Vale Life Feb-Mar 2015 Web Edition by Charlie Trott

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Vale Life

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Feb/Mar 2015

Cover picture: Bride on a swing Photograph by: www.veronicastewart.co.uk

Inside:

Getting hitched?

20 pages to inspire & inform

Want a cheap thrill?

Win tickets to haunted caves See our website at: www.vale-life.co.uk

Curve Couture

Anna opens 2nd shop

Hot stuff

Stove firm goes green

Free local listings for events and businesses

Plus Katy, Penny, Heather, Naomi, Polly, Amanda, Janice, Jacqui, Cathy, Charlotte, Tracy, Rob, Alan and much, much more...

w Romantic stay plus Gastropub meal w Meal for Two at The Village gate w w oxon churches book w Tickets to Edible Garden Show w ÂŁ50 GBK voucher

The Old The Old Thatched Inn Thatched Inn Gastro Pub

Gastro Pub TheMainOld Street, Adstock, Buckinghamshire, MK18 2JN hatched Inn

Gastro Pub Main Street Adstock Buckinghamshire MK18 2JN We offer a unique blend high quality dining, hosted in a relaxed Tel of 01296 712584 and comfortable environment, serving locally sourced food

www.theoldthatchedinn.co.uk Open seven

Main Street Adstock Buckinghamshire MK18 2JN

days

Open seven days Lunch from 12 noon - 2.30pm Dinner from 6pm - 9.30pm Serving all day Sunday from 12 noon - 9pm Telephone: 01296 712584 2

Vale Life : Nov/Dec 2014

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568266 or freephone: 0800 581 594 or email: Jonathan@ambassadorchemdry.co.uk or visit: www.ambassadorchemdry.co.uk 3

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

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Local family funeral directors

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

www.mottsholidays.com

Luxury Coach Holidays

Theatre trips, day trips and short breaks

DayTrips, Theatres & Shows

Day Trips: February 2015

Sat 14th Valentine’s Day! Portobello Market, London: £20 Tue 17th Explore London Museums: £20 Wed 18th Portsmouth Coastal day: £20 Thu 19th Cadbury World: £32 (entry inc) Fri 20th West Midlands Safari Park: £29 (entry inc) ravel.com mottstDay: w.Costal w w : Sat 21st Brighton £20 e n i onl Book22nd Jersey Sun Boys Matinée & Carvery Lunch: £74 Tue 24th Cotswold Drive: £19 Wed 25th Adinkerke Shopping: £40 Thu 26th Imperial War Museum: £20

Winter Wonderland! Snow Coach Arosa

Chur-Arosa Alpine Railway

Day Trips: March 2015 Wed 4th Cambridge Leisure Day: £19 Thu 5th Knitting & Stitching Show: £30

The highlight of this tour is the trip on the narrow gauge Alpine Rhaetian

railway travelling through magnificent scenery! Our base for this holiday is in the medieval town of Feldkirch in Austria near the borders of Switzerland, Germany & Liechenstein Close by is the tranquillity of Lake Constance and Lindau Island. Two excursions included and fare for the Chur-Arosa railway plus an optional excursion to Zurs & Lech. Accommodation in the resort is on half board and overnight hotels are B &B. Porterage in resort* Welcome Drink* Tea/Coffee after dinner* March 20th: 8 Days, £529.

New Tours from the local area only The Mike James Big Band in action

The Orchard 4-star Hotel, Nottingham Coach Travel, 4 Star Hotel for 1 night plus breakfast & dinner. Live entertainment - a full big band orchestra will be on stage with excellent soloist, signature brass section and vocalists.

Join us for this fabulous two day break with excellent accommodation and amazing entertainment. 2 Days: Sun 26th July £119pp (£109 for Travel Club members). Single supplement £15. No interchange.

Fawlty Towers themed night! Join us for a Edmond Wells fun night in the hands of Basil Fawlty impersonator Edmond Wells the only 6’ 7” Basil who walks the walk and talks the talk! The 4 Star Orchard Hotel, East Midlands, is our base for this overnight stay with a difference. HB. Sunday October 11th 2 days £119.

Motts Holidays 4 Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, HP20 2LD BOOKING HOTLINE: 01296 336666

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

www.facebook.com/mottstravel

Ri HOng LI now 01 DA fo 29 Y B r y 6 RO o 33 C ur 66 H 20 66 UR 15 E!

Enjoy a night with last of the big bands!

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Great rates Amazing results To advertise in Vale Life Magazine Call Charlie on 07702 006218

Spread the word across The Vale: see: www.vale-life.co.uk for details

Marriage à la mode

Peak perfection

Go for Flo

To have and to hold

Boxing clever

Curve Couture

Snow place like it!

The Bridal House

What can you do?

Moving on up!

Hell-Fire history

A very special occasion

Down to business

Room with a view

The Flo Show

Playing the dating game

Northern Lights

Sunday girl

Plots and pans

Treat me good

Face of the Vale

Fight yourself fit

Win a meal

Turn it up!

Sam Stonehouse spots the weddings trends

10 The Inn place 13 14 15 16 20 22 24 25 26 29

Holiday Inn can make your day Sally’s doing a deal on rings Anna’s new boutique caters for curves Second shop for bridal girls New location makes for inspiration Katy’s guide to wedding style

Win a romantic stay and meal for two Has Tracy met her match?!

Angie’s here to make your week Amanda’s had a beautiful year Fancy a spot of fencing?

30 Blame it on the buggy

Mums shift bums and tums with baby

Dachs it, he got me!

ongratulations to the following Dec/Jan edition competition winners! Hopefully your prizes will have arrived by now, please let us know if not. Commiserations to those who weren’t so lucky - read

Time to sign up for Midnight Walk Penny’s cardboard confession Slope off to Hemel centre Local challenge or a big adventure? Win tickets to haunted caves! New FSB column offers web advice Dream comes true for new columnist Flo Polly’s guide to Scandi Win tickets to The Edible Garden Show Lord Carrington, eldest statesman Dinner for two at The Village Gate? Paul’s take on the local music scene

under Churchill in the 1950s, would be. When we arrived Lord Carrington was out walking his hey say the camera never two long-haired Dachshunds and lies but as you can clearly later they lay patiently at his feet see from the picture left, while we chatted in his study. taken at Bledlow Manor, home Being a doggy person myself I of Lord Carrington, it can make couldn’t resist reaching down to you appear like a mini version of give one a tickle as he lay quietly yourself, if you don’t get the angle watching us. and composition right! Sir Ted Heath, as he is called Lord Carrington kindly is quite old and seemed a little agreed to be photographed and sleepy after his exercise but the interviewed for Vale Life’s Face moment my hand got near him of The Vale feature, (see page he struck with the speed and 62), and was completely charming accuracy of a cobra, viciously and incredibly interesting, as one chomping on my finger. might imagine a man who began It took me by surprise, as he’d his career in politics some 75 years seemed so docile but I quickly whipped my hand away to survey ago (he’s 95 now) and served

Lord Carrington, Charlie the incredible shrinking man and Dame Nora, the friendly Dachshund

Charlie’s tip for a top ski spot

on though for more competitions inside this edition, including the chance to win: Dinner for two at The Village Gate; Family ticket to The Hell-Fire Caves; A copy of Oxfordshire’s Churches book; Tickets to the

Edible Garden Show. Last issue’s prizewinners were: Dinner for two at The Old Thatched Inn: Laura Clarke, Steeple Claydon Reflexions membership: Catherine Fallows, Aylesbury

the damage. It was quite a nip! “Did he bite you?” asked Lord Carrington, rather undiplomatically not seeming the least bit concerned. “Poor fella, he’s 12 now. He had to have all his teeth removed the other day and his one pleasure in life was biting people. It’s rather bad luck.” Lucky for me though, I thought and made a quick note of how to tell the friendly Dame Norma Minor from the grumpy Sir Edward Teeth as I’m now calling him. Needless to say that’s Dame Norma posing with us on the stairs! As Lord Carrington later told me, politics can be a tricky business...

Tickets to The Cruise Show: Paul Thorn, Risborough; Carmel Simmonds, Aylesbury; Claire Davis, Wheatley Tickets to National Wedding Show: Kathryn Lock, Thame; Sabrina

Charlie Charlie Trott, Editor Armitage, St Albans; Joanne Twomey, Chinnor Breeds book: Karen White, Aylesbury Year’s supply of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts: Michael Buggins, Thame

Vale Life Magazine is designed and published by House of Mouse, 23 Glenham Road, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3WD Telephone: 01844 261579 Mobile: 07702 006218 Website: www.vale-life.co.uk Email: editor@vale-life.co.uk Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of Vale Life. We cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies, omissions or late changes. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the publishers. Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company www.magprint.co.uk

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Wedding feature

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2014

Saying ‘I do’ is the easy part - it’s planning your big day that can cause the headaches! Luckily in the Vale we have some fabulous local firms who can help make your wedding as lovely as you dreamt it would be. But first Sam Stonehouse of Whatafabparty takes a look at this year’s wedding trends...

Wedding ‘boudoir’ pic by www.SnapdragonPhotography.co.uk

Hartwell House & Spa Wedding Open Day Sunday, March 1st, 2015

12noon-4pm. No appointment necessary

ustomarily, the New Year is a busy time for many wedding suppliers as newly engaged couples start to plan their weddings and commence putting all their ideas into realisation. As a wedding planner, this is when you begin to identify the latest trends. It is not surprising to me that over the past few weeks I have witnessed quite a creative and diverse run of themes for weddings and events. I seem to say this every year, but, in truth, the days of the traditional wedding are long gone, I cannot remember the last time a couple asked me to organise a receiving line, or gather guests to wave the happy couple off in a wedding car shortly after the first dance. The spirit of individuality is here to stay; a wedding now really is all about the couple and making their reception as personal to them as possible. Listed below are a few wedding

Hartwell House Hotel and Spa is a stunning venue in which to stage your perfect wedding, large or small. The 17th Century mansion has elegant reception and dining rooms, beautiful grounds, a spa and some 42 bedrooms. Your guests can enjoy award-winning food, excellent wines and professional service, while our in-house wedding planner will be on hand to help, advise and organise from start to finish. For further information or to receive a wedding pack, please call Mirella on: 01296 746502 or email your enquiry to: events@hartwell-house.com

www.hartwell-house.com 8

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

www.allpeoplephotography.com

Tack-off lining

and party trends and treats though that I’ve stored up-my-sleeve this year ready to bring into action. Tack-off Lining This has been fairly ‘corporate’ in the past, but is becoming increasingly popular for weddings that are in a marquee, when a traditional lining is not wanted. The fabric effect is stretched and secured onto a custom-made frame so that the tack-off gives a flat, crease-free finish, or you can have it pleated to create a really flamboyant effect.

A collection of countryside marquee sites for weddings and parties. Idyllic farms, beautiful countryside and woodland settings. Farm and Country Venues gives you the complete freedom to create your very own exclusive event. 2015 dates still available. All venues offer full planning service with friendly advice on all aspects of your event from the initial consultation right through to the day itself. Our experienced team will ensure that your day runs smoothly. T: 01844 281746 E: hello@farmandcountryvenues.co.uk www.farmandcountryvenues.co.uk

Afternoon Tea and Garden Parties I am a huge ‘heritage’ fan, and I never tire of vintage crockery, straw bales around the grounds of your reception, and traditional garden games such as croquet. This trend is here to stay and is not going to leave my suggestion-box! Family Style Dining Make the wedding breakfast fun and interactive. Carve a roast rib of beef at the table with family service of dauphinoise or roast potatoes

and vegetables, for example, or sharing platters for starters. Such simple service solutions not only look good, but you can take as much or as little as you want. Canapé Stations Elaborate canapés, stylishly placed on imaginative stations such as old wooden ladders, apple crates or vintage furniture work well. Canapés are a key part of your guests’ first impression, so taste and Continued on page 12

floral

vintage crockery hire

There’s nothing lovelier than an English summer afternoon, the retro charm of a village fete, the friendly allure of a traditional country fair, or the simple pleasure of a lavish picnic on the village green. Hire our collection of Vintage Floral Crockery, for a taste of freshly brewed nostalgia at any time of year. Whether you wish to add a touch of timeless romance at a wedding, hold a vintage-style high tea for a special someone, or create a quirky business meeting that gets the conversation flowing, let us help bring some old-fashioned magic to your event. We’ve lovingly hunted down pretty china and tablecloths from far and wide. Plus we’ve created unique handmade bunting and napkins in pretty floral fabrics.

www.FloralVintageCrockery.co.uk Tel: 07875 552132 floralvintagecrockery Leafield, Lee Road, Saunderton Lee, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 9NU

Perfect Perfect Weddings Weddings at Latimer Latimer Place Place at Setinin3030acres acresofofpure puretranquillity, tranquillity,overlooking overlookingthe thechess chess Set valley, yet easily accessible by road and rail; Latimer valley, yet easily accessible by road and rail; Latimer isis simplyideal! ideal! simply We’d like to propose...

We’d like to propose...

• Wedding breakfast from 60 to 200

• Wedding guests breakfast from 60 to 200 •guests Licensed for civil & partnership • Licensed for civil & partnership ceremonies •ceremonies Exclusive use package available • •Exclusive usewedding packagecoordinator available and Dedicated • Dedicated wedding coordinator and event manager event manager Please call Kelli Louise Thomas, our wedding coordinator on 01494our 545552 Please call Kelli Louise Thomas, or emailcoordinator kthomas@deverevenues.co.uk wedding on 01494 545552 or email kthomas@deverevenues.co.uk Latimer Place, Latimer, Chesham,

Buckinghamshire, HP5 1UG Latimer Place, Latimer, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 1UG

WeddingFayre Fayre Wedding Sunday 8th March 11am - 3pm Sunday 8th March 11am - 3pm

Visit Latimer Place and see our

Visit Latimervenue Placeset and stunning upsee as itour would stunning venue set upday. as Meet it would be on your special our beexhibitors on your special day. Meet our and recommended suppliersand who can add those exhibitors recommended unique finishing to your suppliers who cantouches add those wedding day. No need to to your book unique finishing touches just turn up! wedding day. No need to book just turn up! • Compimentary Admission

Canapes and Admission a glass of bubbly • •Compimentary on arrival • Canapes and a glass of bubbly • Dedicated wedding coordinator on arrival on hand to give professional • Dedicated wedding coordinator advice on hand to give professional advice

Over 30 great venues,

Over great deverevenues.co.uk venues, one 30 address one address deverevenues.co.uk Terms and conditions apply. See webstie for details.

Terms and conditions apply. See webstie for details.

Latimer House

Vale Life : Dec/Jan 2014/15

9 5

Su W nd ed ay din 2 g 11 2n Ex am d hi - 3 Mar bitio pm ch n 20 15

Wedding feature

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

The Holiday Inn at Weston Turville is not just licenced to hold civil ceremonies, it has a choice of three different locations for your ceremony and two function suites for your reception...

hen it comes to weddings, the Holiday Inn Aylesbury provides a flexible and great value venue for civil ceremonies, wedding breakfasts and evening receptions. ‘We understand that every couple is different and every wedding is unique,’ is the company line and to make it easier for couples to decide what to choose, Holiday Inn offers a range of packages - something they hope will suit everyone but with the proviso that they also have the flexibility to tailor-make every event so that your special day is absolutely perfect and unique. At Weston Turville The Holiday Inn is licensed to hold civil ceremonies in three areas of the hotel for up to 120 guests. There is an attractive garden-style courtyard for outdoor ceremonies, which can accommodate up to 80 guests. The Broughton Suite seats a maximum of 120 guests and is situated within the Academy Conference and Banqueting Suites, while the Junction Restaurant seats up to 150 guests for a wedding ceremony and has doors leading out to the courtyard. The hotel’s event spaces are suitable for all types of wedding celebrations from a formal wedding breakfast through to the evening

The pleasant courtyard is licenced for civil services

2 0 1 5 W e d d i n g Pa c k a g e j u s t £ 3

50 Day Guests | 2 Course Wedding Breakfast | Table flowers Evening Buffet for DJ from Inspired Sound | Plus, accommodation for Bride & Groom! *Available on selected dates only. reception and disco. The Broughton Suite and Junction Restaurant are available to hire for Wedding Receptions for up to 200 guests. The venue is used to catering for large parties and weddings and their knowledgeable staff can help you plan your menus, seating arrangements, table decorations and entertainment, ensuring you have a day to remember. The hotel is currently offering a basic wedding package for just £3,000 which comprises a two-course wedding breakfast for 50 guests with table flowers and an evening reception with DJ and buffet for 70 guests plus overnight accommodation for the bride and groom.. For more information see the website at: www.hiaylesburyhotel.co.uk or call: 0871 942 Su W nd ed ay din 2 g 11 2n Ex am d hi - 3 Mar bitio pm ch n 20 15

www.hiaylesburyhotel.co.uk weddings-aylesbury@ihg.com Holiday Inn Aylesbury, New Road, HP22 5QT

The Broughton Suite The Broughton Suite

9002 to speak to a Holiday Inn Wedding Co-ordinator. l Holiday Inn Aylesbury, New Road, Weston Turville, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5QT Wedding co-ordinators tel: 0871 942 9002 Email: weddings-aylesbury@ihg.com Web: www.hiaylesburyhotel.co.uk

Holiday Inn Aylesbury

Wedding Exhibition

Sunday 22nd March 2015 2 0 1 5 W e d d i n g Pa c k a g e j u s t £ 3 0 0 0 11am-3pm 50 Day Guests | 2 Course Wedding Breakfast | Table flowers Evening Buffet for 70 guests DJ from Inspired Sound | Plus, accommodation for Bride & Groom! *Available on selected dates only.

www.hiaylesburyhotel.co.uk weddings-aylesbury@ihg.com Holiday Inn Aylesbury, New Road, HP22 5QT

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

an extraordinary and an ext r a o r d i n a r y a venue nd unique wedding unique wedding venue Let us share your perfect day in our fully licensed venue Let us share your perfect day in our fully licensed venue

The Oxfordshire Golf Hotel and Spa Rycote Lane, Milton Common, Oxfordshire OX9 2PU t. 01844 278300 f. Golf 01844Hotel 278003and Spa The Oxfordshire e. weddings@theoxfordshire.com w. theoxfordshire.com Rycote Lane, Milton Common, Oxfordshire OX9 2PU t. 01844 278300 f. 01844 278003

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Wedding feature

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Wooden shabby chic table with vintage flower look

Continued from page 9 presentation is crucial. And, make sure there are plenty for everyone! Long Wooden Tables Not only can you fit more guests into your venue but it’s that rustic,

vintage look that never strays far from our Pinterest boards, does it girls?

and she was the most organised bride in the world. Each wedding guest has a little biog written about

Forget Photo Booths Photo Rooms Photo booths are great for capturing memorable images, but a photo room gives you more space to set-up seating, a bigger backdrop, more props, and you can incorporate video as well as a photographer to take the photos. Create the best guest book ever! Liven-up the Party with a Cocktail Van Whether you have evening guests arriving, or you just want to throw a spark into the evening party, a cocktail van not only looks great in the grounds of your reception, but the barmen can be pretty hot too!

Long wood table

Cocktail van

A Who’s Who Guest Book as a Wedding Favour A bride of mine did this a few years ago at Nether Winchendon,

Honky Tonk Themed Menus Think Southern style American food. This comes from the rise of restaurants that offer barbecued slow cooked pulled pork and chicken. Chefs barbecue hunks of meat and serve it at buffet stations. Wedding Apps What would we do without our Apps? Wedding Countdown and Easy Weddings Planner are among the best.

Nothing like the smell of a barbecue them in a booklet left on the table, explaining how the couple knew them, or what relation they were, together with a few interesting and quirky facts. It makes a really lovely keepsake.

If you are looking for wedding inspiration or help planning your wedding, please contact Samantha Stonehouse of What a fab party for further information! E. info@whatafabparty.com T. 01844 281746 Twitter: @whatafabparty l Samantha Stonehouse Farm and Country Venues Limited Party Planner & Vintage Prop Hire T. 01844 281746 M. 07771 543386 @whatafabparty Dedicated to promoting chic and unique travel and bridal brands

Need food for your gathering, party, wedding? 01844 202685 07920 521484 kirstyskitchen@gmail.com www.kirstys-kitchen.com

If you want something different, something simple, or just really tasty, talk to us about your plans.

We love to create an experience with our food, be it a 1940’s war time theme, to tepee’s in the woods, to a picnic for 100, the possibilities are endless...

