Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // March 2020
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Editor and Publisher ary re ner mary@theactivemag.com
Deputy editor ate a i kate@theactivemag.com
Art editor att arrant
Contributors ill etherington, ere y ithson- eswick, li er aterfall, aren eale, raha right, ose ary olkien and ick ro e
Advertisement Sales Director isa hauhan lisa@theactivemag.com
Production assistant ary urtis
Cover image ary urtis www theoldbuilding co Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com
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EDITOR’S LETTER
“Stamford is renowned for being a beautiful Georgian market town, but there’s a lot more to it than just stunning architecture.”
EVERY TIME I co e o the and dri e down t artin s ne er cease to ar el at the beauty of the town call ho e ta ford s ellow li estone houses and beautiful eorgian architecture work their agic on e e ery ti e enter the town and e en after years of li ing here a still thrilled by its beauty when a going about y business nd don t think the only one who feels its siren call o this onth we are focusing on the ewel in the ast idlands crown ta ford t s renowned for being a beautiful eorgian arket town, but there s a lot ore to it than ust stunning architecture t has a ery strong sense of co unity and the friendly locals are always happy to chat, which really does ake a di erence and is true of all our local towns t s full of local independent retailers and businesses who ha e all rallied together to for shop sta ford - a odel that has created interest far and wide and is really working at encouraging people to shop local ead ore about the town in this issue and also ad ire the artwork fro the talented artists who ha e kindly allowed us to reproduce their work pring is hopefully ust around the corner so it s ti e to get out and about soaking up so e of that uch needed ita in ill has a couple of walks for us and eresa ennedy is telling us what to do in the garden alking of ita in , so eone who ery uch en oyed eeting was skincare e pert isa r itage er superfood skincare range is creating a lot of interest, and a big fan ate has learnt a lot about fly fishing this onth and e found out about eicestershire s co it ent to girls and wo en s cricket we e been busy so en oy the fruits of our labour nd as a treat for other s ay why not enter our co petition to win an ening pa perience for two at agdale for your u sure she s worth it
a e a great onth and en oy the issue
Mary - ditor
ISSUE 93 / MARCH 2020
13 WHAT’S ON Catch up with what’s going on locally
20 STAY AWHILE AMIDST STAMFORD’S ANCIENT CHARMS
We focus on the jewel in the East Midlands’ crown
29 COMPETITION
Win a Twilight Taster for two at Ragdale for Mother’s Day
30 INTERVIEW
Meet superfood skincare expert Lisa Armitage
34 MEET NICK DUNN
Fly fisher an and professional guide Nick Dunn tells us more about the sport
36 WILL’S WALKS Irnham and Warmington are Will’s starting points this month
BODY
45 SQUEEZE AND RELEASE
Physio Sarah Babbs talks pel ic floor uscles
55 GET BIKE FIT he sta at peedhub e plain why a correctly fitting bike is ital
58 INTERVIEW
Meet Leicestershire CC’s Mark Hudson
64 THE ROUNDUP News from our local clubs
Rosemary Tolkein
Charles Hurst
ActiveLife
Meet superfood skincare expert Lisa Armitage | Travel to Vietnam
Win a Mother’s Day treat to Ragdale Hall
Meet fly fishing guide Nick Dunn | Walk with Will
EDITED BY MARY BREMNER
Stay awhile amidst Stamford’s ancient charms p20
Award winning business
MINIBIKERS WHO OPERATE fro arket arborough eisure entre ha e recently been selected as all usiness winners by heo aphitis fro ragons en, so are ustly ery proud inibikers pro ide a earn to ycle alanceability rogra e which teaches children how to progress fro a balance bike to pedal bike in a group setting, ainly learning through play he courses are ai ed at children fro as young as onths up to years hey o er courses all o er eicestershire and are currently e panding ourses range fro toddler balanceability to a higher le el of braking, balance and negotiating round ob ects, and all with an e phasis on fun www.minibikers.co.uk
New Business keeps your vehicle safe
A NEW 3,000 SQ FT ehicle storage business, the ehicle ault, has recently opened t pro ides secure and personalised ehicle storage for custo ers who wish to store a ehicle fro as little as two weeks to indefinitely he co pany o ers tailored packages fro basic storage to de-hu idified cha bers et in touch for ore details www.thevehiclevault.uk
Junior Bridge Competition
STAMFORD BRIDGE CLUB has recently hosted a co petition for the younger e bers of their club he e ent was run by lan hillitoe, ngland nder s uad leader, who is entoring the youngsters at the club s ta ford outh ridge cade y er 3 youngsters attended, ainly fro local schools, with the bragging rights e entually going to he erse chool fro a bridge he ini bridge section was won by the nglish artyr s chool fro akha
New Eco Village for Market Harborough
BETH LAMBERT, FOUNDER of Market arborough s efill e olution, and her business partner eth wdry, ha e recently created a o unity nterest o pany to run the co unity hub co illage in the centre of arket arborough ai ed at changing the way people shop hat used to be the lu b enter has been transfor ed into a centre for sustainability entral to the co illage will be a collection of businesses who all ai to pro ide sustainable products helping custo ers reduce packaging and food iles here will also be workshops and talks to help people with an ai to li e ore sustainable li es op along to t ary s oad and ha e a look
Tree planting scheme
LMRT DESIGN HAS started a tree planting ca paign, to help negate their carbon footprint, at local schools starting with ourne cade y aul o psett and his son ui ha e instigated a special planting sche e at the school alongside arbon Footprint who si ultaneously plant e ui alent trees in the a on ainforest
Ofering the Best Artisan Cheeses and local delights. Hand made wooden boxes for any occasion, cheese boards, hampers.
Great selection of whiskeys, gin, wines and Cuban cigars. Visit us in our local shop and check on FB/Instagram/ Twitter and website. The Stamford cheese and wine cellar
garden centre
• 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. Ashwell Road • Oakham
RECIPE
Nettle and barley risotto with goat’s cheese
MARCH IS WHEN we begin to see an influ of nettles popping up all o er the place hy not har est the and use the in this pearl barley risotto perfect e a ple of eating seasonally and sustainably r if you think nettles aren t for you replace the with spinach or kale
INGREDIENTS
3 g pearl barley
• 1 litre vegetable stock
g nettle tops
• 50g butter
tbsp oli e oil
• 1 leek, sliced thinly onion, finely chopped
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
Finely grated est of le on
• 200ml dry cider
g soft fresh goat s cheese
METHOD
oak the pearl barley in a bowl of water for 3 inutes
• Bring the stock to the boil and blanch the nettles in it. Remove them and keep the stock on a low heat.
t the sa e ti e heat half the butter and tbsp oli e oil in a large pan o er a ediu heat dd the onion, leeks, garlic and le on est along with plenty of salt and black pepper and fry gently for about inutes until e erything is soft
• Drain the pearl barley and stir through the onion mix cooking gently for a couple of minutes. Add the cider, turn up the heat and let it boil before adding about a quarter of the hot stock. Stir
until this is absorbed, then add the next batch, continuing the same way until all the stock has been absorbed as per a normal risotto.
Finally add the nettle tops and re aining butter letting the barley cook gently for a few ore inutes
• Once dished up add the goat’s cheese to the top along with some more salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
NETTLE PICKING TIPS
Wear gardening gloves to avoid being stung. Pick nettles that are above waist height and avoid popular dog walking areas for obvious reasons!
GP LAWNMOWERS
Let worms work their magic
Lizzie Davies de-mystifies home composting and explains
the whys and wherefores
A COMPOST HEAP is a must if you have space in your garden. Compost is produced in 6-12 months, as worms and other creatures work their magic by decomposing organic matter. Composting reduces landfill and sa es you oney Adding compost to your soil helps to improve the health of it and richer soil produces strong, healthy plants. Soil structure is improved by a network of pores to hold water or oxygen which releases nutrients slowly to feed plants. Compost will break up and aerate heavy compacted clay soil. And composting is free - no transport hassles.
What do I need?
If you have space use pallets to construct a 1m sq cube with a removable front section. For smaller gardens enclosed plastic bins are readily available.
What can I compost?
Add a mix of veg and fruit waste, garden cuttings, co ee, tea not the bag , eggshells, natural fibres, cardboard and paper. Do not add meat products and nasty weeds.
How do I manage the heap?
Cut things up as small as possible to speed up the process. And mix to add air. If it is dry add water, and if soggy add shredded paper or newspaper rolled into loose balls.
Turn the contents over once the container is full, ideally into a second container and start filling again Remember to keep the contents aerated.
How do I use compost?
The compost is ready when it is crumbly and earthy smelling. It is best spread on beds at the beginning of the growing season in early spring. Take care that the compost doesn’t touch plant stems as it can burn.
Lots more information at www. gardenorganic.org.uk/compost
You can follow Lizzie on Instagram @ lizcatalpa and on Facebook @catalpacloud
GARDENING
Spring is in the air
Garden designer Teresa Kennedy enjoys the spring reawakening in her garden and recommends some tweaks to be made at this time of year
MARCH IS THE month when every single day there is a change in the garden - a reawakening - and there’s lots to do. Now is the time to get in the garden and prepare it for the growing season ahead.
he first thing for e to look at in y garden is evergreen structure. I’ve got plenty of interesting frameworks on deciduous trees and shrubs but I’ve noticed how the rich, tight, deep structure of evergreens is missing. By bringing some in, I think a freeform will suit my garden best, I will be adding to my winter and spring views.
What else can you be considering?
NEW HARD LANDSCAPING
f the weather is ild and dry ish then this is a good time to carry out building works. There’s time to focus on the task as everything else is being kept in check by nature, plus it will really kickstart your year in the garden by introducing something new. I have a secluded area which I pinpointed for an outdoor lounging and seating area last year but didn’t get round to
bringing it to life. I’m still undecided on whether to use wood or paving. It is alongside an exposed stone wall which catches the sun all day. My plan is to use deep red flowers and so e of the freefor evergreen, so perhaps wood is the best choice for a uted finish
REFRESH THE BORDERS
hape, redefine and dress with goodness for the year ahead. Now is also an opportunity to check the health of newly emerging growth and readjust a few things if it will improve the picture. If you planted containers with spring bulbs back in the autumn start to move them into position to enhance your views. Where the light catches, and where it doesn’t, are the perfect places to balance things out.
VEGETABLES
Do it! If you have any space free at all then growing your own is possible. Vegetable growing is good for so many reasons: personal achievement, freshness and taste, environmental considerations and for the bigger picture.
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PERMANENT LASER HAIR REDUCTION
Are you tired of plucking, waxing and using messy creams?
