Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // April 2020
ISSUE 94 | APRIL 2020
Gardening tips for Easter Meet the two Lukes Hallaton bottle kicking Olympian Greg Whyte speaks out
How to boost your immune system Walks from Belton-in-Rutland and Empingham
Wet and wild
Open water and wild swimming spots and tips
If you are thinking about your future or that of a loved one, now is the time to register your interest in our brand new care home or apartments. With beautiful views, stunning interiors and our usual first-class care coupled with our events and activities programme, this will be the home of ‘excellence in care.’ Contact us today to register for your interest and we’ll make sure you’re kept up to date
Editor and Publisher Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com
Deputy editor Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com
Art editor Matt Tarrant
Contributors Will Hetherington, Jeremy Smithson-Beswick,
Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com
Production assistant Gary Curtis
Cover image Wild Guide Central England Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com
Active magazine, Eventus Business Centre, Sunderland Road, Northfield Industrial Estate, Market Deeping, PE6 8FD
If you have information about a club then please get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com.
If you would like to stock Active magazine please email distribution@theactivemag.com. Active magazine is published monthly 12 times per year.
ISSN 2059-8513
Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd Printed by Warner’s of Bourne www.theactivemag.com
Disclaimer
Copyright (c) Triangle Publishing Ltd (TPL) 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from TPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of or its a liates. isclaimer of iability. hilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, TPL and its a liates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws. and its a liates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.
EDITOR’S LETTER
“A little less me and a lot more we goes a long way in situations like this.”
THANK GOODNESS SPRING is here, the clocks have changed, days are getting longer and better weather is surely now on its way. Hopefully we can now say goodbye to the infernal deluges and howling winds which seem to have plagued us all winter. And talking of plague, we all seem to have another cross to bear, the battle against coronavirus. I have no idea what stage we will be at when this is published in late March, so there is no point in speculating. But it has made us all think more about hygiene and hopefully pulling together as a community. A little less me and a lot more we goes a long way in situations like this. And do read advice on page 47 from the chairman of the National Association of Health Stores Gary Trickett on how to boost your immune system.
Remember if you can’t get out to pick up a copy of the magazine you can always read us online at www.theactivemag.com and copies are always available in the local supermarkets. We are a good read, packed full of interesting articles and local information. Remember also to keep supporting local businesses, we all need you desperately at the moment. any shops are offering free delivery on purchases so do give them a ring or visit their websites to keep ‘shopping local.’
ut life still goes on. omething that’s definitely away from crowds is wild or open water swimming and we have found some places locally to indulge your love of nature. Just remember to follow the safety code if you are tempted to take a dip.
We have met some interesting people this issue. Olympian Greg Whyte has some strong words to say about the nation’s fitness and leisure centre funding and I met the two Lukes, footballers who are motivating, encouraging and educating the youth of Peterborough. ill has been out finding some beautiful, peaceful walks for us. Hopefully the mud situation will be decreasing now. And walking the quiet footpaths of Rutland and Lincolnshire should hopefully help blow the cobwebs away and keep us away from germs.
Keep washing your hands, look out for elderly relatives and neighbours and pull together; we are all in the same boat.
Mary - Editor
And breathe - you are not alone
WE USED THIS quote on one of our front covers last summer and thought it seemed very apt to use again today. At the moment we are all facing great adversity and anxiety about what lies ahead and are understandably worried for our health, loved ones, neighbours, businesses and livelihoods.
But take a deep breath. Communities are pulling together, and with kindness, common sense and a touch of humour (however dark) we will hopefully get through this; you are not alone.
Here at Active we value our readers and advertisers alike and with both your support hope to be able to carry on offering an excellent read including lots of information about how to keep fit, healthy and active despite the challenging conditions as well as tell you what is going on within the community. We need to look after ourselves: eat well, sleep well and get
outside in the fresh air for some vitamin D and exercise. You can always pick up a copy of Active in the supermarketalong with your shopping - but we are also putting it in railway stations, local village shops, libraries, garden centres and some other businesses that are remaining open. So, perhaps to add purpose to the day take a walk (or run) in search of our magazine, getting some exercise at the same time and then enjoy a good read when you get home. Alternatively you can read the magazine online at www.theactivemag.com and look out for us on social media @theactivemaguk or @theactivemag
We are all in this together and hopefully we can keep you up to date and entertained whilst we all weather the storm.
Good luck, stay safe and breathe…
Mary, Kate and Lisa
30 MEET GREG WHYTE
Olympian has a lot to say about leisure centre funding 34 WILL’S WALK
month Will is in Ridlington and Empingham
ActiveLife
Wild water swimming | Hallaton bottle kicking
Meet Olympian Greg Whyte | Two spring walks with Will
EDITED BY MARY BREMNER
Easter days out p24
New sports shop for Oakham
SIGMA SPORTS, THE road cycling and triathlon store, is opening its second multi sports shop in Oakham this month which will be a hub for the local active outdoor community. Located in South Street there will be over 4,000 square feet of retail space offering premium brands from across the road cycling, MTB, triathlon and run
categories offering customers the same service and choice as at their agship store in London.
The opening of the new store will allow Sigma to expand and deepen its relationship with the local cycling and sports communities within the wider area. www.sigmasports.com
Verse Festival
VERSE FESTIVAL RETURNS to Stamford Arts Centre early next month with lots of workshops and events to enjoy. Not to be missed is Hollie McNish, winner of the Ted Hughes Award who will be joined by local poet Sally Mitchell on May 2.
There will also be a poetry pop up shop at Stamford’s ontemporary rts allery on aiden ane where you can find poetry on prescription. www.stamfordartscentre.com
New role for Deepak
DEEPAK TANNA FROM Leicester has been elected Junior Vice President for Bowls England and will be president in 2022 when England will be hosting the Commonwealth Games.
Cod’s Scallops Scoops Awards
THE BEST NAMED fish and chip shop for miles, he od’s Scallops, with a branch in Market Harborough, is also the nation’s best fish and chip shop recently winning at the ational Fish and Chips Awards. They’ve now gone one step further and won top prize at the British Pie Awards with their chicken, leek and ham pie. The Nottingham based company which has four locations, has won this award two years in a row and last year their vegan Balti pie also got the runner’s up place.
Launde Abbey
RUTLAND garden centre
Ashwell Road • Oakham
Why not start your walk or ride at Launde then reward yourself with a delicious lunch at the end?
Visit our website for maps and routes at www.laundeabbey.org.uk
Open daily for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea Charity No: 1140918
Cyclists and walkers very welcome
Launde Abbey, East Norton, Leicestershire LE7 9XB T: 01572 717254 I E: info@launde.org.uk
Book a day out with Nick Dunn and learn how to catch more Trout. He will show you his top tricks that put more fish in the net and smiles on your face! Even if you are a regular Trout angler, Nick can show you how to have more fun and catch more Trout!
Buy a personalised voucher for a guided day out for a friend or relative, something a bit different for them to look forward to!
Nick is a Today’s Flyfisher contributor and very experienced Stillwater Trout guide. He has represented England on six occasions, captaining the team to Gold medals in Spring 2016.
VISIT US TO SIGN UP AND ENJOY GREAT OFFERS &
• 10% DISCOUNT of full priced plant purchases when you sign up
• 6 new and amazing OFFERS each month –available only to members
• 10% DISCOUNT of full priced plant purchases every Tuesday
The winds of change continue to blow in at Rutland Garden Centre; we have a vast range of plants and everything you’d ever need for your garden – all of exceptional quality and excellent value.
Growing Communities
THE DAVID COCK Foundation is a charity that gives grants to projects and has launched Growing Communities. The idea is to encourage people in Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire to get outside and connect with nature and others in the community by growing plants. Committed to supporting the community to reap the benefits of growing to help mental, physical and social benefits they are supporting utland and incolnshire ildlife rust with a tree planting pro ect near Holwell Reserves near Melton Mowbray.
f you would like your local growing community to be considered for support, rowing ommunities will match your fund raising pound for pound up to a value of , . For more information go to www.thedcfoundation.co.uk
Lutterworth indoor bike ride
OVER £2,000 HAS been raised by the utterworth ig ndoor ike Ride that was held at Lutterworth Sports Centre recently. Six one-hour spinning sessions were held with riders being given the chance to experience virtual trips’ around some of the world’s most famous cycle routes.
Budding writers wanted
BUDDING JUNIOR AUTHORS are invited to bring the history of urghley alive in a writing competition to celebrate its th anniversary. The Beastly Boring Burghley competition aims to encourage youngsters to write a word story based upon their favourite historical character, setting or location. ntries close on ay . o find out more visit www.burghley.co.uk
New e-bike shop for Stamford
CRANKING E-BIKES HAS recently opened in tamford in obblestone ard on ath ow. pecialising in e bikes from less well known brands they offer a personal service for all types of e bike and really know their stuff. he best bang for your buck’ is their motto. hey will also take your old e bike in part exchange. Pop in and say hello. www.cranking.co.uk
A three way split
SECOND HELPINGS IN tamford has recently donated , to local charities with the funds being split three ways between ind pace, vergreen rust and the ight ro ect. he funds were raised by donations from diners who visit econd elpings to enjoy their delicious lunches.
Improved play area for Uppingham
THE CHILDREN OF Uppingham are to get an improved play area on Tod’s Piece thanks to a £50,000 grant from the FCC Communities Foundation. The money will be used to create a new play area with improved all weather oor surfacing and new play equipment.
Friendly
Fruit
HAVE A FRUIT box delivered to your workplace or home by friendlyfruitbox.co The fruit is packed at Pinchbeck and delivered fresh to your door packed full of vitamins and minerals, ripe and ready to eat. Delivery is free between Monday to Friday.
Stamford Ladies’ icing on the cake
THE STAMFORD LADIES are celebrating raising over £32,000 for the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice at their recent Charity Ice Ball. More than 200 people attended with 18 businesses from Stamford and Rutland supporting the event. Thanks go to students from Stamford College who did a fantastic job with the event design, ably supported by their tutors.
This Girl Certainly Can
A THIS GIRL Can charity night for Hope Against Cancer was recently held at Brockington College in Enderby. Over 210 women oined in with the fifth annual This Girl Can charity night of fun and fitness and raised over , whilst enjoying the chance to enjoy zumba, boxercise, salsa fit and much more.
Scottish dancing group raise funds
LEICESTER’S SCOTTISH COUNTRY Dance group recently held its annual charity dance in aid of Medical Detection Dogs and were able to present the charity with a cheque for £360. Scottish dancing is great fun, social and helps keeps you fit. o find out more visit www.rscdesleicstre.org.uk
Nicholas Farka
Country Inn and Restaurant
A warm welcome is assured at our quintessential old English county pub, bringing you the best of British home cooked meals and a choice of well kept Real Ales.
Why
not
Easter House Opening
join us for Sunday Lunch?
Choice of 3 roasts all served with the traditional trimmings £11.95 for one course up to £17.95 for three courses
Curry Night
1st Thursday of every month. Two course menu with selection of starters, followed by three homemade curries £10.95 a head
LAST ORDERS WILL BE TAKEN 30 MINUTES BEFORE FOOD IS STOPPED SERVING
& Tea Room 12pm-5pm
2pm-5pm Last admission 4pm www.deenepark.com | 01780 450278 | admin@deenepark.com Visitor entrance off A43 between Corby and Stamford | NN17 3EG
What’s on...