For all Occasions ~ weddings ~ portraits ~ modelling ~ family & babies ~ parties ~ Contact ~ Steve 07825005305 spcook@globalnet.co.uk www.swalephotography.carbonmade.com Ask about PhotoFUN A studio style Photobooth

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Column: Sally Turner‘Fascinating finds’

To have and to hold

n ancient times, the Egyptians held the belief that a vein from the fourth finger lead directly to the heart. As such, it seemed a logical place for the placement of a ring. The practice was passed down and the fourth finger is now universally known as the ring finger. The Egyptians shaped twigs, hemp, or plant stems into circles and placed them on their brides’ ring fingers. The circles represented undying love, much as they do today. The Ancient Romans placed a ring on the fourth finger of their wives’ hands too, but the practice had little to do with love and devotion. Rather, wives were a possession to the Romans and the ring was a sign of ownership. Ancient Roman women had no voice in this decision; there was no proposal. Once a woman was ‘ringed’, she was married. The earliest rings that we know of were made by cavemen. They were not placed around the finger of the woman, but around the wrists and ankles and were made of twigs and grass. Centuries later

Sally Turner

men of the Far and Middle East had a unique way of ensuring that their brides remained faithful. They created ‘puzzle rings’, rings that were collapsible. If a wife tried to remove her ring, the ring would fall apart. The puzzle rings were used to keep the wife true. In the early days of American colonization, the Puritans gave their women thimbles as a sign of their love, believing that adornments were wasteful and immoral. The resourceful brides often removed part of the thimble and created makeshift rings. Today, the ring symbolises a promise of never-ending love, devotion and loyalty. Materials for the rings have varied through the years, depending

on personal wealth. Today most are made of gold, silver, or platinum set with diamonds or precious stones. We advise to always buy good quality stones. If you don’t like the setting the stone can always be reset. Abide by the four Cs: Clarity, Colour, Cut and Carat. We have a large selection in the shop of wedding bands and diamond and gem set engagement rings to suit all pockets and tastes and commissions will be undertaken until the end of March. All RINGS are currently being offered at cost price as we are to close our Wendover shop after 27 years. There are are some amazing buys to be had, so don’t delay! From May we will be dealing online at www.sallyturnerantiques.com

Fascinating finds l Sally Turner is an antiques expert with many years of experience. She buys and sells antiques and jewellery at her shop in Wendover. She is an expert in diamonds and precious stones and offers services including: cleaning and repairs of furniture, jewellery, antiques, clocks, oil paintings, enamel and porcelain, remodelling of jewellery and much more... l Sally Turner Antiques, Hogarth House, High Street, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, HP22 6DU Tel: 01296 624402 www.sallyturnerantiques.com Open 10am-5pm Mon-Sat (closed Wed and Sun)

Here at Hester Clarke, all of our wedding rings are handmade to order. This means you get impeccable quality, craftmanship and design in a ring made just for you. Whether you are looking for White Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum, Palladium or even Titanium, you can be happy in the knowledge that your Hester Clarke wedding ring will be as strong, resilient and long-lasting as your love for each other. Come in to see the wide range of styles we have on offer, or have a ring designed just for you.

Hester Clarke Fine Jewellers

Independent Family Jewellers since 1892 Goldsmiths House 10-14 Cambridge Street Aylesbury Bucks HP20 1RS www.hesterclarke.co.uk

01296 482963 Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Wedding feature

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Anna McDonald has become the first independent retailer to open twin shops in the historic market town of Thame. Both offer clients style and elegance but in a different range of sizes...

nna McDonald opened her first bridal shop in Thame back in 2008. With a gorgeous selection of stylish and elegant gowns displayed in sumptuous surroundings and her emphasis on personal and excellent service, the Anna McDonald Bridal Gallery soon became established as one of the premier stockists of designer gowns in Oxfordshire. Anna wanted to make her service available to every bride and wished to ensure a varied and stylish selection of wedding gowns for her clients whatever their shape or size. As a result Anna has now opened a second shop, Anna McDonald Curve Couture. It is located on Thame’s Upper High Street, just 100 yards from her Bridal Gallery and mirrors the original store’s luxury and ambience. Thame Mayor, Jeanette Matelot Green, officially opened the new shop last November. “I try to deliver the best experience a bride can possibly have while selecting her dream dress,” says Anna. “This experience should be available to all brides. Larger women should not have to search hard for dresses of their size. Most bridal shops only offer a limited selection of plus-size dresses, so Curve Couture was created to provide the most comprehensive selection of plus-size designer

Callista Bali chiffon gown designed by Alfred Sung 14

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Anna McDonald Curve Couture wedding dresses available on the market. “Not only does Curve Couture have more choice but a much greater range of styles, including designer gowns from Sonsie by award winning designer Veromia and highly sought after gowns from Callista by Alfred Sung. “Providing wedding dresses for plus size brides is not just a matter of offering a few larger dresses as an addition to your existing collection, it requires expert designers that have this size variety as part of their core business. Their designs are made specifically for women who are taller or broader to look absolutely fantastic on their wedding day and equally importantly, to feel comfortable.” Visiting Curve Couture or The Anna McDonald Bridal Gallery is by appointment only and offers an exclusive, relaxed and personal experience. “Brides come from all over the country to visit our Bridal Gallery in Thame,” says Anna. “We have a good reputation for excellent service and the extensive range of designer dresses that are available to buy. At Curve Couture we expect to welcome even more brides visiting Thame from outside of Oxfordshire, as there is very little choice at present in other counties.” Anna is supported in both shops by her excellent team of sales staff and dress makers, seven in all, who are equally excited with the

new addition to Anna’s business. “Most of our business comes through recommendation,” says Anna. “Either by word of mouth or through social media, which has a much wider reach and brings enquiries from across the country - we have never been busier. Our Facebook page in particular is a great discussion centre for customers sharing their positive experience with all of their friends, many of whom become brides too.” If you are looking for a wedding dress from a stunning collection of beautiful designers why not book an appointment with Anna McDonald? Once you’ve seen the gowns, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll end up saying ‘yes’ once again! l Anna McDonald Curve Couture, 24 Upper High Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3EX Tel: 01844 269078 Anna McDonald Bridal Gallery The White House, 2 East Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3JS Tel: 01844 214190 Email: anna@anna-mcdonald.com Web: www.anna-mcdonald.com

The Bridal House

Gown by Maggie Sottero

mma and Jenny at The Bridal House pride themselves on their customer service and fabulous choice, not only of wedding gowns, but also bridesmaids dresses and those all important accessories: unique vintage inspired sidepieces or tiaras, veils, shoes, jewellery, Gown by Maggie shrugs and practical bits Sottero like storage and travel boxes! The girls launched their first boutique at Aston Clinton some seven years ago and offer a stunning range of beautiful bridal gowns by some of the world’s leading bridal designers including: Mori Lee, Ronald Joyce, True Bride and Maggie Sottero, all handpicked for their beautiful innovative designs, luxurious fabrics, handsewn embellishments, Swarovski crystals, and perhaps most importantly their amazing

shape and fit. With The Bridal House firmly established as a leading bridal boutique the girls opened a second store in High Wycombe last April. “It’s been really exciting taking the Bridal House magic to a new area,” says Jenny. “We’re particularly proud of our beautiful private fitting suites: the Florentine Suite and the Chantilly Suite, where we can focus on the bride and her party giving them complete privacy and a relaxing experience.” When you step into the elegant showroom a complimentary drink will be waiting and one of the Bridal House ladies will be on hand to relax you through the exciting process of finding the ideal dress for you. “We want to make sure the bride feels really special and has a lovely time while finding her perfect

The Bridal House Chantilly Suite, High Wycombe

gown,” says Emma. “It’s what’s important to you and how you wish to look on your wedding day that will help us find your dream dress and decide upon those all important finishing touches. We don’t stop there though, we are here to make sure all runs smoothly right up to your wedding day and beyond. We are proud to say that many of our brides have been recommended to us by previous happy customers.”

l The Bridal House, 10a Weston Road, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5EG Tel: 01296 632041 The Bridal House, 25 Crendon Street, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP13 6LJ Tel: 01494 258403 Email: thebridalhouse@hotmail.co.uk Web: www.bridalwearaylesbury.co.uk Facebook: /thebridalhouseaylesbury

MAURITIUS WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS To book your Beachcomber wedding or honeymoon, contact Adams Travel 01296 873 017 aylesbury.adamstravel@gmail.com Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Wedding feature

You don’t just buy a wedding dress at Confetti Bridalwear, their friendly team promise to look after you until you walk up the aisle. And you can practise that too, in the new larger shop...

fter 30 years in business and having earned the accolade of being one of the longest running bridal shops in Hertfordshire, Confetti Bridalwear of Tring is now the ‘freshest, smartest’ bridal shop around, having just moved into spacious new premises at the top end of Tring High Street (opposite the library car park). “To move to larger premises on the High Street was a five year plan for me, when I took over the business 20 years ago!” laughs Confetti Bridalwear owner Sarah Shaw. “We have grown over that period because our lovely customers have the confidence to recommend us time and again and it’s nice to have more space to display the gowns and in the fitting room, so brides and their entourage have a comfortable, relaxed and enjoyable experience. I’m very happy with our new position on the High Street too, it’s been a really inspiring move.” The friendly Confetti team of Sarah, Carol and Jo boasts a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and knowledge and are excited to show off all they have to offer in their stylish new home. There’s beautiful dresses for the bride, bridesmaids and flower girls, prom and evening dresses and all things silky, sparkly and adorable to accessorise, including some lovely tiaras by Lisa, whilst an expert team of seamstresses stand by to make sure everything fits to perfection. “There is nothing we like better than to see a bride-to-be fall in love with her dress,” says Sarah. “This is no ordinary shopping experience, the dresses are made with such beautiful fabrics and so incredibly cleverly constructed that they will make you feel amazing! “We are here to ensure the bride-to-be

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Left: Jo, Sarah and Carol toast the success of the new Confetti Bridalwear shop Right: Toastmaster Jango at the official opening

is introduced to every style which suits her, sometimes even a dress she would never have thought of trying herself, but really works. “We are friendly and approachable here, we have a good range of mid-priced dresses from around £800 to £2,500 and take great pride in our back up service. “It’s not just about helping you find a dress you love, we aim to provide a lovely environment in which to try on gowns and a team you can trust to see you through

the choosing and fittings and who will take responsibility to ensure you look and feel FABULOUS on your Wedding day.” l Confetti Bridalwear, 87 High Street, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 4AB Tel: 01442 828653 Email: confettibridal@btconnect.com Web: www.confettibridalwear.co.uk Open 9am-5pm, Mon-Sat, (plus evenings and weekends by appointment).

Flowers for all occasions Weddings | St Valentine’s Day | Mother’s Day | Easter |

birthdays | corporate displays | anniversaries | funerals

Flowers are vital for a wedding celebration - everyone can appreciate their delicate beauty, colour and fragrance. Flowers will transform and personalise a venue, adding atmosphere to the event and creating an ambiance that reflects the personality of the couple getting married and complements your theme, be it classic, romantic, modern, shabby chic... whatever you choose. Olaflowers offer help and advice with all your wedding needs such as: bridal bouquets, buttonholes, bridesmaid/flower girl posies, thank you bouquets and gifts, church/venue decoration, table centres, standing displays inside and out. Alongside our fresh flower service for weddings we also offer a hire service of our silk flower displays.

Tel: 01296 710940

26 Cambridge Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1RS www.olaflowers.com We also have beautiful bouquets, single flowers and lots of roses for Valentine’s Day and a great selection of gifts, pot plants, flower baskets and posies for Mothering Sunday. Come and choose and get your order in now!

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Wedding feature

The Lily Pot Floristry for all occasions

4 Lakeside, Watermead, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 0FX Tel: 01296 708095 / Mobile: 07538 296430 Email:info@thelilypot.co.uk Web: www.thelilypot.co.uk /TheLilypot

Let The Lily Pot bring your wedding vision to life Sam and her team are friendly, talented, creative and hard-working and have over 30 years combined experience between them. Following our ethos of ‘Naturally Beautiful, Simply Affordable’, we strive to make your day perfect. Please contact us for a consultation

l Bouquets and arrangements for any occasion: anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, Valentine’s, Mother’s Day... contemporary or traditional designs l Seasonal workshops: see website for details and dates l Children’s Parties: Combining nature with arts and crafts skills in a fun atmosphere l Floral Tributes: Option for bereaved to assist in creating floral tributes for their loved ones

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Wedding feature

Red Carpet Hairdressing

Your Red Carpet to the aisle! At Red Carpet Hairdressing we can offer a complete top to toe Bridal Package, working with you to create and style your perfect Bridal Hair, while attending to your nails and make-up. We offer exclusive use of our V.I.P area to ensure that you, your bridesmaids and your guests all have a wonderful experience! HAIR With up-to-date cutting and styling techniques and our beautiful range of hair colours, Red Carpet Hairdressing’s experienced team of stylists is here to ensure your wedding hair is just perfect. Choose from classic ‘up-dos’ or maybe ‘bo-ho’ ‘down-dos’, a voluminous ‘Ballerina Bun’ or romantic waves - the choice is endless! Book a trial before your big day and treat your locks to a luxury Moroccanoil conditioning hair mask, to put your hair in tip top condition!

MAKE-UP AND NAILS Our beauty specialist can add the finishing touches - a luxury manicure and pedicure with Gelish nail colours that will last through to the Honeymoon! - beautiful stay in place makeup that will last the day - ‘perfect lashes’ to add volume and length to your own lashes and last three weeks - perfect brows

Tanning Treat your skin to a healthy looking natural glow with a 100% organic Nouvatan spray tan, available in 6 shades! Why not let Red Carpet take care of all your hair and beauty needs? Book your consultation and trial in plenty of time before your wedding day. Open late Weds, Thurs and Fri 9am-8pm, Tues & Sat: 9am-5pm Red Carpet Hairdressing, 8 Aylesbury Road, Wendover, Buckinghamshire,HP22 6JQ. Telephone: 01296 625511 Website: www.redcarpethairdressing.com Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Red-Carpet-Hairdressing Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Wedding feature

with Katy Dyer

Personal stylist and fashion expert Katy scours our local boutiques and passes on tips and tricks for looking your best, plus the latest news on the high street trends

A very special

occasion I

f you were lucky enough to receive a proposal of marriage or have a happy occasion to go to in 2015, you are sure to want to look and feel your very best. There are a huge number of options to fit all occasions - from vintage to black tie, Spring & Summer and right through to a Winter wedding. But my very best advice for choosing an outfit is to START

NOW! Don’t delay, there will be so many other things to think about nearer the day (waterproof mascara anyone?)

The time is now Summer might be a whole season away, but that is no time at all in the world of fashion retail. If you have a special occasion coming up in 2015, now is the very best time to start thinking about what to wear - especially if you are a key member of the bridal party - be that bridesmaid, mother or father of the bride or groom, or best man (or perhaps a best woman?). Traditionally, the colour scheme will influence the outfits worn by the males of the bridal party, so think carefully about what will work for everyone. Choose a colour that is flattering on the face. To determine this, try a number of different garments – and check in the mirror. The most flattering colour will be the one where YOU look great (not the one where the COLOUR stands out). It’s you we want to see! Once a colour scheme has been decided on, now is the time to start choosing bridesmaids and mother of the bride and mother of the groom outfits.

8752 by Justin Alexander Anna McDonald Bridal Gallery the current fashions and fads - those photos will last a lifetime.

Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise Any accessories should be kept within your own scale, so if you are petite, wear fine, delicate jewellery. If you are taller, accessories which are larger in scale will suit you better. The same applies to floral Mix or match? arrangements - make sure that Mix rather than match - you don’t bouquets, corsages and buttonholes have to purchase an entire wedding are in balance with the wearers scale. ensemble. Choose pieces that are If you want to get ahead… complementary (rather than a set) If your occasion calls for a hat, so that you can feel comfortable there are a few tips that are worth and confident that you are reflecting remembering. Be sure to choose your own personal style. It’s also styles that have a brim no wider worthwhile considering what are just than your shoulders and take care

Cresida Lace Bridal Dress £395, Phase Eight 20

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Batton Clutch Bag £55, Dune with the colour - dark hats with wide rims can cause your face to be completely shadowed in photographs. Fascinators are easy to wear and are a great way to really add a bit of style and glamour if you would prefer not to wear a hat. As a guest, be sure to check out the dress code, before heading off to find your headwear. Inside information Anna McDonald, owner of one

3804 by Sincerity - £970, Anna McDonald Bridal Gallery

Embellished box clutch £24.99, New Look

London by Callista, Anna McDonald Curve Couture

Accessorize Connie Shantung Loops Pillbox Fascinator £35

of leading bridal boutiques: Anna McDonald Bridal Gallery and Curve Couture, has given me her thoughts on how best to prepare for your wedding dress fitting. Anna says “it’s good to start looking for your wedding gown a year before your wedding as it can take a couple of months to search for the “ONE” and 5-6 months for your dress to arrive. You will then need to allow 6-8 weeks for your alterations.” Here are some more of Anna’s Do’s and Don’ts for your fitting appointment. Do: • try as many dresses on as you need to but not too many as it can get very confusing!

and check that your jewellery, collars • have an open mind don’t rule and accessories are all in place (we anything out! • focus on finding the best wedding don’t want any bra-straps on show)! dress silhouette for you before going • Empty your pockets. If you’re into too much detail carrying your phone or wallet around in your trouser pockets, Don’t : please take them out and leave • bring too many people to your them to the side, out of shot. If appointment but definitely bring you’re carrying a handbag, I also people that you trust and that tell recommend that you leave it to the the truth. side or with a friend while you are • wear fake tan or too much being photographed. makeup • freak out about wedding dress l Katy Dyer is an award-winning sizing personal stylist and image consultant, Picture Perfect You will look back on your wedding album for years to come so how do you make sure that you and your guests look and feel good in front of the camera? International Portrait and Wedding Photographer, Becky Rui has given me her advice: • Stand up straight. Standing tall with your head held high and shoulders back will be much more flattering for your figure and for your confidence. • Before having your photograph taken, remember take off your sunglasses so that you can be seen,

specially trained in the needs of brides and wedding attire. Based in Thame, Oxfordshire she can help you discover the confidence to change or develop your personal or professional style and image - whether it’s a new career, a new stage in your life, finding the right outfit for a special occasion or to completely reinvent your look and make the most of you. For more details about the products and services available, visit: www.katydyer.com or email: katy@katydyer.com Gift vouchers and experiences are also available. Katy is holding Spring/Summer 2015 Style Events this March. To receive your invitation contact: katy@katydyer.com or call: 07815 923019

Bridesmaids dresses in Mint. From £80, BHS Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Wedding feature Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Team a night in a luxury Chilterns View eco-lodge with dinner at the nearby award-winning Red Lion, Britwell Salome and you’ve got a recipe for romance that’ll make any heart beat faster...

o celebrate the launch of locally based travel and bridal brand promotions agency, Farm and Country Venues, the company is offering Vale Life readers the chance to win a romantic break at one of Oxfordshire’s best kept secrets - a night at The Chilterns View, Down Farm, Ewelme, with a £50 voucher to spend at nearby gastro-pub The Red Lion at Britwell Salome. Chilterns View is a set of five private luxury lodges incorporating the latest ecofriendly technology. Each Lodge comes complete with its own 24-hour heated hot tub, en suite wet room style shower, a wood burning stove, kitchenette and breathtaking views across the Chiltern Hills. It’s a fabulous hideaway in which to spend the night with your loved one before or after enjoying a long lunch or romantic dinner at The awardwinning Red Lion in Britwell Salome, where chef Andrew Hill was recently crowned ‘Gastropub Chef of The Year’ 2014. Farm and Country Venues can also offer couples the chance to hold their wedding reception on the arable, 750 acre, Down Farm. A 15 acre marquee site, five luxury lodges and additional accommodation such as bell tents can be arranged to accommodate extra guests, catering for up to 300. The Red Lion, managed by a truly passionate and hardworking couple, head Chef Andrew Hill and Landlady Eilidh Ferguson was voted Best Food Pub in the Great British Pub Awards South East and London category and Oxford Times Best Restaurant 2014 in addition to Andrew’s

recent Chef of The Year award. Although a Bib Gourmand pub in the Michelin guide, this most welcoming pub offers simple, British cooking with a stylish twist. With signature dishes such as ‘Pig Grill with Hispi Cabbage, Mash & Roast Apples’, which consists of Andrew’s home-made black pudding, faggot sausage, confit pork belly and pork fillet all made with pork from the neighbouring Red Lion Farm, Andrew loves to work with top quality local ingredients where possible. The Red Lion not only offers exceptional service but champions the best local produce making absolutely everything themselves. We promise a dining experience you won’t forget. To be in with a chance of winning a one night stay for two people at Chilterns View

plus a £50 voucher for The Red Lion, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk In which village is The Red Lion located? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by March 10th, 2015.

A Chilterns View eco-lodge

Inside one of the lodges

The Red Lion

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

View from a hot tub at Chilterns View

l www.thechilternsview.co.uk www.theredlionbritwellsalome.co.uk www.farmandcountryvenues.co.uk T&Cs: Chilterns View is for adults only, no children under 18 permitted and no pets. Stay valid Sun-Thur nights only (not Fri/Sat). Check in from 2pm, out by 10am the following morning. Prize must be redeemed by 30th April 2015. Red Lion Voucher cannot be used on Sun 15th March or Sun 5th April. NB Red Lion is closed Mon/Tue.

Wedding feature

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

A B C AYLESBURY BULLION COMPANY The Family of Jewellers

11a, High St Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP20 1SH Tel:

01296 423198

Jewellery designed and produced to your specifications, or choose from our extensive range of new, secondhand and antique pieces. l Diamond merchants (certified stones always available) l Antique restorations l Hand engraving

l Valuations: insurance and (carried out on the premises) l Insurance claims advisors l Complete repair service

probate

Servicing of Rolex, Tag, Omega, Raymond Weil, Gucci etc. Batteries fitted and waterproof testing carried out on the premises. Top prices paid in cash for antique and modern jewellery, watches (especially Rolex), coins, gold, silver, platinum and scrap precious metals. Part exchange available.

