Nene Valley Living august 2014 by Best Local Living

Best summer reads

Local food heroes

Tea and friendship

NENE VALLEY LIVING

Summer days out

Travelchoice: Ditch the Car

F O O D / FA S H I O N / H E A LT H & B E A U T Y / H O M E & G A R D E N / L I F E S T Y L E

Bringing it back home Peterborough’s gold medal garden

AUGUST 2014 £1.50 08

9 771740 052017

WEBSITE: www.nenevalleyliving.co.uk GET IN TOUCH: NVLAUGCOVER.indd 1

Nene Valley Living 17/07/2014 10:44

EST.1967

SOFAS OF DISTINCTION

MAKE A MASTERPIECE

To experience furniture at its finest visit us in store 01780 762579

W W W. D E L C O R . C O . U K

NORTHUMBERLAND | LONDON | HARROGATE | LINCOLNSHIRE | CHESHIRE 2

DO01 Living August • NVL Stamford August ADS.indd 2 issue.indd 1

10/07/2014 14:39 16:32 16/07/2014

NENE VALLEY LIVING

This Issue AUGUST 2014 w w w. n e n e v a l l e y l i v i n g . c o . u k

ere I am reporting on location from the 2014 RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. There is a local connection: garden designer and artist Jeni Cairns, in collaboration with Sophie Antonelli, both from Peterborough, have just picked up a gold award for their urban summer garden which is a fantastic medley of upcycled metal and soft foliage with colourful plants and vegetables. A water feature made from combine harvester parts sits next to repurposed oil drums planted with herbs and edibles. The design won ‘best in category’ and TV presenter and gardening expert Monty Don named it his favourite, commenting: “seeing a show garden like this just makes you want to go back home and garden.” I’ve been following Jeni’s progress over the last six months as the garden has taken shape, see my report on page 20 -21. The great thing is that you will be able to see the garden, as it will be recreated in the city at the end of August at arts organisation Metal’s head office in St Peters Road where it will provide a permanent space for workshops and performances. Jeni and a team of volunteers have worked so hard on this project, and it was so good to see their efforts rewarded. It was a very popular part of the Flower Show, and raised Peterborough’s profile at the same time. Huge congratulations to all who helped to make the project happen. It’s a life enhancing story, and we have plenty of other feel-good features for you this month too. Happy holidays.

F ion a Cu mberpatch Editor

Nene Valley Living

5 7 8

Editor’s selection

Summer buys and finds

Agenda

Could you help at the Citizens Advice Bureau?

Agenda

Peterborough’s heritage

11 Agenda

A tailor for Oundle

12 Food news

A delicious recipe from Riverford

15 Peterborough’s Food Heroes

Fresh, local food on your doorstep

18 The wine detective Profile of John Hoskins

20 A Space to Connect and Grow Peterborough’s gold medal winning garden

22 Going Green!

Travelchoice in Peterborough

25 Sifting fact and fiction

Adam Begley, biographer of John Updike

26 Health and beauty notes

How to look fitter and healthier

30 Tea and Friendship Bringing the community together

32 Days out in the Nene valley Where to go this summer

35 A good read

Your summer holiday reading sorted

37 Diary dates

Where to go in August

Editor Fiona Cumberpatch fiona@bestlocalliving.co.uk Write to Nene Valley Living, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY www.nenevalleyliving.co.uk Advertisement Manager Bridget Steele 01733 707538 bridget.neneliving@ntlworld.com Advertisement Director Helen Walton 01780 754801 helen.stamford@btopenworld.com Head of Design Steven Handley steve@locallivingdesign.co.uk Senior Designer Nik Ellis nik@locallivingdesign.co.uk Advertising Copy Rachel Beecroft 01780 765320 rachel@locallivingdesign.co.uk Publisher Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 Email: localliving@btopenworld.com Published by Local Living Ltd, PO Box 208, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 9FY www.locallivingltd.co.uk Printed by Warners of Bourne Cover photo: Fiona Cumberpatch.

SUBSCRIBE TO NENE VALLEY LIVING

For £20 (UK only) you can subscribe to Nene Valley Living for 12 issues. Please send your name, address and a cheque made out to Local Living Ltd to: NVL Subscriptions, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY Or you can subscribe online – go to www.bestlocalliving.co.uk

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

3 CONTENTS copy.indd 2

17/07/2014 10:45

METCALFE COPEMAN & PETTEFAR LLP

Dogsbodies Professional Grooming Service For Dogs and Cats

WILLS & PROBATE DEPARTMENT SERVICE PROVIDED : Lasting Powers of Attorney, preparation of Wills, Court of Protection and Deputy Applications Probate Administration, Will and Estate disputes

Services include clipping and hand stripping All breeds and nervous dogs welcome Convenient pick up and drop off service in Oundle and surrounding villages Stockists of natures:menu

Contact Baljit Bem on 01733 865883 or email baljit.bem@mcp-law.co.uk for more information

www.dogs-bodies.com CONVENIENT TOWN CENTRE LOCATION

Call Heather and Emma on Tel: 01832 275520 Mob: 07850 736314 Dogsbodies, 5 Kings Arms Lane, Polebrook PE85LW

FIXED FEE WILLS & LPAs AVAILABLE 18 Priestgate, Peterborough PE1 1JN www.mcp-law.co.uk 01733 865880

Curtains, Blinds, Soft Furnishings & Fabrics A local, family-run business with excellent service values • ROMAN BLINDS • VENETIAN, ROLLER & VERTICAL BLINDS • WALLCOVERINGS • WOODEN SHUTTERS • AWNINGS • CONSERVATORY BLIND SPECIALIST (perfect fit system) • CUSTOM MADE CURTAINS (pencil, pinch, eyelets, valances, pelmet boards, swags & tails)

Book a free home visit to measure and discuss your requirements and receive a no-obligation quotation. Harlequin, Prestigious, Blendworth, Villa Nova and many more!

New Jardin Boheme range from Harlequin now in store

Showroom at: 30 Phorpres Close, Hampton, Peterborough, PE7 8FZ - Email: sales@jandsinteriors.uk.com www.jandsinteriors.uk.com Opening times: Mon - Fri 9.30 - 5; Sat 10-4. Free parking - Telephone: 01733 558864 - (Behind Dobbies Garden world)

• NVL August ADS.indd 4

16/07/2014 14:40

Editor’s selection

ELING E F Y A D I L O GET THE H L BUYS A N O S A E S R WITH OU Everything you need for AND FINDS

the beach: Brampton radio, £35, beach bat and ball, £19.95, cool bag, £38, parasol, £19, deck chair frame, £40, deck chair sling, £15, all from John Lewis, Queensgate Centre, Peterborough, PE1 1NT.

Set of three decorative bottles, £12, Next Home, Brotherhood Retail Park, Lincoln Rd, Peterborough PE4 6ZR.

Striped beach dress, from a selection at Accessorize, Queensgate Shopping Centre, Peterborough PE1 1NT.

Straw baskets, £25 each, from Vanilla, Oakham www.vanillaboutique.co.uk

1950s style swimsuit, from a selection at Marks and Spencer, 54 Bridge St, Peterborough PE1 1DU.

Azuni necklace with turquoise and smoky topaz stones, £85, Paradise Found, 34 St Mary’s Street, Stamford PE9 2DS. Seafood platter for two, available at The Olive Branch, Clipsham during August. £21 per person, which includes Kings Lynn pink and brown shrimps, shellfish bisque, dressed Cromer crab, and pickled cockles. The Olive Branch, Clipsham. Tel: 01780 410355. NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

5 EDS copy 2.indd 1

17/07/2014 10:46

NEW TERM AHEAD!

STUDENT 20% DOUBLE DISCOUNT

RM W TE

UNIVER

SCHOOL

COLLEGE

SITY

We have a fabulous line-up of products for Students of all ages. From essentials to designer collections. The great news is that between 14th July & 13th September we are offering all fulltime Students 20% “Double Discount”!*

Lamy Fountain Pen Normal Price £16.99 STUDENT 20%

DOUBLE DISCOUNT

20% O

PETERBOROUGH CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO JOIN THE SERVICE AS GATEWAY ASSESSORS Peterborough Citizens Advice Bureau is a local charity dependent on a highly skilled workforce of trained volunteers and paid staff. We are currently advertising for Gateway Assessors and applications need to be in by 8 September 2014 in preparation for training that will commence week beginning 17 September 2014. (Interviews will take place on either 9, 11 or 12 September 2014). This is very much a client facing role and we ask that volunteers taking on the Gateway Assessor role are able to commit 1 day per week for an initial training period of 6-8 weeks. Once training has been completed, the commitment would be at least 1 day per week (or equivalent) on the rota. OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO: • Make a difference and give something back to their community • Develop new skills & put existing skills to good use • Work in a team • Change the way things work for the better • Receive highly respected training • Get invaluable work experience • Get involved with their local community

£13.59 Each, Inc. VAT

Design. Made in Germany.

In 1930 Josef Lamy, a sales representative for The Parker Pen Co in Germany, set up his own writing instrument business. The LAMY brand, established in 1952, has become synonymous with quality & innovation. The ergonomically designed Safari cartridge pen has become a student “must-have”! STAMFORD 1-2 St Pauls Street T: 01780 762324 OUNDLE 10 New Street T: 01832 272868

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW CHALLENGE?

OAKHAM 46 High Street T: 01572 770883 PETERBOROUGH 12 Cowgate T: 01733 343201

For more information and an application pack, please contact us on 01733 887922, via email: atpadmin@peterboroughcab.org.uk, via our website www.adviceintegration.co.uk or you can call into the Peterborough Citizens Advice Bureau, 16-17 St Mark’s Street, Peterborough, PE1 2TU. You can MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE to people in your community

20% OF F

* Offer excludes some nett priced special offer items & printer cartridges

• NVL August ADS.indd 6

16/07/2014 14:40

NEWS, REVIEWS, EVENTS

Could you help the Citizens Advice Bureau? Seventy five years ago, the first Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) started as a response to the outbreak of World War Two. Today, Citizens Advice Bureaux are responding to a different type of crisis by offering free, confidential advice from 3,500 places across England and Wales as well as online and on the phone. CAB makes a lasting contribution to society through campaigning and education. CAB is very proud of its supporters. The army of volunteers and staff support their local communities. The donors make sure they do the work that needs to be done and the campaigners ensure that positive changes are brought about. A current Peterborough volunteer says: “For me the key sign that Peterborough CAB is a good organisation is that the difference between paid members and volunteers is blurred. I’m a naturally inquisitive person and this is one role where nobody stops you learning more. As social laws continually change, I’m confident we will not run out of new things to learn. My supervisor has supported me in my quest to progress from an Assessor to an Adviser so by this time next year I hope I will be a fully approved Generalist Adviser - and who knows what after that!” CAB holds a Legal Aid housing contract and has dealt with many housing and homelessness problems. “A woman and her young children fled their home because of domestic violence; she applied to the council as homeless. The council refused and said she was intentionally homeless and advised her to obtain an injuction to get her partner out. On our representation to the council pointing to errors in their decision, the council withdrew it and provided the family with accommodation.” None of us knows when we might have a problem we can’t sort out. That is why the Citizens Advice Bureau is here for your children, family, friends, colleagues and employees. As an independent charity, it can’t survive without your help, so please think about supporting it with your time, resources or in any way that you can. “Tomorrow with your help, just imagine what we could do!” • Peterborough Citizens Advice Bureau. Tel: 01733 887922 atpadmin@peterboroughcab.org.uk www.peterboroughcab.org.uk

WIN!WIN!WIN!WIN! John Lewis Back to School giveaway

When it comes to getting your children ready for the new term, John Lewis in the Queensgate Centre, Peterborough has everything you need and the experience to help you choose wisely. Their experts offer these tips for an organised return to school: • Buy uniform early Many parents don’t do this because of summer holiday growth spurts, but when you shop in the John Lewis Schoolwear departments, the Partners will advise on buying to allow for this. As a rule of thumb, you’ll need to buy three shirts or blouses, two sweatshirts or cardigans, and two trousers or skirts. • Purchase items together It’s an expensive business but if you can do this, it means you try everything on together to make sure that jackets and coats fit over the rest of the uniform, and that trousers and skirts work with shoes. • Shoe fitting John Lewis offers a shoe fitting service where trained staff will measure and fit your child. • Stationery supplies Ensure that they have everything they need by visiting the website page www.johnlewis.com • Bag it The store offers a wide selection of satchels, messenger bags, PE bags, and lunch box bags. Pop in and try to ensure the most comfortable option for your child. John Lewis is offering two lucky Nene Valley Living readers a Back to School kit worth £60 each! With one prize suitable for a boy and one for a girl, the prize consists of a rucksack, lunch box, and a selection of stationery. For a chance to win, email your name and contact details to fiona@bestlocalliving.co.uk marking your entry ‘boy’ or ‘girl’ in the subject line. Closing date is August 31st.

