Stamford Living October 2017 by Best Local Living

Stamford LIVING October 2017 Â£1.50

Be inspired by where you live

Autumn Fashion NEW KNITWEAR

IN THIS ISSUE

69 44 59

Stamford LIVING October 2017 £1.50

Contents October FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY 9 Casual knits to cuddle up in 12 Charity Fashion Sow in support of Thorpe Hall 24 Best in class facials 28 Health & Beauty news 30 Stamford Eye Clinic 32 Homefield Grange 56 Stamford Hospital refurbishment

Be inspired by where you live

Autumn Fashion NEW KNITWEAR

1 SL COVER.indd 2

20/09/2017 17:20

Cover photo this month: Knits fashion shoot, Elli Dean (www.ellideanphotography.co.uk)

www.stamfordliving.co.uk @StamfordLiving1 Stamford Living

HOME & GARDEN

16 Cosying up – new winter trends 20 Step Inside – Belmesthorpe Grange 35 Outdoor Living – making the most of your autumn garden

FOOD & DRINK 48 59 60 67

Christmas menus and venues Making sloe gin School Food – what’s it like these days!? Hospitality profile – Michael Thurlby

Editor and Publisher Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Write to Stamford Living, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY www.bestlocallivingliving.co.uk Advertisement Manager Claudia Bayley 01780 482828 claudia.bayley@btinternet.com Advertising Copy Rachel Beecroft 01780 765320 rachel@locallivingdesign.co.uk Head of Design Steven Handley steve@locallivingdesign.co.uk Designers Sarah Compton inkdesign@virginmedia.com, Calum Handley Published by Local Living Ltd, PO Box 208, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 9FY nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Printed by Warners of Bourne

ACTIVITIES, CULTURE, LEARNING & BUSINESS

36 Pet Page - a day in the life of a vet 40 Little Living – doing, exploring, eating, buying 42 Sport – World Dwarf Games, Launch of 16+ Football Academy, Girls only football 55 Makers – Alice Darkling’s Russian dolls 69 Malcolm Sargent concert 70 A love of music - Judith Graham & Lucy-Rose 80 Out & About

PEOPLE & PLACES

38 Victoria’s Top Table: A mix of culture, gastronomy and bon vivant! 44 Ask Leo – Gordon Turnill, Stamford photographer 86 Stamford People; Sue Thomas, Clipsham Quarry

NEWS & NOTES

73 Leaders Estate Agents, Weaver UK 75 QKS awards, CookSmart, Barnsdale Hall Hotel, Ufford Art Show, All Saints’ organ concert 76 UPP property, Murano Jewellery opens 79 Rockblok, Robert Loomes watch auction, Pink Spaghetti virtual PA

TOEX STCLU AM S FO IV RDE

Subscriptions; annual rate £25 (UK only). Please write to the Publisher at Local Living Ltd, with £25 cheque payable to Local Living, or go online to www.bestlocalliving.co.uk

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STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Picture of the month “For me, this rooftop shot across Stamford catches the magic of our town and its many churches. I have picked this image this month to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Stamford becoming the first conservation area in the United Kingdom. The town has more listed properties per capita than almost anywhere else in the country. Why not join the Civic Society and help protect and develop our town in the future – details at www.stamfordcivicsociety.org.uk” Nick Rudd-Jones, Editor Photo by Kingsley Singleton www.kingsleysingleton.com

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Windows • Warm Roof • Bi-Folding Doors • Garage Doors If you are considering any home improvements please contact us for advice and for a competitive quote JUST A SMALL TASTER OF WHAT IS ON DISPLAY IN OUR STAMFORD SHOWROOM • 7 Display Kitchens’ • 15 Composite Front/Back Doors • French Doors/Patio Doors/Bi-Folding Doors • 1 Working Display Model of Electric Roller Garage Door • Windows in Cream, Black, Irish Oak, Golden Oak, Rosewood, White & Grey • English Heritage Approved Sliding Sash Window • Large Rubber Covered Flat Roofing Display Model • Full size roof corner showing Fascia’s Soffits and Guttering • White and coloured Cladding • Warm Roof with Velux

Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm

Tel: 01780 654321 www.classicstamford.co.uk Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk 12 St Leonard’s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HN 6

"making you feel warm inside" Alfred Poppins is a family run business based in Stamford specialising in the supply and fitting of Wood Burning Stoves, Multi Fuel Stoves and Fireside Accessories.

We have many stoves in our shop on live display. Our range of stoves include... Woodwarm, Town & Country, Parkray, Cleanburn, Hunter and more...

L i ve B e a u t i f u l l y

www.elizabethstanhope.co.uk showroom@elizabethstanhope.co.uk Unit 4 West Street Business Park Stamford I Lincolnshire I PE9 2PL

27 Mill St, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6EA 01572 722 345

01780 753979 I 07871 322780 I 07581 322069

www.alfredpoppins.co.uk

Autumn Fashion

Nice Knits Sally Stillingfleet finds casual knits to cuddle up in, new shapes, colours and the softest yarns. Knitwear pieces you can knit for yourself or find locally give your wardrobe an update and prepare for colder climes PHOTOGRAPHY: ELLI DEAN

Holly

Holly wears teal poncho merino and mohair make your own £57, made to order £107. Orange chunky snood wool and acrylic mix make your own £12.50, made to order £25, both Ewe STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

➧

Autumn Fashion

Ella Grace

Ella Grace wears Autumnal mixed colour jumper, wool and acrylic mix, Ewe, make your own from £25, made to order from £60

Nice Knits Ella Grace wears cream chunky cardi kit 100% wool, make your own £130.00, Ewe, over Levis T shirt £25, Energy. Red Mac jeans £100, Attic

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Holly wears black Sylvian Heach fine knit black sweater £60 over red patterned Pepe long cardi £115, both Energy

Ella Grace wears black Postcard from Brighton black vest top £33 under leopard print Silvian Heach long cardi £85 and black jeans all Energy

Holly wears yellow American Vintage sweater £170, Attic

Ella Grace wears Energy bobble hat £20. Holly wears pink pull-on hat £30, Attic

Ella Grace wears Just Female pink sweater £90, Attic, jeans from Energy. Blue, cream and pink snood 100% wool make your own kit £68, Ewe

Ewe – 4 Stamford Walk 01780 763838 www.i-love-ewe.com Learn to knit and crochet courses are held in the winter months. (Booking is essential) Rachel is happy to pass on her ‘pearls of wisdom!’ Why not buy one of her kits designed by Rachel herself. Attic - 33 St. Mary’s Street 01780 766667 Energy – Ironmonger Street 01780 765633 Pictures by Elli Dean (07932 055548) www.ellideanphotography.co.uk STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Stamford’s local independent shops will showcase their Autumn/ Winter Fashion in the Ballroom of the Stamford Arts Centre.