11a High Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1SH

Tel: 01296 423198 www.aylesburybullion.co.uk

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Column: ‘Kiss & tell’ with Tracy Kiss

Playing the dating game!

upid has really been on Russell Brand for personality and my case this February, outlook - living in rural Wendover aggressively sharpening has clearly given me a soft spot for his arrows and reminding leaves - rustle, rustle! In my eyes, me not to be a spinster for the rest looks are not important, as we’ll all of my life! I have just a couple of grow old eventually, put on weight years until I reach the big threeand lose our hair - it’s personality oh, (eek!) and my typical evening and the ability to build a lifelong involves tucking my two children friendship that matters to me. into bed, pouring myself Come the day I a cup of green tea and was too nervous to rattling around the eat anything and house alone. It’s all too realised I’d forgotten easy to lose touch with that dressing for a the world of dating date is possibly just as when you’ve had your difficult as the actual heart broken and are going out itself! I reluctant to love again frantically covered my for fear of a repeat, but bedroom floor with a recent invitation to the entire contents go on a blind date with of my wardrobe, ‘the man of my dreams’ eventually settling for Channel 4’s hit TV for a pair of tartan series First Dates, was a trousers, ankle boots challenge I simply could and a black lace Good to go: Tracy, not resist. blouse. I reapplied ready for her blind date! my deodorant several I was asked who my dream date/celebrity times and nervously crush is, to which I responded chewed off all my lipgloss! Russell Crowe for manliness and Walking into the arranged

restaurant at St Paul’s in London, I felt like a rabbit caught in headlights as I was greeted by cameras and crew. Was my date already there? Would he like me? Would I like him? Would I trip over, or choke on my food, on national television? Thankfully not. I was shown to my table, my nerves steadied by a Cosmopolitan, and seconds later was greeted by my very tall and handsome date for the evening. I was pleasantly surprised to have been paired with a date who was exactly the same age as me, lives just a short drive away and surprisingly shares the same common interests in life. The conversation didn’t just flow, it gushed like a geyser and the hours rolled past as we laughed and drank our way through three courses, a bottle of wine and copious amounts of cocktails, in a beautiful restaurant filled with fellow first daters. My first ever blind date was the most hilarious and wonderful experience which I now wholeheartedly recommend. The

Tracy Kiss

Kiss & tell series is on air from February, so keep an eye out for us and how we got on. If you’re in a relationship this Valentine’s remember it’s the little things that count, the thoughtful everyday gestures and time spent together, not the cost of a present or going somewhere flash. And if like me you’ve been nursing a wounded heart, then the best way to make it better is to allow it to grow again. Happy Valentine’s! l Read Tracy’s blog at: www.tracykiss.com or follow her on: Twitter: @kisstracy4 Facebook: /TheTracyKiss

‘When you want your wedding flowers to be just perfect’

Call 01296 423233 for a free consultation with one of our wedding specialists 43b Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, HP20 2NQ Tel: 01296 423233 Email: suesflowers2@hotmail.com www.suesflowers.co.uk facebook.com /suesflowersaylesbury

w Weddings w Corporate w Special Occasions w w Birthdays Parties w Sympathy w Gifts w w Soft Toys w Wines and Champagne w Innovative, contemporary and traditional designs 24

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Fashion, Jewellery, Gifts & Interiors

D ‘

Jane with Sunday girl Angie

ry your eyes Sunday Girl,’ sang Blondie but if you should meet the lovely Angie, White Hart Studio’s resident Sunday Girl, while having a leisurely browse of a Sabbath, you’ll discover that if there are watery eyes to be dabbed, then it’s more likely to be tears of laughter that’s the cause. Angie has worked at the Haddenham store for eight years now, much to her surprise. “I’m sure it’s only five,” she says. “Time flies when you’re having fun! I do love my job here.” This is not surprising, for Angie is not only surrounded by the most gorgeous selection of jewellery, gifts, clothing, homeware and ladies fashion items but she gets to meet many of the lovely White Hart Studio customers, who are friendly, sophisticated, cosmopolitan sorts and share Angie’s enthusiasm for the unique collection of often different, unusual and rather fab lifestyleenhancing items Jane has sourced for her store. At this time of year with Valentine’s Day and Mothering Sunday coming up fast you may wish to check out the gorgeous jewellery, especially the stunning collections of handmade silver jewellery by designers new to White Hart - Cindy Ashbridge and Anna Calvert. There’s also greetings cards and fun sweets from Candy House such as Jelly Beans and Love Hearts with messages like ‘Hot Lips’, ‘Love You’ and ‘Be My Valentine’. Chic Spring fashions are appearing too and a beautiful range of cashmere and cotton from Needle (again new to White Hart) whose designer is from Brill. Don’t waste your weekend, have a stroll around Haddenham, feed the ducks, have a pub lunch or a coffee at Little Italy and pop into the White Hart Studio - it’s what Sundays are made for! l White Hart Studio, 15 Churchway, Haddenham, HP17 8AB Tel: 01844 292308 Open Tue-Sat 10am-5pm & Sun 11am-4pm Website: www.whitehartstudio.com

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Amanda Trott

l Column

One of the perks of being Beauty Editor at Vale Life Magazine is that I get to try out some of the amazing treatments on offer in the best salons and spas we have in and around the Vale. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it...

efore I embark on the next round of pampering and preening, I thought I would do a little round up of the fabulous treatments and experiences I had a chance to sample last year, so here goes... Way back in February’s edition, a year ago, I visited Monera Beauty Clinic in Thame where I gave my skin a treat with microdermabrasion. Monera has been established for some 20 plus years and pride themselves on great customer care, wonderful products and highly trained and knowledgable therapists. Microdermabrasion involves a stream of fine micro-particles which are blasted over the face in a criss cross pattern by a kind of skin vacuum cleaner. Movement of these crystals under pressure loosens and partially removes the outermost epidermal layer of the skin by means of a gentle sandblasting effect. Once the outer layer of skin has been removed, the layers of skin beneath increase their production of new skin cells to renew the surface layer. Acne sufferers can benefit greatly from this treatment on a regular basis if suffering from a build up of dead skin cells, excess sebum and scarring from previous outbreaks. It is also fantastic for reducing fine lines and wrinkles and generally improving the skin’s texture, not to mention zapping those troublesome blackheads! For the March/April edition I visited The Belmore Centre at Stoke Mandeville to try out the much talked about LVL (lift, volumise, lengthen) Lashes. The Belmore Centre offer a wider range of therapies than any other centre across the whole of the Home Counties so are often the first to showcase new treatments. LVL Lashes are a modern treatment that give you longer looking lashes without the need for lash extensions or harsh perming techniques.

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Health & Beauty

Amanda Trott

Beauty Spot

hair that lasts for 100 days, and you can even have your hair coloured straight after. This unique treatment lets you loose the frizz whilst maintaining the bounce and volume, giving you even more styling freedom and an unbelievably healthy shine. December I was once again heading off to The Belmore Centre where my hands were treated to a Diamond Peel Hand Treatment. The Diamond Peeling system, which smoothes and regenerates the skin, takes the natural process of skin renewal, which slows down as we age, and speeds it up. This mechanical peeling process involves no pain, recovery time or irritation and is a fantastic anti-ageing treatment for the hands. Diamond Peel leaves the skin feeling soft and silky and looking radiant and visibly plumper! The diamond heads glide effortlessly over the skin performing the perfect peel, LED lights set at varying wavelengths are Eclipse Hair Design in Thame for the September edition trying out then used for different purposes, for Kebelo, the revolutionary smoothing example, green calms and reduces treatment which gives you amazingly redness, blue cools and offers antibacterial effects, red rejuvenates smooth, frizz-free, glossy, easy to manage hair. The Kebelo smoothing and stimulates the lymphatic system, treatment is achieved in three simple whilst yellow tones and smoothes the skin, as well as promoting the steps: cleanse, treat and maintain. production of collagen. Using Kebelo pioneered This 30 minute treatment includes carbocysteine hair technology that a moisturising mask and hand allows the treatment to support, strengthen and revitalise each strand massage leaving you with hands that really do look 10 years younger! from within, weak, dull, frizzy, unhealthy hair is transformed to If you are a salon and would like beautiful smooth locks filled with me to review any new treatments bounce and volume. Within a couple of hours you can over the coming year, please get in touch, I’d love to hear from you. walk out of the salon with perfect Here’s to a beautiful 2015!

Amanda at Monera last February undergoing Microdermabrasion

They are low-maintenance and long-lasting and the results are immediately visible, and can last up to 6 weeks, which could make them a more cost effective, lower maintenance alternative to lash extensions. LVL uses an innovative technique to gently lift and straighten the lashes, creating lashes that look thicker and more voluminous. LVL uses silicon shields, rather than rods, so that the gel formulation lifts and straightens the lash rather than curling it, resulting in stunning length, volume and lift for your natural eyelashes. I was on home territory at

Aqua Sana Spa, Woburn

In our Dec/Jan edition Amanda wrote about the new Aqua Sana Spa at Center Parcs, Woburn. If you wish to find out more about the spa, or book in for a treatment, day spa experience or overnight stay in a Spa Suite, this is where you look: www.aquasana.co.uk Tel: 0344 826 6205

l Amanda is a talented and experienced, Vidal Sassoon trained hair stylist. If you would like to experience the Kebelo Smoothing System, or to have your hair cut, styled or coloured by Amanda she is available in Thame from Mondays to Thursdays at Eclipse Hair Design. Call 01844 260062 to book or arrange a free consultation.

Providing the ultimate salon experience

Meet the team! Let us brighten up these grey Winter days at Eclipse Hair Design Louise - Salon Owner

Vicki - Salon Director

Sam - Principal Director

Steph - Senior Designer

Chloe - Senior Designer

Kelly - Designer

ere at Eclipse we aim to delight our customers by providing the ultimate salon experience. Not only is our team of stylists and colour experts trained to the highest level, to ensure you get the colour and cut you desire, but we also pride ourselves on our welcoming atmosphere and excellent service. Our clients come to Eclipse for more than just a hairstyle and we work hard to ensure that time spent with us is an enjoyable experience. Our team can also provide after-care advice and show you the best products to

maintain your style and the condition of your hair. Whether you need a cut and finish, redesign, blow dry, Kebelo Smoothing Treatment, colour, hair up, wedding hair or Express Color Service we are here to help. Salon News: Eclipse Senior Designer Steph is now be available from Wednesday-Saturday. Congratulations to Kelly and Emma who have been promoted from Graduate Designers to Designers. Vacancies: We have two part-time shampooist/salon helper positions available. You would

Bev - Principal Director

- Emma - Designer

Amanda - Principal Director

Amy - Assistant

Courtney - Assistant

Gracie - Assistant

Shannon - Assistant

Jenna - Receptionist

Ellen - Receptionist

Ginette - Receptionist

be required to work Mondays from 12-6pm starting in February.

Experience preferred Please call 01844 but not essential as full 260062 to arrange an training will be given. informal interview.

Eclipse Hair Design, 56 North Street, Thame, OX9 3BH Tel: 01844 260062 Web: www.eclipsehair-design.co.uk Email: info@eclipsehair-design.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @eclipsethame and Facebook Eclipse Hair Design

STOP PRESS... online booking service - see: www.eclipsehair-design.co.uk Like us on Facebook for up to date information and promotions: Eclipse Hair Design

Bow House is proud to celebrate the fact that they have been short listed for two prestigious awards Private Dentistry and also Dentistry Awards for...

Best Practice Best Marketing Best UK Practice Treatment carried out by Dr Edward Masheder BDS MFDS RCS PGcert IMPLANTS

We offer a full range of treatment such as:

After Veneers

Before

Cosmetic Makeovers (Veneers) • Implants • Invisible Braces (Invisalign®)

• Sedation • Tooth Whitening (ZOOM!) • Injectable Wrinkle Treatment Before

O% finance*

After Invisalign®

*Terms and condions apply. Subject to status

State of the art technology Late Evenings & Saturday Morning appointments available

> Before

> Cerec

After

Simply call now for a friendly no obligation chat Tel: 01442 890 384 Bow House a Centre of Dental Excellence, 75 Western Road, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 4BH

T 01442 890 384 E info@bowhousedental.co.uk W www.bowhousedental.co.uk 28

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Health & Fitness l

Column: Fitness Focus with Jacky Faulkner

Fight yourself fit

Health & Fitness

Jacky, right, coaching a pupil

acky Faulkner started There are three types of swords fencing 26 years ago and used in modern fencing, each is now a Level 3 Fencing with different rules applying in Coach. “I enjoy fencing because it’s a game of physical chess, played at lightning speed,” says Jacky. “It’s a great way to keep fit, find focus and have a fun workout - a way of relieving the stresses of the week! “Fencing is essentially a combat sport to be enjoyed by Fencing competition anyone from 8 years to 108 and there are a wide variety of organised competitions held competition. They are: epée, sabre throughout the country almost and foil. every weekend.” An epée is a heavy thrusting Fencing is one of the few weapon. It is the modern version disciplines that took place in the of the duelling rapier and the very first Modern Olympics back in principles are still the same. Only 1896, and it is still played today. hits made with the point of the Great British Foilist, James Davis epée are counted. won Gold last year in the 2014 The sabre was originally used by European Fencing Championships. mounted soldiers and is mainly a Aged 22, James is the youngest cutting weapon. member of the British fencing team The foil is the fastest weapon. It and there are high hopes that he was traditionally a light practice will go on to win a medal in the Rio weapon with which only ‘fatal’ Olympic Games next year. thrusts counted. Therefore the

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target area is limited to the trunk of the opponent’s body. Foil is a priority weapon. This means that if your opponent attacks you by straightening their arm, you must defend yourself, by parrying, before you can attack back. Fencing is great fun and a good way to stay in shape and if you fancy giving it a try Jacky is running courses at The Green Park Centre, Aston Clinton. See their website at www.green-park.org.uk for details or call: 0330 3030 101. “The foil is the weapon we will be using at Green Park,” says Jacky. “The Sportivate Fencing Course will include an introduction to all three weapons used in modern fencing and to moving, hitting your opponent, attack, defence, tactics, fencing on the

Jacky Faulkner Fencing

piste and how to judge a bout. l Fencing at Green Park: 11-18 year olds,equipment provided. Start date Fri, 27th Feb 6.15pm - 7.45pm. £30 for 6 weeks. Green Park, Stablebridge Road, Aston Clinton. To book call: 0330 3030 101 option 1, or email: bookings@alfcharity.org www.green-park.org.uk l Jacky Faulkner is one of the core coaches for the U19 Southern Region British Fencing Team; acting coach for the Southern Region Cadet Winton squad; and a Coach Educator for the British Fencing Association. She is based in Bucks and coaches at several local schools and clubs. www.jfaulknerfencingcoach.com

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Call now 01494 555204 Monday to Friday ( 9 am to 5 pm) or email for an appointment: c.v.health@nhs.net Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Column: Fitness Focus with Emma Redding

Health & Fitness

Blame it on the buggy

uggyfit has become a most popular way to lose post baby weight and get back in shape while still being a devoted Mum. All Buggyfit classes are outdoors, which research shows burns more fat and raises your endorphin surge (happy hormones) helping with postnatal depression. Exercising on a park bench Classes are specifically designed with the needs of new Mums in mind, and Mums with their buggys at Waddesdon Manor. are led by fully trained and insured pre and postnatal and uses her pre and postnatal fitness professionals. expertise to train Mums at Buggyfit Classes are based on classes in Thame and at Waddesdon power walking with some Manor. optional jogging too and Buggyfit was launched after are proving to be the best the birth of Emma’s Son in 2002, way to get back to fitness, ‘the ultimate class for Mums and enabling her and her postnatal with baby enjoying the fresh air too. babies’. friends to get out and exercise, It is easy to see why buggyfit Emma Redding, the founder instead of sitting in the coffee shop is on the increase. There are no of Buggyfit grew up in and lives all morning. crèche or babysitting expenses, near Thame. Emma is a qualified New Buggyfit classes are opening just a great mix of fat-burning and personal trainer and member of around the UK every month and re-toning with baby by your side The Guild of Post-natal Exercise provide a social, fitness class for and friends to chat to, for that all Teachers. Mums and babies with the perfect important emotional support. This She trains clients with varying mix of cardio vascular fat burning could be why The Times hailed it as goals in her studio at home exercises and strengthening, toning

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Emma Redding Buggyfit

and stretching. The buggyfit trainers use their skills to make use of outdoor objects such as farm gates and park benches to instruct exercises to retone and re condition all muscles. “Classes are fun and suitable for all fitness levels,” says Emma. “We target areas that have been weakened in pregnancy and childbirth such as butts, thighs, arms and abs, with particular emphasis on good posture while we do them.” l Emma runs Buggyfit classes in Thame on a Monday and at Waddesdon Manor on Thursdays. For more information on becoming a buggyfit trainer or to find a class near you visit: www.buggyfit.co.uk or call Emma Redding on: 01844 202081, Email: emma@buggyfit.co.uk

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

It’s called ‘The Diamond of the Alps’ and with its wide open ski runs, state-of-the-art lifts, lack of queues, excellent restaurants and beautiful panoramic Alpine setting, Obergurgl is a real gem of a place to enjoy top quality skiing, snowboarding, or maybe even tobogganing...

cross the Alps there was real concern by Christmas that the 2014-15 Winter Sports season was going to be a bit of a flop. The early snow had either failed to materialise or had fallen and then melted as temperatures rose back above freezing. Up at the top of the Otzal Valley in Austria there were no such worries. Obergurgl (1930m) and her sister resort of Hochgurgl (2150m) are high and snow-sure and opened in mid-November as usual for a ski season that will extend until late April. When my wife Amanda and I arrived in mid January on an Inghams ski holiday, conditions were perfect, the snow was deep and plentiful and continued to fall as we wound our way up to the resort from Innsbruck airport (a 90 minute drive). We then had several days of sunshine and blue skies and temperatures only a few degrees below zero, unusually warm for the time of year but great for us, as January skiing can be chilly! Walter Ingham, founder of the Inghams’ tour operation brought his first party of skiers to Obergurgl in 1934 - you had to walk up to ski back down in those day! Things are very different today and Inghams offer some fantastic holidays in the area.

Hotel Austria

Taking the HoHe Mut Bahn from Obergurgl Each year Obergurgl-Hochgurgl is the first non-glacier ski area in the Tirol to open its slopes. The area is constantly improving local amenities and infrastructure and their forward thinking attitude shows in that they are currently trialling a new eco-friendly snow making machine. It’s a piece of scientific wizardry that produces an artificial snow cloud which in turn snows top-quality snow. Not only is it more like real snow than the

snow currently produced by snow cannons but its low density means using significantly less energy and water resources. Gurgl means ‘village in the glacier-crowned area’ and Obergurgl, a few miles above Sölden, is Austria’s highest parish. More of a sleepy hamlet than a village, it’s a pretty location with beautiful mountain views and a small, quiet centre (there are very few cars and driving is forbidden at night). Those looking for a party town might prefer Solden, just down the valley, for in Obergurgl most people stay in one of the large spa hotels and although there are several bars and restaurants on the slopes, including the Nederhütte, which is near the bottom of a blue run back to the village and hosts a great après-ski on a Tuesday with live music, the nightlife is fairly relaxed and mostly consists of dinner and drinks at the hotel bar. It’s perfect for families and couples though and if you have the energy you can ice skate, try curling, night ski, go to see the weekly ski show, or join the Inghams quiz night. Before tourism this was a very poor area - in 1910 only 39 people actually lived in the

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

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Information Ötztal Tourismus Parkplatz Speicherteich Beschneiung Wintersperre Timmelsjoch

‘The best prepared pistes I have ever skied on!’

Skiing the Ferwalltal red 7 run from the top of Festkoglbahn

intermediates and even advanced skiers and snowboarders happy. Beginners are well catered for too though. The ski schools are easy to access and many runs are exceptionally wide which means more space and safer skiing. It is a compact resort, so it’s easy to meet up with friends or family for lunch or fun on the slopes or pick the kids up from ski school. Best of all, with an excellent mountain lift system (the 24 lifts can transport up to 40,000 people an hour) and several base terminals Obergurgl! In 1949 the first T-bar ski lift was in the village centre, queues for lifts are very built though and another chair lift up to Hohe unusual. Mut peak added in 1953 (these have since been As an intermediate skier I found plenty to updated with the latest modern equipment). occupy me for a week. With excellent lifts, no The Timmelsjoch high Alpine pass road was queues and so much space on the pistes, you completed in 1960, and the hotel village of can cover a lot of ground in a short time. You Hochgurgl was built at the same time. The might not realise how much, but your legs will Hochgurgl and Obergurgl ski areas are now tell you by lunchtime! connected by the Top Express eight-person The slopes at Obergurgl are possibly the gondola (built in the late 1990s) as well as an most perfectly pisted I’ve ever come across efficient ski bus service and your area ski pass and were in good order all day for our stay. If allows access to some 110km/68 miles of you like to be first on the fresh pistes though perfectly groomed pistes, all above the tree-line you can steal a march on the rest and enjoy and with plenty of runs steep enough to keep fresh powder or virgin groomed slopes by

going on a ‘First Line’ session - Obergurgl Ski School guides take small groups out on the pristine slopes even before the ski lifts officially open every Monday, from December onwards. Your early morning downhill adventures from Festkogel and Hohe Mut are followed by an early riser breakfast served at Hohe Mut Alm.