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A Vignette of Vietnam
VIETNAM IS LOCATED in the South China Sea and reportedly one of south east Asia’s most beautiful countries with its lush mountains, terraced rice paddy fields, fabulous golden beaches, winding rivers, Buddhist temples and bustling cities. The capital Hanoi (which is still untouched by western retailers) lies over 700 miles north of Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) showing how large the country is - don’t be fooled, it’s over 1,000 miles long.
Because of the length of the country the climate in Vietnam is varied. In Hanoi and the north, May to October is wet, hot and humid. The south in contrast is generally hot and dry between November and April and warm and wet between May and October. Wherever you go it is best to travel between December and April.
Vietnam is the country of mopeds. The adventurous (or foolhardy depending on your ability) tourist often hires one to travel the length of the country. The rest of us take our life in our hands just trying to cross the roads in Hanoi.
If a moped isn’t quite your style what about a cycling tour? More Travel in Stamford run organised cycling tours to the country: ‘Cycle the Back Roads of Vietnam’ is a 14 night tour riding from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh giving you a unique view of the countryside, with time to take it all in including beautiful beaches and stunning coastal roads. You need to be o er and physically fit it s a hilly country) but it’s an experience you will relish.
For the non cyclist and keen trekker, Sapa in the north and the Fansipan Mount Peak, one of the
highest points of Vietnam known as Indo China’s roof, is a two-day trek to the peak. But you can always take a cable car if the thought of the trek doesn’t appeal. he flora and fauna are stunning, there are temples galore to explore throughout the country and every visitor needs to try the national dish, Pho. But one place that every previous visitor says is a must is Ha Long Bay which is in the north east of the country. It’s Vietnam’s top tourist spot but don’t let that put you o his orld eritage Site is renowned for its emerald waters and towering limestone islands which are topped by rainforests; a vision of ethereal beauty which is not to be missed.
Richard and Hayley from More Travel have travelled extensively in Vietnam and will be happy to help plan your trip including the Cycle the Back Roads of Vietnam tour. www.more-travel.co.uk
This beautiful Georgian market town has more to offer than just stunning architecture
STAMFORD COULD QUITE rightly be classed as the jewel in the East Midlands’ crown. This pretty predominantly Georgian market town, with its fantastic architecture and beautiful limestone properties beca e ngland s first conservation town in 1967. It sits on the borders of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland so has a foot in many counties.
Its roots can be traced as far back as Roman times with the Anglo Saxons later developing settlements around the river. Initially well known for its pottery, by the Middle Ages it had become famous for its production of wool and woollen cloth and has had strong links to the productive agricultural land that surrounds it ever since. Located on the main London to Edinburgh stagecoach route Stamford has many coaching inns, with evidence of carriages still very apparent, particularly at The George, who everyone seems to have heard of if you ever mention you live in Stamford!
One of the town’s most famous forefathers was Sir illia ecil, later ord urghley, first inister to Elizabeth I whose 500th anniversary is being celebrated this year he ast urghley estate had a huge influence on the town with much of it being owned by the family who resided in Burghley House which lies just on the edge of the southern side of the town within large parkland that the town’s people are free to use and make the most of.
Thanks must be given to the Cecil family as the third Marquis of Exeter made certain that the industrial revolution largely left the town untouched. He allegedly refused to let the main east coast railway cross his land so it went to Peterborough instead. At the time many business owners in the town might not have agreed with this, but we have a lot to be thankful to him for!
Development outside the town walls was also not permitted by the family for many generations, which created overcrowding, but also some of the quirky lanes and alleys we enjoy today, as well as controlled development from Victorian times to the early 20th century.
Image: Graham Wright
Image: Rosemary Tolkein
Markets and Fairs
Today the town is a thriving market town with its weekly street market on Fridays and its annual mid Lent fair which arrives on Mothering Sunday every year and stays until the following Saturday. One of the largest street fairs in the country, look out for it arriving on March 23. The town allows the fair to set up within its streets and it’s a Mecca for young and old alike, albeit quite inconvenient for local businesses and shoppers; but it’s quite a spectacle to see.
Stamford is well worth a visit, and a day (or longer really) can be pleasantly spent meandering through the ancient streets, admiring fabulous Georgian architecture and marvelling at the beauty of the limestone houses. If history and architecture are of particular interest take a walking tour of the town. Stamford Sights and Secrets o er inute alking ours starting at he rts entre with other tours run from there as well.
If you drive down St Martin’s you will enjoy the iconic view of the town once you have passed the Bottle Lodges which are one of the many entrances to Burghley Park. The gallows across St Martin’s from The George were said to be a warning to would-be highwaymen. Today make sure you pop into t artin s nti ues entre for a browse n hour or two can easily be spent perusing the numerous antiques and it will be hard to leave empty handed nd if anti ues and ewellery are for you, Dawson’s in Red Lion Square is a must, even it it’s just to peer through the window at all the glittering gems and antiques.
If you drive down St Martin’s you will enjoy the iconic view of the town once you have passed the Bottle Lodges
Images: Matt Tarrant
Coaching Inns
A visit to The George is always on the list of ‘things to do in Stamford’ and make sure you take note of Daniel Lambert’s portrait and walking stick whilst you’re there. He was recorded as England’s heaviest man and died in the town whilst at the races. At this time of year enjoy sitting in front of the fire with a cup of co ee in the summer the courtyard garden is a favourite. You can soak up the atmosphere here and imagine the stagecoaches that would have come through the courtyard dropping passengers o - or picking the up - fro what is now The York Bar or the London Room.
Images: Karen Neale
Whilst you’re in one of the local independents pick up The Little Book of Stamford which lists most of the independent businesses in town.
Shop Stamford
But Stamford is not only ancient charms and beautiful buildings. It is a thriving town full of independent retailers and businesses. These independents have got together to form #shopstamford to encourage people to shop locally. It is well supported by both businesses and townspeople and has generated great interest and created a huge sense of community within the town, as well as bringing attention to supporting local businesses and keeping high streets alive, certainly a worthy cause. Whilst you’re in one of the local independents pick up The Little Book of Stamford which lists most of the independent businesses in town.
Historically the town was renowned for its pubs and churches. So the locals could frequent the local hostelries during the week and presumably confess their sins and do their penance on Sundays. Today, there are fewer churches but still very many pubs and bars, virtually all independents, with any co ee shops and caf s as well So you must spend time trying delicious cakes at the likes of Cakes and Co; afternoon tea at Fine Foods and quality co ee at afae on the uare or Frothys who ha e an open fire to war yourself in front of r try a bert s which is down one of Stamford’s narrow lanes and serves delicious lunches. Stamford now even has a sushi restaurant.
Image: Rosemary Tolkein
Say hello to Valentine
You can get an excellent glass of wine at The Wine Bar on St Paul’s Street and with its fabulous secret garden it’s an ideal place to sit and enjoy a summer’s evening. The Tobie Norris a few doors up serves excellent food and whilst you’re on St Paul’s Street you must stop and say hello to alentine, florist iss ickering s lurcher, who sits in the shop window, master of all he surveys; he even has his own very entertaining Instagram account.
Talking of Instagram, this picturesque town attracts lots and lots of photographers, with many of the residents snapping away as well; it is very hard to resist posting images of this photogenic town @prettylittlestamford and @theoldbuilding are two that spring to mind immediately. And if you want to enjoy historical facts and photos take a look at Frank Newbon on facebook; he will keep you entertained and fascinated for ages. n oy a stroll by the i er elland on the eadows, a municipal area of land which is well used by the town and where bull running used to take place. As the day draws to a close why not visit Stamford’s Arts Centre which is celebrating o er years of showing fil s here are numerous live shows and performances as well which keep everyone entertained. During the summer months the Stamford Shakespeare Company put on major productions at its open air theatre at Tolethorpe and have a national reputation for excellence.
“Enjoy a stroll by the River Welland on the Meadows, a municipal area of land which is well used by the town and where bull running used to take place.”
Useful sites
www.dawsonofstamford.com
www.energy-clothing.com
Frothys 01780 751110
www.irisandviolet.com
www.lamberts-stamford-co.uk
www.more-travel.co.uk
Murano Silver 01780 764386
www.nickgrove-artworks.co.uk
www.rosemarytolkien.com
www.shopstamford.co.uk
www.stamfordartscentre.com
www.stamfordcheese.com
www.stamfordcontemporaryarts.co.uk
Stamford the Siren
Stamford is home to the Stamford Endowed Schools, which educates boys and girls from the age of two upwards. It is interesting to see how many of these pupils stay within the town or migrate back after a few years away; the town wasn’t voted the best place to live by the Sunday Times in 2013 for nothing. The ancient walls, mellow limestone buildings, stunning Georgian architecture and thriving community seem to act as a powerful magnet; and we can fully understand why as we hear Stamford’s siren call.
www.stamfordheavenlychocolates.co.uk
www.stamfordschools.org.uk
www.stamfordshakespeare.co.uk
www.stamfordsightsandsecretstours.com
www.stamfordyoga.co.uk
www.st-martins-antiques.co.uk
www.therugstudio.co.uk
Image: Nick Grove
Image: Nick Grove
WIN a Twilight Taster for Two at Ragdale Hall Spa
Active Magazine and Ragdale Hall Spa have got together to offer a spa experience for two
AGDALE HALL SPA is the UK’s leading spa resort, which combines state-of-the art facilities with Victorian architecture.
Awarded ‘UK’s Best Destination Spa’ by the Good Spa Guide in the Good Spa Awards 2017, Ragdale Hall Spa is dedicated to your wellness, believing everyone needs breathing space from their world, by taking time to press pause, realign and recharge. Renowned for outstanding custo er ser ice, agdale all pa is o ering the chance for some well-deserved ‘me-time’ for one lucky winner and their guest so why not take your mum for Mother’s Day?
Arrive for 4.30pm and enjoy all of the facilities: reconnect in the da ling ooftop nfinity ool, which is heated to a blissful 3 degrees roa freely in the ulti- illion-pound her al pa o ering 12 luxurious and unique heat and water experiences, including the at ospherically lit underground andle ool and utdoor aterfall ool with colour-changing lights plus en oy a - inute treat ent
and a two-course evening meal in the Verandah Bar, before departing at 3 p ll you need to do is switch o and rela
To enter go to www.activemag.com/competitions The competition closes on arch and winners will be notified on arch
If you’re not our winner, Ragdale Hall Spa gift vouchers (including e-Vouchers) make the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Vouchers are available for spa days and spa breaks, or monetary amounts until Sunday March 22, they all come beautifully gift packaged and are valid for a whole year. For more information or to purchase Mother’s Day gift vouchers visit www.ragdalehall.co.uk or call 01664 434030.
