Absolutely Buckinghamshire September 2021

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Buckinghamshire SEPTEMBER 2021 / £3.95

SPECIAL

True life

SEPTEMBER 2021

The real story behind Downton Abbey's Highclere Castle

HAVE A BLAST

News and views from all the best schools

In good TAST E The Bucks influencer changing our approach to food

Marlow's Angel & Rocket unveil their latest childrenswear collection

ABSOLUTELY-BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.CO.UK

Anouska

LANCASTER THE AWARD WINNING INTERIOR DESIGNER ON COMING BACK FROM THE BRINK ST YLISH / INTELLIGENT / ELEGANT ABS_BERKS_September21_Cover_MK_v3.indd 3

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ABSOLUTELY

Contents SEPTEMBER 2021

62 C U LT U R E 08 ABSOLUTELY LOVES Why it's all about lilac this month

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LADY FIONA CARNARVON

Telling the real story of Highclere Castle

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FA S H I O N & B E A U T Y 33 TRENDS It's time to double up

36 THE SHOOT Angel & Rocket's latest looks for kids

20 SARAH HOWSON

40 DANIEL OF WINDSOR

FOOD & DRINK 24 KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

INTERIORS 54 INTERIORS NOTES

26 SOPHIE BERTRAND

58 ANOUSKA LANCASTER

How the BBO PA Network helped in lockdown

News from the industry

On how we can change our relationship with food

29 DRINKS

The best picks for your cabinet

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Offering the best for you and schoolchildren

The latest from around the industry

The uplifting story behind our cover star

62 BEDROOMS

Top trends for your comfort zone

A B S O L U T E LYB U C K I N G H A M S H I R E .C O. U K The online guide to inspirational living that helps you stay one step ahead of the crowd and gives you the chance to win exclusive prizes.

O N T H E C OV E R Anouska Lancaster, founder of Noushka Design (noushkadesign.com).

Photography by Nicholas Dawkes.

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QUALITY WATCH AND CLOCK REPAIRS & SERVICING Traditional watch servicing by a traditional watch craftsman

DIAL RESTORATION EDITOR MARK KEBBLE

AFTER

DIGITAL EDITOR LAYLA TURNER EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ELLIE-MAE HAMMOND ART DIRECTOR PAWEL KUBA SENIOR DESIGNERS MIKE ROBERTS SAMANTHA SCOTT

RE

BEFO

MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER REBECCA NOONAN MAGAZINE MANAGER ABIGAIL GARDNER

60 years experience; Rolex and Omega trained (I’m now 80 and still at it!)

MEDIA CONSULTANTS STELLA ADAMS ANABELA KOLECI, LOUISE PEARSON

CASE RESTORATION

CREDIT CONTROL MANAGER ALEXANDRA HVID

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR JERRIE KOLECI

DIRECTORS CRAIG DAVIES, LEAH DAY, JAMES FUSCHILLO NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT

For editorial enquiries please email: mark@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 07977 195732 or email: abi@zest-media.com

• Estimates given • All work guaranteed for 1 year • You will not be disappointed Specialist in the repair, service and restoration of quality watch brands Omega, Rolex, Cartier, Breitling, Patek, Longines, TAG Heuer etc

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Zest Media Publications Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Zest Media Publications Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors.

We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters.

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Editor’s

LETTER ABSOLUTELY’S September issue highlights

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Sophie Bertrand Inspiring us to eat healthy

I

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Anouska Lancaster

wouldn't like to look at the figures, but during the height of lockdown, I read much about the issues with domestic violence and those who needed to leave a household, but simply couldn't.

I grew up in a mollycoddled home, so can't for one second write that I know what people who suffer domestic abuse are going through, but I have met many who do know on my journalistic journey – and this month, we have one such interviewee who will offer some hope to anyone who is feeling isolated and cornered in an abusive relationship.

Today, our cover star Anouska Lancaster is well-known for her colourful, vibrant designs, but later in the issue she tells me about how she fell into marriage early and had to face her creativity being stifled. Eventually building the courage to leave, being forced to start her life again proved to be a blessing in disguise as it inspired her to launch Noushka Design, which today is thriving.

Listening to her being so passionate about her work was certainly something that made me smile.

Lockdown has left its mark in many, many ways, but hopefully this issue is a sign of the tide turning.

From the return of events to local community heroes waiting in the wings to help businesses get up and running again, there's plenty to be optimistic about.

I hope you enjoy the issue.

Mark Kebble

Meet our cover star and hear her inspirational story

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MARK KEBBLE EDITOR

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Go Orange

Products that tap into this season's must-have colour

Angel & Rocket

Our look at their latest collection

Lady Carnarvon

The real story behind Downton Abbey's beautiful location

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Wish LIST 10 things we Absolutely love COMPILED BY

L I L AC TIME

Aspiga's mission is to work responsibly towards a more socially and environmentally conscious future, putting people and the planet first. That’s why they only partner with ethical suppliers, using the best sustainable materials to design beautiful, contemporary and stylish pieces that are intended to last, such as this Carella embroidered organic cotton midi dress. £135 aspiga.com

PURPLE HAZE

The Tadi Blouse by Christian Wijnants comes in a classic check pattern, printed on a summer-ready lightweight fabric cut to a loose fit. It’s finished with a stand-up collar and tie-up details at the cuffs. £410 couvertureandthegarbstore.com

EDITOR’S PICK

U LT R A V I O L E T

G O W I T H T H E F LOW 'Henley 1870' is a new design that incapsulates Henley, the River and Hobbs. All hoodies and t-shirts are made from recycled materials. hobbsofhenley.com

Urbanears' Luma wireless headphones not only sound great and connect seamlessly, but they come in a wide range of unusual hues. Our favourite is this ultra violet. £79.99 urbanears.com

PENDLE HARTE

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ABSOLUTELY • LOVES

C O L O U R WAY British designer Jessica Russell Flint creates vibrant, entirely unique hand-illustrated prints, with luxury products ranging across accessories, clothing, sleepwear and homeware.

Inspired by life’s eccentricities and with a love for colour and texture, Russell Flint transforms the ordinary into designs like you've never seen before. jessicarussellflint.co.uk

S TA R Q U A L I T Y

French brand Louisa Bracq is new to the fold at Amelie's Follies with its range of stylish shapes in all cup sizes ameliesfollies.co.uk

MAUVE ON

Eleanor Bowmer's stylish print designs adorn a wide range of products ranging from teatowels and tablecloths to wallpaper and stationery. eleanorbowmer.co.uk

LOCK D OW N

T WO TO N E

The new shade in Mustard's colourful locker collection is lilac. Here's the Lowdown in lilac. £249 mustardmade.com

Bella Freud's new Baby Blue jumper in merino wool with two colour jacquard is high on our autumn wishlist. £295 bellafreud.com

WRITE ON

The new collection reinvents Caran d'Ache's iconic 849 ballpoint pen with an array of new shades including this stylish violet. £39.99 papersmiths.co.uk

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BRING THE LITTLE ONES The unique experiences. The memories made.

The sound of laughter. The moments you treasure.

The ultimate staycation.

The Dorchester.

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LONDON +44 (0)20 7629 8888 DORCHESTERCOLLECTION.COM

#DCmoments TheDorchester TheDorchester TheDorchester

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C U LT U R E

DECOR DELIGHTS HENLEY DECOR FAIR, 23-26 SEPTEMBER

The Henley Decor Fair has everything to inspire the vintage lover or the interior designer in us all, from a wide variety of decorative antiques, architectural salvage and reclamation items for the home to vintage clothing just for you. Enjoy the live ambient music, cocktail bars, craft beers, vintage tearoom and a wide choice of delicious gastro food stalls all on the banks of the River Thames. henleydecorfair.com

HENLEY DECOR FAIR IMAGE: ’ALL THINGS COUNTER’

Agenda 12 • Lady Carnarvon 16 • Sarah Howson 20 A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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The Agenda

S E PT E M B E R ' S H OT T E ST H A P P E N I N G S

EV E N T

Let's Make Magic 5 September AYLESBURY PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Aylesbury Performing Arts Centre present Let's Make Magic - a fun-filled two hours of dancing and singing, showcasing students from across the school. Their comeback performance has been a long time coming, so we can't wait to see what they have been working on behind the scenes. aylesburyperformingartscentre.com

A RT

Nick Knight COAC H H O US E GA L L E RY • U NTI L 31 OCTOBER

In a career marked by long-standing relationships with Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, photographer Nick Knight’s constant desire to experiment, push boundaries, and challenge his audience has led him to take up a new subject, the classic rose - but expressed in an entirely new way. waddesdon.org.uk

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F I L M

Nightflix 13 September-3 October M I LT O N K E Y N E S Grab your pretzels, biersteins and Lederhosen! NightFlix Drive-in cinema is bringing a taste of Germany to its Milton Keynes site with its first Oktoberfest festival. As part of the weeklong festivities, the venue will be showing beloved 80s classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, famous for its German parade scene set to Twist and Shout by The Beatles. nightflix.co.uk

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CULTURE • TALKING TOPICS

EV E N T

Networth & Vibe Pop Up 11 September N E T WO RT H & V I B E Here's a great opportunity to visit Networth & Vibe's trendy new location on Castle Street in High Wycombe, and buy exclusive goods from local brands. It's a brilliant way to support your local community, and find treats you won't see anywhere else. It will be held from 11am-5pm in the Front Room Cafe. networthandvibe.shop

PAST

LIVES We look at our own area later in this issue, but here's the pick of London events during Heritage Open Days

DORICH HOUSE MUSEUM

Visit the former studio home of the sculptor Dora Gordine and her husband the Hon. Richard Hare. This Grade II listed building, completed in 1936, is now a museum featuring Gordine’s works and the couple’s collection of Russian art.

Dorich House, 67 Kingston Vale, SW15 3RN

TA L KS

SPORTING LUNCHES

This Month’s Must See

Ongoing CA ST L E H OT E L W I N D S O R Castle Hotel Windsor has announced its brand new series of ‘Sporting Lunches’, in which the team will be offering a series of exciting ticketed events to honour some very special guests. Kicking off the series on 24 September will be Nigel Owens, the world-famous former Welsh referee. castlehotelwindsor.com

DORICH HOUSE

HOUSE MILL

Visit the world’s largest tidal mill.

This five-storey, timber-framed watermill with four waterwheels was originally built in 1776 to mill grain for the distillery trade.

It remained operational until 1941 and has since been restored.

House Mill Trust, The Millers House, Three Mill Lane, E3 3DU

G A M E PL A N

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U NTI L 5 S E PTEMBER • THE BASE , GREEN HAM

his interactive exhibition includes some of the most iconic, enthralling and visually striking games from the V&A’s outstanding national collection of board games with more than 100 objects from all around the world. Alongside family favourites such as Cluedo and Trivial Pursuit, the exhibition will look at historical board games from across the 18th and 19th centuries. thebasegreenham.co.uk

SCADBURY MOATED MANOR

Follow a self-guided trail around this moated manor site, taking in the archaeological excavations and the foundations of the Tudor kitchens and great hall. You will also see World War II defences and a restored shepherd’s hut.

Scadbury Park, Perry Street, Chislehurst, BR7 6LN

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CULTURE • EVENT

Celebrate FREEDOM GARRY JONES PHOTOGRAPHY

Why the Henley Festival, running from 15-19 September, is just what we all need right now

W “Henley Festival is the UK's only black-tie festival” MADNESS FEATURE ON OPENING NIGHT

ith restrictions lifted, it is time to get into the festival spirit and celebrate at Henley Festival 2021, which returns this September to its spectacular setting on the riverbank in Henley-onThames with its full black-tie splendour.

Audiences are in for a treat with Henley Festival’s epic line-up of award-winning comedy, critically acclaimed artists and the biggest names in popular, world, jazz and classical music. Its historical Great Gatsby vision meets a new lively carnival for a party like no other.

Headliners taking to the floating stage for 2021 include seminal British pop band Madness, multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter James Blunt, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, legendary Kathy Sledge, Sara Cox and the English National Orchestra for Sunday’s unforgettable show Don’t Stop Me Now featuring West End musical stars and a full rock band.

Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett MBE will be returning to run Europe’s biggest field restaurant, creating a bespoke menu at the Riverside Restaurant. Hartnett’s astonishingly creative, flawlessly executed dishes focus on purity of flavour and reverence for ingredients. A festival for food lovers, Henley caters for all tastes offering a huge number of restaurants and pop ups from street food to fine dining. Restaurants popping up at the festival will include Garden Bistro by Jimmy Garcia, Green Box, Oink, BBQ Club, Hotel Chocolat, Jessecco Prosecco, Black Cab Coffee Company and many more.

Sunday sees the festival transformed into an enchanting playground for families and children of all ages, with a whole host of dazzling activities, performances and concerts. Headlining the stage on Family Sunday is award-winning children’s

presenter and double MOBO winning saxophonist YolanDa Brown, who will present the spellbinding Henley Symphony Orchestra. From glitter face painting, eccentric comedy and theatre shows to interactive performance art, Family Sunday is a whole day dedicated to nurturing adventurous, curious and creative little minds.

Once again, festival goers will be arriving by boat as they step onto the green lawns of the festival, which will be transformed as black-tie clad revellers spill out across the festival site, champagne in hand, while fireworks explode overhead. Established 39 years ago as a classical music charity event, Henley Festival is the UK’s only black-tie festival – glamour personified – and continues to run as a non-profit organisation, supporting charitable projects at both a national and local level. Winner of Headline Performance of the Year in 2016, Henley Festival 2021 is undoubtably the UK’s most glamorous festival. henley-festival.co.uk A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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“The book looks at many elements of history at the castle”

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CULTURE • INTERVIEW

Tr e a sur e

&

TRADITION Famously renowned for being the ‘real’ Miss Downton, Absolutely catches up with Lady Fiona Carnarvon about preserving Highclere Castle

By ELLIE-MAE HAMMOND

K

nown for being the face behind the ‘real’ Downton Abbey, Lady Fiona Carnarvon is so much more. An avid reader and writer, and now with five books to her name, Lady Carnarvon wants to tell the true stories of the Carnarvon/Herbert family and the grounds that housed her family history at Highclere Castle. Although the tales of the fictional inhabitants of Downton Abbey give so much joy to many, Lady Carnarvon is focusing on the true beauty that Highclere Castle offers to bring the love for life back to their beloved visitors.