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

For those who like snow parks there’s plenty of action to be had at the Quattro Fun Park next to the Bruggenboden lift at Obergurgl. Fun features include boxes, jumps, jibs, rails and tubes for all ages and preferences. There’s also the Funslope at Hochgurgl - take the Hochgurglbahn bubblelift to the top and then the gondola Wurmkoglbahn. The upper part of the Funslope has some swift banked turns, two small jumps, a 7m long tunnel and a huge Fun-Twister. On your way, you will also pass various obstacles, such as a 5m Rainbow Butter-Box, curved in the form of a bow, and a slippery tub to challenge your balance. There’s also a motivational, giant hand, which you can high-five after successfully completing your run! The lower part of the Funslope boasts a multitude of tracks with banked runs, snowy hills, another tunnel and more jumps, all of which you can ride at your own speed! Obergurgl also boasts some outstanding free-riding for those who prefer to go off the beaten tracks. There’s a special Freeride Map listing a number of scenic off-piste routes for all skill levels. It’s best to do this sort of thing with a local guide though and there are plenty you can hire through the ski school at very reasonable rates. Obergurgl boasts a wealth of large, luxurious spa hotels and our accommodation at Hotel Austria was fabulous. Located just a few yards from the piste and offering three lifts and a ski school just a minute down the run, Hotel Austria is the sister hotel of the Bellevue, which houses the impressive shared spa facilities and is connected by an underground passage.

Hotel Austria Both hotels are owned by the friendly Steiner family, Hans-Peter and his wife look after The Austria while his sister manages The Bellevue. The spacious, comfortable and homely hotels are traditionally furnished and typically Austrian with some stunning carved wood ceilings. In The Austria there’s a large bar area and cosy lounge with open fire, pleasant restaurant and handy boot/ski room located by the front door. The ambience is relaxed, service friendly and efficient and food excellent and plentiful. We only dipped a toe in the extensive wine list but particularly enjoyed the Koenigsegg Schloss Halbturn a deliciously fruity red from Eastern Austria and a gorgeous Sepp Moser Riesling Beerenauslese dessert wine. Our room was large, comfortably furnished with sofas and coffee table as well as large double bed, dressing tables and two flat screen televisions. It had satellite TV, telephone, radio,

Top Mountain Star bar has stunning panoramic views across the mountains from 3080m

safe and internet access. The bathroom was nice too, a good size, with bath and shower and a separate loo. Hot water was plentiful and the hotel was generally warm and cosy. We actually had the window open a crack a couple of nights as were almost too warm in bed! The food at The Austria was very good. Breakfast was a fabulous hot and cold buffet, the hot items being boiled eggs and toast and the cold an amazing selection of meats, cheeses, pastries, cereal, fruit, yogurts, breads and so on - delicious! Arriving back around 4pm you’d find cakes or a snack laid out in the comfortable bar/ lounge area, ideal to tide you through until dinner, although you had to pay for a cup of tea or coffee to go with this. We found beer and schnapps a good alternative though and enjoyed chatting to Gerhard the bar manager who seemed to be on duty 24-7! The four course evening meal with three choices of main dish plus salad buffet was varied, plentiful and nicely presented. If there was any criticism it would be that service was at times almost too quick, but a mention to the waiter was taken on board and allowed us a little more time to relax between courses. High spots included the weekly gala dinner, with wine-matching if you fancied and the Farmers’ Buffet which was a real meat feast and included Glazed Veal Knuckle, Crispy Pork Belly, Roast Lamb, Roast Pork, Spareribs, Weiner Schnitzel and barbecued chicken... yum, we certainly didn’t go hungry! Additional plus points are the shared spa

Charlie and Amanda outside the Top Mountain Star bar, left.

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Left: Wrapped up to watch the ski instructors show off their skills at the weekly ski show (above). breathtaking views. And the sunny Hohe Mut Alm which nestling at 2670m above Obergurgl is also worth visiting, not only for the views but their excellent cuisine too. Also worth catching is the spectacular, free, weekly ski show at the top of the Festkoglbahn lift, featuring many of the ski school instructors showing off their talents plus the chance to do a spot of night-skiing on the floodlit pistes, although most of the audience facilities - you have access to the swimming get the gondola up and down. pool, sauna, jacuzzi, gym and solarium at Finally, even if you are a keen skier or Hotel Bellevue via an underground corridor. snowboarder and can’t imagine taking time out Spa treatments are available and there is a to toboggan, think again! special offer on a specific treatment most Hochgurgl has a cracking toboggan run that days, details being in a daily newsletter on your breakfast table (ie Reflexology Foot Massage - will delight children and adults alike. For 10 euros you hire your toboggan for the day from 25mins/25 euros). the shop at the bottom of Hochgurglbahn lift, Another plus is that owner Hans Peter Steiner and his family are connected with Sport take it up in the telecabine and then have a Lohmann ski hire shop and hotel in the village, thrilling 30 minutes or so coming back down a specially constructed toboggan run - awesome so when you choose your hire equipment, it can be delivered and picked up from the hotel fun and I guarantee you’ll be straight back up for another go! boot room for you. There is also a courtesy We had an amazing time in Obergurgl with bus service from the shop to the hotel which Inghams. The holiday company has specialised is handy as although it’s not very far, it’s a in ski holidays for 79 years and know the best strenuous walk up a short steep hill! resorts and places to stay and how to make Prices are reasonable in the area with food your holiday special. They sort out all the and drink costing much the same, if not less than it would be back in the UK. Three or four hassley things like transfers, ski hire and lift passes and their friendly, knowledgeable resort euros for a beer or seven or eight for a snack in a mountain restaurant seems excellent value. reps are widely acknowledged to be the best in the business. They even offer the option Not to be missed is a trip up Wurmkogl to the ‘Top Mountain Star’ 360-degree panorama of joining them on social skiing trips which is a fun way of making friends while seeing the bar perched on the ridge at 3080m. It’s a stunning James Bond style bar/restaurant with mountains with someone who knows their way

around already. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Obergurgl or Hotel Austria as the perfect place for a ski holiday, I certainly intend to return as soon as possible! l Charlie and Amanda Trott travelled to Obergurgl, Austria in January with Inghams Inghams, Tel: 01483 791114 Web: www.inghams.co.uk For more information about Tirol: www.visittirol.co.uk or about Obergurgl www.obergurgl.com

Ski Obergurgl Factbox Inghams (www.inghams.co.uk) Tel: 01483 791 114 Inghams offer a choice of 15 properties in the resort of Obergrugl, including the 4* Hotel Austria. A week’s half board starts from £799 per person, including flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck and transfers. 6 day ski and boot hire starts from £98 per person 6 day whole area lift pass starts from £189 3 day lessons starts from £135 per person For more information about Tirol www.visittirol.co.uk or about Obergurgl www.obergurgl.com

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Supporting total Hospice care for local families affected by life-limiting illness

Let’s get glowing!

‘GLO for FLO’ is the call to join this year’s popular ladies’ Midnight walking challenge! Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity’s biggest fundraiser of the year is back, with a brand new neon twist...

ith electric and colour events all the rage at the moment, the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity (FNHC) has revamped its flagship event, supported by Mix96, to appeal to supporters who have either taken on the challenge before and those who have never tried it! Two route options are available, a six and a 13-mile (half marathon) walking challenge - which both start and finish at Aylesbury College. “We’re very excited about bringing something visually different to our annual Midnight Walk event, which is now in its sixth year,” said FNHC’S Karen Shardlow. “We’ll have glow-in-the-

We need Volunteers

Skydivers!

dark T-shirts, light-up accessories and neon face-painting on the night. It’s a fantastic event, not only to organise, but also to take part in and we’re hoping our supporters are ready to get behind it once again. Together, we’re going to light-up the night sky in support of Florence Nightingale Hospice!”

6 or 13 mile ladies sponsored walk in aid of

11 For more information or to register, please visit

www.gemstonewalk.co.uk

#gemstonemidnightwalk

@fnhospice

supported by

www.fnhospice.org.uk

01296 429975 This is a charity event raising funds for Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity, Registered Charity Number: 1119499

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

MK Half Marathon runners

How to take part You can enter online as an individual or as a team at: www.gemstonewalk.co.uk or contact the Fundraising Team on: 01296 429975. Registration for the event costs £17 per person, which includes walker entry, a souvenir T-shirt, training pack, refreshments on route, plus a hot and cold breakfast and souvenir medal on completion of the challenge.

From event set-up to take-down, to mile-marking, marshalling and manning registration desks on the night - we have a volunteer role to suit you! So if you fancy lending a hand at this year’s Florence Nightingale Hospice Midnight Walk, call the Midnight Walk team on: 01296 429975 or email: fundraising@fnhospice.org.uk

“The event has so far raised over £300,000 which you can imagine is a significant contribution towards ensuring the future funding of local palliative care services in Aylesbury Vale and surrounding area,” says Karen. l Facebook: /gemstonemidnightwalk Twitter: @gemstonewalk The Florence Nightingale Hospice Website: www.fnhospice.org.uk Facebook: /florencenightingalehospice Twitter: @fnhospice

Choose YOUR challenge for Florence Nightingale Hospice! MK Marathon Bank Holiday Monday 4th May. Didn’t get a London Marathon ballot place? Then why not take on a marathon challenge in Milton Keynes for the Hospice instead? Choose Florence and take on this 26.2 mile flatter and greener route. Grand Union Challenge Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th June. Walk it, jog it, run it – do it YOUR way! This is a new endurance challenge along the Grand Union towpath; from the heart of London out towards the Chilterns. Choose to take on 100km, 50km or 25km for Florence! A test of stamina and dedication. Isle of Wight Challenge Saturday 29th - Sunday 30th August Bank holiday weekend fun in this 106km or ‘half island’/56km challenge. Walk it, jog it, run it - do it YOUR way! Starting from West Cowes en route to the Needles. Breath-taking scenery awaits you! Your Isle of Wight challenge will be remembered for many a Bank Holiday to come!

Thames Path Challenge Saturday 12th - Sunday 13th September. Choose to take on 25k, 50k, 75k or 100k and set out from Putney Bridge, through scenic villages and historic towns. Food and drink stops on route. So choose your distance and set your own challenge in aid of Florence Nightingale Hospice. Take to the skies for Florence! Take on a tandem sky dive with a group of friends or work colleagues, and get a real adrenalin rush! This is the ultimate challenge for those who like to push themselves to the limit and an experience you will never forget. Next available date is Sunday 10th May, Hinton Airfield, Brackley. l To find out more information

about any of these events, and more, visit: www.fnhospice.org.uk/main_ menu/events/challenge-events/, email: fundraising@fnhospice.org.uk or call: 01296 429975.

Column: Penny Harper ‘Thoughts of a small town girl’

Boxing clever…

y one-year-old niece is a girl after my own heart. She was recently given some sort of plastic, all-singing, all-dancing musical monstrosity by someone who wouldn’t be stuck in the house listening to it for days on end and promptly ignored the toy. Instead she clambered into the box it came in and spent a considerable part of the afternoon playing in the box. I laughed because just days before we’d had a printer delivered to school and whilst everyone else was busy working out how to plug it in and what its capabilities were… I got into the box. I’ll admit, it was a bit of a funny thing to do and the kids did look at me as if to say, ‘you’re clearly a nutter’, but then one by one, they all asked if they could have a turn sitting in the box. When we were little, my brothers and I used to go crazy for a gigantic cardboard box. We would save the really big, sturdy ones and then sit in them and watch telly. If we were really good we got to eat our tea in them. Those were magic days... I like big boxes and I defy anyone

not to feel perfectly tranquil and safe and protected while spending quality time in a box. I personally think the solution to the January/Winter Blues is to get yourself some quality cardboard. I bring this up now, because there are still plenty of boxes around following the Christmas festivities/January sales, but failing that, you might be able to pick something good up in the local supermarket. You don’t have to tell them what it’s for. At lunchtime that same day, a good friend stopped by my office. She’s in a permanent state of distress at the moment because she’s waiting for a box - or rather, a box with a ring in it. She can’t understand why he (the boyfriend) hasn’t proposed yet, despite the fact they talk about what’s going to happen when they’re married, and where they’ll hold the ceremony etc. I tried to argue that if he was already saying things like that then they are, to all intents and purposes,

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Penny Harper

Maru enjoys some box time already engaged. Apparently, without the appearance of that ring box, it doesn’t count. I offered her a cuppa to console her and then asked if she wanted to get into the box. I tried to explain that sometimes it’s not what’s IN the box- it’s just about the box. She declined (I suspect because she is slightly more normal than I am) but then told me about a cat called Maru who is apparently an internet sensation. Maru loves nothing more than sitting in boxes and will squish himself into the smallest of spaces, or launch himself from the top of bookshelves to try and get into a particularly tall box. I think Maru loves jumping into cardboard boxes even more than I do. My friend went home to unpack

Small Town

Girl

some of the boxes in her house (still not emptied from when her boyfriend moved his things in which, I pointed out, is a BIG sign of commitment) and I am proud to report that I received a photo that evening of the two of them - each sat in one of the boxes, enjoying a beer. They looked happy. I’m not saying it’s the solution to all of life’s problems, and I’m not going to get all ‘new age’ and preachy, because that’s not what the boxes are about. Let’s not make it more than it is: it’s sitting in a box. And so will I be… when the bell goes.

Snow place like it!

hether you are going on your first ski holiday, or returning to the mountains for the umpteenth time, a bit of practice on real snow before you go will enhance your holiday no end and here in the Vale we are fortunate to live only a short drive from Hemel Hempstead and one of the UK’s best indoor snow domes - The Snow Centre. Britain’s newest indoor skiing and snowboarding destination is really a giant fridge with a mountain of snow inside but it delivers a thrilling taste of Alpine adventure to help prepare you for your trip. You’ll find a huge 160m main slope as well as the largest indoor ski lesson slope in the UK. Both ski and snowboarding

slopes are over 30m wide, ideal for practicing snowploughs, turns and even tricks if you like to freestyle! Whether you’re a seasoned pro looking for a new freestyle park each week, just beginning your snowsports journey or simply want to have a whizz down the slopes on a Snow Centre sledge, you can do it at The Snow Centre. Skiers and snowboarders of all abilities are welcome, adults and juniors, and there’s a wide range of ski and board lessons and ski passes available - group lessons or one-on-one private lessons, there’s something for everyone. You can hire all the equipment you need and warm waterproof clothing too if necessary. After your session on the slope be sure to visit the Schuss Bar

for a free tea or coffee as part of your session and upstairs there’s an alpine themed restaurant - The Lodge Bar and Kitchen which offers panoramic views over the slope and a menu combining traditional favourites and delicious alpine dishes. There’s also large Snow and Rock store on the ground floor where you can gaze at the technical clothing and shiny skis and boots. Prices for Winter 2015 are currently: · Adult 1 Hour Lift Pass with equipment included from £27, 10% off this price when you pre-book online · Junior 1 Hour Lift Pass with

equipment included from £23, 10% off this price when you pre-book online · Junior 1 Hour Ski or Snowboard Group Lessons with equipment included from £35 (ages 4-16) · Adult 1 and a half Hour Ski or Snowboard Group Lessons with equipment included from £47 l The Snow Centre, St Albans Hill, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP3 9NH T: 0844 770 7227 E: information@thesnowcentre.com W: www.thesnowcentre.com Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

You don’t have to skydive or go trekking in The High Atlas Mountains to raise funds for Rennie Grove Hospice Care, but what fun and how satisfying to complete such a challenge while helping local families in need...

ennie Grove Hospice Care is calling for 30 local people to step out of their comfort zones and take on a sponsored challenge to help the charity mark 30 years of caring. Initially, as independent charities, Iain Rennie Hospice at Home and Grove House both started from small beginnings in 1985, but together, as Rennie Grove Hospice Care, they now care for over 3,000 local patients diagnosed with life-limiting illness and their families every year. “At Rennie Grove, we rely on the generosity of the general public to fund around 85% of our £6.5 million annual costs,” says Jo Hunt, Events Fundraiser at Rennie Grove Hospice Care, “and the money raised from our sponsored events makes a huge difference in helping us to meet the growing demand for care. “There are a variety of fundraising activities on offer to suit all abilities and interests, and one that the Events Team is particularly excited about this year is The Moroccan 3 Peaks Challenge.”

Happy trekkers reach their peak!

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Located in the High Atlas Mountain range, Morocco’s three highest peaks await - Toubkal, Ouanoukrim and M’Goun - all of which are over 4,000m above sea level, offering some amazing views of the country’s rugged and dramatic landscape. “This sponsored trek is a fantastic opportunity for someone with a sense of adventure to really test themselves,” says Jo. “Our Chilterns 3 Peaks Challenge has proved hugely popular over the past seven years, so we decided to go a step further and offer the ultimate 3 Peaks Challenge in Morocco’s Toubkal National Park.” Rennie Grove has partnered with The Different Travel Company for the trip, which will run from 19th27th September 2015 and is open to anyone over the age of 18. “For the best chance of success and the greatest enjoyment, you must have a good level of fitness to take part as it will be tough, but the knowledge that your achievement will make a real difference to local families will keep you going to the final peak,” says Jo. “You will be accompanied by professional English-speaking local guides who have an excellent knowledge of trekking and culture in the region and are first aid trained. You will also be supported by cooks, mules (and muleteers) and a Different Travel Company UK tour manager throughout.” All of the details and an information pack can be found on the charity’s website: www.renniegrove.org/

moroccan3peaks, and an information evening is planned for Tuesday 10th March at 7pm at Rennie House, Tring to answer any further questions. The closing date for registration is Thursday 19th March, and a £270 registration fee is payable at the time of booking. The trip includes flights from London, all transfers and transport in Morocco, accommodation, tents and sleeping mats on trek, and all meals. “By signing up you commit to raising at least £1,500 sponsorship,” says Jo. “The target may sound daunting, but broken down into smaller pieces it is easily achievable and the fundraising team will support you all the way and give you plenty of ideas about how you can raise funds to support local families.” If trekking isn’t your thing and you fancy a challenge closer to home, why not take part in another of the charity’s fundraising events: a Tandem Skydive Day? Rennie Grove has teamed up with Skyline for the event, which will take place on Saturday 27th June 2015 at Hinton Airfield in Brackley, and Jo is looking for people to join her for the jump. Those taking part will jump attached to a fully qualified

instructor who will do all the hard work, allowing you to enjoy the freefall at 10,000ft at a speed of 120mph through the clouds, before gliding back down to the ground below. All of the details can be found by visiting www.renniegrove. org/skydive where you can also download an information pack. Applications need to be received by 27th March along with a deposit of £70 to secure your place, and all participants pledge to raise a minimum of £395 in sponsorship. “The number of patients and families needing our support is predicted to rise steeply in the coming years and we need to raise more money to help us meet this demand,” says Jo. “We would love you to take part in one of our events to help us carry on caring for the next 30 years - and if you don’t fancy either of these suggestions, why not come up with your own sponsored challenge?” For more information on any of Rennie Grove’s sponsored events, please email Jo Hunt at: joanne.hunt@renniegrove.org or call the team on: 01442 820740. l Rennie Grove Hospice Care www.renniegrove.org

The Hell-Fire Caves

eep inside West Wycombe hill, accessed through a mock Gothic church flint façade are the unique manmade Hell-Fire caves, which were originally excavated in the 1740s by Sir Francis Dashwood of West Wycombe Park to provide employment for his villagers and were subsequently used to host meetings of his notorious HellFire Club. Now open to the public they are a fascinating experience whatever the weather. Since early times was an open-cast quarry on the side of the hill mining chalk for roads and for the foundations of houses in West Wycombe village. Sir Francis set about extending this quarry in order to relieve local unemployment caused by three successive harvest failures in the late 1740s and to provide material for a new straight main road between West Wycombe and High Wycombe, (now part of the A40). A long tunnel was dug a quarter of a mile into the hill with various chambers and passages leading off it, including a huge room half way down, built in a compass-like design with a spectacular ceiling, called the Banqueting Hall. The final destination, reached by crossing the ‘River Styx’, is the Inner

Temple Cave. The design of the Caves is clearly symbolic and Francis was no doubt inspired by his travels on his Grand Tour of Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Many of the new landowners at the time competed to create large estates with impressive houses, adorning them with all the latest fashions and artwork. Whilst many created extravagant follies above ground, he would be the first to do so on such a scale underground. The caves were all dug by hand and you can still see the actual individual pick marks on the walls. Soon after the caves were complete, Sir Francis established the Knights of Sir Francis of Wycombe, later to be known as the Hell-Fire Club, and the caves were used for a number of their infamous meetings and revelries. Members included statesmen Lord Sandwich and John Wilkes whilst Benjamin Franklin, a great friend of Sir Francis and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States was also an occasional visitor. By the 1760s the Hell-Fire Club had declined and after Sir Francis’s death in 1781 the Caves were neglected and fell into disrepair; some of the passages were partly blocked by huge boulders.