Farmers’ Market for Thrapston A new monthly farmers’ market will launch in Thrapston on September 6 from 9am -1pm. It will feature a range of stalls selling locally grown, reared and produced food and drink, all within as small a radius from Thrapston as possible. Charlotte Croser, chair of the organising committee and owner of Jollys Toys says: “Thrapston Farmers’ Market is being run by a community group for the community. We want the market to attract new shoppers to our town centre which has a lot to offer in the way of independent shops, cafes and services.” Stalls confirmed include Fleurfield Vineyard, the Moulton Pie Company, Donna Lulu Cooks, for bread, cakes and jams, Doggie Paws dog treats, Mytton Meats and The Little Soup Company. The market will run on the first Saturday of each month in the High Street.

Don’t miss! Peterborough City Rowing Club’s big regatta on August 9 and 10. 800 competitors from all over the UK, races every four minutes. Entry from 8.30am, bar available. Visit wwwpeterboroughcityrowingclub.co.uk for more details

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

7 AGENDA copy.indd 1

17/07/2014 10:47

NEWS, REVIEWS, EVENTS •

OUR HERITAGE

•

The third in our occasional series of columns by Kem Mehmed of Peterborough Civic Society

ASK THE EXPERT

Childcare support for the working parent In the 2013 Budget, the Government announced new tax incentives for childcare and Garry Wiles of chartered accountants Stephenson Smart explains how these have now been enhanced

Peterborough Plaques There’s plenty to look at in our villages, towns and cities and Peterborough is no exception. But it’s not always easy to know where to start and what to look for, particularly if you are new to the city or a casual tourist. Since 1985 Peterborough Civic Society has produced and erected a number of plaques in and around Peterborough which have celebrated places, people and buildings of note. For example plaques have commemorated Crescent Bridge, Theatre Royal, Peterscourt, The Barracks (New England) and the era of electric transport in the city. The time has come to review what there is and to look at and update the style, content and location of these plaques and how we can all make better use of them. Should the Civic Society put its efforts into improving the plaques or into bringing them to the attention of a wider public? Some plaques do need sprucing up and some new ones are required. There is no current ‘Heritage Trail’ published in any form which would provide a guided tour of the significant features which make Peterborough unique.

The Society is considering producing a leaflet as well as a full entry on its website and may even stretch its resources and inventiveness to an app. Whatever is decided it is vital that plaques are interesting and relevant – obvious considerations but easier said than done! Perhaps the most famous example of plaques is the English Heritage blue plaque scheme - these are a permanent sign installed in a public place in the UK and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event. Peterborough Civic Society may decide to do something similar and is keen to collect views from residents of the city and its surrounding area as well as visitors. Once the format is decided then trails will be devised linking the plaques and providing further information. If any readers have views on this project, please contact Peterborough Civic Society either via the Society’s website or by contacting committee member Toby Wood at: tobywood2008@googlemail.com www.peterboroughcivicsociety.org.uk/ plaque_trail.asp

“A tax free childcare scheme will be launched in Autumn 2015 with all children under 12 within the first year of the scheme being eligible. The relief will offer 20 per cent of the costs of eligible childcare up to a total cost of £10,000 per child per year, being worth a maximum of £2000 per child. To qualify, all parents in the household must: • Meet a minimum income level based on working eight hours per week at the National Minimum Wage • Each earn less than £150,000 per year • Not already be receiving Tax Credits or Universal Tax Credit Parents will need to register with the Government and open an online account which will be used to administer the family’s childcare payments and the 20 per cent Government credit. Employers are still able to set up Tax Free Childcare Voucher Schemes until the new scheme is introduced and these type of schemes if already established may continue to operate beyond Autumn 2015, offering a maximum value of £55 per week per parent in tax free childcare benefits. • If you would like further information on how as an employer you can offer tax free childcare benefits to your employees then please contact Garry Wiles on 01733 343275 or garry.wiles@stephensonsmart. com

A Big Summer Night Out! The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, acclaimed international jazz singer Barb Jungr, Corby choir Deep Roots Tall Trees, led by renowned choral director Gareth Fuller and Corby band Head of Snakes perform in a thrilling collaboration at Corby Town Football Club on August 23 2014. This event launches Made in Corby, an ambitious three year programme of new arts activity that will see Corby’s communities working with artists of local, national and international significance. It has been made possible with funding from the Arts Council, England. Tickets to this event cost £15, concessions, £5, on sale from The Cube at Corby Cube box office Tel: 01536 470470 or online at www.thecubecorby.com Corby Town Football Club, Steel Park, Jimmy Kane Way, Rockingham Rd, Corby NN17 2AE

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

8 AGENDA copy.indd 1

17/07/2014 10:48

Cafe Clarkes at the Key Theatre

OFFER - Dine for £10

Main Course with a glass of wine Choose from our Cafe Classics menu and pair it with either a glass of Red or White wine or a soft drink. Strictly by Reservation to be made online through website quoting “Offer” in message Restrictions

Not valid Friday or Saturday evening. Available every lunch Please see website for service times Glass of wine, House Red or White at 125ml Standard glass of soft drink Excludes all beers and spirits

Offer Valid Until 15th August 2014

Cafe Clarkes Key Theatre, Embankment Road, Peterborough PE1 1EF

Tel: 01733 561465 www.cafeclarkes.co.uk 9

• NVL August ADS.indd 9

17/07/2014 12:29

Professional Home Care Service A friendly & flexible home based care service tailored around each individual, to provide: • Companionship • Light Housekeeping • Local Transportation and Shopping • Meal Preparation

• Personal Care • Convalescence Support • Specialist Dementia and Alzheimer’s Care

Our CAREGivers are carefully vetted, fully trained, insured and undergo an enhanced CRB check

www.homeinstead.co.uk/oundle

• NVL August ADS.indd 10

16/07/2014 14:40

NEWS, REVIEWS, EVENTS

A tailor for Oundle

Ever looked wistfully at your faithful suit or favourite dress and thought you may not be able to wear it any more because it’s looking a little dated? The good news is that Les Starks, who has just opened The Tailor’s Shop in the Market Place in Oundle this month, can alter it for you. Les was a master tailor in the Grenadier Guards for 20 years and more recently he has worked in Savile Row. Now he is fulfilling an ambition to open his own shop where he will offer alterations and bespoke garments for men, women and children. The shop, formerly Romejo’s (which moves into the former Normans greengrocers premises) will also sell a selection of menswear, and some equestrian items and leatherwork. Les will also offer a uniform fitting, military tailoring and medal service. • Les Starks, The Tailor’s Shop, 15 Market Place, Oundle PE8 4BA Tel: 07745 996428

Sssshh! There’s a new vintage fair in town

The Secret Vintage Fair which has been successfully creating secret events in Essex and Suffolk for two years is now coming to the Nene valley region. Lucy Craymer, founder of the fairs, has relocated to Peterborough and will be arranging the first fair on Saturday September 20, along with her business partner Charlie Stone. The idea is that vintage lovers sign up for an A grand vintage event mailing list to be day out the first to find out about the fairs and their secret locations. “Our secret events are by no means your average pop up vintage fair; shrouding the event in mystery adds an element of excitement!” explains Lucy. Details of the venue are released a week before the event takes place. “Our biggest fair to date took place in Colchester Castle and over 2000 people turned up to that one,” says Lucy, who recently featured in TV programme This Old Thing with presenter Dawn O’Porter. Each fair has a full entertainment schedule, activities and workshops and a vintage tea room, alongside a wide variety of vintage traders. “As a customer you can be sure of finding only quality vintage, pre-loved, hand-made and upcycled goods at our fairs, but you also get to enjoy a wealth of nostalgic atmosphere, musicians and entertainers too,” says Lucy. • To keep up with the Secret Vintage Fair, use one of the following ways: Web: www.secretvintagefair.com Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TheSecretVintageFair Twitter: @Secret_Vintage Email: info@secretvintagefair.com Entry is £2, free for under 16s. If you are a trader who would like a stall, contact stallholders@ secretvintagefair.com with CAMBRIDGESHIRE in the subject line of your email.

Mum…I’m bored

Try these ideas with your kids this summer: • If your child is aged 5 – 18 and interested in cultural activities, take a look at the Idea1 website for a full calendar of events and click on ‘young people’ to see what’s happening. There are one day workshops, performing arts events, week long summer schools and adventures in music and the visual arts. Visit www.idea1.org.uk for full details. • On August 10 Sacrewell Farm is having a small pet day. You can bring along your rabbits and guinea pigs and enter all sorts of fun competitions and win prizes. For more details visit www.sacrewell. org.uk or call 01780 782254 • Visit the Lido. Peterborough’s outdoor pool is a treasure. It has been revamped and makes a great destination on a hot day with three pools, including a toddler paddling pool, three sunbathing terraces, a large lawn and play area and an on site café serving hot and cold food. • Bishops Rd, Peterborough PE1 1YY. Tel: 01733 864761

Lest we forget East Northants Council is supporting LIGHTS OUT which marks the hour that Britain entered World War One 100 years ago. Every community member, building and business is being asked to turn off the lights at 10pm-11pm on August 4, leaving one solitary candle or light for a shared moment of thought or reflection.