T&Cs: The prize is subject to availability. Over-16s only. Travel is not included. Prize must be taken within six months of the winner being notified and is non-transferable. Arrival 4.30pm and depart at 9.30pm. To be taken Monday to Thursday.
INTERVIEW
Super, superfood beauty
Mary
Bremner meets superfood skincare expert Lisa Armitage
Mary: Tell me how you got started with the beauty products?
My background is food and nutrition. I spent 22 years as a professional chef, which I loved, mainly working in Nottinghamshire and London but spent a year during my 20s in Florida. After I returned I developed a skin pigmentation, dark patches all over my face - mainly due to the sun I thought - which was so bad I spent most of my summer hiding indoors feeling thoroughly miserable. For the next seven years every summer I’d slather myself in the strongest factor could find and would hide under a sun hat; for someone who loves the sun and being outside this was just awful. The dermatologist prescribed me really strong creams which seemed to irritate my skin more. I persevered with them as I assumed they knew best, but eventually gave up as my face was so sore. I resigned myself to spending the rest of my life skulking in the shade. hen had y first child took a break from my career as a chef (childcare and catering don’t really mix) and discovered, whilst working in a boutique, a natural skincare range that really suited my skin. I used my nutrition knowledge and started researching ingredients finding out what did and didn’t work on my sensitive skin and found I could once again go out in the sun. Unfortunately my baby appeared to have inherited my skin sensitivities and developed eczema type rashes. I decided that I was not going to inflict harsh steroid crea s on his sensitive skin so started looking at alternatives using the knowledge I had gained whilst becoming an ‘ingredient detective’ with the natural skincare ranges. I studied what I was feeding him to see if that could help alleviate his symptoms and became hooked as the results were amazing. I started tinkering, creating recipes for lotions and potions.
I was frustrated that even products that claimed to be ‘natural’ weren’t; they were still using harsh chemicals so decided to use my nutrition knowledge to make my own fully natural products that I used on him and myself. I was making products using Superfoods having researched their incredible antioxidant and healing properties.
Superfoods are a diverse collection of nutrient-rich natural foods. They contain a large percentage of vitamins, essential fatty acids, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and a very impressive amount of antioxidants. Unlike most healthy foods, which normally contain two or three particular nutritional properties, superfoods have many more. They are powerhouses of goodness and agnificent multi-taskers, able to tackle all manner of skin concerns, from sensitivity and sun damage, to environmental stress from pollution. They plump up and increase collagen production, hydrate, shrink large pores, nourish, soothe and repair; the list is endless.
I am a great believer in getting enough vitamin D and love being outside in the fresh
“I used my nutrition knowledge and started researching ingredients finding out what did and didn’t work on my sensitive skin. ”
air t is ital to help your i une syste so we all need plenty of it, and sunshine is the best way to source this whilst i pro ing the ood at the sa e ti e
y the ti e had y second child was aking skincare lotions and sharing the with friends and fa ily who kept encouraging e to set up y own business ut that was easier said than done had two young children and wanted to spend ti e with the and also, funding was an issue started studying nutrition and beca e fascinated by how our diet can a ect us inside and out, ie internally and our skin as well his is how started aking y products f eating certain foods could help your skin, putting it on your skin should do e en ore and this pro ed to be the case ha e since realised that a lot of y skin proble s were hor onal and again certain food groups can help with this changed y diet and skincare routine, using y own products and it s really helped take an holistic approach to everything.
Then what happened?
entually decided to set up y own co pany his was in , and was still working at y kitchen sink figurati ely found a for ulator who could test y products in-house and for ulate the using y recipe and then launched the co pany using only natural superfood ingredients n was approached by a large co pany who wanted to take e onboard and talked about launching y products in esco his of course would ha e been a a ing, but they wanted to change y products adding che icals so that the product would be cheaper to purchase which wasn t ery co fortable with, but we carried on working together on the launch until when they suddenly changed their inds his was de astating as d stopped working on y other products ife wasn t easy for the ne t couple of years as had lost y ision and oti ation
ut in the last couple of years e regrouped, got y o entu and enthusias back and restarted decided that was going to do this properly, keep control and stand on y own two feet rather than rely on another co pany
ioneering techno ogy has also enabled e to o e on as the new ingredients found could work with such as fruit and plant ste cells ha e taken y recipes to another le el now work with a co pany in a bridge with its tea of for ulators and tech guys e work closely together to create y products t s a long and costly process it has taken a year to get y recently launched bal to the arket hey for ulate the product based on y recipes then we ha e to stability test it to ake sure it keeps its for ulation at roo te perature, lea ing it for three onths to ake sure it s fully stable s you can see it s uite a co plicated, long winded, costly process, but ital as these products are being used on your skin, and sensiti e areas such as your face t s uite a a ing that ha e for ulated a co pletely natural preser ation syste that passed all of its testing can proudly announce that y skincare collection is co pletely natural e also worked on y packaging wanting it to be as e ecti e as possible and en iron entally friendly as well ha e sourced an airless glass bottle which is uite uni ue t has a pu p that stops air getting into the product eaning the acti e ingredients always stay acti e within the bottle y ost recent bo es are ade using a di erent card so they are co pletely biodegradable and a no longer using a cellophane packaging any of y ingredients are wild har ested so no che icals are used to grow the
I have tried to source everything as locally as I can. Oil seed rape oil, borage and sunflower oil co es fro orkshire, y for ulator is in a bridge and uch of y ingredients are ritish do source so e ingredients fro around the world si ply because so e superfoods don t grow in this country but try to li it the air iles as uch as possible and as work fro ho e, which is a illage ust outside ta ford, this helps as well
I have been using your products now for a couple of months and absolutely love them. As well as feeling great on my skin, and showing the benefits, they smell fabulous. es want the whole lu ury package, hence the holistic approach think beauty products should be a ery sensory e perience as well as e ecti e use essential oils to ake the s ell gorgeous as well as for the therapeutic benefits y is transparency and honesty don t use che icals and all y ingredients are natural t frustrates e that we are being green washed by so e co panies who clai their products are natural, but read the ingredients, they aren t We need to clean up our beauty cabinets. ou could be using hundreds of che icals on your body a day without realising it ou wouldn t choose to put these in your outh so why put the on your skin, particularly as of what you put on your skin is absorbed into the body y custo ers really trust e, knowing that they are not using any che icals if they use y products, which is ery i portant for cancer su erers or people with skin issues suppose because ha e co e fro a food background rather than a beauty one take a slightly di erent approach y products are good for your health and the en iron ent as well as being e ecti e
Now that you have some excellent products, six in total with two more planned for this year, how do you get people to hear about them? hat s the proble here are so any beauty products on the arket, any of the originating fro assi e co panies with huge arketing budgets ust can t co pete with that
ha e built up a loyal following locally and through y website, throughout the world ha e recently started stocking ttic in ta ford and aterside nurseries and a planning to approach so e ore local retailers as well ord of outh has been working well for e but ha e also been working on a ery e citing partnership o the biggest piece of news - and ery e citingly - a in uthwaite has co e on board he fell in lo e with the products and began talking to e about how we could work together to introduce y products to a larger audience so watch this space
www.lisaarmitage.com
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Rutland is holding its second Jigsaw Festival next month, so we thought it was time to nd out a bit more.
HE FIRST JIGSAW dates back to 1767 when cartographer John Spilsby cut shapes from wood for educational purposes. He called them dissected maps, which is where the word dissectologist (a person who makes jigsaws) originated from, and the name jigsaw from the tool used to make them. Little did he know what a phenomenon he had created and what benefits were to be gained fro co pleting igsaw pu les
Assembling a jigsaw keeps the brain alert, and research has proven this many times with the elderly encouraged to do them to help maintain cognitive function and improve the memory. But it’s not just the elderly who should be doing them. Children and infants are introduced to them at a young age, and the younger the better apparently, again to help with cognitive function, learning to recognise shapes and even hand to eye coordination. And the more you do them, the better it is for you. But above all, they are really enjoyable, challenging and help relieve stress. The satisfaction that is
gained from placing that last piece in place is immense. And who can resist joining in when someone has a jigsaw on the go?
Jigsaw enthusiasts range far and wide. Apparently Bill Gates always takes one on holiday with him and DJ Fatboy Slim is another fan, along with many of us as well. One great advocate in Rutland is Joyce Lucas. So much so that last year she organised the inaugural Rutland Jigsaw Festival with donations going to Oakham in Bloom.
This year the team is back with an even bigger festival and venue as last year’s proved so successful it has outgrown it’s original location. Historically many jigsaw festivals took place in local churches and are held all over the UK and Europe: The Isle of Wight will be holding its 26th this year and Newmarket has over 1,000 jigsaws for sale during its festival. Joyce was onto something when she started Rutland’s Jigsaw Festival which was enthusiastically embraced by Oakham, its surrounding villages, Stamford and Peterborough as well, all donating igsaws he final count was o er igsaws asse bled
This year’s festival is taking place over the Easter weekend on April 11-13 in the ballroom at Oakham’s Victoria Hall. Joyce is looking for more jigsaws and assemblers so do get in touch with her and go along to enjoy some assembling with the chance to purchase fully assembled puzzles as well.
There will be a new attraction this year - a competition for the fastest assembled jigsaw, sponsored by Gates Nurseries. This involves teams of two people racing to complete a 500 piece puzzle, which will be fun and competitive. It’s free to enter and pieces are large so open to everyone. A dissectologist will be in attendance daily demonstrating the fascinating art of jigsaw making. The event is sponsored by Gibsons Games who have kindly donated many jigsaws to sell and once again donations will go to Oakham in Bloom.
To find out more and to offer your services as an assembler or helper contact Joyce Lucas on 01572 7555718 or email lucahackgreen@aol.com
INTERVIEW
On the fly
Kate Maxim nds out about trout shing and y tying from y- sherman and professional guide Nick Dunn
Fishing is a really popular pastime isn’t it? Can you explain why?