Great things to see and do in the region
DATE FOR your diary. Join cyclists on the annual 200 mile charity cycle ride following the route of the Eleanor Crosses that will pass through Stamford on the August Bank Holiday weekend. Money raised will go to help the homeless. Spaces are limited to 30 people so if you want to join in go to www.queeneleanorcycleride.org
The National Trust has announced that despite having to close their buildings and stately homes they are trying to keep as many of their open spaces available as
possible so that we are able to access them for exercise and fresh air. Another way to get outside and enjoy the spring sunshine. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The Mintridge Foundation are hosting a clay pigeon shoot day in the company of Olympian Georgina Roberts on May 8 at Bisbrooke Hall. To book please email alex@mintridge.org.uk
Sing for Life is looking for 40 local women to join them in rehearsing for a charity concert in support of Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall
Hospice. Singing ability can range from non to experienced, all welcome. o find out more email info@peterboroughsings.org.uk
Stamford Tennis Club will be celebrating the start of the season on Friday April 24 at pm at the lub ouse off onduit oad. It’s a fun and informal evening and a great way for anyone interested in joining to meet members and try out the courts. And there will be food and refreshments!
Tickets are now on sale to book to see the dinosaurs at Peterborough Cathedral. The National History Museum’s touring exhibition will be at the cathedral between uly ugust . o book tickets and find out more go to www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/t.rex
Recruiting Now!
Tel: 01780 654321
Email:
RECIPE
Herb crusted leg of lamb with red wine gravy
Lamb is the traditional meat to eat at Easter, and this recipe is hard to resist
INGREDIENTS
• 2kg leg of lamb
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 diced onion
• 1 sliced carrot
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
FOR THE CRUST
• 170g breadcrumbs (white is best)
• Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped mall bunch of mint, finely chopped
• 4 rosemary sprigs, finely chopped
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
FOR THE GRAVY
tbsp plain our
• 350ml red wine
• 1 litre lamb stock
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
METHOD
• Heat the oven to 220 degrees. Make small slits over the lamb joint and insert a slice of garlic into each slit. Put the onion and carrots into a roasting tin and place the lamb joint on top and season with salt and pepper. Pour 250ml of water into the tin and roast for 30 minutes.
• Make the crust by mixing all the ingredients together and season well. Remove the lamb from the oven and reduce heat to 180 degrees. Brush the lamb with mustard then pack the crumb thickly onto the joint. Any left over crumb set to one side. Return the lamb to the oven and cook for another 100 minutes. Add more water if necessary during cooking.
emove the lamb and cover lightly with tin foil and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
• To make the gravy place the roasting tin, still with the veg in, directly on the heat and whisk in the flour. Then add the wine, stirring all the time. Allow to simmer for a minute then add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the remaining crumb mix and stir. Once thickened strain the gravy and add mustard to taste.
• Serve with seasonal vegetables and roast potatoes. Delicious!
Lizzie Davies shares ideas for becoming more sustainable as the spring growing season starts
Compost
Buy peat free compost: whilst peat is good for growing, it is one of our most important carbon stores and by using it we release carbon back into the atmosphere where it contributes to global warming. Extraction also causes the loss of ancient habitat and biodiverse life systems. Unless compost is labelled ‘peat free’, it will almost certainly contain peat, so check the labels. Cheap supermarket peat free products are fine to improve soil quality in beds. However, for sowing seeds, it’s worth buying a specific seed compost such as Dalefoot wool compost. alefoot also sell specific composts for potting up plants, veg and ericaceous (acid loving) plants such as blueberries.
Containers
• Re-use plastic gardening pots - ask friends or garden centres for spares
• Use supermarket fruit containers with ready made drainage holes
• Make newspaper pots or use cardboard inners
• If you really need to buy new, opt for compostable fibre pots or recycled pots
Seeds
• Save your own seed, and money! Top tip if you want to do this, don’t select F1 varieties as the seed tends not to be reliable
• Swap seed with friends
• Buy organic seed to ensure that the seed is not coated in fungicide
More information at:
www.gardenorganic.org.uk/schools - A19
Making paper pots
www.gardenorganic.org.uk/schools - A56
Seed Saving by Crop
You can follow Lizzie on Instagram @ lizcatalpa and on Facebook @catalpacloud
GARDENING
Not only flowers add colour
Garden designer Teresa Kennedy says it’s time to get out the paintbrush to add colour to your garden and Easter is the perfect time to do it
THE EASTER WEEKEND feels like the biggest time of the year for your garden, and to be fair, it probably is. Our hopes are for sunshine, barbeques, entertaining and generally getting warmed up ready for the long days ahead. Plants are looking fresh and healthy and springing into life and spring bulbs are still providing a hit of colour. But you can also introduce colour in other ways. Remember you can treat your outdoor space in the same way as your indoor, and sometimes it needs freshening up as well.
PAINT
Yes, a little bit of prep is involved - clean surfaces and repair any damages - but once you’ve done that it is instant gratification. The range of good value paints available for outdoor use is now huge and can be changed seasonally if you wish. And coming up to Easter there are often great sales on so grab a bargain as retailers know everyone’s thoughts turn to gardening. When choosing a colour there is a lot to be said for going for something warm and earthy. It’s very natural and looks great in an outdoor environment. For clean-cut
spaces, match with a sharp palette. This can give you the opportunity to go bright here without overdoing it.
The shed or fences are the most popular things to paint in an outdoor space, but consider rendered surfaces such as raised beds and walls. You can add a seasonal tone by doing this and match it with your planned planting theme. Wood furniture, benches and pergola style structures suit neutral tones which are fresh and lightre ecting.
SCULPTURAL ADDITIONS
I really like to see a structural piece within a border and you can introduce colour as well. I’ve seen some beautiful stained glass artistic panels which are effective in a oral border and look super in a small courtyard space. Metal, Stainless and Cor-ten are easy to get hold of, but think outside the box a bit and try to add a creative piece. This gives you a perfect opportunity to investigate our many local artists.
Remember gardens aren’t just about the plants…
www.viridisdesign.co.uk 07726 334501
theWhereWild Things Go
AS A TEENAGER growing up in a Yorkshire village alongside a lower stretch of the River Wharfe, swimming was what we did on hot summer days. A gang of us would grab towels and head off for adventure, riding our bikes across a slippery, fastowing weir, swimming in a river with unpredictable currents and splashing in from a rope swing at a spot where abandoned farm machinery lurked in the depths. The mums never knew, or so we thought.
We are instinctively drawn to wild places and natural beauty. How many of us choose to holiday by lakes, rivers or within sight and smell of the sea? But today many of us have lost touch with our wilder selves, our ‘adventures’ delivered as organised activities for which we take little responsibility and which potentially limit the horizons of our imagination. And as we lose that habit of delving into wild places, we can remain oblivious to the fascinating history and natural beauty hidden all around us. But this tide seems to be turning, with people seeking to rediscover their wild side by reconnecting with the natural world.
The Wild Guide Central England, published in April 2020, is a delightful and inspiring exploration of the opportunities we have to reconnect with the wild places on our doorstep, explaining how to access these safely and with due respect for the countryside and its custodians. The Guide eloquently describes the secret treasures hidden within the diverse landscapes of Central England. Written in an engaging way it introduces us to a wealth of activities ranging from the exploration of ancient sites, ruins and follies, to the delights of discovering what lies behind a waterfall or finding a hidden wild swimming spot.
The popularity of wild and open water swimming in reservoirs, lakes, ponds, rivers or the sea has risen significantly recently. pen water swimming ie that taking place in an organised and supervised setting) is nothing new but it has grown in prominence in recent decades, with approximately 4 million people a year taking a dip in open water, according to Sport England.
The latest laser and injectable cosmetic procedures performed by fully qualifed GP or Nurse Practitioner
Laser Treatments Include:
• Laser tattoo removal
• IPL photo-rejuvenation
• Hair removal
• Rosacea & facial redness
• Facial & leg veins & vascular lesions
• Pigmented skin lesions & sun damage
All in addition to our usual range of Medical Aesthetic Treatments:
• Muscle relaxing injections for lines & wrinkles
• 8 point non-surgical face lift
• Non-surgical 15 minute Rhinoplasty
• Volite & Restylane Vital skin rejuvenation
• Juvederm & Restylane dermal fllers
• Silhouette Soft Thread lifts
• Treatment for excessive underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis)
• Minor surgical procedures including mole removal & non-scalpel vasectomy
Market
BE SAFE
1 Never swim alone and keep a constant watch on weak swimmers.
2 Cold water can dramatically decrease swimming ability, create cold shock and cause drowning through panic. Know your limits, enter slowly and stay close to the shoreline.
3 Never jump into water unless you have thoroughly checked for depth and obstructions.
4 Avoid strong currents, such as those directly under large waterfalls or weirs, or those found in river rapids during floods: they can drag you under.
5 Always make sure you know how you will get out before you get in.
6 Wear footwear if you can.
7 Never swallow the water and avoid front crawl. Avoid direct contact with blue-green algae, and be wary of water quality in lowland areas during droughts and heavy rain. Cover cuts with plasters if worried, and if you develop flu-like symptoms tell your doctor you have been in a river.
There are a number of open water options available locally. Rutland Water Open Water Swimming provides a facility for recreational and professional swimmers to take to the water between ay and eptember, offering supervised 500m and 250m courses, and there’s a dedicated swimming area, at certain times of the year, at Rutland Water Beach at Sykes Lane with lifeguarded swimming and a large paddling area. A further option is the beautiful setting of Sywell Country Park in Northamptonshire which offers supervised swimming between ay and early October, where support is provided by trained lifeguards, kayaks in the water and spotters on the bank. And Race Hub, located within the grounds of Six Hills Golf Course near Melton Mowbray runs four dedicated swim sessions per week starting at the end of April, also with full safety procedures. For the hardier among us they also hold winters swims on the first aturday of the month and have just hosted an Ice Mile where groups of four people swim in water of less than 5 degrees centigrade.
i lades from reat owden first started open water swimming in April 2019. As a lifelong swimmer she had been looking for a challenge as a big birthday approached. Encouraged by a friend who was a competitive open water swimmer, she took to the water early on in the season. The first session proved a shock to the system with particularly cold water and the unaccustomed constraints of a wetsuit. But she had already entered the Great North Swim on Lake Windermere, along with four family members, to raise money for Cancer Research in memory of her dad. Not wanting to give up at the first hurdle, she booked a lesson and got back into the water as soon as she could. With an uplift in temperature, i ’s confidence rose and she felt wonderful.’ Having caught the bug, she swam regularly at both Rutland Water and Sywell Country Park throughout the summer.
Inspired by Liz’s enthusiasm for her new found sport, I tentatively took the plunge at Sywell last June. As a novice open water swimmer the volunteer safety team kept a close eye, accompanying me in a kayak when I felt nervous swimming a little further from shore. The atmosphere was friendly and inclusive, with a range of ages and levels of ability represented. I quickly realised that swimming in a straight line while doing front crawl was a skill I hadn’t yet honed. On pausing to take a breather I found myself heading out into the middle of the reservoir, with Liz waving frantically in the distance! Fortunately, an eagle-eyed lifeguard had kayaked out with me, making sure I could swim safely back to shore.