Charity Fashion Show

Wednesday 11th October in aid of the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice Come and see the Doctors and Nurses alongside local faces modeling on the catwalk and enjoy a fun evening with amazing raffle prizes generously donated by the shops and their suppliers. Join us in helping to raise as much money possible, tickets are £20 each By retaining your ticket after the event obtain a 10% discount on clothes bought from the show’s participating retailers – valid for 7 days, until 18th October ( no photocopies can be accepted ) This discount will be donated to the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. Arch Label Agency, Attic, Energy, Gagliardi, Marcia May Shoes, Fizz generously kindly donated by Adnams, Canape’s by The Fine Food Store Tickets are available from The Stamford Arts Centre – 27 St Mary’s Street, Stamford. Tel. 01780 763203 and Energy – Ironmonger St, Stamford. Tel. 01780 765633 Pictures by Elli Dean (07932 055548) www.ellideanphotography.co.uk

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Stunning new trends to embrace this autumn BE

C R E AT I V E W I T H

This Autumn/Winter, we’re definitely seeing more depth to colour; moving away from the soft greys and whites we’ve grown accustomed to, and blending bolder, stronger, deeper palettes with more subtle, sophisticated shades. The leading colours this season include the coupling of pinks and greens in an array of different hues. You don’t have to redecorate your entire home to adopt this sumptuous colour scheme; there are lots of tricks of the trade and simple techniques you can employ to achieve a stunning interior this autumn. By Rannveig Stone Inject drama into the bathroom with a simple lick of paint. ‘Paint can create real impact when you use contrasting pastels with dark, rich colours like this Petite Millbrook bath painted with Myland’s ‘Rose Blush’’ Philippa Cambers at The Maker Place

Limited Edition Petite Millbrook Bath Painted with Mylands Rose Blush 1884 The Maker Place http://www.themakerplace.co.uk/2017/06/12/thebest-paint-colours-and-designer-paint-brands-to-usein-your-home/

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

COLOUR

– WITH

Colour blocking is the art of pairing a few solid hues to create a striking look. It’s a great decor tactic when you don’t want to completely redecorate a room, but you’re keen to freshen it up. The Maker Place www.themakerplace.co.uk

CONFIDENCE!

GET THE LOOK!

Embrace the current trends with cushions, throws and lampshades; it’s a relatively inexpensive way to keep up with the latest interior looks. Dusky pinks and jewel greens work really well together, as do olive greens with mustard yellows. Black or mineral deep blues look stunning with grey. Create a bold boudoir by painting the wall and woodwork behind your headboard in a strong, blue-green. To achieve maximum impact, you could upholster your headboard or an occasional chair in a deep green velvet fabric and add blush pink cushions. For a truly beautiful bathroom, paint a freestanding bathtub in Farrow & Ball ‘Cinder Rose’ and the wall behind it in ‘Black Blue’ or ‘Hague Blue’. Vibrant coloured (think yellow!) bath towels in a grey and white bathroom can help give it more warmth and personality. Introduce copper, rose gold and brass elements within an existing grey scheme; it will create a sense of warmth, luxury and style. Update tired looking crockery with the jewel colours for winter; with emerald greens, sapphire blues and ruby reds adorning your table, you’ll create a real sense of opulence.

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Quick and easy results You can transform the look of any room by ringing the changes in your soft furnishings. Look at Pinterest for ideas, then head to your favourite home furnishing shop to peruse the delights on offer. From luxurious wool throws & accessories at The Wool Room, to an impressive range of armchairs and cushions available at Delcor and The Sackstore including bespoke soft furnishings in fabrics of your choice through Hunters, Anna Stone and J & L Ball, to name but a few, there is a huge array of beautiful goodies to be found in the local Stamford shops to help you colour up for winter.

Invest in a made to measure sofa (like this handsome ‘Edwardian’ fellow from Delcor) or an occasional chair in your choice of fabric. http://www.delcor.co.uk/ furniture/edwardian-sofa/

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With the right throws and scatter cushions, it’s easy to introduce the green / pink combination without having to completely redecorate. The Wool Room

Rugs Visit ‘Alternative Flooring’ to look at their range of high quality, long-lasting rugs & carpets like this Kiss Stripes in vibrant pinks and reds from the Rock n Roll range. Bespoke rugs can be created to suit your specifications. https://www.alternativeflooring.com

TOP TIP! ‘A beautiful hand-made cushion featuring Susi Bellamy’s striking artwork, printed on Mapperley fabric, using colour sublimation printing, capturing the artwork’s rich colour and texture.’ Philippa Cambers at The Maker Place Feathered Green Cushion £50.00 http://www.themakerplace.co.uk/product/ feathered-green-cushion/ http://www.huntersinteriorsofstamford. co.uk/product/arcade-cushion-eden-bykirby-design/

The right combination of paint, upholstery, artwork and flooring can inject a whole new dimension to a space. Start slowly by selecting a few bold pieces and placing them against a contrasting wall. Consider using a multihued geometric rug to pull together contrasting colours in a room, and give a satisfying sense of continuity.

SUPPLIERS/CONTACTS: Delcor; www.delcor.co.uk 01780 762579 The Sack Store @ Stamford Garden Centre; www.stamfordgardencentre.co.uk 01780 765656 Nook Furniture Co Ltd, 3 Sheep Market, Stamford, PE9 2RB; 01780 751029 Anna Stone Design Ltd; www.annastonedesign.com 07900883117 Hunters Interiors of Stamford; www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk 01780 757946 Wool Room; www.thewoolroom.com 01780 767 927 J & L Ball; www.jlball.co.uk 01780 481416 Rannveig Stone is Director of interior design firm Anna Stone Design Ltd, based at the Stamford Garden Centre, Great Casterton, PE9 4BB. www.annastonedesign.com; 07900883117. STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Collectable Artwork for a Contemporary Lifestyle, new collections now available at Trent Galleries

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The Little Red Gallery will make Christmas a breeze with interest free payment plans on any ar twork or sculpture. Pay it off in time for the big day and avoid the silly season stress.

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8 St Mary's Hill, Stamford PE9 2DP, 01780 762288 stamford@thelittleredgallery.co.uk 8 Bailgate, Lincoln LN1 3AE, 01522 589134 art@thelittleredgallery.co.uk

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STEP

Rooms with a View

CCORDING to Ian Scott, the very best thing about his house is its tremendous location. Belmesthorpe Grange has been home to Ian, his wife Alice and their family since they moved here from Scotland in 1994 after falling in love with both the house and the area. “Although the house required some attention when we bought it, we were already smitten with the locale which is definitely the house’s biggest appeal. We are so peaceful here in the middle of beautiful countryside with the most magnificent views of the surrounding landscape all the way to Burghley House, whilst at the same time all the amenities of Stamford are within a five minute drive which is highly convenient.” Approached through stone gate pillars and along an illuminated, chestnut tree lined gravel driveway, the house itself is a Grade II listed classic Georgian stone building with a Collyweston roof. “The two storey section of the house dates back to 1790 with the three storey element added in the mid-1800s,” explains Ian. “We had three months between purchase and moving in during which time some windows were replaced with approved double glazing for listed buildings plus various new lintels and structural work. With a large house it is very important to keep on top of all the maintenance but that is something we have enjoyed – as custodians of a listed building there’s something very satisfying about making your mark on a home whilst preserving its history at the same time.” Plenty of period features remain inside Belmesthorpe Grange including the original stone flooring, high ceilings and elaborate coving you might expect in a house of the Georgian era as well as large windows that frame those fine

