this donation of laptops will

make a real difference to some of the most underprivileged children and young adults across our region.”

With its headquarters in Thame, Lucy Electric will donate 11 HP ProBook’s to Lord Williams’s School, with a further 25 Chrome Books to Barley Hill Primary School, Thame, St Barnabas’ Primary School and Cherwell School in Oxford.

In a joint statement issued by the Headteachers of the four schools, Gemma Penny, Barley Hill Primary School, Thame, Karen Donaghey, St Barnabas’ Primary School, Oxford, Jon Ryder, Lord Williams’s

New wheels Buckinghamshire based SGS Racing and the Steve Hill Rallycross team will return to the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy in 2021 and is targeting podium finishes with its unique Mitsubishi Evo X Supercar.

The 570-horsepower Mitsubishi received significant upgrades for 2020, the rewards of which were shown by increased performance in a Winter

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Series event pre-season, but with the bulk of the campaign much delayed and shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and circumstances outside the team’s control during the races that did happen also hampering the Buckinghamshire squad’s challenge, the team had a frustrating campaign.

With a fresh sheet of paper, and positive news from the UK government last week regarding the road map out of the current

School, Thame, and Chris Price, Cherwell School, Oxford said: “Schools and teachers are doing everything they can to help students continue to learn, develop and interact as much as possible remotely. We are grateful for the donations from Lucy Electric that provide valuable additional support to the students and their families in our communities who do not have access to the equipment they need. The importance of education in these challenging times is clear, and with stretched resources it is support like this that helps us to provide the best opportunities to all those in our schools.”

lockdown giving hope that events can go ahead as planned this year, the SGS Racing Transmissions-backed team is eager to get back on track.

“We made some good steps forward with the car last year, the changes we made to the setup of both transmission and rear geometry were a success in helping us find more pace, but because we had a couple of unrelated problems in such a short season, we never really got into a rhythm,” said Morris Lubricants supported driver Steve Hill.

The 2021 5 Nations BRX provisional calendar includes rounds at Lydden Hill (England), Pembrey (Wales), Knockhill (Scotland), Mondello Park (Ireland) and Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), with the opening weekend taking place at Lydden on May 29-31.

The Steve Hill Rallycross team is also gratefully supported by Thame Crash Repair and RTM Machinery.

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LOCAL NEWS

A try for help Chinnor Rugby Club launch a food delivery project

CHINNOR RFC Thame is delighted to announce we will be supplying free meals to support local residents during the pandemic and beyond.

Using our kitchen at Kingsey Road, we will provide a nutritious, freshly prepared evening meal twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting on February 23.

Through Thame Town Council, Thame Good Neighbour Scheme, Age UK and Thame Senior Friendship Centre, residents who would benefit from this service have been identified. We also plan to eventually extend our offering to young carers and those on pupil premium.

Each delivery will either contain a warm meal for the family, which can be eaten that evening, or a chilled meal, which can be reheated in a microwave or conventional oven.

In addition to the organisations that have helped to identify people who may benefit from this service, we are also grateful to Thame Foodbank, Thame Hub and Community Group for their support.

Chinnor RFC Thame President, John Ashfield, said: “We now find ourselves in a position to say thank you to our community who have supported the Club so strongly since the start of the pandemic.

“Today, we are launching an initiative to deliver meals to the people who have been identified as requiring them and we are pleased to be able to support our community in this way. We can only hope this will be of benefit to people in our local area.

“This will be to our cost and will be delivered by volunteers to residents in

both Thame and Chinnor as we start the process.

“We would now like to ask our members and non-members for their help with volunteering to deliver meals and donations, with every penny received going to this project. If you can spare some time or a little bit of money, we would be extremely grateful.”

If you would like to volunteer, or know of someone who would benefit from this service, please get in touch.

You can also help us through donations, with every penny received by the Club going towards the initiative. Please email: crfcmeals@gmail.com, if you wish to donate.

Cross country run Lands End to John O’Groats Virtual Race

Run the length of the UK in support of our local Bucks NHS hospitals.

Who will reach John O’Groats first?

Starting from the 1st May teams of up to 10 people can register to take part in the Scannappeal virtual race following the iconic route from Lands’ End to John O’Groats. As a team you will need to cover the full 874 miles and work together to motivate one another to reach the end.

Every mile you cover by foot can be included in your group total and it doesn’t matter if you walk or run or decide to pound the treadmill rather than venture outdoors.

Registration is £8 per person and we encourage each team to set up a Just Giving page with a target of £250, but you could set out to try and raise £1 for every mile you cover and be in with a chance to win our team sponsorship prize.

The race officially starts on 1st May and the first team to reach John O’Groats will be awarded with a prize and all participants will receive a medal.

All monies raised will support our work within Buckinghamshire NHS hospitals, now more than ever they need our support. The benefits will also be great for everyone taking part – spend time away from your desk, improve your fitness and take great pride from working together to make something great happen!

To register or find out more please go to www.scannappeal.org.uk/event/ lands-end-to-john-ogroatsvirtual-race or call Scannappeal on 01494 734161.

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LOCAL NEWS

Whetting the appetite The Thame Food Festival is back.

Make a note in your diary,the weekend of the 25th and 26th September will see the return of the Thame Food Festival.

All your favourite artisan producers and street food stalls are returning.

Fabulous food to be sampled, demonstrations galore from the finest Chefs and bakers. Pop-up pub, gin garden, live music and children’s activities all await the visitor.

Get together with friends and family for a weekend of deliciousness!

FAST TRACK VISITOR Tickets are now available to buy online.

The ever popular reduced Weekend Ticket offer is available again.

If you would like to purchase tickets in advance, or book a stall, please get in touch. Simply email office@thamefoodfestival.co.uk Festival organisers are looking for sponsors - local and national companies welcome. There are some great sponsorship packages and opportunities available. www.thamefoodfestival.co.uk

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Gardens that grow funds Florance Nightingale Hospice Charity are looking for individuals or communities who would be willing to open their garden to the public for a day or two this summer to raise much needed funds for our Hospice.

How does your garden grow?

Would you like to be part of a fantastic & floral new fundraising initiative for Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity?

Being confined to our homes for much of the last year, we know that lots of you have turned to your gardens as

a lockdown project or haven of peace and safety away from Covid-19. With restrictions relaxing would you be willing to share and show off your hard work and help raise funds for the Hospice in our season of Open Gardens?

We are looking for individuals, streets and communities to open their gardens for a day or two between May and August this summer. So whether your garden is small or large, urban or rural, traditional or modern, please get in touch to find out more at fundraising@fnhospice.org.uk or call Claire on 01296 429975.

We will support you to ensure that all Open Gardens are Covid-19 secure and comply with any government restrictions in place at the time.

Blooming lovely photos After the success of #BlossomWatch in 2020, when thousands captured and shared images of trees in bloom across social media, the National Trust is inviting people to celebrate blossom season in Bucks, Berks and Oxon once again.

Emulating Hanami, the ancient Japanese tradition of viewing and celebrating blossom as the first sign of spring, the conservation charity is encouraging everyone to take a moment to pause, actively notice and enjoy the fleeting beauty of blossom.

Using #BlossomWatch the National Trust is asking people to share their blossom images on social media, with the hope that the joyful sight of blush-tinted blooms will lift spirits and enable everyone to celebrate nature together. You can find out more at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/ blossom-watch.

Across Bucks, Berks and Oxon, blossom trees can be seen on city streets, in gardens and in public parks as well as places in National Trust care, such as Hughenden, Cliveden, Stowe and Greys Court.

For those inspired to plant a blossom tree of their own, the National Trust has also compiled a list of top five blossom trees suitable for home gardens, recommended by Head Gardeners.

Emma McNamara, National Trust Gardens and Parks Consultant for the South East and Northern Ireland: “Blossom is fleeting but so beautiful that you’ll find planting your own tree hugely rewarding.

A blossom tree gives you two seasonal delights: bright, blowsy, or delicate flowers in the spring, and later, home-grown fruits. Most fruit trees are easy to maintain; you may need to take action against some pests and diseases, but these trees

are resilient and long-lived. Bees will be delighted by the flowers and will help to pollinate, leading to autumn fruit.

“Blossom trees come in all sizes, and whatever sized outdoor space you have, there is a blossom tree that will suit. Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ is a very small Fuji cherry tree with zig-zagging branches and masses of flowers - perfect for growing in pots. As winter ends in early March, ‘Kojo-no-mai’ bursts into an abundance of blossom.”

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Sitting pretty

Emma Rothery

The Emsella Chair. It’s the latest innovation from ERA Skin & Laser Clinic.

Steph Rogers asks the questions.

E

RA Skin & Laser Clinic owner Emma Rothery will always embrace the very latest technology and treatments to improve the health and wellbeing of her clients.

The Clinic’s latest innovation is a revolutionary breakthrough treatment for stress urinary incontinence, urge incontinence and sexual dysfunction for both women and men.

It’s called the Emsella Chair. Thanks to Emma, this truly breakthrough treatment is now available in Thame.

So what is the Emsella Chair? I ask Emma.

You can tell immediately how enthusiastic Emma is about this new treatment.

Emma says “Emsella Chair is a medical device which uses HIFEM (high intensity focussed electromagnetic) technology to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle, providing a quick and non-invasive solution to this very common problem.

It’s a proven technology which has been used for many years to rehabilitate athletes with muscle injuries.

Emma explains “It’s estimated that one in three women in the UK suffer from a weakened pelvic floor causing incontinence, as a result of childbirth of the menopause.

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Emsella has been available in all the top London clinics for a couple of years now, so I’m thrilled to have finally brought it to Thame and be the only clinic in Oxfordshire offering this life changing treatment”.