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

11 AGENDA.indd 1

17/07/2014 10:50

FOOD & DRINK

Food News Reviews and news from around the region

NENE VALLEY LIVING RECOMMENDS

The St Petersburg Restaurant

From the Riverford Kitchen Bean and ham bundles with roasted tomatoes and tarragon

Serves 4, Prep time: 15 mins, Cook time: 35 mins Serve with new potatoes and summer herb-roasted chicken: mix softened butter with a good handful of chopped fresh herbs (eg. tarragon, parsley or thyme) and stuff between the breast skin and meat. Halve a lemon and pop inside the main body of the chicken. Drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast, basting every now and then, until cooked through. Ingredients: • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved crossways • Olive oil • 400g green beans, topped & tailed

• 8 slices air-dried ham eg. prosciutto, parma, serrano • A little oil for frying • Large knob of butter, approx 50g • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tbsp chopped tarragon

Method: 1. Put the tomatoes on a baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season. Roast at 180°C for 30 mins, until sticky. 2. Meanwhile, cook the beans in a pan of salted boiling water until tender but still with a squeak to them, approx 4-5 mins. Refresh in a bowl of cold water, then drain. Divide the beans into 8 similar sized bundles. 3. Lay out a slice of ham. Place a bundle of beans on top. Wrap the ham over, rolling until the beans are tightly wrapped. Repeat with the other bundles. 4. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Fry until the ham is crisp (you can do this in batches and keep them warm in the oven if you don’t have room to do them all together). 5. Remove from the pan. Add the butter and melt. Stir in the roasted tomatoes, lemon juice and tarragon. 6. Check the seasoning and drizzle over the beans to serve.

eat well

with Riverford

get a free cook book with your vegbox

try a seasonal organic vegbox today with free delivery 12

he St Petersburg Restaurant presents a bold face on to Broadway, with a golden neon lit sign and a view of the glitzy bar through big windows and glass doors. Inside there are chandeliers and bright red cushioned banquettes backed by a photo wall with sparkling night views of the city from which it takes its name. There’s definitely a feel of the ‘new Russia’ in Peterborough’s first ‘fine dining’ Russian restaurant. My long love affair with St Petersburg made a visit to the Broadway establishment a must and we were keen to try some of the Russian dishes. Caroline chose a cold starter of Herring Featherbed which arrived as a tower of layered potato, gherkin, beetroot, carrots, peas and herring in a mayonnaise dressing which size-wise could easily have passed as a main course. Our soup bowls came encased in a pastry topping, Gill’s chicken and mushroom a hearty meal in itself and my traditional borscht, which was accompanied by a dish of soured cream, the best I’ve tasted anywhere. The service was charming and attentive but the timing needed some fine-tuning. We were still savouring our starters when the main courses were served. Gill’s beef stroganoff was tender and attractively presented with a bowl of grated beetroot and sliced gherkins. Caroline and I both opted for traditional dumplings; hers stuffed with minced beef, pork and onions, mine with potato and dressed with sour cream and bacon. Such good, filling fare that we couldn’t find room for even an ice cream between us. The St Petersburg Restaurant, which opened in January is a new venture for Aidas Meckauskas, a Lithuanian born resident of Peterborough who several years ago started the city’s first (and still thriving) Lithuanian restaurant. I’ll definitely be back for the borscht and probably won’t be able to resist ordering potato pancakes with caviar. Meat eaters will find plenty of interesting dishes to choose from on a menu that presents a big choice that includes salads, omelettes, pizza and pasta. With such generous servings, even the biggest appetite should be sated. Sue Dobson 52 Broadway, Peterborough PE1 1SB Tel: 01733 344138 www.stpetersburgrussianrestaurant.com

free

cook book* (worth £16.99)

*Free book on your 2nd delivery when you place a regular vegbox order. New customers only.

call 01780 789700 or visit www.riverford.co.uk/FFB14

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

12 FOOD NEWS copy.indd 1

17/07/2014 10:51

• NVL August ADS.indd 13

16/07/2014 14:41

sale 50% OFF ALL TREND KITCHENS & 30% OFF ALL GERMAN KITCHENS

HIGH QUALITY, BESPOKE FITTED KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES • Free Planning

• Full installation

• Full Project management • Family owned

THE LARGEST KITCHEN & BATHROOM STUDIO IN THE AREA Waterland House, 81 West Street, Oundle, Peterborough PE8 4EJ EMAIL: INFO@KUCHENKRAFT.CO.UK CALL US NOW ON 01832 270300

Küchen Kraft w w w. k u c h e n k r a f t . c o . u k

• NVL August ADS.indd 14

17/07/2014 12:29

FOOD & DRINK

Peterborough’s

Food Heroes Fresh, delicious and interesting food is available in Peterborough if you just know where to look. Fiona Cumberpatch reports

Moor Farm Meats

Peterborough Farmers’ Market, Cathedral Square (second and fourth Thursday of each month) or at the family farm in Decoy Rd, Newborough. Tel: 01733 810229 This family business sells beef and lamb which is born, fed and raised and hung on the farm at Newborough as well as locally sourced pork. Their sausages, made in many varieties, are always popular and you can find their stand in the city centre at the Farmers Market (see details above). Visit the farm shop for an even wider selection, and on Saturday morning, you can sample a sausage sandwich before you buy. They also offer eggs, potatoes, jams, chutneys and cakes.

Woodland Butchers

The Food Hall, Peterborough City Market Selling lamb from Rutland, and beef and pork from Melton Mowbray, this butcher situated inside the food hall in the market has been established for 32 years. Keith Woodward’s son Phil now runs the business but you’ll find both of them behind the counter chatting away with customers. You can buy some unusual cuts here: pork hocks, oxtail, ox tripe, pigs feet, tongues and tails (popular with the Portugese community in Peterborough), but there’s also a huge selection of traditional meat at great prices. “Sausages are our speciality,” says Keith. “But we really can supply any cut. Our beef on the bone is a good seller and not something you can get in the supermarkets now.” Pork and apple burgers, or lamb and mint, are just 50p each, and there’s a massive selection of barbeque food to choose from.

Janson Hong

59a Bridge St, PE1 1HA Tel: 01733 568388 A family run business, you can buy everything you need here to create pan-Asian dishes in your own home. A lovely selection of vegetables, such as pak choi, okra and water chestnuts, as well as noodles, rice, sauces, spices and even Chinese lanterns for decoration.

Fratelli Tavola Calda

Unit 2/3, Rivergate Centre, Peterborough PE1 1EL Tel: 01733 313669 Not just a popular restaurant, this is also an Italian deli bursting with authentic goodies. Cold meats, a huge selection of flavoured olives and antipasti, fresh Italian bread, plus a wide selection of dried pasta. On Fridays only, they stock freshly made Italian sausages too. If you need to rest, sit down and enjoy a cappuccino, an ice cream from the gelateria or perhaps a slice of fresh pizza and a big green salad or one of the daily specials such as spicy meatballs and pasta. It’s like being on holiday! NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

15 16 FOOD.indd 1

›

17/07/2014 11:31

FOOD & DRINK Grasmere Farm

Westgate Arcade, PE1 1PY Frank Bros, the pork butchers who traded in Peterborough for 130 years will be missed, but Grasmere Farm, which has taken over the shop in Wesgate Arcade is a worthy successor. With a shop in Stamford and one in Market Deeping, the local business, with a farm in Deeping St James, provides meat, sausages and pies and aims to make food that is “affordable and delicious.”

Hansons

Peterborough City Market The market is full of great value fruit and veg but Hansons stands out for its attractive displays of super-fresh produce, with many items coming from local farms. It’s popular and fast-moving: our local strawberries and earthy new potatoes were a real treat.

Riverford Organic Farms

Tel: 01780 789700 or visit www.riverford.co.uk Riverford founder Guy Watson started out delivering veg boxes to 30 friends in his home county of Devon. Now the company distributes some 47,000 boxes each week across the UK. We’re lucky to have a Riverford regional farm at Thornhaugh, near Peterborough. It was the first of Guy’s network of local organic farms, and if you order a weekly box, much of your produce will be supplied from here or from local organic farms. Riverford has an excellent website, full of recipes (you can see examples of these every month in NVL). Ordering a weekly box is a great way to ensure that you’re eating your five a day.

Clarkes The Green Backyard

Oundle Rd (adjacent to Apex House), Peterborough. Tel: 07834815943 A community space, The Green Backyard was founded by father and daughter Rennie and Sophie Antonelli. With a team of volunteers, they have transformed an area of derelict land in the heart of the city into a thriving allotment, with wildlife havens, a pond and a community shop. You can buy produce from the allotments, as well as some Lincolnshire fruit and veg, and some carefully sourced tinned and dried goods, including herbs and spices. There are future plans to open a café selling healthy local food. Rennie and Sophie were recently elected to the Independent on Sunday’s Happy List, a national directory of people who make life better for others. Pop in here and you’ll see why. The shop is open at limited times (Saturday and Sunday, 11am-4pm, and some weekdays).

Star Super Market 399 Lincoln Rd, PE1 2PF Worth a visit for the huge range of unusual varieties of fresh fruits and veg, and a large choice of ethnic foods, from Polish pickles to Turkish pastries and delicious chappatis, pittas and naan breads. Prices are very competitive, and you can bulk buy items such as basmati rice.

10 Queen St, Peterborough PE1 1PA Tel: 01733 892681 Café Clarkes Key Theatre, Embankment Rd, Peterborough PE1 1EF Tel: 01733 561465 Chef Lee Clarke has done a great deal to enhance Peterborough’s reputation for dining. At his eponymous restaurant in Cathedral Square, he brings his vision of fresh, locally produced food for fine dining, and in the less formal Café Clarkes in the Key Theatre, he serves British classics with a twist.Lee is a champion of local food producers and uses their produce, where possible, in his menus.

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

15 16 FOOD.indd 2

17/07/2014 11:31

Welcome to Clarkes Cookery School If you have ever wanted to learn to cook like a real chef then this is your chance. Clarkes Head Chef Lee Clarke and his team are opening up their kitchen on regular Sundays and Monday mornings to teach and cook with a handful of students each week. EACH CLASS WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT THEME AND CLASSES COMING UP ARE August 3rd - Picnic and Pimms August 4th - Pasta including making fresh Ravioli August 11th - Egg based desserts August 18th - Desserts September 7th - Pasta September 14th - India Cuisine with Manish from The Banyan Tree September 15th - Introduction to bread and confectionery. NOWÂ TAKINGÂ BOOKINGSÂ FORÂ CHRISTMASÂ &Â NEWÂ YEAR

VIEWÂ OURÂ CHRISTMASÂ MENUSÂ ONLINE

rides walks

BIKE

20 best

local

20 Best Local Walks

20 best local

Spectacular rides around cycle Stamford, Rutla nd, Harborough and the Nene Valley

around Spectacular walks, Harborough Stamford, Rutland and the Nene Valley

ÂŁ3.50

From the publishers

9 771757 747012

470 ISSN 1757-7

ISSN 175 7-747

ÂŁ3.50

9 771757 747012

20 Best Local Bike Rides

From the publishers

Living

Magazines

2/6/08 13:35:01

COVER1 copy 2.indd

In association with Rutland Cycling

In association with Barnack Country Clothes

Please enclose a cheque for ÂŁ3.50 per booklet, made payable to Local Living, select which title you wish and return to: PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY.

Or order online at: www.bestlocalliving.co.uk

Clarkes Restaurant, Peterborough, 10 Queen Street, St Johns Square, Peterborough PE1 1PA

e-mail: bookings@clarkespeterborough.co.uk

Tel: 01733 892681

www.clarkespeterborough.co.uk. 17

â&#x20AC;˘ NVL August ADS.indd 17

16/07/2014 14:41

PROFILE

John Hoskins The wine detective John Hoskins on how he became a world-renowned wine taster and successfully turned a passion into a career… By Lucy Banwell

HE start of John Hoskins’s love affair with wine can be clearly traced back to one fortuitous day in 1982 when his uncle Lawrence invited him into the cavernous cellars of The George Hotel in Stamford. “He offered to give me a really interesting mixed case of wine, but there was one condition,” recalls John. “I had to tell him what I thought of them. I was a 20-year-old student so of course I said “yes”. But from the first bottle it became obvious that this was something which really appealed to me. Here were these lovely bottles of wine which gave me great pleasure, but which were also academically interesting. I tried to understand where these wines came from, how they were made and what made them special; and found it fascinating.” Lawrence Hoskins – the proprietor of The George then and to this day – was impressed enough with his nephew’s tasting notes that he offered John the chance to overhaul the hotel’s wine list and join the family business. And when John realised that his newfound enthusiasm could also be turned into a career, there was no looking back. Having previously shunned the idea of working in the family firm, he finished his degree and came on board.

s Summer Wine m reco mends John Hoskins y est bottles to tr some of the b al fresco white An aromatic Paradou Le , er ni og Vi 2012 s e and freshnes um rf acy, pe Combines delic e £9.95 per bottl red An everyday ntarèche Fo u ea ât Ch 2012 king Corbières Juicy, easy-drin e £9.95 per bottl Barbecue red nta Maias 2011 Maias, Qui ugese gem rt A full-bodied Po ttle bo r pe £9.75 A fizzy treat e y, Classic Cuvé Hattingley Valle pshire m Ha om fr e kling win Impressive spar £33 per bottle from ailable to buy • All wines av k .u wine.co www.oldbridge