Liz Blades and family completed the Great North Swim on Lake Windermere
And as for Liz’s original goal? The Great North Swim proved to be an ‘incredible experience.’ The only problem was the weather, with a challenging combination of strong winds and heavy rain whipping the lake up into cold, choppy waves. owever, all five completed the swim, after which she felt both ‘elated and tearful.’ For Liz, the great joy of open water swimming is being outside, in beautiful settings and feeling part of nature. ‘I just love it. The water has surprised me it’s beautiful. t feels completely different from the swimming pool. t’s lovely and ust find it really exhilarating.’
As for wild swimming (swimming in unsupervised settings), The Wild Guide introduces us to some delightful local swimming spots. These include the 14th Century Turtle Bridge on a quiet stretch of the River Welland which shelves gently down to deeper pools, with a rope swing available upstream. The Guide suggests it is a perfect spot for a family picnic, easily accessible along the Jurassic Way and with fabulous views of the 19th century Harringworth Viaduct. The Windpump at Cottingham is another great swim spot where the Jurassic Way intercepts the River Welland again. The pebble beach gives ideal access to the water and leads to a gloriously wide, deep pool near the bridge where you can have a really decent swim. You can also access the River Welland at Stamford which provides the opportunity to combine swimming with a visit into town.
Safety is, of course, vital when considering unsupervised wild swimming. The Wild Guide reminds us that cold water can prevent you from being able to swim effectively and can cause cold water shock and panic, which could result in drowning. For this reason, it is imperative to know your limits and it’s sensible to stay close to the shore.
As to where you can go wild swimming, The Guide advises that ‘just because a river or lake is on a footpath or open-access land doesn’t mean there is a legal right to swim or canoe and it is for the reader to make an assessment about what is appropriate.’ In essence, the authors advise that you should:
• seek out local knowledge about appropriate places to swim
• never swim alone
• know your limits
• avoid strong currents
• know how you are going to get out before you get in
s the storms and oods of winter recede and we emerge from fireside hibernation, reconnect with the array of wild, beautiful and fascinating places we are fortunate to have on our doorstep. And for any novice wild things amongst us, The Wild Guide provides an excellent starting point.
Published by Wild Things Publishing Ltd £16.99 ISBN 9 781910 636206
EEaster Ideas
At last it’s spring. Time to get out in the open countryside, into your garden and searching for eggs
ASTER MEANS SPRING is here, the daffodils are out and lambs frolic in the fields. ow that the days are lengthening and the sun is warming up thoughts turn to getting out and about.
his year it may be much more di cult, but hopefully by staying outside and not going into crowded spaces we can all keep healthy and germ free, able to en oy the fresh air. raditionally aster is the time for and gardening so get yourself outside, grab a spade and start digging it might help distract from all that is going on around us that we cannot control. nd before you venture out to aster events, check local websites first for updates.
Launde Abbey
et in acres of beautiful parkland on the borders of eicestershire and utland is aunde bbey. here are some great walks around the bbey with maps available from reception. here’s also a ictorian kitchen garden to explore, a tea room, small licensed bar and a shop selling snacks, souvenirs and biscuits. www.laundeabbey.org.uk
Easter egg cycling trail with Rutland Cycling
ycle the aster gg trail between hitwell and ormanton from pril . Find the clues along the way and solve the pu le. tart from either utland ycling, hitwell or iant tore, ormanton. ick up a copy of the trail lea et in store and pop your completed sheet back at the end to collect your pri e and certificate and it only costs a donation to ue yder horpe all ospice. For more information visit www.rutlandcycling.com/rides appy hunting
Rutland Garden Village, Ashwell he new owners at utland arden illage are settling in well. pen seven days a week the garden centre has everything you could possibly need for your garden and outside space, as well as interiors as well. ith plants and trees galore, bedding and perennials, as well as gorgeous gardening gifts and products. op along and see for yourself. www.rutlandgardenvillage.co.uk
Welland Vale Garden Inspirations, Uppingham
The garden centre is full to bursting with home grown plants, accessories and all you need for outdoor living with a large garden furniture showroom, pizza ovens and BBQs, water features and garden sculptures.
Take the little ones for an Easter hunt over the bank holiday. Follow the clues to find the answer and win a prize. And then enjoy the Orchard café for a roast on Good Friday and all day breakfast on Easter Monday while the children enjoy the free soft play. www.wellandvalegardeninspirations.co.uk
Deene Park Easter egg trail and house opening
Visit Deene Park over the Easter bank holiday weekend and enjoy the history of a stunning country house and take part in their Easter egg garden trail as well.
ituated off the , near orby, eene Park is a beautiful country house, owned and lived in by the rudenell family since . Visitors will enjoy seeing an assortment of rooms from different periods, all decorated with family portraits and possessions which provide an intimate glimpse into stately home life.
Children can have fun exploring and seeking out the brightly coloured eggs which have been hidden throughout the magnificent gardens.
Visit www.deenepark.com or call 01780 to find out more about upcoming events, opening times and admission prices.
Belvoir Castle
Visit Belvoir Castle over the Easter weekend and enjoy a magical trail through the woodlands searching for clues. Follow the footsteps of past Dukes and Duchesses to discover your chocolate treat. Bring the whole family along for a wonderful Easter adventure. You must purchase a garden or castle ticket and the Easter Egg Hunt is included in this price. www.belvoircastle.com
Tallington Lakes Leisure Park
Catering for outdoor explorers who thrive in the fresh air, Tallington’s 205 acres are home to several lakes where you can Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP), kayak or canoe the afternoon away. For those feeling a little more adventurous, there’s jet skiing, water zorbing, water skiing or wakeboarding to try out.
Rather stay dry? Tallington also provides light retail therapy at the Pro Shop; now stocking the latest in walking and running apparel – essential for great days out whatever the weather. nd finish the day relaxing in the Lakeside bar and restaurant with a cup of tea or glass of something cold; Tallington Lakes has got something for everyone.
www.tallington.com
Burghley House
Visit England’s greatest Elizabethan house this Easter and enjoy the popular Burghley Easter Egg Hunt, which will once again be taking place in the Gardens of Surprise, from 11am to 5pm on Easter Day. Follow the treasure hunt around the ardens and solve the riddle to claim your full size chocolate egg from the Easter Bunny. Parents can also test their Easter knowledge to try and win an afternoon tea in The Orangery Restaurant. All entries will go in to the prize draw for a giant chocolate Easter Bunny. www.burghley.co.uk
Windmill Farm Park, Kibworth
Set on a working family farm in the beautiful Leicestershire countryside is Windmill Farm Park. You can interact and experience farming and get outside and play. There’s more than different breeds and a massive indoor space with timber based adventure play, cafe and indoor animal barn.
Dingley point-to-point
Easter Saturday sees point to point racing at Dingley with the racing starting at 2pm. Pack a picnic and enjoy a day at the races.
www.dingleyraces.com
Wymondham Windmill
here’s something for everyone here. Excellent cakes at the tearooms, lots of outside play areas for the kids including access to woodland, boutique shops, the bike shop Windmill Wheels and the the pièce de resistance, the 200 year old windmill. And you can even stay overnight on their campsite.
ww.wymondhamwindmill.co.uk
Image: Rose Rogers/Dingley Races
“Those who manage to get the bottle over their boundary, are given the privilege of sitting on top of the Buttercross to drink the beer.”
Hallaton high jinks
Local photographer Peter Mason has documented a unique Leicestershire tradition, Hallaton bottle kicking, for the past 10 years. We nd out more.
TAKING PLACE EVERY Easter Monday, this is an old Leicestershire custom that involves members of various local families from Hallaton and Medbourne vying, over the course of the afternoon, to get three bottles (or barrels of beer) from the starting point at the top of Hare Pie Bank over their own parish boundary.
Viewed as a young man’s game (very few women take part), it’s basically rugby with no rules except there is no eye-gouging, no strangling and no use of weapons. Anyone can join the scrum, just turn up on the day and get stuck in. Hundreds of people come to watch, cheer on their chosen ‘team’ and spend time with friends in the local pubs.
The day starts with a parade where a hare pie is blessed and eventually thrown to the crowd. In the old days participants wore
jackets and ties, and a brass band heralded the procession with bottle bearers, the Master of the Stowe and the Warrener. Nowadays the suits and ties are gone, but it’s still a fine sight to see.
he walk back is a slightly different affair scratches, bruises and broken bones are common and, years ago, a doctor’s surgery was held on the following Wednesday in the Horse and Trumpet pub in Medbourne to patch up any injuries.
Those who manage to get the bottle over their boundary, are given the privilege of sitting on top of the Buttercross to drink the beer.
For more info visit www.hallaton-museum.co.uk and www.harboroughmuseum.org.uk
For more images visit https://peter-mason.com/journal/hallaton/
INTERVIEW
The Whyte answer
While we’re still waiting for the results of the consultation and feasibility study from SKDC to decide how they are going to upgrade the leisure centres in Stamford, Bourne, Grantham and Market Deeping, we spoke to Olympian and European and World medallist, professor Greg Whyte who has a lot to say on the subject of leisure centre funding
Having good local leisure centre facilities for everyone to enjoy is something you’re very keen on. Why is that?
Over a quarter of the population do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week, they spend twice as long on the toilet. That has a direct and significant relationship with developing Type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, cerebral vascular disease and strokes.
We can sit around and wait for the government to intervene but sadly I don’t think we can trust them to do that now. We have a personal responsibility for our own health and for our children for the first time in homo sapiens’ history we have a generation of children predicted to lead shorter lives than their parents.
If you take a look at the absolutely brutal cuts to leisure centres since the Olympic Games in 2012, the idea of the Olympic Legacy is an utter farce. It’s an ongoing problem that doesn’t seem to change as sadly we have governments who run on a five year cycle. Chronic lifestyle diseases take some time to manifest so as far as government is concerned, it’s the next one’s responsibility.
Local councils have a statutory responsibility to the elderly and vulnerable children and those services have to be provided whereas leisure stock is considered a nice facility to have. o the first place to get hit with austerity measures is the leisure centre, which has a direct effect on health. Spending has gone down on council run facilities by two thirds in the last decade.
Does it depend on where you are in the country?
Yes. The most important thing to remember is that inactivity is linearly and directly linked to a uence, so the poorer you are, the less active you are. Critically there is a direct link to a uence and availability of leisure stock. live in arlow and no one is up in arms there because they all belong to swanky health clubs. The local council stock is very good because they have good income from council tax. The paradox is that it’s in a community that needs it a lot less than a community with a lower socio economic demographic who haven’t got the money.
One person drowns every 20 hours in this country. We’re an island nation surrounded by water and with lots of waterways and it’s mandated that children should be able to swim 50 metres unaided by the time they leave primary school. And yet still one in three children leave unable to swim. This is a disgrace and the primary driver is the unavailability of stock, with the closure of local swimming pools.
You’re a swimmer and a modern pentathlete, a sport which involves five different disciplines. How did you get into that and what’s your favourite?
I started life as a swimmer; I’ve always been a swimmer and it’s what I love. When you get
“Do something you love, share it with someone and take it outside.”
to about all your mates stop swimming as it’s not cool anymore, but in the lympics reat ritain won lympic old in modern pentathlon. My mum and dad introduced me to pentathlon in the early s when they and other parents formed the Modern Pentathlon Club and I was lucky enough to be good at it.
