Rutland Living June 2014

Father’s Day Gifts

Otter’s, more than a Deli!

RUTLAND LIVING

RETRO FASHION

COVERING RUTLAND, MARKET HARBOROUGH & SURROUNDING VILLAGES

Spring into

Summer GET READY FOR THE SUN!

JUNE 2014 £1.50 06

9 771741 580014

NEW WEBSITE! www.rutlandliving.co.uk GET IN TOUCH: RL APRIL COVER.indd 1

@RutlandLiving 21/05/2014 12:30

Our experience makes yours Find your perfect holiday with your local, independent & friendly travel experts

SUMMER 2014 – SICILY

I

f you are still searching for ideas for your summer holiday then why not consider the beautiful island of Sicily…

The island that awaits you is a heady mixture of culture and traditions. Full of complete contrasts and a glorious mix of differing architectural styles, a melting pot of people and as different geographically from one end to the other. There is so much to see in Sicily - you can explore the beautiful and varied countryside from the sandy beaches and pretty towns where you will be made welcome by the proud Sicilian people. Sicilians have the reputation of being fierce, proud, reserved and secretive; but they are also loyal, generous and hardworking, always eager to share what is theirs with you…

You may start as strangers but you will part as friends.

For 2014 Oundle Travel is offering a selection of handpicked hotels for the summer season. Three of the most tempting and highly recommended properties are as follows:

The Algila Ortigia Hotel – Syracusa

Located in the centre of the baroque jewel of Ortigia and only a stone’s throw from the seafront, the Agila is a beautifully and sympathetically restored ‘palazzo’ from the 1700s.

Coupled with modern day comforts and extremely attentive service, this charming hotel makes a wonderful base with all the attractions of this lovely peninsula at your fingertips.

Syracusa is an ideal gateway to exploring the delightful towns of East Sicily and its unspoilt coastline.

From - £977.00 per person 7 Nights – Bed and Breakfast - -September 2014.

The Hotel Le Calette – Cefalu

Cefalu is blessed with a long sandy beach, and an enchanting old town against a stunning mountain backdrop with plenty of Sicilian character. Le Calette is set amidst lush gardens and is a low rise open plan style hotel in a fabulous location.

The hotel has a wonderful open air restaurant and offers a complimentary shuttle bus into Cefalu town.

From - £1422.00 per person 10 nights – Bed and Breakfast – July 2014.

The Villa Carlotta – Taormina

across the Mediterranean with Mount Etna as a backdrop. The old town has a selection of mouth-watering trattorias, bars and cafés not to mention a fine array of boutiques. The Villa Carlotta is a short walk from Taormina’s beautiful centre. This palatial yet intimate boutique style villa evokes the grandeur of Sicily’s rich history and offers a friendly yet discreet service.

From - £1274.00 per person – 7 nights – Bed and Breakfast – June 2014.

All holidays include return schedule flights and private car transfers to your chosen hotel.

Sophisticated, stylish and elegant, Taormina is undoubtedly Sicily’s premier resort and justifiably so. Perched high up in the most dramatic of locations and boasting incredible views

• For more information, price and up to date availability contact Oundle Travel – 01832 273600

01832 273600

Market Place, Oundle, Peterborough, PE8 4EA Email: sales@oundletravel.co.uk Website: www.oundletravel.co.uk

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RU T L AN D & M A R K E T H A R BO R O U G H L IV ING

June Contents www.rutlandliving.co.uk

S

o with all the great intentions for a fitter 2014, I have had 6 weeks enforced rest due to a silly knee injury so I asked my friend Mary Hardwick from Inspire2tri for advice about rekindling my New Year’s resolutions in order to get into shape for the summer: “Make it fun! Involve the family (does she know me?), involve others or join a club. Exercising with likeminded folks who have neglected their resolutions as well, for what ever reason, is a great way to restore your mojo and get motivated. Think about joining a new exercise class as this is the perfect time of year to do it (Advanced Kelltesize here I come).

There are other possibilities too from a brisk walk to a bike ride around the tracks and trails of Rutland and beyond. And whatever exercise you choose remember that a little and often is a great way to develop an enduring habit.”

Ok well here goes – wish me luck!

Father’s Day

6 Outdoor Living Eating Outside

10 Local History

Robert Harborough Sherard Kennedy

13 Design Solutions Kitchens Q and A

17 Shops and Services

Market Harborough Updates

20 Fashion

Fabulous Seasonal Dresses

24 Fashion

Retro Style!

27 Health and Beauty

Preparing your Skin for Summer

30 Food and Drink Reviving Local Pubs

33 Food and Drink

The Marquess of Exeter, Hola!

36 Food and Drink

Otters Emporium and Leo Sugden in the Spotlight

41 Motoring

Abigail

Green Power

EVENTS: • Rockingham Church Flower Festival 28th & 29th June 2014, “ Inspired by Dickens“ 11 to 5 p.m. £5.00 per adult to include entry to the Castle Gardens on Saturday. Castle open on Sunday as usual.

• The DG Music team is planning a summer party to mark their 10-year anniversary. Oakham Castle on Sunday, June 29 from 4-9.30pm. The acts confirmed so far include The Houndogs, Funk Soul Brother and The Atlantics with more to be announced.

• Whissendine C of E School, Summer Fete, Saturday 14th June 12-2pm Refreshments and BBQ , raffle, games, stalls and much more.. Adults 50p entry, u16 children free

@RutlandLiving INCORPORATING

4 Editor’s Choice

Village Lifestyle

45 Care Homes

Oak House Residential Home and Care Cooking

48 Property

The Priest’s House, Coldecott

52 Diary Dates

What’s on in our region this month

55 Local History Poet, John Clare

56 Shops and Services

Rutland Updates including Blaston Show, Traditional Restoration, Scandi Style fashion and more

61 Out and About

Grimsthorpe Castle

62 Local People

Artist, Gillian Durno

Editor Abigail Richardson 01572 756733 Local Living Ltd, PO Box 208, Stamford PE9 9FY rutlandliving@gmail.com Advertisement Manager, Rutland Tracy Watkinson 01572 813187 rutlandliving@btinternet.com Advertisement Manager, Market Harborough Sosennah Every 07884 124316 sos.every@gmail.com Advertisement Manager, Leicestershire Helen Walton 01780 754801 helen.stamford@btopenworld.com Advertising Copy & Subscriptions Rachel Beecroft 01780 765320 rachel@locallivingdesign.co.uk Head of Design Steven Handley steve@locallivingdesign.co.uk Senior Designer Nik Ellis nik@locallivingdesign.co.uk Publisher Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Printed by Warners of Bourne Rutland Living Cover by Andy Balmford www.facebook.com/RutlandPhotography Market Harborough Living Cover by Elli Dean www.ellideanphotography.co.uk

SUBSCRIBE TO RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING

Subscriptions – annual rate £20 (UK only).

Please write to The Editor, enclosing cheque made payable to Local Living Ltd. Or subscribe online at www.bestlocalliving.co.uk RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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ED I T OR’S SE LE CTI O N

Father’s Day

Gifts

Stuck for a gift this father’s day? Abigail Richardson has some suggestions...

Likes a clean car? Then this handheld Dyson will fit the bill from Knights of Oakham

How about this ‘Retro Diner Popcorn Maker’ stocked in Lakeland for £24.99

Not all men are as knowledgeable as they would like! ‘Stumped

by Cricket’ is a handbag-sized guide to the sport for those who find themselves standing in ignorance on the boundary watching their sons! Available at www.allaboutboys.co.uk

Or this fun ‘Diner Stick Snack Maker’ stocked in I Want One Of Those for £26.99

Got a sweet tooth? Then head to Mint of Oakham for old fashioned sweets and Charbonnel et Walker chocolates!

Keen on Fly Fishing?

Rob Waddington offers a half day including great tuition, permits, tackle and bank fishing from £75 pp or for more experienced fishermen, ‘The Ultimate Fly Fishing Day’ from £155 pp Tel: 01572 722422 for vouchers.

Macho man? Here’s your solution! With experiences from £55, vouchers are available from www.armourgeddon.co.uk or by calling Tel 01858 880 239.

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Sarah Harding Interiors Ltd

handmade fine jewellery

The Eden Collection available online now at www.heidikjeldsen.co.uk

also online purchasing of

• Professional Interior Design Service • • Re-upholstery and Soft Furnishings • • Emma Bridgewater and Cath Kidston Stockists • Furniture •

info@sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk 6 Market Place, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9QH Tel: 01572 823389 - www.sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk

5 The Maltings, Mill Street, Oakham LE15 6EA T: 01572 722666

FATHER’S DAY GIFT IDEA

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O UT DOOR L I V I N G

The Sun

Has Got

His Hat On

“If he does indeed have his hat on, then it’s the perfect opportunity for an outdoor dining experience,” says Nicola Hardy

T

here’s nothing more enjoyable than throwing an alfresco supper when the weathers balmy and you’re sporting a light tan and a cheery smile. If you don’t want to prepare your own food, you need not look far. Rutland has a wealth of superb catering companies ready and willing to provide scrumptious menus and brilliant service.

There are six steps to ensure a successful event:

1

Set your table in a suitable location - it should be fairly sheltered in case of unwanted showers or unexpected scurries of wind. Dress the surroundings with prettily potted planters and decorative items - take a look at Rutland Garden Classics in Ashwell for beautiful stone work, statues and pots.

The table should not be too far from the kitchen so the journey to the table, whilst heavily laden with culinary delights is reasonably short, or at least accessible via a pathway. (Adam Frost can help with any redesign!).

2

If you are in the market for a whole new set of table and chairs, look your local garden centres for viable options - I’ve noticed their garden furniture has grown in style and choice. Elizabeth Stanhope Interiors also stocks stunning umbrellas and benches to add a touch of class.

3

Decorate simply to allow the platters of food space to move around freely between hungry guests. A table cloth or nice table mats, small flower arrangements, or scattered petals, candles and ornamental T lights or lanterns make a statement. Visit Bagel&Griff, Altermodern and The Furniture Barn in Market Harborough for beautiful and interesting table adornments and Sarah Harding, Elizabeth Stanhope Interiors in Rutland.

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Plates and cutlery are next. The type of event, whether it be a casual affair or a smart 50th Birthday party, dictates the style. Bright and playful are great for entertaining friends and family. Sarah Harding in Uppingham stocks lovely Emma Bridgewater crockery as does Elizabeth Stanhope in Oakham. If you want to keep it simple though then head to Fords for funky melamine and practical outdoor catering solutions. In Market Harborough Bagel&Griff stock a contemporary mix of modern and craft and a table set with their stunning wooden bowls and beautiful ceramics would add elegance to a more formal occasion. For Granny’s 80th Birthday Tea Party pretty mismatched plates, cups and saucers make a fun and quirky statement.

Sarah Rivett at Rutland Gourmet has collected a plethora of beautiful tea cups and cake stands and will cater you party to boot, from a more formal occasion to a simple pic-nic in the park. With a first class reputation and an accommodating manner, Sarah can take all the stress out of any event.

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I contacted four further companies to enquire about their menus and service: • Wistow Bistro provide a bespoke catering service for whatever dining experience you require. They use good quality locally sourced food and everything is home cooked, from Paella to sumptuous cold buffets or a tempting Moroccan feast.

Jane Clifford tells me, “Suggestions for a casual party for 10 would be a cold buffet which allows for total stress free time as nothing is time sensitive, or an alternative option would be a gorgeous BBQ or Paella. For a more formal alfresco 50th birthday, there’s nothing more appealing than a sumptuous Moroccan feast offering delicious, warmly spiced foods. And last but not least an afternoon tea. We offer one of the best afternoon teas in the area with a choice of freshly prepared sandwiches, homemade cakes scones with jam and clotted cream and of course tea or coffee; we’ve got quite a following for our afternoon teas!”

• The Olive Kitchen, run by Antony Savage, is becoming a firm favourite with locals. He offers the authentic Mediterranean experience to parties with freshly prepared Paella, luscious Waffles and mouthwatering crêpes. These provide a real focus and talking point at your party, taking the pressure off so you can also enjoy your guests. Spanish Paella cooked from fresh ingredients in front of your guests in large pans.

Perfect for a main course allowing you to watch someone else do all the cooking!

• Otters Smokehouse and Deli offer smoked meats, fish and cheeses, mouthwatering homemade quiches and tarts and carefully selected charcuterie. They also provide an exciting range of artisan and traditional cheeses to serve alongside delicious breads.

• Sara McAllister is a local caterer who covers Rutland and Leicestershire and is well known for her formal affairs but also offers hot and cold buffets, hog and lamb roasts, paella, picnic hampers and barbeques.

Check out the website for menus: www.saramcallister.co.uk.

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Visit your local wine merchant; you’ve got to have the right wine to accompany good food! Bat & Bottle’s exceptional reputation has been earned through the consistent quality of the wines it has selected over the years alongside high levels of personal service. Ben and Emma Robson chose wines with unique character that sit very well with each menu. Check out their new premises on Ashwell Road and visit batwine. co.uk for their delivery service.

Bat & Bottle Recommends For a tasty Paella Ben and Emma recommend a ‘Gavi di Gavi’ from Asceri; they sell it for £12.85, cheaper than from Sainsburys where’s it’s sold for £14.00!

Moroccan food needs warmth and generosity (like its people) ‘Masserie di Urgento Negroamaro’ 2010, soft, fruity and totally delicious!

For a cold buffet you can’t go wrong with Savese ‘Vittoria’ 2010 and a chilled Prosecco works beautifully with the Italian menu.

If you still are struggling to find the right wines go and visit them at their new premises and they’ll tailor wine choices to suit whatever menus you decide upon.

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Bespoke Catering...