It’s the biggest participation sport in the country, as opposed to the most viewed sport. And that’s because it’s a challenge here s sea fishing, coarse fishing and ga e fishing a e or fly fishing is for sal on and trout ainly coarse fishing is for carp, tench and bream.
eople go after carp, for e a ple, because it’s hard: carp are smart and know how to avoid being caught. Once you’ve got to a level and you can catch carp, you might then go on to target big carp for the additional challenge People can earn quite a good living as professional atch anglers in the coarse fishing world as there are lots of pri es up for grabs sponsored by the big tackle anufacturers
n the fly-fishing world co pete with y team, “The Reservoir Dogs.” We’re usually in the top three teams in the country and so earn a bit of pri e oney fro that, but not a lot co pared to coarse fishing t s a si - an tea ostly fro the sse area and got involved with them about three seasons ago. e ha e a lot of fun
You’re also in the England Team?
e fished for ngland on si occasions you don’t get picked to be in the team, you have to ualify e ery year ou fish an eli inator round and you’ve got to be in the top 10% to get through that and into the national final ut of around finalists you ust then get into the top 28 to be in the team which is actually two tea s of people the spring tea fishing their atch in pril or ay and the autu n tea fishing their atch around ctober t s called the o e International Loch Style Competition between ngland, cotland, reland and ales captained the ngland ea on Lough Leane in Ireland in 2016 and we won a gold medal by a mile. Ironically, the Irish ho e tea ca e last but they were wet fly fishing and we were ny ph fishing which worked better for us on the day
How long does an international competition last?
It’s a one day competition but you typically spend a ini u of four days at the enue
for practice or research er the four days there will be se en boats of two en plotting the lake f you find a load of fish on day one you’d note it down, not tell the other teams, then go elsewhere the ne t day his builds up a picture of parts of the lake with loads of fish which ay be s all another part of the lake ay ha e fewer but bigger fish nother area may have nothing happening at all, and so on t s aluable in fact to co e in with nothing because you know not to go there again, as that part of the lake is rubbish, whereas your team mate may have caught loads of fish elsewhere so you know to go there on the day of the co petition ethod is also i portant ay be in the same boat as a Scotsman where he’s catching fish to y one, but on the day he ay be using a method that’s much better than mine and it s y ob to fatho out what he s doing ou always ha e an opponent in your boat and a boat an who ensures fair play och style trout fishing eans fishing fro a drifting boat, ne er at anchor, and you ha e to use flies of a certain length - only ths of an inch long on a certain si e hook, so it s a ery le el playing field n the orning you flip a coin and if you win you get to choose where you re going for the first two hours our opponent chooses the ne t two hours then you swap again until the eight hours are up t can be frustrating if you e lost the coin toss because you know e actly where you want your boat to be fro your practice but you ay end up yards away fro the “hotspot” which is enough to make a di erence
Don’t the fish move?
es, they ha e tails and they o e around if the winds, weather conditions or food sources change but if e erything has stayed the sa e, particularly if the wind is in the sa e direction, the fish will ost likely be where you e found the on day one ut you always ha e to ha e a plan , and
Is having the right equipment important?
es n fly fishing you ha e a fly rod, reel, a selection of flies and you use the fly line as the weight: the skill is casting the line through the rod rings and e tending it, solely using the weight of the line to propel the flies
“I’ve fished for England on six occasions – you don’t get picked to be in the team, you have to qualify every year.”
he flies are hugely i portant as fish ha e really good eyesight you can t ust tie on any old fly and e pect to catch a fish e been tying y own flies since was about 3 and my name is associated with three or four quite well known flies because e designed the n the lakes where trout fish there are also lots of coarse fish which spawn in the spring so in the summer there are billions of tiny little fry which the trout hone in on and gorge on. I thought it was impossible to imitate these s all fry but e finally co e up with a fly that does - the “Dunn’s CDC Pin Fry” - which doesn’t actually look like a fry to you and me but to a trout it suggests a tiny fish that s stuck in the surface fil of the water
I could kit someone out with a set of decent gear for a couple of hundred quid if they wanted to start fly fishing, they don t need to spend thousands, but if you’re into it, you tend to e got about rods and y reels are expensive because I need them to be super reliable kept on buying cheap stu that failed ust at the wrong ti e y rod would snap or the reel would fall o ust as was about to land a fish he reels ha e now bought ten years ago and they’re still brilliant.
How old were you when you first went fishing? was about when got it into y head
wanted to go fishing because saw a young lad catching tiny perch and roach in the farm pond when was playing in the field nearby I was completely self-taught, I didn’t know what I was doing but was enchanted with the thought of catching a fish on the fly Eventually I found out how to catch tiny trout caught y first trout on a dry fly and was hooked!
ha e fished all y life since then but about four years ago - when I was made redundant fro the industry - asked myself what did I want to do next? I’d always had an idea wanted to beco e a fly-fishing guide so my wife Cathy and I moved from heshire to ortha ptonshire specifically because there are so many great trout lakes around here now fish and guide on the Eyebrook Reservoir, Rutland Water, Pitsford, Grafham Water and Elinor.
As a fly fishing guide who are your typical customers?
I don’t tend to teach beginners, I take people who want to improve. I like coaching so eone who already catches fish but knows they could catch ore here are always some fundamental reasons for that and I’m able to show them how to make little changes that ake a assi e di erence gi e the
tips and tricks and they end up catching more trout.
What does your day entail?
If we go to Rutland Water, for example, we’ll eet at the fishing lodge at or anton in time for a bacon butty, then we discuss what my client hopes to achieve. He or she may want to ust catch a couple of fish they ay want to catch loads of fish or concentrate on landing big fish ypically we spend eight or nine hours on a boat on the water fishing under instruction, with a packed lunch. At the end of the day we may go home with a fish or two for the table if that s what the client wants, but a lot of the time we return all the fish to the water unhar ed as we use barbless hooks which are better for them.
How do you like to cook trout?
I think the best way to cook trout is to either smoke it, or marinade it in teriyaki sauce for about an hour then pan fry it hat way it gets rid of any earthy fla ours fro the flesh, which trout often has.
A full day including instruction, fishing fees, equipment, boat hire and packed lunch is £198 for one person, £299 for two people.
www.fanatical-flyfishing.uk 07971 381442
Irnham Hall is a stunning stone Grade II listed mansion built from 1510 with additional Jacobean Tudor and Victorian influenced architecture. It is available for hire as a wedding and party venue.
WILL’S WALK
Irnham and Bulby
Enjoy the remoteness of the rolling hills in this quiet corner of south Lincolnshire. By Will Hetherington
THE ROUTE
If you take this route you will be walking in a figure of eight and you will en oy tranquil countryside with some pleasant undulations and do make the most of a trip to the riffin As country lanes go they don’t
ark either on the road near he riffin or in the pub car park if you plan on spending a few pounds in there afterwards. The path leads east out of Irnham from just above the pub and almost immediately takes you out into the rolling farmland beyond. Once you ha e cli bed the first bank turn right to walk along the back of some houses before another sharp left hand turn along the field edge urn left at the end of the field and drop down through the right hand edge of the woodland until you reach the ne t field
boundary. Turn right here and keep going for about 500 yards with the hedge on your left and the large arable field on your right, until you co e to the ne t field boundary o through here and into the pasture and keep going straight down the hill towards the gateway in the hedge ahead. Go through the gateway and make the short climb to the road above. Turn right on the road towards isolated but charming Marwood Farm on the hill above. You will come to a gate on the left with an old sign on it that says: “Any person who omits to shut and fasten this gate is liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings.”
Go through the gate and from here you can follow the path as it zigzags down the fields re e bering of course to shut the gate) towards Bulby. Cross the East Glen River at the ford or the bridge for the less
adventurous on the way into this remote but charming hamlet. You can take the path north to awthorpe fro here, but think you are better to return to the ford and then take the ery uiet country lane as opposed to the footpath you arrived on) up the hill to Marwood Farm. From there stay on this lane beyond the far , down the hill and round the left hand bend as you head back to Irnham eventually arriving back there on the northern edge of the village. This really is one of the prettiest and quietest tree-lined country lanes I have been on and you will not be bothered by uch passing traffic
Images: Will Hetherington
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WHERE TO PARK
Either on the road near the Griffin Inn or in the pub car park if you are going to spend some money in there.
DISTANCE AND TIME
Four miles/an hour and half.
HIGHLIGHTS
Irnham has an attractive grandeur no doubt emanating from the eponymous hall. It’s really pretty undulating countryside with enough woodland to give it character and the lane back is charming in its own way.
LOWLIGHTS
The two routes down to Bulby and back are a little similar.
REFRESHMENTS
The Griffin Inn in Irnham.
DIFFICULTY RATING
Two paws. Not much to worry about here.
THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE
There may well be sheep and cattle but the river is a nice spot for the dogs and they will be happy enough.
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.
The Griffin is a thriving village pub.
Walking back into pretty little Irnham.
WILL’S WALK
Warmington and Ashton Wold
A private woodland estate, a medieval village, some of the longest views in the area and an American war memorial make this a very worthwhile wander. By Will Hetherington.
Difficulty rating
THE ROUTE
Park somewhere out of the way along Church Street in Warmington and opposite the church you will see the Nene Way heading down Long Lane. Take this path and at the bottom turn right and i ediately left to find the path over a sweeping grassy ridge and furrow eadow he path crosses the field diagonally and carries on through a thin belt of trees and hedges until it hits the hedge at the very far side ere you will find a wooden bridge o er the ditch followed by a path straight across the ne t field to another wooden bridge ross over and turn left to head uphill around the woodland edge. Take the 90 degree right turn and keep going uphill until you get to the top edge of the woodland. From here you will have extensive views of Oundle to the west and Warmington, Fotheringhay and beyond to the north.
ACTIVE INFO
The US War Memorial at the eastern end of Polebrook Airfield is in memory of the 351st bombardment group and the 175 B-17 Flying Fortresses and their crews who were lost during 311 group combat missions in the Second World War. It’s a deeply poignant reminder of these men who died a very long way from home to defend our freedom.
Go through the gap in the hedge and keep heading south east across the fields or around the edge if it’s easier) towards Tansor Wold Farm where you turn left on to the road. Stay on the tarmac for about half a mile until you come to a road junction where you turn right o the road and into the Ashton Wold estate. From here the path heads south for a mile through the pleasant woodland which inevitably was muddy when I did the walk in February. Eventually you will come out on the road just by the fairytale Lutton Road Cottages. Turn left and prepare for over a mile on the tarmac all the way to Lutton, passing the entrance to olebrook irfield on the way ou will also pass the sign for the US War Memorial which says one mile but it’s actually less than half. Although I would suggest popping back in the car afterwards to have a look because taking this diversion will just mean more walking time on the road.
It’s not a busy road to Lutton and when you get to the illage proper as opposed to
the misleading sign out by Woodbine Farm) you will see an obvious footpath sign on the left leading through Grange Farm. There are meticulous instructions for navigating the farm on the gate but it’s pretty simple if you have an OS map. Before long you will be striding out o er the fields north east towards Papley Farm and the site of the medieval village of Papley with the remains of a moat just about discernible. Go past Papley Cottages which are holiday properties and after about 100 yards turn left through the gate to head north east for a straight mile or so. I would suggest you pick a day with no icy north westerly wind because I can tell you from experience there is no hiding place from that here.