So, how exactly does Emsella treatment work?

“The Emsella Chair delivers supramaximal contractions to the pelvic floor area using magnetic energy, delivering the equivalent of 11,000 kegal exercises in a single session.

“Supramaximal contractions enable 100% of the muscle to be exercised 100% of the time, something that is impossible for you to do yourself”.

Is Emsella treatment painful?

“No, Emsella treatment is not painful.

Most people describe the sensation as a combination of mild prickling and gentle pulsing as the muscle is contracted.

“Treatment is non-invasive, you remain fully clothed throughout and it’s a walkin, walk-out procedure, meaning you can come and have your treatment and resume your normal activities straight away”.

What happens during an Emsella Chair treatment?

“Before starting your treatment you’ll need a full medical consultation which can take place online or in person. When you arrive for your treatment you’ll be shown to our Emsella treatment room which is cleaned down before and after all of our treatments in line with Covid 19 protocols. Your therapist will explain how the treatment works and there will be plenty of time to answer any questions you may have. You will then be shown to the Emsella and your therapist will explain how to correctly position yourself. Treatment will then begin and you can sit and relax whilst the Emsella exercises your pelvic floor”.

Revolutionary Equipment: The Emsella Chair.

Scientific research has shown that 95% of treated patients

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reported a significant improvement in their quality of life How many sessions will someone need?

“Most people will need a course of six treatments in total. Two each week for a period of three weeks”.

Are additional treatments needed?

“Once the pelvic floor muscle is strengthened, your symptoms will improve dramatically. Depending on the severity of your incontinence you can opt to have a three, six or twelve month top up session if you feel it’s needed”.

Is it easy to sit on the chair?

“Yes. Positioning yourself on the chair is very easy. You should sit with a straight back and your legs slightly apart and feet flat on the floor. The chair can be raised or lowered electrically by your therapist to ensure you are in the correct position for treatment”.

How long is an Emsella session?

“Each treatment is 28 minutes long. You will need six treatments over a three week period”.

Are there any side effects for Emsella Chair treatment?

“Emsella Chair is a non-invasive treatment with no notable side effects”.

How quickly will you see results from Emsella treatment?

“Everyone is different, however most of our patients who have been treated to date, have noticed an improvement after their third treatment session”.

Who is suitable for Emsella treatment?

“Emsella treatment is suitable for Women and Men over the age of 18 years of age”.

Can someone have Emsella treatment if they have overactive bladder (OAB)?

“Overactive bladder can be improved with Emsella Chair treatment. Our patients report that they are able to hold their bladder function for longer and feel the need to urinate less frequently”.

Is it OK to have Emsella treatment after a prolapse?

“You can have Emsella treatment if you have a prolapse. Treatment will help to strengthen the muscles around the bladder and whilst it will not treat the prolapse it will improve symptoms of urge incontinence which often occur with a prolapse”.

What medical conditions does Emsella Chair treat?

“Emsella Chair treats stress, urge and mixed incontinence and sexual dysfunction in both women and men”.

Is Emsella a clinically proven treatment?

“Emsella Chair is a medical treatment supported by multiple peer reviewed clinical papers which showed 95% improvement in patient quality of life and 75% reduction in pad usage after one treatment course”.

To find out more or book your treatment visit www.eraclinics.co.uk/emsella or email info@eraclinics.co.uk If you are a physiotherapist or medical Doctor with patients who you feel would benefit from Emsella, ERA would be delighted to show you how the technology works, please call or email them to request a demonstration.

The Emsella Chair is just one of the many latest body rejuvenation treatments available at ERA Skin & Laser Clinic to help you look and feel great.

98a High Street, Thame Oxfordshire OX9 3EH www.eraclinics.co.uk 01844 698441 Find ERA on Instagram and Facebook

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Sunny outlook The dark days of winter and lockdown are receding.

It’s time to take to the great outdoors with help and advice from Optometrist Ivan R Cammack.

‘H

ere comes the sun, and I say it’s alright’ wrote George Harrison, and it will be with care and with an eye on the health of our vision.

Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused.

After the year we’ve just had, brighter days are surely on the horizon. The countryside beckons for keen walkers and cyclists. Tennis courts, golf courses, cricket pitches are ready to be stepped on.

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However, a word of caution. It’s important not to overdo things and overexpose ourselves to the sun’s effects of ultra-violet radiation.

It can damage the cornea, lens and even the retina.

Long-term exposure to ultra-violet light and short wavelength visible blue light can lead to early onset cataract, and is believed to be a major factor in the development and progression of macular degeneration.

While many parts of our bodies have the ability to repair damaged cells, the lens of the eye is an exception. It needs as much protection as possible.

“UV radiation isn’t just a problem in the summer,” says Ivan Cammack. “Outdoors in almost any location, whatever the season, we get exposed to ultra-violet light. And don’t imagine that cloudy days are their own protection.

“On those bright and overcast days when the sky feels ‘glary’, if you find yourself screwing up your eyes from the brightness, then it may well be causing damage.”

Oakley

Maui Jim

So what can we do to protect our eyes?

“UV Protect” says Ivan. “If we cut out the UV and the highly energetic photons at the ‘blue end of the visible light spectrum’, which can be done with either clear or tinted spectacle lenses, then the risk of damage to our eyes and our eyelids is significantly reduced”.

“We specialise in UV protect spectacle lenses from Zeiss”, he adds.

Sun protection is also about style and functional technology. If you love the cool look of a ‘hot’ pair of sunglasses, see the superb range available at Ivan R Cammack.

Maui Jim are a particular favourite brand.

The harsh glare of the Hawaiian sun is what inspired Maui Jim to design a lens that not only shields the eye, but also improves the colour, clarity, and detail of the world around.

The Sunshine coast of California is the home of Oakley. Particularly popular with sports enthusiasts, Oakley frames contribute to making vision as sharp and accurate as possible as well as eliminate the pressure points that often come with ordinary frames.

High Definition Optics® (HDO) lenses allow for a clearer, sharper image. This technology also prevents dust or moisture from sticking to the lens For extra UV protection, people who wear sunglasses especially for outdoor activities, wrapped lenses for sport frames offer clear optics and protection from dust from the nose to the temporal side.

As for contact lenses, Ivan R Cammack have a range to suit – and the options for ‘grown ups’ have improved enormously, with

new generation Multifocal Contact Lenses to set you free from glasses in an active outdoor world.

From VTi Vision comes NaturalView multifocal 1-day, featuring Neurofocus Optics technology which gives you an extended depth of focus, delivering a wider range of clear vision – unlike single vision or older designs of multifocal contact lens.

Also new to Ivan R Cammack, and showing excellent levels of success, is the Safilens Fusion 1day Presbyo contact lens. A design that ensures incomparable, exceptional depth of field and sharp images for distance, intermediate and close-up vision, even for the most demanding tasks in almost any light conditions.

Fusion 1day presbyo lenses are also quick and easy to apply, ensuring immediate results without a period of adaptation while offering excellent hygiene, comfort and practicality.

“These two new generation multifocal contact lenses are proving successful where older lens designs ‘tried but failed to impress’ – ideal for new contact lens wearers, and for those of you who have tried before, but the technology was not quite up to your needs.”

The message from Ivan is to get outside and enjoy these warm sunny days ahead.

With the reassurance that your vision is both enhanced and protected.

Wendover Ivan R Cammack have three outlets.

Thame, Chinnor and Wendover. In Wendover, the company has moved to new premises, doubling capacity. The new practice will have an Alpine Ski Lodge theme. Chinnor has a Sailing theme. Both reflecting two of owner Ivan’s passions.

Appointment Booking 01844 212048 Ivan R Cammack (Thame) T. 01844 212048 E. info@ivancammack.com Thame: 01844 212048 Chinnor (01844) 351564 Wendover (01296) 625892

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HEALTH & BEAUTY Hilary Westall with more exercise advice.

I

t’s almost a year on and here we are in lockdown #3, allowed out once a day for exercise and essential travel, unable to meet up with friends and family; pubs and restaurants shut and parents having to home school their children again. And with most of us working from home and gyms closed, it’s been especially hard over the winter months to stay motivated to keep moving and stay fit.

Working from home means we’re at risk of becoming more sedentary than before, without the need to walk to the bus, office or shops; our day to day activities don’t require us to get up and move about and we’ve been told to ‘stay home’. But this all has a knock-on effect for our health and wellbeing.

However, there are always ways to reinvent the wheel and with a little imagination and planning, you don’t need a gym, fancy equipment or

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Lockdown 3.

Exercising from home.

complicated workout routines to stay fit and healthy – both physically and mentally.

Make it fun One of the key ways to stick with any type of exercise is to make it fun. A run or walk isn’t for everyone, especially if you have young children. But there’s nothing to stop you getting the whole family involved and going for a kick about in the park or having a dance competition in the garden or house. Make whatever activity you choose into a game or competition to get the most out of it. And as the days get longer and warmer, family bike rides are a great way to get out and about.

Build breaks into your day Sitting at a desk all day without moving can make you feel tired and sluggish, which makes it even harder to motivate yourself to move, especially if you’re

mentally burnt out from being on web cams all day. Some sort of exercise, if it’s not too intense, will almost always give you more energy and re-charge tired brain cells.

So go for a brisk stroll during your breaks for some fresh air and a change of scenery, or take calls whilst on your feet if it’s practical.

You could also keep a set of weights near your desk and instead of browsing on your phone in your beaks, get in a few sets and reps of bicep curls and shoulder presses instead. If you have a stability ball, use this instead of your desk chair, and focus on your posture. Tinned food and plastic milk containers with handles can all be used as dumbbells if you don’t have any.