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by Cathy Soughton

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Entrance to The Hell-Fire Caves During WW2 the caves were to be used as an air-raid shelter but this did not materialise as Buckinghamshire’s rural position meant the area was not a significant enemy target. After the end of the war, Sir Francis Dashwood, the 11th Baronet, a descendant of his 18th century namesake decided to reopen the caves to the public. They were repaired and formally opened in 1951. A charge of one shilling per visitor included a candle. Since then the Caves have attracted around two and a half million visitors. There have been tales of ghosts inhabiting the Caves ever since they were dug and candlelit ghost tours and paranormal investigations are just some of the current activities available. During the winter months The Caves are open at weekends and school

holidays. From April to October they are open daily. More details are on the website: www.hellfirecaves.co.uk If you’d like the chance to win a free family ticket (2 adults & 3 children) to the visit The Hell-Fire Caves, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk When were the caves first dug out? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by March 10th, 2015. l Cathy Soughton is a professional genealogist and architectural historian providing family history and house history research. Tel: 01296 624845 Email: soughton@btopenworld.com Web: www.bucksresearch.co.uk

CARE SUPPORT WORKERS NEEDED Carers Trust Thames is hiring Care Support Workers. If you are reliable, enthusiastic and want to make a difference to the lives of vulnerable and disabled people in your community then we would love to hear from you.

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

l Column: Read all about it! Book reviews by The Book House, Thame

Historic novels will transport you back

anuary is not everyone’s favourite month, but a new crop of books is at hand to dispel the Winter blues! THE MINIATURIST: Jessie Burton (now out in paperback) Winter 1686 and 18-year old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam from the provinces. Her marriage to wealthy merchant Johannes Brandt is more of an arrangement than a love match and Johannes will not consummate the marriage. Instead he presents her with a dolls house, a miniature replica of their own cloistered home. Humiliated, Nella applies to a miniaturist to furnish it. But then the parcels start arriving: exquisite items that somehow replicate exactly those in the house, and seem to foretell events unfolding in the house and the city beyond. Secrets are spilling out, betrayals are bringing danger close and Nella becomes increasingly obsessed with the miniaturist, uncertain if she is prophet, guide or spy. Jessie Burton’s debut novel, has been widely praised. It is a

beautifully observed historical drama, which takes in the sights and sounds of the bustling trading hub of the Dutch Empire, and the Vermeer-like interiors of domestic life behind doors. The Earth Is Singing: Vanessa Curtis (older teen / young adult) Hanna is a fifteen-yearold girl living in Riga, Latvia, with her mother and grandmother. She has a boyfriend who hopes to join the police and has lots of friends. She is training to be a dancer at the capital’s prestigious ballet school. Latvia has been occupied by the Soviet Union and Hanna’s father has been taken by the Russians. Life is hard. In 1941 Latvia ends up in Nazi hands. Hanna is Jewish, and life is about to get much worse for her. Nearly all of Riga’s 30,000 Jews were murdered by the Nazis in 1941. This beautifully moving book is inspired by the lesser known story of the Riga Ghetto and the

Win church book

xfordshire’s Best Churches explores 116 of the county’s churches, their art and architecture, stonework and woodwork, stained glass and wall paintings - the features for which they are famed and the details that make them sing. The churches are richly illustrated with 340 colour photographs and numerous plans, and accompanied by a wide-ranging introduction and a comprehensive glossary – making this the ideal companion for those exploring the churches of Oxfordshire. ‘Oxfordshire is a church crawler’s paradise … And there is no better guide than this sumptuous book.’ Ancient Monuments Society. Following on from the success of the hardback edition, this authoritative and beautifully illustrated guide to the churches of Oxfordshire will soon be available in paperback, with a new cover, featuring Iffley St Mary’s (one of the county’s most instantly recognizable churches). Inside there has been a number of minor revisions to the text and images. If you would like the chance to win a copy of Oxfordshire’s Best 40

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Rumbula Massacre, and is an incredibly powerful, bleak and important tale, published in time for Holocaust Memorial Day. NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS: The Cat, The Dog, Little Red, The Exploding Eggs, The Wolf and Grandma’s Wardrobe by Diane and Christyan Fox A hilarious take on the tale of

Red Riding Hood, which will resonate with any parent who has had to put up with endless questions during a story session!. Beautifully illustrated in clean line drawings, and very funny. No Bears in This Book Meg Mckinley and Leila Rudge A story about story books, with one important omission - there are NO BEARS in it. This is Ruby’s story book and she is fed up of bears! She is in charge of the story, which has all the usual characters; princess, castles, monsters and fairies. In true story-telling fashion, all manner of disasters befall the princess before she is saved by her fairy godmother (who happens to be a bear, but shhh!, don’t tell Ruby… The quirky illustrations are perfect for 3-5 year olds.

l The Book House, 93 High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3HJ Tel: 01844 213032 anybook@thebookhousethame.co.uk www.thebookhousethame.co.uk Open Mon-Sat: 9am-5.30pm

Children love books!

Come and choose from the best children’s bookshop in the county: Churches, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question to: editor@vale-life.co.uk In which county is Iffley? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by March 10th, 2015. l Oxfordshire’s Best Churches Paperback publication 17th April 2015, Price £15.99 ISBN: 978-1-907700-04-0 www.firconebooks.com Twitter @firconebooks Facebook /firconebooks

THE BOOK HOUSE

93 High Street, Thame, Oxon OX9 3HJ Tel: 01844 213032 Open Mondays-Saturdays 9am-5.30pm

Website: www.thebookhousethame.co.uk Email: anybook@thebookhousethame.co.uk We also sell books for grown-ups... and fantastic cards as well as gift stationery and toys.

l Column: Catherine Stoker Learning process

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

How to choose the right senior school is not just about examination results, it’s also about: • Offering individual support to every child so that they can attain their unique potential in a whole range of curriculum areas, at he end of January saw whatever level that may be. the publication of the latest senior school league • Developing the ability to think tables. We’re all familiar for oneself, challenge and question. with the format which ranks each • Developing communication school’s performance at GCSE and Learning process skills, confidence and independence. A level, so parents can supposedly Catherine Stoker • Developing a sense of compare the merits of one school community and awareness of others. with another, when considering their only the brightest of the numerous • Acquiring knowledge and future school choices. Of course applicants, should be delivering top learning how to apply it effectively the results of these examinations examination results. Better than within the world of work. play an important part of evaluating that in my opinion, are the schools • Engaging in a whole range of the success of a school, however which are less academically selective all parents should remember in their admissions process, but still diverse experiences to find new hobbies and interests which can be that there’s so much more to the achieve top grades in exams, since educational programme of a school these would appear to have delivered continued into adult life. than simply their past examination beyond expectation, rather than • Identifying potential careers of results. simply meeting it. interest, as well as being advised on In terms of league table position, League tables should only be a the best education pathway towards one should review carefully the teeny tiny part of the long list of achieving them. admissions criteria for entry to the factors taken into consideration • Developing employability schools you are considering. Highly when putting together your potential skills including those needed competitive schools, which admit senior school short-list. Education for presentation, interview,

Independent education consultant Catherine Stoker advises parents to ‘look beyond the league tables’ when choosing the right school...

time management, reliability, responsibility, decision making and leadership. There are many successes achieved annually in schools, quite apart from those achieved in examinations. Sport, drama, art, music, public speaking, design and technology, Young Enterprise, Duke of Edinburgh, to name but a few. These should be taken into account as proof of success in attaining allround education, which, alongside examination results, is so important in these days of highly competitive university entry, internship or job interview. l Catherine Stoker is Managing

Director of the Independent Education Consultants, offering advice for parents on all aspects of education - from choosing a school, transition, to career planning and applying to university. For more details, visit: www. independenteducationconsultants.co.uk Blog: http://futureschoolsfairs.blogspot.co.uk

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Column: Down to business with Philippa Batting

Get web working for you

n a day and age when hundreds of millions of pounds are spent via the internet, businesses have a responsibility to ensure they are both seen and heard online. Whether it was Black Friday (£810m), Cyber Monday (£650m), Christmas Day (£630m) or Boxing Day (£750m), the sums of money that UK shoppers parted with online towards the end of 2014 were record-breaking and yet unsurprising. This is not a trend confined to the mad rush of Christmas or to heavily promoted ‘discount days’. With onefifth of all spending on non-food items throughout the year coming online, it is clear that businesses without a website are missing out on big pay days. Yet data from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) show that two million sole traders and small firms have no online presence whatsoever, and further BIS research shows that people are reluctant to give businesses their custom if they can

An online presence could create valuable extra revenue for your business.

find no trace of them online. Like it or loathe it, a business without a website in 2015 is like a business without a telephone in the 1980s - behind the times! Nothing in life, or in business, seems to be free these days and sure enough making sure your business is online and truly maximising its potential does cost money. Whether it is creating a website or apps, advertising online, training staff in digital skills or taking payment online, there will always

Philippa Batting Down to business

be a provider for these services that needs paying. Small businesses do not always have the capital to speculate to accumulate and can often be put off the very idea with one look at the monthly financial forecast. There are ways around this, however, such as the Get Online, Trade Online (GO-TO) voucher scheme. GO-TO vouchers of £150 are available to small businesses (less than 250 employees) in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire

and can go towards many aspects of online business, such as building a website, engaging with customers through social media and learning about online finance, online marketing and online security. The vouchers have to be used towards a project worth a minimum total value of £350 (excluding VAT) and are only available to businesses based in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. To hear more about GO-TO, call 01494 569062. l Philippa Batting is the Managing Director of Buckinghamshire Business First (BBF). The organisation, based in Saunderton, works to support and facilitate success within the business community and to create a dynamic environment in which local business can flourish. Membership is free - visit: www.bbf.uk.com for more information.

For a One to One Service, with all your Taxation and Accounting needs provided for, contact us now for a Free Consultation. 01844 346099 info@raymondbrettassociates.co.uk Raymond Brett, FCA, FCCA, CTA Raymond Brett Associates Woodside, Westfields, Whiteleaf, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, HP27 0LH

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

THE SANDERUM CENTRE

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www.sanderumcentre.co.uk hello@sanderumcentre.co.uk 01844 211080 ▪ serviced offices ▪ virtual offices ▪ admin support ▪ meeting rooms ▪ Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Column: The Flo Show with Florence Grace

Dreams can come true!

ello! My name’s Florence Grace, and I’m a 19 year old blogger, radio presenter and student from Aylesbury. As a blogger, my writing tends to be about current issues with a twist of my own opinion. I hope to be able to bring a wide range of topics to Vale Life Magazine that will keep you interested and maybe even inspire you. So how did I end up here? It was all thanks to Wycombe Youth Action. Last July, I participated in a Media Day at which I was able to host a radio show and meet people who worked in Media. This led to me being offered a permanent radio show with WYA as well as being advised to start a blog to ‘create a voice’ for myself - I was told both of these things would help to kickstart my desired career in Media. After this, I was inspired and went home to start applying straight away for work experience within radio. I stumbled across ‘GoThinkBig’

Florence Grace The Flo Show

Florence in action at Blink FM (GTB), a business that helps young people get a foot on the career ladder and immediately applied for all the Media related events GTB that were offering. I was quickly accepted for one and did this again, and again, and again! I continuously put myself out there and my applications came good. I have since been nicknamed the ‘in house resident’.

Finding GTB so accepting of me and my skills was a real confidence boost, and I started to put myself out there chasing bigger, better opportunities, which resulted in a position as a blogger for Girls Talk London and, now, as a columnist for Vale Life Magazine! If you don’t ask, you don’t get! I’m 19 and still studying whilst doing all of the above. Why am I

telling you this? Because I want to inspire people. I’m an ordinary girl, from an ordinary town, and am gradually starting to make a name for myself. My school drummed into me that the only way to be a success was to go to university. Whilst university won’t hold you back, it’s not the only way forward, and I want young people to be aware of that. Explore every option you have to get into your dream career, like I am - you never know what exciting opportunities may come your way! Love from, Florence Grace. l Florence Grace lives in Aylesbury and blogs at: www. lovefromfg.blogspot.co.uk She is also a photographer and DJ’s for internet radio station BlinkFM (http://tunein.com/radio/BlinkFM-s188577/).

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Column: Janice Issitt ‘Making the most of it’

Cracking place!

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Janice Issitt

little bit off the beaten track for me this month, although I suppose it could be said that visiting local landmarks is ‘making the most’ of what’s on our doorsteps. Bletchley Park first piqued my interest while reading local author German Andy Mellett-Brown’s use. Enigma Machine novel, The Shelter, which The is based on events that buildings happened during WWII to a female at the code breaker. Andy has extensive Park are knowledge of Bletchley Park as laid out he is part of the Radio Club based to look there, so I persuaded him to come exactly with me to visit this historic place as they and guide me around the buildings. would Sculpture of Alan Turing Following the release of the have at work stunning new film The Imitation during Game (which is really worth seeing the code by the way), I think there will be breakers time. The site has been renewed interest in Bletchley Park split into two though and now also and rightly so. The more visitors the boasts an important computer better too, as there’s still a lot of museum at the back of the Park restoration work to do on the huts which houses Colossus (the world’s and any income will be put to good first programmable computer).

Thame Chamber Choir

At Bletchley Park they also have many German Enigma machines, which were used to send seemingly unbreakable coded messages about war manoeuvres and activities. The history and stories behind Bletchley Park and its brilliant codebreakers such as Alan Turing and Joan Clark are fascinating. An eclectic crew not only harvested from Oxford and Cambridge universities but some recruited through The Daily Telegraph crossword competition and others like Tommy Flowers from their work at the General Post Office. The approach may appear a little Heath Robinson at times, as is the construction of the early

Making the most of it computers on display, but makes for some astounding, fascinating and interesting stories and they await your discovery at this historic place. As for my friend, the local author, his book The Shelter is available to buy on Amazon and is downloadable for Kobo and Kindle. Andy Mellett Brown has written this as the first of a trilogy of books, the second of which, The Battle Of Wood Green, is also now available. l Read Janice’s blog at: http:// janiceissittlifestyle.blogspot.co.uk where she posts photo tutorials about things to make and lovely pictures of life in The Vale.

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with TCC2: Thame Children’s Choir directed by Duncan Aspden

Pastorale The Natural World in Song

Debt problems?

Beautiful Music for a Spring Evening: including Mendelssohn, Palestrina, Vaughan Williams and Whitacre, as well as ‘The Blue Bird’, ‘The Silver Swan’ and ‘Greensleeves’.

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st March Saturday 21 ! ! 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Thame

Pressure on the overdraft? Call us on 01296 433303 for a FREE initial consultation www.fieldstead.co.uk Reg. Charity: 109118

Tickets: £12, concessions £10, under 16s free. Sold on the door, from The Book House, 93 High Street, Thame or tel: 01844 212900. ! Visit thamechamberchoir.org and TCC2.org

Andy Mellett-Brown by one of Bletchley Park’s codebreaker huts.

LEADING INDEPENDENT INSOLVENCY PRACTICE

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

YOUR LOCAL WEB DEVELOPERS  WEB DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT  HOSTING FOR EMAIL AND WEB  SOCIAL MEDIA SETUP AND MANAGEMENT  PAY-PER-CLICK AND SEARCH OPTIMISATION  NO JARGON - JUST GETTING THE JOB DONE  DESIGN AND PRINT OF MARKETING MATERIAL

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Stagecoach to perform

l Column: Jonathan Vernon-Smith

at Waterside Theatre Consumer Affairs

Award-winning BBC Three Counties presenter Jonathan Vernon-Smith extends his Consumer Hour to report for Vale Life Magazine on consumer issues that could effect you...

n March 22nd, Stagecoach Theatre Arts, Aylesbury and Thame, will join together to perform in the ‘Stagecoach Charity Extravaganza’ at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre. This amazing night of entertainment will feature songs, dance, drama and musical theatre, showcasing the many talented students who train at Stagecoach every week. The evening is all about fundraising and all profits raised will be donated to their chosen charity - Florence Nightingale

Hospice. The show will be suitable for all the family and tickets can be purchased from www.atgtickets. com/shows/the-stagecoachcharity-extravaganza/aylesburywaterside-theatre. Stagecoach Theatre Arts is one of the largest part-time Performing Arts schools in the country and has been training children and teenagers to sing, dance and act, for over 25 years. For more information about your local School please call Aylesbury Stagecoach on 01296 747758 or Thame Stagecoach on 01865 763767.

Theatre Arts Schools

Stagecoach

Weekly classes and holiday workshops in singing, dance and drama for ages 4-18. Make friends, have fun, develop new skills.

In aid of Florence Nightingale Hospice AYLESBURY

WATERSIDE THEATRE

Stagecoach Schools Thame 01865 763767 Principal Nicky Goodwin thame@stagecoach.co.uk www.stagecoach.co.uk/thame

Aylesbury 01296 747758 Principal Louise Judge aylesbury@stagecoach.co.uk www.stagecoach.co.uk/aylesbury

rom the Tesco Clubcard to the Boots Advantage Card. The Morrison’s miles card to the Sainsbury’s Nectar card. All the big companies are doing it - encouraging us to be LOYAL to them and not to stray elsewhere. But which of these schemes should we bother with, and which should we completely ignore? The first thing you need to understand about loyalty schemes is that they’re NOT giving you anything for free. The shops that offer rewards for your loyalty, build the cost into their schemes. Ultimately their customers pay for it, but indirectly. Therefore it’s up to you to be a savvy consumer to maximise the benefit. They’ll be furious at me for telling you this, but DO NOT LET THE LOYALTY CARDS MAKE YOU LOYAL! Just because you get points for shopping at a certain supermarket doesn’t mean you’re getting the best deal on your groceries. Keep your eyes open and be prepared to shop around, and maybe even do your shopping at a company that doesn’t reward you in any way. When you empty the bags in your kitchen, you may still end up better off than you would have done with all your so called ‘loyalty’ points. Remember you can use cash in more shops than you can points! If you’ve saved cash, it means more. That said, it’s still worth having them. You’ll notice I said ‘them’. I did so deliberately. My advice is to get THEM ALL! Either online or instore, you should apply for ALL the (free) loyalty schemes in the shops you frequent. That way you can benefit both in price and in points. If you’ve researched and found the best price for a product you want to buy AND you benefit from getting loyalty points (that can eventually be redeemed for something meaningful), then you really have earned the right to consider yourself a ‘SAVVY’ consumer.

Some energy providers now provide points for certain loyalty cards. For example if you have your gas or electricity with E-On, you can link your account with your Tesco Clubcard and earn points every time you switch a light on. If you’re already with E-On and feel they offer you the best price, then this is an added benefit, but as I mentioned earlier, these loyalty incentives are rarely enough to switch supplier based on loyalty points alone. Most petrol stations now provide a loyalty scheme for fuel. For example you can earn Nectar points by filling up at a BP garage. That’s fine if you were going to fill up at a BP station anyway, but please remember that it’s still more important to shop around for the best price on fuel, rather than choosing a garage based on the loyalty points you can earn. In the end you’re saving may be worth much more than the points are worth. It’s also worth noting that many credit cards offer a ‘points’ system to keep customers loyal to them. This can be very beneficial. I recently had a statement telling me that I have used my credit card so much in the last year that I’m entitled to 24 bottles of Pinot Grigio! Considering I practically bathe in the stuff, this made me do a little dance in my kitchen. I would have purchased the items anyway, but by ensuring I paid for them on my credit card (whilst paying off the balance in full), I have earned myself a little treat!! Always do your research before you get a credit card. Make sure you look at the loyalty scheme they operate and ensure they reward buying things in shops you use the most. Finally don’t forget to use them and ensure you have a big purse or wallet. If you follow the advice above, you’ll need one! l Listen to The JVS Show

weekday mornings from 9am on BBC Three Counties Radio: www.bbc.co.uk/threecountiesradio Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

Interiors Edition

Create a laid back home with Nordic inspired interiors that offer a timeless and durable aesthetic...