When you hit the road turn left and then just before Rectory Farm turn right on to the footpath which drops downhill back to Warmington. The views from here are just as good as those in the early stages and it’s pretty straight forward all the way back to the car from here.
Images: Will Hetherington
The second half of this walk takes in the open fields across the top from Papley to Warmington.
New Monthly Crazy Carveries – Sunday 1st March
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www.barnsdalehotel.co.uk.
£50 per family of 4 “fore” or £20 Adults, £10 Children (Under 12), U3’s foc.
New monthly Acoustic Sunday Lunch –Sunday 15th March , Sunday 26th April, Sunday 17th May
Sunday Lunch with live background acoustic music in the Osprey Restaurant (overlooking Rutland Water). 3 course choice menu served to your table. Adults £20, Children (under 12) £10
Celebrate St Patrick’s Week with Govannen – Friday 20th March
£15 tickets in advance. One of the best Irish and Ceilidh bands in the UK
Mother’s Day Sunday Lunch – Sunday 22nd March
Adults £24.50, Children U12 £12.25
Special Mother’s Day spa packages and gift vouchers also available (Overlooking Rutland Water)
START/ FINISH
Essential information
WHERE TO PARK
On Church Street in Warmington near the church and Long Lane.
DISTANCE AND TIME
Eight miles/two and a half hours.
HIGHLIGHTS
Some of the longest views in the area to the north, the ancient Ashton Wold estate, medieval village of Papley and the American War Memorial at Polebrook (best visited in the car afterwards).
LOWLIGHTS
There is a long stretch on the road between Ashton Wold and Lutton, not to be done on a cold and windy day. And mud, of course, there has always been mud this winter.
REFRESHMENTS
The Red Lion in Warmington – highly recommended for food.
DIFFICULTY RATING
Three paws. It’s a long way but assuming you don’t go on a cold and windy day like I did it’s not particularly challenging. Just be prepared to keep walking!
THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE
There are a few sheep on the way round but not many and the odd stream here and there helps for the dogs.
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.
The fairytale Lutton Road Cottages.
The impressive Church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin in Warmington.
The woodland path through the middle of Ashton Wold estate.
BEAUTY
And sweat
Mary Bremner nds out more about the god pod that has recently arrived at Stamford’s
aUK
WALLIS SIMPSON WAS reputed to have said a woman can never be too thin or too rich; not sure I agree but a few pounds lost o the body and into the bank account wouldn’t go amiss. And aUK in Stamford might just have the answer, albeit for only one part of the state ent hey ha e recently ac uired a god pod f you ha e this treat ent at ar ey ichols in ondon it will set you back a ere for the half hour uckily a aren t charging such astrono ical prices ut what is a god pod ts official na e is a ellness pod which is an infrared sauna pod t can help with obesity and weight anage ent, body shaping, reduce stress and pro ote rela ation and healthy sleep, help with fitness and energy le els and e en i pro e brain function lea ing you feeling fabulous, refreshed and re u enated which all sounds ery interesting t works by using infrared la ps to heat the body directly he heat is dry so you can withstand higher te peratures his is supposed to enhance metabolic function, ie burn calories, stimulate the production of collagen, destress, deto ify and assist in the reco ery fro pain, illness and in ury as blood essels are dilated to increase circulation and deli er o ygen throughout your body t is ery e ecti e for those with uscle pain and Fibro yalgia a is a edi spa and will ha e been in ta ford for a year at the end of arch he large salon is airy and welco ing when you walk in and you will always be greeted by a friendly face, they pride themselves on their customer service, and I would agree. The a in aUK stands for abundance, eaning you can get e ery beauty treat ent you want within their four walls including spa days this salon really is a one-stop shop airdressing, nails, wa ing, brows and lashes, assage, eiki as well as aesthetics you na e it, they can do it here And all within a calm beautiful setting. You can even sit on the
balcony and en oy the tran uility of the ri er elland running beneath you whilst en oying a glass of cha pagne and afternoon tea ut that is not going to help e with y uest to lose a few pounds so it was ti e to hop in the pod and let it work its agic t s easy to get in to, you lift the lid and then lower it on to you with your head unco ered here are two peep holes for your hands so you can work the controls started out with it set on a i u setting for heat and assage hankfully there are face fans as it gets hot, really hot a i u te perature of degrees apparently o e people e en ip the sel es into a body suit to really a i ise the sauna and heat e ect ell they ust be ad fter inutes had to turn the te perature down he assage sensation was fine and the 3 inute back and shoulder assage had straight afterwards really did work its magic as it’s more intense because of the previous heat. I would really reco end that you ha e this he reco endation is that you ha e a course of treat ents he benefit to e was that got a good night s sleep that night and did feel as though to ins and i purities had been flushed out of y syste you sweat, a lot ould ha e another session es, and definitely the assage afterwards nd the fact that you keep going back to a and its friendly sta is a bonus ne t ti e going for a glass of cha pagne on the balcony ow all e got to do is work on gaining a few pounds of sterling n introductory price of 3 per half hour is a ailable now to include a back assage afterwards f you book eight sessions you get two free. www.a-uk.com
FASHION
Do good denim
DO YOU REMEMBER the days when buying a pair of jeans involved squeezing into them in the changing room and then having to lie down on the floor whilst the shop assistant used a coat hanger to do the zip up? And once you were in them you could barely breathe and sitting down was virtually out of the question. Some hardy souls would even lie in the bath wearing a pair to ake the shrink to fit even more tightly; mad!
Thankfully those days are long gone and that added touch of lycra which many jeans have now makes wearing them a much more pleasant experience. Today jeans are very much a staple of everyone’s wardrobe, whatever their age or size, but unfortunately they are one of the least eco friendly items of clothing to make. It takes more than 396 gallons of water to make one pair of jeans plus pesticides to grow the cotton and the production methods are harmful to the environment.
But now your favourite item of clothing can be worn without any guilt as many pairs of jeans are now sustainable and made from organic cotton or recycled denim and using eco friendly production methods - ie using much less water. Many large retailers are getting on the bandwagon and selling sustainable jeans as well as smaller companies like Hiut Denim who set up their factory in the Welsh town that used to make jeans years ago. Remember wash your jeans in cold water, wear them for years and if you find you no longer do, give them away or donate to a charity shop for so eone else to benefit fro the and to keep the out of landfill sites.
G-Star 3301 high waisted jeans £95 www.asos.com
Indigo raw hem organic cotton straight jeans £40 www.topshop.com
The coda jean £195 www.hiutdenim.co.uk
Replay skinny fit Leyla hyper flex bio jeans £150 www.energy-clothing.com
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
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
ActiveBody
EDITED BY KATE MAXIM
Squeeze and Release
Physiotherapist Sarah Babbs explains more about the pelvic oor muscles, and why it’s not only women who should be doing their exercises
S WOMEN, WE do go through a lot in our lives but nothing steals up on us uite like the enopause For so e this does co e earlier, ostly through medical changes but for most, we hit our late forties, we are in our prime and then co e the generally unwelco e sy pto s ften we don t talk about the , partly through e barrass ent, partly through disbelief and often through a lack of education and understanding y pto s can range fro the classic hot flushes, feelings of tiredness, an iety and indecision to aching joints and tingling in hands and feet, but there are any others re e ber reading a list on a website where they noted 3 sy pto s of enopause ften frightening sy pto s including a racing heart and palpitations but when important cardiac in estigations are done, they co e up clear o en struggling with work and relationships because of the menopause are sometimes diagnosed with depression and gi en anti-depressants when is actually the answer iscussing sy pto s with a doctor who is experienced in enopause anage ent is ital here are also excellent resources online including www.menopausematters.co.uk.
hysiotherapy co es into its own when helping with exercise to limit some of these changes ha e written pre iously about the importance of exercise to improve bone density for which enopause is a risk factor Sarcopenia is an equivalent loss of muscle ass and strength in which we lose 3fro one s 3 s or s depending on which study you read oing weighted and weight bearing exercise will help with both of these, i pro ing not only bone density but
muscle mass, strength and tone as well. Exercise can also help with mood, sleep, weight management and even with the hot flushes risk walking, 3 inutes a day, has been shown to improve blood pressure, ood and sleep ore than the classic , steps.
nother change - also ery rele ant when we are younger - is the pel ic floor his can be related to pregnancy and childbirth in women but is also of increasing importance for men struggling with prostate problems, particularly those who ha e had surgery he pel ic floor is the sling of uscles supporting the bladder and the bowel ny weakness in these uscles, including a change of muscle though hormonal changes, can lead to distressing incontinence his can ary fro stress incontinence when one has “accidents” when coughing or running, to urge incontinence which can lead to a fre uent urge to e pty the bladder, leakage of the bladder and, in some cases, of the bowel.
here does see to be an i pression, often gi en by ad erts pro oting pads, that “a little accident” is quite normal and acceptable especially in younger wo en
his is not the case oing these si ple e ercises can ake an enor ous di erence ry s uee ing as if you are trying not to pass wind and then s uee e as if trying not to pass urine hen s uee e both together, hold for up to seconds, which ay be difficult at first, and then release co pletely o this ti es then do uick s uee e and releases o this fro three to up to ti es throughout the day and o er a few weeks an enor ous di erence can be noticed here is a great free app a ailable called uee y which gives reminders to do the exercises. f proble s persist, or sooner if sy pto s are se ere, a specialist physiotherapist will e a ine and help with ore specific ad ice and e ercise hey say life begins at and although all of this does sound rather alarming, all is not lost aybe we ust need to look after ourselves a little more than most of us do already for a bright and thri ing late middle age.
To make an appointment with Sarah ring The Broad Street Practice on 01780 480889 or contact her directly on 07780 900201.
Prostate enlargement, a pressing matter
Gary Trickett, Chairman of the National Association of Health Stores and owner of Healthy Route natural health store in Leicester discusses prostate health
ROSTATE DISORDERS AFFECT
many men as they get older and almost all men over the age of eighty. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located below the bladder. It surrounds the urethra which drains the bladder. With age the prostate gland starts to enlarge, slowly squashing the urethra and reducing the amount of space available for urine to pass through.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) occurs when the prostate grows to an unhealthy size, causing difficulty and disco fort for en when urinating. The main symptoms of BPH are urinating fre uently, difficulty in getting a urine stream going and feeling as if you are unable to empty your bladder properly.