Make it count If you’ve only got a short amount of time, make that time count – if out for a walk try some intervals where you walk very fast or jog lightly for half a minute then recover for half a minute. Repeat this eight to ten times

and job done! Or give yourself a goal, for example to do ten press ups in every short break you get during the day. Keep it simple and manageable to increase your chances of sticking to it.

Increase your NEAT Non exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy you expend in everything you do that’s not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. For example, the energy expended walking to work; typing; fidgeting; taking the stairs instead of the lift, and so on. Even trivial physical activities increase metabolic rate substantially and it’s the cumulative impact of a multitude of exothermic actions that culminate in an individual’s daily NEAT. For example, I have horses that need mucking out morning and night during the winter, which is quite hard manual work and keeps me active and on my feet for several hours a day. As a result, I’m notching up an average daily step count of around 12,000 (roughly five to six

miles) which on its own burns around 370 calories. And that’s before any ‘structured’ exercise. As a result, my personal NEAT is pretty high.

Think about upping your NEAT by taking stairs instead of lifts and escalators (and maybe running up them!); walking when you can instead of taking the car; standing or walking instead of sitting when on a call. And if you spend a lot of time sitting at a computer, think about investing in a raised desk or work surface that you can stand at. Turn off your devices after work to avoid getting sucked into social media or online browsing and do something else instead – a walk, a home workout, even cooking dinner in the kitchen means you’ll be on your feet.

Structured workouts Jo Wicks’ online PE classes brought much needed cheer and exercise to families across the country during the first lockdown and he continues to inspire his global following a year later. So if you do

want something more structured, head to YouTube. There’s a plethora of home workouts out there with something for everyone, not least Jo Wicks.

There is light at the end of the tunnel.

With Boris’s latest announcement, we have the easing of lockdown to look forward to along with warmer days and increasing daylight hours. If we are careful. But at least we should all be better equipped to cope with keeping active at home during times when we cannot go elsewhere.

Stay safe.

Hilary is a Level 3 Personal Trainer and Pilates teacher. She runs Pilates, body conditioning and stretch classes in Chinnor, currently via Zoom, and can be contacted on 07812 097562, email: hilarywestall@gmail.com for further details.

For expert ear care, consult the Oracle.

We are a family-run ear care clinic in Thame, Oxfordshire. Services include microsuction, irrigation and foreign body removal.

ORACLE EAR CARE 2 East Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3JS Phone: 01844 617 478 Website: www.oracleearcare.co.uk Email: admin@oracleearcare.co.uk

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Pardon?

Lockdown hasn’t been great for our mental wellbeing, it’s been a lonely experience for some. Similarly, hearing issues can mean you are missing out on so much and can leave you feeling just as isolated. Jane Dale talks to Sereta Parker at Oracle Ear Care.

S

truggling to hear the knock at the door, the phone ring or other people’s conversation can leave you in a lonely place. Help is at hand however.

Oracle Ear Care opened in November 2020 in Thame, offering ear wax removal by microsuction and irrigation. This family-run business was the brainchild of 23-year-old Director, Priya Parker, who is currently studying for her Masters in Crime Science at UCL. “I thought the name was perfect”, says Priya, “In ancient times ‘Oracle’ was the name of a person or agency who gives advice, and ‘auricle’ is the name for the outside of the ear”.

Priya worked with her mother, audiologist and ear care clinician, Sereta Parker, in a local audiology centre where

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she recognised her mother’s care and diligence when dealing with patients.

She had the idea of a dedicated ear care clinic, focused on managing ear wax and general ear health. “Sadly, some businesses had to close for good during the pandemic. This meant that a lot of properties came on to the market”, Priya says. “We walked into what used to be ‘The White House’ and thought, perfect!”.

The business is well positioned with free parking a two-minute walk away and is easy to spot - opposite The Cross Keys pub. There is also level access at the rear of the building for those with mobility issues. Sereta is a ‘dementia friend’ and understands the difficulties and anxieties dementia sufferers can experience when attending a healthcare appointment.

You will always get a warm welcome at Oracle. The mum and daughter team worked hard to give the clinic a sense of peace and tranquillity - they have certainly achieved what they set out to do. The reception area is tastefully decorated, and the clinical rooms are fitted out to the highest specification. There is an ENT operating microscope so that the inside of the ear canal can be seen in detail. Ear canals come in all shapes and sizes and it is crucial to be able to see well when undertaking microsuction safely. Irrigation (using a gentle pulse of water) is still used as a backup to microsuction, “I often see ears which have been overtreated with drops, rendering microsuction ineffective and unsafe. When the clinician can no longer see where the eardrum is because it is covered in liquified wax, it is important to have a back-up plan. A gentle flush of water will take the liquified wax off the eardrum safely, restoring hearing immediately.” The new irrigation machines are no longer like the old fashioned ‘jet wash’, they have variable speeds starting at just a gentle trickle.

People often say how comfortable they feel coming into the clinic. “If you have a problem with your ears, we are here to help - even if it’s just a bit of free advice”, says Sereta. There is no automated telephone system - you will just get a friendly voice helping you to book or to give advice. One of the bonuses of being a new business is that you can often get a same day appointment - crucial if you have pain, infection or dizziness.

There is a ‘no ear wax - no charge’ policy at Oracle and Sereta often gives a free 10-minute triage appointment to help local GPs with their patients’ ear problems.

This ensures everyone can access free advice when needed. Some people are reluctant to bother their GPs but are desperate for help with ear wax removal.

“Blocked ears can be very debilitating and isolating,’’ says Sereta. “With the decline in NHS provision of ear wax removal, a lot of people are turning to home remedies which can be ineffective and damaging to the ear”.

If you have been struggling with your ears lately then it may be time to consult a professional. If you have experienced tinnitus (any sound in the ear not caused by an external source) or slight dizziness,

Reception

Ear full of wax ...

Sereta (left) with Priya

.... and after treatment

both could be caused by a build-up of wax and can be easily rectified. A simple look into the ear canal with a video otoscope (a specialised ear camera) can reveal a lot of information.

An exciting development at Oracle is the introduction of a live feed to the operating microscope. You can then choose to watch the whole process of your wax removal on a screen if you wish.

It can be very satisfying!

What does the future hold for Oracle?

From spring 2021 Oracle introduces its ‘hearing test suite’. With state-of-theart equipment, Oracle will be able to investigate any hearing issues you may have. Sereta says, “One of the problems with everyone wearing masks is that we can’t lip read. This has highlighted some people’s hearing issues they didn’t realise they had”. We all take our ears for granted until something happens. We are very good at going to the dentist or getting an eye test, but most people go through life without ever having a hearing check. In the UK, 1 in 6 of the UK adult population is affected by hearing loss and 8 million of these are aged 60 and over.

Sereta says, “I think a lot of people are put off having a hearing test for fear that they will be pressured into wearing hearing aids”. Oracle does not provide hearing aids but can give you an in-depth analysis of your hearing and impartial advice on your next steps should you wish to take them. Taking the first step towards help with your hearing can be quite daunting but Oracle will make that step easy, enjoyable and stress free.

Oracle Ear Care is also very proud to announce the opening of their training suite, Oracle Training. Sereta Parker and Jo Green (regional trainer for the NHS Primary Ear Care and Audiology Centre), are offering microsuction and irrigation courses to NMC and HCPC registered health professionals. “There is a real need for good training and mentorship to ensure the procedure of ear wax removal is done safely”. Having clocked up thousands of hours of experience between them, Sereta and Jo are well placed to provide training to a high standard.

If you are interested in training and hold the recognised registration, please contact Jo Green at joanna.green1@btinternet.com

All members of staff you meet at Oracle Ear Care have been vaccinated and there are strict protocols in place to keep staff and members of the public safe.

To find out more about ear wax removal or problems you may have with your hearing please contact 01844 617 478.

Priya and Sereta will be happy to chat with you.

ORACLE EAR CARE

2 East Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3JS Phone: 01844 617 478 Website: www.oracleearcare.co.uk Email: admin@oracleearcare.co.uk Thame Out .17

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Time

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Sadly Covid-19 is particularly dangerous It seems to those of us who are unfit or obese. Recent research has also found that obesity is responsible for more deaths than smoking. It’s time for the British public to get fitter and slimmer. Jim Sherwood paid a visit to Invictus Fitness Centre and talked to owner Martin Shipperley.

I

was talking to Martin during the third national lockdown in February. A man of many talents.

A trained electrician, former boxer and ex footballer, I had interrupted him painting the toilets (last week he was up on the roof fixing a small leak).

Invictus Fitness Centre is a state of the art gym and it’s obvious listening to Martin and taking a tour of the facilities, it is a business he is passionate about.

Invictus is located in a vast building at Wenham Road in Thame. It is a cathedral to health and fitness with many devoted followers (they currently have 800 members).

So why did Martin set up Invictus, I ask?

“To be honest, I wanted a fitness centre that I would enjoy being a

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member of. I had frequented a number of gyms over the years. Often I received no induction and they were either a little intimidating or lacking equipment,” he says.

“I wanted Invictus to be inclusive. A perfect environment for the whole family to achieve their fitness goals. Members range from a four year old boy to a 75 year old woman, with a good mix of men and women of all ages,” he adds.

“It is very much a fitness community at Invictus, with classes and equipment to suit all ages and abilities.

“We are just launching ‘new to the gym’ classes for new and less confident members. It’s a great way to get them eased into the gym experience”.

An experienced Personal Trainer is always on hand to ensure members use the

equipment safely and most effectively.

The Invictus weight equipment is bang up to date, mainly from Primal Strength, the market leaders in the industry.