Polly Gibbs

Step inside

Polly Gibbs, Creative Director at Coco Design, shares her down to earth approach to interiors, from design secrets to trends and everything in between.

candi style may well conjure up thoughts of Ikea and you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be wrong - simple, practical design is a key ingredient - but the look should definitely not be defined by notions of flat pack. It is so much more - think Arne Jacobsen, Marimekko and Josef Frank to get nearer the mark. Scandinavian design yields a harmonious philosophy of functional, comfortable design with a timeless idiom, giving an authenticity unlike any other interior style. It has a purity of form, both architecturally as well as internally, stripped of unnecessary ornamentation, yet softer and more homely

Image courtesy of Skandium 48

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Scandinavian interior bleached wood, greys and blues

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

than it’s modernist cousin. The result is an intriguing mix of modern, with older, often distressed, pieces that sit happily together within a simple colour palette. Bleached woods and furnishings in whites, cool greys and denim blues epitomise the calm ambience of Scandi style, with touches of modern art. But don’t be afraid to add pattern either, have a look at Marimekko (www.marimekko.com) or Josef Frank for a stronger look (www.svenskttenn.se). Whether you choose a monochromatic or a bold •Expert Advice interpretation, wood is the soul of Fitting Scandi•Professional interiors and particularly essential in balancing cooler palettes •Very Competitive with texture and warmth. for Residential and In fact, I have fallen in love with Commercial work Nordic Hemlock by Paula Rosa •Carpets to suit(www. all Manhattan for my kitchen prmf.co.uk) - a fabulous new washed Budgets wood finish that I’m planning to •Free Quotes combine with white stone worktops, •Noand Obligation white walls a zinc topped dining table (coming July/August - watch •Free in Parking this space to see what I finally decide Continued on page 51

Charles Huntington Flooring •Expert Advice •Professional Fitting •Very Competitive for Residential and Commercial work •Carpets to suit all Budgets •Free Quotes •No Obligation •Free Parking

Charles Huntington Flooring

Charles Huntington Flooring CARPETS • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS Hemlock Nordic (image courtesy of: Paula Rosa Manhattan SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm Saturday 10am until 4pm. Any other time by appointment

•Expert CARPETS • VINYLSAdvice • SISAL • STAIR RODS SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES

•Professional Fitting Tel: 01296 337181 Mob: 07767370067 •Very Competitive Web: www.charleshuntington.co.uk Tel: 01296 Mob: 07767370067 for337181 Residential and 23 DUCK FARM COURT, STATION WAY, AYLESBURY, HP20 2SQ Web: www.charleshuntington.co.uk Commercial work DUCK FARM COURT, STATIONvinyl, WAY, AYLESBURY, HP20 2SQ WE WILL NOT BE BEATEN ON QUALITY OR SERVICE l Independent, family run carpet l Carpet, sisal, coir, hardwood l Extensive range of23traditional Charles Huntington Flooring to suit all and flooring specialists l Exclusive suppliers of Roger Oates and contemporary flooring •Carpets Charles Huntington Flooring Charles Huntington Flooring WEcan WILL NOT BE BEATENyet ON hard-wearing QUALITY OR SERVICE •Expert Advice Charles Huntington Flooring beautiful runners l Expert fitting service at competitive prices - we Budgets and rugs in our local area l Domestic and commercial match or better your quote •Expert Advice Charles Huntington Flooring Providing advice and installations •Expert Advice •Expert Advice•Free •Professional Fitting •Expert Advice to•Professional private customers, professionals and Fitting Quotes •Expert AdviceFitting •Professional •Professional Fitting contractors for over 25 years •Professional Fitting •Very Competitive •No Obligation •Professional Fitting for Residential and •Very Competitive •Very Competitive •Very Competitive •Very Competitive Extensive experience with Commercial work for Residential and for Residential and for Residential•Free and •Very Competitive Parking thatched, heritage and listed buildings. Commercial work for Residentialwork and Commercial Commercial work

Charles Huntington Flooring •

Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm S TA LL AT I NSaturday 10am until 4pm. Any other time by appointment

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for Residential •Carpets to suit and all Commercial work •Carpets to suit all Budgets Opening Times: Monday to Friday •10am 5pm CARPETS VINYLSuntil • SISAL • STAIR RODS CARPETS • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS CARPETS Saturday • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS CARPETS • VINYLS SISAL • Any STAIRother RODS SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES until•RODS 4pm. time•Free by appointment CARPETS • VINYLS • 10am SISAL • STAIR SAFETY FLOORING • WOODQuotes • BINDING TAPES SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES SAFETY FLOORINGTel: • WOOD • BINDING TAPES Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm 01296 337181 Mob: 07767370067 Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm •No Obligation 10am until 4pm. Any other time by appointment Opening Friday 10am until 5pmSaturday Opening Times: to Friday 10am until 5pm OpeningTimes: Times:Monday Mondayto to FridayMonday 10am until 5pm Saturday 10am until 4pm. Any other time by appointment Web: www.charleshuntington.co.uk Saturday 4pm. Any by appointment Saturday until time 4pm. Any other time Tel: by appointment 07767370067 Saturday10am 10amuntil until 4pm.10am Any other other time by appointment Tel:01296 01296 337181 337181 Mob: Mob: 07767370067 Tel: 337181 Mob:337181 07767370067 Tel: 01296 Mob: 07767370067 Web: •FreeHP20 Parking Tel:01296 0129623 337181 Web:www.charleshuntington.co.uk www.charleshuntington.co.uk DUCK Mob: FARM07767370067 COURT, STATION WAY, AYLESBURY, 2SQ Unrivalled customer service through

Commercial work •Carpets tofamily suitteam. all Budgets •Carpets to suit all •Carpets to suit all the commitment of our Budgets •Carpets to suit all Budgets Budgets •Free Quotes • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS Budgets Oxfordshire • Buckinghamshire • •Free Quotes exceptionallyCARPETS •Free Quotes •Free Quotes •No Obligation Hertfordshire • Berkshire • and beyond •Free Quotes •No SAFETY FLOORING • •No WOOD • BINDING TAPES •No Obligation Obligation •FreeObligation Parking •No Obligation •Free Parking Contact us to book your free home •Free Parking •Free Parking •Free Parking survey or to visit our showroom to see

stylish

the stoves in action.

Stoves

•

Installations

•

Servicing

North Mill Road Bledlow Bucks HP27 9QP 01844 342400 info@northmillstoves.co.uk www.northmillstoves.co.uk

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

tillynilly

creative interiors

BLINDS AND SOFT-FURNISHINGS – free measuring and quotation: assistance with choosing appropriate products and installation available DESIGN ASSISTANCE - tailored to your needs: from plan to completed design or help with finishing off your look

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Wood and Venetian Rollers and Blackout Hand Finished Curtains and Romans

tillynilly.com

Thame

38 50

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Room Dividers Upholstery Bench and Scatter cushions Wallpaper

info@tillynilly.com

01844 220035

Step inside by Polly Gibbs Continued from page 49 upon and how it comes together). Alternatively, use white washed oak flooring with plain kitchens. It has a driftwood appearance and is really taking off at the moment (though I also like black and grey stained wood floors… decisions). Have a look at Prime Floors who use oils and stains to give you the exact finish you’re looking for (www.primefloors.co.uk). Meanwhile, a touch of distressed wood gives a rustic touch to the look. You can have a go yourself using chalk paint by Annie Sloan (www.anniesloan.co.uk), but don’t get carried away here or you’ll end up with ‘shabby-chic’ rather than scandi style. (Shabby-chic was first coined by film stylist Rachel Ashwell and is more decorative and Bohemian; originally in a palette of white, pale pinks and mint green). Where the pre-loved vintage nature of shabby chic continues across all furnishings, Scandi style stops at one or two aged pieces. It is these pieces that bring individuality to the look, but keep ornaments to a minimum – clutter won’t work. Accessorise with these fabulous black, dip dyed baskets by House Doctor and Indigo Drop tableware (both available at www.designvintage.co.uk), along with a mix of cowhide rugs, chunky knit throws and sheepskin rugs, available from Rockett St George (www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk). As the name suggests, Skandium have a huge selection of modern Scandinavian pieces to keep you on track and offer a home design service to help you make the most of their range, as well as your home (Designer: Christina Schmidt. www.skandium.com), and Ikea are well worth a look for value (www.ikea. com). And finally, add fire - the ultimate piece in the form of a contemporary wood-burner, for a cosy home you won’t want to leave during winter months. l Polly Gibbs is an interior turned homeware designer based in Oxfordshire. Her designs, trend forecasts and expert advice have graced the pages of many a publication, whilst the simplicity of her homeware range delights designers and design lovers alike. www.coco-design.co.uk info@coco-design.co.uk Twitter: @coco_design Facebook.com/ cocodesign.style

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Image courtesy of Design Vintage

Indigo Drop Bowls

Dip Dyed Baskets by House Doctor

Rocket St George

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

We pride ourselves on the quality of our curtains and shutters Peter John A5 flyer:Layout 1

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Soft as silk, elegant as a curtain, practical as a Venetian blind

Luxaﬂex® Silhouette® Shades

Gently translucent for an endless variety of moods, soft fabric vanes suspended between two sheer facings, allow as much or as little delicately ﬁltered light as desired. The handy PowerRise® remote control allows you to alter the degree of light access with ease. Just relax and continue to enjoy your home as you enhance the atmosphere by gently adjusting your Silhouette® Shade. At Peter John we specialise in creating fine interiors for all types of home, from 250 and Highcan Street Barclays House stylish city dwellings to comfortable country retreats, both here and overseas Berkhamsted Gatehouse Way design and supply tailored solutions for rooms to perfectly meet your lifestyle needs. Hertfordshire HP4 1AQ Aylesbury Come visit and be inspired at our storesBuckinghamshire in Aylesbury and Berkhamsted,Tel: from 01296 398301 HP19 8DB fabrics to feature walls, pelmets to plantation shutters, funky children’s bedrooms, Tel: 01296 398301 Roman blinds, upholstery and much more... Barclays House, Gatehouse Way, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 3DB Tel: 01296 398301 250 High Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 1AQ Tel: 01442 873093 52

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eter John www.peterjohn.co.uk

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

North Mill Stoves are known for their fabulous wood burners but their snazzy vehicle graphics are now turning heads too...

rom their showroom in an old paper mill at Bledlow, North Mill Stoves have been installing log burners across the local area and further afield for more than 25 years and have visited nearly 3,000 homes. The family firm, run by Managing Director Ian Pearce and his daughteer Laura Morgan, has several vehicles, including a company car used for site/home visits, and can chalk up a fair bit of mileage: “We have an environmentally sustainable ethos at North Mill Stoves,” says Ian, “and to this end decided to purchase an electric car specifically for home visits. We have been the proud owners of a Zero Emissions Nissan LEAF for five months now.” Laura, who carries out the majority of customer home surveys, explains further: “Using this electric car gives us the peace of mind that our carbon footprint is minimal. We still need to charge the car, but the electricity we use is

supplied by Ecotricity and comes from solar and wind power. “We take our surveys seriously and prior to owning the Nissan LEAF we were covering over 25,000 miles a year in a diesel car with a vastly higher CO2 footprint, which we didn’t feel happy about. As with having a wood burning stove, for us it’s all about responsible ownership.” North Mill Stoves choose the stoves they sell as carefully as the vehicles they use and with six stove brands on offer, are dedicated to supporting customers with all the key decisions involved - hence the initial site survey to see which range might suit best. With areas of Bucks, Oxon, Herts and Berks to cover and around 20 surveys to carry out every week you may well spot the North Mill Leaf out and about. You can’t miss it really as North Mill engaged the design and signwriting skills of local firms Shared Creative and Reflex

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Trina and Shamus Graphics to produce the eyecatching livery above! A good quality stove is often the focal point of a room, making a wonderful, warming feature. If you are thinking of having a stove fitted, why not call North Mill Stoves to arrange a no-obligation home survey. A member of their HETAS (Heating Equipment Testing & Approval Scheme) approved sales team will carry out a number of checks, ensuring they offer you the right stove to suit your home and lifestyle and bring added warmth and joy to your life. l North Mill Stoves Limited, North Mill Road, Bledlow, Bucks, HP27 9QP Tel: 01844 342400 Email:info@northmillstoves.co.uk Website: www.northmillstoves.co.uk

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Providing advice and installations to private customers, professionals and contractors for over 25 years

comforts THE BEST IN

home

Extensive experience with thatched, heritage and listed buildings. Unrivalled customer service through the commitment of our family team. Oxfordshire • Buckinghamshire • Hertfordshire • Berkshire • and beyond Contact us to book your free home survey or to visit our showroom to see the stoves in action.

Stoves, Installations & Servicing North Mill Road Bledlow Bucks HP27 9QP 01844 342400 info@northmillstoves.co.uk www.northmillstoves.co.uk Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Homestyle

by Charlotte Bolton

Spring clean Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

If you want to shake off the winter blues and refresh your home this spring - but have no idea where to start (and don’t want to either, but feel you should!), here’s some inspiration to get you going...

Homestyle

Charlotte Bolton

Use a polishing cloth to give your kitchen surfaces, units and appliances that final sparkle

usy lives and jobs mean the traditional ‘Spring clean’ is now a thing of the past, but if you feel your main areas do need a bit of a ‘Spring spruce up’ in the next few weeks, follow these simple tips and ideas to help you speed through the (pain-free!) process. All you need is a free weekend, your sleeves rolled up, rubber gloves on - and the music turned up...! Before you start • Stock up on cleaning supplies and essentials so you’re well prepared. Buy a container to keep your cleaning supplies together. A basket or bucket with a handle lets you carry everything you need between rooms. • Buy microfibrecloths - they attract dust

particles (rather than pushing them around), change your hoover bag and get an extendable duster to reach ceilings and cobwebs. • Invest in clever storage solutions to help organise space around your home (such as in a bedroom wardrobe). From nifty shelves to collapsible boxes and vacuum bags, you can never have too much storage • Go for a huge de-cluttering session

Use a vacuum cleaner with a small head attachment to remove dust and dirt from the crevices of sofas and armchairs. Remember to roll up rugs and hoover underneath those too

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

(such as getting rid of clothes you don’t wear anymore, and emptying bathroom/ kitchen cupboards of out-of-date foodstuffs/ medicines/cosmetics). Get your family involved and be strict with what stays and what goes! Hallways/Sitting Rooms/Bedrooms • Clean under furniture such as chests of drawers, beds and appliances. Remember to roll up rugs and hoover underneath those too. • When vacuuming, go over each section several times to allow the suction to remove embedded dirt. Concentrate on heavy traffic areas and where people tend to rest their feet, including around a sofa or dining table. • Use a vacuum cleaner with a small head attachment to remove the dust and dirt from the crevices of sofas and armchairs. Refresh the fabric with a few squeezes of Febreeze. Remove cushion pads/covers and wash according to instructions. • Soak pillow and duvet inners in a bath of mild detergent and warm water to freshen them up (only if the labels recommend it). Squeeze as much water out as possible and hang on the line to dry. Continued on page 57

Photographs by David Parmiter Photography (www.davidparmiter.co.uk).

‘Bringing your vision to life’ We are a family-run business, based in Aylesbury, with over 25 years experience within the home improvement industry

MBIENCE Photograph by David Parmiter PhotographyITCHENS (www.davidparmiter.co.uk). Design • Consultancy • Installation

Specialists in quality kitchen consultancy, design and supply for 30 years For more information contact us at: 35 High Street, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, HP22 6DN Tel: 01296 625556 or 07530 932797 Email: robingoddard@btinternet.com We look forward to welcoming you to our Wendover showroom

Whether you are looking for a conservatory, windows, doors or roofline products, Buckinghamshire Windows Ltd can help bring your vision to life For a no obligation consultation: 01296 326306 or email: enquiry@buckswindows.com

www.buckswindows.com

Windows, Doors, Conservatories, Furniture, Roof Lanterns, Staircases, Bifold & French Doorsets, Gates, Wardrobes, Bookcases and Furniture.

Gates, Stairs, Ballustrades, Fire exits, Walkways, Security Grills, Windows, Doors, Structural Lintels and Fabrications, Balconies, Juliet Balconies etc

Bespoke Architectural Joinery for Period, Listed and Contemporary Buildings

Bespoke metal fabrications for any application, no job too large or too small and all made in house to your exact requirements

www.premieraj.co.uk

T - 01296 655555 Option 6 E - U2us@premieraj.co.uk

www.pmfuk.co.uk

T - 01296 655555 Option 7 E - U2us@pmfuk.co.uk.co.uk

Ladymead Business Park, The Willows, Quainton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. HP22 4AN Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

‘The Art of Wood Burning’

JØtul “fighting the cold since 1853”

The most comprehensive showroom in Oxfordshire Over 75 stoves and 15 under fire on display Kiln dried and Eco logs

Jøtul – logo

HETAS registered. Ample free parking. Boundary Business Park, Wheatley Road, Garsington, OX44 9EJ Showroom open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-1pm For technical advice it is advisable to make an appointment

01865 361505 www.manorhousestoves.co.uk Featured stoves from JØtul 56

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Homestyle

by Charlotte Bolton

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Continued from page 54 • Use a lint roller to remover dust from fabric lampshades. Masking tape will also lift it from uneven surfaces. • Wipe down skirting boards and windowsills using a lemon cream cleaner, such as Cif. This helps restore shine and bring back whiteness. • Wipe mirrors using warm water and a microfibre cloth to give it a light clean if it’s not too dirty. Rub dry in even, circular motions to help avoid smears. • Dust Venetian blinds by popping a clean sock over your hand and wiping each slat individually. • Gently wipe down remote controls and phones with an anti-bacterial disinfectant (taking care not to get the components wet). Kitchens • Remove all food and drinks from the fridge and use soapy warm water to clean the fridge shelves and boxes. Don’t forget to wipe the seals around the doors where dirt tends to build up. • Clean the inside of your microwave to get rid of stains and smells - Dettol and multipurpose wipes are fine for this. Leave the door open to air the appliance after cleaning. • Use a spatula or blunt knife to scrape off food residue from your oven before applying an oven cleaning solution (if you don’t have a self cleaning oven). Before cleaning, remove the racks or shelves and soak in the sink with warm water and washing up liquid. Leave for 30 mins before scrubbing, rinsing and wiping dry. • Pop tea towels and aprons on a hot wash with an anti-bacterial detergent (to prevent bacteria build up). • Give your appliances, surfaces and unit doors a final sparkle using a polishing cloth such as Glass & Polishing cloth or e-cloth to remove everything from grease marks to sticky fingerprints. Bathrooms • Remove stains from plastic or acrylic baths by filling with warm water and stir in two or three scoops of biological washing powder. Leave for 6-8 hours then rinse thoroughly. • Get rid of rust stains around your bath by mixing one part water and one part lemon juice into a spray bottle. Spritz it on, leave for a few minutes, and then scrub away the stains. • Clean off tile grout with baking soda. Mix three parts baking soda with one part bleach – rub into the crevices using an old toothbrush and leave for approx 30 mins before washing off. Use baking soda to break down tough soap scum too - sprinkle straight onto a cloth, dampen, then scrub the affected area. • Clean your shower head with white

Make sure you’re stocked up with cleaning products and materials before you start your Spring clean, preferably in a handy carrier Invest in clever storage solutions - an extra shelf or basket to keep items together can really help

Get taps sparkling again by rubbing them down with half a lemon to remove water marks

vinegar. Submerge the shower head in a plastic bag filled with white vinegar, using a rubber band to secure the top of the bag. Leave for one hour then remove the bag and rinse off the residue. • Remove mildew from shower curtains by scrubbing with a weak solution of bleach and warm water. • Make bathroom taps sparkle again by rubbing them down with half a lemon to remove unsightly water marks. Wipe with a clean cloth afterwards and enjoy the fresh scent. When you’ve finished • Take old clothes, games and home accessories to a local charity shop, to put your clutter to good use. • Scent your home using candles and reed diffusers to keep it smelling fresh. Pick fragrances depending on the mood you want to create in each room. • Inject new life into a kitchen or bathroom scheme with inexpensive colourful accessories

• Sit back and enjoy your hard work with your favourite tipple! l Charlotte Bolton is a locally-based interiors writer/stylist who writes for some of the UK’s best selling homes magazines such as Ideal Home, House Beautiful, Style at Home, Your Home and Beautiful Kitchens. She writes about projects real people have completed in their own home, whether it’s a new kitchen, bathroom or whole house transformation. If you have a project you’d like to tell her about (and see it featured in the pages of a national magazine) Charlotte would love to hear from you! These don’t have to be grand designs - it’s about style and individual flair – so whether you are thinking of spending £50, or £50,000 on a fabulous transformation, get in touch! “I’m interested in real people, real families and how you live in your real home,” says Charlotte. “See: www.showoffyourhome.co.uk to see some homes I’ve written about. To get in touch, email me at: cjb@charlottebolton.com”. Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

vale_life_advert_Layout 1 21/07/2014 15:54 Page 1

Stoneworld the stone experts

Stone for the garden: for patio, paving, walls, gravel, cobbles and pebbles, feature stone and water features.