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

INSIDE

views and fill the house with daylight. The Scotts added a garden room in 2005 which is a bright, sunny room and has become a favourite place to eat and relax – especially when their children were growing up and had friends to stay. Another major project was the redesign of the kitchen area in 2013. Originally a much smaller kitchen had to be accessed by two ‘walk through’ rooms which were knocked into one to create a larger, much more functional space. Ian and Alice worked with architect Ross Thain in the planning stages, the building work was carried out by CJS and the kitchen installed by Bakehouse Kitchens – all local companies described as ‘excellent’ by Ian. The new kitchen is bright and contemporary whilst remaining in keeping with the elegant style of the house. Classic Shaker style wall, pantry and base units provide plenty of storage beneath granite worktops with integrated appliances and a central island. On the first floor the large master bedroom has an adjoining dressing room and ensuite shower room and two other bedrooms share a beautifully refitted family bathroom. On the second floor, two further bedrooms are south facing doubles with fabulous views. With so much space to offer, Ian and Alice have enjoyed hosting many guests and visitors over the years but with their family now grown up, they feel it’s time to downsize a little. “We are moving to a smaller property not far away as we don’t want to leave the region. We have loved our time here and have taken full advantage of all the sporting and equestrian opportunities afforded by living in a rural area and now it’s time for another family to enjoy this very special house.” Belmesthorpe Grange is currently marketed through Savills of Stamford Tel: 01780 484696 savills.co.uk

This beautifully modern Bakehouse Kitchen was planned as a sociable space ideal for family life and entertaining. Granite worktops lend a classic touch. Try St Giles Blue by Farrow and Ball for a similar clean, vivid blue paint.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We learned very swiftly how to garden on a much larger scale,â&#x20AC;? remembers Ian who designed and installed this pond with Alice. The 1.7 acres of lawns, woods and garden attract a wide variety of wildlife. The mature chestnut and ash trees host nesting Tawny Owls as well as woodpeckers, swallows, pheasants and both hedgerow birds and birds of prey. Wildlife such as Muntjac, foxes and hedgehogs all frequent the natural habitats.

Above: The family bathroom has been recently revamped with sleek new tiling and contemporary fittings. Left: Elaborate window dressings suit the grandeur of this room and emphasise the elegant proportions.

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY: Bakehouse Kitchens Tel: 01780 767928 bakehousekitchens.co.uk Custom Joinery Services (CJS) Tel: 01780 482050 customjoineryservices.co.uk Ross Thain & Co Tel: 01780 482483 rossthain.co.uk STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Stamford’s Occupational Therapy & Assistive Technology Service. Ensuring your safety and independence at home and providing peace of mind to family.

We design level access showers, stair lifts, ramps & new builds. We recommend lifelines, falls sensors, people locators, medication reminders. We advise on chairs, beds, stair/grab rails, toileting, bathing and kitchen equipment. All recommendations are tailored to your individual health needs and preferences.

Telephone: 01780 238 731 Email: OT.Consultancy@gmail.com

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HEALTH Face The Facts & Now that the children are back at school, it’s an ideal time to treat yourself to a results-driven facial, to reverse sun damage and prep your skin for colder weather, says Genevieve Potter. Here is her pick of the best-in-class facials, available in and around Stamford. BEST

FOR:

a youthful boost The Environ brand has long been a firm favourite, thanks to its pioneering use of vitamin A to effectively renew and resurface the skin. But it’s not just reliant on vitamin A, and Amy at the Electrolysis and Skincare Studio now offers a nutrient-packed Environ Collagen Boost Facial, (£81), that can be taken as a one-off youth boosting treat, or as a course of treatments for even better results. Collagen is the substance in the skin that gives it its ‘bounce’, and it depletes naturally as we age. The Environ collagen boost facial, carried out in Amy’s expert hands, uses gentle sound waves to drive a potent peptide and collagen serum deep in to the skin. It’s excellent for softening fine lines, tightening lax skin and giving a plumper, more radiant appearance, and also helps to reverse sun damage and lighten pigmentation. Highly recommended. Electrolysis & Skincare Studio George Hotel Mews, Stamford PE9 2LB 01780 763620 www.escstudio.co.uk

PHOTO: ELLI DEAN

BEST

FOR:

face ‘lifting’ For anyone interested in the very latest and most effective nonsurgical anti-ageing treatments, Equilibrium’s ‘Ultimate Anti-Ageing Facial’ should be at the top of your list. Combining Radio Frequency (RF) and CACI, what’s so different about this facial is the uniquely toning ‘work-out’ it gives the facial area, in addition to improving the skin’s texture and clarity. RF is a clinically proven procedure that stimulates collagen production and strengthens the skin’s structure. It heats the deepest skin layer through hand pieces, without damaging the top layers of the skin (epidermis), to tighten sagging skin on the face, neck and jowls. Combine this with CACI non-surgical facial toning, (where all 32 facial muscles are gently manipulated and toned with dynamic muscle activation), microdermabrasion, to improve the skin’s texture, and LED light therapy to tighten and brighten. The net result? A lifted, toned, brighter and plumper complexion. This two-hour treatment takes place in a beautifully relaxing room and each client is given one-to-one prescriptive care. The Ultimate Anti-Ageing Facial at Equilibrium costs £110, but when you mention Stamford Living at the time of booking, you will receive a complimentary 30-minute back massage (subject to availability, for appointments taken before 31st October 2017). Equilibrium 7 St. Paul’s Street Stamford PE9 2BE 01780 757579 www.equilibriumstamford.co.uk

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

BEST

FOR:

reducing fine lines Stamford’s largest Elemis stockist; The Ivy Lodge, has a loyal following of clients who return monthly for their ‘must have’ Elemis Pro-Collagen Age Defy Facial (£68). The treatment is exceptionally relaxing but also clinically proven to reduce wrinkles and fine lines by up to 97% and skin firmness by up to 93%, after just one treatment. This is due to age-defying marine ingredients, coupled with precise targeted massage, that encourage the optimum cellular function of the skin. To enhance the facial at home, Elemis products can be purchased at the salon, these include Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. Exclusive offer - book an Elemis Pro-Collagen Age Defy Facial and receive your second for half price (both facials to taken in October 2017). Subject to availability, please quote Stamford Living at the time of booking. The Ivy Lodge, Stamford Garden Centre, Great Casterton, PE9 4BB (open 7 days a week) 01780 766583 www.theivylodge.co.uk