Classes are an important part of the Invictus experience. They run over 45 classes a week including Spin and Yoga most days.

With spring and summer on their way, it’s also good to know the building is air conditioned.

Martin believes fitness should be fun.

The facilities cater for all abilities and styles of training. With added features like the sprint track and outdoor Performance Zone that means you are able to mix up your regime.

Martin has always been a keen boxer, so its no surprise that Invictus has its own boxing ring, heavy bags and a speed ball.

Boxing is a great way to exercise and is a great discipline for young people.

“We offer classes for older children as well as an adults class. Post Covid, bouts will be arranged as well,” says Martin.

Also in the pipeline will be team events such as fun runs and mud challenges.

A lot of this is dependent on the easing of lockdown restrictions, but rest assured

to get active

Invictus is well equipped to cope with the current situation. The building is huge and airy, all equipment cleaned constantly throughout the day and a company comes in weekly to do a deep Covid clean. Treadmills, rowing machines and cross-trainers are well spaced out for social distancing requirements. (Please note the images featured are pre-Covid restrictions).

Keeping with the community feel, Invictus work in partnership with local schools as a provider of the physical part for Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

​ “Under our DofE membership students can partake in Boxing, Hatha Yoga, Spin and Pilates “Our fully qualified instructors will assess students in line with DofE requirements,” adds Martin. ​ afé and Shop C When your workout is complete, enjoy some downtime with a coffee or protein shake. The Cafe is open 7 days a week during gym hours and non members are welcome. A great space to catch up with friends after your workout.

The shop sells leading brands of supplements and sunbed courses at very competitive prices.

Time to put your fitness first. Contact Martin on 01844 213602

Invictus Fitness Centre 3 Wenman Road, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3SD info@invictusfit.co.uk 01844 213602 www.invictusfitnesscentre.co.uk FREE OFF-ROAD PARKING

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TRAVEL

Flights of fancy?

As we go to print, foreign travel is still severely restricted. Both Covid 19 and Brexit rules provide significant obstacles to our holiday plans

S

ummer holidays. At last, there is some good news on the horizon. The huge uptake in vaccinations and the plummeting infection rates means we might be able to get away at last. Certainly a holiday in the UK seems likely and bookings are up. Unfortunately a foreign holiday is still in the balance.

There is talk of vaccination passports to certain countries. Greece for example could be the first to welcome visitors from the UK. As things stand however, under current UK COVID-19 restrictions, the rules are: You must stay at home. You must not travel, including abroad, unless you have a legally permitted reason to do so.

It is illegal to travel abroad for holidays and other leisure purposes.

Those travelling to the UK from abroad, including UK nationals returning home must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result taken up to 3 days before departure. If you do not comply (and you do not have a valid exemption) your airline or carrier may refuse you boarding and/or you may be fined on arrival.

Before you enter the UK you must provide your journey and contact details. You must self-isolate (or

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quarantine) when you enter the UK from any foreign country except Ireland, unless you have a valid exemption.

When you enter England from abroad (except Ireland), you must follow the new requirements for quarantining and taking additional COVID-19 tests. If you are travelling from a country on the banned travel list you must quarantine in a hotel.

Different rules apply for arrivals into England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

If you are legally permitted to travel abroad, check Government advice on your country of destination. Some other countries have closed borders, and may further restrict movement or bring in new rules including testing requirements with little warning.

Of course, it’s not just Covid restrictions affecting travelling to the continent.

Brexit is on most peoples minds nowadays and sometimes it can be quite confusing to know exactly what it means for you as a traveller.

Five things to check before travelling to a EU destination from now on: l Check your passport validity l Travel insurance l Driving requirements l Pet travel rules l Data roaming charges

Visit abta.com/brexit for advice.

As a reminder, on the day you travel, you’ll need your passport to both: have at least 6 months left be less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left) If you do not renew your passport, you may not be able to travel to most EU countries.

Bon Voyage-ish!

Ivan R Cammack. Optometrist.

Brighter days are coming.

See our superb range of sunglasses, spectacle lenses and contact lenses with UV protection.

Make an appointment now and prepare for summer.

Thame 212048 l Chinnor 351564 l Wendover 625892 info@ivancammack.com

GALLANT LUXURY MENSWEAR

10 Greyhound Walk, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3DY 01844 218 400 www.gallant-thame.co.uk twitter: @Gallant_Thame Opening Hours Monday to Saturday 10:00am–5:00pm

Stenstroms Sand Eton Seven For All Mankind Gran Sasso Antico Borgo Hiltl Sunspel Thomas Maine Without Prejudice Baldessarini Plus a welcome return to ...

Circle Of Gentlemen Pal Zileri LAB Jacob Cohën

Get ready!

`

LIFESTYLE

Mediation, the gentle approach to divorce as Gill Wright and Petrova Caldecourt from Lightfoots Solicitors explain.

A

fter a year of COVID-19 restrictions many couples are finding that the months spent in isolation have caused permanent damage to their relationship. But how do you approach separation and divorce at a time that is already so stressful? Lightfoots Solicitors are here to guide you through the process and offer practical advice about how mediation can help.

Is it really over?

The first and most important step for any couple is to decide if the relationship really is over. These are unprecedented times; being at home so much means that our stress has nowhere to go and can cause conflict.

Talk to your partner and see whether they are feeling the same way. Is this just a pandemic problem or has the relationship really run its course?

Counselling (both personal and relationship) can be a huge help.

If you have children then once the decision has been made to separate they need to be told. Think in advance about what to say to them, how and when. The breakup of a family is a confusing and upsetting time for children whatever their age and how the separation is handled will have a lasting effect on their wellbeing.

What is mediation?

Mediation gives couples a chance to end their marriage as amicably as possible while focusing on the needs of the children. You will work together with a trained mediator to identify and address the issues that you need to work out between you. The mediator is impartial and will not make any judgments or express opinions but will listen and help you to agree on the arrangements. They might be a solicitor but when they are carrying out their role as a mediator they can’t give legal advice, only information.

If appropriate, a suitably trained mediator can talk to your children, giving them the opportunity to directly

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express their wishes. Children often find it easier to talk to someone impartial as Gill Wright at Lightfoots Solicitors has experienced in her many years of working directly with children.

Many couples want to separate immediately, this has been made harder

by COVID-19 restrictions but is not impossible. If you are living in a domestic abuse situation then we urge you to leave as soon as it is safe to do so; any lockdown/ tier rules do not apply to you leaving and you should put the safety of yourself and any children in the home first. You can call the freephone, 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or find more information from Refuge or Womens Aid. If you are concerned for your immediate safety or that of your children you should call the police at any time of day or night on 999.

What if mediation isn’t an option?

Sometimes working together just isn’t an option. In this instance it’s important for both parties to each get some independent legal advice; you will need different solicitors. Your solicitor will give you advice and work with your former partners solicitor to try and reach an

agreed settlement of the issues. Court is usually a last resort unless there is an urgent situation that cannot be resolved without court proceedings.

Whichever route you take it’s a good idea for both of you to get an understanding of the family finances.

We recommend that once a financial agreement is reached it is recorded in a court order to make it legally binding.

Gently does it Practical steps to guide you through the process: l Talk to your partner and decide if the relationship really is over, counselling can help. l Tell your children in a sensitive and reassuring way. l Many couples choose to separate straight away. l Find a mediator, Lightfoots Solicitors are here to help but you can search for other providers via the Family Mediation Council. l If mediation isn’t possible you will need to appoint separate solicitors. You can find specialist family law solicitors at www.resolution.org.uk. l You can apply for a divorce yourself, with the help of your mediator or your solicitor can apply on your behalf. l Use a solicitor to put your financial agreements into a legally binding court order.

How long will it take?

There are financial and time benefits to mediation. It normally takes between three to six sessions with the cost (which is almost certainly far less than court proceedings) shared between you.

Mediation can take just a few months once you start the process, whereas going to court is more likely to be measured in years and can cost upwards of £20,000.

About Lightfoots Solicitors At Lightfoots Solicitors we offer free initial meetings to give you information about your current situation, please get in touch if you need us. Currently we are the only people in Thame offering mediation, but you can search for other providers at the Family Mediation Council or Resolution websites.

Gill Wright and Petrova Caldecourt are family lawyers and trained mediators at Lightfoots Solicitors LLP. Gill is an accredited mediator and on the Law Society Family Mediation Panel, she is also trained to work directly with children.

1-3 High Street, Thame, Oxon OX9 2BX. 01844 212 305 enquiries@lightfoots.co.uk also at 28 High Street, Princes Risborough HP27 0AX

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LIFESTYLE

Spring. Time to bring some joy into our lives says White Hart Studio owner Jane Davies. Karen Dale called in.

F

A window on a better world

or the majority of 2020 we have spent days, weeks months within the confines of our own homes and it has given us a chance to take stock of our interiors and exterior spaces.

How best to decorate them. Plus lets not forget that we now dress differently working from home.

This independent outlet has adapted to current times and Jane has tried to showcase her stock through the shop windows.

White Hart Studio is situated on Churchway in Haddenham and is on many peoples walking route to the church and duck pond. Jane realised this back in our first lockdown last year. So she decided rather than sit back and allow her shop to close and wait for lock down to end, she embraced the chance to do new and fun window displays.