What intrigues the most about Lady Carnarvon is her passion to uncover the light in every story. “It all started with my first book on Lady Almina, the first lady of Downton,” she explains. “I had written some guide books beforehand, which had helped when understanding how to write in a historical structure. I had quite

a bad riding accident, so whilst I was recovering, I read some material from the family archives, and read some of Lady Almina’s diaries – and I just remember weeping. I thought, what an extraordinary person. And when Downton Abbey set off, there’s quite a strong female centre to it, and I thought rather than write about the earl, because these houses are so associated with the earls, I wanted to write about this extraordinary woman.”

After writing the story of Lady Almina, Lady Carnarvon turned her focus onto the second strong female figure of Downton, Lady Catherine. “I found them both so interesting. Almina, as the earlier countess, had such a phenomenal amount of money, yet such an ability to be in control of it, and Catherine did not. She had very little independence, a harder life. As I was reading material written by Lady Catherine, I realised I was sitting exactly where she would have sat, and cried. I think the sense of place is at the

heart of these two books. Being able to access the archives is an extraordinary process – you have to read around the material, and make sense of it yourself.”

Moving slightly away from historical figures, Lady Carnarvon has now turned her focus towards a new style of writing.

“I have now done a different book, which is called Seasons at Highclere, looking at the sense of place and the setting, the arcadia around it and how that interacts with the house, whilst being mindful of nature and understanding the people that have lived here for the past 1,000 years and what they’ve brought to life here. I hope it’s written with lightness, but at the heart of the book, it’s all about walking lightly on this earth.

“The book looks at many elements of the history that has happened here at the castle,” she continues. “Spring is about life today, our summer section goes back to 18th century landscape and temples, how we use them, and then medieval orchids, A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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CULTURE • INTERVIEW LADY CARNARVON WITH HER FAITHFUL HOUNDS

VISITORS FLOCK TO HIGHCLERE CASTLE

“Before Downton Abbey, the discovery of Tutankhamun was our USP” and that bleeds into the lands and how we use them now, and then I go back to iron and bronze age times. The recipes are based on what’s found locally. Supporting British fishing, what is sustainable, and focusing on what we should be choosing to eat today is at the heart of the book.” Contrary to her previous books, Seasons at Highclere is a photographic tome. “I wanted to share photographically some of the archives and images of Highclere. I then thought I wanted to write about Christmas at Highclere, as this is the time of year, regardless of where we are in the world, religious or not, we all stop. So, I wanted to look at that. Food and hospitality is at the heart of life.”

CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTLE

Moving on from Lady Carnarvon’s written work, conversation turns to the house itself, the history and all that walked the corridors of Highclere Castle. “Downton Abbey became a convalescent house during World War I. Lady Almina’s story is so much more. It’s a costume drama, not a historical documentary, so you engage with characters, and you realise that these characters go through the same ups and downs as we do in our lives. We actually have our costume display when we launch our ‘Magic at the Movies’ experience. When we were going through the archives, we found Almina’s coronation dress, which we have had restored, and it’s just magnificent.

They will be a centrepiece. There’s also an extraordinary coronation robe, of which she would have worn to the coronation of

Edward VII, George V and George VI. It really is a magnificent piece of living history.

“Before Downton, the discovery of Tutankhamun was our USP,” Lady Carnarvon adds. “The fifth earl of Carnarvon was an associate in the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. So, at the beginning, we had an exhibition running through the cellars of the house from 2006-2009.

Downton then came along, so we haven’t really pushed the exhibition now, but 80% of people still come and see it. And this will be my next book – an historical biography on the fifth earl of Carnarvon. No-one has ever written [about him] before, so it’s very exciting. This will hopefully be next autumn. Downton has been so strong and I’d rather not offer everything up, but this year I think we all need a treat, so I think I’m just going to focus on what makes people happy. Costumes, cocktails, vintage cars, cream teas, dining, a bit of laughter. After this year, I will then move onto Tutankhamun. I am just trying to answer what makes people happy.”

Whilst being a preserver of history, Lady Carnarvon remains passionate about telling the admirable stories of her ancestors, whilst using what surrounds her as a purpose to make others happy – much like Downton Abbey does for many millions, but dig deeper and there’s so much more to learn about Highclere Castle and its past. ladycarnarvon.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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Get to know…

SARAH HOWSON F O U N D E R , B B O PA N E T WO R K

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Q When did the BBO PA Network launch and what inspired its creation?

A BBO PA Network (formerly Bucks PA Network) launched back in 2015. At the time I was an executive assistant to the CEO for a large international company heading off on maternity leave with my first son and wanted to ‘keep in touch with the world of work’ whilst off. After venturing onto Twitter I found a whole community of assistants; proof that social media well and truly is a medium to connect like-minded groups of people together. I asked about networks out in leafy Buckinghamshire, as all networks were in London, and none existed. I’m certainly an individual who loves a project, so I launched the network with an incredible first event at Stoke Park. A few years later and by popular demand after organic growth, we launched BBO (Bucks, Berks and Oxon) PA Network at Belmond Le Manoir Aux’Quat Saisons. Both events had over 60 assistants attend; the support I’ve had over the years has been incredible.

Q Has the network been a huge help to people during the pandemic and various lockdowns?

A We have had some of the most incredible messages of thanks throughout the pandemic. We pivoted like most networks and held online events and, when we could, hybrid events, where myself and my business partner, Marianne, would ‘host’ live from a venue. You can’t beat having human connection, but we were told our events were special in that assistants could just be themselves, we successfully created a safe space to openly seek support and be inspired. We always started our events asking everyone to share a ‘monthly win’ or some positive news.

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CULTURE • PROFILE

CLIVEDEN'S AFTERNOON TEA IS A MUST

“We have had some of the most incredible messages of thanks during the pandemic” Q Where are you based?

A Apart from spending my childhood living

in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, I’ve only lived in Buckinghamshire (Marlow, Stokenchurch and West Wycombe). I currently live in a small village called Wooburn Green in Buckinghamshire and have been here for ten years. I’m within walking distance to the local park, the parade of shops and my sons’ school. There’s a real sense of community that I love. We have two local independent coffee shops, local pub, the most helpful pharmacy – supporting local small businesses is important to me. I can’t see myself moving to be honest, I love where I live.

Q What is your favourite thing about the area?

A You have the feel of being deep in the countryside, but with the luxury of some fantastic restaurants, places to visit and transport links so close by. As I have two young children there’s not a BEKONSCOT MODEL VILLAGE & RAILWAY

HURLEY HOUSE OFFER TOP QUALITY SUSHI

week that goes by where we are not at our local farm, Bekonscot or Cliveden National Trust. We can hop on a train from Beaconsfield to London and be there within 30 minutes, plus we have the River Thames nearby at Bourne End and beautiful Marlow on our doorstep, and of course for when we are allowed to travel, LHR airport is so close. I feel so blessed to live in such a lovely area and being close to water is important to me.

Q Do you have a favourite restaurant?

A We are so fortunate to have some

incredible restaurants in our area and I am such a foodie at heart. The Bel and The Dragon in Cookham was where I got engaged to my husband so it holds a special place in my heart. At La Cantina del Vino in Farnham Common we are treated like part of the family – it’s the best Italian around in my opinion. My boys have both grown up going there; they are pretty much part of the furniture! They have the best staff, the best goat’s cheese salad, and their lobster and fresh crab pasta dishes are quite simply to die for. Hurley House Hotel’s Japanese menu is incredible, I’m sure it’s the best sushi in area. Cliveden House’s Afternoon Tea is also such a treat!

Q Are there any shops or businesses

that really stand out for you?

A I enjoy supporting the small independent

businesses where good service and getting to really know your customer is important to them. In Beaconsfield, Mira Gifts is one of them (fantastic gifts and a great selection of cards). In Flackwell Heath, there is Daisy’s, another firm favourite gift store. We have a super fruit and

BY THE WATER AT BOURNE END

veg shop in Bourne End too, The Fruit Market. Chalfont St Giles has Warners Butchers, another great find. We recently had the pleasure of joining friends on a skippered trip aboard The Blue Barge too, a great Dutch Barge moored at Bourne End. For quirky wedding presents, Anita Burns Illustrations is well worth checking out, she’s based in Flackwell Heath.

Q Do you have a local secret or

any interesting stories about the county you are willing to reveal?

A After walking further afield during lockdown, we’d often venture to Bourne End, cross the railway bridge and walk past The Bounty public house (you can’t beat a visit there on a sunny day). There’s a large field with several ‘mounds’. After asking around it turns out that the area, known as Cock Marsh, is home to four burial mounds, called ‘tumuli’. They’ve very much reduced in size since the Bronze Age but a few are still very visible. Remains were found in 1874 when the grounds were excavated. bbopanetwork.co.uk A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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R.S. TROUTT & CO FINE ENGLISH BUTCHERS Our passion is quality meats & service

Come try our easy, fresh, ready meals!

Now in stock just in time for busy families with children going back to school

So why use a traditional butcher instead of a supermarket? Richard explains why customers repeatedly use RS Troutt & Co. “Customers like to select their meat and to have it butchered in front of them. We can give them EXACTLY what they want from single portion to large joint for that special occasion” Select from our popular options below or place an order for your favourite home cooked dish • Home cooked roasted vegetable lasagna

• Steak & ale pie

• Home cooked shepherds pie

• Venison, red currant and port pie

• Home cooked roasted meat lasagna

• Steak, mushroom & onion pie

• Home cooked cottage pie

• Chicken & ham pie

WE ARE NOW SERVING HOT AND COLD FOOD ALL DAY X

www.rstroutt.co.uk Aberdeen House | Hazlemere Crossroads | Hazlemere | HP15 7LG | 01494 711803 Tudor House | High Street | West Wycombe | HP14 3AE | 01494 526880

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FOOD & DRINK

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MR HOBBS GIN

Mr Hobbs ‘150’ is Hobbs of Henley’s latest edition to their gin range.

Launched to celebrate their 150th anniversary of their family boating business in Henley-on-Thames, this award-winning, classic London Dry Gin is bursting with nine botanicals including lemon peel, black pepper and grapefruit with notes of elderflower and green cardamom finishing with refreshing lemon verbena. mrhobbsgin.co.uk

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WHAT TO DRINK

IN THE spirit Gin recommendations for the month

TASTING NOTES

The latest food news and most exciting openings this month

By ELLIE-MAE HAMMOND

By MR HOBBS

Mr Hobbs 150 Gin 70cl 40% ABV  £34 Mr Hobbs 150 is a classic London Dry Gin with quintessential English heritage, which marks the 150-year anniversary of the family owned, British boating institution; Hobbs of Henley. The award-winner is bursting with nine botanicals, making a serious gin that will leave you wanting more.

Rhubarb & Ginger Gin Liqueur 50cl 21.5% ABV  £25 Blended with the very best British rhubarb to produce a perfectly balanced gin liqueur.

Summer fruits and herbs on the nose with well-rounded ginger notes and plenty of rhubarb on the palate. The perfect addition to any drinks cabinet, this is an exceptional base for seasonal cocktails, sparkling or otherwise.

Raspberry & Elderflower Gin Liqueur 50cl 21.5% ABV  £25 Fresh British raspberries have been introduced into this intensely flavoured gin liqueur. The nose is full of ripe berries which continue onto the palate before a long and refreshing elderflower finish. An ideal accompaniment to Prosecco but just as delicious with soda or tonic water.

The Mr Hobbs Gin range of products is brought to you by the family pleasure boating business, Hobbs of Henley, who give you the most enjoyable way to “mess about on the river’’. Today they are very proud to share their cherished family tipples with you and raise a glass to their Henley heritage.

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Happy birthday CROCKERS HENLEY

One year ago, Crockers Henley opened its doors in one of the UK’s most sought after and quintessential British towns. It’s been a year like no other and to mark the occasion, ‘Sunday Times Best Hotel in Central England 2020’ Crockers Henley is set offer 20 room nights-only for £100 inclusive of breakfast. Housed in a Grade II listed building in Henley’s Market Place, Crockers is much loved for its strong focus on great food. crockershenley.co.uk

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FOOD & DRINK • NOTES

MEAT YOUR MATCH Enjoy the best burgers in town

WE WILL EAT AGAIN T H E S M O K Y B OY S

French fancy THE IVY MARLOW GARDEN

The Smoky Boys concept is all about great meat and big flavours.

To create their dishes, they only use premium cuts of Angus beef to gourmet grills and the best British lamb or chicken that they can find. The result is some of the finest burgers around. smokyboys.com

The Ivy Marlow Garden has created an exclusive experience for guests to sample a selection of world-class wines from Bordeaux by the glass until 30 September. Home to some of the world’s best-known wine estates, Bordeaux is a leading destination for wine lovers. This limited-edition menu will focus exclusively on Bordeaux white grape varieties. theivymarlowgarden.com

PUB IN THE PARK

Pub in the Park Marlow will be taking place from 16–19 September at Higginson Park, bringing the band back together with amazing chefs, musicians, and artisanal producers.

You’ll be able to tuck into tasty dishes from The Hand & Flowers, The Coach, The Mariner’s by Paul Ainsworth, All’s Well and many more plus enjoy great live music too. It's good to be back. pubintheparkuk.com/marlow

T H E B O TA N I S T With locations in Marlow and Reading, The Botanist is now certainly more than just a place for exquisite cocktails. Their food menu is now equally as impressive, with their plant-based burger and crispy halloumi burger certainly different options. thebotanist.uk.com

T E A

A TWIST

Fired up with passion STONOR PARK

Situated in its magical new playground Tumblestone Hollow, Stonor Park near Henleyon-Thames has unveiled its new al fresco wood-fired pizza eatery and hilltop tipi. The Rumble Hut serves mouth-watering pizzas, using local, fresh ingredients and cooked within a genuine, wood-fired Gozney oven. stonor.com

W I T H VAASU / HAWKYNS

C O P PA C L U B The Sonning location is currently wowing all with their igloos to finally meet up with friends once again, and their menu focuses on thoughtful, unfussy, European food from small plates and snacks to grilled mains, including their extra special Coppa Burger. coppaclub.co.uk

Twice Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar celebrated Afternoon Tea Week with a special menu featuring his own twist. Atul's Afternoon Tea was served at Vaasu in Marlow and Hawkyns in Amersham, and we just loved the spiced Bombay mix served in a cone. atulkochhar.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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BABY STEPS If you want to change the relationship between your health and food, Sophie Bertrand is the perfect go-to. Here she discusses her career path and the latest course in her life

By MARK KEBBLE

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SOPHIE’S HEALTHY KITCHEN IS FULL OF INSPIRING RECIPE IDEAS

“People should identify what healthy looks like to them”

F

or the nigh on 50,000 Instagram followers of Sophie Bertrand, who have been used to seeing stunning images of healthy recipes on her feed, there has been a new creation that has recently been taking centre stage for the Buckinghamshire-based influencer. “Our little boy is absolutely gorgeous,” Bertrand beams about the newest addition to her family. “Being a mum is the most amazing, yet challenging thing I have ever done.”