John threw himself into learning his new trade and, after several years of study, he passed the prestigious and exclusive Master of Wine exams to join the industry’s elite. He became the first ever Master of Wine from the world of hotels and restaurants. “All the others had previously been from the wine trade,” explains John. “I was also incredibly proud to be awarded the Bollinger Medal given to the best blind taster of the year.” So what makes a great wine taster? Is it all down to the palate? “No, blind tasting is rarely a question of biology,” says John. “I always say that you should taste wine like a detective. You’re looking for clues. Then it’s a question of putting those clues into your memory bank and being able to draw on them when you’re tasting. “For years I wrote down a note on every wine I tasted, from the day I started that original case Lawrence gave me,” continues John. “If you want to become really good at tasting wine you simply have to treat it seriously. It was just like an extension of studying English Literature at university. You’re not just reading, you’re analysing the text – of every book you read and of every wine you taste.” In 1994, John established his own, independent business separate to The George, acquiring The Old Bridge Hotel at Huntingdon and a number of country pubs including The Pheasant at Keyston and The Three Horseshoes at Madingley. He still, however, works closely with Lawrence Hoskins, remaining in charge of The George’s impressive wine list. The Old Bridge offers relaxed dining, rooms and even its own on-site Wine Shop. It’s a formula which has proved incredibly successful. On the day we visit, the lounge and bar area is full of chat and laughter as people meet up for a coffee, a sandwich or for one of John’s awardwinning glasses of wine. “The concept at The Old Bridge is about sticking to the principle of being an inn rather than a hotel,” says John. “An inn was originally designed to be somewhere where anyone was welcome at any time for anything. So you can come to The Bridge for a pint of Adnams or to have a business meeting or to get married. Whatever you want to do here we will do our best to look after you. “I think most restaurants and hotels don’t understand that; they’re trying to create a special occasion all the time. And yes, we want even a cup of coffee here to be a special cup of coffee, but we’d also like it to become part of our customers’ routines. We want to be a place that matters in the community; somewhere that people have a good feeling about.”

Quick Fire Favourites…

Favourite spot in region The view down into Stamford from the top of St Martin’s always takes my breath away. Favourite day out If we are meeting friends from the south or east we tend to congregate at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire for a beautiful walk and a picnic. Favourite shop Cottons Shoes in Oundle for its outstanding levels of service. Favourite restaurant Well, of course, The Old Bridge is the best! But our ex-Head Chef Simon Cadge is doing great things at The Pheasant at Keyston, near Thrapston. Best kept local secret Equilibrium Yoga in Peterborough and Huntingdon. Sandra Heider runs a brilliant organisation – even for those of us who are hopeless at yoga.

John’s love of wine is clearly evident, but what about the rest of us? Why does he think wine plays an important role in many people’s lives? “The landmarks in our lives are often celebrated with wine,” says John, who lives in Collyweston with his wife Julia. “Lots of people can remember which wine they were drinking at a special occasion in their lives. I also think wine evokes memory in an even stronger way than food. Meanwhile my only real complaint about many of today’s wine drinkers is if people insist on drinking the same wine all the time. How sad is that, when the particular joy of wine is its infinite variety? We only get one go on this planet – so we might as well make the most of it!”

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

18 JOHN.indd 1

17/07/2014 11:32

• NVL August ADS.indd 19

16/07/2014 14:41

PHOTO: FIONA CUMBERPATCH

PERSPECTIVES

A Space to Connect and Artist Jeni Cairns and landscape gardener Sophie Antonelli have just won a gold medal at RHS Hampton Jeni Cairns (left) and Court Palace Sophie Antonelli Flower Show for their upcycled garden design. This month, it comes home to Peterborough city centre, where it will be used as a community arts space. Fiona Cumberpatch reports 20

HEN Jeni Cairns and Sophie Antonelli found out that they had been awarded a prestigious gold medal for their summer garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show on July 7 this year, they were ecstatic. “We squealed. And cried. And we were shaking,” says Jeni. “But it was an utterly jubilant, awesome and incredible moment.” The award, and a further accolade of ‘best in category’ was richly deserved. The two women, along with a team of industrious volunteers including Jeni’s husband Brian, had worked solidly for ten days to construct the garden which Jeni had designed. It was the culmination of months of sourcing materials, wood working, sanding, metal cutting and engineering as the design developed from a drawing in Jeni’s sketch book to an 8m by 6.5m plot of upcycled ingenuity which wowed the judges. This was more than a show garden which would be seen and admired by a small number

of people at a prestigious event. It was always the intention that it would return to the city where it would have a life beyond the limelight. The garden was inspired by The Green Backyard, Peterborough’s vibrant community allotments which were created from an area of derelict land adjacent to Apex House, and of which Sophie Antonelli is co-founder with her father Rennie. The show garden has been sponsored by Metal, a national arts organisation which connects artists and their ideas to the civic ambitions of a particular place to contribute to its growth and development. “Metal had taken a garden to Hampton Court before as part of its work in Southend,” explains Sarah Haythornthwaite of Metal Peterborough. “We met Jeni last year through another arts project in the city, and talked about how we could work together. When she was offered the chance to have a show garden at Hampton Court, and we heard that she was looking for a sponsor, it seemed like serendipity.”

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

20 21 GARDENS.indd 2

17/07/2014 11:32

Jeni’s master plan for the show garden.

The plasma cut roof, designed and made by Jeni Cairns

Brian Cairns

Ross Sutherland performing in the garden

came up with the idea of plasma cutting organic shapes into the metal, and using the drums to create a decorative textured wall as well as using them as planters for herbs and vegetables. “I don’t approach creating a show garden in the same way that other designers do,” she smiles. “I’m guessing the normal way is that if you want a woven willow fence, for example, you find a crafts person to make one for you. If I want one, I learn to do it myself. Over the last three years, my husband Brian and I have learned to make willow arches, build ponds, create bespoke water features, work with wood, build a shepherd hut from scratch and now metal working with a plasma cutter!”

Drawing in metal

nd Grow Creating a community garden Jeni came up with the design around six months ago. She has previously won three premier Gold awards at Harrogate Autumn Flower Show, all of which had incorporated an innovative use of reclaimed materials, but this was her most challenging assignment yet. “We knew we had to create a show garden with impact, but it had to include elements which could be transferred back to Metal’s offices at Chauffeurs Cottage in Peterborough,” says Jeni. “We needed to incorporate somewhere for artists to perform, there would be an edible grow zone and a pavilion at the back with a living roof.” She worked with Sophie Antonelli basing the design on the idea of bringing nature into the city. “It’s about pollinating insects, birds, plants, flowers and growing food so I created a design combining it all,” says Jeni. One of the key elements was a stock of 100 old oil drums which were donated by the Key Theatre. Jeni

Jeni’s enthusiasm for the technique also resulted in another stunning feature in the show garden: a plasma cut roof in the pavilion area of the garden. It was a feat of artistic and engineering skill, fashioned from a 2.5m by 1.25 m sheet of metal, which then had to be fixed without sagging or warping. The water feature in the garden is created from vibrant green combine harvester prongs, and old scaffold boards (donated by Earls Scaffolding of Whittlesey) were sanded and used to create planters for trees, furniture and fencing. Sponsorship also came from British Sugar, Creative Peterborough and Coblands plant suppliers, among others, but Jeni was working to a tight budget and every penny had to be stretched. The core team of workers were Jeni, Brian, Brian’s brother Chris, Sophie, Jeni’s father Owen, and Matt Robinson, who works for Peterborough Environment City Trust. There were many other local artists, family members and Metal staff who pitched in to help. “Brian and I have another job, we own the Fresh Pizza Company in Whittlesey, so everything has to be fitted in around running a business,” says Jeni, who is also in demand as a garden designer and artist. “We had a few ‘open shed Sundays’ where volunteers came to our house at Coates and helped with sanding, cleaning, painting and doing things like making insect hotels and making cushions out of old coffee sacks.”

Performing arts The planting has different zones, herbs and edibles, contrasting soft foliage in a metallic palette of silver, bronze and black, with accents of yellow blue and purple flowers, which pick up on the industrial paintwork in the recycled

Jeni making the roof panel with a technique called plasma cutting.

metal components. Plants include Betula trees, supplied by Barcham, grasses and perennials, herbs such as thyme, and vegetables including chard, beetroot and courgettes. It is rustic and raw but never twee. It is also intended to be a working space. During show week at Hampton Court, Peterborough artists including Keely Mills, Ross Sutherland, Kerry Devine, Anita Bruce, Misty Jones and Tom Fox performed daily, singing, reading poetry and creating art work. “Making the platform for artists fits in with Metal’s wider strategy of repositioning Peterborough,” says Sarah Haythornthwaite. “We’re taking the best of local talent and giving them a platform in London. It was a first for Hampton Court, too – they’d never allowed a garden to be programmed before!” Watching approvingly on the first day of the show was Jude Kelly, artistic director of the Southbank Centre and founder of Metal. “It is jubilant,” she said of the garden. “It inspires a sense of pleasure and enjoyment, inviting people in. Hearing about the way it has developed, and the working relationship between Jeni, the artist, and Sophie, the horticulturalist, is so good because that’s what Metal is intended to do, to help people make connections.” As an emblem for the city, Sophie and Jeni’s Space to Grow and Connect is positive. “It’s a metaphor for Peterborough,” suggests Jude Kelly. “We want people to recognise that in this city there are some astonishingly creative people. We want to find ways that they can work together in the future and see them grow side by side.” • Metal’s Space to Grow and Connect will be installed in Peterborough at the end of August. The official opening is on September 7, 2pm-6pm at Chauffeurs Cottage, St Peter’s Road, Peterborough PE1 1YX NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

20 21 GARDENS.indd 3

17/07/2014 11:32

OUT & ABOUT

Go green this summer!

Free events this August

Travelchoice Month offers a wealth of fun, free events across Peterborough this August to encourage us to make more sustainable transport choices. Words: Lucy Banwell

F you’re nipping out to the shops or dropping the kids off at school, it’s all too easy to jump in the car without a second thought. But this August, Peterborough City Council is encouraging us all to think a little bit more about the choices we make when travelling around the city. Travelchoice is an initiative funded by the Department of Transport which aims to encourage more sustainable forms of travel around Peterborough such as cycling, walking, taking public transport or car sharing. Now in its fifth year, the campaign has achieved real change through working in conjunction with local businesses and organisations. “We’ve had some great responses and the whole thing has been really successful,” says Peterborough City Council’s Transport Planning Officer, Steve Boni. “For example, we’ve worked with a lot of local businesses to offer personalised travel plans for some of their employees. We take their home and work addresses and suggest alternative routes for them. The take up’s been really good on that. It’s surprising how many people didn’t realise there was a bus route which serves their journey to work.” “We’re not anti-car,” insists Steve. “We’re just trying to raise awareness of alternative methods of transport. There are quicker, cheaper, greener and healthier options such as cycling, walking or taking public transport. I think for a lot of people their default setting is to just to jump in the car. Sustainable travel is all about being a bit more eco-friendly; about enhancing the environment and keeping it as it is now for future generations.” As part of its role in promoting greener transport methods, Travelchoice is hosting a series of fun, free, familyfriendly events throughout August. “Kicking off proceedings on August 2 will be a big launch event in the Cathedral Square which will run from 10am until 3pm featuring some brilliant BMX stunt displays,” explains Steve. “Then we move onto Central Park from 3pm for our Family Taster Event in which people can ride a range of bikes and try zorbing (rolling down a hill in a huge inflatable ball). Then the whole day culminates in the evening with a cycle cinema event showing Frozen. Basically, the projector is powered by bikes. People can just turn up and have a go at powering the projector.” Other highlights during the month-long series of events include a drive-in showing of the film Grease and a recordbreaking attempt to form the world’s largest walking bus. “And to round the whole month off we’re having a big party day at Ferry Meadows on Saturday 30th August,” says Steve. “Some local bands will perform, with the music stage being powered by members of the public doing the pedalling. Last year’s Party in the Park was brilliant – despite the awful weather! So we’re hoping we’ll get a sunnier day this year and that thousands of people will come along.”