I’m a state school boy, born and brought up in uton, so to fence and show ump, which was the realm of the public school was a very long way from where used to be. t was a progression: we did biathlon (run, swim) then triathlon (run, swim, shoot) then tetrathlon which is run, swim, shoot, fence and ended up at show jumping. It was definitely an interesting ourney leading to a place at the lympics.
You were obviously completely driven and are known more recently for coaching and motivating celebrities to complete their challenges for comic relief. How did you get into that?
When I was an athlete there was no money so you either studied or you worked. ith five events I couldn’t work, so I studied. I did an undergraduate degree, then a postgrad in the then came back to do a h , then became director of he ritish lympic edical entre. got a call one day from the chief executive of omic elief who is now a good friend of mine looking for someone
who could train David Walliams to swim across the English Channel. I did that successfully and since then ’ve done sporting comic relief challenges.
What was the hardest challenge and are you going to carry on?
They were all proper challenges, not fabricated for television. hey weren’t elite athletes and they did truly gargantuan tasks. I think the hardest were always the solo ones: Eddie Izzard, Davina McCall, John Bishop, Zoe Ball, Jo Brandt, David Walliams; we swam the length of the hames, miles in seven days with David, and that was brutal; but they were all tough. t was fantastic to be involved, did years and challenges, all for free, but ’ve now finished with comic relief. think ’ve done my bit.
Greg with David Walliams, training to swim the English Channel
What would you say to people who want to get into sport and get fitter?
I would say don’t think about sport, think about physical activity, becoming more active. As well as the physical gains, you benefit from your emotional and social health too because you can share it with other people and that’s what keeps you going. Do it outdoors if you can because the great outdoors heightens all the benefits, and pick something you en oy. f you hate running, don’t do it and if you stop en oying something, change it. So do something you love, share it with someone and take it outside.
What are you up to at the moment?
’ve ust come back from breaking the world record of running seven marathons on seven continents, with a client of mine. have a clinic on arley treet called the entre for ealth and uman erformance and look after lympic medallists at one end of the spectrum and people with cancer at the other.
I’m designing a swimming related challenge where I want to break the record for swimming the length of the pper Thames in under three days. It’s a bit scary. And I’ve launched swimming camps in Croatia where we’re doing wild swimming around the islands. We’re targeting people who want to take on an open water swimming challenge, from novices up to elites. It should be very special and a bit different to the hames cleaner and warmer!
www.luxurysportsbreaks.com
INTERVIEW
A Mysterious Star
It’s good for our mental health to be able to express ourselves as who we are rather than what society thinks we should be, even
if that makes you stand out from the crowd. Meet Quasarna Autumn who has gone from dark to light by living an alternative lifestyle
YOU MAY HAVE seen Quasarna roaming Stamford. He’s pretty distinctive, moving quickly, with brightly coloured, brief clothing and distinctive tattoos on his face and arms with an interesting hair style. Initially he can look a bit alarming, but he’s nothing of the sort; an eccentric dreamer who has led an interesting life and found a way to express himself.
Quasarna’s name comes from the quasar which is a type of star, a mysterious one, and the final two letters are his original name’s initials reversed. And autumn is obviously the season but, more importantly, the name of one of the cats he lived with when he went ‘wild’ for ten years. But let Quasarna tell us about that himself.
’d always been a bit of a loner and never felt that really fitted in with family, school or contemporaries. I worked in the building trade but gradually lost my way. I didn’t know who I was and felt lost, controlled by a way of life that I did not like.
I’ve always loved nature and worked as a gardener so decided to leave my old life behind (the dark side) and revert to nature living in the wild. I then spent ten years living around Bainton and Barnack in a tent, in old vans and eventually building my own makeshift shelter, always accompanied by my three cats; two of which started out with me and another who joined me on my journey. I carried on working as a gardener throughout this period and was accepted by all those I worked for.
My spirit mended living in the wild and I could feel myself coming back to life. Communing with nature made me feel safe and relaxed and my spirit soared. I realised that it wasn’t society that I disliked, but the falseness of what I had become.
After ten years I felt it was time to return and make my next move. I now recognised the light that gave me life. I had a new understanding of myself and other people. I knew I was strong enough now to withstand any negative vibes from people. And I had reinvented myself. During my last year living in the wild I had started to write so returned to ‘society’ to carry on with my writing and to concentrate on my science fiction novel, allowing my creative side to come into being.
“I’ve always loved nature and worked as a gardener so decided to leave my old life behind (the dark side) and revert to nature living in the wild.”
Whilst taking time out I started to like myself again but didn’t like the way I looked. I’ve never liked just being a man so enjoy the feeling of being a man and a woman. So I now dress alternatively and have tattoos on my face and arms, with more being added all the time. I love bright colours and don’t feel the cold at all. I now live in a village with my three cats and keep myself very fit doing reps a day made up of five mini workouts think fitness is all about strength and your mind. ome people find me intimidating but many more are very interested in how I look and stop me to talk about it and are very accepting (mainly women, I must say). Once they start to chat to me they realise that I am not aggressive or harmful at all. I am an incredibly positive person and full of energy.
he way look is all connected to my writing. love science fiction and started a novel last year. Now I am working on many books! The story develops as my look changes; I am the book at times. I love studying human behaviour and do this by how people react to me. I’ve been through some dark times but have come out the other side and found the light. I feel I needed to experience this to be a better writer.
I’m happy with who I now am and have a strong spiritual awareness about what I am doing with my life. And now I’ve got to finish my novel and en oy my time with my cats.’
ACTIVE INFO
Architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner said of Belton in Rutland: “The village round the church is delightful. Its highlights are the row of ironstone cottages with mullioned windows south-east of the church and a group further north, especially Hillcrest, and west of the church two individual houses, the Old Hall and Westbourne House.”
WILL’S WALK
Belton in Rutland and Ridlington
By Will Hetherington.
If you are after some undulations then you will de nitely nd them in this pretty corner of Rutland.
Difficulty rating
THE ROUTE
Park somewhere around the church or on Chapel Street in Belton and head downhill and north out of the village on Lambley odge ane or eighfield ay as it is also known. After about 100 metres you will see the footpath sign to the right heading into the grassy field on a slope. Follow the clear markers over the stream where the dogs can paddle if they wish and then go up the first hill which provides a nice view of Belton behind you from the top. Drop down the other side and curve around to the left before
heading up hill number two. hen did this walk there was no marker at the bottom but it’s pretty clear where to go up the track. t’s a steep climb as will be obvious from one glance at the contour lines on the OS Map) and will get your heart working hard. t ark Farm at the top turn left and quick right again to head down a 500 metre farm track with a wonderful newly laid hedge on the right. At the end of the hedge turn right and follow the field edge around to get to Holygate Road. Turn right and walk into Ridlington with views of utland ater to the north east. o past some large houses on your left in Ridlington and when the road turns right you will see the bridleway ahead on the next left hand bend. Head down here but take the right turn after 100 metres.
Follow the signs and head downhill, through some woodland and then up hill three on what was a very muddy track when did this walk no surprise there . hen you come to the top stay alert and make sure you take the right hand branch at the next footpath junction. There are superb views to the west from the top of this stretch so take a moment to enjoy them before the descent. After a long straight path it’s a slight right hand turn and then the route takes a left curve before a left turn up hill four. hen you get to the top of this one you will be able to see Belton in Rutland again but head straight downhill towards the layby on the A47 and turn right 200 metres before the main road to take the attractive path and last, but not least, the hill back into beautiful little Belton with its stunning ironstone houses.
Images: Will Hetherington
It might be small but Rutland is packed with great footpaths.
Sponsored by
START/ FINISH
Essential information
WHERE TO PARK
Near the church or on Chapel Street in Belton in Rutland.
DISTANCE AND TIME
Five and a quarter miles/two hours.
HIGHLIGHTS
Lots of lovely hills to get your heart rate up and provide great views of the surrounding countryside. Belton and Ridlington are both beautiful and peaceful Rutland villages.
LOWLIGHTS
You will be aware of the A47 for a bit near the end and there is mud.
REFRESHMENTS
The Sun in Belton or the King’s Arms in Wing.
DIFFICULTY RATING
Four paws. It’s hilly.
THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE
A couple of streams on the way round for cooling off and not a lot of livestock so your dogs will enjoy this one too.
For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.
Most of Belton in Rutland is idyllic. Belton in Rutland on its strategic hilltop.
The sort of pretty bank and clear markers you want to see at the start of any walk.
WILL’S WALK
Empingham and Tickencote
Sweeping views from the ridgeline, two attractive villages and the river Gwash make this an excellent walk. By Will Hetherington.
Images: Will Hetherington
Difficulty rating
THE ROUTE
You can park on the grass verge on the eastern edge of Empingham or anywhere on the Main Street, and then look for the obvious path up into the woods just to the east of Mill Lane. There are a few large rocks at the bottom of the track on the edge of the woodland so you will know you are in the right place when you see them.
Head uphill and you will quickly clear the woods and start to en oy the fine views all the way along this two kilometre stretch to the edge of Tickencote. Once you have passed through Chapel Field Spinney follow the path along the field edge with the hedge on your left until near the end when you will see the path breaking right across the field. ake this right turn and follow the road around to the stile leading to a clear diagonal path across a grass field, with charming Tickencote Lodge Farm nestled into a hollow on your right. Cross the next stile and stay on the road downhill all the way, crossing a few more stiles along the way, and passing the
ACTIVE INFO
Despite being only 24 miles long the clear waters of the river Gwash flow through three counties. It rises near Knossington, Leics, and flows into Rutland Water before resuming at Empingham where it is fed by the North Brook. It then meanders through Rutland to Great Casterton and Tolethorpe before curving around Ryhall and Belmesthorpe, and feeding into the Welland between Stamford and Uffington in Lincolnshire.
grand Tickencote Hall on your right. And before you know it you will be in pretty little Tickencote with the tiny Church of St Peter on your right. Walk down the main street in Tickencote and pick up the footpath across a small field before joining the pavement by the side of the A1 slip road opposite the OK Diner.
From here it’s a rather dull half a mile stroll under the A1 and into Great Casterton and then take the right turn down Water Lane, crossing the River Gwash and then up and over the A1. When you come to Ingthorpe Farm on your right the path goes through the main gate but if there are two barking dogs there you can slip through the entrance a little further up to bypass any unnecessary trouble. Go past the lovely old farmhouse and then strike out south west across the wide open arable fields. hen did this walk the paths were not clear across the fields but the direction is obvious it’s pretty much a straight line. After about a mile and four fields you will come to the A606. This is the main road between Stamford and Oakham and it’s a busy road with vehicles travelling at 60mph but unfortunately it’s a necessary evil on this
There is just enough elevation along the ridgeline between Empingham and Tickencote to provide some wonderful views of Rutland opening up to the south.
walk. Turn right and taking care walk along the verge past the entrance to Wild’s Lodge on the right and the Scout Camp on the left. Walk through the dip and you will see the footpath sign leading off to the right into the field. n total it’s about 400 metres along the side of the road and you will be glad to see the back of it.
nce you are in the field head west towards Shacklewell Cottage and cross the two stiles just to the north of the cottage. You will see the Gwash meandering through its own valley to your right and the dogs have occasional access points. After the second stile continue west through three more arable fields before approaching one grassy meadow and then a right turn towards Mill Farm. ere you will find the old green metal bridge over the Gwash and the new ford which has presumably been built to give cattle better access to the water. What it has done is provided one of the best swimming points for your dogs you are likely to find. t’s a lovely way for them to cool off and wash in the clear waters of the sparkling little Gwash river before you pass round the idyllic old farmhouse and walk back down Mill Lane to return to Empingham.