& BEAUTY BEST

FOR:

a single facial with multiple benefits

BEST

FOR:

getting your glow back Peels have received a mixed press over the years, thanks to the traditional concept of a sore, bright red complexion in the immediate aftermath. The new generation of peels have come a long way, and amongst the best that I’ve ever experienced is the multi-peel, Alumier Luxury Facial at Holly Elizabeth Beauty. Holly began with a deep cleanse, using a purifying gel cleanser to remove impurities and excess oils. This was followed with the application of balancing solution with lactic and citric acid, to prepare my skin for its peel. Holly then applied the ‘enzyme re-texturing treatment’ mask for just five minutes. This contained exfoliating fruit enzymes, to eliminate dead skin cells and promote cell renewal. Next, the first ‘radiant 20/10’ resurfacing peel was gently ‘painted’ on to my face. With a combination of lactic and salicylic acid, it’s a complexion multi-tasker. After ten minutes, the peel was neutralised, before the application of the vitamin A boost peel. Containing pure retinol and lactic acid, it’s specifically designed to create a radiant, even toned complexion, creating just a mild tingle. Post-peel, the Alumier brightening accelerator was applied to enhance and increase penetration of all of the active ingredients. The treatment concluded with the application of an intensely soothing recovery balm and a sheer hydrating SPF40 sunscreen – and as with all Alumier products, there wasn’t a paraben in sight. After the facial, my skin had a (slightly) pink and healthy glow, as well as being noticeably smoother. Some of the pigmentation that I’d noticed from two weeks of sun worship had definitely lessened too. If I was slightly wary of peels before, I’m now a convert, due in large part to Holly’s exceptionally caring and knowledgeable approach. The Alumier Luxury Facial normally costs £120, but when you mention Stamford Living at the time of booking you can experience it for just £80 until 31st October 2017 (subject to availability). This includes a complimentary post peel pack of mini Alumier products, that must be used for five to seven days after the facial. Holly Elizabeth Beauty The Cutting Company, 6 Ironmonger Street Stamford, PE9 1PL 01780 763331

Seeking the very best anti-ageing facial in just one treatment has led Renaissance owner Fiona Hood to create her own; the ‘Collagen Lift’ facial, reaffirming her position as one of Stamford’s leading skin experts. PHOTO: ELLI DEAN It incorporates non-surgical face lifting with thermotherapy, cryotherapy, microdermabrasion, light therapy and specialist intensive serums, sourced from a range of leading brands, that are introduced into the skin using ultrasound. The facial is further enhanced up by Medik8, a cosmeceutical line that’s designed to give excellent anti- ageing results at home and in the salon. The treatment costs £110 or £750 for a course of ten treatments. Stamford Living readers can receive 10% off a single trial treatment taken before 31st October 2017 – subject to availability, please mention Stamford Living at the time of booking. Renaissance – new address 15 Maiden Lane , Stamford PE9 2AZ 01780 763768 www.renaissancebeauty.co.uk BEST

FOR:

high-tech skin renewal

BEST

FOR:

perfect texture Elysia’s owner Lisa introduced the Venus Viva system to her tranquil Tansor salon over two years ago. It’s based on two technologies. Firstly, precise and controlled needling, that causes the skin to produce lots of new plumping collagen and elastin. Secondly, radio frequency, that passes through to the deeper level of the dermis, to tighten and tone. Lisa comments: “The treatment is based on years of research and development and is completely safe. Clients love the fact that it has minimal downtime, although there may be some redness immediately after the treatment. “To achieve optimum results, a course of four is usually required. The frequency of treatments will be based on what we’re trying to achieve, whether that’s reducing the appearance of acne scarring, large pores or wrinkles, or even treating rosacea. Clients see better and better results throughout their course as skin renews.” Lisa is offering a special discount of £100 for a course of four treatments when you mention Stamford Living at the time of booking (offer is subject to availability). Elysia Health & Beauty Tansor, Oundle PE8 5HP 01832 226328 www.elysiahealthandbeauty.com BEST

FOR:

a tailor-made approach

The Oxygen Facial from Flawless Body utilises ‘Geneo+ TriPollar’, technology. This is a clinically developed and proven treatment, that is relaxing and trauma-free, taking its inspiration from natural hot springs that are known for inducing skin oxygenation. The treatment begins with microdermabrasion to gently exfoliate the skin and oxygenate the facial area. Next, ‘NeoRevive’ or NeoBright’ gel is applied with a special hand piece that is hygienically prepared for each client. This ensures that the product is infused much deeper into the skin than a manual treatment could achieve. Radio Frequency technology is then employed to safely and gently heat the deep layers of the skin, whilst protecting the top layer (epidermis). This provides an immediate tightening effect and stimulates the cells known to be responsible for collagen and elastin production. The Oxygen Facial with RF Skin Tightening costs £100.

The beauty team at Francesca Alexander are evangelical about the Dermalogica brand, that was developed by the International Dermal Institute in the U.S. With its unique Face Mapping technique, skin is analysed and decoded zone by zone, in order to prescribe a completely individual, results-driven routine. Rather than an ‘off the shelf’ facial, each Dermalogica Skin Treatment (£60), begins with an in-depth consultation to learn more about the client’s lifestyle and individual skin concerns. After a ‘double cleanse’, the Face Mapping analysis takes place using a special magnifying mirror. After gentle extractions, a serum or mask is applied using an electrical hand-held device with galvanic and high frequency waves. Massage therapy for the back, scalp, hands, feet and eyes bring extra stress-relieving benefits, before moisturiser, sun protection factor, and a sheer or fuller coverage tint are applied, for a flawless finish. Stop press: look out for the Dermalogica non-chemical peel, coming to the salon later this winter.

Flawless Body 18a Scotgate, Stamford PE9 2YQ 01780 660302 www.flawlessbody.co.uk

Francesca Alexander 7 Ironmonger Street, Stamford PE9 1PL 01780 482888 www.francescaalexander.co.uk STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

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The latest laser and injectable cosmetic procedures performed by fully qualified GP or Nurse Practitioner Laser Treatments Include:

• Laser tattoo removal • IPL photo-rejuvenation • Hair removal • Rosacea & facial redness • Facial & leg veins & vascular lesions • Pigmented skin lesions & sun damage

All in addition to our usual range of Medical Aesthetic Treatments: • Muscle relaxing injections for lines & wrinkles • 8 point non-surgical face lift • Non-surgical 15 minute Rhinoplasty • Volite & Restylane Vital skin rejuvenation • Juvederm & Restylane dermal fillers • Silhouette Soft Thread lifts • Treatment for excessive underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis) • Minor surgical procedures including mole removal & non-scalpel vasectomy

www.glen-edenmedical.co.uk 01476 550056

The Market Cross Surgery, Bourne Road, Corby Glen, Lincs NG33 4BB

HEALTH & BEAUTY

News & Notes

Aimee joins Flawless Body

LAWLESS Body are delighted to announce that Aimee has joined the team. Aimee was previously the Manager at The Advanced Skin Clinic on St Martin’s. Following the sudden closure of The Advanced Skin Clinic it has left a number of customers and staff with no job or place to continue their treatments. Pritpal Matharu one of the Directors at Flawless Body said of the situation: “We only found out that The Advanced Skin Clinic had closed down when we suddenly had a number of customers contacting us to complete treatments that customers were half way through. It is really sad to see a local business has closed down but what we found frustrating was that there were no refunds for customers or prior notice. It literally happened overnight. As our clinic was growing our first response was to see if we could support any staff that were displaced. Fortunately, we managed to contact Aimee; and within 48 hours we had offered her a role and think that she will be a very valuable addition to the team.” “We have also been speaking to ex Advanced Skin Clinic customers and helping to complete treatments where possible. If there are others, they are welcome to book in with Aimee for a consultation and we will endeavour to do what we can so that individuals can complete their treatments.” Flawless Body is the sister business to Flawless Faces which has been trading in the town for several years. They provide Laser Hair Removal, Non-Surgical Fat Reduction and Weight Loss, and Skin Rejuvenation for the Face and Body using the most up to date technologically advanced technologies available on the market today. Flawless body, 18A Scotgate, Stamford PE9 2YQ 01780 660302 www.flawlessbody.co.uk

The Wright Stuff Wright Care at Home have set themselves a new challenge, to run 13.2 miles to raise money for ‘The Stroke Association.’