Travelchoice: The Aims • To improve the quality of life and transport opportunities in Peterborough • To reduce the City’s impact on climate change • To enhance safety and security for all the citizens of Peterborough • To support economic growth within the City

2 August BMX Show 10am – 3pm, Cathedral Square Death-defying BMX bike stunt displays Family Taster Event 3pm – 7.30pm, Central Park, Peterborough Showcasing sustainable transport options Cycle Cinema: Frozen 7.30pm, Central Park, Peterborough Pedal-powered cinema for the whole family 8 August Drive-in Car Share Cinema: Grease 7.30pm, Peterborough Garden Park Bring a carful and enjoy this classic film! 10 August Electric Vehicle Trial Day 12 – 4pm, Orton Mere Car Park Bring your driving licence and test drive some eco-friendly electric cars 15 August Ghost Walk 8pm, Peterborough Museum Spooky guided walking tour 17 August Walking Bus World Record Attempt 10am, Ferry Meadows Meet at the Visitor Centre to help break a Guinness World Record. 2,000 people needed to walk 1km in a giant crocodile to beat the record! 19 August Deal or No Deal Public Transport Giveaway 12pm – 4pm, Queensgate Rewarding those who travel by public transport. Show your bus or train ticket, open one of the sealed boxes and bag yourself a prize! 25 August Cycle Cinema: The Lego Movie 7.30pm, Hampton Lake Bring the kids along and enjoy a pedal-powered family favourite 30 August Party in the Park 11am – 7pm, Ferry Meadows Bring a picnic and listen to some local bands entertain the crowds from a pedal-powered stage • For more information about Travelchoice, visit the website at www.travelchoice.org.uk or contact the team on 01733 747474 or email travelchoice@peterborough. gov.uk

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

22 TRAVEL.indd 1

17/07/2014 11:33

t Es

Loc

Est

al Comp

1981 - 33 Years

Bespoke and Handmade Kitchens

The areas LARGEST Kitchen Showroom

Only 7 kitchens left!

30 room settings on show NEW displays now fitted

To make way for exciting NEW displays Kitchen Showroom Clearance of Handmade & Factory Built Displays. 11 kitchens must go! No reasonable offer refused. Guide price from £500 - £5,000

The Maltings, Barnack Road, Stamford, PE9 2NA T: 01780 756514 or 755855 E: sales@qksstamford.co.uk www.qksstamford.co.uk

• NVL August ADS.indd 23

17/07/2014 12:28

• Laser Hair Removal • TITAN Skin Tightening

AUGUST SPECIAL OFFERS 2014 SPRAY TAN AND JESSICA MANICURE OR PEDICURE JUST £35 VALID UNTIL 31ST AUGUST 2014 Pure Health & Beauty, Church Farm, Glapthorn, Oundle, Peterborough, PE8 5BE, Tel: 01832 272310 or 07807 879459 Email: pure@farming.co.uk We are located next to the Church in Glapthorn Village

Opening Times Mon 9.30-7.30 Tue 9.30-7.30 Wed 9.30-7.30, Thur 9.30-7.30 Fri 9.30-5.00 Sat 8.00-5.00

• Vein Treatments • Skin Rejuvenation • Microdermabrasion • Botox and Fillers • Dermaroller

1n0ivetrshary,

An shed Establi 0 20 4

• Age and Brown Spots • Acne Treatment

The BodyLaser Clinic Peterborough Clinic 60 Broadway, Peterborough, PE1 1SU Tel. (01733) 555200

Cambridge Clinic Essex House, 71 Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1AB Tel. (01223) 464171

www.bodylaser.co.uk

Treatments from £80, call now to book a free of charge consultation

The Beautiful Truth - 40 Cowgate, Peterborough, PE1 1NA E: hello@beautiful-truth.co.uk W: www.beautiful-truth.co.uk

T: 01733 555540 24

• NVL August ADS.indd 24

16/07/2014 14:43

PEOPLE

Sifting fact and fiction

Sue Dobson found Adam Begley, John Updike’s biographer, at home in Oundle

OSTON-BORN “but I’m really a New Yorker,” Adam Begley grew up with the family legend that John Updike was the first person to make him laugh. “I’m told that Updike, who had dropped by to see my father, picked up three oranges from a bowl near my cot and started juggling with them, resulting in much gurgling laughter from me.” Fifty years on and living in Oundle, Begley was commissioned to write a biography of the prolific and much lauded American author. Titled simply ‘Updike’ and published in April, the book has received outstanding reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. Adam’s father, lawyer and novelist Louis Begley, and John Updike were classmates at Harvard University in the 1950s and retained a friendship, but apart from that very early introduction, there were only two memorable occasions when Adam had spent time in Updike’s company. In 1993, by then a literary journalist armed with a Harvard degree and a PhD in English Literature from Stanford University, he followed Updike on a lecture tour around the Mid-West for a magazine. Ten years later he wrote a lengthy profile for the New York Observer (where he was Books Editor from 1996 to 2009) in the wake of a publicity tour for The Early Stories 1953-1975, “the hugely successful book that confirmed John Updike as the greatest American short story writer of the 20th century.”

In January 2009, Adam was at home with his wife Anne Cotton in Oundle when his editor called from New York to relay the news of John Updike’s death and giving him just three hours to write an obituary for publication the next day. “We had friends coming to dinner that night, but I just had to leave Anne to cope while I disappeared to write.” A few days later he got another transatlantic call, this time from an editor at HarperCollins, asking if he’d like to be Updike’s biographer. “I’d read and reviewed several of his books and while I wasn’t an unadulterated fan, I did admire him. I admire him significantly more now, though I am not uncritical of him.”

Four years on John Updike published more than 60 books, including novels, short story collections, poetry and a huge collection of essays, as well as close to 1000 book reviews, so it’s not too surprising that Adam spent four years researching and writing his 576-page biography. “There was hardly a day when I wasn’t reading Updike, but despite that much time in close proximity, the quality of his writing was such that not for a minute was I bored. “I loved the short stories and grew much more impressed by the poems, but like most people I hadn’t realised what a great letter writer he was – he wrote five or six a day. I read a huge amount of correspondence, mainly between him and his editors at the New Yorker and Knopf, his publisher, but also with his mother, herself a

published writer, with whom he corresponded for about 40 years. The mother-son letters are fantastic, I hope they’ll be published one day.” The research required spending a good deal of time in America. “I was fortunate to be given two Fellowships in support of the work, one of which required me to attend a seminar on biography writing in New York once a month. There was a lot of material in Austin, Texas and Pennsylvania, where Updike grew up, also in Boston and New York. The Houghton Library at Harvard bought up his archive for $3million, a repository so huge that it took well over two years to catalogue. This is probably the last great paper trail of a writer.” To get to the person behind the words, “you have to talk to the people who loved him”. It’s no secret that a good deal of Updike’s fiction was autobiographical and Adam tracked down many of the friends who appeared with little disguise in the novels. “Mary, his first wife and the mother of his four children, was very helpful, as were the children. His second wife, Martha, was opposed to the biography.” One critic called the book “a model of what a literary biography should be,” which is a good place to be starting from for his next project, the first English-language biography of Nadar (Gaspard-Félix Tournachon). “Nadar was a legendary 19th-century French photographer and caricaturist. The first person to take an aerial photograph and to use artificial light, he was also a daredevil pioneering balloonist. It will be shorter on narrative than Updike and full of amazing pictures.” NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

25 ADAM.indd 1

17/07/2014 11:34

WELLBEING

Health & Beauty Notes Stay healthy and beautiful this summer. By Bridget Steele

How yoga could help your pregnancy Practising yoga during and after pregnancy can be invaluable to the well-being of women at these times. Whether you’ve practised yoga before becoming pregnant or not, you can still reap the many benefits it offers. During pregnancy, you can work with your body to create the strength, openness and flexibility that it needs to help accommodate the growth of your baby, and also your own body’s changes, such as maintaining good posture; helping to alleviate aches and pains in the lower back and shoulders, etc as well as developing strength and stamina to help you through the labour and birth. Developing a deeper awareness of your breath and how you can work with it is important, and empowering. It can help to find a sense of calm, focus, strength, and quietness; encouraging you to stay more relaxed and clear-headed, whilst managing any fluctuating emotions. Your breath is the one tool that is always there and present with you. During the post-natal period, it is a time to gently and slowly work towards re-gaining inner strength and stability, without depleting precious energy. A slower, steadier physical practice is advised, together with breath awareness and focus of the mind. Mandy Nightingale(BWY Dip (British Wheel of Yoga); Yoga Alliance; MFHT Federation of Holistic Therapists) runs a Pregnancy Yoga Class at Fotheringhay Village Hall Monday mornings 10am – 11.30am She is also available for one-to-one sessions at her home in Wansford; (for a private session of 2-4 people, then that would have to be a home-visit). • Call 07799 684333 or mnightingale@uk2.net

Rejuvenate your face

ZUMBA with Sonja to lose weight Sonja Allen had been a professional dancer in her younger days but after many years without the self discipline to exercise, the weight soon crept on leaving her feeling self conscious and she would always find an excuse not to be active. Sonja took up Zumba and quickly found it was something she enjoyed. She met many people on the same journey, enjoying the music, social atmosphere and dance. Before long, she was doing Zumba classes three times a week and this inspired her to take up Zumba instructing. She says: “having been a professional dancer and comedienne for many years, you can imagine we have a lot of fun in my class.” She has now been teaching for a few months in Hampton and Yaxley and has watched ladies’ drop dress sizes and lose stones whilst having fun. She has also lost five stones herself. Sonja is qualified to teach high impact Zumba, Zumba Gold (lower impact which is designed for the Young at heart, pre and post pregnancy, or people suffering from minor injuries), Aqua Zumba Zumba Kids and teenage classes. Sonja says “I am 50 years old and if I can do this anyone can!! I think my ladies love the fact that I am on the same journey as them and can be supportive and encouraging in my classes for them to achieve their goal.” • For more information on Zumba with Sonja contact: 07799792201 or e-mail:-zumba@ zumbawithsonja.com www.zumbawithsonja.com

As well as her many other aesthetic procedures consultant surgeon Zahida Butt is now offering her clients the innovative Silhouette Soft lift treatment for the face. This procedure is a new treatment in facial rejuvenation which combines two actions. The lift action has an immediate effect giving results which can be seen instantly and then it provides a regenerative action for gradual and natural results by restoring lost collagen to add more definition to the features, while maintaining volume over time. The neck, cheeks and jowls can be improved with a 45 – 60 minute procedure with no downtime. There are no incisions and the components are all entirely re-absorbable. This technique can only be performed by either a surgeon or doctor. The procedure has been used for many years in various medical fields and especially in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery. It can be carried out in Zahida’s cosmetic clinics, has long lasting results and can be used as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with dermal fillers and injectables for other facial lines. Zahida Butt will be happy to give a personal tailor made treatment for your face at a consultation. • Contact the Peterborough Cosmetic clinic on 01733 310090 or the King’s Lynn clinic on 01553 692531.