And this is from someone who has set up a very successful business, Sophie’s Healthy Kitchen, as well as co-creating a hit podcast alongside Bari Stricoff, Forking Wellness, and co-authoring the spin off book. The inspiration for her most recent launch, an

e-book, probably isn’t much of a mystery.

“I have had great feedback,” she says on Feed Your Pregnancy. “Pregnancy can be a bit of a rollercoaster and I wanted to share a resource with people that could really aid in supporting them. The e-book covers different aspects of nutrition, morning sickness, unwanted pregnancy symptoms, supplements, plant foods and recipes to support each trimester.” Did Bertrand’s own eating habits change drastically?

“First trimester I felt like I didn’t recognise myself,” she says. “All I could stomach was plain food, but come week 11 I actually went back to how I would usually eat.”

Her route to all-conquering foodie influencer wasn’t quite the natural one that many would maybe suspect. “I couldn’t have been less bothered about food growing

up,” she admits. “It wasn’t until I developed a disordered relationship with food that I started to look at it differently.” As her interest grew, Bertrand decided to share her findings with the rest of the (digital) world. “I originally created Sophie’s Healthy Kitchen to share simple, yet nutritious recipes for those who wanted to experiment more in the kitchen. As my relationship with food developed into a more positive one, I wanted to share deliciously nourishing recipes. I started it as a blog and had no idea it would turn into a business. Healthy shouldn’t feel boring or restrictive and I love encouraging people to develop healthy relationships with food.”

Bertrand’s views about food lead to partnering up with dietician Stricoff and launching their podcast, Forking Wellness. “After starting our podcast, we were approached by a publisher to turn our ethos and conversations into a book,” she says on Forking Wellness in print. “We are extremely grateful that we were able to create such a detailed and valuable resource for our followers.”

Look into Bertrand’s background and it’s interesting to note that she trained in psychology. Has that come in useful during her work as a nutritionist? “Yes,” she nods, “I see a lot of black and white thinking when it comes to people’s relationship with food. People would do well to identify what healthy looks like to them and to stop looking for some ‘miracle’ approach. Balance and flexibility is key.”

The latter is now something that is certainly pressing when discussing what’s on Bertrand’s plate (sorry) now. “I have a lot going on and I like it that way,” she says, “but for now I am just trying to work out how to balance work and mum life!” sophieshealthykitchen.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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DRINKS CABINET What to drink this month

By PENDLE HARTE

REVIEW

KEY NOTES N O. 3 G I N No.3 Gin’s refreshing balance of juniper, citrus and spice makes it the perfect addition to this season’s drinking occasions. As the only gin to have been awarded World’s Best Gin four times, No.3 promises a superior taste experience, every time. From garden parties to sundowners, these crisp cocktails are bursting with flavour, simple to make, and sure to impress.

£36; no3gin.com

FRENCH SPRITZ ST G E R M A I N Known as the 'barman's ketchup' for its versatility, St Germain is said to improve any cocktail. This elegant elderflower liqueur contains as many as 1,000 elderflowers per bottle and it makes a mean spritz.

Cocktail o’clock

The Mayfair Townhouse x Acqua dei Parma

By ELLIE-MAE HAMMOND

T

he super stylish Dandy Bar in The Mayfair Townhouse is mixing cocktails inspired by a new partnership between Möet Hennessey and Acqua di Parma.

Named for the dandy characters of Mayfair’s past and present, the enigmatic yet intimately cosy atmosphere of the Dandy Bar is an exceptional space that is certainly worth the journey in from our county. Effervescent Italian bar manager Pierpaolo Monaco has carefully created a selection of new cocktails inspired by the summer fragrances of Acqua di Parma's Blu Mediterraneo range and the liqueurs and champagnes of Möet Hennessy, including the Amalfi (paired with Fico di Amalfi), Calabria (paired with Bergamotto di Calabria), and Capri (paired with Arancia di Capri). You will also receive a complimentary sample of each fragrance and an invitation for a complimentary fragrance consultation at the Acqua di Parma Barbershop at Selfridges, complete with a special gift.

AMALFI COCKTAIL RECIPE

£25.99; stgermain.fr

CAUSE A STIR

LO C K D OW N L I Q U O R New to Lockdown Liquor's fold of smallbatch, premium blended cocktails is the delicious lychee Martini - silky, not too sweet nor too strong, it's a joy to sip. Add a whole lychee for the full effect.

£25 for 500ml; lockdown-liquor.com

Pour the below ingredients: - 30ml Sabatini Gin - 25ml Mancino Amaranto - 25ml Fig Liquor (Brand from Ischia Island) - 4 Drops of Coffee Bean • Top off with soda.

• Serve in a champagne coupe and enjoy.

THE MAYFAIR TOWNHOUSE 27-41 Half Moon Street, W1 themayfairtownhouse.com

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FA S H I O N

SEASONAL CHANGE PARKWAY

Discover Emma Willis’ latest clothing collection exclusively at Next at Parkway Newbury.

The collection features classic tailored pieces, midi dresses and nightwear to style your look this season. Think vibrant animal prints and a softer colour palette of pastels and earthy tones, perfect as we move into autumn. shopatparkway.com

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XXXXXXXX FASHION •• XXXXX TREND

NICE AND KNIT How the new season is all about dreamy doubles and classic knits

By ELLIE-MAE HAMMOND

OLIVER BONAS Pink ombre knit tank, £45 oliverbonas.com

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FASHION • TREND GANNI Stretch stripe trousers in phantom, £195 ganni.com

GANNI Stretch stripe jacket in phantom, £325 ganni.com

SHRIMPS Milton vest in hazelnut, £250 shrimps.com

PRIMARK

S

eptember is by far one of the best months for fashion. It’s a time of transition, and 2021 is looking into the fashion archives and bringing back all the nostalgic classics we’ve been craving. Plenty of designers have made a case to create a more emphasised look when it comes to pairing pieces together: this month prepare to be invested in some classic co-ord pieces, with Ganni’s take on tailored two pieces, and Baum Und Pferdgarten’s denim on denim aesthetic.

The vintage knit has also made a return this season, but not in the traditional classic ‘grandpa’ sense. Designers such as Stine Goya, Simone Rocha and Molly Goddard give us knitwear with a nostalgic twist, playing on colour, tone and size.

Fashion will always look back to the past to give us the present, but this September, we are encouraged to embrace the combination of the old and the new.

Blue wave crop-top, £12 primark.com

BAUM UND PFERGARTEN

EDITOR’S PICK

Clariette sweater, £159 baumundpferdgarten.com

BAUM UND PFERGARTEN Camia trousers, £179 baumundpferdgarten.com

RIXO Rebecca floral sleeveless crochet dress, £325 rixo.co.uk

SIMONE ROCHA Sculpted vest with back button detail, £495 simonerocha.com

MONSOON Anastasia floral midi dress blue, £99 monsoon.co.uk

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Let the F U N B EG I N The new season means a refresh for your child’s look – and Angel & Rocket in Marlow will have plenty to excite A N G E L A N D R O C K E T. C O M

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FLOSS & ROCK Deep Sea Backpack £27

RACHEL ELLEN Girls Rule Glasses Case £5.99

ADIDAS Children’s Runfalcon 2.0 Shoes £40

ADIDAS Children’s Terrex Agravic Flow Trainers £55

RACHEL ELLEN Car & Crocodile Backpack £20

SPEEDO Junior Mariner Supreme Mirror Goggles £15

RACHEL ELLEN Sketchbook £9.99

B A C K T O S C H O O L

RACHEL ELLEN Unicorn Box of 12 Coloured Pencils £6.99

Daniel of Windsor will make sure you are all set for the new school year

SPEEDO Girl’s Boom Logo Medalist Swimsuit £20

FLOSS & ROCK Jungle Backpack £27

FLOSS & ROCK Pets Pencil Case £9 Jungle Pencil Case £9

CHILLYS Water Bottle 500ml Emma Bridgewater Edition Ladybirds £25

ADIDAS Classic Logo Backpack £20

FLOSS & ROCK Deep Sea Lunch Box £10

OPTIMUM Chidrens Red Razer Rugby Boots £36

danielstores.co.uk

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Telephone: 01753 801000

MERCIAN Evolution CKF85 Ultimate Hockey Stick 37.5inch £175

Facebook: @danielofwindsor

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FASHION • PARTNERSHIP

RADLEY Small Multiway Bag £139

BOMBAY DUCK Pillow £39

BOMBAY DUCK Mirror £26

RADLEY Bee Happy Small Coin Purse £39

FENELLA SMITH Vegan Leather Anna Tote Bag £75

SASS & BELLE Travel Set £20

TOMMY HILFIGER Logo Hoodie £90

A U T U M N C H E E R Keep the summer spirit alive with these top picks from Daniel of Windsor

FENELLA SMITH Vegan Leather Purse and Tassell Keyring Gift Set £35

WATERCULT Bikini Top £69.95 Brief £49.95

RADLEY Geo Zip-Top Backpack £199 HACKETT Multi-coloured Stripe Shirt £115

SASS & BELLE Suitcases £5, £8 £10

BIRD Kaka Snowy Sustainable Cat Eye Sunglasses £99

danielstores.co.uk

Telephone: 01753 801000

JEKYLL & HYDE Oxford Cabin Holdall 49cm - Tobacco £329

Facebook: @danielofwindsor

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

WEIGHT OFF YOUR MIND THE REAL FOOD DIET

The Real Food Diet’s 800-caloriea-day, low sugar weight loss plans feature recipes created by their executive chef to ensure you lose weight quickly and still feel satisfied. They deliver boxes bursting with fresh ingredients and a wide range of tasty and easy-tofollow recipes straight to your door, for you to prepare at home. therealfooddiet.co.uk

MADEbyTamalia 44 • Beauty Notes 47 • Beauty Products 49 A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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ENGAGING IN CRAFTS CAN HELP YOUR WELLBEING AND HAPPINESS

M

ental health and wellbeing are very much buzzwords right now thanks to the past couple of years.

However, when it comes to the arts, its power to help heal the soul has been promoted by the great and the good for many years.

“This quote from Pablo Picasso is one of my favourites and resonates hugely with me about the impact that art can have on healing and wellbeing,” Tamalia Reeves smiles. “'Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life'…”

Reeves is behind MADEbyTamalia Studio, tucked away in Caversham, which is all about engaging in the arts for the greater good. “Since leaving university, I worked as an illustrator, graphic designer and school teacher, but never really found my creative groove. Then one day my world as I knew it fell apart,” she explains. “My marriage to my childhood sweetheart broke down and so did I. To help me navigate this incredibly difficult time in my life, I turned to my art for comfort and to help me slowly rebuild.

“Freshly armed with the realisation that I needed to live a more mindful life, and wanting to share my creative skills and knowledge with others, I decided to create MADEbyTamalia,” she continues. “A small, colourful, warm and welcoming art studio, where others could escape the rat race and indulge in some well deserved creative ‘me time’. It was important for me to create a space where I could help others find calm

ART & SOUL

THE STUDIO SPACE HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO PUT YOU AT EASE

We meet Tamalia Reeves, of MADEbyTamalia Studio in Caversham, to discover how crafts can make you happy

By MARK KEBBLE

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • INTERVIEW

“It has been scientifically proven that being creative in whatever shape or form increases our sense of wellbeing” and connect with themselves or others through creative activities. Together with my mum, we also wanted to create a space for artists to learn, support each other and collaborate. As artists we know first-hand the struggles of working in this industry and so felt it was important to us to help build and support our local creative community.”

Today, Reeves and her mum Sue have brought together a collective of 33 artists and they hold regular events and workshops suited to the whole family. “Art is often seen as a hobby and our traditional education system places less value on it,” Reeves says.

“Plus, in some communities there is little or no art available due to lack of money or resources. I am incredibly passionate about sharing art with everyone.

“Also, as someone who suffers from my own mental health challenges, I believe in a world where creativity and wellbeing go hand in hand,” she adds. “It has been scientifically proven that being creative in whatever shape or form increases our sense of wellbeing. By facilitating interaction through creativity, I want to encourage purposeful activity, resilience, social inclusion, self-expression, and personal and professional growth, so that creativity becomes not only part of daily life, but also in the workplace too.”

Reeves explains that wellness is something she has always thought about, practicing yoga over the past decade. The knowledge she has amassed about this certainly does show when you visit the Caversham studio space. “Having been closed for the best part of a full year and receiving only a very small government grant, we had to be creative in how to furnish the art spaces,” Reeves says about how lockdown has had an impact.

“Most of the furniture has been donated, bought second-hand and upcycled, or made

from scratch. We painted the wall murals, and even the wood for the trees, and dried flowers were collected and turned into art pieces. Each space has been curated with a collection of handmade, foraged, second-hand objects and eccentricities.”

It’s a wonderful spot with a genuinely warm feeling prevalent throughout, and is a great base for Tamalia Reeves to truly bring to life what Pablo Picasso always believed. “We want to showcase our local creative talent and rich and diverse cultural heritage, by engaging with the local community through art and creative activities, exhibitions and events. In turn, we hope to promote art as a valuable outlet for wellbeing and mental health.”

TAMALIA REEVES

M A D E BY TA M A L I A Creativ.Spaces Art Studio & Event Spaces, 2b Southview Business Park, Marsack Street, Caversham, RG4 5AF 07989 130 066 madebytamalia.co.uk

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • NOTES

BEAUTY NOTES

The latest in luxury makeup and skincare

By ELLIE-MAE HAMMOND

FOCUS

PERFECT

EDITOR’S PICK

Blend

Tria Woman on offering much-needed support

p l s LO N D O N ™

B y M A R I A N N E GAU T I E R

September is the perfect time for a hair transformation, and it has never been easier with the help of plsLONDON™. The brand stocks Russian Remy cuticle hair – the finest hair extensions on the market, for a seamless and smooth finish that effortlessly blends in with your own hair.

S

plshair.co.uk

Smile Wide C R OW N WO O D D E N TA L

Change your life with a new smile.