Walkrite
Specialist Foot & Ankle Clinics
Serving Cambs, Lincs and Rutland
Walkrite incorporates the best clinical care and technology to alleviate painful foot and ankle conditions of all descriptions.
Expert clinical knowledge and the latest techniques are combined to alleviate your symptoms and get you on the move again.
John Chadwick BSc(Hons), FCPM, FFPM RCPS(Glasg) Walkrite, runrite, feel right
Essential information
WHERE TO PARK
Anywhere along Main Street in Empingham or on the grass where the path begins its ascent through Chapel Spinney.
DISTANCE AND TIME
Six and a half miles/two and three quarter hours.
HIGHLIGHTS
Panoramic views of Rutland to the south from a very peaceful vantage point. The sparkling river Gwash. Grand old Tickencote Hall and the lovely village of Empingham.
LOWLIGHTS
Dull stretch along the pavement by the road from Tickencote to Great Casterton and 400m along the busy A606 in the second half (if you really want to avoid this you can just turn around in Tickencote and walk back which wouldn’t be a terrible idea).
REFRESHMENTS
The Crown in Great Casterton.
DIFFICULTY RATING
Three paws. It’s six miles and the first three are very easy
but the second half might involve some heavy going.
THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE
The Gwash is one of the clearest little rivers around and there are a few points where they can get in from halfway onwards. Not a lot of livestock but take care around Tickencote Hall with some sheep and also be careful alongside the A606.
For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.
This woodland path runs uphill through Chapel Spinney at the beginning.
The view of Empingham from Chapel Hill in the early part of the walk.
Tickencote Lodge Farm looks like something from an Enid Blyton novel.
Swede dreams
Kate Maxim enjoys a relaxing Swedish massage and feels the bene ts straight away
SOMETIMES IN LIFE we complicate things. A stroll with the dog turns into a power walk; a jog around the park with a few stretches at the end turns into a round of circuits. And an hour’s massage to help relieve tension morphs into a complicated dance with hot stones or larva shells. Not that there’s anything wrong with these types of massage, but sometimes I just want a simple, straightforward relaxing treatment with no surprises.
And a Swedish massage is just the thing. I remember my mum having one in the early eighties and it sounded very exotic. I remember thinking who are the Swedes? And why are they giving us massages? The method was invented by a Swedish fencing instructor Per Henrik Ling in the 1830s. He had injured his elbows and discovered that tapping strokes, which are quick, choppy movements, helped cure them. ther techni ues include e eurage which is a gliding movement towards the heart and petrissage which is like kneading dough. Most western massages are based on these movements and it’s also known as a classic massage.
Having just done an hour’s class of Morning Yoga Flow at the Ironstone Wellbeing Centre just outside Kettering I was feeling quite zen already. Becca Goodman is an holistic therapist and owner of Balance and Serenity based at the centre and luckily she is all for relaxing both mind and body.
Becca understands that the link between mind and body is a two way street and recommends that people regularly stop their busy lives, switch off for an hour and let her help relieve any muscle tension and mental stress. one off massage is beneficial, but regular massages should become a way of life.
Ironstone is a new facility so everything is clean and fresh with wonderful natural light. In contrast, Becca’s therapy room is like a cocoon and the warm towels and candlelight help add to that cosy feeling, which is welcoming even in the middle of the day.
You can have a back massage or a full body. With the full body massage Becca checks to see if there are areas of the body you want her to concentrate on and which areas you may want her to miss. The stomach – often an area her clients are most hesitant about is,
strangely, one of the areas felt benefitted from being massaged the most. enefits aren’t limited to tension relief a wedish massage helps to improve circulation and the lymphatic system, ushing out toxins within the body and releasing endorphins to boost mood. You, therefore, gain both internally and externally. And the addition of a scalp massage tops off the whole experience. ’d fallen asleep by that point, but when I woke up I felt completely rested.
ecca offers her new clients off so they can get to know her and how she works. he also offers a discount to all emergency service employees and people in the Armed Forces because she’s keen to give something back to the community. ther offers are available each month so it’s worth checking her facebook page regularly. She also offers hot stone, reiki, lava shells and ndian head massages.
For one hour’s treatment, the price before discount is . www.facebook.com/pg/balanceandserenity111 07738 224662 / www.ironstone.club
ActiveBody
EDITED BY KATE MAXIM
The Spice of Life
Spices are packed full of vitamins and minerals and contain disease ghting
properties
E ALL KNOW that spices added to meals create and enhance the avour of our food, but many can pack a punch in the health department too. Spices have been used around the world as medicine for centuries, so there’s no reason we shouldn’t be reaping the benefits of our spice cupboards day-to-day. Meet the top ten heroes of the spice rack: do be aware they do not replace medical intervention, but can sometimes help.
TURMERIC
Turmeric is becoming increasingly popular as people cotton on to its health benefits, as this bright spice not only injects some colour into food, but it’s also full of antioxidants, anti fungal and anti in ammatory properties. Turmeric also contains a unique ingredient called curcumin that might even prevent Type 2 diabetes and help stop the spread of cancer in your body.
OREGANO
Oregano is packed with vitamins and nutrients. It contains vitamins A and K which help strengthen bones and tackle anaemia. It has antioxidant, anti-fungal and antiseptic functions that can help develop your immune system to fight against colds and u. urrent research is looking into one of its ingredients called carvacrol that may help prevent cancer from spreading.
BLACK PEPPER
Black pepper is one of the most common spices and is known for being good for your heart. It also increases the amount of hydrochloric acid in your system which helps aid digestion and boosts metabolism. It’s also said to help promote weight loss.
CLOVE
Cloves and clove oil are good for relieving toothache and stomach pain as they contain antimicrobial properties. In addition, they contain minerals, omega 3, vitamin C and antioxidants that can boost the immune system and act as a natural painkiller.
CHILLIES
Chillies can come in many shapes and sizes, be it powder or akes, but as well as adding heat to food they are also a great source of vitamin C. This vitamin is responsible for helping to lower blood pressure and is thought to aid weight loss.
CAYENNE
Like chilli, cayenne pepper is a source of heat in food which can encourage weight loss. Not only does cayenne stimulate the blood circulation, it also contains antibacterial properties and clears sinuses.
CINNAMON
Cinnamon’s sweet smell is mainly associated with Christmas, but eating it can help reduce bloating of the stomach. It can also prevent and eliminate infections and improve the health of your heart. Using around ½ teaspoon a day can lower your blood sugar and help manage diabetes.
CARDAMOM
ardamom contains vitamin , ribo avin, niacin and iron which helps lower blood pressure and increase metabolism. It’s quite an expensive spice so might not be the number one go-to, but it can help prevent blood clots, diabetes and help fight depression and stress.
NUTMEG
Nutmeg can help you sleep and aid digestion by removing any extra gas in the system. It is thought your chance of developing cancer can also be reduced by its ability to moderate tumour growth.
CUMIN
Containing a range of vitamins and minerals, cumin can help prevent insomnia and anaemia, as well as lower blood pressure and improve your digestion and eyesight. Cumin can also alleviate cold symptoms and control morning sickness, stomach pain and nausea.
Shoddy Shoulders
Physiotherapist Sarah Babbs explores shoulder pain and problems
SHOULDERS - WE SEE many in clinic, from young to old, sporty to sedentary. Many have hurt them playing sport, gardening, falling onto them and others have no clue as to why the pain has started. And the pain can be fairly awful, limiting activity and sleep. Most people come with an idea of what the problem might be, often sheepishly telling me that they have googled the symptoms and nine times out of ten will mention the rotator cuff or fro en shoulder.
So how does the shoulder work and what exactly is the rotator cuff he shoulder is a ball and socket joint with a small socket on the shoulder blade (scapula) and larger ball (the head of the humerus bone), placed rather like a golf ball on a tee. It is supported by a cartilaginous labrum which deepens the joint, a capsule made up of connective tissue which surrounds the joint and ligaments which strengthen the capsule. he rotator cuff is a group of muscles surrounding the joint which, together with the biceps muscle, helps stabilise the ball in the socket as it moves. Over this lie the larger muscles, including the deltoid, trape ius and latissimus dorsi. s the arm lifts, the first part of the movement is the ball against the socket and then the shoulder blade moves around the rib cage.
here are many ways to categorise shoulder pain and this can cause great debate amongst the medical professionals. I rather like the idea of shoulder problems being simply divided into those that are stiff, painful or wobbly. tiff, fro en shoulder painful, rotator cuff, and wobbly, those that
have dislocated or in people who may be hypermobile.
Fro en shoulder occurs when the capsule becomes in amed and tightens, though the mechanism is not well understood.
ignificant pain occurs in the first stage, followed by a loss of movement, gradual improvement in pain and, in most cases, full return of movement over an 18 month period on average. Occasionally a corticosteroid injection can be warranted in the early stages to help sleep and enable some exercises which can help the pain and enable movement resumption.
Painful. We can cause injury to the rotator cuff by falling on it or over loading it with activity but interestingly, many of us have tears which cause us neither pain nor disability. hose with shoulder pain are often referred for scanning, either ultrasound or MRI and we see many people anxious over the results. It is so important to understand the significance of the scan. ne study in showed that in over scans of shoulders, 147 had large tears in their rotator
cuff muscles but only of those with tears reported any pain. So very often, though there is a tear on the scan, these are normal findings in the general population and are even often seen in the non painful arm of the person in pain too).
People who have painful shoulders often have just asked too much of a joint which is underprepared for the activity needed and can’t cope with the load. his may be an active person who ups their activity such as gardening, eg hedge trimming for the first time in the season, or sport, increased training for a competition in tennis, cricket etc. So treatment will consist of making sure there is no sinister cause to the problem, an understanding of the situation and reassurance that, with time and change in function or strength there will be recovery and specific exercise to enable this to happen. Surgery is only very rarely necessary.
Wobbly shoulders can be helped enormously by exercise. Some traumatic dislocations do need surgery and rehabilitation afterwards but many will return to full activity including rugby.
“Frozen shoulder occurs when the capsule becomes inflamed and tightens though the mechanism is not well understood. ”
As with many musculoskeletal problems, stress, lack of sleep and rest, anxiety about the problem and in daily life and poor general health will have a negative impact on pain. hus keep fit, active, sleep well and prepare for that extra loading your shoulder may require and hopefully, shoulder pain won’t cross your path.
To make an appointment with Sarah ring either 01780 480899 or 07780 900201
Advice not to be sneezed at
Gary Trickett, Chairman of the National Association of Health Stores and owner of Healthy Route natural health store in Leicester tries to allay fears surrounding contagious viruses
THE COMMON COLD is quite possibly the UK’s most prevalent illness with statistics showing that most adults experience on average two to four colds a year, and children up to nine. olds and u are caused by viruses and since there are over 200 of these in existence, it’s easy to see why we get so many. The other problem is that cold and u viruses are very easily spread, as we are acutely aware of at the moment.