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

26 H&B.indd 1

17/07/2014 11:34

Advertisement Feature

Elysia Health & Beauty Get your body confidence back ELYSIA are delighted to introduce LIPOFIRM PLUS – the credible alternative to Liposuction creating INCH LOSS, BODY CONTOURING, FACE & BODY SKIN TIGHTENING.

oted number 1 treatment in the March 25th edition of OK magazine, this treatment achieves outstanding results for FACE & BODY for: INCH LOSS, BODY CONTOURING, CELLULITE, FACE & BODY SKIN TIGHTENING, CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO LIPOSUCTION, NO DOWNTIME, RESULTS NOT DEPENDENT ON DIET OR EXERCISE, IMMEDIATE RESULTS, MEDICALLY CERTIFIED TREATMENTS, INDEPENDENT CLINICAL STUDIES. We use proven technology of ULTRASOUND CAVITATION and mono-polar and bi-polar RADIOFREQUENCY . Ultrasound waves instantly and permanently destroy fat cells providing patients a convenient, non-invasive , no downtime solution to reduce localised fat deposits, body circumference and tighten the skin. The treatment can be performed on stomach, thighs, arms, buttocks, man boobs, love handles, knees, calves, back and chin. Although we advocate a healthy diet and exercise routine, the results of this treatment are not dependent on diet or exercise. How many times have we heard people say they loose weight but never in the area they want. This is because our body holds onto fat in certain areas – this treatment will treat your problem areas. RADIO FREQUENCY SKIN TIGHTENING – allows us to treat common problems associated with ageing or weight loss. Radio AFTER ONE BEFORE TREATMENT Frequency stimulates the collagen, elastin and fibroblasts and increases the production of Hylauronic Acid. The treatment visibly tightens the skin, reduces lines and wrinkles, reduces pore size. A very results driven treatment for face and body. • ELYSIA HEALTH AND BEAUTY, TANSOR, OUNDLE 01832 226328 OR 07879 620196. LATEST INFORMATION ON FACEBOOK PAGE ELYSIA HEALTH AND BEAUTY OR WWW.ELYSIAHEALTHANDBEAUTY.COM

TREATMENTS START FROM £40 AND WE OFFER A FREE CONSULTATION. PLEASE CALL FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

• NVL August ADS.indd 27

16/07/2014 14:43

VISIT US AT OUR NEW LARGE SHOWROOM We have a large selection of the latest contemporary stoves by all leading manufacturers

Call now for your free quotation POP IN TODAY

Avebury by Cormar

we have over 2000sm of carpet roll stock in store

• Independent family business Est. 1990 • Large showroom • Honest advice given • No pressure – no hassle sales • Home selection service • 48hr binding service We also offer - • FREE Measuring & estimating • FREE local delivery

SPECIAL OFFER

FREE UNDERLAY UPGRADE ON YOUR ORDER.

PRESENT THIS VOUCHER. OFFER ENDS 30TH AUGUST 5PM

NO CHIMNEY? NO PROBLEM! We supply & install Stovax - Twin wall flue systems

• Huge range of Conservatory Cane furniture • Many fabrics to choose from • Accessories available to complement each range

SPECIAL OFFER

FREE COFFEE TABLE WITH ANY CANE FURNITURE 3PCE SUITE. PRESENT THIS VOUCHER. OFFER ENDS 30TH AUGUST 5PM.

WE ARE HERE

01536 410777 Unit 7 Orion Way, The Constellations, Kettering Business Park NN15 6NL Email: admin@colesforfires.co.uk www.colesforfires.co.uk

• NVL August ADS.indd 28

16/07/2014 14:44

SHOPPING

Coles for Fires Coles are experts on everything to do with fires, and merit a visit both for inspiration and advice

ike Coles has owned and run Coles for Fires for many years, re-locating to the current larger premises four years ago in order to be able to expand the display area and offer easy parking for customers. Mike is an expert on everything to do with fires, with a strong engineering and gas background. And it is this technical strength that is the cornerstone of the business, reflecting the paramount importance of safety and quality. Coles has a well qualified team of in-house installers who will ensure that every job is done to the highest specifications. In Mike’s words “Every installation has to be perfect”; and service is key to the business, both installation and after-sales care. But whilst safety and technical skills have remained an important constant, what has changed markedly in the last few years has been the range and style of products available; and Coles has been at the forefront of this too, offering an impressive range of products with different performance criteria and style appeal, always sourced from the highest-quality manufacturers. It is this combination of technical expertise, service excellence and stylish range that has made Coles a leading player in its field, both regionally and nationally. A recent high-profile national job they did was a wood-burning stove installation in Fields Bar & Restaurant (A Benugo restaurant) in the middle of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, which had to work around complex planning guidelines. No job is too challenging for them, nor too small.

WE PICKED A RANGE OF FIVE PRODUCTS TO JUST BEGIN TO INSPIRE YOU: 1. Chesney’s Salisbury 6 Multi-fuel stove £1,410 “Classic looks that suits modern or traditional” 2. Chesney’s Beaumont Opti-Mist Electric Stove £1,250 “Electric simplicity with all the great looks of a natural fire” 3. Riva Studio 500 “When you really want to make a ‘wow’ design statement’ 4. Gazco Logic Gas Fire £799 “Super-efficient, art deco look and stylish glass front” 5. Stovax Huntingdon 40 Woodburning Stove £1,695 “Nothing beats a classic stove for a country property – built to last.” Come and get inspired by visiting the show room at: Coles for Fires, Unit 7 Orion Way, Kettering Business Park, Kettering, NN15 6NL - Tel: 01536 410777 - www.colesforfires.co.uk NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

29 COLES.indd 1

17/07/2014 11:35

PERSPECTIVES

Tea and friendship A chat over a cuppa and a cake can brighten the lives of isolated elderly people. Sue Dobson met some of the volunteers bringing the tea party concept to Peterborough

UNDAY afternoon tea and cakes, conversation and companionship are on the menu once a month when a small group of elderly people meets in a volunteer host’s home. Volunteer drivers collect the guests from their homes, join them for tea and then drive them home again a couple of hours later. The tea parties are organised by Contact the Elderly and Peterborough recently became a link in this ever-expanding nationwide chain that offers a lifeline of friendship. The only national charity solely dedicated to tackling loneliness and social isolation among older people, Contact the Elderly has over 530 groups across Britain, involving more than 7,000 volunteers. Recipient of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012 and celebrating its Golden Jubilee next year, the organisation is still chaired by its founder, Trevor Lyttleton MBE. “We focus on men and women over the age of 75 who are living alone, need a bit of help getting out and about, and don’t have the support of family and friends nearby,” explained Mary Rance, Contact the Elderly’s Chief Executive. She was in Peterborough for the launch party, held at Ormiston Bushfield Academy, to meet the founding volunteers of the city’s first tea party group. “Getting out of the house and meeting other people in a friendly atmosphere can make a huge difference to the lives of people who are otherwise lonely or feel isolated from the community,” Mary continued. “Our guests all tell us how much they look forward to that one Sunday afternoon a month. It’s an occasion that enriches their lives.” The drivers collect the same guests each

time, so many inter-generational friendships are formed and as the volunteer hosts may also involve members of their families, there are great opportunities for everyone to make new friends.

Making friends At the launch party, five-year old Harley Webb was busy making friends as he toured the tables and engaged everyone in conversation. His mum, Tammy, had baked cakes for the occasion and plans to host a tea party at her home in Hampton. She has also volunteered to be a reserve driver to cover for holidays or emergencies if required. Guest Ada Barrett enjoyed discussing Harley’s drawings with him. “I like having a chat,” she said. “I wasn’t feeling very confident after a bad fall, so having someone drive me here and take me home has been lovely. I’ve met some very nice people today.” Fellow guest Iris agreed. “All my family are away and I don’t see many people. This afternoon has been very enjoyable.” Their own family relationships have spurred several young men and women to become volunteer drivers. Matt Barber told me: “My grandparents have lots of family nearby and

seeing how much they like having us around makes me want to help people who haven’t got those family connections. I’m very enthusiastic about getting the tea parties to work in Peterborough.” Donna Cadera, too, enjoys the company of older people. “I miss my Nan; she was my best friend. With a toddler and a six-month old baby I’m home a lot with little adult company during the day. Being out once a month will be good for me, too. We’ll be helping each other.” “It seems a nice thing to do,” says volunteer host Alison Ambarchian, whose daughter Nyree was instrumental in setting up the first Contact the Elderly Tea Party group in Peterborough. “It’s good to get connected with other people. My Mum has plenty of family around but I can see how easy it would be for older people to get isolated.”

How to help The tea parties are usually held on the second Sunday of the month from 2pm to 4pm. Volunteer roles include baking, driving and hosting an event. Volunteer drivers collect the same guests each month and take them to and from a different local host’s home. There are usually three to five drivers for a group of six to nine guests. The commitment is three to four hours on one Sunday a month and to contact their guests a few days before the event to ensure they wish to participate and to confirm the time that they will be picked up. Volunteer hosts are asked to commit to one or two tea parties a year. Their homes should have easy access, a downstairs toilet and the space and seating to entertain guests and their drivers to a simple tea. • For more information visit the website www.contact-the-elderly.org.uk or Tel: 0800 716543.

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

30 TEA.indd 1

17/07/2014 11:36

APILUS The Apilus Platinum Pure offers advanced technology for skin lesion and permanent hair removal with pinpoint precision. These face and body lesions are very simple to remove permanently. • Telangiectasia (thread veins, nose and face) • Cherry Angiomas (blood spots) • Milia (milk spots) • Skin Tags • Hyperpigmentation • Sebaceous hyperplasia • Moles • Seborrhoic Keratosis COSMETIC AESTHETICIAN For full information and appointment please call

07854 008844

Email: apiluspeterborough@mail.com

We are Registered with all Major Healthcare Companies including BUPA, AXA PPP and AVIVA.

Established 1969

Offering Private Physiotherapy Appointments at our clinic in Peterborough and Oundle Medical Practice. All enquiries ( 8am-8pm) to our Peterborough Reception Team:

01733 565911 www.prestonshealth.co.uk

Prestons Health 2 9 A l e xa n d r a Road, P ete r b o r o u g h P E1 3DE

Shutting it in or shutting it out? Whatever You Need, We Have The Solution... Garage Doors

Blinds

New, Repairs & Servicing.

Made to Measure. Roller, Venetian, Vertical, Roman & Pleated

All types supplied including Roller & Sectional.

Automate existing doors.

Insect Screens

Shutters

Air & light in, insects out. Internally or externally fitted.

Commercial, Industrial & domestic.

Compact design

Professional, friendly & personal service.

Security/Decorative.

No obligation Free quotations .

Deeping St James, Peterborough PE6 8TE

Call: 07709 337647 Securing your property in style! 31

• NVL August ADS.indd 31

16/07/2014 14:44

PLACES TO VISIT

NENE VALLEY A DAY OUT IN THE

Secrets and stories abound on the banks of the River Nene as it meanders through glorious green countryside via honeyed-stone villages, ancient market towns and a cathedral city. In this region just made for discovery, Sue Dobson suggests forays in the footsteps of history

Be intrigued In 1605, workman downed tools on the grand banqueting lodge they were building for the rich landowner, Sir Thomas Tresham. And so it has stayed to this day, the unfinished house with its bay windows and fine stone carvings, silhouetted against the skyline, isolated amid farmland between Oundle and Brigstock. It’s an intriguing place, full of symbolism. Explore the Elizabethan garden, discover many ancient varieties of fruit in the restored orchard and walk the Lyveden Way, a scenic nine-mile circular path through meadows, woodland and villages. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ lyveden-new-bield

Feel poetic in John Clare Country The little village of Helpston was home to Northamptonshire’s ‘peasant poet’ for 40 years and its surrounding woods, fields, farms and footpath-linked villages make lovely walking country. Visit the John Clare Cottage and its pretty garden, follow in the poet’s footsteps around Helpston then set off across country. There are good walking maps to download on the website www.clarecottage.org

Take a walk of discovery Every Saturday afternoon at 2pm, walking tours set off from outside Peterborough Museum on Priestgate, led by guides who regale their followers with intriguing stories and fascinating facts about the city’s history and heritage. Themed tours on selected Sunday afternoons explore Peterborough in more detail from a variety of different angles, while evening walks take a sinister turn via the popular Tuesday night ‘ghost walks’ and Thursday ‘inns and taverns tour’. Lasting around 90 minutes, the walks are suitable for wheelchair users. www.vivacity-peterborough. com/HeritageWalks

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

32 33 A DAY OUT NENE VALLEY copy.indd 2

17/07/2014 11:37

Gen up on royalty King Richard III was born at Fotheringhay Castle in 1452 and Mary, Queen of Scots was executed there in 1587. The lovely old Church of St Mary and All Saints is the last resting place of two Dukes of York: Edward who was killed at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and Richard, who died in the Battle of Wakefield in 1460. The 15th century painted pulpit was a gift from Edward IV. Follow the footpath to the mound that is all that remains of the castle, then cross the stone bridge for the memorable sight of the church with its octagonal lantern tower, flying buttresses and Yorkist weathervane reflected in the calm waters of the meandering River Nene.