AMANTHA Wright told SL: “I wanted us to do something as a team that will support our customers and those who have experienced a condition that is sadly very common. In March 2017, we had a guest speaker ‘Babs Smith’ who gave her personal experience of what recovering from a stroke feels like. She discussed how acting ‘FAST’ is the key to recovery and what we can do as

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Cosmetic Clinic offer

HE Cosmetic Clinic has an excellent Skin Brightening Offer comprising in October & November, offering 3 separate treatments at different appointments at 2 - 3 weekly intervals. 1st - a microdermabrasion treatment 2nd - the extremely popular ZO Obagi red carpet facial and 3rd a Mesoestetic lighter peel which the therapist will choose for your specific skin type. The complete package is £100 which is a saving of £90. A truly pampering experience which will leave your skin smooth, clear and glowing by December. Call 01733 310090 for more information or to book an appointment.

individuals to be more aware of this. Sadly, many of our customers have suffered from a stroke and this may have added difficulties to their daily routines. By us raising money for this charity we will increase the awareness and support of this condition.” “Not only is this a great charity but it is also a great team building event, there are seven of us in total running The ‘Great Easter Run’ located in Peterborough sponsored by ‘Perkins’. The event takes place on October 8th. We

have lots of support on the day and people to cheer us along, and even the team who are not running will be on the sidelines to keep us going. I’m sure you will not miss us wearing our charity t-shirts. “We have set ourselves a target of £500.00 to raise and have a ‘just giving’ page set up where you can make any donation. To support us please go to this link: http://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ wrightcareathome”

Nicholas Rudd-Jones is impressed by the friendliness and professionalism of this business in the heart of Stamford

The Stamford Eye Clinic (Opticians) PHOTOGRAPHY: ELLI DEAN

S soon as you enter the Stamford Eye Clinic, based in St Peter’s St, you get an immediate sense of both their professionalism and friendliness. The clinic has a fresh, modern feel about it, a warm welcome and you will be offered a cup of tea or coffee if you have an appointment or even if browsing. The key to the clinic is the quality of the staff and the high levels of customer service. Whilst I was there, for example, a customer came in with a broken pair of sunglasses; a call was made to the manufacturer and everything sorted there and then, and the sunglasses would be back repaired within a few days. The range of frame brands is impressive, sourced from around the world, in many cases hand-made and not stocked by the multiples. Lenses are by Zeiss and Essilor, two of the most renowned makers in the business. EYE MANAGEMENT

I booked an appointment because I was starting to find reading, especially in the evening, difficult; and also because of a family history of glaucoma. The very capable and friendly Mr Singh, formerly of Boots, conducted a series of tests on my eyes. First, he carried out a visual field test, then he took a retinal picture, then a mini-MRI of the eye checking for abnormalities or dystrophies. Finally, he looked into the back of my eyes and carried out the ‘puff test’ for glaucoma. A very thorough check that lasts 40 minutes or so, and re-assured me about all aspects of my eye health. Plus, we chatted lots about cricket. I then received a report that I could take back through to the ‘dispensing’ optician, Malvinder Singh. Malvinder talked through my needs in great detail, what I required glasses for, whether my job was computer-orientated, my lifestyle etc. From that came advice on the type of visual aid required, be that glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, sports glasses, swimwear goggles, safety glasses, you name it… 30

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

EYEWEAR

Next was be the consideration of single focus, bi-focal or varifocals. In the end, I opted for varifocals which offers a subtle and invisible shift from short focus (reading) to longer focus (driving), which I have subsequently found to be invaluable. Finally, we looked at frame options. Malvinder seems to have the knack at proposing ones that you immediately feel are right for your style…clever skill that… Followed by accurate measurements involving digital devices and aids which measured to 0.1 mm and designed the lenses to ensure optimum vision from my spectacles! DELIVERY

After a week or so the glasses will be ready for collection. Malvinder made a ‘fitting appointment’ for me, and again I did not feel rushed, as he went through all aspects of what I had chosen and gave tips on getting the best out of my glasses. There is a final vision check, checking that the glasses are fitting exactly right and then hey presto I am free to enjoy them…an exciting moment, at which point I feel sure: a) my eyes’ health have been checked thoroughly b) I have received the optimal vision solution c) the glasses look how I want them to look…not bad! AFTER SALES SERVICE

Malvinder recommends coming back after a month or so to check the fitting; and to have a full service after six months. You will also be notified of your next eye test. Brilliant service, friendly team, great solution – I will be back! The Stamford Eye Clinic, 32 St Peter’s Street, Stamford, PE9 2PF. www.thestamfordeyeclinic.co.uk Email: info@thestamfordeyeclinic.co.uk Phone: 01780 767403

Kirstie Mitchell speaks to Suzanne Peck on her incredible journey and how it is possible to achieve health and happiness.

Detox your way to health at Homefield Grange

IFE-defining moments are sometimes what it takes to change the course of our lives, and this was certainly true for Suzanne Peck, co-director of Homefield Grange. For readers not yet aware of this little gem on our doorstep, Homefield lies in the historic village of Rushton and is nestled in 23 acres of beautiful Northamptonshire countryside. It is a small dedicated venue offering a completely holistic approach to anyone wanting to lose weight and improve their general health and well-being. It offers detox treatments, therapies and residential packages, and it’s no wonder that a number of celebrities (naming no names here, but there is feedback from some famous faces on Homefield’s website) see this as their go-to venue for red-carpet events. The compassion and dedication of cofounder Suzanne is what makes the retreat so special. It was a personal health experience in Suzanne’s early thirties that forced her to step back and look at her own diet. Sport and fitness run in Suzanne’s family (her dad was a professional football player), but it was only after experiencing for herself the benefits of a powerful detox programme that she realised the important role that nutrition plays in health. Suzanne explains: “Due to ill health and low energy levels I went to a detox retreat. Back then detoxing was still in its infancy in the UK. I couldn’t believe what I what seeing. The pivotal moment in my life was witnessing a lady being wheeled in with an undiagnosed condition, and after seven days of detoxing she walked out to be greeted by her husband, who just couldn’t believe it!”