Many are highly infectious and spread quickly from person to person through nasal droplets secreted during coughing and sneezing. You only have to be one metre, or closer to someone to be infected by a sneeze. The virus attacks the lining of the nose, throat and sinuses which swell and produce increased amounts of mucus and uids. Typically, symptoms tend to include a raised temperature, blocked sinuses, a runny nose, sore throat, coughing and sneezing as well as a general feeling of being unwell.
IMMUNE BOOSTERS
Fortunately there are several remedies that can help to keep colds and u at bay. erhaps one of the most effective and well researched is chinacea. powerful immune supportive herb, it works by improving the way the immune system responds to bugs, especially the common cold. In one report researchers found that Echinacea purpurea can more than halve the risk of catching a cold and if you’ve
already caught a cold, reduce its duration by a day and a half.
When using Echinacea it is important to make sure both parts of the plant are used. The root of the plant has been found to be strongly anti in ammatory whilst the aerial part demonstrates antiviral activity.
Echinaforce Echinacea Drops combines both and is made with fresh extracts of Echinacea purpurea as opposed to dried , which means its activity is greater than that found in dried extracts.
pecific vitamins and minerals can also lend support. Vitamin C is of course widely documented for its immune system potential viruses find it hard to survive in a vitamin rich environment. Food sources include peppers, watercress, cabbage, broccoli, cauli ower, strawberries, lemons, kiwi fruit, melon and tomatoes. Vitamin C supplements can also be effective, although the body cannot actually absorb much more than around 60mg at one time so lower doses several times a day are often more effective. Vitamin D is also important for immune health as is the mineral zinc. Egg yolks, soy milk and cereals are good sources of vitamin D, and pumpkin seeds, cashews and chickpeas are great for getting your fix of inc. Alternatively, Immune Support from A Vogel combines all three, including a vegan source of vitamin , and the edible ower Nasturtium is itself a source of vitamin C.
ON THE NOSE
For nasal congestion and catarrh, you could try o o il. combination of natural essential oils, including o o andarin for peppermint), eucalyptus, juniper, caraway and fennel. o o oil can be inhaled as a vapour when diluted in a bowl of hot water. Use very sparingly, one drop is plenty, or put one or two drops onto a hankie and place under your pillow at night. Wash hands thoroughly after use.
In addition to herbal remedies, you’ll want to make sure your diet is as healthy as possible. ood immune supportive foods include garlic, onions, olives, beetroot, peppers, apples, nuts, seeds, tofu, miso, lemon, lime, honey, blueberries... the list goes on, but generally lots of colourful ingredients!
Friendly bacteria and good intestinal health are also important. hen you are first exposed to a virus, your immune system uses antibodies to bind to the virus in the respiratory and digestive tracts. These antibodies work to prevent the virus from entering the body further, and also identify it to be destroyed.
Roughly 70% of your active immune cells are found in your gut, and they don’t work very well without the ‘good bacteria’ that live there. Think of them as your very own internal defence force. Live, natural yoghurt is a good food source, and if you’re supplementing with a probiotic aim for billion friendly bacteria daily. Try Molkosan Fruit for some extra digestive benefit.
Finally, practice good hygiene. The single most important precaution you can take to prevent the spread of u is to wash your hands. Rub your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, which is the length of time it takes to recite the alphabet or to sing appy irthday’ twice something we should all be doing diligently at the moment.
For further advice visit Gary and his team at Healthy Route, 18 Silver Street, Leicester.
“Colds
and flu are caused by viruses and since there are over 200 of these in existence, it’s easy to see why we get so many.”
Active Kids
EDITED BY MARY BREMNER
Cross Country Success for SJS
Stamford Junior School pupils - 36 of them - recently competed in an afternoon of ross ountry running at opthill chool with three of their teams claiming gold. ell done to the boys’ s, girls’ team and the boys’ team who all secured gold medals. nd well done to the rest of the teams too.
Girls’ Rule
Spratton girls have been enjoying a successful run recently. The girls’ 1st X cricket team have recently become Northamptonshire County champions playing at the Last Taverner’s indoor county finals. nd the netball team were crowned egional Champions in February. Well done!
LGS Junior Samba Dance
LGS Junior School have been embracing the carnival spirit by learning to dance the samba ready for Brazil Day celebrations. hey showed their fancy footwork to family and friends who came to watch the celebrations and got to oin in too.
Tree Planting by Oakham
upils from akham chool are taking part in the oodland rust’s ig limate Fightback so have en oyed a tree planting session at the oung eople’s Forest at ead in erbyshire where they planted trees. y the oodland rust hopes to have planted a tree for every person in the country.
Stamford are fencing champions
Stamford Endowed Schools’ U13 girls’ fencing team have recently been crowned British Schools Fencing Champions by beating illfield chool in the final. he school entered a boys and girls team for both U11 and U13 with the U13 girls gaining victory and the others ust short of the medal podiums.
Sir Andy Murray Selfie
harlotte ollard from eicester rammar unior chool had a fantastic weekend recently at the ational ennis entre competing at the inter ational nder events for the top players in the country. he won three out of four of her matches and her day was made when she got to meet Sir Andy Murray who was there practicing.
Easter at Oakham School
Oakham Activity Camps are running over the Easter holidays for children aged . ctivities include tennis, football, dodgeball, rock climbing, ilates and hockey as well as full use of the sports hall and swimming pool. rices start at . a day.
Oakham Swim School is also hosting many sessions including individual lessons. rices start at per session. https oakhamschoolenterprises.co.uk oakham activity camps for more details.
Woodland
Samba
Treehouse
Sports Relief at LGS
Leicester Grammar sixth form have enjoyed a mixed netball event to raise funds for sports relief. They had great fun dressing in costumes in their house colours - and all for a good cause. The winners were The Dukes red team.
Oakham do it again!
For the fifth year running akham School’s U19 netball team is taking part in the National Finals and are joined by the U14 team who are competing for the third year in a row. Both teams have been preparing with a visit from England and Loughborough Lightning players Jess Shaw and icki yesolo. ood luck
Well done Witham
Witham Hall School has recently celebrated success at the annual Colsterworth Festival of Performing Arts with form 3B in pre-prep winning the Choral Speaking. Drama students did well too the following day winning medals, trophies and places; and a good time was had by all.
Meet the two Lukes | Sportive dates for your diary
Local round up news | Spotlight on cricket | Readers’ challenges
ActiveSport
Distance: 30.64 miles
Elevation: 2,659ft
Ride type: Road
On your bike!
Gary Waterfall’s ride this month is not for beginners; a challenging 30 mile route starting at Uppingham with a 2,700ft overall climb and a harsh, hard nish to really test the legs.
START FROM THE picturesque market town of Uppingham where there are lots of places to park. Head north out of the town and take the second exit off the roundabout onto the ‘Ridlington Ripples’. Coast down the hills and try to keep your speed up the rises until turning left down the hill into raunston in utland. hen climb all the way to ilton on the ill. urn left to illesdon be careful again over the and then, despite the hills, en oy an overall downhill stretch to conserve energy until edbourne.
Feeling tired? Turn left in Hallaton to cut a few miles out (and the hard evill olt climb and oin the route again before the final climb home. For the fully committed from edbourne the hard slog home starts. he road to evill olt will challenge all riders, then conserve energy to coast downhill, and then tackle the final killer push up the steep hill back into ppingham. nce back, you will have earned that drink and bite to eat at the excellent Falcon at ppingham, or why not try on addys or he aults, or even all three http://www.strava.com/routes/24039461
START / FINISH
Ridlington Ayston
Uppingham
Nevill Holt
Medbourne
Hallaton
Rolleston
Billesdon
Tilton on the Hill
Braunston in Rutland
Climb Mount Kilimanjar o
Do something truly amazing for pets in need!
Looking for a challenge that could not only change your life, but also the lives of homeless and poorly animals? Join Team Wood Green and conquer this world-famous landmark in January 2021!
Registration fee: £595 payable on booking. Fundraising ask: £5,650.
Find out more about the challenge at woodgreen.org.uk/kilimanjaro or call 0300 303 9333
Pedal Power
Having kicked off the cycling season with the Cambridgeshire Classic Sportive and the Market Harborough Festival of Cycling in March, here’s a list of other events taking place locally this year.
King Edward 100
Sunday 5 April
Routes: 102 mile/61 mile/23 mile
Venue: Newark Showground, Lincoln Road, Newark, Notts, NG24 2NY reat for riders of all levels, the undulating course passes though scenic villages on uiet country lanes.
The Rutland CiCLE Tour Sportif
Saturday 25 April
Venue: Giant Store, Normanton Car Park, Rutland Water, Edith Weston, Rutland, LE15 8HD
Routes: . miles . miles
he i lassic elite race is billed as ‘Britain’s Belgium Classic’ and the CiCLE our portive won’t disappoint as it follows much of the elite race route including the pav sectors
The Quattro Cyclosportive
Sunday 26 April
illing uadrome, row ane, reat illing, orthants,
Routes: miles miles miles
his is not an extreme cyclosportive course, but takes in some great rural roads and is an ideal way to start off your cyclosportive season or prepare for the bike leg of some longer distance triathlons.
Cambridge 100 Mile Bike Ride
Sunday 3 May
Route: 100 miles
Venue: Impington Village College, New oad, ambridge, tarting and finishing on the outskirts of ambridge, the route takes you through some of ambridgeshire and orfolk’s most beautiful countryside. ighlights include hetford Forest and ly athedral.
Squires and Spires Cyclosportive
Sunday 17 May
Routes: miles miles miles
Venue: aseby illage all, aselbech oad, aseby, orthants, aking place through the rolling orthamptonshire countryside the route passes through many beautiful villages steeped in history. he theme of the uires and Spires will take riders on a tour past many country houses, including lthorp ouse home of the pencer family and resting place of iana, rincess of ales and ottesbrooke all the inspiration for ane usten’s ansfield ark’ .
Gretton Sportive
Saturday 6 June
Routes: 100 km/50km
Venue: retton ports lub, irby oad, retton, orthants, he ride takes you from orthamptonshire and into Rutland and Leicestershire and provides spectacular views of the elland alley.
Tour of Cambridgeshire – TOC100 Sportive
Sunday 7 June
Route: 100 miles
Venue: ast of ngland howground, eterborough,
o is a mile, fully closed sportive, which will see 12,000 riders take to the roads in ambridgeshire.
The RAFA Ride
Saturday 13 June
Routes: miles miles miles
Venue: Waltham on the Wolds Village Hall, LE14 4AG
n oy riding around the utland and eicestershire countryside travelling through some beautiful scenery and pretty villages. uitable for riders of all abilities.
The Flat 100 South
Sunday 12 July
Routes: 104 miles/61 miles/22 miles
Venue: eterborough reyhound tadium, econd rove, eterborough, ambs, n oy the thrill of riding a sportive without all the hills getting in the way. reat for riders of all abilities, the course is pan at and takes participants along some stunningly beautiful roads.
Cobbler Classic Sportive
Saturday 17th October 2020
Routes: miles miles
Venue: urweston erodrome, iddlesden oad, estbury, rackley, aking its name from the shoe making history of its orthamptonshire surroundings, the obbler lassic portive will take you through some of the county’s best sights and cycling roads. ith no ma or climbs on the course, this sportive makes for the perfect late season spin.
Images: Jessica Lockhart
The You in Youth
Mary Bremner meets two footballers who run a company aiming to inspire and motivate young people
THE YOUTH DREAMS Project was set up by two Peterborough footballers in 2014, who are both called Luke and have been life long friends since they joined the Posh Academy aged eight.