CrownWood Dental will be holding a Dental Implant Open Day on 2 October. Here you will be able to have a free 30 minute consultation and meet their team. It’s the permanent solution for missing teeth so you can eat, smile and laugh with confidence. crownwooddental.co.uk

EYE C O N TAC T CHANEL

The art of self-expression is encouraged with Chanel’s 2021 edition of The Eye Collection, by way of ultra-resistant, longwearing products. Highlighting our eyes is a way of enhancing our natural beauty, keeping things simple with the skin and asserting your personality on the eye.

SHARE THE LOAD eptember again… another school year is upon us and for those of us with children, getting back into a routine can seem like such a relief after a long summer of finding ways to keep the kids entertained!

However, for some, the reality of the back to school routine can feel like a merry-go-round of school drop offs, after school clubs, birthday parties, play dates (and that list goes on), which all have to be navigated alongside the usual routines of housework, shopping, cooking and work. All this pressure can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed and not being good enough, especially when, at the end of the day, we are winding down with a glass or two of wine in front of the TV, only to start the next day with industrial strength coffee in order to get going once again.

A lot of this behaviour can contribute to feelings of anxiety, which is one of the most common problems that women will come to see me about.

Women will often state that they have too much on their plate and this is causing them to spread themselves too thinly – leading to feeling guilty that they “should” do better, or more or both.

But there are many ways that we can alleviate our anxiety and make our busy lives more manageable and less overwhelming - come and speak to us and we will support you with whatever life has thrown your way.

TRIA WOMAN

The Stables, Penn Street, Amersham, Bucks, HP7 0PP, 07792 972943 marianne@triawoman.com triawoman.com

chanel.com

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Established in 1998, Independent Living has been supplying top-grade mobility equipment to clients across Buckinghamshire and Berkshire for more than two decades.

The friendly fully trained professional staff guide you through the maze of products available to make your life easier.

Scooters, wheelchairs, walking aids, rise and recline chairs as well as smaller everyday products can be tried at the shop and/or demonstrated in your own home.

■ Independent Living Consultants. 10 Cross Court, Plomer Green Avenue, Downley, High Wycombe HP13 5UW ■ 01494 443 933 ■ info@independentliv.co.uk ■ independentlivingconsultants.co.uk

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5 star rated skin clinic

Discover Beauty Within Step into the CrownWood MediSpa

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10 Crown Row | Bracknell | Berks | RG12 0TH 01344 482 882 pc@crownwooddental.co.uk www.crownwooddental.co.uk Find us on 26/08/2021 17:51

26/08/2021 17:55

HEALTH & BEAUTY • TREND

CHANEL Au Ritz body massage oil, £175 chanel.com

AURELIA LONDON Botanical brightening mist, £42 aurelialondon.com

EVE LOM Cleanser, £160 harrods.com

OLEHENRIKSEN Dewtopia 20% acid night treatment £46 boots.com

EDITOR’S PICK

OLEHENRIKSEN Phat glow facial, £42 boots.com

REVIVE ReVolve contouring massage roller, £115 reviveskincare.com

CBII Muscle balm, £29 cbii-cbd.com

EXPERT TOUCH

AESOP Parsley seed anti-oxidant intense serum, £55 aesop.com

The best products to bring that luxury spa touch into your home

By ELLIE-MAE HAMMOND

ALUMIERMD

CHANEL

Everactive C&E peptide serum, £149 alumiermd.co.uk

Le Lift flash eye revitalizer firming – anti-wrinkle, £105 chanel.com

COMFORT ZONE Sublime skin lift & firm ampoules, £45 lookfantastic.com

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“See a physiotherapist to learn how to exercise your pelvic floor in the right way”

AT HOME REMEDIES FOR PELVIC WEAKNESS

EXERCISE WILL HELP TO KEEP YOUR PELVIC FLOOR IN SHAPE

S T R E N G T H & S U P P O R T Your pelvic floor health is linked to a whole host of everyday functions in the human body

By DR SELENA LANGDON

Y

our pelvic floor muscles support your bladder, bowel, rectum, and uterus by wrapping around your pelvic bone. Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common condition where you are unable to correctly relax and coordinate the muscles in your pelvic floor. A weak or dysfunctional pelvic floor may cause you to have trouble with controlling wind, bowel movements, or as is most common cause urinary incontinence.

If you’re a woman, pelvic floor issues may cause you to feel pain during sex, or reduced sensation, while men may have trouble gaining or keeping an erection.

CAUSES OF A WEAK PELVIC FLOOR A weak pelvic floor is more often associated with: • Ageing • Pregnancy • Trauma • Injury In my practice I see patients with pelvic floor issues most often following pregnancy.

This is extremely common with around one in three women suffering some form of urinary or fecal incontinence postpartum.

The pelvic floor muscles can be exercised quite easily, but if you are unfamiliar with your pelvic floor, it is a good idea to seek out some professional help before undertaking any regular exercises. Just as you might hire a personal trainer at the gym to show you how to use the equipment, you might see a pelvic floor physiotherapist to learn how to exercise your pelvic floor in the right way.

Once you know what you are doing then pelvic floor exercises can be done anywhere.

There is really no excuse for not doing your bit to keep your pelvic floor in shape.

ADDITIONAL TREATMENTS FOR PELVIC MUSCLES While at home exercises are easy and free, I do see patients who have ‘lost touch’ with their pelvic floors, meaning they have forgotten how to engage the muscles, or the muscles have become so weak that the muscles hardly respond. Here, I recommend my patients a course of Emsella.

Emsella uses electromagnetic energy to induce thousands of supramaximal pelvic floor muscle contractions in each session.

The treatment itself is very easy and is done by sitting fully clothed in a chair.

The electromagnetic stimulation works in a similar way to how the brain sends signals to your muscles, thereby creating a normal but spontaneous contraction.

Importantly, these contractions happen at a faster rate. By inducing such a high number of contractions, the Emsella will help to quickly rebuild muscle strength. The treatment alleviates the symptoms of incontinence within just a few weeks of starting the treatment.

BERKSHIRE AESTHETIC S Dr Selena Langdon is an aesthetic doctor and founder of Berkshire Aesthetics – see more at berkshireaesthetics.com

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Traditional shaker styles designed for modern living

Affordable, luxury, quality & style...

01494 677727

Call us now for a no obligation consultation www.kbstudios.co.uk 43-45 Mayflower Way, Beaconsfields, Bucks HP9 1UG KBS.indd 1

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INTERIORS

REST E A SY READING BEDDING

As the nights start to draw in, there’s surely nothing better than the thought of a cosy bedroom waiting for you at the end of the day. Inside this section, we look at the latest trends for everything to do with bedrooms, and for starters is this exquisitely stylish contemporary bedstead with its pleated buttoned head and low footboard, which will look beautiful in any décor. reading-bedding.co.uk

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INTERIORS NOT E S Ideas, designs and styles for your home

By PENDLE HARTE

SILK CUT BEAUVAMP

BeauVamp is an independent, British lighting brand specialising in traditional hand stitched, silk lampshades, combining traditional sewing techniques with vintage-inspired design and contemporary style.

Founder Alice offers a completely new take on the old fashioned lampshade, drawing and designing her own shapes into humble, hand-sewn lampshades of the early 1900s. beauvamp.com

MAN OF PARTS

The Man of Parts collection is intended to reflect a contemporary way of living, rather than a single aesthetic and features products by a selection of the world's leading designers including Yabu Pushelberg, whose Via del Corso chair is a mix of soft curves and lightness on floating feet. manofparts.com

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INTERIORS • NOTES

TA K E FIVE Cutlery sets CIELSHOP Gold cutlery place set, £25 cielshopinteriors.com

WA R M U P HERTFORDSHIRE FIREPLACE GALLERY

A N E W LE A F BAKER BROTHERS DIAMONDS

These elegant bowls from Georg Jensen are inspired by the magnolia’s elegant petals expressing infinite movement. £149 bakerbrothersdiamonds.com

HOUSE DOCTOR Ox titanium cutlery, from £8 quinceandcook.co.uk

With the increasing number of new homes being built without fireplaces, and advances in electric fire designs, the media wall has become increasingly popular with homeowners. Shown here is the Flamerite Glazer 1800 built in 3-sided electric fire with a false chimney breast in white. hertsfireplacegallery.co.uk

CULT FURNITURE Four piece cutlery set in copper, £39 cultfurniture.com

COX & COX Cutlery set in gold, £65 coxandcox.co.uk

IN THE LEAD WATT WATT

REBECCA UDALL Four piece bamboo handle cutlery set, £68 rebeccaudall.com

Sick of ugly extension leads? We all are. The solution come from Wattwatt, who have designed a range of colourful, pretty ones in endless combinations.

Chunky cloth braided cables and premium plugs will look good even tangled. From £36. watt-watt.com

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Bring your outdoor space to life

Whether it’s a bespoke outdoor kitchen designed with entertaining in mind, or a tranquil garden escape to where you can disappear for some peace and quiet, David Henry Designs in partnership with Marlow Stoves can bring your unique vision to life.

• Garden Rooms • Bespoke Outdoor Kitchens • Swimming Pools • Pergola and Gazebo • Clay Kamado Ovens • Outdoor Stoves • Pizza Ovens • Fire Pits • Design Consultation

Call now for a free consultation

David Henry Designs

07876 450155 or 07920 112248 enquiry@davidhenrydesigns.co.uk davidhenrydesigns.co.uk

Marlow Stoves 01628 290 142 info@marlowsstoves.co.uk marlowstoves.co.uk

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INTERIORS • TREND

ASK THE

E X P E RT S Think interior designers are just for the rich and famous? Here's advice that will make you think again

By SANDRA ROTHWELL

A

fresh set of eyes can be what’s needed when planning a new look for your home, and using an interior designer who can instantly spot both the problems and the potential can be a game-changer. Knowing which suppliers and tradespeople to use, and advising when to save and when to splurge, they can really save you money.

A good interior designer handles all the stressful parts of the project, such as researching, project planning and budgeting, leaving you all the fun stuff.

There can be an overwhelming amount of choice available, and they can edit this down to a few perfectly chosen options for you.

COURTESY OF JAMES HARE

“An interior designer can envision the complete room and know how to achieve it”

How do I choose the right interior designer for me?

You need to like their creative style: look at their portfolio, testimonials and their ideas for your home. You also need to be able to communicate well with them so you can both easily understand what you want to achieve. Start with a consultation and see if you have a connection, as you will work together quite a lot.

Someone local to you is a good idea as they will have a strong network of local tradespeople to call on, enabling the project to flow seamlessly.

How much does an interior designer do?

An interior designer can provide general advice or pull a whole scheme together for your home. They can add those finishing touches for that ‘magazine look’, create focal

JAMES HARE

points, provide floor layouts, recommend lighting, furniture and soft furnishings, as well as project manage the whole job.

An interior designer can envision the complete room and know how to achieve it.

How much does it cost?

This will depend on the scale of the project and exactly how much design input is required. Floor plans, 3D sketches and design boards can all be created to make you sure you know exactly what your finished project will look like. A design fee can be agreed at the outset and a budget confirmed for the project costs before work commences. Having an idea of your budget beforehand is a good starting point.

How can I ensure the best outcome?

Having an idea of what you want the outcome to be is a good idea, such as how you want to use the space. Also be open to new ideas and suggestions as you are using their expertise and knowledge.

The most important thing to remember is that having the right interior designer will be a fun and exciting process – and at the end of the project, you’ll have a home you’ll love. sandrarothwellinteriors.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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INTERIORS • FEATURE

CICI PHOTOGRAPHY

THIS AWARD WINNING INTERIOR HAS BEEN FEATURED IN COUNTLESS MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS

A top Berkshire interior designer on how a turbulent period of her life eventually led to her setting up her own business

By ANOUSKA LANCASTER

NICK HUGGINS

I

married young and sadly ended up in a controlling and violent relationship at 21. All my dreams came to a grinding halt. Although I wasn’t allowed to work, I successfully designed three nightclubs in central London for my husband at the time. One of the nightclubs went on to win ‘Best London Club’ at the London Bar and Club Awards. However, the attention my award brought me meant that this flair was soon ended, and my creativity and passion for design was grinded back to a halt.

I finally got the courage to flee the marital home with my children in 2011 and moved into rented accommodation. I left behind everything that I knew – my home, my lifestyle and all the luxuries that came with it. My husband cut off all finances and began a campaign of terror to get me to return.

I stood strong with the help of the Police and Berkshire Women’s Aid and learnt to live again. Following the success of my nightclub designs, I knew I had the ability to create a magical home for my children that they’d love, and a place they’d feel safe. That rented cottage was the most important and

prominent project of my career. It marked the start of my new life and gave me the confidence to set up Noushka Design.

The reason for founding Noushka Design was because I was bored of seeing nondescript interiors. Interiors that were lifeless, that were dull, and that didn’t tell a story. I often use fashion as a parallel when it comes to explaining my philosophy on interior design. You should dress your house like you dress yourself. I rarely see anyone going out top to toe in grey cotton, without an accessory or even a handbag.

What you wear speaks volumes about your personality, your individuality and your sense of style. Your interior should do the same.

My vision was to create a bespoke design company which created interiors that reflected the various passions, styles and personalities of its clients. My designs are colourful, bold and brave, and always tell a story. It is important to me that each and every interior is as different as the person that I am designing it for. Noushka Design is a celebration of individuality and personal style.

Noushka Design is so much more than a business; it is part of me. I don’t have a A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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Poggenpohl Marlow 75 High St | Marlow SL7 1AB phone 01628 326 061 marlow@poggenpohl.com www.marlow.poggenpohl.com

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NICK HUGGINS

INTERIORS • FEATURE

ROSE COTTAGE IN CORNWALL WAS RECENTLY FEATURED IN OK! MAGAZINE, AND IS AVAILABLE TO RENT

‘work persona’ and a ‘home persona’ – I am who I am; whether I’m working or relaxing with my family. When I work with my clients, I allow them to be part of my life and vice versa. More often than not, my clients become important people in my life.

I pride myself on giving so much more than simply a colour scheme or a mood board; I give my clients the confidence to create a bespoke interior that enhances their lifestyle. I truly believe that a successful design can only be achieved by spending time getting to know an individual and understanding their story.

I believe that the key element to successful interior design is surrounding yourself with colours and items that make you happy. If you don’t, then your house is simply a house, not a home. A home should be a unique sanctuary, a place where you feel content and happy. This can only be achieved by creating a design scheme that reflects you and your style. My top tip would be to dig deep, trust your intuition, follow your heart, and not your head.