For advice and further information please contact M 07778 227 734 E info@saramcallister.co.uk www.saramcallister.co.uk

saramcallister

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Simply call us or visit our new website for further details

WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT HAND MAKING BESPOKE OAK BUILDINGS

BEAUTIFUL OAK BUILDINGS…

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OFFICE: 01858 545518 MOBILE: 07970 557 992

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L OC AL HI ST O R Y M A R K E T H A R BO RO U G H

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couple of Valentine’s Days back I wrote up the story of an illicit love story that scandalized 19th century local society. The sixth and last Earl of Harborough, popularly known as the ‘Naughty Earl’ (for more reasons than one!), whose family seat was at Stapleford Park near Melton Mowbray, had carried on a flagrant love affair with an actress appropriately called Emma Love. The product of their passion was a son christened Bennet Sherard Calcraft Kennedy who was eventually to take holy orders, marry Jane Wordworth, granddaughter of the famous poet William Wordsworth, and become a respectable pillar of Victorian society. So far, so good – but Bennet’s own legitimate son was to raise quite a few eyebrows himself and seems to have been a chip off the old Earl’s moral block!

Robert Harborough Sherard Kennedy was born in Melton Mowbray in December 1861.

Following the usual pattern for a young man of genteel if wrong side of the blanket birth he was enrolled at New College, Oxford in 1880. However, he quarrelled bitterly with his upright clerical father who cut him out of his will which, in turn, led to Robert cutting off the Kennedy part from his name. His university career quickly ended due to lack of cash and he took off for Europe, enrolling at Bonn University. Yet again, financial problems cut short his time there and, at the age of 20, he settled in Paris earning a living as a journalist and novelist. He was subsequently to write for American and British newspapers and magazines and published 33 books including 14 novels. He formed links with leading Parisian literati and glitterati, including Emil Zola, Guy de Maupassant and, most interestingly, the notorious Oscar Wilde whom he met in 1883. Wilde had settled in Paris after a lecture tour of North America in 1882.

Wilde and Sherard became close friends, and that is not a euphemism for ‘lovers’.

Wilde may have been an ostentatious and overt gay but Sherard’s tastes lay with the fair sex, lots of them. He was to marry three times and develop into a noted biographer of members of his cosmopolitan circle, most notably Wilde himself. But Oscar was undoubtedly drawn to Sherard’s combination of blonde, athletic good looks and aristocratic connections. In fact, Robert Sherard seems to have been inspired by his new friend: 1883 saw the publication of his first novel ‘A Bartered Honour’ and in 1884 his only volume of poetry. Entitled ‘Whispers’ it was dedicated to Oscar Wilde and their relationship seems to have been at its most intense at this time.

Wilde wrote a number of effusive, heated love letters to his new soul mate who seems not to have understood their significance, in spite of his own numerous sexual adventures.

Sherard was never to truly understand what made Wilde tick sexually and it was this glaring missing link in the relationship that led to its end. A lustful Wilde was infuriated by what he may have seen as a deliberate refusal to recognise the nature of his feelings.

However, Sherard stood by his disgraced friend during the three trials Wilde underwent

The Infamous

Robert Harborough

Sherard

Kennedy

10

Caroline Aston

in England for immoral conduct in the spring of 1895, even trying to persuade him to flee the country. After Wilde was convicted and imprisoned in Reading Gaol, Sherard visited him regularly during the two years of his sentence but the sheer intensity of Wilde’s passion following his release in 1897 sounded the death knell of their friendship. Wilde died in 1900 and Sherard briefly moved to St. Malo, his health in tatters. He settled back in Paris between 1901 and 1906. Perhaps to exorcise the ghosts in his heart he published ‘Wilde: the Story of an Unhappy Friendship’.

What of his own loves? There was a whole fleet of ships that passed in the night and three wives. He divorced the first, Marthe Lipska, in 1906, the year his book on Wilde appeared. They had been married for 19 years and Sherard’s temperament and circle of colourful friends can’t have been easy for her to deal with. 1908 saw him marry as her second husband Irene Osgood, an American novelist, poet and dramatist. By then the once golden boy of the Parisian literary set

was violent, alcoholic and syphilitic. The marriage came to a bitter end in 1915 after Sherard brought a sensational court action against his wife, claiming that he was the true author of works she had published.

Irene died at Guilsborough Hall, Northants in 1922. Sherard never recovered but there was a brief blaze of career glory in 1926 with the publication of ‘The Life and Evil Fate of Guy de Maupassant’, a book that led to him being awarded the French Legion of Honour.

There was a third marriage to Alice Fiddian in 1928 and Sherard spent his final years writing vituperative pamphlets about the treatment of his old friend Oscar Wilde. Robert Harborough Sherard died in 1943, leaving his wife just £50.

So, we have the decline and fall of a Harborough, a genuinely gifted man who was the architect of his own doom and who was, as writer Frank Harris termed it, addicted to the ‘mud honey of the gutter’. And who would have guessed that such a controversial character would have roots here in the heart of rural Leicestershire?

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“Jeff Randall is one of the UK’s leading garden designers” - BBC Radio Leicester

See what Mr Duggan had to say about having his garden transformed at www.leicestershiregardendesign.co.uk

To Relax In The Garden Of Your Dreams Takes A Lot Of Hard Work. We Do The Hard Work. You Just Relax.

T

ake a leisurely stroll through a garden designed and installed by the Leicestershire Garden Design Company and you’ll notice two things straightaway – a completely practical concept, and painstaking attention to detail at every turn.

That’s because every single one of our garden designs is carefully considered and developed to become a practical extension of your living space. None of this would be possible without the specialist knowledge and experience of our designer Jeff Randall, who has spent the last 20 years learning how to take your garden dreams and translate them into stunning –but practical – reality.

What makes a great garden design?

Now we’re not saying that a great garden design just needs to provide practical solutions. That on its own can’t transform your garden into a uniquely special place to live and entertain in. A great garden design is one that fulfils your visions and aspirations, wholeheartedly. Creating the perfect outdoor space means achieving a delicate balance between the visual, fragrant effect of the planting and the solid, structured feel of the flagstones and stone walling.

And if your new garden is going to stand the test of time – and provide pleasure year in year out – it needs to be sustainable, environmentally friendly, and designed with our changing weather conditions in mind.

Inspiring garden design – how we do it As soon as you meet Jeff, you’ll be struck by his boundless enthusiasm. But you’ll also notice how much emphasis he places on listening carefully to your requirements – after all, that’s the only way to gain a complete understanding of what you want.

But that’s not all...

When you receive your detailed garden design 3-5 days later, you’ll see just how well your garden dreams have been translated into seamlessly planned reality.

More space, more colour And better shapes than you ever dreamed of – in fact, every element of the design works in perfect harmony with the next. As well as being a handdrawn work of art in itself, the detailed design for your outdoor space will demonstrate exactly how your garden plans will be turned into reality. And you’ll see just how we achieve the outstanding level of quality that runs through every piece of work we do.

Why we’re different It’s our enthusiasm, attention to detail, and seamless project management disciplines that ensure each and every garden project is finished within budget and on schedule – every time. You’ll know what’s happening every step of the way. But if you prefer to go away for a break and leave us to it, you can rest assured that your new garden will be ready for you to enjoy as soon as you get back.

Looking like new for years It goes without saying that all our customers – and their friends and neighbours – will admire their new garden when it’s newly finished. But over time, the British weather can take its toll. Whilst many gardens are at their best when they’re a bit settled and weathered, even the most classic garden design can lose its ‘just finished’ looks. That’s why we’ll come back to clear and tidy your garden every year to restore the stunning, fresh look of the day it was first completed.

Free maintenance for the first year For the first year, our annual maintenance visit is completely free of charge.

Even after that, there’s just a modest annual investment needed to keep your friends and neighbours asking whether you’ve had the garden done again.

See for yourselves. Call now and have a chat with one of the smiling Leicestershire Garden Design Company team.

There’s always someone on hand to take your call, and you’ll love our total passion for customer satisfaction – from first call to final finish.

We guarantee that Jeff Randall will visit you within 7 days of your initial call – and your detailed garden design will be ready just 3-5 days after that.

Enjoy the garden of your dreams in no time, with Leicestershire Garden Design Company.

• Call us now on 0116 2100 760 to start building your dream garden • Find what you’re looking for at www.leicestershiregardendesign.co.uk Registered office: Unit 11, The Warren, East Goscote, Leicestershire, LE7 3XA

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Y, D E L IV E R ES M E D A Y O L D A P P L IA N C A S R U O F T O U L O A B V A ASK REMO IO N A N D ONNECT

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PENDE E D IN L A C

YOUR LO

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IL A T E R L A LECTRIC

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www.knightsofoakham.com 33-37 High Street, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6AH • Tel: (01572) 722240 •

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DESI G N I NT E R I O R S

Kitchens Q&A Designing or updating a kitchen takes planning and a certain amount of flair so it is essential to get advice and guidance from local specialists, Michelle Hansel asks them some important questions

Should we replace or refresh our kitchen?

A

kitchen can add up to four per cent to your homes value (RICS) and if you are selling your property, a new kitchen could make all the difference to a sale. If your budget is tight why not simply give your kitchen a quick and easy stylish makeover? Martins of Harborough Ltd were established in 2006 and can offer advice and value for money solutions.

Proprietor Glen Martin explains, “If you simply want to update your kitchen, you may want to consider replacing the doors or simply adding a new worktop, which is an easy and simple change and can make your kitchen look entirely new. A new sink with designer taps can make it look fresh and clean, whilst new handles can modernise an old door. Better lighting can improve the whole perception of your kitchen and clever storage solutions are a must for smaller rooms”. If you do want to replace your kitchen, Martins of Harborough can help you achieve this, with experienced designers on hand and a range of traditional and contemporary kitchens, units and accessories on offer. “Choosing a style that is popular can be a good starting point, like a modern High Gloss finish or a beautiful Painted Wood Shaker door, both our current best sellers.”

For more inspiration and design ideas, Contact: Tel: 01858 468683 or visit their website: www.martinsofharborough.co.uk, 6 Northampton Road Market Harborough Leicestershire, LE16 9HE.

How do I start to design a kitchen?

I

f you don’t know where to start when it comes to designing the right kitchen for you then you will need expertise to guide you through the process. Kitchens and Interior Design, based in Market Harborough, is a kitchen studio dealing directly with several kitchen manufacturers, choosing the kitchen supplier that meets the customer’s requirements. “Our qualified interior architects visit customers free of charge to view the site, make a survey and discuss the customer’s needs. The architects will then prepare presentations interpreting the customer’s requirements, which can then be viewed in 3D. Adjustments can be made to the design in the customer’s presence. This has been important when designing a kitchen for a wheelchair bound customer, who has now been able to have full use of her kitchen for the first time in nine years. As members of The Guild of Master Craftsmen we, also offer a full installation service including removal of interior walls and making good, plastering, electrical works, plumbing works, tiling, decorating and fitting to a very high standard.

Pricing is competitive but quality and service are always the first priority. We deal directly with appliance manufacturers and import tiles etc, which means the latest and most eco efficient products are available. To complete the project, a range of accessories and art is available.”

Contact: Kitchens & Interior Design Limited, Kings Head Place, Market Harborough, Tel: 01858 465726, www.kitchensandinteriordesignltd.co.uk

Can you recommend a kitchen for modern family life?

beautiful, decorative and easy to maintain.”

These kitchens are therefore, a great solution for the busy, modern family. “The pantry has an independent, free-standing look, adding to the bespoke feel are quadrant curves softening the overall effect and providing generous corner storage. The in-frame shaker cupboards are in Flint Grey and Almond with solid brass handles and hinges in a bright nickel finish.

The full height pantry has a sliding rack at its heart concealing a pull-out chopping board, hanging for wine glasses, a plate rack plus storage for spices, recipe books and breakfast items. There’s also a handy blackboard panel to ensure the pantry’s always well stocked.” The current trend is for cabinets to be finished in natural, soft colours and here you can choose from a palette of 24 carefully selected colours.

All of their kitchens are manufactured in their own factory and a fully project managed service is provided.

The style of kitchen featured can be seen in their showroom on The Braunston Road, Oakham, LE15 8UH, Tel: 01572 722636, www.kitchensbynathanieloliver.co.uk

W

hen trying to choose a kitchen that suits the whole family’s needs it can prove difficult to know where to start, Gary Noble from Kitchens by Nathaniel Oliver recommends a Shaker door style in a neutral palette. “These kitchens are designed and manufactured to work hard, yet have all the good looks and smart storage needed to create a space for entertaining which is

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DESI G N I NT E R I O R S

What type of flooring should I go for?

B

arefoot Flooring in Oakham can solve all your flooring needs and can offer advice on the best flooring for you. “A customer can specify a number of different types of flooring for a kitchen, from carpet, to cushion floor vinyl, laminates and designer flooring. However, vinyl and LVT (luxury vinyl tiles) are the most popular. The designer flooring (LVT) is by far the most popular as it gives the customer

endless choice of design and layout options. A customer can choose from either wood or tile effect with feature and design strips to create borders, mark out certain areas or even create their own design. The flooring is hardwearing and cleans up great, even in the busiest of kitchens.” There are many options to choose from and due to the massive choice available it is easy to provide suitable flooring, whatever your budget.

Get advice or take a closer look at flooring examples: Tel: 01572 759752, www.barefoot-flooring.biz, Unit 14 Midland Court, Station Approach, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6RA

What are the benefits of shutters?

“R

ecent years have seen Shutters become a popular choice for window furnishings offering both privacy during the day and night as well as varying degrees of light control.

Shutters can help with both insulation in winter as well as keeping rooms cooler in summer.”

Owner of Rutland Shutters Steven Riordan recommends shutters as a great alternative to blinds and curtains in your kitchen. He can give a written quotation on site with the minimum order being one square metre.

For a free brochure, e-mail at mail@rutlandshutters.co.uk or contact Tel: 01664 474013, see examples at: www.rutlandshutters.co.uk

What type of accessories would add character?

S

ometimes a kitchen just needs a few choice accessories to bring a look together. Bagel & Griff in Market Harborough sell a wide range of beautiful interior homeware including a variety of eyecatching and individual kitchen accessories with a contemporary mix of modern and craft pieces from around the world. They recommend adding character to your kitchen with the white ceramic bowl large, priced at £85, the white ceramic bowl medium, £50.00, tall white pot, £75.00 and smaller white pot £28.00.

Can you provide full installation, including appliances?