Both Lukes went on to have professional careers in the game. Luke Steele going to Manchester United as a goalkeeper in 2002 and Luke Kennedy to Rushden playing centre midfield. uke teele’s career as a footballer has ourished with him staying at anchester United for over four years (he was there during the Beckham, Ronaldo years). He now plays for Nottingham Forest in the Championship League on loan to Millwall at the moment. Now aged 35 ‘he still has a few years left in him as a goalie,’ so is continuing with his 18-year professional career.
Luke Kennedy did not fare as well only having a one year contract with Rushden which wasn’t renewed. t the age of to suddenly be out on your ear’ so to speak was hard to come to terms with. His whole life had been football and now he was having to face big changes. But despite this their friendship endured even though their lives were now taking very different paths.
Luke Kennedy is a resilient young man with a lot to offer. e returned to Peterborough and started coaching football. He became a PCSO and continued with the coaching which he loved. The police force ran lots of youth intervention schemes with Luke heading them up, they were free to attend and still are today, those run under the YDP banner. He worked in the less salubrious areas of eterborough working with at risk’ young people. By encouraging them to play football, enjoy boxercise and other sessions he was keeping them off the streets and out of trouble. ‘If I could channel their energy into sport, I could keep them out of trouble and motivate them,’ he says. nd it worked.
For the next five years uke carried on running these sessions as well as being a PCSO. But at some point he would have to join the police force properly so started his 12 week course. ‘I found that enforcement, which is what the police is all about was not for me,’ says uke. ith my coaching sessions I was encouraging and nurturing and motivating, building self esteem, helping
keep youngsters out of trouble, exactly the opposite to what a police o cer’s role is, which is to enforce the law.’
This is where Luke Steele takes over. ‘Luke had been messaging me whilst on the course, and he was miserable and incredibly negative about the job. I ended up sending him a text along the lines of ‘why are you doing this if you hate it ’ e then arranged to meet in osta in the amptons for a catch up.’
uke’s text made the other uke think and he quit his course in week 11 of 12; something that is very unusual. ‘But I knew it was the right thing to do. didn’t want to be a police o cer and ust needed that encouragement from uke to make me face up to it.’
’d always had this idea that the coaching did I could do for myself, and not just football but all sport. I wanted to set up a company where I could run these courses independently and help the youth of Peterborough; introduce them to a love of
sport and instil the discipline which they need and would help them in their everyday lives. I knew it was something that could do.’
And this is exactly what they did. The quick catch up in Costa ended up as a four hour meeting. ‘In that time we had set up the company and its aims and ob ectives,’ says Luke Steele. ‘Initially I was going to help get it started and then leave Luke to it but I got completely sucked in. ’m really passionate about the business and absolutely love it, helping out whenever I can. Luke is amazing with the kids, he’s the best ’ve ever seen with the way he can motivate and inspire them.’
The business was started in 2014, called Youth Dream Projects. Initially Luke Kennedy worked as a part time youth worker for the council, and did night shifts at Timestop at the YMCA to help keep his head above water whilst the company got going.
Youth Dreams Project delivers the sports curriculum to many primary schools within Peterborough, as well as extra curricular, including before and after school and half term and school holiday courses for the youngsters. hey offer far too many sports and activities to list but many are team sports as well as boxing, tennis, athletics and dance, to name a few. Luke does this with his team which now includes people who were classed as at risk’ when they initially oined his courses as youngsters, as well as current ‘at risk’ teenagers who have turned their lives around with the help of the two Lukes and now volunteer with YDP.
he company also offers provision in the senior schools. his takes a slightly different approach. he schools identify at risk’ pupils, to put it broadly and YDP puts together a programme to motivate and nurture these kids using sport as a medium. These pupils will be taken out of lessons for Luke and his team to work their magic on them. e offers football, boxercise, dance and boxing and much more. ‘For some of these children sport is their only outlet. e work on their self esteem and motivation and it
“For some of these children sport is their only outlet. We work on their self esteem and motivation and it really does work.”
really does work. Behaviour, attendance, attitude and confidence improves. o well that some of these kids are now working with us delivering sessions to other kids. o see the kids change and develop because of what we provide is really rewarding.’ hese sessions have been so successful that the council is now employing to work in secure units and children’s homes.
now works with schools within the eterborough district, with another in orby len and one in thens he thens school was introduced to via uke teele when he was playing in reece. hey now have a team of working at plus the two ukes.
uke teele brings a bit of stardust to
proceedings. e speaks at motivational assemblies, often to the whole school, and when he can, helps with the sports camps. e is home for six or seven weeks during the summer when he’s a high profile member of the team. visited at half term and saw the youngsters playing football with him, thoroughly en oying playing with a real footballer.’
ut don’t think that uke ennedy is the dogsbody and uke teele comes in and steals all the glory. hat is not the case at all. e are on the phone to each other every day, often many times,’ says uke teele. uke is the one running the business day to day and delivering the sessions but am closely involved. uke is the face of the business. turn up when can but am very much behind the scenes helping with the running of everything and plan to spend more time with the business now have relocated back to eterborough.’
oth girls and boys take part in the sessions and they are now running girls’ football groups as well as having an and boys football team. he business has grown and now has an excellent reputation locally. o much so that now has links with eterborough uni running apprenticeships and scholarships for students who are training to be teachers. hey work part time with whilst studying and are often taken on once they ualify.
omething else that the company does is offer a scholarship to post boys in association with t ohn Fisher school in the town. hese talented boys, the ll tars, spend some time at school taking level or ualifications in sports study and science.
nd the rest of the time is spent football training, training every day, managed by uke ennedy. hey are playing in a league and against professional clubs which are organised by uke teele through his contacts. hey are helping these boys get obs, many of whom were initially introduced through the school sessions. uke teele arranges for scouts to come to the matches so they are playing to a high level.
’s greatest achievement so far, and one which they are ustifiably very proud of, is that two of their students have recently won volunteer awards at the iving ports wards, as did the company itself in . oth award winners were helped by to turn their lives around and have given something back by becoming volunteers, helping those in similar circumstances as themselves. is helping create young leaders within the community.
nd all from a text message and a cup of coffee at osta.
To find out more about the activities and courses offered go to www.youthdreamsproject.co.uk
Luke Kennedy (left) and Luke Steele run YPD
CHALLENGES
Weight bearing training
Storms Ciara and Dennis put paid to some training outings so Delia Calder is walking round her house wearing her backpack and water bladder to help get used to weight bearing
ANOTHER MONTH PASSES and Everest base camp is now something I think about virtually all the time. I have binge listened to Evertrek’s podcasts, catching up on all 10 episodes in as many hours. It was exciting to hear advice on what to expect and the passion of the company’s two owners for trekking is infectious – it has certainly rubbed off on me. picked up some great tips, including sleeping with my clothes for the next day in my sleeping bag so they are warm when put them on, simple but effective. lso, s uee y s uash to break the monotony and wet wipes are a definite plus for a bit of personal hygiene.
I am now up to date with my vaccinations. I had a big discussion with the nurse as to whether I should be prescribed Diamox, a drug recommended to stop the effects of altitude. art of me thinks it will be beneficial to take with me ust in case,’ but there are arguments for and against so the jury is still out on that one while I wait for a call back from my doctor to discuss.
We had a group training trip planned to the Brecon Beacons for three days of trekking but sadly storms Ciara and Dennis decided that wasn’t to be and we had to cancel for safety reasons. At short notice many of the team joined me at Rutland Water and we walked the 17 miles around the loop to get the miles into our boots and to get used to carrying the weight in our rucksacks.
This month I invested in dry bags for my rucksack and personal possessions but thankfully haven’t actually had the need to try them out yet. have also started adding to my personal first aid kit rather than leave it until the last minute. My spare boot laces are in my packing pile together with my Shewee; the less said about that the better!
Training has been slower than I would have liked as I have been plagued with colds and illness. I am keeping up with the spinning, yoga and run camp when I can but I really do need to get those walking boots on and just get out there. Is it strange that I walk around my house wearing my weighty rucksack complete with 3-litre water bladder to accustom myself to the load? If you were to peer through my letterbox that is probably what you would see…
28 not out
Meet Rachael Templeton who is running 28 miles for the Max Hunter Fund in memory of her great friend
ONE EVENING, sitting with friends and a glass of red wine, I found the words “I’ll run 28 miles” coming out of my mouth! Having previously done a half marathon and vowing never to run further than 13 miles again, I’m now sat here thinking why have I done this? But that ‘why’ is very important to us.
In August 2019 our great friend Max Hunter sadly took his own life, aged just 28. As a group of friends we were all deeply shocked and saddened to lose such a fun loving, caring and genuine guy. Determined to keep Max’s memory alive, we formed the Max Hunter Fund within the Mintridge Foundation.
The Max Hunter Fund will launch on 9 July with the event #28NOTOUT. 28 hours of non-stop fundraising with each hour representing a year of Max’s life and the sports he loved. The funds raised will go towards delivering mentoring programmes about how to look after our mental health, just as we do our physical.
Working on the principle of ‘slow and steady finishes the race,’ will be setting off at 10pm on Thursday 9 July from Wansford, and all being well, finishing in the early hours of Friday morning in Kimbolton.
I’m currently training at up to eight miles; so ust another to find from somewhere. But knowing the impact that this will have and the unity that everyone is showing as they come together in Max’s memory is certainly keeping my legs striding and my motivation high.
Since launching the run in February we are thrilled with the number of people wanting to join the running challenge. If you would like to take part, whether it be for one mile or all 28 please contact info@mintridge. org.uk.
o find out more about and to donate towards the Max Hunter Fund, please visit https://themintridgefoundation. charitycheckout.co.uk/cf/28-not-out---themax-hunter-fund
From Still to Summit
Meet Stu and Ed who have set themselves an unusual challenge
THE IDEA FOR From Still to Summit was dreamed up in that never ending time between Christmas and New Year last year. A piano and a bench had been taken to the summit of Ben Nevis before, but not a whisky barrel. And if you’re going to do that it makes sense to start from the distillery (the still) to the summit, hence the hashtag (#stilltosummit). So this May, taking two days, two people will carry an empty American Bourbon barrel from Ben Nevis Distillery to the summit of the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis. That’s 12km (7.5miles) and a 1332m (4370ft) climb.
Meet Stu and Ed who met when they joined the RAF in 2008 and became firm friends. tamford based tu has run marathons in Edinburgh and on the Isle of Harris as well as completing the obstacle course race elentless uffering’ at Rockingham Castle. Ed has also run several marathons including Edinburgh and Nottingham and ultra-marathons including ‘Race to the Stones,’ so they’re no strangers to a challenge. Both Ed and Stu have a passion for the outdoors and have spent time walking and exploring the Peak District and the Scottish Highlands as well as the Three Peaks Challenge. So from Still to Summit seemed like a great way to challenge themselves, do something they love and raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund.
To train for the event Ed and Stu will be visiting the Peak istrict to get hill fit’ as well as doing plenty of hill training and long runs at home to ensure they’re prepared for the endurance factor of the challenge. If you wish to show your support then please donate at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ stilltosummit. Or if you fancy supporting them on the day and climbing Ben Nevis you’re welcome to join them on May 30 for the climb.