Although not life-threatening in all but its most extreme stages, it’s not much fun. However, before you think about treatment you do need an official diagnosis fro your doctor to rule out a more serious condition, such as prostate cancer, which is estimated to a ect in en in the y pto s can also be confused with prostatitis, a simpler infla ation of the prostate, often caused by bacteria, and suitable for treatment with antibiotics.
Once prostate enlargement has been confir ed, you ay wish to try a aw al etto supple ent he berries of the aw Palmetto plant have traditionally been used to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate. These berries contain specific types of plant sterols, including one known as -sistosterol
Many doctors in Austria, Germany and taly use aw al etto as their first line of
defence against prostate problems. Prostasan aw al etto capsules fro ogel are indicated to relieve urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate in men with a confir ed diagnosis of enign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
Men taking prescribed medicines for Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) or other hormonal imbalances should consult their GP before taking aw al etto
Zinc is also important. Zinc is more abundant in the prostate than anywhere else in the body and deficiency is co on in en with prostate proble s upple enting with zinc or topping up on foods rich in zinc can help to ensure you get an adequate supply. Dietary sources of zinc include black pepper, oysters, pu pkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesa e seeds and fla seeds hey ake a delicious snack on their own or they can be sprinkled over cereals, soups and salads or blended into yoghurts.
The mineral selenium, found naturally in Brazil nuts, has been found to have a protecti e e ect on the prostate, and lycopene, an antio idant found in to atoes, ay benefit prostate gland cells.
More generally, a diet rich in fruits - berries especially - vegetables and healthy fats is thought to be protective of the prostate. As you might expect, foods to avoid include red meat and dairy, with research suggesting that a red meat and dairy free diet may help improve prostate health. In fact, daily meat consumption is believed by some to triple the risk of prostate enlargement. Also to be consumed in moderation, or if possible a oided altogether, are ca eine and alcohol which can sti ulate urine production alt may also increase the urinary tract symptoms associated with enlargement.
In addition to dietary changes, there are a number of lifestyle hacks that may also help. oid fluids in the e ening to help reduce night time urination and try to empty your bladder co pletely o e edications such as antihistamines, diuretics and decongestants can make symptoms worse (but always consult your first before stopping or changing your edication el ic floor and bladder training exercises may also help. nsure as to whether you ha e an enlarged prostate? There is a simple test you can take based on the nternational rostate y pto core t consists of se en uestions and will give you a broad indication as to whether you are su ering fro the proble and if so, how severe it is likely to be.
Remember it is advisable to have your symptoms checked by a doctor, to rule out any underlying prostate conditions, including prostate cancer.
To find out more about the test or for further information on prostate health, visit Gary and his team at Healthy Route, 18 Silver Street, Leicester. 0116 253 9097
“The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located below the bladder. It surrounds the urethra which drains the bladder. ”
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.
Achieve your Best with Stamford Easter Revision Courses
An opportunity for Year 11 or Year 13 students at any school
GCSE and IGCSE – Five mornings or afternoons per subject (15hrs tuition) - £375
A Level – Five full days per subject (35hrs tuition) - £750
For more information and to book, call 01780 484280 or visit stamfordschools.org.uk/holiday-courses 6-10 April 2020
Active Kids
EDITED BY MARY BREMNER
New Forest School
Spratton Hall has recently opened its new Forest School and the children lo e it estled within the school s acres of grounds pupils are able to enjoy a digital detox and get out in the fresh air. The Forest School will be incorporated into the school’s curriculu and e ery child will en oy using it at least once a week. They can search for bugs, build dens, climb trees and enjoy the outdoor classroom. www.sprattonhall.com
Swimming success for Stoneygate pupil
toneygate pupil, -year-old acob, has scooped fi e golds at the ong ourse ritish ha pionship ualifier in heffield recently. Jacob, who has a sports scholarship at the school, also took part in the Leicestershire Amateur Swimming Association County Championships where he gained six more golds and PBs in all races. He is now ranked third in Britain.
SES gymnastics success
Teams from across Stamford Endowed Schools are celebrating their success at the East Midlands Schools’ Floor and Vault cha pionships with each of the si tea s achie ing a podiu position Four of the tea s won gold and will ad ance to the Nationals in May. Special recognition goes to the U19 boys’ team who scored the highest team total of the day making history as the first e er senior boys tea fro the school to ad ance to the ational Finals
Our OFSTED registered Camps, which have been running in the area for over 25 years, offer a wide range of over 30 fun activities to keep your child entertained in the holidays.
MULTI-ACTIVITY HOLIDAYS FOR CHILDREN AGED 4-14
Our OFSTED registered Camps, which have been running in the area for over 25 years, ofer a wide range of over 30 fun actvites to keep your child entertained in the holidays. Some of the actvites that we ofer include bouncy castles, arts and crafs, sports, food making, crossbows, orienteering, computer games and quad biking.
Our OFSTED registered Camps, which have been running in the area for over 2 5 years, offer a wide range of over 30 fun activities to keep your child entertained in the holidays.
Some of the activities that we offer include bouncy castles, arts and crafts, sports, food making, crossbows, orienteering, computer games and quad biking
All staf are DBS checked and have the necessary experience and training to deliver the wide range of actvites we ofer. We pride ourselves on the quality of our childcare and our excellent staf ratos.
Easter Camps
14th-17th April (4 day)
Some of the activities that we offer include bouncy castles, arts and crafts, sports, food making, crossbows, orienteering, computer games and quad biking
6th-9th April (4 day)
All staff are DBS checked and have the necessary experience and training to deliver the wide range of activities we offer. We pride ourselves on the quality of our childcare and our excellent staff ratios.
We accept payment by childcare vouchers.
All staff are DBS checked and have the necessary experience and training to deliver the wide range of activities we offer. We pride ourselves on the quality of our childcare and our excellent staff ratios.
May Half-Term Camp
25th-29th May (4 day)
Summer Camps
13th-17th July
20th-24th July
27th-31st July
3rd-7th August
Easter Camps
6th-9th April (4 day)
Summer Camps
13th-17th July
20th-24th July
27th-31st July
We accept payment by childcare vouchers.
10th-14th August
17th-21st August
14th-17th April (4 day)
3rd-7th August
10th-14th August
17th-21st August
9.30 am – 4.30 pm (early and late care available)
Cost: £166 per week (Summer)
15th-18th April (4 day) 15th-18th April (4 day) 29th July-2nd August
May Half-Term Camp Summer Camps 28th-31st May (4 day) 15th-19th July
am – 4.30 pm (early and late care available) CAMP COST - £165
Summer Camps 22nd-26th July
We accept payment by childcare vouchers Tel. 01572 868 304 Email: info@churchillsummercamps.co.uk
8th 12th July 29th July 2nd At
4 day camps during Easter or May half term week £142
We accept payment by childcare vouchers
SES impress with Alice’s Wonderland Adventures showcase dance
Over 80 students from all year groups at Stamford High School and Stamford School ha e perfor ed a showcase of dance the ed around lice s onderland d entures he students choreographed the show the sel es, with sta guidance, allowing the to develop teamwork, artistry and musicality.
Oakham are East Midlands netball champions
Oakham School’s U14 and U19 girls have won a spot in the ational etball finals for the third year running after being crowned regional champions at the recent Regional Schools’ Netball tournament. They now play at the National Finals this month; good luck!
Copthill successes
opthill in ffington are ha ing a ery successful sporting term! The U11 boys are National ISA hockey champions and the U11 girl s netball tea has ualified for the ationals both firsts for opthill nd they have two cross county runners who have ualified for the ational ross ountry finals as well ell done
Activity Camps for Easter Holidays
Oakham School Enterprises Ltd are running Activity Camps over the Easter holidays from April 6-17 (excluding the Easter bank holiday weekend). Aimed at children aged 8-15 there are lots of activities to do from football to rock cli bing, aking use of akha s first class facilities arly drop o s and late pick ups are also available. To book call 01572 758754 or OSEL@oakham.rutland.sch.uk
CATCH MORE TROUT WITH NICK DUNN @FANATICAL FLYFISHING
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.
Meet Mark Hudson, girls’ and women’s cluster manager from Leics CC Get bike t | Local roundup news
ActiveSport
On your bike!
This month Gary Waterfall eases us into spring with a 26 mile ride around some of Rutland’s quietest roads
THIS 26 MILER with 1,200ft of hard climb in places will start to get you ready for spring; and there’s a shortcut for those who need it.
Start at the Windmill in Butt Lane at Wymondham where there’s plenty of space to park he first few iles are easy as you coast downhill towards Saxby before turning left to ride around the edge of beautiful Stapleford Park. Take a right up Cuckoo Hill and right again to meet the A606 crossroads then follow the road through Little Dalby. The road to Somerby provides another challenging hill up to Cold Overton; Gates Garden Centre is the half way point if a mid-ride refreshment is needed.
The road to Langham is gently downhill all the way then follow it to Ashwell, hoping to be lucky at the railway crossing. For the faint hearted, go straight on to Teigh to save four miles and the 200ft climb. Or follow the route and turn right to tackle the long hill all the way up to Cottesmore before turning left to Market Overton to enjoy the downhill road back to Wymondham. And then there’s one last cheeky hill to earn the co ee and cake at the Tearooms. There’s some great shops here too including the bike shop Windmill Wheels, so allow plenty of time to browse.
http://www.strava.com/routes/23479491
WYMONDHAM
Elevation:1,235ft Ride type: Road START / FINISH
Distance: 25.89 miles
LITTLE DALBY
SOMERBY
COLD OVERTON LANGHAM
www.speedhub.co.uk
info@speedhub.co.uk
Get bike fit
You might have the most expensive bike but if it’s not tted correctly you may be risking reduced speed times or injury
IT DOESN’T MATTER if you are professional or recreational, triathlete or road cyclist, getting a proper bike fit is essential bike fit akes riding ore en oyable as it akes you ore efficient, reduces the chance of injury and increases co fort on your bike his in turn increases your power and speed.
he sta at peedhub in utterworth ha e been trained to use the et l bike fitting syste et l Fit helps a cyclist to learn about their body, the root cause of any aches and pains, and how a proper fit will help the achie e their cycling goals sing 3 otion capture technology, the et l syste accurately easures e ery degree of o e ent and illi etre of distance, pro iding the cyclist and the fitter with data to support the choices ade during the fit in ter s of cycling e uip ent and personal riding experience.
HOW
DOES IT WORK?
STEP 1: tarting with a pre-fit inter iew and physical assess ent, your fitter will take into account your body s li itations, pre ious injuries and pains, and your cycling goals.