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Suzanne wanted to learn as much as possible about nutrition to help others. She spent seven years gaining as many qualifications as possible in nutrition and holistic and naturopathic remedies. With her partner, Hans Looser, she set up Homefield in 2004 with one purpose in mind – to help others feel and look amazing, inside and out. “If you don’t have your health, you haven’t got your life. I want to help people make positive changes to how they look and feel about themselves. Your health is your greatest investment.” Guests see great results, which is the main reason for Homefield’s success and reputation. “Every guest is unique, with different needs, and we work with them to set them up for positive results, not failure, and that’s why they keep coming back!” Homefield’s staff are seasoned professionals, who have access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology, and are trained in all fields of naturopathy, nutritional therapy, personal fitness, life coaching, mindfulness, live blood analysis and intolerance testing. With 13 bedrooms and a maximum of 15 residential guests per week, Homefield can offer visitors exceptionally high standards and a personalized, attentive service. There are packages available to help you lose weight, kick start better ways of eating and change bad habits, and, for anyone with health concerns, there are dedicated professionals who can help you detox, relax and improve your energy levels. Homefield Grange has introduced several pre-wedding treatment plans to ensure bridesto-be and members of the wedding party are

looking and feeling their best on their big day. Skin analysis, prescriptive HydraFacial treatments, nutritional and diet advice, personal training and laser hair removal are just some of the options available. The future for Homefield looks extremely exciting, as plans include a new Day Spa opening in March 2018; this will focus on health benefits rather than just a day’s pampering. Facilities will include saltwater hydrotherapy beds, deep-water relaxation massage beds and a herbal sauna. Day guests will receive the same care and attention as those on a retreat, with medical questionnaires, food demonstrations by the resident chef and prescriptive treatments. Look out, too, for specific wellness support days such as Cancer and Diabetic Days, which will be informative and guide guests to a better understanding of how to manage nutrition with respect to their health. • Homefield Grange, Manor Road, Rushton, Northamptonshire NN14 1RH, 01536 712219, www.homefieldgrangeretreat.co.uk

When it’s time to look seriously good for your special day - we can help. Homefield Grange specialises in helping you glow inside and out with its specialised Wedding Preparation Packages. Come and chill out and get some time for yourself before your big day and be pampered, shaped and preened - you’ll never look so good! Choose from one of our Bridal Bundles - we’ll be happy to advise you on which one will best suit your needs and get you the results you want. Give our friendly professionals a ring on 01536 712219, Monday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm daily.

“Stay Calm”

“Gorgeous Darling”

Decleor Vitamin Recharge Glow Facial Decleor Full Body Salt Scrub Full Body Aromatherapy Massage G5 Lymphatic Cellulite Treatment for perfect, smooth looking thighs

Decleor Back Salt Scrub Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage Decleor Vitamin Recharge Glow Facial Full Body Brush

Bridal Package £335

Bridal Package £235

Enjoy a 2 course detox lunch during your treatment day with us and curl up in a fluffy gown and slippers with our cleansing Herbal Teas. Get ready to glow! 10% discount off all our laser hair removal courses when booking a Bridal Package

01536 712219 I enquiries@homefieldgrange.co.uk Homefield Grange, Manor Road, Rushton, Nr Kettering, Northants, NN14 1RH

www.homefieldgrangeretreat.co.uk

RenaissanceHealth Hair, & Health andTherapy Beauty Therapy Beauty Health & Beauty Therapy 15 MaIden lane, StaMford. Mallory alloryllane ane, StaMford taMford ttel el. .01780 01780763768 763768 22M tel,. S01780 763768 Some of of the the most most trusted trusted namesMOVED in beauty... beauty... all all under under one one roof. roof. WE HAVE Some names in Come & visit our beautiful new Hair & Beauty Salon at 15 Maiden Lane.

INDEPENDENT OPTOMETRISTS AND CONTACT LENS PRACTITIONERS Providing eyecare and caring for eyesight in Stamford for over 30 years COMBINING CLINICAL EXCELLENCE WITH PERSONALISED SERVICE TAILORED TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS •

Private and NHS eye examinations

•

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

•

Glaucoma clinic

•

Contact lenses

•

Children

• • • • • •

Coloured overlay assessment Dry eye assessment Retinal imaging Visual fields Wide range of frames and lenses to suit all budgets Orthokeratology contact lenses

Pirrie Optometrists | 7-8 Maiden Lane | Stamford PE9 2AZ t 01780 753488 | www.pirrieoptometrists.co.uk

Specialist in high tec & aesthetic treatments and cosmeceutical products for exceptional results. Our new hair salon uses Organic Colour Systems products, which are organic, vegan and ammonia free.

Specialists in in hi hi tech tech treatments treatments and and cosmeceuticals cosmeceuticals Specialists www.renaissancebeauty.co.uk www.renaissancebeauty.co.uk www.renaissancebeauty.co.uk renaissancestamford

A FLORAL BUSINESS

When Mel Greville and her family moved into the old Post Office in Peakirk three years ago, they progressed from having a postage stamp sized garden to half an acre of mature wilderness, complete with apple, pear and peach trees, a charming old greenhouse and bags of potential. Mel knew it was time to start the business that she’d been considering for a few years. She wanted to create her own cutting garden for bouquets, posies, and flowers for parties and weddings. “I trained as an accountant, but I’d always loved gardening, and after 10 years, I switched to studying horticulture at Milton College where I gained an RHS qualification. After working at Notcutts in Peterborough and at Helpston Garden Centre, I’d learnt from some very knowledgeable people,” explains Mel. “When my youngest daughter started school and we acquired this garden, the time was right.” Working every spare hour, Mel is now in the second year of her small business. She sells posies through Northborough village shop, and has built up a regular clientele who love her natural, informal style and cottage garden flowers. These are grown in a series of raised beds intersected with paths for easy access. Last autumn, Mel introduced a perennial border. “It’s still a work in progress,” she says. The

borders are already looking bountiful. There are rows of giant sunflowers reaching for the skies, a dahlia bed with creamy, café au lait blooms, swathes of cosmos, lemon coloured calendula, Japanese anemones, grasses for texture, and poppies grown as much for their tactile seedheads as the short lived flowers. “At this time of year, I’m using dahlias, sedums, sunflowers, fuschias, berries and grasses,” says Mel. “In 2016, my growing season extended until November, and then I was making wreaths for Christmas.” Seasonal jobs now include sowing hardy annuals for next year, a tip that Mel strongly recommends. “If you sow nigella, clary and calendula now, they’ll grow stronger in the spring,” she says. Her favourite seasons are spring and autumn, “although really, I love them all, as each one brings new excitement and things to look forward to,” she says. Mel has no regrets about abandoning accountancy for a life outdoors. “Absolutely not,” she smiles. “In summer, you’ll still find me out there working away after dark.” Mel supplies country style bouquets, jam jar posies, and buckets of cut flowers. Delivery charge to Stamford is £5. She takes commissions for parties and weddings. Visit her website www.the-wildgarden.co.uk, or email wildgardenposies@gmail.com

OutDoOr LIviNg October: Make the most of your garden this season WORDS, ILLUSTRATION AND PHOTOS: FIONA CUMBERPATCH

QUICK MAKE

CIdeR aPplE cHutNey Get your hands on some windfall apples, or buy British Bramleys from Stamford Market, and try this tangy chutney. Ingredients 250g onions, chopped 1 kg cooking apples, cored and chopped 125g sultanas or raisins 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon mixed spice 1 tablespoon salt 350g granulated sugar 700ml cider vinegar 1. Put all the ingredients into a large pan. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. 2. Simmer for one and a half to two hours, stirring occasionally to stop the chutney sticking to the pan.