The new designs started last April 2020 with balloons and a message written on the window ‘Welcome home Lily’ (Jane’s daughter had been stranded in Peru). Then she did a beautiful display to celebrate VE Day, featuring bunting along

the opposite end. This totally avoids any the length of the shop, mannequins congestion by the till and ensures you are dressed in period costumes, wartime able to keep a safe distance from other solders silhouetted in the window. Jane customers. even offering home made cakes to When I visited Jane for this edition passers by. of the magazine, new spring deliveries From this point people had told her were arriving. To keep abreast of news that they had changed their route to and the latest additions to White Hart ensure they walked past the shop. As Studio, please go to her Instagram page a result, Jane endeavoured to change whitehartstudio or her facebook page. the window weekly. The current theme Until the shop opens, you are able to being spring flowers which have been do Call and Collect on Tuesdays and painted on the inside by Claire who Saturdays. works at White Hart Studio. For a little fun Lets support our independent retailers Jane has even written birthday wishes as they need our help more than ever. to her friends so they see the messages when they walk past. Just another way to put a smile on peoples faces and spread a little joy.

On Tuesday 13th April White Hart Studio will be open from 10-5 five days a week . Closed Sunday and Monday.

Naturally, as a result of the pandemic, some people will be a little nervous, so WHITE HART STUDIO with this in mind Jane has utilised the WHITE HART STUDIO space and opened up the door at the JEWELLERY,GIFTS G IFTS& &INTERIORS INTERIORS FAFASHION, S H I ON, JEWELLERY, end of the shop where you can now HADDENHAM, enter. You can then leave by the till at 1 5 15 C HCHURCHWAY, U R C HWAY, HADDENHA M, BBUCKS U C KS, HP17 HP17 8AB T: 0T:1 01844 8 4 4 2 9292308 2 3 0 8 M: 36630 8 M: 07765 07765 366308 E: JANE@WHITEHARTSTUDIO.COM E: JANE@WHITEHARTSTUDIO.COM

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HOME & GARDEN

Beckermann

The key to a

Beckermann

successful

lockdown Lockdown didn’t mean shutdown for Kingsey Furniture & Interiors.

As Steve Rogers discovered.

A

quiet year for Kingsey Furniture & Interiors? Far from it. The company decided to embrace lockdown and all the Covid-19 restrictions and challenges that had to be faced.

Kingsey continued to do all they could to improve their customers living space.

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Families stuck at home have needed more space or at least a better use of space for both children being home schooled perhaps or an area for adults to work from. Naturally, Kingsey Furniture & Interiors have obliged. Busy creating a whole range of design solutions. Utilising both interior and exterior spaces, both large and small.

Despite a fine and on-going reputation for stylish and practical kitchens, Kingsey continue to diversify into other parts of the home and even into the garden.

The one constant has been this desire for more space. Space for storage and space to work from. The team have designed customised space efficient wardrobes for the bedroom, work stations in dining rooms and kitchens as well as outdoor garden offices.

Garden Offices

Naturally everything designed, built or supplied by Kingsey is of the finest workmanship and materials.

The success of Kingsey Furniture & Interiors is built on their ability to listen carefully to what the clients want and the best and most cost effective way to achieve this.

During the recent lockdown period, just as customers were taking stock of their homes, so did Kingsey Furniture & Interiors MD, Fay Branch. She had noticed there was a growing desire for ultra modern sleek

designer kitchens. A range that perfectly complimented Kingsey’s own bespoke designs.

German kitchen manufacturers also have a well established reputation for quality of design and materials. As a result, Kingsey are now offering a range of kitchens from Beckermann.

“Beckermann kitchen furniture was selected after careful consideration of the many German Kitchen brands available and our decision was based on the range of styles and features available, as well as the quality of the product and service,” says Fay. “There is no such thing as standard in this collection. They offer so many unique features that we believe enhance the design opportunities, functionality and style of the range, we already offer,” she adds.

Perhaps, during lockdown, you too have been assessing your living space and have a desire to improve it. Contact Kingsey Furniture and Interiors and discover what they can do for you.

Phone 01844 299820 or email Fay@kingseyfurniture.co.uk for more information.

You can visit the kitchen showroom under normal circumstances Monday to Friday 10.00 - 16.00 or anytime Saturday or Sunday, but appointments are necessary at the moment due to Covid restrictions.

Alcove Office

Kingsey Furniture & Interiors Ltd Unit 2, Manor Farm, Risborough Road, Kingsey, Bucks HP17 8LU www.kingseyfurniture.co.uk www.kingseykitchens.co.uk 01844 299820 – 01844 290 899 Fay@kingseyfurniture.co.uk SPACIOUS KITCHEN SHOWROOM OPEN

Appointment only please

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SPRING AT WHITE HART STUDIO

WHITE HART STUDIO FA S H ION, JEWELLERY, GIFTS & INTERIORS OPENING TIMES TUES TO SAT: 10am - 5pm SUN: 11am - 4pm

FASHION, JEWELLERY, G IFTS & INTERIORS

WHITE HART

15 CHURCHWAY, HADDENHA M, BUCKS, HP17 8 AB 15 CHURCHWAY, HADDENHAM, BUCKS HP17 8AB T: 01844 292308 M: 07765 36630 8 T: 01844 292308 M: 07765 366308 E: JANE@WHITEHARTSTUDIO.COM STUDIO E: JANE@WHITEHARTSTUDIO.COM

JS PROPERTY CARE LTD

HOME IMPROVEMENTS AND REPAIRS

We have over 15 years of building service experience In all aspects of home improvements.

These include external works such as new roofs, Upvc fascias/soffits, guttering, flat roofs, driveways, patios, external and internal painting.

07475 207679

As well as internal decoration.The majority of our work is gained through recommendations from previous clients. For a hardworking, trusted, professional company please call us anytime for advice and quotation.

www.jspropertycareltd.co.uk

`

HOME & GARDEN

The great indoors Interior designs for your home from tillynilly

T

raditionally, spring is the season of change and re-birth. Never has the spring been so welcomed more than this year.

No less than three lockdowns has seen us spend more time at home than usual. Surrounded by soft furnishings and designs that we love and more to the point, that we don’t.

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Tracy Nielsen, owner of tillynilly has noticed a renewed appetite amongst her clients to make some home improvements in 2021.

“We are delighted to be opening again in April and look forward to welcoming back our regular shoppers and new visitors into the shop and design studio,” says Tracy.

“Happily we hear that many people are excited to be planning home improvements and adding new decorative accessories to their home. With this in mind we are delighted to have new

and interesting fabrics available for our bespoke soft furnishings, blinds and interiors products. Beautifully soft linens, sumptuous textures and fresh contemporary shades will be available to view in our freshly decorated shop upon reopening,” Tracy adds. tillynilly are launching a new design lounge in the basement of the shop that will be available for a selection of smaller accessories such as lampshades, indoor and outdoor cushions and seat pads, as well as smaller window treatments.

Hosting guests at home and (in the first instance) in our gardens is sure to be popular this summer. With this in mind, tillynilly are offering a made to measure service for new seating pads or replacement covers for your current ones. They will also be offering beautiful accessories to decorate your surroundings such as lights, lanterns, food platters and planters.

Lockdown has seen many people working from home, something a lot of us will continue to do. For home workers, tillynilly offer stylish furniture and seating, including motorised desks for ergonomic working, that will fit beautifully into your home environment.

Home is where the art is with tillynilly.

For help creating a beautiful interior (or exterior), contact Tracy on 01844 220035 The studio will continue to be available by appointment for larger projects, curtains and soft furnishings.

With spring and summer heading our way and longer and brighter days to look forward to, the business will focus on window coverings: either new and fresh to brighten up the interior, or adding extra layers to assist with light control.

Voiles and translucent fabrics can be used for curtains or blinds to give a diffusion of sunlight. Where more coverage is required, a wide variety of products are available to help with light

blocking. Fabrics or linings with blackout ability will be a good addition. Blackout blinds within a window recess are a great choice when curtains alone are not enough.

Sometimes a simple change to the type of track or curtain pole used can improve the coverage of your current curtains. tillynilly offer many choices in this area and they provide an expert installation service.

Motorised blind and curtain hardware is continuing to grow in popularity and tillynilly offer advise and installation of these products.

tillynilly Creative Interiors.

55 North St, Thame OX9 3BH 01844 220035 info@tillynilly.com

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FIT FOR PURPOSE Invictus Fitness Centre is a state of the art gym that provides the perfect environment for all the

family to achieve their fitness goals. The very latest equipment, great classes and training programs to suit a variety of passions, interests and fitness levels.

Come and join us. Memberships from just £39.99.

Invictus Fitness Centre 3 Wenman Road, Thame OX9 3SD l info@invictusfit.co.uk l 01844 213602 l www.invictusfitnesscentre.co.uk

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Skill, experience, imagination and flair.

Celebrating contemporary creative craftsmanship.

Ceramics Glass J e w e l l e ry Wo o d B ro n z e Amazing art in wonderful places across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Oxfordshire Art Weeks 1-23 May Bucks Art Weeks 12-27 June Celebrating The Unusual In Creative Craftsmanship

18 Buttermarket, Thame, OX9 3EP Open Tues - Sat, 10.30 - 5.30 01844 215099 www.fitchandfellows.com

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HOME HOME & & GARDEN GARDEN

Excellent quality.

Unexpected value.

Whether you are an individual home owner or a multi home developer, you look for excellent quality of workmanship and design as well as superb value for money. Where can you find this? Ridgeway Interiors.

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O

ver the years, Ridgeway have built up excellent working relationships with developers, building companies and architects. As a developer, you need to know that you can trust your partners to deliver the same quality work as you do.

installers. This is why they employ their own fitters, ensuring they work to a consistently high standard. They know the ranges like the back of their hands.

Contact the Contract Sales Director.

Darren Clarke. He knows the business inside out and has been with Ridgeway for over seven years.