A

t QKS in Stamford, they have nearly 35 years experience within the kitchen design field and can provide a full installation service, including self assembled, factory built or bespoke handmade kitchens. They can install all appliances, central heating and boilers, electrical work, tiling and building work. A complete range of replacement worktops, Neff appliances and sinks/taps are also available.

Visit their showroom at The Maltings, Barnack Road, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2NA or www.qksstamford.co.uk, Tel: 01780 756514

Take a look at www.bagelandgriff.com for more inspiration.

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Bespoke and Handmade Kitchens

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The areas LARGEST Kitchen Showroom 30 room settings on show NEW displays now fitted

The Maltings, Barnack Road, Stamford, PE9 2NA T: 01780 756514 or 755855 E: sales@qksstamford.co.uk www.qksstamford.co.uk 16

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SH OP S & SE R V I CE S MA R K E T H A R B O R O U G H

HARBOROUGH HAPPENINGS Sosennah Every discovers some new activities for kids in Market Harborough and surrounds this summer

Gallone’s Ice Cream Parlour Just in time for the summer sees the opening of a traditional ice cream parlour selling 32 homemade flavours. Also on the menu will be the mouth-watering Bellini sorbet, winner of the Great Taste Award 2013.

Gallone’s is a family run business based in Northampton that has been making and selling ice creams in the UK since 1895.

Gallone’s ice cream is sold across the UK and the Market Harborough parlour will be their second dedicated parlour after the success of the one in Northampton which opened last summer. So if it is a hot sunny day, head to the new Symington building on Adam & Eve Street for a cooling treat.

The parlour will be open seven days a week and will also sell hot and cold drinks and cakes. www.gallones.co.uk

Natures Purest in Kibworth Natures Purest has recently won the Prima Baby ‘Best Gift or Keepsake Item’ gold award for its Pure Love bamboo blanket. This is a soft blanket made from sustainable fabric and includes no harmful dyes or chemicals. In fact, for those looking to treat a new baby or mother, you will be spoilt for choice by the range of luxury baby clothing, toys, gifts and bedding from Natures Purest in Kibworth or from their online shop.

All the products are free from pesticides, chemicals or dyes and are made from 100 per cent natural products. From bootees and bibs to Moses baskets and bedding, the products are designed for babies aged 0 to 12 months and are made using organically grown, naturally coloured cotton, all with a newborn’s sensitive skin in mind. New in is a very tempting range of ‘spots and stripes’ clothes, blankets and toys. The Barn, 29 High Street, Kibworth Beauchamp, LE8 OHS .

0116 279 3536 www.naturespurest.co.uk

My Doll & Bear For children and adult collectors alike, this shop is a haven of bears and dolls of all shapes, sizes and colours from many high quality brands as well as local artists. Owner Kathy started the shop after working with children and teenagers and researching which toys they actually played with and what affect this had on their imagination and self-esteem.

She is passionate that everyone needs a doll or bear to love and be their friend, having seen how this can help with speech development in the early stages right through to bringing out creativity in a teenager. Kathy says, “Our strap line is ‘always at your side’ and we want them to be your child’s best friend, somebody they can ‘talk’ to about their secrets or the highlights in their day.”

The shop has a building station for children to build, name and dress their own bears. New stocks of outfits and accessories will be continually available so dolls and bears can be kept up to date! Making a friend and designing t-shirts and outfits can be a fun day out or a wonderful creative children’s party idea.

43 St. Mary’s Road, Market Harborough, LE16 7DS 01858 288008 www.mydollandbear.com Facebook Mydollandbear

Dubber’s Kiln Paint Your Own Pottery Studio at East Carlton Park A “Dubber” is a fan or owner of VW cars and campervans. Owners Pete and Emma are passionate about the beach, surfing and VW’s and mixed with a love for ceramics, the studio ‘Dubber’s Kiln’ was created. The studio is based within The Old Coach House, at East Carlton Country Park.

Emma says, “Capturing that special baby footprint or handprint or a whole family’s thumb print around a plate is something extraordinary which is hand made with love and lasts a lifetime. It makes a wonderful present and is something to treasure.” The beach hut studio has lots of ceramic animal figurines, trains, planes, dragons, blowfish and more for children and adults to paint. It is a lovely relaxing fun way to spend an hour or so, with prices starting from just £8.00. Drop-ins are welcome but it is best to book ahead at weekends and school holidays.

Get children to unleash their creative side with a pottery painting children’s birthday party at Dubber’s Kiln. With a café next door and a children’s playground and park outside, this can be a perfect party idea.

The Old Coach House, East Carlton Park, LE16 8YF Tel: 07999 502113 www.dubberskiln.com. Facebook Dubberskiln RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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Bridge 67 Cookery School

Students Cookery Course NEW Shorter Courses

Choose from:

Saturday 28 2nd June, 2014 Macaroon Making, Friday May - Learn to use different flavours am and perfect this very popular art 9:00 – 3.30pm - £95.00 per person

Faster Pasta, Friday 23rd May - Learn to make to ravioli, tortellini We have designed this quirky, fun course teach and tagliatelle accompanied with various sauces those going off to college or university, some quick Better Baking, Friday 6th Junea- true Learnsurvival the art ofguide making to and easy recipes to provide whoopee pies, delicious chocolate eclairs, and making beautifully cooking a strict budget. decorated on cupcakes Students will learn how to cook nutritious, tasty, Oriental Thai, Friday 20th June - Learn to make authentic quick and inexpensive main meals usingCurry rice,with pasta, Northern Thai Chicken Noodle Soup, Thai Green sticky meat, and Crème vegetables, rice andfish Coconut Brulee some healthy and some not so healthy snacks and puddings.

Soup Making, Friday 10th October - Learn to make a clear, Throughout studentswith willdelicious learn essential cream and broth the Soupday accompanied Soda Bread kitchen hygiene and tips on food shopping and All ingredients used during the day are provided for, along with lunch storage. that2.30 they are fully and drinks. Therefore Courses runensuring from 9.30 until equipped for independent living.

All ‘Shorter Courses’ are priced at £75 per person To book a course please visit: www.bridge67cookeryschool.co.uk or call 0116 279 6155

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The

ATTIC Restaurant

Modern British Modern British Cuisine, Cuisine, Stylish and Contemporary Surroundings.

Stylish and Contemporary Surroundings.

Selected wines, cocktails and local sourced beer.

Bespoke balcony with panoramic views.

Selected wines, cocktails and local sourced beer.

Bespoke balcony with panoramic views.

Opening Hours

Wednesday – Saturday 12.00pm – 2:30 pm 6:30pm – 9:30pm Sunday 12.00pm – 2:30pm

South Kilworth Road, North Kilworth, LE17 6HJ T: 01858 575 555 W: www.theatticrestaurant.co.uk

Opening Hours Wednesday – Saturday 12.00pm – 2.30pm 6.30pm – 9.30pm Sunday 12.00pm – 2.30pm South Kilworth Road, North Kilworth, LE17 6HJ T: 01858 575 555 W: www.theatticrestaurant.co.uk 19

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F ASHI ON

Dressed And Ready For Anything!

Claire (left) wears green printed ‘V’ front dress from InWear, £114.95 Delia (right) wears turquoise printed dress from Marie Mero, £164 All from Vanilla, Oakham

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Vanessa Hollander once more goes in search of the best dresses from our local boutiques

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T

hose that read these fashion pages regularly will know that I’m a big fan of the dress! Why? Because they’re easy to wear, fuss free and look sensational. Dresses take away the ‘what top shall I wear with this skirt?’ dilemma and are the simplest most stylish way to tackle summer dressing. And, if you think that your legs aren’t good enough, a maxi dress is a life saver!

Otherwise, invest in a few different coloured pairs of leggings or white jeans and you can layer the dresses over them for a great summer look. Trust me - invest in the dress!

1 2

1 Claire (left) wears white lace paneled dress from Collection by First Avenue, £40; and navy lace jacket from Collection by First Avenue, £40 Delia (right) wears black cotton printed dress from Collection by First Avenue, £45 All from Fords of Oakham 2 Delia (left) wears lime green printed dress from Fransa, £54.99 Claire (right) wears fluorescent orange dress

by Fransa, £64.99 All from Wardrobe, Oakham 3 Claire (left) wears stone mesh maxi dress from Martine, £32; and necklace, £10 Delia (right) wears navy maxi dress from QED London, £18; and necklace £21 All from Baubles & Bangles, Oakham 4 Delia (left) wears floral printed dress from QED London £20; and necklace, £9 Claire (right) wears floral jersey dress from Missi, £16; necklace, £9; and orange clutch bag from Koko, £15 All from Impact, Oakham

3

4

5 Claire (left) wears zebra print maxi shirt dress from Michael Kors, £210; Unisa strappy animal print wedge sandals, £115; and gold clutch bag from Michael Kors, £185 Delia (right) wears lurex top pleat maxi dress from D-Exterior, £369; sheer jacket from D-Exterior, £209; and plated t-bar sandals from Vic, £195 All from Cavells, Oakham 6 Claire (left) wears silk print Mary dress from Marilyn Moore, £320 Delia (right) wears My Generation dress from Odd Molly, £125 All from Cavells, Oakham

5

6 STOCKISTS Baubles & Bangles, Oakham 01572 724177, www.baublesandbangles.co.uk Cavells, Oakham, 01572 770372, www.cavells. co.uk Fords of Oakham, 01572 722654, www. fordsofoakham.co.uk Impact, Market Place, Oakham 01572 757399 Vanilla, Oakham, 01572 757577, www.vanillaboutique.co.uk Wardrobe, Oakham, 01572 720 305, www.wardrobe-southwell.co.uk WITH THANKS TO: Our stunning models, Delia and Claire – you make a great team and were brilliant!

Faith Bailey from Perch & Preen, 4 All Saints Street, Stamford for the gorgeous make up Our fabulous photographer, Elli Dean www.ellideanphotography.co.uk 07932 055548 RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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Timeless, quality beautifully designed dresses from Denmark.

Affordable fashion for all ages 2 Market Place, Oakham, Rutland. LE15 6DT T: 01572 757399 Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/impactoakham

www.nordicdresses.co.uk

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Room to Live Showroom Cherryholt Road, Stamford, PE9 2EQ Tel: 01780 756666

Creators of finest quality bespoke Orangeries & Conservatories Orangeries Lanter n Rooms Conservatories

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm,

Windows Doors Folding Sliding Door Systems

Sat 10am-3pm

Vertical Sliding Windows Roofline Products Porches

www.qks-ltd.co.uk

Heritage Secondary Glazing

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D E SIGN TO SU IT YOUR TA S T E

WE L OV E T H IS G O R G E O U S NEW SPRING COLLECTION F ROM LORC A WITH I TS C AR IBBE AN INF L U ENCES TO PUT YOU IN TH E H OLIDAY MOOD Visit our showroom five days a week: - A16

Uffington, Stamford PE9 4TD or telephone: 01780 757 946 www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk 23

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F ASHI ON

Retro Revival Celebrate Great British style this summer as Isabella Hamnett brings retro bang up to date with some contemporary styling.

Make your scorching wardrobe hot-list from this edit, shot in the achingly hip home store Duck & Mustard. So whether it’s cute outfits or glamorous dresses – we’ve got your look covered Sarah wears Mint shift dress £29.99 from Ideology, Anna wears Darling Blue Top with Beaded Neckline £45 and Amazing Woman White Cropped Jeans £70, both from Boutique 34; Sarah B wears Blue Dress £59 with matching Jacket £86 from Boutique 34.

Sarah wears cream Diva Dress £120 from Boutique 34

Sarah B wears Sailor Cardigan £34.95 and White Skirt £18.00 both from Ideology

Sarah wears Mint Floral 1950s sundress £50.00, Pink Petticoat £34.95 and White Sunglasses £4.99, all from Ideology

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Sarah wears Black and White 60s shift dress £30.00 from Ideology Anna wears yellow and black skirt £16.00 and black top £16.00 from Ideology

Duck and Mustard Thanks to the fabulous team at Duck and Mustard for such a great location. Visit this hidden gem of a shop to see classic furniture and home accessories revived and given a contemporary spin. You will be hard pushed to leave without something utterly unique for your home. All furniture and home accessories featured throughout our shoot can be purchased at Altermodern.

Duck and Mustard, Altermodern, St Mary’s Mews, 74 St Mary’s Road, Maret Harborough, LE16 7DT www.duckandmustard.com

Anna wears Blue Shirt Dress £30 with Union Jack handbag £22.95 both from Ideology

Sarah wears blue dress with jewelled collar £30.00 Ideology

With special thanks to: Our simply gorgeous models Sarah Ellwood Leverett, Anna Hefford and Sarah Brownlee.

Photographer extraordinaire Elli Dean on Tel: 07932 055548, www.ellideanphotography.co.uk Wonderful make-up artist and stylist Carla Smith carla@carlasmithmakeup.com Fabulously glamorous hairdresser Stacey Bailey on Tel: 07711 383926

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HE AL T H & B E A U TY

Preparing your skin for summer Catherine Batkin discovers the best ways to prepare your skin for summer

Terrific Toes:

“W

hen the sun puts in an appearance, it’s time to give some TLC to those neglected legs and feet. Prepare to dare with a full leg wax but most importantly, don’t forget your toes! Understandably, many of us don’t pay much attention to our feet in the winter months so it’s only when it’s sandal time that hairy toes are on full display! Make sure you’re super-smooth with a toe wax before opting for a file and polish with one of the new OPI nail colours – peach is a great summer 2014 colour for toes.” Faith, Perch and Preen If you’re heading off on holiday and want your nail varnish to last the distance, then head to Ellique for their popular OPI gel nails. The unique formulation protects natural nails whilst adding beautiful colour and shine; fingernails last for up to 2 weeks and toenails last even longer chip-free - the perfect pre-holiday or honeymoon pressie to yourself for £22.50.

Plus if you’re in need of some relaxation, then throughout June, Julianne is offering the calming and therapeutic treatment of Hopi Ear Candling for just £18, instead of the usual £25.

Get the snip:

N

ow’s the perfect time to tidy up those split ends in preparation for the blasting your hair will take from the saltwater, sun and chlorine; not to mention all of those tempting cocktails, as alcohol can be very drying for the hair. Pay a visit to the talented team at Essence in Uppingham to get your hair trimmed and ensure you’re using the right products for your hair type and style.