CHRISTINE TAYLOR

SHE LOVES MIXING OLD AND NEW PIECES TO GIVE AN ECLECTIC AND INTERESTING LOOK

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“My top tip would be dig deep, trust your intuition, follow your heart, and not your head” Interior design is one of those phrases that for as long as I can remember automatically creates a sense of snobbery, of exclusivity, and the common misconception that it’s purely for the rich, famous or wealthy. Interior design is not something that should be class related or wealth related. It is something that everybody should be able to embrace and be involved in.

Again, like fashion. You don’t have to dress in Gucci to look cool and on trend. It’s not wealth related, and some of the best design schemes I’ve created have been on a budget.

I am based in Berkshire. I live in a small village called Crowthorne with my husband Greig, my two children Kai and Miabella, and my stepchildren Harry and Maddie.

We have two dogs called Otto and Stanley.

I grew up locally in Finchampstead and have lived in Berkshire my whole life.

I am currently working on a project in Jordans (near Beaconsfield) and one in Amersham. One project that stands out for me is a Victorian house in Berkshire that won numerous awards, and was the project that Vogue spotted and featured.

My business is growing as I am. I am doing things now that I never dreamt I’d be able to do five years ago. I see myself on an exciting journey, and part of the excitement is not knowing what tomorrow will bring. I am a spiritual person and I trust that ‘what is meant to be will be’. I never

ONE OF ANOUSKA LANCASTER’S SIGNATURE LOOKS IS DISPLAYING THE CLIENT’S PERSONAL IDEAS IN JARS

NICK HUGGINS

NICK HUGGINS

ONE OF THE MOST PINNED PHOTOS ON HOUZZ

beat myself up over the future, I take each day as it comes. I feel that creatively, it’s damaging to get too fixated on the future.

I believe you have to live in the moment and see what each new day brings.

I have recently been given a couple of opportunities to get back into designing for the leisure industry, which is a field that I’ve been looking to get back into. Designing leisure projects gives you a much broader spectrum of opportunities to be creative and think ‘outside the box’. I am working with some really exciting companies at the moment, developing new products that would work beautifully in nightclubs and bars and I am really excited about this.

As well as more writing and TV work, I would like to launch my own collection of items for the home. Encapsulating my quirky and unique style with a furniture and accessories range would be incredibly satisfying. I really feel that there is a gap in the market for an affordable, brave and bold capsule collection, which pushes boundaries and encourages people to be brave and bold enough to think outside the box. noushkadesign.com Instagram: @noushka_design, and for more on the Cornwall rental opportunities see @hillsidecottage_portisaac and @rosecottage_portisaac A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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S L E E P

T I G H T

Your bedroom should be your sanctuary and a place where you can unwind. Here’s how you can make it a welcome respite

By MARK KEBBLE

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Sleep easy CA R PE DIEM BEDS

 Carpe Diem Beds’ Sandö is the perfect combination of sleep innovation and beautiful design. Its three spring systems – including the patented Contour Pocket System developed together with the Spinal Unit at Sahlgrenska University Hospital – form perfectly to your body, providing you with completely weightless sleep, while their Swedish handcraftsmanship and multitude of design options give a truly customisable, unique design to your bed. carpediembeds.co.uk

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INTERIORS • TREND

Natural wellbeing TEER & CO

 These beautiful 2D and 3D Wall Panels bring warmth and nature into any bedroom and interior. Shown here is the Pyramid model from the 3D Edge Series. Pyramid presents an equilateral triangle profile with no symmetry and the surface is refracted at three different angles. The natural character and specific form of these stunning wall panels brings the outdoors in whilst improving the microclimate and the acoustic properties of interiors. teerandco.com

Top drawer L OA F

 You can never have too much storage, particularly when you have children and/or pets causing havoc in your bedroom. This Dinkum under bed storage in washed oak from Loaf is perfect to hide away toys and other messy paraphernalia without impacting on your bedroom's design and look. Created on wheels, it's simple to use, so no frantic pulling and pushing to complete the clean living look. loaf.com

Add va va voom

T H E F R E N C H B E D R O O M C O M PA N Y

 With smart tapered legs and beautiful ornate carving, the Provencal pretty white bedside table from The French Bedroom Company has two handy drawers for storing all of your bedside articles. Hand-carved from mahogany, this French bedside cabinet is finished in antique white, co-ordinating with all of their Provencal furniture and mirrors. frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

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INTERIORS • TREND

Best of British

T H E PA I N T E D F U R N I T U R E C O

 Conceived, designed, engineered, manufactured, painted and finished entirely in the UK, the Oxford Painted Bedroom Furniture collection is a modern interpretation of classic British design, beautiful to behold and exceptionally well made. The collection is available in a wide choice of standard pieces with bespoke sizes available on request, and may be finished in a beautiful selection of contemporary colours. paintedfurnitureco.co.uk

Fall in love READING BEDDING

 The Kiss Me is a stunning new addition to the Hestia® Upholstered Bedframe collection, available at Reading Bedding.

The Hestia Upholstered Bedframe collection offers stunning handmade bedframes, as well as stools, ottomans, chaise longues, bedroom chairs and bedside tables to act as the perfect complement to your luxurious Furmanac bed frame. reading-bedding.co.uk

Hex appeal AT K I N & T H Y M E

 Keep it simple with a black stained mango wood unit featuring a contrasting brass finish for a hint of utility chic. A fantastic option for master bedrooms as well as guest rooms or teen spaces, Atkin & Thyme's Hex Bedside Drawers are a classically understated design that will complement any interior style. atkinandthyme.co.uk

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QUALITY HANDMADE FURNITURE IN THE UK

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INTERIORS • TREND

Soft centred TEXTURED LIVES

 Inspired by nature and following Textured Lives' ethos of creating designer bedding for comfort and easy living in the home, this beautiful fern embroidery has a relaxed aesthetic whilst being on trend for today’s interiors. It is produced in a neutral colour palette that can suit most soft pastel bedrooms for that calming ambience we all need at home. texturedlives.co.uk

Grey days SHARPS

 This Shaker Slate Grey wardrobe from Sharps covers all the bases you need in a bedroom, all wrapped up in a wonderful to look at design. Featuring a clothes rail, drawers for fold up clothing, and plenty of shelves to use for whatever your heart desires, all bedrooms need something this eye-catching and compact. sharps.co.uk

Coast to coast DUNELM

 Dunelm's AW21 Coastal Global Bedroom will get you dreaming of the sea. The bedroom collection includes a Seagrass mirror, Giselle five drawer chest, a Wolston three light cluster fitting, Coastal ceramic vase lines, Jax Global duvet, Wicker headboard, Joseph dining bench oak effect, Jonah denim mix rug, Ecomix ball shaped table lamp, and Jax embroidered cushion. dunelm.com

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INTERIORS • TREND THE VINTAGE LIST Champagne saucers with fern design, £79 for six thevintagelist.co.uk

KAYU HOME Yala hammered wine glass, set of four, £36.95 kayuhome.co.uk

NATALIA WILLMOTT Pair of red cut glasses, £56 nataliawillmott.co.uk

POLKRA Set of six handblown coloured glass tumblers, £42 polkra.com

PASOLUNA Pink recycled glass handmade wine glass, set of two, £19.95 pasoluna.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

TOM DIXON Puck coupe glass, £70 for two tomdixon.net

FERM LIVING Ripple champagne saucers, set of two, £39 utilitydesign.co.uk

SIR/MADAM Rialto glass coupe set of two, £60 iamfy.co

RAISE THE BAR All the loveliest glasses for sipping from

EDITOR’S PICK

By P E N D L E H A R T E

HAY Tint tumblers, set of two, £25 hay.dk

SUNDAY LIVING Rose cocktail glass, £12.50 sundayliving.co.uk

BROSTE Smoke white wine glass set of four, £44 silvermushroom.com

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CASA CELVA Murano shot glass, £38 for four casacelva.com

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Open Morning Saturday 2nd October 2021 www.headington.org/signup

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Bespoke luxury spaces tailored just for you From walk in wardrobes to home offices in a range of styles

Nordikka Interiors Blinding Bifolds Showroom, The Dutch Nursery, The Great North Rd, Brookmans Park, Hatfields, Hertfordshire AL9 6ND E: info@nordikka.co M: 07738469691

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INTERIORS • TREND ERCOL Forli chaise, £3,185 ercol.com

HEAVENLY HOMES & GARDENS Orange cotton runner, £62 heavenlyhomesandgardens.co.uk

COSY COCO Khatim rug, £396 cosycoco.com

MADE BY HAND One-off Penguin Books jug, £45 madebyhandonline.com

MADE TO LAST Hipster pendant light, £190 made-to-last.co.uk

THE HAPPY BLOSSOMS Origami vase, £33 thehappyblossoms.com

EDITOR’S PICK

AUDENZA Lola curvaceous velvet armchair, £657 audenza.com

HK LIVING Ceramic 70s noodle bowl, £11 folkinteriors.co.uk

HUBSCH Orange and black glass bowl, £19 fiveanddime-interiors.com

EDITOR’S PICK

BURNT ORANGE

LIGNE ROSET Pukka lounge chair, £1,605 chaplins.co.uk

The shade of the moment

By P E N D L E H A R T E

THE RUG RETAILER Oh So Sisco Burnt Orange by Matthew Williamson, £645 therugretailer.co.uk

LIVING IT UP Arthur bed, £989 livingitup.co.uk

ROOM FOR ROOTS Bohemian hanging planter, £11 roomforroots.co.uk

BOMBAY DUCK Picado Embroidered Cushion £58 orangefrogboutique.com

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A FAMILY BUSINESS SINCE 1977 MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO COME AND VISIT OUR LARGE SHOWROOM!

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WOOD BURNERS | GAS FIRES | FIREPLACES

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INTERIORS • GARDENS

S H O W S T O P P E R S JAMES SMITH'S CREATION

RHS events made a welcome return this summer, so the experts at Practicality Brown review displays at two of the biggest shows

HAMPTON COURT GARDEN FESTIVAL

EMILIE BAUSAGER'S REHEARSE GARDEN

“THE MESSAGE WAS WE CAN ALL TAKE ACTION TO HELP PREVENT PLASTIC POLLUTION IN OUR OWN GARDENS” TRACY FOSTER'S GLOBAL IMPACT GARDEN

The first major show in quite some time, this year’s Hampton Court Garden Festival enjoyed BBC coverage and many visitors to the stunning grounds of the Historic Royal Palace in Richmond upon Thames.

We worked with two designers at this year’s show. Tracy Foster won a Silver Medal for her Global Impact Garden designed for Canal & River Trust’s Plastics Challenge.

The message from this garden is that we can all take action to help prevent plastic pollution, in our own gardens, urban green spaces and around our canals and rivers.

We supplied several specimen shrubs as part of the innovative bottle garden.

Amelia Bouquet’s Lifestyle Garden, in support of Mental Health UK, is a place to meet, talk, listen and to highlight the importance of face-to-face communication for our mental wellbeing. Practical Instant Native Mix Hedge was used as a backdrop to the design, which won a Silver medal and Best Construction (Global Impact and Lifestyle Garden).

RHS TATTON PARK FLOWER SHOW

The Tatton Park Garden Show in Knutsford, Cheshire, is a lovely event full of colourful gardening inspiration. Once again, Practicality Brown supported Young Designer Gardens at the show. This is a category for those hoping to launch their careers in design, and showcases some of the promising college graduates.

James Smith has created a garden that draws attention to the stigma associated with mental ill health and the difficulties that men face in coping with such issues.

This garden represents that ’it’s ok not to

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE DESIGNERS LIKE MATT MADDOCKS BACK AT AN EVENT

be ok’ and was awarded a Silver Medal.

The Hornbeam Practical Instant Hedge forms an integral part of James’s design.

Emilie Bausager designed the Rehearse Garden for the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. It’s for a family and provides a green oasis that supports wildlife and provide space for the family to enjoy. Emilie chose Beech Practical Instant Hedge to enhance the courtyard effect of the design.

The garden won a Silver Medal and the public vote Award for Best Large Garden (Tatton Garden/Young Designer Garden).

We also work with established garden designers and at Tatton Park this year we worked with Leon Davis on his design for the Back to Back Garden category.

His design was awarded a Gold Medal plus Best Back to Back Garden and Best Construction Award (Back to Back Garden and Tatton Garden) Congratulations to all the designers and their teams on the RHS medals and awards. It's great to be back.

P R AC T I CA L I T Y B R OW N To find out more about Practical Instant Hedge™ email Practicality Brown on hedge@pracbrown.co.uk or visit pracbrown.co.uk

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INTERIORS • PARTNERSHIP

“Make poor video calls, slow uploads and gaming lag a thing of the past”

FULL SPEED

SPEED UNITED Unlike traditional broadband services, Swish Fibre delivers an upload speed that matches the eye-watering download speed of your chosen package.

Make every millisecond count. Make poor video calls, slow file uploads and gaming lag a thing of the past. With split-second response rates, Swish always delivers when it matters most.

AHEAD

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

Looking at how Swish Fibre will change how we work, surf and play

Swish’s network is currently able to expand to speeds of 10,000 Mbps, with the ability to upgrade even further so it’s always ahead of true demands.

If Full Fibre is available in your area, you can pre-order online or in-store. Once your property is ready for service, one of their expert installations team will be in touch to schedule in a suitable time for you to get connected. You can find out if Full Fibre is available in your area, or if they’re coming to your town soon, by visiting their website or store in Marlow where you can experience the superior performance of Full Fibre broadband for yourself.

S

wish Fibre is building a brand new 10,000 Mbps broadband network Full Fibre to help you work, surf and play with confidence.

Unless you’re one of the lucky 21% UK households, chances are you have a fibreto-the-cabinet broadband (FTTC). This means the final stage of the journey to your home is being made by the traditional copper telephone wire. Think of copper like a leaky bucket, where it quickly loses speed over the distance to your home.

Swish Fibre doesn’t stop at bringing you blistering performance that’s way beyond today’s average speeds. Like their Full Fibre network, they’ve thrown away the rule book and redesigned a range of services that put you first and firmly in control.

Say hello to 4K streaming, hardcore gaming, crystal clear video calls and smart home living, all across multiple devices at the same time – day and night.