Go to market There’s been a market in Oundle since Saxon times and the tradition is upheld every Thursday and on the second Saturday of the month. Notable for its schools, famed for its festivals and enjoyed for its independent shops, the appealing town of warm stone retains its medieval street plan. Admire the 17th-century buildings and dip down alleyways just to see where they lead.

Walk on the green side

Step into the Bronze Age Archaeologists excavating a section of a lost course of the River Nene in brick pits near Whittlesey found a stash of remarkably preserved eel traps, weapons, pottery and tools dating back some 3,500 years. Further digging unearthed the eight prehistoric log boats now undergoing conservation at Flag Fen. Considered the finest Bronze Age archaeological site in Northern Europe, Flag Fen is the only place in Britain where original Bronze Age remains can be seen in situ. Walk around the village and join in the questioning about the meaning of it all. Events involving costumed re-enactors take place across the year. For details see the Flag Fen section on www.vivacity-peterborough. com

Explore the ponds and bird-filled woodlands and thickets of Fermyn Woods Country Park amid the former royal hunting grounds of Rockingham Forest. Or follow riverside trails and meadow meanders in Barnwell Country Park, formed from the gravel pits of a flood plain meadow near Oundle. www.northamptonshire.gov.uk. Around Peterborough, stroll the sculpture park in Thorpe Meadows and try out some of the countless activities offered by the lakes, meadows, woodlands and riverside at Ferry Meadows Country Park. Amazingly, this area was settled and farmed when pottery was being made there in around 1600BC. www.neneparktrust.org.uk

Seek out angels Over 60 gilded angels watch over the congregation at St Kyneburgha’s Church in Castor. They are carved into ancient oak beams above the nave of one of the Nene Valley’s loveliest churches, uniquely dedicated to the King of Mercia’s daughter who founded a nunnery at Castor in 650AD. Her brothers built the original abbey at Peterborough. The Roman garrison town of Durobrivae stood on the south bank of the River Nene and the church stands over the courtyard of the second largest Roman palace built in Britain. www.castorchurch.co.uk

Meet the ancestors Eight different ghosts are said to haunt Peterborough Museum (and there’s a ghost cam in the cellar keeping a watchful eye out for them). Housed in an elegant Georgian building in the city centre, which is also home to the City Art Gallery, the Museum has excellent permanent collections and innovative changing exhibitions. If you haven’t visited since its £3.2 million refurbishment, you’ll be amazed at the changes. Don’t miss the geology gallery where prehistoric creatures that swam in the seas that covered Peterborough 150 million years ago reside, or the world’s finest collection of French prisoner of war work in the Norman Cross gallery. It’s hands-on, interactive and free. www.vivacity-peterborough.com

Take a view from the top City views don’t get better than from a-top the roof of Peterborough Cathedral. Having an eagle’s eye view of the cathedral’s stunning interior is another take-your-breath-away experience. It’s quite a climb, but Tower Tours give you all this and more as they guide you into the ringing chamber, get you up close to medieval stained glass and show you a rare 13th-century builders’ windlass that was a living tree at the time of the Norman Conquest. For almost 900 years, Peterborough Cathedral has been at the heart of the city. Joining one of the hour-long general tours (daily, except Sunday) gives you a real feel for the building as knowledgeable guides breathe life into its long and fascinating history. For those with a head for heights and a sense of adventure, a Tower Tour is a must. www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk

NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

32 33 A DAY OUT NENE VALLEY copy.indd 3

17/07/2014 11:37

Clear Ridge Veterinary Surgery Robert Pontefract B.V.M.S., M.R.C.V.S., Certificate in Veterinary Ophthalmology

• Comprehensive Diagnostic and Surgical Facilities (Doppler Ultrasound, Operating Microscope, ECG etc)

RIDGEWAY GARAGE DOORS Local family run business specialising in the supply and installation of manual & automatic garage doors.

• Caring & Dedicated Health Care for Your Companion Animal • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Free Parking

43 Empingham Road, Stamford

01780 764333

Clock & Watch Restoration and Repair Robert Loomes MBHI FRSA 4, St Mary’s Hill, Stamford PE9 2DP 01780 481319

Member of The British Watch and Clock Maker’s Guild (Founded 1907)

www.clockrepairer.co.uk

Member of The British Horological Institute (Founded 1858)

House visits, all domestic clocks repaired, high grade repairs to all makes of watches. Insured, qualified, guaranteed

• Steel, Timber and Glass Reinforced Plastic Doors Also available Security Shutters, Spare Parts & Repair Service

Tel: 01733 772934 Email: info@ ridgewaygaragedoors. co.uk

We pride ourselves on great customer service

• NVL August ADS.indd 34

17/07/2014 12:15

Good summer reading

ACTIVITIES Looking for a good book to read on holiday? Sue Dobson asks local people what they’ll be packing this summer Steve Brown, Chair of the Elton Society and Director of Junior Rowing at Peterborough City Rowing Club, enjoyed The Kashmir Shawl by Rosie Thomas (Harper, £7.99). “Being a fervent traveller I love books set in exotic locations, even more if I’ve visited the place or always wanted to. When I told a neighbour that I was considering a trip to the Indian sub continent, she lent me this novel, saying it might inspire me! The Kashmir Shawl tells the story of three British women living in Srinagar, Kashmir during the Second World War. The author has researched minutely both the history and the environment, bringing the places colourfully to life. After finding a Kashmir shawl in her childhood home in Wales, Mair embarks on a journey to discover the past of her late grandmother. Spanning decades, the story flows through India’s fun filled Raj days, the war crisis in 1945 and post war changes in lives of people who were at home away from home, the missionaries and Raj employees in India. It’s a wonderful story of friendship, love, loss, trust, betrayal and loyalty. And yes it has inspired me: I’m off to India in the autumn!” Adam Begley, literary critic and author of the highly praised biography of John Updike (see our interview on page 25) recommends Marry Me by John Updike (Penguin Modern Classics, £12). “The most underrated of John Updike’s twenty-three novels, Marry Me was also the only one published out of sequence. He finished it in 1964, and stowed it away in a safedeposit box for twelve years. Why? Because it was about an affair that very nearly wrecked his marriage. Though Updike was a reflexively autobiographical writer, this was too close to the bone. Finally released in 1976—by which time he and his first wife were divorced—Marry Me is sexy, funny, and sad. It’s a novel about the pain of illicit love, its suspense built on the age-old question that confronts any husband hesitating between wife and lover: will he or won’t he?” Robert Quinney, Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral, has been immersed in exploring recent British history. “Everyone feels the need for a Foundation Myth, and as a child of the 1970s I have hugely enjoyed researching my own with the help of Dominic Sandbrook’s two volumes on the decade, State of Emergency: The Way We Were, Britain 1970-1974 and Seasons in the Sun: The Battle for Britain, 1974-1979 (both Penguin, £12.99 and £10.99).

“The punning title of the first book indicates a central theme: that the decade saw not only industrial unrest and social upheaval, but also the emergence of what we now recognise, for better or worse, as modern Britain. Detailed political analysis sits comfortably with bracing accounts of punk, sex comedies and football hooliganism. Ted Heath and Jim Callaghan emerge as potentially effective (and in the latter case, great) leaders utterly hamstrung by circumstance. No one escapes Sandbrook’s acerbic wit, which is in often hilarious evidence throughout, even in the indices (see in particular Benn, Antony Wedgwood).” Sara Thomas, a Personal Assistant from Bretton, was moved by Northamptonshire writer Judith Allnatt’s novel, The Moon Field (The Borough Press, £7.99). “It tells of George Farrell, a young postman in the tranquil Cumberland fells, who after finding the girl of his dreams is not free, joins the patriotic rush to war in 1914. Dispatched to the front, he suffers the horrors and hell of the trenches, is badly injured and returns to England, where he struggles to rebuild his life. The author is an elegant, superbly descriptive writer, who through clever plotting and believable characters, vividly explores the reality of what a generation of young men suffered.” Sue Dobson, NVL contributor I very much enjoyed The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton (Picador, £12.99). Set in late 17thcentury Amsterdam, an unforgiving world where gold and God battle for supremacy, it follows country girl Petronella Oortman and her marriage to a rich merchant trader, Johannes Brandt. Her wedding present is a cabinet house, a perfect replica of their Herengracht home, but Nella’s isolation is intensified when the figures a mysterious miniaturist creates to furnish her replica house mirror the real inhabitants in a disturbing way and there are shocking discoveries to be made in a household layered with secrets. It’s a compelling story, beautifully written, full of atmosphere, surprises and characters you really care about. The author S J Watson described it perfectly as “the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading.” NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

35 READS.indd 1

17/07/2014 11:38

BURGHLEY PARK GOLF ACADEMY

now recruiting…

Burghley Park Golf Club has now launched its very own development arm of the Golf Club, and is recruiting now. It will offer a structured programme of professional tuition, small groups of similar ability (beginner, refresher and advanced), full use of the clubhouse and practice facilities.

KEY FEATURES 1. A tailored programme for those new to golf or returners 2. Flexible package of lessons & golf rounds 3. Use of the excellent practice ground facilities 4. Social membership rights and discounts 5. Graduation into full club membership 6. Opportunity to get a handicap Adults: £250 pa Juniors: £100 for 13-16 years, £75 for 5-12years

RECRUITING NOW!!!

To register or for more information, please contact the Pro, Mark Jackson, 01780 753789 Option 1

• NVL August ADS.indd 36

16/07/2014 14:45

AUGUST

DIARY DATES

What’s On

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Things to do in August. Compiled by Yasmin Bradley Every day until Friday 29 August Bretton Water Park 10.30 - 6.30pm Cool off at Bretton Water Park with umpteen water features spraying water in all directions! Children’s play area, skate park, outdoor gym and baby changing facilities located nearby. Free. Swimming nappy essential for babies and toddlers. Bretton Park, Peterborough, PE3 8RN; 01733 747474. www.greenerpeterborough.co.uk. Saturday 2 August Bronze Age BioBlitz 10am-5pm. One-day bio-spectacular bringing together renowned nature organisations for fauna and flora identification, a Bronze Age wildlife trail, a microscope lab and pond dipping. £7 adults (£5); families £18. Flag Fen Archaeological Park, The Droveway, Northey Road, Peterborough, PE6 7QJ: 01733 313 414; www.vivacity-peterborough.com Friday 9 - Saturday 10 August Get Medieval at Longthorpe Tower 10am-5pm. Travel back in time to meet the Thorpe Family at home. Learn about medieval manners, food, arming a knight and design your own coat of arms! £4 (£3); families £10. Longthorpe Tower, Thorpe Road, Longthorpe, PE3 6LU: 01733 864 663; www.vivacity-peterborough.com .

Friday 1 August Mike the Knight Storytelling Sessions 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm and 6pm Meet CBeebies star, Mike the Knight and his wizard-in-training sister, Evie, at Queensgate Shopping Centre. Free. Central Square, Peterborough, PE2 8RH. www.queensgate-shopping.co.uk; www.facebook.co.uk/queensgate. 01908 380936.