Emily Cunningham from Moko Hair and Beauty recommends Aveda products to protect hair, face and body from the damaging effects

of the sun, salt and chlorine. Her top pick of products are the Protective hair veil (£21.50), After-sun hair masque (£19.00), Hair & body cleanser (£17.00) with travel sizes available from just £5 – perfect for packing for your summer hols.

Get the golden glow:

A

t Olive Tanning Studio, there have been lots of exciting changes in recent months, not least the addition of a new beauty room which has a no appointment policy and offers treatments such as OPI gel nails, facials, massage and manicures. For anyone wanting to get a golden glow regardless of the weather, Janine now offers 2 spray tan options: Suntana, the original spray tan at the incredible price of £10 for full body which comes in light, medium and dark. And now, they have also the Vani-T spray tan; a slightly richer, more glamorous option with more honey tones, ideal for proms and weddings Janine tells me (£18).

If you’re planning on heading out into the sunshine, it’s important to protect your skin.

Kim at The Beauty Room has just launched the

Dermalogica Ultimate Skin Protection Daylight Defence range. Comprising After Sun Repair for use after exposure to the sun to calm, repair and soothe skin plus Protection 50 Sport: a lightweight, hydrating, water-resistant UV protector for the skin with SPF50 – everything you need to stay sun-safe and wrinkle free.

The body beautiful:

I

f you’re looking for advice on achieving flawless skin, then speak to Christine from Body & Soul on Oakham High Street, which is heading into its 15th year of business this year! She told me: “The orange peel effect on legs and buttocks is common for many women so it’s important to stimulate the circulation and improve skin tone with a full body scrub.”

Choose the Lime Sensation body scrub from Lavera to invigorate the skin followed by a clay body mask to detoxify cellulite-prone areas.

Fancy trying a takeaway treatment yourself?

The natural Lovea scrub with argan oil is a must-have for £8.50: the oils in the scrub means there’s no need for a moisturiser so you can simply wash and go!

Directory: Moko, 2 Church Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7AA, Tel: 01858 432525 Body & Soul, 22a High Street, Oakham, Tel: 01572 771071, www.bodyandsouloakham.co.uk The Beauty Room, South Street, Oakham, Tel: 01572 755389 Ellique, South Street, Oakham Tel: 01572 723950 Essence, Crown Passage, Uppingham, Tel: 01572 822715 Olive Tanning Studio, 6 Crown Walk, Oakham, Tel: 01572 755750 Perch and Preen, 4 All Saints Street, Stamford, PE9 2PA

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www.

artdeal

.co.uk

20th Century Art

June Special Offer Buy 2 Daylight Defense products and receive 10% off plus a FREE beach bag (while stocks last)

First Floor, 76 South Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6BQ

“A Safe Place to Talk”

Free, confidential & unbiased advice for those facing an unplanned pregnancy.

Support for those who have post-abortion, post-miscarriage or baby-loss concerns.

We also offer: Free Pregnancy Testing, Free Chlamydia Testing & Sexual Health Information.

• • • • •

Please contact us to arrange a viewing. art@artdeal.co.uk - 07949 861 753

Tel: 01780 765853/ 07913052159 office@alternativesstamford.co.uk www.alternativesstamford.co.uk facebook.com/alternativesstamford @altstamford

or drop in any Mon or Thur 9-5 Ryhall Road, Stamford PE9 1YA. (located within the Hospital Site behind Sheep Market Surgery)

Registered charity 1129379

Organic Facial and Body Care

June Offer - Full or half leg wax and get a free eyebrow wax

Professional beauty treatments nail care & tanning

01572 771071

22a High Street, Oakham

www.bodyandsouloakham.co.uk Oakham’s organic beauty specialists 28

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Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Centre @ Greetham Valley

Who we are The new centre presents the multidisciplinary team of a Sports Physician, Physiotherapist, Podiatrist and Dietitian all under one roof. The team aims to provide elite level treatment methods to the general public.

Treatments we offer General Physiotherapy and Musculoskeletal Assessment Sports Injury Assessment and Rehabilitation Sports Massage, General Massage and Spinal Manipulation Post Operative Rehabilitation Chiropody and Sports Podiatry Gait Analysis and Orthotics Dietetics and Sports Nutrition

shine this summer… with beautiful hair enhanced by talented professionals in a relaxing environment, using natural

hair products.

Everything you need to release your

inner essence.

General Fitness Assessments

For further enquiries or to book an appointment call: 01572 812212 email: info@physiosportsinjury-greetham.co.uk visit: www.physiosportsinjury-greetham.co.uk

‘Caring for Local Athletes’ Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Centre

Call us for an appointment to secure your time to shine!

Open six days a week Proprietor Kate Giles Tel 01572 822715 2 Crown Passage • Uppingham • Rutland • LE15 9PY

Greetham Valley Hotel, Golf and Conference Centre, Wood Lane, Greetham, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 7SN

SEMI-PERMANENT MAKE-UPby Kate Henderson

...the perfect lasting, natural enhancement for your most beautiful features Kate creates natural looking brows in fabulous shades to thicken sparse hair or to create brows from nothing.

Enhance your eye lash line to give thicker looking lashes or a dramatic smudge-free liner in a range of Have a fuller, fabulous colours. you

thful looking pout using your favourite shade to define your lips.

Semi-permanent make-up is the ideal cost-effective solution to every day make-up dilemmas with results lasting 9 to 18 months.

Call Kate on 07500 503431

to arrange a free consultation at her new clinic near Market Harborough.

Kate is an experienced technician with a Diploma of Excellence in Cosmetic Ta ooing from Finishing Touches

LOCAL PRIVATE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS Specialising in treating: • Low self-esteem and loss of confidence • Low mood, depression, self-harm and suicidal thinking • Anxieties, phobias, obsessions

and ruminations • Significant life events, trauma,

nightmares, flashbacks • Attachment and relationship difficulties • Abuse (physical, emotional and sexual) Adult Speciality

Johan Truter

Tel: 01780 758556 www.psychologistuk.co.uk Orion House, 14, Barn Hill, Stamford, PE9 2AE

Child and Adult Speciality, EMDR Practitioner

Dr Alexandra Dent

Mbl: 07986 585270 www.alexandradent.co.uk

Orion House, 14, Barn Hill, Stamford, PE9 2AE Church Street Practice, Melton Mowbray LE13 0PN 29

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B RI N GI N G L O CA L FO O D TO LI FE

Smelling salts for pubs A brilliant scheme called Project William from Leicestershire’s Everards Brewery is reviving closed pubs, says Matt Wright

I

love pubs and our area has more than its fair share of crackers. In Stamford there’s the Tobie Norris with its historic surroundings, and the Jolly Brewer with its great local beer selection and pubby atmosphere. In Oakham, brewpub The Grainstore offers a lovely spitand-sawdust feel and brilliant beer festivals, and new Steamin’ Billy pub The Three Crowns has been very nicely done. That’s just four that spring to mind, some of my other favourites are profiled on my website – greatfoodclub.co.uk.

But it’s fair to say that some pubs are having a tough time at the moment, so in this article I’d like to highlight a pioneering business idea that’s saving and regenerating pubs across the Midlands.

If I said Everards Brewery, most of you would probably think of The Golden Fleece in Stamford or The Wheatsheaf in Oakham. It’s likely that you’ve never heard of this 165-yearold family-owned brewer’s Project William scheme, which since 2007 has so far led to the revival of 29 closed or ‘unsustainable’ pubs.

And when I say revived, I don’t mean tired boozers getting a lick of paint. I mean boarded-up buildings being transformed into thriving pubs loved by their local communities.

Of Everards’ 29 resurrected Project William pubs so far, 15 had been closed.

Seventeen have gone on to win CAMRA Pub of the Year awards.

But the really remarkable thing is the way Project About the writer William works, which Matt Wright isn’t just clever but founded and runs inspirational too.

Greatfoodmag.co.uk and The received Greatfoodclub.co.uk, wisdom in business two Leicestershireis that you beat up based websites that celebrate and promote your competitors; local food and drink. crush them till they’re His Great Food Club gone. You certainly Handbook 2013/14 is don’t work with them. out now.

Project William turns

Everards MD Stephen Gould launched Project William in 2007 and since then it has transformed 29 pubs this on its head. Instead, you partner – rather than compete against – local microbreweries to succeed.

So what Everards – which owns around 180 pubs – has done is team up with small, local brewers – 10 so far. It has also teamed up with people who aren’t necessarily brewers but care passionately about pubs and cask beer. Working together, they look for a suitable pub. Once found, the bigger brewer buys it, refurbishes it and rents it back to the microbrewer or ‘cask ale champion’. But rather than slapping ‘Everards’ signs all over the building, the tenant can brand the pub as their own and sell a wonderfully varied selection of beers, many of them locally brewed. Which is exactly what the customer wants.

The result is a growing number of thriving pubs across the Midlands selling great, local beer that were previously closed or supposedly unsustainable. Examples include The Paget in Leicester, The Brunswick in Derby and the Sir John Borlase Warren in Nottingham. So hats off to Everards. It’s possible that they’ll be working with a local microbrewer to revive a pub near you soon.

Tiger Best Bitter is Everards’ most well known beer

Join Matt’s food club – Great Food Club – free of charge and discover the very best local food and drink.

Members can enjoy special offers at around 100 handpicked independent pubs, restaurants, producers and farm shops www.greatfooodclub.co.uk/join

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Seeing as we’re talking ale this month, here’s a beer-bread re cipe that was given to me by Dan Lepard, baking writer for The Guardian, among other publications.

Dan Lepard’s Leicestershire Ale Loaf

greyhound before & after shots: The Greyhound in Stoke-on-Trent has been transformed in a partnership between Everards and Titanic Brewery

• 150ml warm water • 200ml Everards Beacon ale • 25g honey • 1 tsp fast-action yeast • 175g strong wholemeal flour from Whissendine Windmill, Rutland or Claybrooke Mill, Leicestershire • 300g strong white Whissendine Windmill or Claybrooke Mill flour, plus more for shaping • 1 ½ tsp fine salt, less if you prefer • Oil for kneading

The Paget in Leicestershire is owned by Everards and run by Steamin’ Billy, which also has a pub in Oakham

1 Stir water, ale and honey together in a mixing bowl, sprinkle in the yeast and stir well. Add flours and salt, mix well to a soft rough mass, then cover the bowl and leave for 10 minutes. This pause gives the flour time to absorb the moisture and helps the stretchy gluten develop.

2 Lightly oil a 30cm patch of worktop, knead the dough gently for about 10 seconds then return it to the bowl, cover, and leave for 10 minutes. Repeat this light kneading sequence twice more at 10-minute intervals, then cover the dough and leave for an hour.

3 Flour worktop, shape dough into a ball, place it seam side down on a floured tray, then cover and leave to rise for an hour. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan (Gas 7) and place a dish containing boiling water on the lowest shelf to help colour the crust.

church inn before and after shots: The Church in Birmingham is now thriving

4 Cut a cross in the top of the dough with a sharp blade, place the loaf in the oven with a good 10cm gap between it and your dish below, and bake for about 45 minutes until richly coloured. Then move the baked loaf to a wire rack to cool.

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Barristers’ Chambers

W

e are a well-established, friendly and approachable multi-disciplinary practice of barristers based in Leicester but with a nationwide presence.

In addition to accepting instructions from solicitors throughout the UK we also welcome direct access clients and undertake a great amount of such work whether from individual members of the public or from companies and other organisations looking for advice and representation from specialist advocates and lawyers.

We offer professional expertise in many and varied areas of the law including:

· Agricultural and Equine Law · Commercial, Company and Partnership Law · Coroners’ Inquests · Courts Martial · Crime · Education Law · Employment Law · Equine · Family Law and Care · Immigration

· Insolvency · Landlord & Tenant and Land Law · Licensing, Betting and Gaming · Personal Injury · Planning · Professional Negligence · Regulatory Law · Sports Law · Drink Driving · Speeding and driving offences

You can contact our Clerks to discuss your needs and requirements or if you prefer by email: clerks@newwalkchambers.co.uk New Walk Chambers, 27 New Walk, Leicester, LE1 6TE - Tel: 0116 2559144

www.newwalkchambers.co.uk

GOOD VALUE GOURMET SET DINNER Come and enjoy a 3 course dinner Monday to Thursday evenings in our a la carte restaurant for £17.50 per person.

SUMMER SUNDAYS

Natural Designs @ Barham Stone Ltd Suppliers & Manufactures Of Natural Stone & Quartz For Kitchen Worktops Unit A Eckland Business Park, Desborough Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 8HB Opening Times - Mon-Fri 9am-5pm • Sat 9am-12.30pm 01536 764744 • info@barhamstone.com • www.barhamstone.com

Handcrafted Memorials with a friendly service

We will be starting our popular Summer Sunday events from the end of May. The last Sunday of each month through the summer, come and join us for a themed evening of delicious food for £12.50 per person.

FATHER’S DAY Don’t forget to book a table to join us on Father’s Day. We will be serving a delicious lunch of Roast Rib of Local Beef & Yorkshire Pudding, followed by Treacle Tart, Tea & Coffee, all for £22.50 per person.

LUNCH & DINNER, 7 DAYS A WEEK For more information or to make a reservation please contact us at 52 Main Street, Lyddington, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9LT • Tel: 01572 822 477 email: info@marquessexeter.co.uk www.marquessexeter.co.uk

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F OOD & DRI N K

The Marquess gives A Taste of Spain Brian Baker hosted another great cooking demonstration in April, this time based on the “Taste of Spain”

B

rian has been visiting Spain for the last ten years and loves the flavours of the food along with the great atmosphere when dining in one of our favourite holiday destinations.

He has visited many places including beautiful olive groves and vineyards. In fact The Marquess imports their house wine from the Castilla La Mancha Region from the Vineyard Santa Cruz.

The guests were treated to demonstrations on some of the best loved Spanish foods, including Paella with King Prawns, Squid, Chorizo and Chicken, Tortilla, Tapas and Cinnamon Bunyols. Lunch was then served with a glass of the house wine.