STEP 2: Fro there, the fitter will get you on a bike and place arkers on eight anato ical points on your body which will be tracked by the et l antage otion apture syste his syste is used to collect real-ti e, three-di ensional data fro each pedal stroke creating a dyna ic fit experience.
STEP 3: he real-ti e data is fed into the et l fit software so that the fitter can look at the nu bers and dial you into your perfect riding position.
STEP 4: nce you and your fitter ha e dialled in your final bike position, the fitter will create a digital ap of your final bike set up using the et l in tool he bike data and in tool easure ents are generated into a co plete fit report that you can reference at any ti e after the fit
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Increased comfort - o fort is crucial for sustaining ti e spent on the bike
Injury prevention - he correct position keeps your body aligned on the bike, helping to pre ent in uries
Performance - n opti al position not only increases co fort, it a i ises both power and endurance.
SPEEDHUB PROMISE
nyone buying a bike fro peedhub will be o ered a free bike fit as the sta want their custo ers to be happy and co fortable when they lea e
e els of bike fit include standard, u e fit or a follow up fit rices start fro for a first fit and for a follow up
www.speedhub.co.uk - 01455 558951
Women can catch balls too
Mary Bremner meets Mark Hudson, women and girls’ cluster club manager of Leicestershire cricket club
Our area has a long and illustrious history with cricket with the 9th Earl of Winchilsea, the incumbent at Burley on the Hill in the 18th century, being one of the founders of the MCC who also established a cricket ground in Marylebone. Of course in those days it would have been unheard of for a female to play cricket. Move on to the 21st century and girls’ and women’s cricket is seeing a resurgence ably encouraged by the ECB (English Cricket Board). Tell me Mark, what does your role with Leicestershire CC involve, and what is a cluster?
Cluster is an ECB term which is the number of clubs in each county. My area covers Leicestershire and Rutland and within this location I have 21 cluster clubs where girls’ and women’s cricket is played. It’s a number that I am working hard to increase. Ideally I would like every cricket club in the county to have female teams as well.
Historically cricket has been a white, middle class men’s sport but that is rapidly changing with more cultures and sexes joining in. My role is to increase the number of women and girls participating and I am finding there is great enthusias for this, from both the women and girls and local clubs.
How are you doing this?
nitially it has been difficult as ery few state schools o er girls cricket his is not the case with independents where it is becoming much more popular taking over from rounders. As a club we are working hard to encourage state schools to embrace the sport. hat we are finding ery successful is the ECB All Stars cricket which was started three years ago. This is an all inclusive entry level cricket for boys and girls aged 5-8. They play together with a soft ball and this is proving very popular. This way many girls get started, often playing with a sibling and encouraged by their parents. Historically this would have been mainly by their fathers with them coming from a cricketing family but this is rapidly changing as the mothers are often playing too. What I want to see is mothers and daughters playing together. The age groups then move up to the Dynamos group which was launched this year (age 8-11) and we now have two groups, one for boys and another for girls. And this is
where the girls really get hooked. They play well together and seem to enjoy not having any boys to put up with! The local clubs then take over with an U9 softball cricket team, which is i ed but we are finding that any of them are running girls’ only teams too which obviously then progress to women’s.
Despite numbers of female players increasing rapidly a a fir belie er that girls’ and women’s cricket is still in its infancy and is going to take o in a big way am preparing our clubs so that they are going to be able to accommodate all the women who are going to suddenly appear wanting to play. My role is to make sure the clubs are ready for this and to encourage them to start female teams.
The fruits of our labour are beginning to show as we are keeping the girls who started with the All Stars. They are still playing and getting very good!
As well as girls coming through the syste we are finding that ladies want to
play and the clubs are setting up teams to accommodate them. Again historically women would have been involved at the club by making the teas, that sort of thing. But now we are seeing women taking a vested interest in the clubs getting on the committees, helping with maintenance, coaching and co-ordinating fi tures ha e found that if there is a women’s team it’s beneficial to the club as they like to get involved, not just turn up to play and then disappear again.
Are there girls’ and women’s leagues in the county?
Yes we have a softball league as well as hard ball ones, the East Midlands’ Women’s League and the Super 8s which is an eight a side competition for entry level players. Many women really enjoy the softball cricket. It’s fun and relaxed with many of the teams competing for enjoyment rather than to be top of the league. I’d really like to see a men’s
“At Market Overton we have at least seven ladies who will join either the 2nd Xl or the firsts, usually when the team needs a good bowler!”
softball league as well. Did you know that it is very popular in the West Indies?
In the hard ball league 50% of the team need to be over 18 (this helps with transport) but if a youngster is good enough they will be in the team.
Last year we had one indoor league, this year there are three, one social league and two performance ones; as you can see it’s a growing sport. Softball cricket is a much shorter game, eight or 16 overs rather than the usual 40 for the Sunday league. The eight over matches can take about 40 minutes.
The indoor leagues are great fun, the players love it. You can play every week or not, as you prefer. There’s always coaching sessions and the team spirit is great. We now have teams of mums who were bringing
their children to play and wanted to have a go themselves.
How are the local clubs reacting to women playing?
The vast majority really well and are delighted to welcome them. Many clubs were thinking about it and are now starting girls’ and wo en s tea s y ob is to o er support and guidance. I can advise on kit, budgets, free training sessions, that sort of thing and of course the logistics of changing rooms. My advice to clubs is to just start the teams, the logistics usually sort themselves out. Most of these teams usually have a woman on the committee, and if they don’t they soon will do as it’s part of our criteria. I have come across very little negativity from
the clubs, virtually everyone is really keen to start the teams.
I presume you are a cricketer? Where do you play?
Yes I am from a cricketing family and have played most of my life. I am chairman of Market Overton CC. Both my children, and my wife play as well so it’s very much a family thing. My daughter plays for Leicester U17 and has represented England. She used to play a bit with my son, who is younger and was always at the club with me. She seems to have gained her initial skills by osmosis. We took both children to a half term cricket camp when they were 10 and seven. She started bowling, and we were amazed at her skill, I had no idea she was that good! By the end of the camp she had been invited to join the Leicestershire girls’ U13 team and has played for Leicestershire ever since as well as playing for England U17 and touring with them.
I am an ECB level 2 coach so am always keeping an eye out for potential future stars and also manage the Leicestershire U17 girls. The club is beginning to see a return on their investment. We now have girls’ teams for U11 right the way up to U17 and then obviously the senior team as well who are playing in the ECB T20 competition. Leicestershire CC is a great place to work as there’s very much a family atmosphere here, friendly and inclusive. We’re a very progressive club.
I didn’t realise that men and women played in teams together, and do so in the league. Yes it’s not unusual at all. At Market Overton we have at least seven ladies who will join either the nd Xl or the firsts, usually when the team needs a good bowler! I’ve found that girls and women are really good at technique. Once they’ve got the skills there’s no stopping them.
Mary: Do you have any goals?
Mark: I want to increase girls’ and women’s cricket by at least 50% every year. Cricket is a very inclusive sport and I don’t want cost or ability to be a barrier to anyone. You can play cricket from a wheelchair and up to any age. What I would love to see is a 60-year-old still playing, and who has played all her life. Men do, so it’s time for women too. If the clubs work hard and put on a show, o ering coaching and making them welcome girls and women will come and play and will develop a life-long love of the game.
And did you know that the Girl Guides now have a cricket badge, something that the scouts don’t?
How do girls and women find a club that is offering female cricket.
Go on our website and click on women’s and girls’ cricket. They are all listed, with more being added.
CHALLENGES
Meet Ffion and Thea: Stamford to Swansea’s very own superheroes!
Meet the two little girls who are the motivation for their challenge
TRAINING HAS BEEN going well for the Stamford to Swansea crew, although the storms we have had recently meant that cycling took place in the spin studio and on turbo trainers in the garage. The tea ha e still anaged to ra p up the iles and ha e fitted in a few runs. They’ve also been mixing it up with some cross training which has included weights and skiing. Future training plans include a three hour sponsored spin at Westside Gym on March 15, seats in the class are available so visit our social media channels to get onboard!
There will be more updates on training in the next issue, but this month we thought we’d explain why we are doing this challenge. It came about because of two inspirational little girls, Ffion and hea who o erco e their own challenges e eryday
Ffion ans was diagnosed at ele en onths with ultiple brain ca erno as which are like ini strokes Ffion, now aged fi e, has already had 15 bleeds to date and has a number of physical symptoms which are treated in the same way as cerebral palsy. This does not deter Ffion fro getting stuck into acti ities such as swi ing or dancing which she enjoys just as much as her friends and big brother Iuan.
he a erno a lliance is a charity which o ers support to su erers and fa ilies facing the condition, along with raising awareness of this relatively unknown condition. They have strong connections with the Angioma Alliance in America who are very focused on finding a cure by 3
Thea Williams was born seven weeks early with her twin brother Arlo after a traumatic entrance into the world. As time went on, it became more apparent that something wasn’t quite right. Thea wasn’t able to sit unaided, roll or crawl until much later than Arlo. After an agonising wait and many tests later, Thea was diagnosed with
erebral alsy at two years old For hea, that eans both her fine and gross otor skills are a ected
However, none of this will ever hold Thea back as she’s a determined little soul with a love for life. She loves a good singsong and boogie and has a fantastic time giggling with her brother (they seem to have developed their own twin language).
For Nat and Steve Williams (Thea’s parents) it is a worry how she will move through life and Scope are an integral part of understanding Thea’s diagnosis. They have supported navigating the health care system, which can be incredibly overwhelming. Scope also spends time canvassing for equality for people with disabilities, with the aim of making society a more inclusive place.
Both girls are amazingly resilient, and neither girl will be limited or defined by their conditions
BECOME A SUPERHERO!
You can join in the fun and help the team raise lots of cash without getting saddle sore or lacing up those trainers - unless of course you really want to! The team has thought of great ways you can support, simply:
• Dig deep and splash that cash. Sponsor the team via their link at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/StamfordtoSwansea
• Buy tickets or even a table at the charity ball and auction ‘Not all superheroes wear capes.’ The event is on Saturday May 9 at Barnsdale Lodge. Tickets are £50 and you’ll enjoy a 2-course meal, canapés and fizz on arrival – Tickets on sale soon, we’ll let you know when
• Attend a GFest presents… evening at the Bertie Arms on Sunday May 24.
Details for these upcoming events and more will be shared on the team’s Instagram and Facebook accounts @stamford2swansea
Bitten by the bug
Robin Atter, a Housing Officer at SKDC, has only recently taken up running but the bug has bitten him so now he’s training for this month’s Burghley 7.