Re-enactors re-roof a roundhouse in a week using 3,500 year-old techniques and tools! £7(£5); families £18. 01733 313 414. Peterborough Museum, Priestgate, Peterborough PE14 1LF, www.vivacity-peterborough.com

Saturday 10 August Wisbech and District Historic Vehicle Club Wisbech to Peterborough Road Run 9 – 11am Over 200 classic vehicles drive the 80-mile round route. Somers Road Car Park, Wisbech, PE13 2RA. events@wisbechhvc.me.uk. www.brmmbrmm.com/wisbech Monday 11- Sunday 17 August Restoration Roundhouse 10am-5pm

FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

Tuesday 18 August Polebrook Acoustic Folk Music Session 8 – 11pm Lively acoustic music event on the third Tuesday of every month in this lovely thatched inn with tunes, songs and American board dancing. Delicious Spanish influenced food available. Free. The King’s Arms, Kings Arms Lane, Polebrook, PE8 5LW. 01832 272363. www.thekingsarms-polebrook.co.uk. Fridays 22 and 29 August Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire: Evening Canoe Paddle and Bat Spotting Walk 5.30 – 9.45pm After a peaceful, early evening paddle on the River Nene see the bats come out to hunt at Ditchford Nature Reserve. Pre-book from £55 for a two-person canoe. Meet at Ditchford Lock, Ditchford Road,

Irthlingborough, NN8 1RL. 01604 832115; info@ canoe2.co.uk; www.wildlifebcn.org/canoe2 Saturday 23- Sunday 25 August, Dig Deeper…for Dinos 10am-5pm Discover fossils of creatures that once swum in the tropical ocean where Peterborough is today: Handle real million-year old specimens and come face to face with life-sized dinosaur models. £7(£5); families £18. Flag Fen Archaeological Park, The Droveway, Northey Road, Peterborough, PE6 7QJ: 01733 313 414; www.vivacity-peterborough.com. Wednesday 27 August The Pantaloons Theatre Company presents Shakespeare’s The Tempest at John Clare Cottage 7pm A hilarious twist on Shakespeare’s tale of shipwrecks, sorcerers and silly servants with music and mayhem, poetry and puppetry...in the open-air … bar a full-blown tempest… £12.50 (£8), families £35 from John Clare Cottage, 12 Woodgate, Helpston, PE6 7ED. 01733 253330. www.clarecottage.org. info@clarecottage.org NENE VALLEY LIVING AUGUST 2014

37 DIARY DATES copy.indd 1

17/07/2014 11:39

The inaugural Footprints Memory Walk in 2013 was launched by the then Deputy Mayor of Peterborough, Coun Mohammed Nadeem.

Walk and remember

Bereaved people across the area have the chance to remember their loved ones at a special event in their honour. Peterborough Cruse Bereavement Care are aiming to build on the success of their first-ever Footprints Memory Walk when they stage a second sponsored walk in Ferry Meadows on Saturday, August 30. Last year scores of people took part in the first-ever walk and helped to raise more than £5,000 to fund Cruse’s bereavement support services in the Peterborough area. The organisers hope this year’s event, supported again by Anglia Co-operative Funerals at Stanground, will be even bigger and better – and want to attract walkers from the Peterborough, Stamford, Huntingdon and Fenland areas. There will be a choice of two walks – one of 5km suitable for wheelchair users, mobility scooters and pushchairs and one covering 10km to Wansford station, with the chance to take a train ride back. Dr Ian Cash, Peterborough Cruse Bereavement Care administrator, said: “This year’s walk will be even more of a family occasion. “There will be hot food available, entertainment including singers, a comedian and dance groups, a raffle and we will be releasing doves to launch it all.

“It’s a lovely way of remembering people close to you who you have lost and to share your bereavement journey with others. There will also be the chance to post special messages on a dedicated memory tree.” Adults and children under 12 who would like to take part should register by e-mail at admin@peterboroughcruse.net. All registration fees will go to cover the cost of staging the event. Dr Cash added: “When you register you get a pack containing a sponsorship form and we hope walkers will aim to get at least 10 people to sponsor them, with the money going to Peterborough Cruse Bereavement Care.

Peterborough Cruse Bereavement Care

“Last year our services were used by 325 people and it costs on average £110 per client to provide this support.”

Email: admin@peterboroughcruse.net

If you would like to take part in the walk, find out more information about it, or get details about becoming a trained volunteer with Peterborough Cruse Bereavement Care, call them on 07503 256972 or e-mail admin@peterboroughcruse.net.

Telephone: 07503 256972

Website: www.cruse.org.uk sponsored by

• NVL August ADS.indd 38

16/07/2014 14:45

HEALTH

AGA ENGINEER

VIDEO PRODUCTION

PILATES

MARTIN WELSH Independent Aga Engineer

• Professional Aga specialist • Legitimate Aga spare parts for regular servicing and maintenance • Over 12 years experience Call: 07735 304452 or 0116 2813219 Email: martinsagaservice@hotmail.co.uk www.aga-servicing-leicestershire.co.uk

CARPENTRY

HOME VISITS FOR:* Removal of Corns and Calluses * Ingrowning Toenails * Toenails clipped * Fungal Nail Treatments * Specialising in the Diabetic and Neurovascular patient * competitive rates Telephone 07931 624325 email: hollywright18@yahoo.co.uk

Holly Wright MCFHP MAFHP FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER

• Stott Pilates Certified Instructor • Advanced Mat, Reformer, Injuries and Special Population • Group classes available near Oundle • Classes starting in Stamford from September 2014 • Private sessions available and Private small group class on request • Pre-natal and Post-natal classes also available

TO PLACE AN ADVERT IN NEXT MONTHS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL BRIDGET ON 01733 707538

E: ninascottpilates@gmail.com

T: 0742814571

HEALTH

PLUMBING

HYPNO-SLIMMING

Amazing new easy way to lose weight

Nigel Paul Cook Painter & Decorator • Reliable and friendly • Free quotes 01733 719622 07543796971

D.W Plumbing and Heating David Wilson

• Are you unhappy with your weight • Tried all types of diets • Dislike the way you look in the mirror • Uncomfortable with your size • Can’t shift that extra weight • Clothes don’t fit • No motivation

DECORATING

Free Hypnotic Gastric Band worth £150

NINA HEATON

Creating opportunities for change * Holistic Therapies * Matrix Energetics * Resolve Stress with HSE * Yoga & Well-being Days * Art/prints/T-shirts * Gift Vouchers

Covering all aspects of plumbing and heating D.W Plumbing and Heating

The Hypno-Slimming Programme can help you includes Quit smoking in just 1 hour with hypnosis

YOGA

David Wilson

T: 01733 244367 M: 07983425484 (preferred)

01733 236476

Telephone 01733 768839 EMAIL: d.wplumbingandheating@yahoo.co.uk Peterborough Hypnotherapy Clinic, 26 Priestgate, Peterborough City Centre. Covering all aspects of plumbing and heating Free initial consultation D.W Plumbing and Heating www.curativehypnotherapy.com David Wilson T: 01733 244367 560450 M: 07983425484 (preferred) EMAIL: d.wplumbingandheating@yahoo.co.uk

www.ninaheaton.co.uk

Chris Ireson

Painter & Decorator Interior and exterior work undertaken Landlord contracts welcome City & Guilds qualified Call now for free quote

Covering all aspects of plumbing and heating

TRANSPORT

Summer’s Coming - Lose Weight and Tone Up!

T: 01733 244367 M: 07983425484 (preferred) EMAIL: d.wplumbingandheating@yahoo.co.uk

Telephone 07751 995413/01733 245359

ELECTRICIAN Please contact me for a competitive, free, no obligation quote.

Yoga Class for Pregnancy Everyone is welcome, from 12 weeks of pregnancy onwards…

560450

Fotheringhay Village Hall Monday mornings 10.00am – 11.30am Please contact me if you are interested in attending, and for further details…

• • • •

I am also available for one-to-one session at my home in Wansford; (for a private session of 2-4 people, then that would have to be a home visit).

Individual training programmes. Nutritional analysis and advice. Sport specific strength and conditioning. Fitness testing.

Mandy Nightingale, on 07799 684333 or mnightingale@uk2.net

COME AND TRY OUR POPULAR CIRCUIT TRAINING CLASSES!

Extra Sockets • Lights • Full re-wires • Fault finding

Call Dan on 07760 992345, or e-mail me on

New Fuse Board • Kitchen and Bathroom Specialist

danwhiter1yorks@yahoo.co.uk

Heating • TV • Satelite

BWY Dip (British Wheel of Yoga); Yoga Alliance; MFHT (Federation of Holistic Therapists)

Discounts available - call for details

ZUMBA

07739 011577

swbelectrical@yahoo.co.uk www.swbelectrical.co.uk

FRUIT PICKING HILL FARM, CHESTERTON, PETERBOROUGH PE7 3UA (on Oundle road, 200 yards west of Alwalton A1 flyover)

Pampered Pets Oundle Qualified Veterinary Nurse providing

FARM SHOP AND PICK YOUR OWN Refreshments available.

All types and ages of pets welcome Medication Administered

Strawberries. Raspberries. Gooseberries. Plums. Black & Redcurrants. Blackberries. Tayberries. Seasonable vegetables. Locally produced beef & lamb.

Facilities for Disabled Visitors. Picnic Area. Children's Play Area. Caravan Club C.L. Site Tue-Fri 9am - 6pm Sat/Sun 9am - 5pm closed Mondays except bank holidays Please ring for up to date crop information or to order ready picked produce

TEL & FAX 01733 233270 www.hillfarmpyo.co.uk

• NVL August.indd 47

VAN SERVICE

PETS

Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Services

OPEN JUNE - OCT

ITEC IA IIHHT IHBC FHT Member

to Oundle, Thrapston and the surrounding areas

All staff police checked, insured and have references available Call Nicola on 01832 281096, email pamperedpetsoundle@gmail.com, Pampered Pets and Pampered Pets Oundle @oundledogwalkin

MAN AND VAN • • • • • • • •

SERVICE

Large items collected and delivered. (D.I.Y Stores and Furniture) Appliance delivery. (White goods) Student moves • Pallet deliveries. Local and national service. Domestic and commercial customers welcome. All vehicle sizes available and tailored to your requirements. Competitive prices. Goods in transit insurance of up to £50,000.

For a quote: Email nickg@rndlimited.com Alternatively phone Nick on 07860520470 or Richard on 07711133842.

RND MAN & VAN “Delivery made simple!”

ZUMBA WITH SONJA Mon:

Main Zumba Class - Hampton Leisure Centre, Clayburn Rd, 7pm-8pm

Tues:

Main Zumba Class - Fourfields Primary School, Yaxley, 7pm-8pm

Wed:

Zumba GOLD (low impact class) - Hampton Leisure Centre, Clayburn Rd , 10.30am-11.15am

Wed:

Main Zumba Class - Hampton Leisure Centre, Clayburn Rd, 7pm-8pm

Thurs: Main Zumba Class - Fourfields Primary School, Yaxley, 7pm-8pm

Contact: Sonja - M-07799792201 E: zumba@zumbawithsonja.com W: www.zumbawithsonja.com F: zumba into shape

17/07/2014 12:56

A PLACE OF RELAXATION...

A PLACE OF RECREATION...

A PLACE CALLED

Auburn Hill Whatever your idea of the perfect space, you’ll find it at Auburn Hill. Every build is completely bespoke, as is our service to you. You choose your materials, and your preferred way of working with us, and we’ll do the rest. To request a design consultation, visit www.ahorangeries.co.uk or call us on 01780 400 500. Alternatively, why not visit our Ketton Showhome.

Ketton Design House, Ground Floor, 63 High Street, Ketton, Rutland, PE9 3TE, Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm, Weekends by appointment only.

• NVL August ADS.indd 40

16/07/2014 14:45