Brian’s next demonstration is Devilish Desserts on Monday 15th September and then the ever popular Festive Demo in November.

He has also just finished a range of set menus for guests to host their own dinner party in their exclusive private snug area all including half a bottle of wine per person and a welcome drink; menus include some of their favourites like the Chilli, Salt Squid with Thai Noodle Salad and Roast Rib of Local Beef, along with some special dishes like the Moroccan Leg of Lamb and Piri Piri Chicken.

As always Brian continues to come up with new ways for us to enjoy ourselves at The Marquess and now the popular quiz has finished for the year, they will be launching their Summer Sundays, a delicious set meal for £12.50pp run on the last Sunday of every month to enjoy the summer nights!

If you missed the demo, why not try the dishes at home…..

Paella

Bunyols

Serves 30 people Ingredients: 2 Whole Chicken, cut into bite size pieces 1 kg Chorizo Sausages, cut into bite size pieces 500g Baby Squid, Cleaned 500g King Prawns, peeled 500g Mussels 1 kg Peppers, chopped 1 kg Onions, chopped 500g Peas 1 kg flat beans 10 Garlic cloves, chopped 3 kg Paella rice 3g Saffron 1 bottle White wine 1 small bunch of Thyme 1 kg Tomatoes, skinned, chopped (4 small tins of chopped toms) 1 tablespoon Paprika 1 bunch of flat leaf Parsley, chopped 500 ml Olive oil

Serves four Ingredients: 350ml milk 2 star Anise 25g sugar 200g flour 4 eggs 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Peel of one lemon Pinch of salt 1.5 litres oil for frying Cinnamon Sugar to cover the bunyols

Method: • Take your paella pan and heat with the olive oil • Add your chicken and chorizo & colour slightly • Add the peppers, onions and garlic and slowly cook for 10 minutes • Slowly stir in the rice and coat with the oil, add the white wine, saffron and thyme, cook until the wine has evaporated.

• Add the tomatoes, flat beans and enough water to cover, simmer slowly for 20 minutes.

• Check water add a little more if needed.

• The rice should now be nearly cooked, place your mussels, prawns and squid on top of the rice with the peas, and cover with foil and grease proof paper, and cook slowly for 5 minutes • Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the flat leaf parsley, and serve straight from the pan.

Method: • In a bowl mix the flour with the cinnamon, lemon peel and salt, then set aside.

• Put the milk, anise extract and sugar in a pan and cook over a high heat until boiling.

• Add the flour mix and beat hard until the mass comes away from the side of the pan.

• Take off heat and beat in the eggs one at a time—you will be left with a sticky mass.

• The bunyols can be formed either with a spoon covered in oil or better still with an oilcovered ice cream scoop to get a round shape.

• Put the oil in a pan and once it is hot drop in the bunyols—fry them one or two at a time over a medium heat (they can burn easily) until they are a dark golden colour.

• When done, take them out and put on a plate with kitchen roll to absorb excess oil.

• Cover with sugar and serve hot.

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L OC AL P EOPLE

OTTER’S – NOT JUST A DELI!

Otters Smokehouse and Deli not only offers smoked meats, fish, cheeses, pates, soups, homemade quiches and tarts and carefully selected charcuterie either to eat in or take away, they also have a plethora of other services to improve your culinary lifestyle! Abigail Richardson talks to Leo Sugden about his successful venture…

H

aving been in business now for three years, Otters Deli is thriving! It started out at 3a Mill Street as a luxury deli but soon moved to a larger premises to incorporate eating in and to expand the deli offerings.

Leo, 25, is a local lad, born in Leicester but moved to Hambleton when he was eight. He attended Oakham School where he enjoyed all sports and excelled particularly at sailing.

Sailing became not just a hobby as Leo, always having a good work ethic, became an assistant instructor at Rutland sailing club as soon as he was old enough - sailing as much as possible in his spare time.

Sailing continued to be Leo’s main interest from small boats on Rutland Water to family holidays on his father’s boat sailing to Brittany and the Channel Islands, and then, during his gap year, sailing across the Atlantic to the Caribbean.

Leo accredits his interest in food to having been developed through his years of sailing and seeing different places, in particular some of the smaller Northern French towns, “where food is so important and a big way of life.”

After his gap year, Leo studied Geography at Exeter believing his career path would follow his passion for sailing but in his third year 3a Mill Street became available which gave him the inspiration for Otters: “One thing seemed to lead to another after seeing it at Christmas and suddenly it was happening! The day after my last exam I was home to start sorting the fitting out of the

36

shop and finding suppliers”.

Sailing has gone on hold since the shop opened in 2011 due to the heavy work schedule and his six day a week commitment, but, so far, Leo has no regrets: “I love working at Otters and enjoy all aspects of running it and will happily get involved wherever, doing anything as I like to be busy... I also try to make myself spend some time doing the more boring bits at my desk!”

Lunch to Go If you live locally you can order your lunch ‘to go’ online. There is an amazing choice including antipasto, quiches, olives, pastries and an array of sandwiches, using Hambleton Bakery 7 Cereal Bread. Leo can also cater for your business lunch or buffet-style party at home. “The deli delights are always a popular choice and go a long way in a crowd,” adds Leo.

So why Rutland?

“Rutland in my mind is where I grew up. I really like the area and there is lots to do, which isn’t always that obvious but there really is a lot on offer in a little county which is not very far from anywhere. We are spoilt for places to eat and the topic of where people have eaten is such a Rutland conversation that I felt I had an opportunity to offer even more of a choice.

At its essence, Otters is a deli and a smokehouse that specialises in naturally smoked fish (all smoked using traditional methods with no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives), meats and cheeses. But we also now have room to eat in and an online shop as well.”

Otters Suppliers Otters goodies are supplied from all over the UK and abroad: “The main emphases is upon quality of suppliers, avoiding mass produced products where shortcuts/compromises have taken place in production. Overall, supply is based on the variety that we need to stock along with quality. Whilst I do always take the time to look at local, and like stocking local products, if they are been stocked elsewhere locally, I try not to duplicate as I would rather point someone in the direction of where to find a particular local brand if it is already available locally”.

Local suppliers included Stilton, Cropwell Bishop, Colston Bassett, Cote Hill Blue, Lincolnshire Poacher and Red Leicester chesses as well as Belvoir fruit farm drinks, a range of traditional curry sauces (“which are particularly good from an old Oakhamian”) and hams and turkey from the Country Victualler, just outside Newark. There are also an array of pantry products and much, much more.

On line Shopping Leo provides a new dimension to the online food shopping experience as you can order online from the comfort of your own home and have all of his delicious deli produce delivered direct to your door.

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Lunch Review Tracy and I had a working lunch there recently and she beat me to ordering the Warm Goats’ Cheese Salad served with pine kernels, mixed leaves, coleslaw and a beetroot and horseradish chutney (£7.95) – “Superb! But I won’t need to eat again today”, so I opted for the daily special of Fishcakes (hold the fries - good girl!) with extra salad and coleslaw. Both dishes were presented beautifully – mine on a slate with just the right amount of salad accompanied by a beautiful French dressing. The fishcakes were not huge and so therefore perfect for a lunch, and the smoked salmon and haddock was plentiful. It was certainly more fish than cake. Tracy’s piece of Goat’s cheese was indeed very generous and I am glad I didn’t order it as I couldn’t have resisted eating the lot!

I thoroughly recommend Leo’s soups as well and, on special occasions, I treat myself to the Mousse de Canard served with a plum and ginger chutney, mixed leaves, toast and butter (£6.25) – really decadent and I usually take half home! There are lighter bites too – with 9 sandwich options as well as cheese, fish and charcuterie platters. If you have not yet been, I urge you to do so now or at least log on to the website to perceive this truly fabulous emporium: www.ottersdeli.co.uk.

• Contact: Otter’s Smokehouse & Deli, 19 Mill Street, Oakham, Tel: 01572 756481, www.ottersdeli.co.uk RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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21/05/2014 12:36

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MEMORABLE CUISINE FOR YOUR PERFECT DAY

DELICIOUS FOOD BEAUTIFULLY SERVED

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Pre-order platters of succulent charcuterie, naturally oak smoked fish, or the very best cheeses; or our delicious homemade savoury tarts, pâtés and cakes to make your event just that bit more enjoyable!

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Call Sarah on 01572 747909 or 07970 576882 The Firs, 5 Barrowden Road, Morcott, Rutland, LE15 9DQ e-mail sarah@rutlandgourmet.co.uk

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My photoshoots’ experience is more of a fun family time, but you also end up with great photos - all taken with complete attention to detail, lighting and composition. The results are beautiful, timeless shots.

Visit my website to see more of my work:

rutlandphotographer.co.uk Call or email to book your studio or location shoot: 07932 055548 or email Elli at: yael.dean@gmail.com I offer various attractive price options and products, all designed to give you plenty of choice. You can decide what option to go for before booking your session - this way you will always know in advance what you pay.

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Green Power!

MO T O RI N G

Imagine our fairly tranquil patch of the UK even quieter, with the rumble of engines on the roads largely replaced by quiet electric motors. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford dreamed of cars being powered this way 100 years ago, but the technology wasn’t available then. Now that it is, a number of local organisations and firms are charging ahead with efforts to promote green personal transport in our area.

Jonathan Craymer reports

W

hen I was a lad, as the saying goes, the sight of cars belching out black fumes and probably a lot of nasty invisible pollutants too, was quite common. I remember my dad pointedly holding his nose as we passed the worst offenders. We’ve come a long way since then, cleaning up the internal combustion engine with stricter MoTs, catalytic converters and super-efficient engines built to minimise the amount of carbon emissions. But the trouble with engines burning any kind of fuel, it’s physically impossible to make them 100% clean.

ECO DRIVING Enter the electric car. No Even if you don’t own an fumes or hydrocarbon somewhat bigger problems. Firstly there’s the limited range electric vehicle, it’s st ill possible emissions, and virtually zero offered. Most will only do about 80 miles when fully charged, to drive in an envir onmental friendly mechanical noise, offering which would certainly put many buyers (like my wife) off. way, reducing your fuel consumption the prospect of much Then there’s the length of time it takes to recharge. Forget and emissions, as well as making yo quieter roads. Sounds the five minutes or so it takes to fill a conventional car with u safer.

Experts suggest try ing to drive as sm great doesn’t it? Well fuel. Plug into a purpose made 32 amp charging station, oothly as possible, avoidin that’s the theory anyway. and typically it takes three hours. Even longer if you use a g heavy accelerat ion and braking by plannin But though we seem to domestic 13 amp charger – 8 to 9 hours! There are faster 50 g ahead and reac ting early.

If driving a manua be getting there bit by kW chargers able to do the job in half an hour, but at £20,000 l car, always try to be in the right gear so bit, the dream of quiet, each, they’re less common. the engine isn’t ov er ultra clean transport for all The third problem is the battery and how you pay for it. With revving, nor is it lab ouring. still seems a little way off. the BMW i3 it’s not an option – it’s included in the price, but you Use cruise contro l We’ve had hybrid vehicles, get a seven-year warranty. However on Renault (Zoe/Kangoo) wh enever possible. with both petrol engines and and Nissan LEAF (the name apparently stands for “Leading electric motors, for a while - but Environmentally Friendly Family Car) models you pay around £5,000 we’re now starting to see quite a few up front or rent the battery at £70 a month (including VAT). Many cars running only on electricity, such as consumers hate having to make such decisions (I’m one of them!), so this may the BMW i3, Nissan LEAF, Renault Zoe and be yet another thing to scratch your head over.

Kangoo van.

RCI, the Renault-owned finance arm for Renault & Nissan will in addition, allow a driver to lease Unfortunately electric cars cost a bit more the entire vehicle. For example a LEAF Tekna (top of the range leather upholstery model) requires than those they’re replacing. According to a a deposit of £3,455, after which you pay £219 a month for three years. At the end of that period recent study by the US Congressional Budget you can either pay a further £8,914 to own the vehicle outright, or just give it back owing nothing Office, today’s electric models will set owners further. However if they manage to sell the car for more than this amount, you’re allowed to put back around $12,000 (£7,217) more during their that towards your next deposit. lifetime than equivalent petrol cars.

All this talk of battery rentals and leasing may sound a bit confusing – but something we’ll To help even the playing field, a number of probably need to get used to if this technology is here to stay. countries are subsidising the cost of new allOn the other hand there’s a real sense amongst electric vehicle supporters that we really do electric vehicles. In the UK the Government need to start somewhere. is offering a £5,000 rebate. So if you buy say a BMW i3 priced at £29,950, with the subsidy RE-CHARGING you’ll actually pay £24,950.

The other big question is, where can I charge my electric car? In addition to plugging it in at home, However for my money there are three work etc (read on a bit further on regarding Government grants), there’s a growing network of charging points. At the last count there were over 6000 across the UK and the numbers are RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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➧

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MO T O RI N G increasing constantly. In the Peterborough area there are almost 30. These include six points recently installed in the Queensgate Shopping Centre, and a number put into four car parks

by Peterborough City Council at a cost of over £28,000. Carol Wakelin, Environmental Coordinator at Queensgate says: “At the time of our recent £10m refurbishment I suggested we install chargers, as it seemed the right way to go. Admittedly they’re only used on average about once a week, but we consider this an investment in a greener future for the city.”

The Peterborough branch of Dobbies Garden Centres installed four charging points when it opened in 2011. Manager Tony Cuthbert says only half a dozen owners use them regularly.

“Most work within a mile or so of here. They plug in and walk to their offices. A lot of people like the idea of this technology, but having to plan their journeys carefully and the initial cost of vehicles may be putting some off,” he feels.

Making the commitment Peterborough-based electrical installation specialist KA Wing installs BMW-branded charging units locally (part of a national scheme organised by BMW), and decided to buy a small fleet of the German manufacturer’s i3’s for its own use. Managing director David Lee explains: “We felt duty-bound to reduce our carbon footprint and actually these make great company cars. They’re very tax efficient as there’s no CO2-related benefit in kind tax.”

Technical director Simon Howitt adds: “80% of our journeys are 20 miles or less. And if drivers need to recharge, the built-in satnav cleverly tells them where the nearest points are.”