FUTURE PROOFED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

SW I S H F I B R E 6, 6a Market Square, Marlow, SL7 1DA 0800 0489415 swishfibre.com/fullfibre

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Your Local Trusted Builder

Sunningdale Building Services Ltd is a well established Building Contractors company that has built up an enviable reputation over the last 20 years. We pride ourselves on our commitment to provide a professional and speedy service at all times, whilst maintaining the highest quality of work. We have a proven track record of innovative designs, effective problem solving and attention to detail and our goal is to meet and exceed the expectations of every customer. enquiries@sbs-homes.co.uk | 07927 714786 Sunningdale Building Services Ltd, 8 Crossways, Ascot SL5 0PY www.sbs-homes.co.uk SUNNINGDALE.indd 1

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INTERIORS • GADGETS

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FA N C LU B

DY S O N

This is the fan to trump all others.

Dyson's Pure Cool Me not only looks stylish with its curves and slick finish, but it's almost silent as it both cools and purifies the air around it, capturing particles and releasing clean air into the room. £299.99 dyson.com

H O M E T E C H

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ALL THE BEST NEW GADGETS

DUST BUST BISSELL

Deep-cleaning your carpet is easier than ever thanks to Bissell's lightweight and compact PowerClean. Its powerful brush works the cleaning solution deep into stains, revealing a whole new freshness. £149.99 bisselldirect.com

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JUST ASK L AVA Z Z A

Lavazza's Voicy is the first coffee machine to come with Alexa built in. So not only is it "Alexa, make me a double espresso", but also "Alexa, do we need more coffee pods?" and even "Alexa, play my playlist". Just wow. £249 lavazza.co.uk

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GET FRESH BOSCH

The new FreshUp is a whole new concept, a dinky handheld device that uses plasma technology to freshen fabrics between washes.

It will remove smells with a wave of its magic purple light, and it's portable and rechargeable. £249 bosch-home.co.uk

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SOUND OFF B R AU N

Braun Audio has reinvented their classic Dieter Rahms speakers from 1959, with a range made up of three premium hi-fi speakers with google assistant built in. The portable LE03 comes in black or white. £349 braun-audio.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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School fees insurance will help cover future costs should you or your spouse die or suffer a terminal illness

School fees insurance from less than £21 per month

Get a quote today www.sfs-group.co.uk A4 ADVERT.indd 1

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SPECI A L

Inside this section O P E N D AY S T O P T I P S p 8 1 THORPE HOUSE p83 HIGHFIELD PREP p85 L AT E S T N E W S p 8 9 LEITH’S COOKERY p99 EXAMS EXAMINED p101

IGNITING C R EATIV IT Y LVS AS COT

LVS Ascot is an award-winning, all-ability, independent day and boarding school that inspires boys and girls from 4 to 18 to exceed their expectations and become independent adults. Students are nurtured, supported and encouraged to excel through a rounded education delivering academic rigor alongside sporting, performing and creative opportunities. lvs.ascot.sch.uk

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Judgement DAYS

With real life open days back on, here’s some valuable advice about the dos and don’ts when parents are invited in again

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ou’ve done your homework: looked at websites, made a rather long shortlist and, where required, booked your places for the round of Autumn Term Open Day events. So how can you maximise the opportunities afforded by visiting school open days?

Although a few schools will grant an individual visit, most of them, particularly during the Autumn Term, will be large en masse events.

Be prepared for the fact that you may well be shown around in a relatively large group where there may be limited time to talk to the present pupils. Some schools will adopt a more flexible approach to the visit,

B y S U E L A I D L AW

where you are given a map and are free to wander at will amongst the well organised classrooms.

When you arrive you will be greeted by a member of staff and some pupils. If you are to have a guide for your visit, this will be a (well chosen) pupil who will, hopefully, be a good ambassador for the school. Having said that, try not to be too influenced by that one specific pupil; try to speak to a few. Many a parent has left a school feeling enormously impressed or, alternatively, taken aback and rather demoralised by the child who has shown them round.

It goes without saying that every school will showcase the best of what they do – carefully chosen exercise books, wonderful choirs

“One personality, dressed in a scarlet suit, made us realise it wasn't the school for us”

EDUCATION • OPEN DAYS

and gym displays, and cookery demonstrations all impress parents and show what can be achieved.

Try to look beyond the obvious. If possible, poke your nose through the window of a classroom that is not on display, and look at the work on the walls of the unadorned classrooms.

Another interesting and worthwhile observation is to look and listen to other fellow parent visitors.

Are they the sort of people that could become your friends? With three children and a long teaching career behind me, I have been involved in scores of open days. On one very telling moment, when visiting a prospective school for one of our daughters, I was instantly struck by the group of parents in which we were amassed. One well-known personality, dressed in a scarlet suit and full of rather loud and confident questions, was amongst the group – wonderful school as it is, it wasn’t the school for our family and this particular situation seemed to be the embodiment of all our thoughts!

Invariably, if you are comfortable in the school environment, your children and family are likely to feel the same way. Trust your instinct and the small voice inside your head.

Open Days provide a wonderful opportunity to explore facilities, meet staff and pupils and get a sense of a school. What is most important is to be wise about finding the most appropriate environment for your child – one in which to thrive, grow and enjoy.

L A I D L AW E D U CAT I O N Sue Laidlaw is founder of Laidlaw Education LLP, who offer educational advice, lessons and courses for children of all ages through their centres and the Laidlaw Virtual Academy. Find out more at laidlaweducation.co.uk or call 020 8487 9517

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Your local Independent School, Thorpe House School in Gerrards Cross.

Proud to be tailored for boys.

At Thorpe House our aspirations push us to achieve higher. There is no such thing as failure, only a desire to learn and become the best version of ourselves.

Open mornings SATURDAY 9TH OCTOBER, 10.00 – 13.00 TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER, 09.00 – 11.00

Lower School / Reception TUESDAY 16TH NOVEMBER, 09.00 – 11.00

Book your place at

Thorpe House is an all-through school for boys aged 4-16

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EDUCATION • PROFILE

Environment TO SUCCEED

Thorpe House School: where your son’s future starts

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mall and family-orientated, passionate about individual learning and ensuring their curriculum brings out the best in every boy, Thorpe House is a very happy, exciting and creative place to be.

At Lower School (Reception – Year 5), they love to entertain local nursery children, sharing their Forest School resource with them, their swimming pool and their beautiful new Griffin Castle play area. Their own Reception boys enjoy a spacious and well-resourced environment. They use the ‘Covered Highway’ for bike and trike fun, building up their gross motor skills, they free-flow in the pretty Learning Garden, and they can curl up with a book in the Library. The Reception boys are taught by specialist teachers in Spanish, music, drama, weekly swimming and PE. They use the splendid Griffin Hall for PE lessons and head to the Theatre for performance.

What sets Thorpe House apart from most other schools is their dedication to Forest School. They venture forth in all weathers to explore nature and to learn bush craft skills in the calm and beauty of the forest.

The benefits of a true Forest School are invaluable. The instant wellbeing one feels in the forest environment runs very deep.

A sense of tranquility is omnipresent and the children react in perfect unison; it becomes obvious that this is a child’s natural learning space. The continuous provision is the hammock, walk-the-plank fallen tree, the den, the high ropes, the magnifying glasses, and tools for digging and exploring. Additionally, a craft will be offered each week, following the seasons and the children’s interests.

They love fire-building, and in particular Year 2 are excellent! They whittle their own toasting forks and get busy with marshmallows on the fire, or cheesy quesadillas in the winter months.

Hot chocolate is the perceived treat, but an essential commodity to keep tiny fingers warm and energy levels high.

The skills learnt in the forest, which are ever practical, imaginative and creative, develop naturally into the school’s new STEAM curriculum. Inspired by the woven pattern of New Zealand’s iconic ‘Te Whariki’, the holistic STEAM curriculum works to empower every boy to grow, learn and be courageous in his pursuits.

Thorpe House School is an all-through school for boys aged 4-16 based in Gerrards Cross. Visit them at their Open Morning on Saturday 9 October, 10am1pm, or Tuesday 12 October 9am-11am.

THORPE HOUSE SCHOOL

FOREST SCHOOL PLAYS A KEY ROLE

Oval Way, Gerrards Cross, SL9 8QA 01753 882474 thorpehouse.co.uk

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EDUCATION • INTERVIEW

Talking Head

We meet Joanna Leach, head of Highfield Preparatory School, to discuss over 100 years of leading the way in girls’ education

By MARK KEBBLE

Q Can you offer an overview of the history of Highfield Prep…

A Highfield Preparatory School has been on the same site since 1918, and is steeped in history as a leading independent girls’ school in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Founded

by Miss Evelyn Hadfield in 1918, we operated as a PNEU (Parents National Education Union) school until the school was made into an Educational Charitable Trust in 1966, and in 2019 the school become part of the Chatsworth Schools group. The school is founded on the guiding principles of Charlotte Mason, a forward-thinking educationalist of her era whose philosophy was that all children are individuals and should be treated as such. The ethos of the PNEU is still found daily at Highfield as we encourage all parents to be actively involved in the education of their child. We strive for excellence in every aspect of life.

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EDUCATION • INTERVIEW

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“Highfield girls step out into the world confident in their ability to take on any challenge they choose” HIGHFIELD PREP HEAD, JOANNA LEACH

parents who are increasingly seeking an excellent family school that will serve both their sons and their daughters, particularly in the early years. This is a hugely exciting time for the future of Highfield.

Q Today, what age group do you cater for?

A Highfield offers co-education in Nursery up to the end of Year 2 and girls only from Year 3-Year 6. From Year 3 onwards the focus is on the academics in preparation for the girls’ senior schools. We believe that educating boys and girls together up to the age of Year 2 enables them to develop their own self-belief and confidence and is part of a whole-school approach on achievement and challenging gender stereotypes in the early years and indeed any form of other discrimination inequality.

Q How would you say the school has

evolved over the last 100+ years?

A For over 100 years, Highfield Prep has adapted to ensure the school prospers and future children benefit from the excellent Highfield education.

At its inception in 1918 Highfield was originally a co-ed school up to the end of Year 2 and boys were only phased out 30 years ago. I am delighted to say that from September 2021 we are going back to our roots and we will be extending our provision for boys until Year 2. This move back to co-education means that girls and boys will benefit from the wonderfully happy, creative atmosphere that has been central to Highfield for over 100 years – and which will continue, but with a more inclusive balance.

The move back to co-education has evolved in response to the demands and desires of

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Q What do you see as the benefits of an all girls’ education?

A We are experts in girls’ education at Highfield Preparatory School and provide the girls with an exceptional platform to develop self-belief and confidence to succeed. There are many reasons as to the benefits of an all-girls’ education. Girls’ schools enable them to grow and mature at their own pace, away from the pressure of feeling they need to conform to social stereotypes.

Girls can learn and grow because they are free to express their thoughts and opinions without fear of putdown or dismissal. Girls’ schools provide a setting where girls hold all the positions of responsibility; all the scientists are girls; all the mathematicians are girls. This undoubtedly leads to a “can-do” attitude.

Fundamentally, we are specialists in teaching girls; we understand how they learn, how they play, how they develop friendships, and what they need to be successful. This is something we are very proud of.

Q When your girls leave you at 11, what do you believe they will be ready for?

A We are a nurturing school with small classes and specialist teachers who provide an inspiring education resulting in resilient, independent girls ready for the next stage of their education.

Our girls achieve outstanding academic results and many of our girls go onto grammar schools (11+), including Kendrick, Wycombe High and Sir William Borlase, as well as other prestigious independent senior schools, such as The Abbey and Queen Anne’s. We don’t just provide a first-class education, but we help our girls discover their independence and selfconfidence who are not afraid of taking risks and making mistakes on their way to success. Highfield girls step out into the world confident in their ability to take on any challenge they choose, whether the world is ready for them or not!

H I G H F I E L D P R E PA R ATO RY SCHOOL 2 West Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1PD 01628 624 918 highfieldprep.org

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Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate An Excellent rated (ISI) school welcoming children aged 3 months to 19 years.

Find out how we can help support your child to achieve their aspirations in our unique prep, middle and senior four-school model.

Call to arrange a private tour or join us at our next open day on 2 October 2021. www.qe.org

Shortlisted for Independent School of the Year for Performing Arts and Independent Prep School of the Year.

“To be the best that I can, with the gifts that I have.” www.qe.org | admissions@qe.org | 01423 333330 | York YO26 9SS

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EDUCATION • NEWS

ROL L CALL

L E I G H TO N PA R K

Pangbourne College

News and information from schools around the county

Pangbourne students overcame the challenges of Covid-19 to achieve real exam success.

Pangbourne College reports that their A-level, BTEC and GCSE students achieved results which truly reflected their potential.

See more at pangbourne.com

By MARK KEBBLE

LVS A S C OT

Leighton Park is a day and boarding school for girls and boys aged 11-18 in Reading, Berkshire, and winner of the Best Co-educational School 2021, South East England. The government’s latest 16-18 years league tables reveal Leighton Park to be the best performing school in Berkshire and in the top 14 boarding schools in the country. Leighton Park exists to form young people of real character and confidence, with a determined desire to change the world, reflecting the school’s Quaker values. leightonpark.com

“League tables reveal Leighton Park to be in the top 14 boarding schools in the country”

There were plenty of reasons to celebrate as pupils at independent day and boarding school LVS Ascot gathered to celebrate recent exam results. The GCSE cohort of LVS Ascot pupils achieved a pass rate of 98.2% (pupils achieving at least 5 GCSEs graded 9-4). And the LVS Ascot Year 13 achieved a pass rate of 98% when the A-level results were announced. lvs.ascot.sch.uk

St George’s St George’s is set to become an IB World School. To flourish in an exciting and internationallyminded world, children need to develop the right knowledge and skills and ask the right questions. The school’s new 3-13 learner journey develops a love of learning and adventure beyond the classroom. stgwindsor.org/admissions

“Ability may get you to the top but it’s character that keeps you there” ST EV I E WO N D E R

SOMETHING THEY SAID

“I don’t like speaking about the female side of it but I hope it inspires and helps girls if they want to continue in sport or go down this road” R AC H A E L B L AC K M O R E

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Developing Remarkable People

OPEN EVENT

Co-Ed Nursery • Girls Prep • Age 3 - 11 Years

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EDUCATION • HERITAGE

CLOTH HALL

COMMONS FEAST

PAST LIVES

Exploring some of the more unique events taking place during Heritage Open Days during September, perfect for teaching children a little local history COMMONS FEAST

Museum of English Rural Life, 6 Redlands Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5EX

Pull up a chair and tuck into a buffet-style meal of local, seasonal, wild, and foraged fare. The feast event will feature bread made using Levande Arkivet (a collection of over 80 sourdough cultures gifted by bakers around the world), dishes prepared to recipes gathered from the Museum of English Rural Life’s communities, also foods sourced from local producers. Loaves will be presented in specially-made baskets and tables decorated with flowers grown in partnership with garden volunteers.