Stone for the home: for floors, worktops, fireplaces and hearths. Stone made to measure: reproduce any item in stone, from restoring an architectural feature to intricate sculpture for home and garden.

www.stoneworld.co.uk or come and visit: Stone for the garden Great Milton OX44 7NW 01844 279274

56 58

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Executive double

Stone for the home Thame OX9 2DW 01844 261768

l Column ‘In the Garden’ with

Naomi MacKay

Plots and plans

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

ome resolutions don’t need to start in January, and planning your garden is one of them. February sees a few signs of spring emerging, with snowdrops in bloom and other shoots starting to appear, and I begin to get excited about how the garden might look this year. So I thought we’d take a look at some of the garden trends that might influence you when planning a new (or old) garden for summer 2015, with the help of the lovely folk at Ball Colegrave who have produced some designs and suggested plants for a number of layout ideas, with something to suit everyone. Their City Garden combines bold black and yellow with silver for a striking look. You don’t have to have an urban garden to achieve the look - it is well suited to a front garden, or just an area of the plot that you want to make over. Plain white planters ensure all the drama is created by the bold planting scheme. If you’re writing a shopping list for your dramatic transformation, make sure the following plants are included: Petunia ‘Black Velvet’ Begona SuperCascade ‘Vanilla Cream’ Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ Osteospermum ‘Voltage Yellow’

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City Garden Scaevola ‘White Print’ In the Giant’s Chair Garden, a fairytale feel is conjured up by the use of blues, subtle greys and lilac and purple tones. One of my favourite plants in this ensemble is Agastache ‘Black Adder’, which will live happily in a container, offering flowers from June to October along with liquorice scented foliage. Combine in a border with the following: Lobelia ‘Fan Blue’ Ornamental Millet ‘Purple Majesty’ Petunia Frenzy ‘Blue Vein’ Salvia Patio ‘Deep Blue’ and Verbena ‘Buenos Aires’ Continued on page 60

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Giant’s Chair Garden Continued from page 59 The modern take on a cottage garden, meanwhile, is pretty in your face compared with the image we probably all hold in our mind. Be brave, be bold and combine the following for a striking display that will stop everyone in their tracks! Containers can be crammed with reds, yellows and blues such as: Begonia Buttons ‘Deep Orange’ Coreopsis ‘Sunfire’ Geranium Fantasia ‘Dark Red’ Nemesia aromatica ‘Royal Blue’ Petunia ‘Shock Wave Red’ and

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

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Win a pair of tickets to the Edible Garden Show!

he Edible Garden Show will be bursting into bloom at Alexandra Palace from 20th-22nd March, alongside a new lifestyle event called Good Life Live - and we’ve got three pairs of tickets up for grabs. This year The Edible Garden Show is introducing exciting new features and attractions to its popular ‘plot to plate’ format, while continuing to inspire everyone from novices to dedicated gardeners with its mix of celebrity speakers, and

A splash of summer with Summer Sky Garden Paint from Ronseal

interactive advice sessions. Meanwhile, Good Life Live will extend the concept ‘beyond the plot’ and showcase a broader range of outdoor living experiences and adventures from country pursuits and home comforts to small holding and livestock. There will be lots of interactive sessions for children where they can get their hands dirty, learn to create wooden badges, learn to bake bread and make their own butter in Make it! and hold baby chicks in the Chicken Coop. Parents can even entertain their busy little bees in the Beehive, have a field day on the Village Green, meet the animals in the Pop Up City Farm or get creative in the Family Zone. On Saturday, 21st March CBeebies’ Mr Bloom will be popping along to the Experts Theatre to say ‘Ello, Tiddlers’ with a bundle of veggie stories, gardening games and catchy songs in a highenergy show. Entry is free to under 16s. To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to The Edible Garden Show, simply email your

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Which children’s character will appear at the Edible Garden Show

l Naomi Mackay is a freelance journalist. She also offers a blogging service for small businesses that don’t have the time to run both their business and their social media and online presence as well. Readers of Vale life can also get a 10 per cent discount on the blogging service. Please email: naomimackay@gmail. com to find out more

a) Peppa Pig b) Mr Bloom c) Thomas the Tank Engine? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by March 10th, 2015.

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The Right Honourable The Lord Carrington KG GCMG CH MC PC DL with Sir Edward Heath (left) and Dame Norma Minor (right).

Photograph by Pete Griffith, September 2014

Face of the Vale

eter Alexander Rupert Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, KG, GCMG, CH, MC, PC, DL took on the Manor at Bledlow with his wife Iona in 1945 and has lived there ever since. Bledlow Manor has been in the Carington family since the 1790s but they had not lived there for some 100 years when Lord Carington moved in: “We lived in acute discomfort,” he says. “There was no heating, one ‘bathroom’ no proper drainage and what is now garden was the farmyard. Over the years we’ve managed to do something with it. It’s been great fun, although we’ve made some mistakes he chuckles.” Lord Carington is the last surviving member of Winston Churchill’s government. He served as Secretary of State for Defence under Edward Heath (1970 -1974), Foreign Secretary to Margaret Thatcher (1979-1982) and was the 6th Secretary General of NATO (1984-88). Now at 95 he is charming, witty and sharp, still overseeing the running of the manor the gardens and the 1,000 acre farm, while making the occasional trip the House of Lords: “I’m very well,” he says. “Except for a slight problem with my toe. I haven’t got Alzheimer’s though - the doctor has told me I’m far too old for that!” Lord Carrington inherited his father’s title of

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Baron Carrington aged 19 (the family surname is spelt with one ‘r’, as is the title of his life peerage, Baron Carington of Upton, while his original hereditory title is spelt with two). He first took his seat in the House of Lords on his 21st birthday in 1940. He had survived Eton and the Royal Military College at Sandhurst and was serving with the Grenadier Guards: “At 16 my father asked me what I wanted to do.” he says. “I said I don’t know! He said: ‘Well you better go in the army then.’ I didn’t want to go in the army at all, but you did what you were told in those days!” Lord Carrington was in action for the entire Second World War and was awarded the Military Cross for his role in the capture and holding of a strategically vital bridge at Nijmegen, in the Netherlands: “It wasn’t at all like the film, “A Bridge Too Far,” he says, “The first man across was one of our chaps, a Sgt Robinson, very brave man, not Robert Redford, not an American at all!” Shortly after the Conservatives won the 1951 general election, Lord Carrington returned from a shoot, to be told Downing Street had called. He rang No 10 and was put through to Sir Winston Churchill, who said: “I hear you’ve been shooting partridges? Would you like to join my shoot?” Starting off as junior agriculture minister, Lord

A Vale Life Magazine series with photographer Peter Griffith of All People Photography, Waddesdon. www.allpeoplephotography.com Send your suggestion for a Face of the Vale portrait to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Carrington rose through the ranks and within eight years was First Lord of the Admiralty, (PM Harold Macmillan) a big job at the time. In 1963 he entered the Cabinet as leader of the House of Lords (PM Sir Alec Douglas-Home), and in 1970 was made Secretary of Defence (PM Edward Heath). When Margaret Thatcher won the 1979 general election she appointed him Foreign Secretary. He resigned in 1982 following the invasion of the Falklands. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it,” he says. “I was very lucky, to be Foreign Secretary and Secretary of Defence, you can’t ask for more than that. “I spend most of my time grumbling now, although there’s always lots to do on the farm and in the garden. I go up to House of Lords from time to time but it’s a very different place now, not as good or as respected as it was.” Lady Carrington died in 2009. The couple had been married for 67 years and have three grown up children, six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. “Most people go into politics with good intentions,” he says. “You have to join an organisation though, you can’t do it on your own and everything becomes more difficult! I find the bickering infuriating and there’s a lack of dignity at times now. I tend to stay in the background!”

Column: Anna Webb‘Barking blonde’

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Cats, clocks, dogs & bonnets

rior to moving to The Vale it was summer time and I hadn’t given winter-time a second thought, or that I’d be counting the days until the clocks ‘spring forwards’. So I’m very excited that it’ll be baby-booming bunny season soon and the days will be longer and lighter. But I’m not half as excited about this as Gremlin our streetcat who goes a bit wild for ‘Lapin Cru’. Gremlin is pre-programmed to eat raw meat as he’s an ‘obligate carnivore’, so I don’t mind his predatory behaviour, but preferably not to practise it in full view at breakfast. Or to take baby bunnies hostage in our bathroom - I’ve found four or more stocked up before now and had to hastily return them to the fields! Molly my Miniature Bull Terrier never liked cats, yet she and Gremlin have remarkably forged the most unlikely friendship over the last four years. The cat will bring in a mouse (freshly caught) for Molly to finish off, accompany us on walks, and ‘listens out’ for Molly now she’s stone deaf.

Molly in her Easter Bonnet After one of our consults with animal physio, Sherry Scott in Cuddington, Molly, Dexter and I met black Labrador, Simba, and owner Carolyn Gatenby from Buckingham also visiting Sherry for physio on Simba’s poorly hip. Suffering from type-1 diabetes, Carolyn relies on Simba as her

diabetic alert dog. Now warning Carolyn to over ten life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes a day, Simba began life as a pet dog before qualifying as an assistance dog with Medical Detection Dogs, based near Winslow (www. medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk) Sherry and I visited the charity’s new HQ where Simba and a team of over 55 life saving dogs receive on-going training. Not publically funded, Medical Detection Dogs is always looking for funds and volunteers! Looking forward, Molly is ridiculously excited about leading the Easter Bonnet parade in Long Crendon come April. The dogtastic Eight Bells’ Easter Dog Show is happening again on Good Friday. Last year dogs came in droves, most in a bonnet or themed collar. It’s a boutique event where lots of bunting, big rosettes and bulging goody bags get tails wagging. It ties in with a weekend of festivity at the pub (www.8bellspub.com). Come along for 2pm to enter your pooch in any of these classes for a chance to win a rosette, doggy

Anna Webb

Barking blonde goody bag and the coveted ‘Best in Show’ trophy. There’s: Best Easter Bonnet; Best Trick; Best Six Legs; Best Boy; Best Girl; Best under 1; Best 8 years & over all to be judged by your’s truly, so come along and woof hello! l Combining a psychology degree with

‘Naturopathic Healthcare & Natural Nutrition’, Anna Webb offers doggy life-coaching, training, natural health and diet advice. Anna contributes expert advice on national radio and TV and co-writes a weekly blog for The Independent (Barking Blondes). Her book ‘Barking Blondes’ co-written with Joanne Good is out now (Hamlyn). www.annawebb.info www.crendoncanines.com

106xx out of the dog house a5 1pp 2 25/10/2013 10:40 Page 1

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Call 01296 706403 or pop into the shop to book your grooming appointment. Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Win a meal for two at The Village Gate

ocal foodies are licking their lips with joy at the news that David Cavalier has opened a restaurant in the area. The talented and extremely experienced chef and restauranteur has achieved no less than seven Michelin Stars during his illustrious 35 year career. David’s vision for The Village Gate at Wendover though, is not to create a haven for fine dining, but to maintain the popular hostelry’s pub/restaurant balance and to serve superior food and drink, while offering a family friendly service and exceptional value for money. David’s creativity cannot be stifled though and he is already working on integrating dishes with a Valentine’s theme into the menu from Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th for romantics who wish to celebrate their love in style. And for those who wish to raise a toast to romance, or anything else for that matter, a new Village Gate cocktail menu is also be launched on Valentine’s Day. The finest local ingredients coupled with an extremely skilful kitchen make for an exceptional dining experience at The Village Gate and it is already very popular at weekends with booking required, especially for Sunday lunch, when the roast 28-day-aged Sirloin of Beef with Vegetables and Yorkshire Pudding has proved popular at only £12.50 but so has the great choice available, dishes such as: Roast Scotsgrove Lamb from Thame (£13.50); Calf’s Liver, Bacon and Mash; Fillet of Salmon; Grilled Lobster; or David’s amazing Buckinghamshire Ground Chuck and Rump Steak Burger with Smoked Back Bacon and Truckle Cheddar, served with a Fried Wally (Gherkin in Batter) and Maris Piper Chips (pictured far right). Bear this in mind as with Mothering Sunday approaching, it could be the perfect place for a relaxing lunch with mum, especially as all mothers (pre-booked diners only) will receive a small gift from the management as well. The pub has a private room for 6, and another area that can be booked exclusively for 12-24 people, if required, so is perfect for celebrations.

David Cavalier

David and Jo are full of interesting ideas which they will be introducing over the coming months. An imminent addition to the bar menu is to be Wine, Beer and Lager Flights - essentially tasters (75ml) of four different wines, beers or lagers served with four accompanying cheese tasters chosen to pair with each different beverage, which sounds a brilliant idea! David and Jo understand that Vale Life readers are just the kind of modern, sophisticated, cosmopolitan, epicurean (look it up!) types they would like to Marinated Salmon with Brixham Crab, pickled welcome at the Ginger and Lemon Dressing Village Gate and editor@vale-life.co.uk to this end are kindly offering Vale Life readers the How many Michelin stars has David achieved in his career so far? chance to win a meal for two and Winner to be drawn at random from correct sample some of David’s fabulous entries and notified by email by March 10th, cooking. 2015. If you’d like to be in with the Blackberry and chance of winning a meal for two Apple Pannacotta with bottle of house wine at The Please note the Village Gate website relating to the current ownership of the pub is to be Village Gate, simply email your found at: www.thevillagegate.co.uk name, address and telephone number, along with the answer l The Village Gate, 225 Wendover Road, to the following question, to: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP22 6BA Tel: 01296 623884 Email: villagegatewendover@gmail.com Web: www.thevillagegate.co.uk Open from 11am, food available from 12noon-10pm Mon-Sat. Sunday lunch served from 12-6pm

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

l Column: Jacqui

Giving & receiving

everal years ago, someone (naming no names) bought me the biggest Christmas present ever. It sat majestically under the Christmas tree, larger than any other gift, and I had absolutely no idea what it was. I was so very excited. I tried every means possible to work out what it was. I sniffed it. I felt every angle of it. I shook it. I still had no idea what it was. On Christmas Day, I left that great big present to the very end, like the most desirable sweetie in the bag. When the time came to finally unwrap my huge gift, excitement levels were at an all time high. Gently, I slowly peeled back the wrapping paper, savouring the anticipation. Then suddenly the contents were revealed. A great, big, almost industrial sized, electric food steamer. Yes. Never have I been so disappointed.

Thorndyke ‘Foodie On Tour’

A butter mill may not be for everyone but this vegetable spaghetti maker is brilliant. Just don’t buy one as a Valentine’s gift!

Butter mill

It wasn’t that I wasn’t grateful, it was a thoughtful(ish) gift - I do like to cook after all. It was just that small (or rather large, in this case) kitchen appliances are not gifts - they are simply kitchen appliances. Functional. What became of the giant steamer? I used it once, then it was packed up never to see light of day again. Having just read an article about a new butter mill that will magically “transform your cold block of butter into beautiful

spreadable ribbons” - can’t you just use a butter dish and not put it in the fridge?! - it got me thinking about all those other pointless kitchen gadgets that have probably made their way to the back of a cupboard already, now the Christmas decorations are all packed away. Here are a few of my favourites… Egg, banana or avocado slicers - really? You can’t use cutlery? Unless you’re eating them by the dozen, you probably don’t need a specific tool to slice them up. Fruit peelers - come on, you don’t even need cutlery for this, use your fingers! Twirling forks - love spaghetti? Too lazy to twirl your own fork? This gadget is definitely for you! Steamers - less of a pointless gadget, but if you are going to buy one, make sure the person actually wants one. Or at the very least make sure they won’t need to build an extension just to fit it in the house So with Valentine’s in mind,

Vale Life : Sept/Oct 2014

Jacqui Thorndyke

here’s a little tip - if you are wondering what to buy for the lady in your life, steer well clear of kitchen appliances, foodie or not. May I please direct you to the jewellery store further down the road. And no, not the cheap one either. ‘Steamers and cubic zirconia are a girl’s best friend’, said no one ever. l For local food and restaurant reviews and recommendations, visit www.foodieontour.co.uk, or follow Jacqui on Twitter @FoodieOnTour. To contact Jacqui directly, please email: foodieontour@yahoo.co.uk

Farm - Butchers - Pub - Restaurant 3 course valentines menu available

new head chef, Mini Patel, brings our award winning food to your valentines day. The Pointer is available for private hire & functions.

www.thepointerbrill.co.uk - info@thepointerbrill.co.uk - 01844 238339 Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Column: Heather Jan Brunt ‘This farming life’

Mark up for milk price lobby

ot so very long ago the Vale of Aylesbury was considered to be perfect dairy country and milking herds filled the lush verdant pastures, but now their numbers are falling. Supermarkets are increasingly selling milk as loss leaders, with customers paying far less for the milk than it takes for the farmer to produce it. And with world market prices crashing, more and more dairy farmers are leaving milk behind and moving into other areas of agriculture. Aylesbury NFU branch secretary Mark Wheeler says: “The lack of control that farmers have over pricing is a huge injustice compared to the amount of hard work they put into producing quality products on our home turf. Milk is such an important part of our diet. “Prices are being crushed by world markets and the supermarkets’ ability to control prices. It is very sad that it is having such an impact on the industry. You can only make a loss for so long

Mark Wheeler and there has been a sustained reduction in British milk prices. “There are not a lot of dairy farms left in the Vale, as compared to what it was years ago. But they are a stoic breed and no dairy farmer has told me, since I came here in October, that he is going to get out of the business. Farming is a labour of love, and particularly dairy farming.” Mark, a farmer’s son from Buckingham, took over as branch secretary in Aylesbury last year after the retirement of Virginia Stollery. Since then he’s spent a lot of time getting out and about

meeting his farmer members, and with a General Election on the horizon he’s keen to arrange a meeting of all the local parliamentary candidates. The NFU held an open forum in London at the end of January to enable dairy farmers from the south east to vent their feelings and tell NFU advisors what they want them to discuss with MPs in the lead up to the election. But Mark is keen to hold a hustings more locally, so that Vale farmers can hear what the major parties have to say about milk prices in particular and their industry in general. He plans to invite David Lidington MP and the parliamentary prospective candidates for UKIP, Labour and the Lib Dems to discuss the NFU manifesto and speak to local farmers. He appreciates it will be difficult to get everyone to agree to the same date, but hopes he can make it happen. May will be an important month for Mark. Not only is there a General Election but he will

This farming life Heather Jan Brunt

be marrying his fiancée Lucie Rawding, who works as a customer service advisor at the Buckingham NFU office. The couple will be tieing the knot in the magical setting of Stowe House. “The wedding plans have been put on hold since I got my new job and then Christmas came along,” he admits, “but since 1st January I have been made well aware I must focus on the wedding! So the marquee is now almost booked.” l Heather Jan Brunt is a journalist

and a farmer’s wife. You can follow her on Twitter @HJBjournalist. She and her husband sell their own award winning Terrick Beef. The next shop days are on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th March. Further details on: www.downonthefarm.co.uk

Add some grown up glamour to your Mother’s Day Champagne breakfast Sunday roasts Sumptuous specials We do get full rather quickly on Mother’s Day so please Book Now to avoid disappointment Kingswood | Aylesbury | HP18 0QJ 01296 770318 www.akemaninnkingswood.co.uk

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Win Gourmet Burger Kitchen £50 voucher

ack in 2001, three Kiwi guys set up the first Gourmet Burger Kitchen in Battersea, South London. Their philosophy was simple - to create a fresh, quality burger reminiscent of the ones found back home in New Zealand. Now with over 60 restaurants across the UK, including branches in Milton Keynes and Oxford, Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) still takes pride in serving up a variety of handcrafted burgers, combining 100% prime beef, hand selected and traditionally reared on independent farms across the South West counties, with the freshest ingredients and sauces made from scratch, every day, in each GBK kitchen. Last October Gourmet Burger

Kitchen opened a stylish new branch by The Odeon Cinema in Aylesbury and has since been busy serving the good people of the Vale with its extensive menu of burgers, sides, milkshakes and more. As foodies and burger lovers will know GBK sets itself apart from your average burger joint, by boasting a huge range of top quality, mouthwatering, handcrafted and deliciously adventurous burgers to choose from.

Welcome... Eat Well, Laugh Much, Drink Often...

Welcome...

Andy and Emma welcome you to The Boot, modern country pub and eating house, in the heart of the picturesque Chiltern Hills. Enjoy fresh, locally produced food, local ales and fabulous wines. Our chef creates exciting dishes suitable for all tastebuds, so families can dine in style. Pop in for a pint, a delicious evening meal or a leisurely Sunday lunch, you will always be greeted with a friendly smile and attentive service. Valentine’s Day - Menu of Love! Friday 27th Feb - Swing & Soul Night. Open: Tue-Thur: 11am-3pm & 5pm-11pm, Fri/Sat: 11am-11pm, Sun 12noon-7pm Food served: Tue-Sat: 12noon-2.30pm and 6pm-10pm. Coffee & pastries from 11am Sundays: 12noon-6pm. Closed Mondays Chinnor Road, Bledlow Ridge, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP14 4AW Tel: 01494 481499 | Email: theteam@theboot-bledlowridge.co.uk Website: www.theboot-bledlowridge.co.uk

As well as favourites like The Don, Blazing Sombrero and The Taxi Driver, GBK also offers cod, lamb, falafel, and even buffalo burgers, ensuring that even the most ardent burger buff isn’t short of options. Vale Life Magazine has teamed up with Gourmet Burger Kitchen to offer three lucky readers the chance to win a £50 voucher to spend at their Aylesbury restaurant. Although we won’t be announcing the winners in time for Valentine’s

Day this could make for a great date night, or the chance to introduce a friend to the joys of GBK. If you’d like to be in with the chance of winning a £50 voucher for GBK, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Which country do the founders of GBK come from? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by March 10th, 2015. l Aylesbury GBK, Unit 2a, The Exchange, Aylesbury, HP20 1UR Tel: 01296 488781 See the full menu at www.gbk.co.uk. Download the GBK app at www.gbkapp.co.uk

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P E Mead & Sons Farm Shop Wilstone, Nr Tring, HP23 4NT 01442 828478 www.pemeadandsons.co.uk Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Music Column:

Turn it up! with Paul Adams

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Turn it up! The art of a Fab Four tribute Paul Adams

Our music page columnist Paul Adams is an experienced musician and performer who can regularly be seen in venues across our area. He is a presenter for Thame internet station, Radio Blackfrog and runs DreamChaser Entertainment. Contact Paul with local gigs and music news at: paul@mrpauladams.co.uk Add gigs to our website what’s on diary at: www.vale-life.co.uk

Live Music February 12: Denis Cook: The Goat, Berkhamsted, 8pm February 13: Rockbone: The Swan, Edlesborough, 9pm February 14: Freddy B: The Aristocrat, Aylesbury February 20: Cherry Lee Mewis: Limelight Theatre, Queen’s Park Art Centre, Aylesbury, 8pm February 22: Open Mic with Glyn Devey: The Cow Roast, Tring February 28: SinFiction, Callow Saints and Matt Edwards: James Figg, Thame March 1: Kevin Tait: The Boat, Berkhamsted, 6pm March 5: First Thursday Open Mic Club: The James Figg, Thame. March 6: Leech: The Black Horse, Tring, 9pm The Dung Beatles, Limelight Theatre, Aylesbury March 7: Nevermind: ShootPool, Aylesbury The Bowie Experience, The Aristocrat, Aylesbury The Dung Beatles, Limelight Theatre, Aylesbury March 13: Bitterroot: George & Dragon, Princes Risborough Skasouls: ShootPool, Aylesbury March 21: Dizzy Fish: The Goat, Berkhamsted, 9pm

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

he Dung Beatles have been immortalised in this fantastic new piece of artwork, above, that’s likely to become an iconic image for the Aylesbury-based band. It depicts the locally famous four playing the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool, last June. The artist is Roger Hillier, father of Steve Hillier (pictured far right), who takes the John Lennon role in The Beatles tribute band as vocalist and rhythm guitarist. The other Dung Beatles (from left) are bass player Phil Toler, drummer Mike Ashton and lead

guitarist Danny Prendergast. Steve, Danny, Phil and Mike got together in early 2013 to play their way through a catalogue of over 200 fantastic Beatles songs. To date the repertoire is up to around 80 great tracks that include all the hits and numerous album tracks from every year the Fab Four were recording together. In just two years the Dung Beatles have built quite a following. Their reputation for blending chart hits with beautiful album tracks has taken the band to venues in London and the South West and even to The Beatles’ home, Liverpool and The Cavern.