It’s worth mentioning that KA Wing is happy to advise on Government grants for those

42

wanting to get individual charging units fitted.

The grants may cover the whole cost, which is approximately £1,000.

DRIVING THE BMW I3 I tried driving the i3, which BMW claims is the first electric vehicle to be built from the ground up, and am happy to report it was simplicity itself. Efforts have been made to make the switch-on sequence feel the same as on a petrol car. There’s a ‘start’ button, a four-position ‘drive’ switch and a further switch to release the ‘handbrake’. Then a gentle touch on the accelerator and you’re moving off. At that point it does, to be honest, feel a bit weird, as there’s almost no noise, and a distinct sensation until you get used to it, that perhaps the car is running away down a slope – only of course it isn’t.

Acceleration is fantastic, with 62 miles per hour coming up in just 7 seconds, though Nathan Owen, Sycamore’s i Product Genius warned me that driving aggressively considerably shortens battery life. Another thing to get used to is having to use the brake pedal less. Just lift off and you’ll slow down or even come to a complete standstill.

As standard this vehicle does about 80 miles on one charge, and there’s an optional range extender pack which includes a 650cc BMW motorcycle engine designed to (if you’ll pardon the expression) kick in to maintain the battery’s charge, giving up to 180 miles total range.

Darran Foot, Electric Vehicle Relationship Manager at the Nissan dealership within Smith Motor Group, Peterborough says: “It’s a case of chicken and egg with the electric vehicle market. We’ve got to get people buying vehicles,

to get the Government and organisations installing charging points. People will just have to change their mindset and accept you don’t have the same range as petrol cars. But Nissan’s research shows most journeys are actually 25 miles or less.”

Are we about to see a new generation of vehicle batteries offering a much greater range? “The lithium-ion technology used hasn’t changed much in the last 10 years, so I don’t think so,” he says. “For my money the best development is the growth in the numbers of 50 kW chargers, which can see most models on their way within half an hour fully charged.

We’re told that around 90% of motorway service stations now have them.”

HERE ARE SOME OTHER ECO-DRIVING TIPS • check tyre pressures regularly • remove unnecessary kit from your car (including those heavy golf clubs!)

• take off roof racks, luggage boxes, etc when not needed to reduce air resistance • turn off engine if you have to wait a long time • only use air-con when you need to • plan your route or use navigational/advisory aids to avoid congestion.

RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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A PLACE OF RELAXATION...

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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.

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Oak House Residential Care Home for the Elderly

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CARE HOM E S

Oak House Residential Home and Care Cooking Oak House strives to offer the highest level of care in all areas of the home including in the kitchen. Linda Ellis explains:

“O

ur belief is that nutrition, in conjunction with recreational activities and physical exercise, complements medicinal care. Nutrition has the potential to protect against illness, relieve the symptoms of disease or aid recovery times after surgery. Quality ingredients are at the heart of this theory.

Buying locally sourced seasonal produce provides cheaper ingredients, with less environmental impact and full traceability, a very important issue at the time of writing.

At a time when food scandals are hitting the headlines, the provenance of food should be important to us all. At Oak House, cooking our food in-house ensures we regulate what goes into our dishes and by understanding the nutritional needs of the individual we can tailor diets accordingly.

For an older person, nutritional needs may change as they become less mobile. The energy they require might be lower than when they were active but requirements for nutrients will remain the same. Every mouthful eaten should be nutrient-dense. An elderly diet should be one of quality not quantity! To improve nutrient retention we look at different cooking methods.

We avoid cooking vegetables in lots of water, which only dilutes the goodness. Instead we have turned to classical and modern cookery

methods such as ‘l’etuvee’ (quick braising in own juices), ‘en papillote’ (cooked in a parcel) and ‘sous-vide’ (under vacuum). These methods retain the goodness and concentrate flavour.

We champion cheaper cuts of meat such as pork collar and blade of beef, as these cuts lend themselves to longer, slower cooking methods.

This allows the addition of pulses or vegetables to the dish during the cooking process, which boost nutrition and enhance flavour.

For the elderly to maintain body weight, repair wounds and build tissue, a high protein and high calorie diet is needed. This is sometimes hard to achieve so the focus has turned to other points of the meal and how they can be fortified. Preston Walker (Kitchen Manager) has developed a custard recipe for

desserts that delivers additional calories and protein, compared to supermarket brands. He uses natural vegetable proteins (pea/hemp) to fortify foods such as porridge, ice cream or milk shakes. Any diet can be catered for and low sugar diets which are becoming more common, can be adapted using xylitol as a sugar replacement. This ingredient is a natural wood sugar that has the same ratio of sweetness as regular sugar, making it easy to use existing recipes.

Texture modification is important as residents with swallowing difficulties pose the greatest risk of malnutrition. If the appetite is jaded it is essential that food is presented in an appealing way, suited to the person eating it. By using thickening agents, specific consistencies can be created. We use thickeners such as ‘agar’, ‘carrageenan’ and ‘gellan gum’, which can be added to blended fish and meat casseroles or vegetable purees.

These ingredients have thermo-resistant properties which, when set, hold their form when reheated.

Kitchen equipment plays an important role in improving the texture and mouth-feel of dishes. A high-powered blender for velvety sauces is a must and using a cream-whipper to create flavoured foams can add interesting texture elements to menus. The presentation of the dish is essential for stimulating palates

and maintaining a resident’s interest in food, which is vital for disease prevention. We use all of our senses to evaluate foods; the dining room itself and how we are feeling can affect our enjoyment of meals. Playing background music creates ambience and encourages conversation. Using adapted utensils maintains a resident’s independence, improving the experience of mealtimes. Mealtimes are to be celebrated and make a dining experience!

Sensory stimulants are an exciting prospect for the future and we have recently installed a system called ‘Ode’. The product releases food fragrances before mealtimes to promote appetite and subconsciously trigger hunger. It

works in the same way as the smell of baking bread makes us all hungry. Products such as ‘Ode’ could help many people with depleted appetites or people living with complex dementia. By understanding the nutritional needs of the individual combined with a passion for quality ingredients, we believe we can provide a new holistic approach to care cooking.”

Contact: Oak House, Residential Home, Pond Lane, Greetham, Rutland LE15 7NW, Tel: 01572 812647 RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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Designed for living Stoneham Kitchens now available from Orchard Kitchen Showroom: 22-23 Scotgate, Stamford, PE9 2YQ T: 01780 481850 F: 01780 481132 E: orchardkitchens@live.co.uk www.orchardwindows.co.uk Opening Times: Monday – Friday 9am-5pm. Saturday 10am-3pm

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P ROP E RT Y

The Priest’s House

At the heart of the pretty village of Caldecott sits The Priest’s House. Grade II listed, historically significant and dating back to the first half of the seventeenth century, the house was recently surveyed by the Lyddington Manor History Society and their findings make fascinating reading. Described as ‘A high quality house’, Amander Meade met the owner to find out more

T

UCKED away with a long approach and screened for privacy by mature trees, the house has been a family home since 2006 when Charlie and Caryl Reading bought it – ending their search for a country home outside London. “The vendor was a lady who had taken great pride in her home and really looked after it,” recalls Charlie. “It was a great start for us as our vendor had maintained the house so beautifully during her time here which is so important for an older property.”

Having secured the sale and moved in, the couple set about enjoying village life with their daughters Ffion and Bronwyn. “Caldecott is a really lovely, friendly village with lots going on and a lively community spirit. The house is at the very heart of the old village and yet remains very private due to its position set well back from the road at the top of a long gravelled driveway,” Charlie explains. “The garden is on three sides of the house and has been professionally landscaped for low maintenance. It’s the perfect size for children (and dogs) and is very secure.”

The property itself is built with alternating courses of ironstone and limestone masonry and a welsh slate roof. The porch was a later addition and has stone walls and a gable parapet enclosing an oak framed doorway.

Charlie runs a Chartered Financial Planning business and needed room to run a small team from home. The couple also wanted to take the opportunity to add value to the house by creating a flexible space that could be used as a guest annexe for visitors or an au pair. “We converted the garage into a good sized room that until recently I used for work. A bathroom and kitchen were included in the conversion and three of us worked very comfortably there. ” Beamed throughout, the annexe is accessed separately to the main house helping to create a feeling of privacy. A Velux window and recessed spotlights ensure the room is flooded with light and bifold doors open up onto the courtyard.

The large living kitchen houses a range cooker and a very unusual corner fridge by Norcool as well as a dining area with room for a farmhouse table and chairs. The floor is tiled and the fully fitted bespoke kitchen in is in oak with granite worktops and an integrated range of quality appliances by Miele. More formal entertaining takes place in the dining room which would easily lend itself to a change of use to a second sitting room, playroom or family room. Lots of interesting

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original features remain such as the pretty stone mullion windows and the butcher’s hooks hanging from the beam. The heart of the room is the large inglenook fireplace which is currently capped but could be opened right up. This room was formerly the kitchen so the fireplace probably housed a copper or bake oven and two original iron brackets survive.

In the sitting room again there are stone mullion windows with a charming window seat making the most of the view of the garden.

This room is carpeted although the rest of the ground flooring is oak floorboards. The ceiling is fully beamed and a Minster stone fireplace has been fitted with a wood burning stove - all adding to the rustic atmosphere.

Upstairs there are two storeys – the first contains the principal bathroom as well as a single bedroom formerly used as a nursery but décor has been kept neutral in bright white. This room contains the Priest’s Hole – a small closet on the east side of the chimney stack which was incorporated to many houses of the period to hide catholic clergy during turbulent times.

The second bedroom on this floor is the master bedroom which has ample storage with one triple and one double wardrobe – both fitted. The Readings have fitted contemporary wall lights and kept the wall colours neutral in warm, muted shades to complement any colour scheme.

Upstairs to the second floor are two further bedrooms one of which is fitted with a useful vanity sink and has an unusual ‘L’ shape plus extra storage in the eaves. The Reading children occupied the second room which also has a built in wardrobe and plenty of room to play.

Outside there is generous parking for two cars and a turning point or up to five cars at a time to accommodate guests or visitors. The garden has as much character as the house having structural borders bursting with plants

and herbs, a paved terraced seating area and a lawn with a retaining wall. Charlie points out there are fruit trees, a summer house and a vine growing on the south side of the house as well as lots of outside storage for bikes and tools. As it wraps around the property, there is sun to be found in the garden all day long - perfect for anyone who likes to spend lots of time outside.

The Reading family have been truly happy here but have had the opportunity to move closer to Charlie’s new offices since the company outgrew the annexe. It’s rare to find a country character home with so much contemporary appeal. A buyer could move in and change nothing or stamp their own mark on the house with a different use of space – the best part of the Priest’s House is the flexibility and opportunity it offers.

• The Priest’s House in Caldecott is currently on sale with James Sellicks of Oakham.

Contact the agent on Tel: 01572 724437, www.jamessellicks.com

RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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DI ARY DAT E S

WHAT’S ON Amander Meade selects some of the best entertainment in the region this month Saturday 7 June, Gates open 5.30pm, Music at 7.30pm, Finale & Grand Fireworks Display 10pm CHARITY CONCERT: Music in the Park Bring your own picnic and enjoy the upBeatles (a Beatles Tribute Band), and the award winning Hathern Brass Band followed by a fabulous Firework Display.

Proceeds to LOROS and HOPE Against Cancer.

More information www.wistow.com Tickets are £12.50 adult (on the gate £15), 12-16 years £5, under 12 years free.

Credit card line Tel: 0116 231 8431or find tickets at any LOROS shop or Wistow Rural Centre.

Kelmarsh Hall £7.50 per session, booking is essential Tel: 01604 686543.

All details at www.kelmarsh.com Sunday 22 June EVENT: Charity Bike Ride Families are invited to ride around Rutland Water in support of the NSPCC. All entrants will receive a complimentary goody bag and there will a free hog roast provided at the finish line. Entry fees are £10 per adult and £5 for children or £25 for a family. All funds raised will be spent locally.

To enter or for more details www.rutlandbikeride. eventbrite.com

Saturday 14 June, 7.30pm MUSIC: West End Wonders Chater Community Choir have members of all ages and sing for fun, health and community spirit with proceeds from this concert donated to the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance.

Tickets are £5 from Tracy Steward Tel: 01780 729006 or Jenny Clarke Tel: 01572 821197

Sunday, 15 June, 2-6pm EVENT: Garden Party During Motor Neurone Disease month, a fundraising garden party will be held with ‘Bake it, Make it & Plant it’ stalls, delicious teas, games and a raffle.

Fryers Cottage, Priory Road, Manton £1 entrance to include Quiz sheet Details/offers of help: Tricia Lawrence Tel: 01572 737125

Thursday 12 June, various sessions EVENT: Painting in the Garden Artists of all abilities can improve their skills, using the beautiful gardens at Kelmarsh as inspiration.

Workshops with local artist Maureen Smith run until September.

Sunday 18 June, 10am to 6pm EVENT: World War I Commemoration Day A family friendly day packed with events including performances

by Rutland Sinfonia, The Rutland Concert Band, the Chilwell Military Wives Choir and a choral finale

52

Wednesday 4 to Sunday 15 June, daily 10am to 4pm EXHIBITION: From Life Artworks produced by students over the last two years from Rutland artist Sarah Watson’s life drawing courses. Expect to see a variety of individual styles.

Harbour Gallery, Whitwell Admission is free. Further information Tel: 0774 811 0951. by primary school children from Rutland schools. Lots to do and a great way to spend Father’s Day. Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore Admission is completely free, full details at www.mobilisation.co.uk Saturday 21 June, 2.30pm TALK: Farm History Great Easton and District Local History Society invite regulars and visitors to join them for a presentation of farm history and a guided field walk around this award winning conservation farm.

Rectory Farm, Great Easton (LE16 8SN) Saturday 21 June, 8pm CONCERT: Fire and Water Leicestershire Chorale performs choral music around the theme of fire and water, interspersed with poetry and solo pieces.

Uppingham Parish Church Tickets £10 in advance Tel:

01572 717400 or £12 on the door.

Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June EVENT: Foxton Festival Live music, huge marquees with stalls of all kinds and a funfair with sideshows and rides with more entertainment in the main arena. Refreshments and a licensed bar.

Foxton Locks

to bring picnics, gazebos and candelabras and gather in the park for a night to remember. The concert will be completely free but the band hope to raise money towards Help for Heroes.

The Bandstand, Cutts Close Park, Oakham

Thursday 27 June, 7.30pm CONCERT: Songbirds Ladies Choir Performing modern popular and musical theatre songs, the choir celebrate their fifth birthday with this concert.

Welland Park Academy, Market Harborough Tickets £5 from Shop Mobility, St Mary’s Place

Sunday 29 June, from 8.30am to 5.30pm EVENT: Blaston Show Main ring displays include horse and pony classes, show jumping, a fancy dress competition, classic vehicles and terrier racing.

Many other attractions including children’s fair rides, trade stands, rural crafts, refreshments and a licensed bar.

Blaston Showground (LE16 7UF) £15 per car.

Saturday 28 June, from 6.30pm, music from 7.15pm CONCERT: Proms in the Park To commemorate Armed Forces Day, the Rutland Concert Band will perform a fabulous programme of proms favourites. Opera star Caroline Trutz will be leading the crowds in such rousing anthems as Rule Britannia, Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory. Everyone is invited

Friday 4 July to Sunday 6 July CHARITY EXHIBITION: Art for Heart’s Sake Painting, sculptures, photographs, textiles and much more. ‘Meet the Artist’ sessions and homemade refreshments with all proceeds donated to Chain of Hope.

Church of St Peter and St Paul, Langham Admission £2 per adult.

RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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Alan Oliver Open Studio Weekend

June 7th and 8th.

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P ERSP EC T I VE S

John Clare, Nature Poet Rodney Lines, Vice President of The John Clare Society, commemorates the life of John Clare on the 150th anniversary of his death

T

he year is 1818, and the young John Clare, clutching a bundle of papers, is just entering Edward Drury’s bookshop in the High Street in Stamford (now the site of Boots the Chemist).

He introduces himself to the new 21 year old proprietor, who replies, “Ah, Mr Clare, I believe you owe a considerable sum for magazines and periodicals, and it’s beginning to mount up. And I see you have brought some more of your poems which my predecessor has told me about. Well, I’ll have a look at them in my office while you continue to browse.” Returning some time later with a broad smile on his face, Drury exclaims, “Mr Clare, please accept the magazines and periodicals with my compliments. You owe me nothing. I think we can do business!”

This imaginary conversation, based on real events, highlights John Clare’s struggle to get himself into print. Born in 1793 in nearby Helpston – then part of Northamptonshire – the son of a barely literate thresher, and after a brief but sound education at nearby Glinton School, Clare was variously occupied as a ploughboy, potboy, gardener and latterly lime burner, all the time working at what he really wanted to be – a poet. And now at last success was beckoning – “I was wearing into the sunshine”, as he put it.

Edward Drury’s cousin was John Taylor, of Taylor and Hessey, Fleet Street, London; they

had recently launched the career of another young poet from a humble background, John Keats.

But Keats was now seriously ill and unlikely to recover. Had they found another young genius? Clare wrote sonnets, like Keats, and sonnets were very popular then with the poetry-reading public. After searching and successfully securing financial backing and patronage from Earl Spencer of Althorp, Lord Fitzwilliam from Milton Hall near Peterborough, Lord Burghley of Stamford and the Bishop of Peterborough, “Poems Descriptive of Rural Life and Scenery” was published in 1820 and ran to four editions by the end of the year.

Introduced to London, he was lionized by the capital’s literary circle, among them Charles Lamb, Coleridge, Admiral Lord Radstock, the essayist William Hazlitt, De Quincey ‘the Opium Eater’ and a number of other leading writers and painters. In conversation at dinner parties Clare could hold his own with any of them and won admiration from all sides. His portrait was painted by William Hilton, R.I. Last, but not least, he married local girl Martha Turner. Things were looking good.

However, the vogue for poetry of nature and the countryside was already beginning to wane and when Taylor brought out Clare’s second collection, “The Village Minstrel” in 1821, sales were merely respectable. Soon Keats, Shelley and Lord Byron would all be dead, and the great age of English Romantic poetry would be over. It would take seven years of delay and the collapse of the partnership of Taylor and Hessey before Clare’s masterpiece, “The Shepherd’s Calendar”, was finally published. It didn’t sell and Clare was constrained to travel to London and bring all the copies back by stagecoach in order to hawk them round the bookshops and inns in Stamford and Market Deeping.

His finest collection of poems, “The Midsummer Cushion”, remained in manuscript throughout his lifetime, to be published at last in 1978! Not surprisingly, Clare began to suffer bouts of severe depression, including delusions about his childhood sweetheart, Mary Joyce, and he was advised to enter a private asylum near Epping Forest. Despite excellent treatment he was later committed to Northampton County Asylum, where he continued to write poetry until

his death in 1864. Clare is buried in Helpston churchyard. In 1989 a plaque commemorating him was placed in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey, true recognition at last.

Finally, which of the sonnets was it that so moved Edward Drury on that fateful day in 1818?

We’ll never know, but here’s one of them, written when Clare was only 16.

The Primrose Welcome pale primrose, starting up between Dead matted leaves of ash and oak that strew The every lawn, the wood and spinney through, Mid creeping moss and ivy’s darker green.

How much thy presence beautifies the ground, How sweet thy modest, unaffected pride Glows on the sunny bank and wood’s warm side, And when thy fairy flowers in groups are found The schoolboy roams enchantedly along, Plucking the fairest with a rude delight, While the meek shepherd stops his simple song To gaze a moment on the pleasing sight, O’erjoyed to see the flowers that truly bring The welcome news of sweet returning spring

The annual John Clare Society Festival in Helpston, celebrated from Friday to Sunday, 11th – 13th July. To find out more visit johnclaresociety.blogspot.co.uk RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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LOCAL N EWS

UPDATES Blaston Show B

laston and District Agricultural Show Society has revealed the plans for the 57th Blaston Show which will take place on Sunday 29th June 2014 The Show organisers have further exciting developments in line with the growth of the Show seen in recent years. The main objective of raising money for a variety of local charities remains. This year the main beneficiary will be The Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA). Last year over £4,000 was donated to a variety of local charities.

The Show will have many main ring displays including terrier racing, classic and vintage tractors and show jumping. The many other attractions across the Showground will include children’s fair rides, trade stands, rural crafts, tug of war, a licensed bar and food outlets, a modern farming display, dog showing and hound showing. There will be many equine events including Equifest and BSPA qualifiers for hunters, cobs, riding, coloured horses and ponies, and mountain and moorland ponies.

This year will be the fourth year with a full range of cattle showing classes and the usual

Smoke and Mirrors Antonia Scott gets some creative interiors ideas from two local experts

S

moke and Mirrors is the brain child of experienced designers Kirsti Powell and Louise Fenton. Set up in January 2014, they have come together to help home owners in Rutland and adjoining counties revamp and refresh either one ‘tired’ room, or to give their entire house a make-over. Their belief is that even with a limited budget, you can make huge changes to a room. Layout is a big part of a room’s ‘success’.

Louise says, “By simply choosing a new colour scheme, buying in key focal pieces and then rearranging your current furniture, a totally new look is possible.” Kirsti agrees, “Being a clever shopper is key; putting things together that have been sourced individually and, with the help of trusted local tradesmen,

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sheep showing will also be present.

For a third year, the day will start with a classic car rally over a 30 mile radius ending up at the showground in time for the entrants to take part in the classic car judging. This was well supported last year and the Show’s organisers hope for the same again this year.

The Society’s Chairman, John Stones commented, “Blaston Show is always a very special day out; we are all looking forward to this year’s show on Sunday June 29th. We were thrilled to give over £4000 to our chosen charities in 2014 and hope to raise even more for The Air Ambulance, local charities and organisations this year.”

The 57th Show will once again take place on the Blaston Road showground, near Slawston in Leicestershire. The cost of entry to the show is £15 per car plus occupants.

• Bookings for all classes are now taking place. For full information about class bookings and the show, visit the website www.blastonshow.co.uk

mixing them with existing accessories or pieces of furniture can revive tired interiors.”

Clients are never disappointed with the care and attention to detail that Kirsti and Louise give each project. They have a growing portfolio of striking ‘Before and After’ images to inspire the unsure, and with their everincreasing ‘little black book’ of original interiors suppliers, championing individual, quirky shops in the region, Smoke & Mirrors can transform your house into a home you will fall back in love with.

• Kirsti Powell: Tel: 07815 751045 • Louise Fenton: Tel: 07970 628247, www.facebook.com/smokeandmirrorsrutland, www.lousmokeandmirrors.wix.com/design

Beer, Bales & Tractors

T

he 4th Rutland CAMRA Beer festival will be opened by The High Sherriff of Rutland; Air Commodore Miles Williamson-Noble at 11.00 on Thursday 26th June running to 11pm on Saturday 28th June at The Rutland County Museum has been hailed a success by the organisers the Rutland CAMRA Branch.

• More information will be on www. rutlandcamra.org.uk face book and twitter Entrance prices are from £2.00 with a refundable glass worth £2.00. CAMRA members receive entrance discounts.

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Get Scandi Style

D

enmark is well known for its design excellence and this extends beyond the timeless furniture of iconic names such as Arne Jacobsen to homewares and clothing too. Anne Reynolds has just set up a new internet business selling gorgeous Danish-designed dresses at www.nordicdresses. co.uk. The dresses are produced in limited numbers, and are manufactured in Europe to high standards, using top quality fabrics and handmade details. “It is a good idea to sign up for my newsletter, as there will be discounts and constantly updated news of new styles,” says Anne. “If people have questions, or want to request a specific size that I might not usually stock, I encourage them to email me as my aim is to make this a very personal shop.”

Anne plans to add new brands all the time, and as she is the only UK supplier of the dresses, you won’t risk bumping into anyone else wearing the same outfit as you!

• You can view the whole range and sign up for the newsletter at www.nordicdresses.co.uk

Diabetes UK Big Bike Ride at Rutland Water

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Local Charity Aims to Raise £20,000 from Sponsored Bike Ride

A

n organisation that supports vulnerable and abused children in the local area is returning to Rutland Water this summer with a charity bike ride to raise much needed funds.

The NSPCC Business Support Group, which raises money to help fund the work of the charity in and around Greater Peterborough including Stamford and Rutland, will host a 17-mile sponsored family fun

Traditional Restoration

N

ow the weather is improving, you may be thinking about improvements to the outside of your house as well as the inside. If you have wooden windows, it is really important to ensure they are well maintained by treating the wood, either by staining or keeping the paintwork up to date. If they have been looked after, they can last for an incredibly long time without any problems. If you do find you have

ride around Rutland Water on Sunday June 22.

This is the second event of its kind for the Group, with last year’s bike ride raising £17,000 thanks to the support and generosity of over 175 local cyclists.

Entry fees are £10 per adult and £5 for children or £25 for a family. All funds raised will be spent locally. Entrants are also being encouraged to get sponsorship for their efforts with a personalised Just Giving page available on registration to make sponsorship quick and easy.

• To enter the event visit: www. rutlandbikeride.eventbrite.com

any areas of rot, do not panic, this does not mean you need new windows! Traditional Restoration uses a combination of good quality timber and Repaircare resin after removing any sections of decay. These repairs are then watertight and durable and once primed and painted, cannot be seen.

If the windows need replacing, James can make bespoke windows including sash and casement replacement windows in full working traditional style, even matching the decorative horns to the

oin 150 riders on 29th June around beautiful Rutland Water. There are 3 rides, 6, 17 and 23 miles and promises to be a fun event for all the family.

The registration fee is £10 per adult and £5 for children under 16 years of age.

No bike? Don’t worry bikes and helmets are available for hire at the event.

The money raised for Diabetes UK enables the charity to help people manage their diabetes effectively, by providing expert advice, information and support. There are over 16,000 people already diagnosed with diabetes in East Leicestershire and Rutland, and it is estimated another 2,500 people have the condition but don’t know it.

Diabetes UK’s East Midlands Fundraiser Claire Coles, said: “The ride offers a variety of routes to suit all the family in this beautiful location, overlooking Rutland Water. It’s a popular event offering a real challenge on the longer routes and a shorter six mile route that many children and all adults can enjoy cycling. I hope as many people as possible will register and raise sponsorship to support our work.”

• To register please contact 01922 614500 or email Midlands@diabetes.org.uk.

rest of the existing windows by hand carving if required. He has recently made a beautiful arched window to enhance the front entrance to of a period house. Other previous works can be viewed on the website and references can be provided on request.

• If you would like a free no obligation quotation contact James or Sally on Tel: 01572 720524 or 07841 527855, email tradrest@hotmail.co.uk , Tweet @tradrest or logon to www.traditional-restoration.co.uk.

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LOCAL N EWS

UPDATES Garden Inspirations at Welland Vale

Long established Welland Vale Nurseries, based just outside Uppingham, opened their brand-new garden retail outlet this Spring

T

he new venture stocks a range of wellcared-for plants with frequently changing fresh ideas. There are large specimen plants from topiary to trees for instant impact, a wide range of shrubs, herbaceous plants, fruit trees & young vegetables in season, house plants, pots and garden sundries.

“The first few months of trading for Garden Inspirations have brought an overwhelmingly positive response from our customers,” says Director, Laurence Middleton.

Original partner Trevor Burns said, “Our passion is plants. We aim to offer sound advice that 40 years’ experience brings, in a friendly relaxed environment.” Strong links with local landscapers, designers and specialists offer a wide list of contacts.

Welland Vale also offer plants wholesale, by cash and carry and over the web.

What makes Garden Inspirations stand out from the crowd of other garden centres is that

the focus still remains very much on plants and gardening – but all presented in a way that is understandable to the everyday gardener as well as the expert.

Science High Flyers at Rutland County College

Art in the Making 2014 – White Hart Lyddington

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O

hree A-level science students from Rutland County College have applied for a highly prestigious Nuffield Research placement in top universities and research institutions around the UK. Each year Nuffield Research provide opportunities for select students to work alongside professional scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians providing invaluable experience for students intending to apply to Russell group universities.