Booking is essential Saturday 18 September: midday-4pm

WEST BERKSHIRE MUSEUM’S CLOTH HALL

West Berkshire Museum, 1 The Wharf, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 5AS

Explore a normally closed off part of West

“Get creative with locally sourced fruit and veg to make your own prints” Berkshire Museum, the attic of the Cloth Hall. Only a small number of people will be allowed into the Cloth Hall and attic at any one time: please note, the attic is accessed via a fairly steep and narrow staircase.

There will be some portable interpretation material for you to read before or while exploring the attic. And members of Kennet Valley Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers (KVGSWD) will be on hand on the first floor of the Cloth Hall, demonstrating traditional skills such as spinning and

weaving, giving you a flavour of the original purpose of the Cloth Hall.

No booking required Saturday 11 September: 10am-3pm

BROCK KEEP

Open Hand Open Space Ltd, 571 Oxford Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 1HL

Come for a tour around the historic former armoury and gatehouse, which is now home to artist studios and art gallery. Get creative with locally sourced fruit and veg to make your own prints and sculptures.

Brock Keep, completed in 1877, is a fine example of the Victorian keeps, built to aid recruitment and to increase local pride. They provided a ceremonial gatehouse, guardroom, fire engine house, and secure storage for arms, ammunition and soldiers' kit. They were designed by distinguished architect Major H C Seddon of the Royal Engineers.

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Scholarships and bursaries available

www.mtsn.org.uk Coaches: Beaconsfield, Gerrards Cross, Chalfont St Peter & Denham

Tel. +44 (0)1923 845514 Merchant Taylors’ School, Sandy Lodge, Email. admissions@mtsn.org.uk Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2HT

Excellence, integrity and distinction since 1561

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Moor Park (Baker Street 35 minutes)

For boys 3 - 18

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EDUCATION • HERITAGE FORAGING

“Experience 272 years of prison life and explore the cells” STORIES UNDER THE STARS

few that have not been demolished or converted. It is Grade II listed and is particularly special because of its setting next door to the Lutyens War Memorial and its original Army Depot that is still occupied by 7th Battalion the Rifles. Its original features are well preserved.

The Keep is now owned by Reading Borough Council and since 1980 has provided artists' studios for OpenHand OpenSpace and Reading Space Studios, and exhibition space for many artists. In the early 1980s it was used as a shelter for homeless people.

No booking required Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 September: 11am-6pm, tours on the hour

FORAGED FOODS TO DYE FOR The Old School, Old Wolverton Road, Old Wolverton, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK12 5NH

Explore the world of natural dyes at this free session for families at the Old School, Wolverton.

Join in this free, hands-on arts and crafts session, exploring ways of using foraged finds and kitchen scraps to create colourful textiles and prints. Experiment with different techniques from around the world, and discover ancient methods for adding colour and pattern to fabric.

Here they will be exploring simple techniques to create colour with edibles from the countryside and the kitchen cupboard, and looking at how some of our food waste can be used for this purpose.

Booking is essential Friday 17 September: 10am-4pm

PANN MILL OPEN DAY

Pann Mill, London Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 1BJ

Visit the last working mill on the River Wye and chat to volunteers about its history –

the ancient site dates back to Domesday.

The last commercial watermill on the site was mostly demolished in 1971, but the remains were rescued and restored to working order. They will be milling locally grown wheat to make wholemeal flour that can be purchased on site. The mill is small enough that a guided tour is not necessary, but there are mill team members available to talk about the mill and explain the processes. This is the last working mill on the River Wye, and the mill is set in an attractive garden where there will be refreshments and stalls from other local organisations. Disabled access is limited.

No booking required Sunday 12 September: 11am-5pm

STORIES UNDER THE STARS

The Old School, Old Wolverton Road, Old Wolverton, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK12 5NH

Gather round the fire for an evening of storytelling under the stars. Experience the magic of the twilight hour, sharing tales as the (almost) full harvest moon rises.

Booking is essential Friday 17 September: 7pm-9.30pm Visit heritageopendays.org.uk for full listings information

BUCKINGHAM OLD GAOL MUSEUM OPEN DAY

Buckingham Old Gaol Museum, Market Hill, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1JX

Experience 272 years of prison life and explore the cells that housed murderers, counterfeiters, poachers and thieves. The museum is opening for free as part of Heritage Open Days.

No booking required Saturday 11 September: 10am-3.30pm

BUCKINGHAM OLD GAOL

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Now taking registrations FOR CHILDREN AGED 6 WEEKS TO 5 YEARS

OPEN 7.30AM TO 6.30PM

Fun is an essential ingredient in all our nurseries where the care and education opportunities for each and every child are as extraordinary as our colleagues who provide them.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU www.childbasepartnership.com

T: 0118 934 0118

T: 01344 780070

T: 01276 855886

T: 0118 973 3231

T: 01628 671116

Cedar Park Day Nursery, Bridge Farm Road, Twyford, Reading, Berkshire, RG10 9PP

Greengables Day Nursery, 34-36 Yeovil Rd, Owlsmoor, Sandhurst, Berks, GU47 0TE

Pennypot Day Nursery, Pennypot Lane, Woking,

Oak Tree Day Nursery, 13 Nine Mile Ride, Finchampstead, Wokingham, RG40 4QD

Mulberry Day Nursery, 9 Boyn Hill Ave, Maidenhead,

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EDUCATION • CREATIVE

“Start your journey towards a career in the creative industries”

Musical YOUTH

The Academy of Contemporary Music offers courses for creatives of all types

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re you musical? Or maybe creative in another way? There’s a college that can teach you how to earn a living from doing something that you love. Start your journey towards a career in the creative industries at the place where all creativity matters.

The last 18 months have demonstrated the importance of the arts. While the pandemic restricted the lives of millions, we found solace in our favourite music, performances and video games. The live music industry is the fifth biggest economy in the UK and the gaming industry is projected to be worth some £7 billion by 2024, so all creativity matters.

ACM is a place where creativity is nurtured and celebrated. Building on a 26year history, ACM provides a place where

musicians, technicians, engineers and game developers can be taught by industry professionals. With courses in performance, artistry, songwriting, business, technical services, music production, game development and more, they have study options at both Diploma and Degree level, making it a great alternative to attending a traditional College or University.

With campuses in Guildford, London and Birmingham, ACM is also home to Europe’s largest recording facility, Metropolis Studios. With artists such as Queen, Amy Winehouse and Michael Jackson having made Metropolis their workplace over the years gone by, and a current client list that includes Stormzy, Drake, Clean Bandit, Elton John, Adele, Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Beyonce, ACM’s students can work in the very studio environments in which their favourite tracks have been recorded, and learn from the same Grammy award-winning team that have helped produce them.

It’s not just all about the music, though.

This September, they launched the ACM Games Academy, working with pioneers like Supermassive Games, Alienware, UKIE, TIGA and more. The ACM Games Academy is the perfect place to start your career as a game designer, programmer or project manager.

AC M acm.ac.uk/open-days

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Awarded Best Co-Ed School South East England

Find out more www.leightonpark.com/visit-leighton-park independent • co-educational • day/boarding • 11-18 years

Education & Training Awards

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Enterprising HURST COLLEGE A look at Hurst College’s recent successes

By EVE HERBERT

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urst College’s Young Enterprise team, Plants with Purpose (PwP), won the Sustainability Award at the regional Young Enterprise final. As event winners of the overall county title and the Digital Skills Award, PwP went forward to the regional competition against six schools from Kent, Surrey and Hampshire, three of whom won awards. As well as winning the Sustainability Award, PwP only just missed out on going through to the national finals. The Hurst team also made the final of the JA (Junior Achievement) competition, the European version of YE, as one of only five UK teams selected to take part.

Earlier in the year, PwP took part in a Dragons’ Den event and won the Business Plan Award and the Dragons’ Den Award. The

dragons praised PwP for having the best produced video, a standout logo, impressive website, good market research, cohesive brand identity/packaging/channel marketing as well as a professional business plan and presentation.

PwP’s product was a range of herb planting kits packaged in a reusable fabric bag, with a choice of Thyme, Lavender, Mint, Chamomile and Rosemary.

“This is a phenomenal achievement.

Covid made the whole process of building and running a viable business more difficult than usual. PwP have achieved financial success and been recognised by Young Enterprise, JA Europe and Dragons’ Den for the quality of their product and the exemplary way they have managed their company,” says Jan Leeper, head of careers, Hurst College.

In other news, Hurst College’s director of diversity and inclusion, Jami Edwards-Clarke, won the

“Hurst's team went forward to the regional competition against six other schools”

EDUCATION • FOCUS

Outstanding INDEX (Inclusion and Diversity Excellence) Leadership Award at the Boarding Schools’ Association Awards 2021.

Jami was appointed last year, alongside her responsibilities as a boarding housemistress and PE teacher. Under Jami’s leadership, the support from staff and pupils to drive the movement forward has been overwhelming. She created pupil and staff D&I platforms to share and develop initiatives under the mantra #Be#Yourself@Hurst; and led the team in organising support for the numerous D&I events including Black History Month, Disability Awareness Week and Pride History Month involving pupils, staff and their families.

The judges said: “Jami has shown exemplary leadership and management. These results are visible in the impact of her strategies and the clear emphasis placed on stakeholder voices.”

In response Jami said: “Pupils and staff have been the engine throughout. Despite a global pandemic what has been achieved is more than impressive. This award isn’t about me, it’s about the College, with everyone embracing the challenge. The journey isn’t over, but we can be really proud of what we have achieved.”

H U R ST C O L L E G E College Lane, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, BR6 hppc.co.uk

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EDUCATION • EXTRA CURRICULAR

FOOD SKILLS

Leith’s School of Food and Wine offers classes for children of all ages. Absolutely sends a student

By PENDLE HARTE

“There are more ambitious classes for children with an interest in serious food”

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obody wants their child to be the one that arrives at university not knowing how to boil an egg. While some children seem to absorb kitchen skills by osmosis, others manage to bypass them entirely. In my house we have both. There's a 12-year-old who can comfortably produce not only cookies and bakes, but also actual dinner, and takes an active interest in salad dressings and the espresso machine – and an otherwise competant 15-year-old who has to ask how to turn the oven on.

Brilliantly, Leith's cookery school has devised classes for all abilities, designed for children up to the age of 16. There are more obvious ones for smaller children, focusing on cakes and biscuits, but there are also more ambitious ones for children already showing an interest in producing serious food.

We enrolled the foodie 12-year-old in a holiday session focusing on street food for teenagers. Though she was willing, she wasn't exactly delighted, expecting it to be babyish. But as it turned out, she was the youngest one there, and several of the others had been attending sessions in the previous days. They were keen cooks. The menu was impressive and global: Korean beef bulgogi involved marinating steak (freezing it for 15 minutes first, to firm it up, and slicing it thinly) then stir-frying it quickly. Pork and ginger spring rolls in lettuce wraps required lots of chopping of vegetables, soaking noodles and frying pork mince, then carefully constructing the lettuce wraps. Chickpea flatbreads

were a simple recipe and one that we will return to, essentially flour, tinned chickpeas, water, yeast and spices.

There's a focus on basic kitchen skills – being careful with heat and knives, for instance, and separating raw meat from cooked, and participants come away with a certificate and recipe sheet at the end.

Courses in October include Italian cookers for teenagers and a plant-focused session with Jenny Chandler. Courses are added regularly; check online for details. leiths.com A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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X X / X X X POINT XXX • TALKING EDUCATIONX X

Are exams fit for

PURPOSE? Like the first cuckoo of spring, debate about public exams signals summer. But the past year has raised even more questions. We get perspectives from experts on the education front line

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EDUCATION • TALKING POINT

“The change that does need to happen is that GCSE, A level and BTEC should become separate from Government interference” JESSE ELZINGA

HEADMASTER, SEVENOAKS SCHOOL

Sevenoaks School adopted the IB Diploma over 40 years ago, going exclusively IB post-16 some 15 years ago

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ummer means that perennial topic raises its head again – public examinations. Parents and teachers everywhere are forced to consider, sometimes wearily, the debate over how we’re testing, why we’re testing and whether the results current tests produce are worth the paper they’re written on.

The past year has thrown up even more issues – and a much broader debate – since Covid stopped normal assessment processes at 16 and 18. What is certain is that this debate has some way to run, but in the meantime we asked three school insiders to give their perspectives on the current public examinations landscape.

“My view is that qualifications are fit for purpose in the UK. The chaos of the public exam debacle of 2020 brought into sharp relief the difficulty of trying to find a fair way of awarding grades in the absence of externally marked assessment, be that examination or coursework. The arrangements for 2021 remain very complicated and difficult, putting even more pressure on schools.

My overarching view is that external awarding bodies serve a valid purpose; they offer high-quality qualifications that are marked anonymously and objectively, and are not subject to parental pressure or teacher assessment. It is true that there are, from time to time, inconsistencies in the marking of public exams in this country. However, exam boards do have the hierarchy of markers, with senior examiners checking work and overseeing appeals, and I think mechanisms for reviewing marking are effective overall. In the vast majority of cases, I know that most schools think a fair grade was awarded.

One of the biggest challenges for GCSE, A level, BTEC and other qualifications overseen by the UK Government is that these qualifications are too often tampered, particularly when there is a change of Government or a new Secretary of State for Education who wants to make their own mark. Michael Gove’s reforms, in his time as Secretary of State for Education, were

far too radical and ambitious, and left the sector reeling for several years with further amendments since. Ideally, the Department of Education would be a separate branch of Government that is apolitical, where the people in charge are specialists in education rather than Government ministers who, by definition, have a limited tenure. Changes are too often motivated by politics or pressure from the press, rather than what is good for education.

The significant advantage of the IB Diploma Programme is that it is run by a non-profit external body, the IBO, and is not subject to the whims of Government. On the contrary, it is taught in more than 150 countries and has changed very little since it was first established more than 50 years ago. Of course, during the pandemic and in the absence of exams, the IBO has also had to think quickly about how to award qualifications and have had their own challenges.

The qualifications of GSCE, A level and IB that are offered across the UK are all very well respected by universities and employers. They offer a fair benchmark at these age points and are passports for the next stage of education. We have learned in the pandemic of the difficulty of awarding fair grades in a transparent process without public exams, and for many people in education a return to normality in the next academic year will be a great relief. I do not think it is the time to throw out any qualifications. The change that does need to happen is that GCSE, A level and BTEC should become separate from Government interference in the same way the IB Diploma is.”