Call: 01844 853100 Or email hello@ridgewaykitchenprojects.co.uk

2020 has of course been a tough year, but Ridgeway Interiors reputation has meant they have remained busy. Drawing up designs and making Zoom presentations for projects to commence after lockdown restrictions are lifted. Work has continued on updating the Showroom. You can now see a new Systemat Kitchen. Systemat are so confident that you’ll love their kitchen, they’re offering a 10-year warranty across their Systemat 3 range.

You will also find the a new bespoke hand painted kitchen by Hepworth & Wood. Truly personalised kitchens made with carefully selected timbers combined with curved cabinets, hand carved corbels and pilasters.

Just two new displays to add to the existing six to explore.

Ridgeway Interiors are busy, they need another Kitchen Designer to join the team.

Contact Tony on 01844 279900

That is exactly what Ridgeway do.

Building a development of 30 units or a single, luxury home, Ridgeway design, project manage, and install the right kitchen to suit each project. In sync with your needs in terms of style, quality and budget.

Ridgeway Interiors provide a variety of kitchens from renowned brands as well as their own Ridgeway Bespoke range to private and contract clients.

The wide range of kitchen furniture and appliances are suitable for most developers’ requirements, and Ridgeway’s dedicated contracts team draw on extensive local knowledge and knowledge of the industry, as well as experience designing for private clients, to position each proposal appropriately.

Ridgeway Interiors are responsible for installation, delivery and project management, this results is stylish, wellfitted kitchens that you can be proud of. Thus enhancing the value of your properties and helping you to stand out in a competitive market place.

Whatever the size of project, Ridgeway can deliver kitchens to retail standards, at contract prices.

Naturally, Ridgeway will oversee your project from planning to installation. You will have a consistent point of contact throughout, who’ll keep you updated and take responsibility for delivering your project on time, on budget and to an extremely high standard.

Ridgeway’s reputation depends on the experience and skills of their

Ridgeway Interiors Unit 8, Rycote Lane Farm, Rycote Lane, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2NZ Phone: 01844 279900 www.ridgewaykitchens.co.uk Ridgeway Kitchen Projects www.ridgewaykitchenprojects.co.uk

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HOME & GARDEN

A dead Cedar tree ...

Trees. Root and branch.

As the busy Winter period passes into Spring, Matt Vaughan, director of Four Seasons Tree Care takes a look back at a couple of recently completed jobs that illustrate the broad technical expertise within the company.

A

t Four Seasons we are really fortunate to have such a range of diverse and interesting jobs. One day we might be dismantling an unsafe and dangerous tree, another day pruning a prized specimen in a welltended garden or planting new and interesting trees and shrubs.

Earlier this year we had a very large and very dead Atlas Cedar to remove at a golf course near Henley-on Thames. The tree stood around 30 meters tall and had been standing dead for a couple of years.

It is not clear what had killed the tree but given its location beside a main road it was becoming a hazard and needed to be felled. We brought in a crane to lift the tree out in sections which was really the only safe way to do the job. Temporary traffic lights were set up on the road so that we could manage the traffic whilst the roadside sections were lifted out.

Our lead climber, James Jefferey got the job done with great competence and

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... is very carefully ...

... and very skilfully removed.

The wonderful Wedding Cake Tree

Planting a Red Birch

efficiency using slings to cradle some of the large and awkward limbs to keep them stable and steady as the crane picked them off. The photos tell the story. There was very little clear space below, so everything had to be carefully manoeuvred through the surrounding trees down to an area where the rest of the team could cut, chip and clear the branches and timber.

At the other end of the scale this month our team planted a range of interesting specimen trees and shrubs at a garden in Thame. The species list included several Japanese Maple varieties, Chinese Red Birch, Viburnums and a large specimen of Giant Dogwood also known as the Wedding Cake Tree.

The Maples were planted as an understory in a copse of Birch and Oaks which is exactly where these trees grow best, generally preferring moist but well drained soil and the dappled shade from a taller tree canopy that also serves to moderate wind and temperature.

The Giant Dogwood, (Cornus controversa as it is properly known) is one of my favourite trees when it has the space to develop to its full potential, reaching a height and spread of 10

meters or more. The structured, layered effect of the branches when the creamy white flowers are out in the Summer produces a stunning effect. The Autumn colours are usually strong reds and purples which gives a further season of interest.

This is a tree with a lot to offer in any garden that has the space.

If you have any tree projects, large or small, that might benefit from our expertise then we would be pleased to hear from you.

For a complete tree service and a company that you really can trust, call Four Seasons Tree Care today. They will be pleased to advise and quote for your tree work.

Four Seasons Tree Care Limited 1 Beech Road, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2AL T: 01844 218222 M: 07973 507876 E: mail@4seasonstreecare.co.uk

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If you are wondering how the recent budget impacts your plans to sell or rent your property ... Speak to the local experts.

“

“

Excellent 5*. They were utterly professional, enthusiastic and above all the communication was first class.

Are you looking for local advice on the state of the sales and lettings market in Thame and the surrounding villages?

Get in touch with the experts today.

DARREN HUNT: Sales Director, will be happy to guide you through the sales process. With the stamp duty deadline extended until June. Is there still time?

Email: darren@collegeandcounty.co.uk Tel: 01844 399292 DAVID GILSON: Lettings Director, will be happy to answer your questions around tenants and tenancies. Changes in legislation and compliance requirements, for landlords over the past year. Have you missed anything?

Email: david@collegeandcounty.co.uk Tel: 01844 260201

www.collegeandcounty.co.uk

What would it feel like to have that extra special Garden Room?

Over the past year Kingsey Furniture & Interiors Ltd have been asked to design, manufacture and build bespoke outdoor rooms. We made the decision to work only with the highest quality materials, this in turn ensures that all of our garden rooms are built to the highest specification. What you can expect from us, is our total attention to detail. All of our designs have fully insulated walls and floors with 12mm laminate wood flooring, underfloor heating and recessed lights in the ceiling and canopy. The beauty of our outdoor rooms is that they are suitable for all year-round use, whatever that may be…. Office, den, studio, gym, spare bedroom or playroom.

We work to your specification to deliver your total solution.

Contact us to arrange a free site visit to discuss your requirements.

T: 01844 299820 and ask for Sue or Fay Kingsey Furniture & Interiors Ltd Unit 2, Manor Farm, Risborough Road, Kingsey, Bucks HP17 8LU E: sues@kingseyfurniture.co.uk www.kingseyfurniture.co.uk

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SHUTTER SPEC SECURITY AWNINGS Retractable awnings add extra living space to your home, offer outside shade in the summer and add curb appeal to your home.

ShutterSpec Security has recently partnered with Erhardt Markisen, a market leading German manufacturer of solar shading, and glass terrace roof products. This partnership allows us to deliver beautiful awnings to our customers just in time for summer, meaning you can make the most of the longer evenings outside in the garden with your loved ones and friends.

Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Security Solutions

We supply, install and service a range of high quality garage doors, awnings, security grilles/shutters and entrance gates.

Please visit our showroom.

GARAGE DOORS Whether it’s a space saving Roller Garage Door, a Sectional Garage Door for extra insulation or an Up and Over Garage Door, we offer you products from the highest quality manufacturers with a wide range of colours to suit your choice.

01844 212152

info@shutterspecsecurity.co.uk www.shutterspecsecurity.co.uk

6 Swan Walk, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3HN Tel: 01844 212152 www.shutterspecsecurity.co.uk

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HOME & GARDEN

Full bloom Spring time and Haddenham Garden Centre is about to open in all its glory.

S

pring is the time of year when Haddenham Garden Centre really comes into its own. A return to its roots you might say.

As we emerge from the latest (and hopefully last) lockdown, it’s a chance for us all to enjoy the outdoors again.

Never before has the garden provided such a sanctuary for our mental well-being.

Haddenham Garden Centre recognise this more than anyone and they are fully equipped for you to enjoy outdoor living.

The plant department is a riot of colour. Everything you need for a beautiful garden in one place.

You will find a wide range of shrubs, arranged by a year in colour, so whatever the season your garden will always look great.

Bedding plants abound, Chose from a range of herbaceous perennials again displayed by colour to make it easy to design your garden.

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You can create your very own kitchen garden with Haddenham Garden Centre’s range of herbs and vegetables, and fruit plants.

Trees provide structure and shade and their range of fruit and ornamental trees are perfect for gardens of all sizes.

Why not add height, increase privacy and disguise unsightly elements of your garden with a range of climbing plants.

Add depth and texture to your garden, whether in deep shade or full sun with a mixture of ferns and grasses.

Seeds and Bulbs are a great way to add easy colour to your garden with the Centre’s comprehensive range.

Haddenham Garden Centre has a team of experienced staff who can help with any gardening questions.

There are areas to inspire you as well.

Such as the Kitchen Garden and Japanese Garden.

Beyond the flower beds and vegetable patch, outdoor living items include BBQ’s large plant pots, lighting, outdoor

furniture and patio sets from brands such as Kettler, Hartman and Alexander Rose.

You can even find sand, gravel and stones for those wanting to create, paths, patios or rockeries Of course, Haddenham Garden Centre is more than a Garden Centre.

Food plays a big part in its attraction as well. The farm shop is full of tempting food from local producers and suppliers. They also stock a range of local and regional beers and ciders, and local and international wines.

The Beef Olive Butchery counter stocks quality local seasonal meats, traditionally reared and properly hung to promote the best flavour. Homemade Sausages, local game and own cured bacon are in plentiful supply as well as a full range of BBQ meats.

The bakery features in-store produce as well as the daily deliveries from local bakeries. This ensures they have a full range of delicious cakes, pastries, scones, tarts and biscuits as well as traditional and artisan breads.

The Deli counter showcases the best award winning local and regional cheeses as well as home-cooked meats, fresh breads and antipasti ranging from olives to seasonal salads.