Year 12 students, Francesca Williams, Jack Rowbotham and Magdalena Stroinska have applied for placements in the physical and chemical sciences and are hoping to be accepted based on their strong academic backgrounds and AS-level predictions, as well as their enthusiasm for Science.

‘Mobilisation’ – a unique day of commemoration

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rts for Rutland have organised a family friendly day of music, art, performance and display to commemorate the centenary of the beginning of World War I. The event will take place on Sunday 15 June from 10am at Kendrew Barracks in Cottesmore (LE15 7BL) and admission will be completely free.

For full details, updates and a schedule for the day visit www.mobilisation.org.uk

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Recent News • Look out for Garden Inspirations at the Rutland Show on June 1st • Their first charity morning, in support of Marie Curie, their nominated charity is on June 21st – the Blooming great Tea Party!

• Sign up for a Privilege Card next time you visit. Privilege Card holders will receive • 5% daily discount; available on anything that grows, excluding double discount Wednesdays • Double discount Wednesdays; available on anything that grows • Double discount events • Free quarterly magazine, packed full of tips, advice, inspirational articles and ‘what’s hot’.

ver 30 Rutland Open Studio artists are getting together for a two day festival of Art in the Making again this year – following the success of last year, their new home will be the White Hart at Lyddington - Holly & Stuart East will play host to the festival which hopes to be bigger and better than before with more artists demonstrating their skills: raku firing, singing workshops, local musicians playing, and an Art Exhibition. There will be a beer tent, Hog Roast & BBQ served over the two days from the fine kitchens of the White Hart.

Join the fun for all ages on Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June from 10am – 4pm and help kick start this year’s Rutland Open Studios June Festival. Entry is free.

• Free talks & demonstrations • PLUS bring one friend who is a non-member free of charge.

• Contact: Glaston Road Uppingham LE15 9EU, Tel: 01572 822729, www. wellandvalegardeninspirations.co.uk

• For more information about the festival or if you are interested in participating please contact:rutlandopenstudios@yahoo.co.uk or visit www.rutlandopenstudios.co.uk

Uppingham’s Feast Day

O

ne of the major events in Uppingham is the annual Feast Day which this year it will take place on June 22nd. Expect to see the market place and High Street flooded with visitors and a variety of stalls selling an exotic mix of gifts and craft items, hot and cold food and drinks. Although the final line up hasn’t yet been finalised you can expect to experience participation activities such as mask making, build your own ukulele, falconry displays, and story-telling, all to a backdrop of street entertainers, Punch & Judy, Morris Men and a fantastic line up of live music all day and evening

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KEN RAWSON

GARDEN DESIGNS Do you want Cosy sitting areas.

Screening and privacy.

Colour and scent all year.

Ideas for shady, wet or dry sites.

Pruning advice. Plants identified.

then give me a call on 01780 481624 www.kenrawsongardendesigns.co.uk Easton-on-the-Hill, Stamford. Established 1986

Adam Cawthorne Gardener

• Regular maintenance schedule to keep your garden looking good all year • Lawn treatment programmes • Lawns cut • Planting plans • Plants and trees supplied and planted

Garden Maintenance and Lawn Care

Phone • 01572 82 10 83 e-mail adamthegardener@outlook.com

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CARPENTRY

HEALTH AND FITNESS

OVEN CLEANING

JUDITH EWING

CARPENTERS & JOINERS

• All Carpentry & Joinery

• Kitchens Supplied & Installed • Fitted Furniture Manufacture

01780 480922 / 07775 931397 www.timberwerx.com sales@timberwerx.com

CURTAINS & BLINDS

Or would you rather do it yourself?

Personal Fitness Trainer

EXPERT TUITION – QUALIFIED TEACHER

• One to one personal training service • Bride-to-be personal training service

Ovens, Ranges, Agas, Hobs, Extractors, Microwaves, Start from £39 Fridges, FreezersPrices & BBQ’s • Prices start from £42 T: 01572 767678 M: 07785 987112 t. 01572W: 767678 - m. 07785 987112 www.ovenfairy.co.uk Ovens, Ranges, Agas, Hobs, Extractors, Microwaves, Fridges, Freezers & BBQs

• Exercise & Nutritional Advice and Management • On-line pt packages also available

(book online)

www.ovenfairy.co.uk (book online)

Treating ovens today, tonight and tomorrow

• On-line bridal pt packages also available

PREGNANCY ADVICE

Judith Ewing Fitness

07771866123 wwwjudithewingfitness.com

CURTAINS

Open: Tuesday 9.30am – 3.00pm Or Monday – Saturday by appointment

MASONRY

COMPLETE

Over 150 pairs of curtains on show

The Hall, Back Lane, East Farndon, Nr Market Harborough. LE16 9SE Tel: 01858 466671 www.curtainscomplete.co.uk

HEALTH AND FITNESS

WORKING FROM HOME

01780 765853 or text 07913 052159 office@alternativesstamford.co.uk Alternatives Stamford, Hospital site, Ryhall Road, Stamford PE9 1YA

Friends/Partners Welcome www.alternativesstamford.co.uk

Hardwood Logs for sale

Trading in nearly new curtains

SING BETTER-BREATHE BETTER-FEEL BETTER

Free Excellent Quality Clothes and Equipment Available Boys and Girls from 0-5 years

SUMMER IS THE TIME TO FILL YOUR LOG STORE

07973982820 01476 562500 www.manthorpefirewood.co.uk

BEGINNERS WELCOME AGE NO BARRIER FREE INTRODUCTORY LESSON

BRIAN COOKSON 01858 535487

• Dance and fitness classes

@EwingFitness

WANT TO LEARN TO SING? WANT TO SING BETTER? FORMER PROFESSIONAL SINGER (BBC/OPERA NORTH)

BA (Hons). RSA, BSY (SpM)

LOGS Quality Hand Made Curtains and Blinds Complete service from measuring to hanging.

Track fitting available.

Alterations undertaken.

Kingfisher Close, Oakham Julie 01572 757893

VOICE COACH

Do you want the fairies to clean your oven?

ROOFING

To place an advert in next month’s magazine please call Tracy on 01572 813187

STONE

MASONRY WORKSHOP AND RESTORATION COMPETITIVE PRICES FREE CONSULTATION AND QUOTES Contact : 07828 210488 or 07957 516459 Email : joe@wrightandnelson.com Website : wrightandnelson.com

Fri 25th July

Supporting...

ALL STAR XI LOCAL LEGENDS XI VERSUS

Sat 26th July

TIGERS XI SAINTS XI V

Stamford School Main Field TIVITIES • CHILDREN’S FUN ACER TENTS CID D • BEER, PIMMS AN T COURSE • INFLATABLE ASSAULZONE TS OR • KID’S SP

Twenty20 cricket both days followed by live music

This year’s event is advance ticket only.

www.sportbash.co.uk

Ticket Hotline: 0844 581 0741

5p/min from BT landlines.

Other networks and mobiles may cost more.

Hospitality table enquiries: info@dcrevents.co.uk

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DAYS OUT

Grimsthorpe Castle Amander Meade and family discover a wonderful day out within thirty minutes of Rutland and an hour from Market Harborough

S

trictly speaking Grimsthorpe Castle is an historic house rather than a castle but as the architect, Sir John Vanbrugh incorporated the feeling of a fortress, we won’t quibble. We were in need of some quality time together somewhere easy to reach and that wouldn’t cost a fortune for admission.

Result? Grimsthorpe Castle – a mere twenty five minutes from Oakham and just off the A1.

Admission was a very reasonable £25 for a full day in the house and gardens for four of us.

Part of the mission was to separate two ‘screen heavy’ teenagers from their appliances and have a blast of fresh air and outdoor activity so we opted to hire bicycles on arrival.

From two wheels is the best way to see the estate and with prices from one to three hours hire, very affordable. Of course you can take your own bikes too and there are several routes mapped out to suit different endurance. We tossed the flask and biscuits into the rucksack and managed the ten mile ride with a coffee stop in about an hour. The ride itself was not in the least taxing as the cycle paths are well maintained and mostly flat with lots of wildlife, woodlands and gorgeous views along the way.

After a restorative picnic in the shade of the trees that line the lawned approach, we headed for the house to find out more about the Willoughby de Eresby family who have owned Grimsthorpe for almost five hundred years. The estate was granted by Henry V111 to William, Baron Willoughby de Eresby when he married

woven by Joshua Morris around 1730. The South Corridor contains thrones used by Prince Albert and Edward VII as well as the desk on which Queen Victoria signed her coronation oath.

The girls and I preceded my husband from the house by a good half an hour as he does like to immerse himself in history, so there was time to explore the gardens before meeting up in the tea rooms for refreshments before departure.

In a nutshell, a really lovely day with so much space that even on a bank holiday there was no crowding. Beautiful grounds and a gem of a house packed with fantastic and surprising information and magnificent art and artefacts.

Thoroughly recommended.

Three things to do on your visit…

• Walk around the lake (one hour) • Discover the sights and sounds of the Woodland Walk • Ride the zip wire in the adventure playground Maria de Salinas, lady in waiting to Katherine of Aragon in 1516. The incumbent Baroness was the youngest bridesmaid to our current monarch on the occasion of her marriage to Prince Philip. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour which even engaged the teens on occasion – mostly down to the excellent guides in each room who were the friendliest and the best informed I have ever come across.

The Willoughby de Eresby family is one of only three in England who still fulfill the hereditary office of Lord Great Chamberlain, the Monarch’s representative at the Palace of Westminster. As a result, Grimsthorpe is unexpectedly stuffed with rather rare treasures that have been acquired over the years as ‘perks of the job’. The house contains the throne used

by George IV at his Coronation Banquet, and a Regency gilt wood throne and footstool used

by Queen Victoria in the old House of Lords.

The King James and State Drawing Rooms have been redecorated over the centuries, and contain portraits by Reynolds and Van Dyck, European furniture, and yellow Soho tapestries

Grimsthorpe Castle is on the A151 between Colsterworth and Bourne and well signposted. For Sat Nave use postcode PE10 0LZ. Admission times, prices and more information at www.grimsthorpe.co.uk Tel: 01778 591205 RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JUNE 2014

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AR T

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

Antonia Scott meets Gillian Durno – resident artist in Ketton

I

n 1993, Gillian qualified from Hull University as a primary school teacher with her specialist subject in Art. She taught in Ramsey, near Peterborough prior to having her son Lloyd, now 12; when she decided to have a career break from teaching.

Gillian picked up her paintbrush again in 2009, revisiting techniques developed throughout her degree whilst creating her own distinct style, particularly in contemporary still life and impressionist landscape painting. At that time Gillian began attending Alan Oliver’s painting classes at Stamford Arts Centre, where she realised her true talent. She subsequently became a member of an established painting group of professional artists who continue to meet every Tuesday.

“It was always my dream to be an artist, as art was my passion and attending art classes gave me more confidence in my talent and ability. I started participating in small local exhibitions and to my utter astonishment, started to sell my work!”

This got the ball rolling and in 2010 Gillian started to exhibit successfully in local village halls for the annual Rutland Open Studios Event which runs every year throughout June. Gillian quickly realised that painting from her kitchen table was no longer practical and so had a long-awaited and much dreamed of (modest!) studio built in her cottage garden in Ketton, which is fully insulated and has ‘proper’ plastered white walls for displaying her work. Gillian now participates in Peterborough and Rutland Open Studios annually from her own studio rather than exhibiting in village halls, and finds clients return year after year; some

62

having travelled for miles to visit and chat about her work, or to discuss private commissions and drink Pimms!

Having started from meagre beginnings, last September Gillian decided to branch out more seriously into the Gallery market, following a successful initial exhibition, in 2012 at Robert Fogell’s gallery in Stamford.

Success has continued and Gillian is now exhibiting in Lincoln, Stamford and Cambridge whilst hoping to get into London later this year.

“Last December I exhibited in a joint Christmas exhibition at Cambridge Contemporary Arts (CCA) on Trinity Street, who sold out of my work in the first three days and kept asking me for more! I’ve been invited to exhibit at a ‘Still Life’ exhibition at CCA from 26th April - 26th May alongside some very well respected and established artists, which I am very excited about.”

Having never lost her desire to teach, Gillian has recently started offering private tutoring after school hours, in numeracy and literacy.

She also intends to run ‘Art Workshops’ in the summer holidays from her studio and pretty cottage garden for children aged 6-11 years old.

Gillian is taking part in Peterborough & Rutland Open Studios this year at Lavender Cottage on: 7th – 8th June, 14th – 15th June and 28th – 29th June from 11am - 4pm. Here Gillian will be showcasing her latest original paintings and her new collection of ‘Giclee’ limited edition prints.

• Open Studios weekend offer only: mounted prints from £95.

Contact: www.gilliandurno.co.uk Tel: 07961 608172

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NATIONAL THEATRE PRESENTS

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS

DIRECT DIREC DIRE CT F FROM ROM L LON LONDON’S OND ON DON ON’’S WEST E EN END ND

TO K KILL ILL A MOCKINGBIRD MOCK MO CKINGBIR CK INGBIRD INGBIR D Adapted for the stage by Christopher Sergel Based on the novel by Harper Lee

HHHHH The Times

HHHHH Daily Express

MON 6 – SAT 11 OCT

MON 13 – SAT 18 OCT

THE BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE PRODUCTION OF

FRI 17 OCT – SAT 8 NOV

HICCUP THEATRE PRESENT

PINOCCHIO

THE SNOWMAN

A new verison by Michael Rosen

The stage show based upon the book by Raymond Briggs and the film directed by Dianne Jackson and produced by John Coates Music and Lyrics by Howard Blake

MUSIC BY

RICHARD RODGERS OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II LINDSAY AND RUSSEL CROUSE

LYRICS BY

BOOK BY HOWARD

Suggested by ‘The Trapp Family Singers’ By Maria Augusta Trapp

DIRECTED BY PAUL

WED 12 – SUN 16 NOV

KERRYSON

FRI 28 NOV – SAT 17 JAN

WED 10 DEC – SAT 3 JAN

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