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Are you full of ideas for transforming your home but not sure where to start?

Hawkesdown House School & The Walnut Tree Nursery A Preparatory & Nursery School for boys and girls aged 2-11, Kensington W8

The Essential Home Design Guide will help you enjoy the process of designing your own home step-by-step.

Through a combination of printed guides and online resources, you’ll learn:

OPEN MORNING Thursday 30 September 2021, 9.15 am or 10.15 am. th

Please telephone the School to register for a place.

27 Edge Street, Kensington, London W8 7PN

• The essential preparation and thinking that goes into a design project.

• Expert tips for making the most of your space.

• Professional advice on choosing a colour scheme, adding textures and using patterns.

• There is also advice on making it happen: smarter budgeting, ordering and how to work with the trades.

Telephone: 0207 727 9090 Email: admin@hawkesdown.co.uk www.hawkesdown.co.uk

You’ll also get a designer’s toolkit delivered to your door and benefit from 1-2-1 support from Samantha as your project progresses.

ONLY

£

95

For more information visit samanthajohnsondesign.com/ essential-home-design-guide

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EDUCATION • TALKING POINT

“The advantage of the UK system is that it provides for both breadth and specialism, and also for students to change their pathway”

LEFT A pupil at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate

KEVIN STANNARD

DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION & LEARNING, GDST

Dr Kevin Stannard of the Girls’ Day School Trust previously worked with Cambridge University’s international exams board “The debate about A levels and its alternatives is fundamentally different from that about GCSEs. It makes sense to have some sort of school-leaving qualification, externally verified, that signals a young person’s readiness to progress to the next stage. The problem with A level is that it is being made to serve two very different – even conflicting – functions: as a general schoolleaving certificate for some young people; and as a sorting mechanism for entry to selective universities. Maybe these should be separated, with the sorting (and the attendant need for slicing and dicing in terms of grades) left to the universities themselves.

One anomaly of A level is its timing – with results coming after university application and hence the need to issue conditional offers. The move to post-qualification application should be a priority, for the sake of fairness and fitness for purpose. Another anomaly (compared with other countries) is A level’s reductiveness – forcing most students to narrow down to three subjects at an unusually early age. This connects it with the problem with GCSE: without the need to jettison subjects at 16, there would be no need for high-stakes exams in those subjects at that point. GCSE exists because many students once left school at 16. The schoolleaving age is now higher, and this battery of high-stakes tests remains as a relic of past times. Not only does it not serve a useful purpose, it actually forces education out of shape. Time that could be spent teaching is taken up with testing; teaching itself is

RIGHT Jesse Elzinga, Headmaster at Sevenoaks School

focused on test-prep rather than expansive exploration; and the vast amount spent on administering the exam system diverts funds from resourcing schools properly.

The cancellation of exams last year revealed the GCSE system as resembling the emperor’s new clothes: GCSEs were awarded on the basis of teachers’ judgements, and it arguably made next to no difference to students’ trajectories.”

DAN MACHIN

ACTING PRINCIPAL, QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S COLLEGIATE

QE offers its students both A levels and BTEC exam options “A levels remain one of the world’s leading qualifications for pre-university study.

Nationally and internationally, they are recognised by universities and employers as a high-quality, reliable opportunity for students to show what they are capable of achieving. As they are administered and assessed independently by examination boards, the results continue to retain a high level of integrity. In my view, BTECs also provide outstanding preparation

for university, as well as for future employment. Key to their success is their ability to offer an academically rigorous alternative at the same time as developing practical, real-world skills.

Not all students are able to demonstrate their abilities and strengths through end-of-course examinations alone.

GCSEs provide structure and focus for students who would otherwise be very inexperienced in the demands of public examinations. They allow students to demonstrate ability across a wide range of subjects and at different levels, and the recent move to introduce Grades 7-9 allows for greater differentiation of ability. Where GCSEs would benefit from future review is in the range of options available in English, mathematics, and the sciences to broaden choice.

The UK system provides for both breadth and specialism, and also for students to change their pathway. For some, the ability to specialise early is of great advantage in today’s competitive university and jobs markets. For others, the flexibility of the UK education system allows for experimentation, choice and wide-ranging skills development.”

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Castle View Retirement Village

“

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It’s just a wonderful place to live!

FIVE REASONS TO LOVE LIVING AT Castle View, Windsor 1. Owning your property, with peace of mind At Castle View you own your property outright but do not have to worry about the maintenance or garden.

2. The Management Team As an independently owned and run development there is a close and accountable team. Their support and commitment is exceptional, which was demonstrated when the Village Manager and Chef moved in to the development during lockdown, all of which helped keep spirits high and why we have remained covid-free to date.

3. The People Apartments are exclusively for those aged over 55 years and whilst everyone has different stories, hobbies and interests which is what keeps life interesting, everyone is like-minded and respectful. People can join in with as much or as little community activity as they wish.

Airport and Central London. There is plenty to do and entertain any guests that come to visit.

4. The Location Historic Windsor has extensive services, restaurants and shopping facilities. Communication links are excellent with two railway stations providing good links to London and easy access to the M4 providing easy access to Heathrow

5. The Views Which are arguably the best in Windsor. Whether it’s watching a glorious summer sunset with a glass of bubbles on the terrace, or wonderful winter sunrise in the warmth of the sky lounge with coffee and paper, it’s amazing to think this is our home.

such as the restaurant, library, sky lounge and terrace, stunning views and the nicest people. But don’t just take their word for it, visit and have a look to see for yourself.

Castle View, Windsor is a special place. Superb 1, 2 and 3 bedroom properties starting from £375,000, with full access to on-site facilities

Call our friendly Customer Care Manager, Ruth, on 01753 378 127 to find out more, arrange a safe viewing or attend one of our forthcoming events Helston Lane, Windsor SL4 5GG | www.castleviewwindsor.co.uk CV.indd 1

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PROPERTY

Horlicks Quarter SL1

£297,500 GUIDE PRICE

rawing inspiration from its industrial heritage, Horlicks Quarter includes open-plan living areas with full height glazing, kitchens with feature lighting pendants and bathrooms with black framed showers and vanity units. An extensive range of residents’ facilities include a gym, games room, cinema room, rooftop garden, plus a design-led co-working space.

D

BERKELEY GROUP 01753 257982 horlicksquarter.co.uk

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WAKE UP TO INVESTMENT POTENTIAL IN SLOUGH Discover why Slough is one of the UK’s most exciting residential investment opportunities and how Berkeley is at the forefront of the regeneration of Slough.

1 & 2 bedroom apartments from £297,500* Marketing Suite & Show Apartment Stoke Gardens, Slough SL1 3QB Tel: 01753 257982 E: horlickssales@berkeleygroup.co.uk W: horlicksquarter.co.uk * Price correct at time of print.

Computer generated image of Horlicks Quarter, indicative only.

Scan QR code to discover more

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PROPERTY • COMMENT

“There are buyers looking to move for more space and bigger gardens” BEECHES DRIVE, FARNHAM COMMON, SL2

TEMPLEWOOD LANE, FARNHAM COMMON, SL2

Market REPORT

Matt Kirkpatrick, director at Foxtons Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire, reveals how the industry continues to flourish Q How has the past 17 months

the green spaces and the beautiful fresh air of Bucks and Berks. Our sales haven’t just been from those who are moving out of London. Roughly 50% of our transactions have been from those staying in the area they currently live – most likely for all the same reasons the buyers from London are moving! More green space and larger properties.

A Extremely busy! The pandemic has

Q What challenges do you

been for Foxtons?

changed the world for everyone and whilst it has been tough, the stamp duty holiday announced by Rishi Sunak created a rush from buyers looking to take advantage of the potential £15,000 savings.

Q With restrictions easing, have

you noticed a change in the market activity in Bucks and Berks?

A We’ve seen a huge transition in the numbers of people working from home and that trend is set to continue. More people are returning to the office, but there are more people working one day a week in the office, whereas pre-pandemic it was more like one day per week on working from home. This has meant families are more willing to move further out of London to gain more space both within the house and the garden as a long commute one or two days a week is more justified.

We’ve been fortunate that the restrictions haven’t stopped us undertaking thousands of viewings driven by the demand for

see on the horizon?

A The challenges within the property

industry are always those that are just round the corner. If I knew which way the market was going to turn next I’d be a millionaire! What I do see is the momentum of buyers looking to move for more space, bigger gardens and further out of London shows no sign of abating.

Q Are there certain places in the

counties that are real hotspots?

A In Berkshire we’ve seen hotspots in

locations with easy access to London, such as areas within reach of a Crossrail station, the M4 or Windsor. In South Bucks we’ve seen plenty of demand for Stoke Poges, Burnham and Taplow.

F OX TO N S For more details about the properties featured on this page, visit foxtons.co.uk

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PROPERTY • FOCUS

Realising A VISION

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his house on Chauntry Road was extensively remodelled in 2017 by the current owner. It is now an immaculate architect designed property with spacious flexible accommodation with landscaped gardens, swimming pool and garden room/office.

Ideal for entertaining, family life and home working. The house has underfloor heating throughout with Smart home Control4.

On the ground floor the reception hall creates a superb first impression with its double height window, galleried landing and contemporary walnut staircase. This flows into the study with bespoke desk and built-in coat/shoe storage. The elegant sitting room is double aspect with a feature fireplace and four sets of doors opening

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Visiting an individual architect designed house in a desirable location with swimming pool and landscaped garden on to the gardens. At the centre of this house is the bespoke kitchen/dining room with a large central island, inset induction hob and breakfast seating. Designed with three skylights and three sets of bi-fold doors opening on to the terrace, this has created that sought after indoor/outdoor family space. The kitchen is fitted with a comprehensive range of units, drawers and integrated Neff appliances, and the large central island has breakfast bar seating. This floor is completed by a family room, utility room and two cloakrooms.

On the first floor the main bedroom is superb. This 24ft double aspect room has a comprehensive range of fitted wardrobes and three sets of French doors opening on to the balconies. There are four further beautifully presented bedrooms (one en-suite) and a modern

family bathroom on this floor. There is also the opportunity to convert the large loft space subject to planning consents.

To the front of the property is an expansive driveway leading to the triple garage. To the rear the stunning garden is a delight, landscaped to combine formal planting, variegated foliage and seasonal planting to great effect. The raised sun terrace adjoins the house is ideal for outdoor entertaining. The swimming pool is edged by a paved relaxation terrace with bar and summer house/home office.

SAV I L L S Chauntry Road, SL6, is on the market for £2,295,000 with Savills Windsor.

Find out more by calling 01753 834 600 or visiting savills.co.uk

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Did you know that you could release equity from a home you would love to move to?

Do you have an interest only mortgage that you would like to pay off?

Have you already released equity? Is the interest rate too high? We could help

INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE?

call Craig Spark CeFA, CeMAP, CeRER on 0800 448 0170 / 07740 414170 or email him at craig@equityreleasepurchase.co.uk equityreleasepurchase.co.uk This is a lifetime mortgage. To understand the features and risks, please ask for a personalised illustration. Check that this mortgage will meet your needs if you want to move or sell your home or you want your family to inherit it. If you are in any doubt, seek independent advice. Your Home (or property) may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. We offer a bespoke service and our fees can vary. Our usual set fee is only paid on completion as is 995.00. If your circumstances are more complex, we may charge a higher fee. Our maximum fee is 1% of the loan value. Equity Release Purchase is a trading style of Jay Jay (UK) Ltd, an appointed representative of The Right Mortgage Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Jay Jay (UK) Ltd is registered in England and Wales with Company Number: 04056416. Registered Address: The Stable Yard Vicarage Road, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, MK11 1BN.

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PROPERTY • FOCUS

A natural BEAUTY Inside a wonderful period country house with about 37 acres and an extensive range of barns and outbuildings

H

astoe Cross Cottage is a delightful Grade II listed period house situated on the Hertfordshire/ Buckinghamshire border and within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Located towards the northern tip of the renowned Chiltern Hills, the house offers a wonderful combination of countryside living with excellent communication links to London and the North.

Hastoe Cross Cottage is a lovely family home with elegant traditional features including exposed timbers, brick tile floors and feature fireplaces. There are some lovely architectural elements including Georgian windows, beams and a stunning stained glass panel.

The property is presented in a stylish and traditional fashion and has a number of lovely rooms, in particular the bright and spacious garden room with vaulted ceiling and the fabulous oak panelled home office/ study, which is accessed from a wrought iron staircase from the garden room.

The bright and spacious double aspect kitchen/breakfast room boasts an Aga and enjoys views over the rear gardens.

A door leads through to a useful utility/ boot room and cloakroom. On the first floor, five bedrooms and two bathrooms can be found, and one of those bedrooms features an en-suite shower room.

The property is approached through electronically operated gates and over a long gravel driveway, which takes you down to the house to a lovely turning circle.

Attractive lawned front gardens flank the driveway and feature numerous shrubs and trees. There are two useful garden stores set beneath the first floor home office/study.

Back towards the head of the driveway is a large snooker/party barn, which offers a multitude of uses. Adjoining this barn

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is a dog kennel, bull pen and an open bay store. A secondary driveway leads to the range of barns and outbuildings, again all offering numerous uses. There is a block of stables including five loose boxes, tack room and garden store, and all barn and outbuildings have light and power connected. It should be noted that plans have been commissioned for some of the barns/outbuildings to be converted in to separate residential dwellings, although no formal application has been submitted to date to the local authority.

The land at Hastoe Cross Cottage lies predominately to the north and west of the house and is currently grazed under a farm tenancy agreement. There are four principal fields that are all enclosed with a combination of mature hedgerows and fencing. For those with an equestrian interest, the fields provide excellent grazing and on reaching the most northern field, some of the very finest views in the county can be admired that extend over to the most northern tip of the Chiltern Hills known as Ivinghoe Beacon.

SAV I L L S Hastoe Cross Cottage is on the market for £3,000,000 with Savills Harpenden. Find out more by calling 01582 465 000 or visiting savills.co.uk

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One of the country’s foremost independent girls’ schools from 3-18

The Abbey invites you to attend you of our forthcoming Open Events: Junior School - 1 October, 9.00am-12 noon Senior School - 23 September, 5.30pm-8.30pm 8 October, 9.00am - 12 noon Sixth Form -

30 September, 5.30pm-8.30pm 8 October, 9.00am-12 noon

To register your place, please visit:

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