You can follow them on Instagram: fromstilltosummit, Twitter and facebook @stilltosummit #stilltosummit
The Seven Mile Itch
Robin Atter ’s first ever race was the Burghley 7 and there’s no stopping him now
AFTER WHAT SEEMED like an age of training for the Burghley 7 Road Race, the big day was here. I arrived at Burghley House for the 9am start with mixed emotions as this was my first ever, proper event. owever any anxiety soon disappeared and was replaced by excitement. The atmosphere was electric and everything was really well planned. The event team, fellow competitors and spectators were all really friendly. I enjoyed chatting to other competitors whilst registering and getting my race number and again whilst waiting for the start.
All those evenings of late night training runs in the cold and dark were worth it and made the run feel good. The course had great scenery in both the park and closed roads in Stamford and surrounding villages. The weather on the day was perfect and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
I completed the seven mile course in 55:47, and was really happy to do it in under the hour. On completion I received my T shirt and medal, both of which will remind me of this fantastic day which I’m pleased to have taken part in. I’ll never forget my first event. t’s certainly one to add to my running calendar next year; you could say I’m hooked.
y next event is on pril , the oston ay ower alf Marathon so I need to start upping my training now to be ready for the extra distance.
I ran the Burghley 7 to raise money for Dogs Trust setting myself a target of £200. I’m pleased to say I’ve raised £251.55 so far with a few further donations to come in, so thank you. And now can’t wait for my next race, it’s o cial ’m hooked.
CHALLENGES
Mud, glorious mud
Two marathons in a single weekend was Steve Cole’s big challenge for this month as he trains for the Manchester to Liverpool 50-mile Ultra Marathon in April.
ONE PIECE OF advice I keep getting is to incorporate back-to-back runs into my training: a long run on Saturday followed by another on Sunday. Up until now the furthest back to back had done was . on the Saturday followed by eight on the Sunday. But this was about to change.
I had been told about the Belvoir Challenge by uite a few people. t’s largely off road, quite hilly and has four fully stocked checkpoints. And then signed up for the Cambridge Boundary Run for the next day. wo marathons in two days definitely constitutes back-to-back runs.
Belvoir was the best event I have ever run. I expected mud but not miles of ankle-deep mud, puddles resembling ponds and hills like mud slides For the full . miles it was a case of run a little, walk a little and repeat. I can run a sub four hour marathon yet this took hours minutes. t was tough on the legs but brilliant. And the checkpoints really were as good as I was told!
I felt good the following day and was looking forward to marathon number two. After eight miles I was feeling fairly fresh. And then it hit me, my legs felt like lead and I still had miles to go. went through some dark times during the middle section of this race. By just getting my head down I managed it. even ran km on the onday. The next month will see me at the Rutland arkrun for km with my wife and then ’ll run home to Bourne. And the week after I am planning a mile run before dropping the mileage down as I recover in time for the race itself. Until next issue…
They’re spinning around
The Stamford2Swansea crew carry on their training, by raising money with a three hour spin class
AS MUCH AS planning can happen in the current climate, we’re still pressing on with training for our Stamford2Swansea challenge when possible. Everyone has their own plans and are getting on really well. Lots of hours spent running, on turbo trainers and in the gym.
Will and Matt ran the Burghley 7 road race, and the event didn’t disappoint. Even though it’s a well trodden training route, starting with everyone running along High Street St Martin’s into town was great fun and running back through the park towards Burghley House to finish was beautiful. easoned runner ill finished in minutes, and att finished mins behind. nly another . miles to go in Swansea!
he big effort this month was our fundraising 3hr spin class, held at Westside Health & Fitness Club; thanks so much for the use of your bikes. We were brilliantly led by superstar PT Paul rewster, who set off at an incredible pace that didn’t seem to relent.
When sat on a stationary bike, the clock can move very slowly, but it was perfectly paced, and with a great soundtrack we manged to power through as each hour passed.
The S2S team were joined by other members of the gym too, who donated for a space in the class, crazy! But thanks so much for helping us along.
n those few hours, we raised over to add to our total, so the bucket loads of sweat were more than worth it, along with the mountain loads of pizza we consumed afterwards!
The Team are looking forward to the clocks changing, and the wind dying down, so we can start mid-week miles on the bikes. And some big weekend training rides once we’re past lockdown.
We’ll keep you posted about our other planned fundraising events, but more importantly, stay safe everyone!
To support the team as they go through their challenge, visit:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ StamfordtoSwansea r follow us to keep up to date with progress via the team’s Instagram and Facebook accounts @stamford2swansea
If you have set yourself a challenge, be it the most simple to the most ambitious, we want to hear from you. Get in touch well before your challenge date then we can follow your training, trials and tribulations as well as your actual triumph. Email mary@theactivemag.com
Smithson-Beswick catches up with news from some of our local clubs
IT’S BEEN A fascinating rugby season for we enthusiastic followers of the local game. Many of the sides within a stone’s throw of us are in finer form than for many a year, none more so than those in Midlands 3, where it’s still extremely tight at the top.
Stamford have the narrowest of leads there over Oakham – only the relative pettiness of points difference separates them at the time of writing - whilst Bourne are in third, a similarly meagre five points behind. ith but a handful of games left, this one is going to the wire.
Oaks have the easier run in, only Stockwood Park away likely to cause them much angst (in theory) whereas Stamford face a more challenging fixture list including
the aforementioned Stockwood, two mid table opponents and an away fixture at Bourne. The latter is a game that could come to define both sides’ seasons. t’s on pril , should you wish to wind your way down to Milking Nook Drive.
couple of divisions higher, undle look likely to finish a prestigious second in Midlands 1 having recently beaten Market arborough , with arbs nevertheless comfortable in mid-table after a recent victory against Olney which included some “sensational play” from Geordan Stout, according to the club’s ever-neutral David Nance.
s an aside, should you ever need reassurance about the quality of the local rugby scene consider Harborough’s Henry
Joule and Jake Sterland who recently appeared for England North at our nation’s U17 training camp. Having started in the Minis and then being Juniors they’re now both part of the eicester igers’ cademy. t just goes to show that you never know what might transpire if you take your 8 year-old to the minis at a club near you on a Sunday morning. You‘ll get to read the papers in peace and enjoy a bacon sandwich too!
adby yggs have had a creditable season of their own but, now lying in sixth, cannot challenge for the top spots. However, congratulations are more than due to Joe unn who has completed caps for the club – performances that included 72 tries. Some achievement that, don’t you think? Going up the tiers again to National
Jeremy
League 2, Leicester Lions have had a good campaign, yet, just as Oadby, cannot now aspire to promotion. They are placed seventh, despite a dramatic victory away at Bristol’s ld edcli ans. osing after the eds scored a converted try ust after half time, scrum half ames tubbs brought it back to coming off the back of a scrum and then than odefroy’s fellow forwards set him up to level matters. It remained that way until moments from the end when the ball was fed to y half en oung who, showing great aplomb, slotted the coolest of dropped goals to win the match.
Not to be outdone, our round ball practitioners are also ying high. tamford’s Daniels have been inching closer and closer to league leaders eek own for some time now and find themselves within a couple of points of the top after a crunch away win against fellow promotion chasers utton oldfield.
fter going one goal down, a arry ince penalty brought it back to at half time. Then, despite numerous close misses by a now ascendant Daniels, the second period was goalless until the final minute when on Challinor gave them a deserved victory. To add to the general glee, it was the th goal of his career. n spite of that milestone, the man of the match award went to omnipresent defender ordan hey hall ot ass ooke.
aniels’ last match of the season t home to eek on pril. here should be a great atmosphere at Ryhall Road and I encourage you to go.
ver in the eicestershire remier, Cottesmore AFC are also second in their table – a position they cemented with an away win against the hard as nails and third placed Friar ane pworth. he experience was, shall we say, character forming.
he first half was notable only for several yellow cards. Cottesmore’s Colton Cropper, who was on the pitch, commented ome of the tackles were strong and fair. ome were
The club will now be able to cement its position as a great health and wellbeing asset for Ketton.”
strong, high and late and a sending off for the home side after an off the ball elbow to the face was well spotted by the o cials. t was a different story in the second half as a football game broke out and ottesmore twice hit the crossbar before Wilson Iron scored the opener with a uarter of an hour to go. he best goal of the game then followed as ordan mith fired home after a raking pass from anny eals and ron was to get his second to make it ust before the end. triumph for skill over skulduggery, think it’s fair to say.
taying with round balls or properly suppose ellipsoidal the good folk at Ketton Bowls Club now have a new clubhouse thanks to a great community fund raising effort that included car boot sales, dances, ui es and coffee mornings. evertheless, they were still well short of the total needed before grants from ealthy
Rutland, the Whitbread Trust and the utland rust came to their rescue, so thanks to all of them.
resident harlie nderwood said he club will now be able to cement its position as a great health and wellbeing asset for etton, and will work to encourage people to visit and engage to build friendships, to connect with others and to participate in some decent physical exercise . o, as you will infer, they’re looking for new members to add to the existing or so. hey run practice sessions for potential new recruits so get in touch if you fancy giving it a try there’s a contact form on their home page. ’ve tried it and it’s a great game.
Finally, utland olo lub in angham has been in touch to tell me their first olly chukka will be on ay . he venue and the ambience are both undiscovered gems so I challenge you to seek them out. ood luck.
Active gear
1. Burgon & Ball Floral
Gardening Kneeler
A striking ultra-cushioned foam kneeler decorated with pink dahlias provides support during weeding and planting sessions. A cut-out handle allows easy moving around your garden, and can be used to hang it up when you’ve finished working.
PRICE £19.99
FROM Rutland Garden Centre, Ashwell
2. Hartman Heritage
Double Hanging Egg Chair
Feel the relaxing effect of gently swaying in the breeze whilst adding style and a focal point to a peaceful corner. Colour - ash/slate.
PRICE £499
FROM www.
wellandvalegardeninspirations.co.uk
3. Potter’s Muscle Rub Gel
With a combination of wintergreen, rosemary, bergamot, lavender, peppermint and thyme, Potter’s Muscle Rub Gel stimulates circulation and provides a soothing, revitalising effect.
PRICE £7.29
FROM www.natureshealthbox.co.uk
4. Burgon & Ball gloves
Incorporating genuine leather trim a nd a range of technical design details to make them superbly comfortable to wear, these gloves are washable too, so you can keep them looking smart.
PRICE £14.99
FROM Rutland Garden Centre, Ashwell
5. Hartman Heritage
Bistro Set
The ideal size for your patio, balcony or conservatory. With two generous sized dining chairs with high backs and arm rests, this set can happily live outside all year round. Also comes with Weatherready® back and seat cushions. Colour - ash/slate.
PRICE £399
FROM www.
wellandvalegardeninspirations.co.uk
6. Sophie Conran
Gardening tools
Including a hand fork, trowel and secateurs, these tools are designed with stylish touches like brass ferrules, and smaller handles to better fit a woman’s hand.
PRICE £16.99 each
FROM Rutland Garden Centre, Ashwell
Kit Bag
Gardening nds for April
Design led...
We create unique buildings for discerning clients using traditional French oak alongside modern designs that can include glass, stone and steel. Our design and build service can cover every aspect of your project from initial concept to completion. Our passionate staff specialise in design led architecture, planning applications through to full working drawings, allowing our projects to seamlessly develop from concepts to full build construction.