ROBIN ATTER WHO is Lincolnshire born and bred has always been a keen walker and plays bowls; indoor and outdoor. He’s only recently started running, deciding he wanted to get fitter and make new friends. He joined Wyndham Park Runners in November 2019, a small park based running group and fell in love with it instantly, quickly going from a non runner to someone who ran two 5ks a week. He then progressed to parkruns at Belton improving his time from 27 minutes to 23.
Robin then decided he’d like to go one step further and enter a race that covered a longer distance. He found the Burghley 7, a new event which takes place on March 8. The race takes in Burghley Park (bits you don’t get to see normally) as well as Stamford town which will be car free for the race. This really appealed to Robin so he applied for a place.
o celebrate his first e ent obin wanted to mark the occasion by raising money for charity. As a dog lover he has opted for The Dogs Trust so will be running in a bright yellow Dogs Trust shirt so give him a wave if you see him run past.
Depending on how this race goes - and we will find out ne t onth - obin s ne t goal is the Lincoln half marathon later this year. Finger’s crossed.
To support Robin and the Dogs Trust visit https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/robin-atter
Up hills and down dales
Delia Calder is getting the miles under her belt whilst training for her trek to Everest’s base camp, but still can’t quite believe that it’s happening to her
ANOTHER MONTH PASSES and the mountain feels like it is getting closer. There is lots of talk about the trip among family and friends and there’s gasps when I say how soon it is (May) which induces a wave of panic - from me, not the questioners. I sometimes feel I am totally unprepared and almost as if the expedition is happening to someone else, time to get a reality check as that is not the case.
I am pleased to report that we all returned from our St Anton skiing holiday injury free with the return to the mountains in May getting us all very excited. We tried to hire ski shoes in the resort but failed as clearly there is no demand for walking up a mountain, only skiing down one in this cool place.
In the end, we opted for another day’s skiing and gave up on the hope of walking in higher altitudes. We did manage to get to the top of Velluga at 2,800 metres and tried to imagine what it would look and feel like to climb another 2,500 metres which would be the height of Everest’s base camp. I still cannot quite imagine what lies ahead of us; I’m both excited and fearful about such a big challenge.
We recently had another group meet up in the Chilterns and completed the Ivinghoe Beacon 11 mile circular walk. We started in the village of Aldbury and followed the Ridgeway National Trail
across Pitstone Hill to the dramatic viewpoint at Ivinghoe Beacon before returning through the woods and fields of the National Trust’s Ashridge Estate, using some of the Chiltern Way. It was muddy and slippery and a miracle that we all managed to remain upright. We had clear blue skies but it was cold enough to test gloves and hats and we all enjoyed another great training day.
We bonded further by enjoying a roast in a local pub on completion. Celebrating one of our team’s 50th birthday, the chef of our group had baked a fabulous cake that looked like Everest and it even had coloured base ca p flags he now has a new title within the group.
Last week I completed another 11 mile trek with a girl friend, taking in the local villages whilst chatting and catching up on our busy lives. The time and distance seems much easier when distracted by girly talk. en though these long walks feel fineand I’m coping well with them - I still cannot imagine how I am going to feel doing the same for 12 days in row, particularly when you add in not being able to shower or change clothes and with very little sleep thrown in to the mix as well. A well informed source tells me that wearing merino wool next to the skin stops any odours, something I am yet to test but am hopeful the rumours are true!
Enjoy a restful break at the Falcon Hotel, our stunning 16th century coaching inn. Exper ience a n innovative twist on brass erie food at Don Paddy’s , or s imply rel ax wi th a l ocal ale in our cos y tradi tion al Eng lish pub, The Vaults . We ar e located jus t o ff t he A4 7 be tween Lei ces ter a nd Peterbor ough, s itua ted in Upp ingh am’s histo ric Ma rke t Place.
CHALLENGES
A Pain in the heel
It’s been a mixed month for Steve Cole who is training to run the Manchester to Liverpool 50 mile ultra-marathon. Here he explains how things don’t always go according to plan
LAST MONTH’S ARTICLE finished on a high had ust co pleted y first week of training with a ile weekend run and a total of iles during the week felt great with only another weeks of training to go h, how things can change et s start with the positi es e done a further two ile runs with the furthest being a ile run around the country roads of ourne y biggest week has been iles and e started to introduce a unday run after a long aturday run also ran the undle k a day after a ile run actually hate short races but as part of y club atural ourne unners we decided to get a group to enter was
going to take it easy but as soon as it started y co petiti e nature took o er and went for it, finishing in nd with a ti e of - ins -secs y tired legs worked fine ow, let s talk about the negati es hose two ile runs were really hard work probably being tough on yself as any long distance run is likely to be hard, but following the ease of y first big un was a little disappointed that the ne t two were anything but y latest, the distance, was a killer t really had e uestioning how ll be able to run a further 3 iles ut, the biggest downer of the onth ca e in bi arre circu stances ow, don t laugh, but y trainers started s ueaking f you re going to run for 3 hours the constant s ueak when you land your foot is torture o, on y ne t long run wore an old pair whilst waited for a new pair to arri e in the post
unning in shoes with hardly any cushioning has brought on a condition known as plantar fasciitis asically, a pain in y heel that gets worse after a run e ust started physio to hopefully heal it but e been warned that it can often take onths to go co pletely still running as the pain only starts after each run but know, deep down, ight need to take a short break to see if it helps i e will tell y the ti e write again will ha e hopefully co pleted another ile training run plus two arathons in two days Fingers crossed y heel doesn t play up too uch and writing in a ore positi e state of ind ish e luck te e is co-founder of ourne-based running group atural ourne unners hey can be found on facebook if you wish to oin the
Taking on a challenge? Active wants to hear
Jeremy Smithson-Beswick catches up with news from some of our local clubs
STAMFORD VERSUS OAKHAM is one of the most eagerly awaited fi tures of any rugby season but this year, with Stamford in top place and a rapidly improving Oakham in second, there was an added dimension to the occasion. Oaks decided to play against the fa ous a bleton oad slope in the first half having won the toss, knowing that if they could hold ta ford at bay the o entu would be with the in the second t pro ed to be a sound tactic and, indeed, it was Oaks who opened the scoring with a try from James Beanland. Stamford’s ees urns le elled for the and a penalty apiece ade it - before ick aughton, who perfor ed ad irably throughout, ade it - 3 to aks at the break and, therefore, hot fa ourites to win with the conditions now in their fa our
ure enough the second forty inutes belonged to akha , with ta ford unable to add to their total whilst Ben Shepherd and o asson both crossed the line to earn the a bonus point and ake the final result -3 in fa our of the away side which also meant they leapfrogged their opponents to top the table he following weekend akha went on to ake it to the final of the ounty owl by defeating ld ewtonians - t s beginning to look like a ery good season for them.
ourne kept up the pace in third spot with three wins on the bounce including a assi e - 3 ho e result against ortha pton , their tries co ing fro a ack erry hat trick, a hornburn and his brother arry, da c ugh, ake ppleby and a ie olangelo heir ga e with akha at the howground was
dedicated to the late a anaca oroibulilek, known as u, the Fi ian who sadly died after collapsing whilst playing for Oaks.
adby yggs won their local derby at arket arborough ending a three atch unbeaten run for their hosts arborough s a id ance called it a frustrating day at the office and added that, it was a ga e that arborough will feel was there to be won en after a yellow card for tuart ale, arborough kept applying pressure and attacking arborough know that their own decision making and defensive energy was not where it should be
Last month we reported on Stamford’s new adies ugby arrior a p hear it s going well - and now we learn that Oakham, not to be outdone, are restarting what they call their Girls Section. Catering for 9 to 18 year olds and eeting on a unday orning,
“Sure enough the second forty minutes belonged to Oakham, with Stamford unable to add to their total.”
Charles Hurst Photography
they say ability is irrelevant and just ask that you bring “an open mind and some enthusiasm” adding that what matters is “fun, inclusion, more fun and making friends”. girlsrugby@oakhamrfc.com is the contact point.
Although the weather would have you think otherwise, the cricket season gets underway next month and there is much to look forward to in what should be a fascinating campaign. Can Oakham consolidate at the highest level in their history in the Premier League and will Uppingham be successful in their bid to join them there? Will Market Harborough somehow arrest their rapid slide down the divisions? How will Stamford get on after promotion and can Ketton Sports continue their march up the ladder?
Oakham haven’t strengthened their side in the close season, possibly because of their bold – and surely correct – decision not to pay any of their players and remain a truly amateur side.They have the most testing of starts with last year’s runners up Barrow own away in their first fi ture whilst in their second they host the champions, Rothley Park. Club stalwart Malcolm awlings said f we can finish in id-table we’ll be delighted,” and pointed out that they have some very good young players coming through from the Colts. The hope is to
survive this year so that those young players will be ready for the next campaign. Ketton Sports started winter nets in id-February ro otion fro di ision three is skipper Rob Vitas’s aim. The popular annual Sports Bash is planned to be held again at Pit Lane and they’ll also continue with their All Stars initiative, which sees fa ilies co e together e ery Friday e ening for a fun filled session, a few drinks o er the bar and our BBQ”. They will play Oakham in a pre-season friendly on pril th
Over in the football world Uppingham Town F ade the final of the eterborough up last onth by beating horney - in the semi, with James Howe the scorer. Stamford’s Daniels are still in second place in the table and had a creditable - away ictory at fellow promotion chasers Cleethorpes with a late, late goal from Tendai Chitiza. Keeper Dan Haystead got the man of the match award for some outstanding saves but the hard-won ictory eans pro otion is still very much a possibility. Cottesmore had a notable win scoring seven away at Thurnby Rangers, Tom Hope bagging three of them. Like the Daniels they sit second in their division and will be disappointed should promotion not come their way. By the way, you can help them to improve their facilities by oting for the in the uildbase
‘From a start where the objective was “not to embarrass ourselves” according to their Isabel Howett, they now “can con dently take on any team.”
ransfer co petition Four winners a uarter get £25K each in building materials to “help clubs beco e ore financially sustainable and play a bigger role in their local community”. Go to buildbase.co.uk/ pitch-in-your-support
Finally, local netball side ta ford apphires have been in touch to let us know how they re progressing tarted ust o er months ago, they’ve gone from strength to strength and were recently promoted to the local second di ision Fro a start where the objective was “not to embarrass ourselves” according to their Isabel Howett, they now can confidently take on any tea and ha e e panded the s uad enough to be about to launch a second side. There’s a surprisingly large number of local sides out there, many formed by women who hadn’t played for a few years but dusted o their skills earch “Back to Netball” if you want to join them.
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Uppingham’s Local Independent
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