3. After 90 minutes, check to see if the chutney is ready by dragging a channel through the mixture with a wooden spoon. If the channel fills immediately with liquid, the chutney is not ready. Cook for another 15 minutes and do the test again. 4. Once the mixture is thick, remove from the heat and leave to stand briefly. Pour the chutney into warm, sterilised jars and seal. Cool and then store in a cool, dark place. Leave for two months before eating.

BEST BUY

Chalk paint took the interiors market by storm because it requires no preparation before it is applied, doesn’t need an undercoat and dries in superfast time. The good news is that there’s an outdoor version now available to buy. Frenchic’s Al Fresco paint comes in gorgeous muted shades and will withstand the British weather. I love the grey green Wise Old Sage and the subtle shade of Ol’ Blue Eyes. It costs from £6.95 per pot. Visit www.frenchicpaint.co.uk

GROWING IN MY GARDEN NOW Chinese lanterns (Physalis alkekengi) evoke Halloween with their lantern shaped seed heads in fiery orange. These hardy perennials are good value – as well as their spectacular autumn show, they have tiny white flowers in summer, too. Plant in a sunny, but not too sunny border, and allow them plenty of space as they can be invasive once established. STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Most children with of a love of animals will at some point utter the words: “when I grow up, I want to be a vet”, but very few will go on to university and qualify. Training takes a huge amount of determination and commitment and for the few that do succeed, what then? Playing with puppies and kittens all day? Unfortunately, not!

A day in the life of a vet by Jessica Fawcett

ERE is an insight into a typical day in the life of a veterinary surgeon at Stamford Veterinary Centre. 8.30am. Vets arrive at the Clinic. Their first task of the day is to check the inpatients that have spent the night on the hospital wards. Prior to this the veterinary nurses will have walked, fed, groomed and carried out temperature, pulse/respiration checks and made sure all IV fluid lines are working as they should be. Next, the vet will perform a full physical health examination of each patient, devise a treatment plan for the morning and then inform the nurses and owner of their intentions. At Stamford Veterinary Centre we have four experienced vets; David, Luca, Sade and Gavan. 9.00am. Two of our vets will begin their morning consultations in which they will see a wide range of patients suffering from many different conditions. Cases vary from vaccinating puppies/kittens, which includes educating new owners on the best way to care for their new family addition, to patients suffering from lameness, vomiting, skin complaints and also emergency cases such as road traffic accidents, animals with breathing difficulties and those that have collapsed. Being a vet, you not only have to have a vast knowledge of different animal ailments and how to treat them, you also should be able to treat different species ranging from cats and dogs to rabbits, birds, reptiles, horses, cattle

and in some cases even zoo animals. In theatre, the morning begins with the vets and nurses admitting the patients into the hospital. We understand that owners may be apprehensive about leaving their beloved pets at the vets for the day but our vets and nurses are on hand to reassure owners that they are in good hands. The vets will carry out operations such as neuterings, lump removals, stitching up wounds and even Orthopaedic surgery. Vets not only have to be competent surgeons, they also have to be able to perform dental extractions, x-rays, ultrasounds, chemotherapy treatments and deal with emergency cases as doctors would do in Accident and Emergency centres. Lunch. Theatre tends to conclude at around 2pm, however, if it has been an especially busy day it may go on until 4-5pm. Once all the patients have been treated, the inpatients have been checked and the morning consultations have finished, the vets then get a break (if they are lucky!). Afternoons consist mainly of consultations but our vets may also spend time in the laboratory looking at blood results or examining cells taken from lumps under the microscope (cytology). They will also spend time speaking to owners on the phone, discussing results and advising owners on the best treatment options. 6.00pm. After a long afternoon, the vets will usually finish consulting at around this time. They will then go back and check their patients in the hospital and update the owner on their

progress. But we don’t stop there! Even though the day has come to an end for most, our vets and nurses provide a 24-hour emergency service. So, when you are tucked up in your bed at night, the team are still checking patients and seeing emergency cases that can’t wait until the morning. Just this week vet David and I were at the practice at 10pm performing a blood transfusion on a very poorly dog. After the blood was delivered to the practice via a courier from Nottingham, we then spent the next 7-8 hours intensely observing the transfusion and monitoring the patient. No two days are the same and once you qualify there are many different areas of the industry that you can access, such as private clinical practice, teaching, research, the military and private industry. I hope this short article gives you an insight into how hectic a day in the life of a vet can be but, I also believe it is one of the most rewarding and interesting professions to pursue. Our patients always make our career choices feel worthwhile and we wouldn’t have it any other way! For more information on becoming a veterinary surgeon visit the following websites: www.bva.co.uk/Professional-development/ Careers/Becoming-a-vet or; www.animalowners.rcvs.org.uk/veterinarycareers/i-want-to-be-a-vet

32 Main Street, Great Casterton, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 4AA

A VETERINARY PRACTICE WITH A DIFFERENCE Tel: 01780 763180 www.stamfordvets.co.uk 36

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

OCTOBER SPECIAL OFFERS DOGS:

Reduced Price Neutering

(Formerly Alder Veterinary Practice)

Spay up to 10kg (was £114)

The only thing that has changed is our name.

Spay 20-30kg (was £159)

Same ownership-we remain an independent family run practice Our values remain the same providing the best level of Veterinary Care at a sensible price. The same trusted familiar faces will deliver the personal service and excellent standard of care we are recognised for.

Stockists of

CATS:

Reduced Price Neutering

£87.77 Spay (was £43.50)

Spay 10-20kg (was £137)

£102.39 Castrate (was £31.60)

Spay 30-40kg (was £191)

£117.02

Spay 40-60kg (was £220) Spay 60kg+ (was £270)

£117.02

£146.27 £179.28

Castrate up to 10kg (was £85)

£63.39

Castrate 20-30kg (was £106)

£82.90

Castrate 10-20kg (was £97)

Castrate 30-40kg (was £118)

Castrate 40-60kg (was £150) Castrate 60kg+ (was £190)

£73.13 £82.90

Introducing our new

£29.26 £20.48

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’

all professional fees are FREE and medication discounted for LIFE! For a full range of benefits and to discuss joining the plan pleas e call the practice on 01780 32 2333.

£87.76 £97.51

at low prices

Uffington Road, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2BF Tel: 01780 322333 Email: prioryvetnurses@gmail.com

www.prioryvetsstamford.co.uk

A mix of culture, gastronomy and bon vivant!