You will find a full range of the popular premium ‘Cook’ frozen ready meals.

The shelves burst with larder essentials.

There is an extensive range of chutneys, jams, and pickles as well as chocolates, sweet treats and crisps to tickle your taste buds.

If looking around the deli makes you hungry, you can call in at the Gardener’s Retreat for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea, or coffee & cake! Hugely popular, the Retreat will soon be open again, with both generous indoor space and an outdoor area.

Enjoy delicious breakfast options such as breakfast baps, full English breakfast served until 11:30am.

All your lunch favourites such as sandwiches, jacket potatoes and paninis as well as daily specials and a popular roast in a Sunday.

What about an afternoon tea?

Sandwiches, scones, homemade cakes, tea and coffee. Plus you can upgrade to a glass of Prosecco!

Add to this the huge gift area, clothes shops, children’s toys and pet shop and you have one fantastic destination for the whole family.

Haddenham Garden Centre HP17 8HN www.haddenhamgardencentre.co.uk 01844 290395

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FOOD & DRINK

Wine expert, Jerome Harlington and selecting wine in a restaurant.

May I recommend the ...

A

t last, Pubs and Restaurants are about to open again.

It’s time to start enjoying some fantastic bottles of wine when out for a meal with friends.

But ordering and selecting wine in a restaurant can be quite an intimidating thing.

So, It’s definitely worth having a little bit of an understanding and a few pointers under your belt about how to approach this.

The first thing to consider when ordering wine in a restaurant are the considerable mark-ups. These are very high because they can make a higher profit margin on wine than they can on food.

Wine mark-ups can be seventy or eighty percent or even higher. So your retail bottle of wine at £8 will be around £24 plus on a restaurant wine list. This is worth bearing in mind.

I would avoid the classic default reaction to the list which would be to order the house wine. This is seldom the best option because the house wine is usually the wine that the restaurant will make the biggest mark up on.

The objective of the restaurant is to make as much money as they can on the wine and they know that most will go for the house wine. They’ve selected

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it because it’s a low cost wine and they can get a good return on it.

Depending on the restaurant you’re in if there isn’t a wine adviser there or a Sommelier then going for the wine that’s second or third on the list is not a bad option because they know that everyone buys the house wine so to go a few pounds up you may well get you a much better value wine.

Avoid the really well known brands and grape varieties, you know the pinot grigios and merlots etc because, again, the restaurant manager knows that everyone is going to order those wines and so they put a hefty mark-ups on them.

Where a restaurant is often taking a risk is with the lesser-known grape varieties.

The supplier might have got the wine listed on a trial basis and usually the restaurant will have been given a very good price to trial it. So you’ll get a lot better quality wine for your money. So again if there isn’t anyone to advise you in the restaurant go for a lesser well known variety.

Most restaurants will provide a description of the wine and give an idea of the style and what it tastes like. So if you like aromatic whites say from Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand they’ll often categorise the wines by whether they are aromatic, full bodied, rich, creamy etc so

you’ll be able to choose the wines within your taste preferences even if you haven’t heard of the grape variety.

If you’re in a slightly more expensive restaurant, I really would recommend asking the Sommelier or the wine adviser the best wine to go with your food. That’s what they’re there to do and they’ll be delighted to be asked, they’ll feel really pleased that you’ve asked them a question and they’ll do their absolute best to help.

You might find they’ll even pour you glasses of wine that you hadn’t ordered just to taste. So if you’re enthusiastic with the wine waiter there you can really learn an awful lot and get to try some fantastic wines.

The final point with restaurants is to not be intimidated. You’re the customer and to be expected to taste wine a professional taster is very unfair. Most of us really don’t know whether a wine is corked or not they just think it doesn’t taste very nice.

There’s that old Michael McIntyre sketch where you’re offered the wine to taste and everyone’s looking at you smelling the wine and deciding whether or not it’s good. But you’re not even thinking about the wine you’re thinking that all the focus is on me. You want this awful experience to stop so you quickly blurt out timidly ‘yes it’s fine’.

` They’d never bring you the milk and say could you smell this and tell me if it’s off. So I’m hoping that this trend will go where actually the wine waiter should taste it. I would say don’t be afraid to ask the waiter to taste it first to check if it’s corked or not, because the purpose for you to try the wine isn’t actually whether you like it or not it’s actually whether the wine is corked or not so really that should be down to the wine waiter.

So they’re my main tips for ordering wine in a restaurant. Basically remember that you’re the customer and experiment a bit with the lesser known varieties. If there is someone there who can advise you I’d definitely recommend asking because you’re likely to get a much better wine.

I was lucky in that I started ordering and experimenting with wines from a pretty young age. I was a member of a Prefects club at school called The Fifth Dinner Club. I was treasurer and amongst other things was responsible for ordering wines at dinners. Being young and wanting to learn more I realised very quickly that the best way to get great wine was to befriend the sommelier. They loved teaching and recommending.

I quickly learned that when I made my own selections from the list without consulting the experts, it was a real lottery.

When I started talking to the sommeliers I soon picked up quite a bit of wine knowledge and the wines selected were fantastic. My confidence grew and I got a real kick out of everyone enjoying the wines selections made with the food.

I would love to hear from you.

01296 695555 or email jerome@trailblazingwine.com

jerome@trailblazingwine.com www.trailblazingwine.com +44 (0)1865 339353 Mobile:+44 (0)7886 916857

FOOD & DRINK

Easter treat Mary Berry’s Hot Cross Buns recipe is completely foolproof.

For this recipe you will need a piping bag fitted witha fine 3mm nozzle, but if you don’t have a nozzle you could use a piping bag and snip the end off.

Preparation time over 2 hours Cooking time10 to 30 mins Makes 12 buns

Ingredients 500g/1lb 2oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting 75g/2¾oz caster sugar 2 tsp mixed spice powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 lemon, finely grated zest only 10g/¼oz salt 10g/¼oz fast-action dried yeast 40g/1½oz butter 300ml/10fl oz milk 1 free-range egg, beaten 200g/7oz sultanas 50g/1¾oz finely chopped mixed candied peel oil, for greasing For the topping 75g/2¾oz plain flour 2 tbsp golden syrup, for glazing Recipe tipsHow-to-videos

Method Put the flour, sugar, spices and lemon zest into a large bowl and mix together. Then add the salt and yeast, placing them on opposite sides of the bowl.

Melt the butter in a pan and warm the milk in a separate pan. Add the butter and half the tepid milk to the dry ingredients.

Add the egg and use your hands to bring the mixture together, incorporating the flour from the edges of the bowl as you go. Gradually add the remaining milk, to form a soft pliable dough (you may not need all of the milk).

Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface. Knead by hand incorporating the sultanas and mixed peel into the dough. Lightly knead for 10 minutes until silky and elastic and forming a smooth ball. The kneading can also be done in a food mixer with a dough hook.

Oil a bowl and place the dough in a bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rest in a warm place for about 1½ hours or until doubled in size.

Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and divide into 12 balls. Line 1-2 baking trays with paper and place the balls on the tray, placing them fairly close together and flattening them slightly.

Slip each baking tray into a large clean polythene bag, making sure the bag doesn’t touch the buns. Leave for 40-60 minutes until the buns have doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.

For the topping, add the flour to a bowl with 100ml/3½fl oz water. Mix together to make a paste and spoon into the icing bag.

When the buns have risen remove the polythene bags and pipe a cross on each bun. Bake for 15-20 minutes until pale golden-brown, turning the baking trays round halfway through if necessary.

Melt the golden syrup in a pan and while the buns are still warm, brush the buns with a little syrup to give a nice shine, before setting aside to cool on a wire rack.

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PETS

What exactly do dogs think? About us. About the world.

About themselves.

Duncan Foster investigates the latest developments in human understanding of the canine mind.

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What am I thinking?

I

n a famous New Yorker magazine cartoon, published in 1993 and penned by Peter Steiner, a dog is shown sitting in front of a computer screen. With one paw resting on the keyboard, he turns to a fellow hound, who has adopted a customarily supine and canine position, gazing up in awe at anyone capable of using a swivel chair (let alone operating a computer).

The dog at the computer addresses his less well-informed, his less online savvy friend with words of conspiratorial advice: “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog”. Who can guess at his enterprise?

Scamming, beguiling, fooling, passing on

mad political opinions, posting incendiary opinions on the lacklustre performance of his master’s favourite team, applying for a bank account, perusing house prices?

OK, it was a laugh at the expense, not of dogs, but of people. See how you can dupe electronically. See how you can recreate yourself in anonymity.

And see how you can seem smarter than your appearance would suggest were someone to bump into you in the street or the park, weeing up against a lamppost or a tree, we might add. But though the satire was directed at the emerging, amorphous online universe in which it is possible to pretend to a wholly new identity, the cartoon also raises another serious question – for pet owners, at least. Just how much do dogs actually connect with our world, just how clever are they? Particularly when it comes to dealing with human beings, those ancestral companions in whose caves and houses, for millennia, they have snuggled warmly beside fires and central heating systems; at whose campsite gatherings and at whose rather nice pine kitchen tables they have snaffled treats; at whose sides they have hunted in woods and walked down Acacia Avenue; at whose commands they have

shepherded sheep with a keenly obedient ear and have failed to return with an obtusely disobedient ear when repeatedly told to do so on a country stroll. Just what do dogs think, and how good are they at it?