Yoo can see them live at Waddesdon Hall on February 14th from 8pm for a Valentine’s date. The Dung Beatles also perform on March 6th and 7th at the Limelight Theatre in Aylesbury, in a show which will feature all The Beatles’ classic hits, plus album numbers from 1963-70. At the Limelight dates, Danny Prendergast teams up with colleague Jerry Playle for a 15-minute acoustic guitars warmup session, when the duo will perform music they have written for film and TV. Tickets can be booked via www.thedungbeatles.co.uk

Back in the happy zone with pick of gigs Well, the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations seem like a lifetime away and it’s back to the grindstone again. So to get you back into your happy zone, here are my picks for the gigs to revitalise your soul. F*Awesome (pronounced foursome), according to social media, are a ‘powerful four piece from the High Wycombe area covering Muse and Queen to Pearl Jam and Van Halen and anything good in between!’ However, that is an understatement! These unassuming guys quietly take the stage and lull you into a false sense of security. Before you know it - BAM! You are in a full blown rock concert worthy of the likes of Wembley and the O2! Musically these guys are so on point it is impossible and that is before the vocals even start but when they kick in - boy are you

in for a treat. Don’t just take my word for it - find out for yourself at Shoot Pool, Aylesbury on Feb 21st from 10pm. Mr Paul Adams/ A Little Bit Country: Shameless self plug again. I will be performing some originals and classic covers at The Black Horse Hotel in Thame on February 7th from 8pm, but joining me this time will be Harriet Stewart and together we will be performing as the brand new duo - A Little Bit Country. Entry is free. SinFiction, with Callow Saints and Matt Edwards: SinFiction (pictured above) have been performing together

for two years and define themselves as an indie rock band that places its focus on crafting lively, catchy songs with great melodies and choruses. The band boasts a diverse range of musical influences. These eclectic musical tastes, which include classic rock, dance and heavy metal, bring a natural flair for rhythm and melody to SinFiction’s song-writing. On stage, this combines with acoustic guitars, driving beats and soaring harmonic vocals to create a truly unique sound. Don’t miss these guys. They are at The James Figg in Thame on February 28th.

l Column: Katy Brown - mix96

Intimate evening with singing star

B Mix96 Breakfast DJ Katy Brown shares a little of her life in local radio...

Noodle Nation being presented with the trophy at last year’s Mix96 Pancake Race

aking my return to Mix96 after a couple of weeks of lie-ins, dog walks and a diet that mostly consisted of chocolate was hard work. I’m not gonna dress it up all fancy, the shrill of the alarm clock (which is Uptown Funk for the novelty factor) was painful but my thinking was just take one day at a time, you’ve got a whole year ahead of you! However, just days into the New Year and I was ambushed as I left the Friars Square Studios in Aylesbury and walked along Bourbon Street, in search of an extra strong coffee. “Katy! Hi! Happy New Year! Is the Mix96 Aylesbury Pancake Race happening again this year?!” Torn between telling an elaborate lie and getting straight to the point so I could get my caffeine fix - I went with the latter. “Yes it’s back and if I’m honest with you, if you win for a third year in a row it’s gonna cause quite an uproar. Do you think you could at least try to run a little slower?” It was back in 2013 that we decided Aylesbury needed to become famous for something new and unconventional and so the idea of the Mix96 Aylesbury Pancake Race was born. The plan was simple, we’d see local businesses run in relay, back and forth across Kingsbury stopping only to toss their pancake and the winner be

crowned! Sounded fun, it was fun! But as year three approaches I’m already feeling the tension… Without even an utter of the upcoming event on air, sneaky emails are already reaching my inbox actually asking if Noodle Nation are taking part! These young athletic lads have caused quite a stir and rather than being defeated it seems that other businesses are rising to the challenge with one organisation specifically stating that they are in training to beat them! With Pancake Day landing in the middle of half term, activity in the town centre will be busier than ever and with plenty of spectators all around, the pressure is on! This race, has gone from a bit of light hearted fun to a full on challenge! Can anyone ever beat these guys? Get your pinnies and your pans at the ready for 11am on Tuesday 17th February! If you think you’ve got the speed, agility and tossing skills to make it happen then sign up for the race at www.mix96.co.uk - together we can beat them*! *If it looks like they are going to win, we’ll try and fix it but we can’t promise anything. These are my own thoughts and not those represented by my employers, which is a shame. l Catch Katy on air weekdays from 6am-9am on 96.2fm www.mix96.co.uk

RIT-Award winning singer Beverley Craven became a household name in the early 90s when her debut album rocketed into the charts, becoming a worldwide hit and selling more than two million copies. Her 1991 single, ‘Promise Me’, was a huge hit across Europe and she followed this up with a string of chart successes including ‘Memories’, ‘Holding On’, ‘Woman To Woman’ and ‘Love Scenes’ which are still being played regularly on national and local radio and a second album, ‘Love Scenes’ in 1993. Following a lengthy break from recording and touring to raise her family, (Beverley has three girls) she returned in 2009 with ‘Close To Home’, her first studio album in ten years (she had released a third album ‘Mixed Emotions’ recorded in her home studio in 1999). Beverley was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 but happily, following treatment, she got the all-clear the following year. ‘Close To Home’, is a particularly personal album influenced by her experiences. Beverley is now back touring and writing and released a new album, ‘Change Of Heart’ last year. “I’m doing things on my terms now,” she says. “I’ve no record deal and no pressure and I’m really enjoying myself!” Beverley’s concerts are an entertaining mixture of music and anecdotes, during which she creates an intimate atmosphere and demonstrates not only a great talent for playing and singing but a wicked sense of humour and a flair for story-telling. Her witty writing, unforgettable melodies and poignant sentiments will leave you with a warm glow

and maybe even a tear or two! Beverley grew up in Berkhamsted and now lives in Beaconsfield but apart from occasional dates at The Stables, Wavendon she rarely gets to perform in our area. There is a chance coming up to catch her in Thame at The Players Theatre though on Sunday March 22nd. Tickets cost £19 and are available from: www.thameplayers. co.uk or from Tickets Anywhere, Thame on: 01844 217228. Hurry though, it’s a very small venue and tickets are already selling fast. l www.beverleycraven.com The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame, OX9 2DP www.thameplayers.co.uk

Beverley Craven Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

It’s all action in Anything Goes Mon 9thSat 14th Feb

Love multi-award-winning musicals? Waterside hosts the pick of the bunch over the next few months, with star casting and enough unforgettable songs to have you humming through til panto time!

icking the season of musical madness off is Cole Porter’s de-lovely musical comedy, Anything Goes. Starring Hugh Sachs (Benidorm) and Jane Wymark (Midsomer Murders) there is no shortage of talent in this 26-strong cast, including West End Star Debbie Kurup who until recently was treading the boards in hit West End musical The Bodyguard. If sassy heroines, mischievous mob bosses, comedy capers and

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Dreamboats and Miniskirts Mon 9th- Sat 14th March

tap dancing sailors tickle your fancy, you can’t afford to miss this hilarious tale of romance and hi-jinks on the high seas. Musicals aren’t all about jazz hands though, grab your tissues and brace yourself for an emotional rollercoaster when Willy Russell’s legendary tale of the Johnstone twins, Blood Brothers, returns due to popular demand. Maureen Nolan will be playing Mrs Johnstone, and returning to the Waterside stage is Wet

Songbird: The Music of Eva Cassidy Sat 21st Feb

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Marti Pellow and Maureen Nolan star in Blood Brothers Mon 23rd Sat 28th Feb

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Tue 17th- Sat 21st March

Wet Wet’s Marti Pellow. When asked what it is about the show that caused him to sign up for the role, Marti said: “I love it. It’s a very earthy piece. It’s got a lot of heart, it’s honest, and for me, there are a lot of things that I can relate to. I think that when you come from a working class background and you see how hard it is for people to make ends meet, worrying about their jobs or their vocations in life, the journey that Blood Brothers takes you on, especially at the tail-end of the journey where there’s mass unemployment going on, I can relate to that, because coming from Clydebank and the shipyards, at the tail-end of the Eighties, when Thatcherism was at its most potent, a large majority of the shipyards were closing down and the miners’ strikes were happening, it was a very provocative time. It’s just such a powerful and honest piece.” Another must-see musical for fans of the 60s takes to the stage for one week only from Monday 9th-Saturday 14th March with Dreamboats and Miniskirts. Set in 1963 this dance-tastic follow up to Dreamboats and Petticoats is full of wit, charm, and great songs with a foot-tapping catalogue including A Picture of You, Do You Love Me, It’s In His Kiss and Hippy Hippy Shake.

Families fear not, there’s a musical for you and your brood too! Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat continues to receive standing ovations time after time with its retelling of the Biblical story including the unforgettable songs Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door to Me. You might recognise a familiar face playing Joseph too, Lloyd Daniels was an X-Factor contestant and will make his Waterside debut in the starring role. WIN Tickets to see Olivier Award-Winning Comedy Arcadia: It’s not all about musicals, Arcadia is Tom Stoppard’s undisputed masterpiece and is heading to Aylesbury having been recognised as one of the greatest plays of the last century. Exploring the delicate relationship between past and present, blending history with actuality, the play is set in a grand 19th Century stately home and is a brand new must-see production. For your chance to win two tickets to the opening night of the show at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on Mon 2nd March at 7.30pm simply tell us the name of BBC1’s popular time travelling programme: A) Doctors, B) Doctor Who, C) Doctor Dolittle Email your answer, name, address and phone number to editor@vale-life.co.uk Winners to be drawn at random from correct entries and informed by email by Monday 23rd February.

Coming up at The Waterside Your at-a-glance guide to what’s on... Anything Goes

Mon 9th to Sat 14th Feb

Songbird: The Music of Eva Cassidy

Sat 21st Feb

Blood Brothers

Mon 23rd to Sat 28th Feb

Arcadia

Mon 2nd to Sat 7th March

Dreamboats and Miniskirts

Mon 9th to Sat 14th March

The Curious Incident of the Dog in The Night-Time

Tue 17th to Sat 21st March

Up in the Attic: Second Space

Sat 21st March

An Intimate Evening with Russell Watson

Tue 24th March

Killer Queen

Wed 25th March

Essence of Ireland

Thu 26th Mar

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Tue 31st March to Sat 4th April

Tickets for all shows are available now. Visit Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Box Office, call: 0844 871 7607 (bkg fee) or book online: www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury (bkg fee). l Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1UG Telephone Booking: 0844 871 7607 Website: www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

l Column: Alan Candy’s Altomobiles

Dual is real gem Suzuki Swift Dualjet

uel is so vital that manufacturers are squeezing as much as possible out of every precious drop. Now Suzuki has revolutionised its engine design to do just that with the Swift Dualjet model. As the name suggests, two fuel injectors mete out petrol delivery more precisely in the cylinders, precision-managing the location, quantities and timing of those bursts. Positioned very close to the inlet valves, they allow for more precise atomisation in the combustion chamber. Essentially, the new, cleaner powerplant suppresses the bad stuff (mpg climbs by 16%, CO2 drops by 17g/km) and rewards the good stuff. For those with an eye for fuel economy, results are highly encouraging - it results in 65.7 combined mpg (9mpg better overall than the Dual-less 1.2 it

Alan Candy’s

AltomobilES replaces) and an impressive 99g/ km of CO2, helped by stop-start and taller gearing. That’s the crucial point in the UK for tax rebates and zero road tax and Suzuki reckons that picking the Dualjet will save the typical British Swift owner £175 a year in bills. The beauty of it all is that there is no trade-off in performance. Both regular 1.2 and Dualjet Swift petrol engines return virtually identical performance figures (0-62mph in 12.3 secs; max speed 102.5mpg against 103mph)

Suzuki Swift Dualjet yet the Dualjet owner is quids in when it comes to CO2 and economy. And the new engine technology doesn’t inhibit driving fun in any

way. Yes, the 1.2 dualjet engine’s performance is relatively modest but the Swift’s eager chassis and slick gearchange means that driving fun is never far away.

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Labour rate more than 50% less than m ain dealers Quality service and repairs Adv anced diagnostics Local collection and deliver y / Loan car av ailable MOTs/Windscreens/AirCon Recover y av ailable ProTechCars Ltd, Unit 20 Fleet Marston Farm, Fleet Marston, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP18 0PZ Tel: 01296 655799 / Mobile: 07774 604149 Email: service@protechcars.com Website: www.protechcars.com

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

l MOTs including Class VII (3.5 tonnes) l Servicing, repairs, tyres, exhausts and air

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Servicing & repairs l 4 wheel laser alignment Servicing andequipment repairs l Courtesy car available Engine diagnost Latest diagnostic l 24Hr recovery & vehicle movements 4 wheel laser alignment Diesel tuning an l Diesel tuning and ECU remaps MOTs arranged Tyre's, Brakes, C l Fast and friendly service l Full workshop facilities Free pack &Service inspection with every service Courtesy car av FastWinter & Friendly l l

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Swift has always been a sensible and practical choice of hatchback and four million sales over the past decade are proof that there are plenty of fans out

there globally. The 1.2 Dualjet engine ticks over quietly at start-up and is as smooth running as you would Continued on page 74

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73 Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015 09:32 03/11/2012

natural environment, where neat manoeuvrability and a tight turning circle are much appreciated. A word of praise, too, for curvybacked seats which are snug, comfortable and supportive. Minus marks? The interior keeps to budget with the use of hard, unyielding plastics and the standard boot is small. But this is overcome with back seats converted, yielding a useful flat load space. There is also a refreshingly simple blend of traditional and modern in the cockpit, with a conventional handbrake (for which I give thanks) and readily understandable touchscreen infotainment technology to hand. For those who seek no frills practicality and frugality, plus competitive drivability, the Swift Dualjet is the smart choice. With clever petrol technology like this, who needs diesel?

Suzuki Swift Dualjet Continued from page 73 expect from Suzuki. Early acceleration needs a heavy foot to pull out the power but it builds momentum better in the mid range and there is quite a sporty rasp once the upper reaches of the rev counter are attained. However, I failed to get near Suzukiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claimed 65.7mpg, averaging 50.3mpg during my week behind the wheel, according to the onboard computer read-out.

Despite its age, the Swift remains a surprisingly engaging drive - steering is responsive and the timeless supermini is well balanced and corners tidily. Show it some twisty lanes and it can still pull out the stops

Suzuki Swift Dualjet and demonstrate some snappy handling. The urban landscape seems its

Factfile: Suzuki Swift 1.2 Dualjet SZ4 5dr, ÂŁ12,699. Powered by four-cylinder 16v 1.2-litre Dualjet petrol engine of 1,242cc, 90PS. CO2: 99g/km. 0-62mph in 12.3 secs. Combined 65.7mpg

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

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l Column: On

The Road

Popular Passat VW Passat Estate GT

76mpg and just 37g/km of co2 emissions - you can’t really argue against figures like that. Back in the mists of time, I can recall sampling what was then the latest Volkswagen Passat – and getting the fright of my life. Moving the seat back to get a more comfortable position behind the wheel, I was suddenly aware that I was rapidly getting closer to the boot than the dashboard. ‘Dear God’, I thought (or something like that… ) they’ve forgotten to put stoppers on the end of the seat runners. But of course they hadn’t. It was just that the Passat was the exception to the rule in that it offered an exceptional amount of interior space for a family car. At that time the only other sort of car you’d be privy to that amount of room in, would have had a driver up front with you in the back being chauffeured around with the ice cubes gently tinkling against the glass as you sipped your G and T. So for a family car, the Passat kind of broke the mould. No longer was there a need to shoehorn the kids into the back seat - everyone had more than enough space for the journey. And that’s very much still the case. Only the all-new eighth

Rob Auchterlonie

ON The Road generation Passat unveiled to the UK press last month has moved the game on a bit further. It’s now lighter (up to 85kgs lighter dependent on model), has more interior space, better economy and lower CO2 emissions. The bad news is that if you’re a petrolhead, you’re currently off the radar. Only diesel engines are available in the UK at launch (all EU6 compliant), ranging from the group’s excellent 120ps 1.6 litre, through two 2.0 litre units (150 or 190ps) to the range topping 2.0 biturbo with its 240ps, DSG box and 4MOTION four wheel drive. On the horizon (October to be precise) is a plug-in hybrid GTE version with a 1.4TSI petrol engine and electric motor, while frugal BlueMotion model arrives in June just ahead of an Alltrack estate version in July. Five trim levels are available – S, SE, SE Business, GT and R-Line. With all of them you get a

FASTFACTS: Volkswagen Passat SE 2.0 TDI 150ps estate; £25,965; 1968cc diesel, 150ps, 251Nm; six speed manual; Top speed 135mph, 0-62mph 8.9secs; Fuel (14 gallons) urban 58.9, extra urban 76.3, combined 68.9; CO2 107g/k Insurance group 19E; Three year/60,000 mile warranty. healthy list of standard features. They include a Post Collision Braking System on all models, and on SE and above you can expect to find Adaptive Cruise Control, Driver Profile Selection, Ergo Comfort seats and front and rear parking sensors. With over 22 million sales worldwide since the name first hit the brochures in 1973, you can’t say Passat hasn’t been a popular addition to the range. And it’s set to bring us a few new toys in its repertoire. Later in the year they’re going to introduce

VW Passat Estate 76

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

Active Info Display, which will replace the traditional instrument cluster with a fully configurable interactive 12.3 inch TFT display. And Trailer Assist will help manoeuvre said equipment with ease as the system automatically steers with precision. The driver only has to accelerate and brake, a technique that will have the purists among the caravanning fraternity sneering in disdain… You’ll have to go a long, long way to find an automatic box that works better than VW’s DSG unit, and it certainly fits the bill here, providing smooth and barely perceptible changes when linked to the top of the range 2.0 litre bi-turbo. The more modest 1.6 has a fair stab at moving what is a large car around at acceptable pace, but it does need a fairly judicious stab on the throttle to build up momentum. In the handling department, there’s nothing to cause any undue worries. It feels safe and predictable with no sense of impending doom if you make sharp steering inputs. Prices from £22,215 91.6 TDI S saloon) to £37,035 (2.0 bi-turbo 4MOTION estate). Still one of the classiest estates around.

Les Liney

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Andrews of Thame Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2014

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015

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www.dacremovals.co.uk “ We Work, You Watch!” Registered and Insured. Call Abbey

Freephone: 0800 511 8018

01296 423769

julie@jamtasticdesign.co.uk

Workwear for local businesses INTRODUCING OUR NEW WEBSITE

www.tringsigns.co.uk

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High quality garments for your staff Huge choice, great value for money In-house embroidery of your logo Fast order turn round for your needs Flexible and personal service levels Ask for copies of our FREE catalogues

01844 338941 www.chiltern-leisure.co.uk enquiries@chiltern-leisure.co.uk

Computer problems?

12274 Chiltern Leisure Vale Life Advert.indd 1

Guaranteed quality Unique price promise Established since 1994

07/10/2014 14:38

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The Windows Cleaners

A LOCAL home service for all your computer needs system upgrades, virus removal, performance improvements, networking, internet solutions For a speedy, jargon free appointment

01296 488902

www.impactsignsolutions.co.uk

call: 07947 700746 / 01296 748980 john@thewindowscleaners.co.uk Established 12 years

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2015