I remember once watching an episode of the US sitcom, Frasier. In it, Martin Crane, Frasier’s father, unwelcome house guest and owner of Eddie, a frisky and hardstaring Jack Russell Terrier, is engaged in debate, mostly with himself, as to the various levels of intelligence of various breeds of dog. The measure of canine IQ, plucked from a popular magazine, involved a specific test, its accomplishment gauged by the time it took for its completion (shaking off a tea towel seemed to be the main requirement). Utterly convinced that Eddie is the nimblest dog in the world mentally, Martin is dismayed at his pet’s inability to outperform the times recorded (on average) by Border Collies, Dalmatians, German Shepherds and, the final humiliation, Poodles.

Every dog owner would recognise the sentiment: of course, my dog is smart; he or she must be because they understand me. And dogs do. They are incredibly adept at appraising people (as we shall discover in later issues). But how do dogs’ minds work?

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Scan for intelligent life A black Terrier-cross, called Callie and belonging to Gregory Berns, a neuroeconomics professor at Emory University in Georgia in the US, saunters nonchalantly into the interior of an MRI scanner. (Callie is so accustomed to the scanner and the earmuffs she wears to sieve out the noise of the machine, and so encouraged by the fuss made of her by the scientists, that she often leaps up before everyone is ready.) For the next few seconds only – she has been trained, lengthily trained (some eight months) to lie perfectly still – her brain is (safely and harmlessly) scanned while she is flashed hand signals that relate to food and is introduced to familiar scents and glimpses sight of people she knows well. The scan over, she bounds down, tail wagging, to rejoin her human friends and snack on her reward.

The purpose of the exercise was to determine which of Callie’s brain circuits – other dogs took part too – responded when she saw a gesture that meant a treat was imminently on its way. The results? Well, preliminary at the moment. But it seems that the ‘there’s some food waiting’ hand signals set fire to neural systems in the caudate nucleus, a part of the brain associated with the anticipation of a reward. “In the study being reviewed, we presented smells from other humans and dogs from the dog’s household next to strange human and dog smells,” said Professor Berns.

“It’s clear from the scans that they’re identifying the familiar human. And we’re seeing activation in the same reward pathways as the hand signal and food.”

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Professor Berns plans further trials in which his team will look at how dogs, as measured by the bio-chemical activity in their brains, react not just to the promise of a feed but also to the level of their empathy for their owners. Also on the agenda is how dogs process owners’ voices, and the commands and the conversations they have with them.

The research is tentative at the moment. There are still endless questions to be answered as to how dogs think and react to the world, and to their relationships with people. “How do dogs distinguish among the humans they know; is it by sight or smell?” asks Professor Berns. “What meaning does our language have to them? How do their minds represent humans and other animals, including other dogs?” He then poses an even deeper question. The study of canine thinking, he suggests, given the intertwining, the co-dependency of our development, ultimately brings us back to ourselves: “Because humans, in effect, created dogs through domestication, the canine mind reflects back to us how we see ourselves through the eyes, ears, and noses of another species.”

Heavy stuff. And another difficult, though not unconnected, question too.

Do we, as pet owners, really, really want to know whether that slobbering, wet-nosed greeting at the door after a terrible day at work, that proffered paw after a piece of upsetting news, that wagged tail, that doleful gaze, that nudge against the leg, is really just a Pavlovian act, a demand for a treat. Or a genuine act of sympathy and understanding, however inarticulately expressed. Do we actually want to know what our dogs are thinking? I guess that my mind may never be changed, no matter the objectivity of our wonderful neuroscientists. As I look down at the sleeping form of Sadie, my now sleeping and snorting Labrador, I am as convinced that as much as I love her so she loves me; that her emotional inner world is as complex, as troubled, as uplifted as mine.

That may be because I am me, a human being, and not her, a slobbering Labrador.

But what is love other than a bridge over chasms? Then again, suppose it turns out fine? Suppose those future MRI scans show, in their regimented, equational, inevitable, unarguable way, that – forget the food, the shelter, the central heating – dogs do care for us, that they do love us.

That in their minds’ eyes we are special.

Now wouldn’t that be a thing.

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ENTERTAINMENT

New for 2021 from the New Theatre DIRTY DANCING The Classic Story On Stage 27 – 31 JULY Seen by millions across the globe this worldwide smash hit tells the classic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.

See the hit film come to life before your eyes with this fantastic, emotional and triumphant live stage show.

Dirty Dancing is back! Exploding with heart-pounding music, breathtaking emotion and sensationally sexy dancing. Featuring 35 hit songs, including Hungry Eyes, Hey Baby, Do You Love Me? and the heart stopping (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.

HARRIS & BAKER’S BACKSTAGE PASS 15 AUGUST

Harris & Baker’s Backstage Pass.

Hang onto your hats, kids. It’s a rocking ride.

Bob Harris and Danny Baker, two of the nation’s best broadcasters, have unparalleled experience of witnessing

Will the recycling be put out on the right day? Who is going to smooth over the top of the margarine?

How many lights are on upstairs when everybody is downstairs? Watch Jon pretend that these aren’t his foremost concerns as he leaves home on his first tour since the last one.

Best known as a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Cats Countdown (Channel 4), host of Dave’s Ultimate Worrier, and upcoming sitcom Meet the Richardsons.

As well as Would I Lie To You (BBC One), Have I Got News For You (BBC One), Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow (BBC One), and Taskmaster (Dave).

JON RICHARDSON 10 SEPTEMBER

the great names of modern music up close. They have been back stage, front stage, at home and on the road with virtually every legend in the business.

Fortunately they both have great memories (in both senses of that phrase).

Make no mistake - rock and soul music really did have a golden age and here’s two storytellers who were there all along the way. It’s a really funny story (in both senses of that phrase too). Bob & Dan. They got beans. And they’re gonna spill ‘em.

Tickets for all shows can be purchased from the New Theatre box office on George Street, by ringing 0844 871 3020, or by visiting our website at www.atgtickets.com/oxford (phone and internet bookings subject to booking/transaction fees).

For bookings of 10 or more, and for Equal Access bookings, please call our dedicated in-house team on 0844 871 3040.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Playing at The Oxford Playhouse RAMBERT Following the huge success of Rambert’s inaugural livestream commission of Draw From Within (Wim Vandekeybus), the company pledges its long-term commitment to the commissioning of new work for the small-screen with a series of realtime livestream premieres planned for Spring, Summer and Autumn 2021.

Rambert’s digital programme commences with Rooms, a premiere from Norwegian choreographer and theatre and film director Jo Strømgren which will be broadcast live from Rambert on 8-11 April 2021. This will be followed by a double bill of new works including a new live-stream adaptation of Rouge from Marion Motin and a premiere from siblings Marne Van Opstal and Imre Van Opstal. A further new work for Rambert 2 follows in the Autumn from Rambert’s artistic director Benoit Swan Pouffer. All of the digital dance premieres will be created specifically for the camera; performed and broadcast live, with a cinematographer and camera crew relaying the productions in real-time to audiences across the world.

Rather than being cowed by the limitations of the pandemic, Rambert have embraced the technological opportunities that the live-stream platform can offer.

Working with ambitious cinematography and inventive performance and production approaches Rambert has invited choreographers to reinvent the live experience, blending dance, theatre and cinematography to offer something new and innovative to its audiences around the globe.

With its new Rambert Home Studio web platform, the company is keen to use this moment to bring their work to a wider audience and offer a variety of ways for viewers to connect with the company and its work. The series of digital commissions planned for 2021 allows the company to fully explore the advantages and possibilities of this new platform and

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build on its success so far. The platform also offers plenty of opportunities to engage with the company’s dancers including dancer interviews, behind the scenes and creation videos, podcasts and dancercurated playlists, dance classes for all ages and abilities (through a subscription) and more.

Rambert intends for its livestream productions to continue beyond the reopening of theatres, not as a replacement to the company’s proscenium arch performances but as an additional means of connecting with its audiences.

Benoit Swan Pouffer, Rambert’s Artistic Director explains that: “Working through the medium of livestreams brings us a great new opportunity to see the work from the point of view of its creator. With film, we are watching through their gaze, which is different to watching a stage production where the audience can choose where to look to a greater extent.”

THE 2021 LIVESTREAM PROGRAMME: Rooms by Jo Strømgren 17 dancers, 36 scenes, 100 characters…

Like catching miniature scenes through a train window, or cycling through the streets and peering into apartments, we all love to glimpse into other lives and the homes they’re lived out in.

Rambert’s brilliant dancers invite us into wildly different worlds and surprising set-ups. People trying to live their lives, navigate dilemmas, swerve mishaps and survive their mini-dramas.

Rooms is a daftly ambitious dancetheatre-film that is performed live. It’s sometimes absurd it’s oftentimes funny. It’s beautiful and it’s peculiar, and occasionally a little bit sad. Or maybe it’s all perfectly normal.

Double bill Siblings Marne Van Opstal and Imre Van Opstal (company dancers NDT, Batsheva) are among the hottest up-and-coming new choreographers on the scene.

Rambert is always looking for exciting new voices, so we’ve invited them to unleash their fresh creative force on our dancers.

Marion Motin’s choreography for Dua Lipa (IDGAF) and Christine and the Queens (Christine, Tilted) has a quirky hip hop vibe. Rouge is what happened when we invited pop’s coolest choreographer to work with Rambert’s daring dancers. Now she’s back in the studio re-making Rouge with a new cinematographic twist.

Rambert2 x Benoit Swan Pouffer Rambert’s Artistic Director creates a new piece for the fresh new talent of Rambert2. These early career dancers were handpicked from more than 650, for their outstanding ability and individuality.

Having challenged five different choreographers to expand the frontiers of real-time livestream performance, Benoit now takes his turn to create for this exciting new cinematic medium. Always ambitious, always daring, we can’t wait to see what new and stimulating audience experiences For details on how to book please visit: www.rambert.org.uk

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