Victoria’s Top Table

CTOBER…a month of fruit picking, conker collecting, the first open fire of the season and a whole extra hour of time…it marks the start of my favourite time of year and my party shoes are staying on until New Year! I don’t need an excuse to visit Lambert’s on Cheyne Lane, but if I did, October’s crisp weather would find me tucked away there, in a cosy corner, with a cup of tea sharing some sweet potato fries (the best in town!) Steve Conway and his amazing team host a terrific offering of a deli/café during the day serving breakfast, brunch and lunch with the most delicious and creative dishes; the perfect place for an informal working lunch. I always send newcomers to Stamford in Lambert’s direction, and invariably I receive a note of thanks for introducing them to such a noteworthy venue. Come Thursday and Friday evenings, the atmosphere changes to that of an intimate candlelit bistro, serving the most exquisite menu. Recently introducing pianist, Isabelle O’Neill, to accompany the evenings, diners really could not ask for more. Booking is essential whether you are opting for lunch or an evening meal as Lambert’s reputation is already recognised far and wide. www.lamberts-stamford.co.uk Picture perfect, Perch and Preen, located on All Saints’ Street is one of my favourite places in Stamford. Faith Bailey’s concept of a fun, retro beauty salon, with a ‘no appointment policy’ is welcomed by customers whose schedules require them to embrace the ad hoc! The beautician and stylist team include Rebecca and Paige, who create a unique and informal atmosphere for customers to enjoy. Stamfordians of all ages visit 38

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Perch and Preen, and in October demand is great, as the team are renowned for their outstanding makeup artistry skills, creating many a scary face for the Halloween party goer! Remember…no appointment required! If you are wishing to indulge in some ghostly tales and spooky Stamford stories, then you must book a ticket at Stamford Arts Centre for one of the Halloween walks taking place on 27th, 28th and 31st October. The ever popular walks along Stamford’s eerie avenues and alleyways will have you jumping out of your skin for weeks! www.stamfordartscentre.com For those who enjoy a carved pumpkin and some Trick or Treat on Halloween, ensure to stock up on ghostly goodies from Sweets N Treats on Silver Lane. The selection of treats is endless and is the perfect place for stocking any party bag. As soon as you walk into the tucked away shop, you are transported back to a time when your toughest decision was choosing between rhubarb and custard sweets or cola cubes! (Sweets N Treats photo) For those who like to start shopping for the upcoming months, you may wish to visit award winning Katie Cardew at www.kcillustrations. co.uk Katie has some truly lovely gift boxes available to purchase (and have delivered) online, however, do bear in mind that anything personalised does require some lead in time, so contacting Katie is essential to secure your order.

IMAGINE THE DIFFERENCE CLADDING COULD MAKE...

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12 St Leonards Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HN Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk Tel 01780 654321 • www.classicstamford.co.uk Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm

A liTtlE dOinG For the train-mad youngster, there is nothing more exciting than a journey on an actual Thomas the tank engine. Add the magic of olden-day steam trains and Nene Valley Railway at Wansford station, Stibbington has just the ticket. Toby’s face lit up with excitement as Thomas pulled into the station with a hoot and hiss of steam. Getting to ride in an old first-class carriage through the tunnel added to the adventure. There is plenty to do at the station with the playground and café and Freya loved watching all the model trains in the railway garden as well as waving to the fun characters along the platform. A steam train ride to Peterborough or Ferry Meadows is also well worth it to make those trips a little more special. Look out for the Thomas weekend this half term, 21 - 22 October, or as a Halloween treat why not take a trip on the Wizard’s Express on the evenings of 27 and 28 October. This special Harry Potter-themed event will be full of spooky fun and games. Whenever you go, it is a brilliant, fun-packed family experience. Book tickets for all the events at: nvr.org.uk Nene Valley Railway, 01780 784444

LIttLe livIng Autumn is in the air as Louise Goss and her two little ones go in search of fun for all the family throughout October, half term and Halloween.

NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/CATRIONA DAROCH

A liTtlE eAtiNg

A liTtlE ExpLorIng A little further afield, the National Trust’s Peckover House near Wisbech hosts its half term Autumn Trail from 21 - 29 October. Children will love searching for Snoddlesworth the snail or Michaelmas the heavy metal mouse in the house gardens. With a special treat at the end, this is a delightful trail bringing a touch of Autumn magic to the holiday. For more information: Peckover House, 01945 583463 nationaltrust.org.uk/peckover. Always a firm favourite in our family, Rutland Water is a great space for children to run about and explore. My two love the adventure playgrounds and hiring bikes, which all ages can enjoy. This October they are offering a range of Autumn and Halloween-inspired events. If like mine, they enjoy getting their hands dirty, children can come along to make bug houses and create crafts during Autumn Explorers on 18 October and there is the chance to make broomsticks and carve pumpkins during their Hootingly Haunted Halloween session from 2pm on 28 October – fancy dress encouraged! Booking is essential for all events. Find out more and book a space, 01572 770651 rutlandwater.org.uk

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

If you do head to Rutland Water, the Fox and Hounds at Exton is a warm and welcoming pub just a five-minute drive up the road. It’s in a beautiful setting and in dry weather there is a fabulous garden at the back for children to run about and play. They cater for young ones with children’s fish and chips, tomato pasta, mini Sunday roasts or even small portions of whatever mum and dad are eating. Not a nugget in sight, you can be sure of a decent meal for the whole family. The Fox and Hounds, 01572 812403

A liTtlE BuyIng As the weather cools I will be looking to kit the children out in warmer gear and these Minoti boys’ rugby shirts (£10) will be perfect for Toby and come in a range of colour combinations. Freya will look adorable in one of these All About Emma dungarees and berry-print top sets (£18) both from Stamford Kidz Stuff in the Corn Exchange on Broad Street. Stamford Kidz Stuff, 07956 083789 Why not pop next door to stock up on some Halloween goodies as well. Witches, wizards, goblins and ghosts can be found at Sukies Party Emporium with outfits from £4.99. There are plenty of ghoulish accessories available as well from just 99p – enough to satisfy all the little monsters. Sukies Party Emporium, 01780 754829 sukiespartyemporium.co.uk Receive a 10% discount on any costumes or accessories purchased this October when you bring a copy of Stamford Living magazine.

Although it was raining in England over the summer, it was raining gold in Canada for Bruce Dee, as friend Sam Hughes explains

Stamford boy dominates on world stage

Launch of 16+ Football Academy at Netherton a great success

HILST most ten-year olds were spending their summer resting and relaxing, Stamford Junior School boy Bruce Dee was competing on the other side of the globe and becoming the best boy in the world for his age group in seven different sports. Bruce is a ten-year-old Stamford Junior School boy who has dwarfism and loves sport. He took this love for sport to the next level at the World Dwarf Games in Canada. Competing against some of the most talented little people in the world didn’t seem to faze Bruce, as he took part in 11 events and flew home with an incredible tally of 7 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. With his main passion being swimming, and under the guidance of British Team coach, Ellie Simmonds, Bruce won gold in the 25-metre freestyle, the 25 and 50 metre butterfly, and the 100-metre medley. In the 50m butterfly he had to compete against boys up to 14 years old, and against 12-year olds in the other events. Bruce also helped secure a GB team bronze in the freestyle relay. But the medals didn’t stop there; winning doubles badminton with his very talented partner, and singles gold medallist, Isaac Maison. Another gold followed in the team Boccia where Bruce made a massive contribution to the win. Success on the Boccia court did not end there though he also achieved a silver in the singles. And in the basketball court Bruce helped lead GB to a historic first ever British bronze. One of his favourite events was on the football field where, thanks to Bruce’s defending and attacking skills, GB won 3-0 in the final against USA. It wasn’t just the success that Bruce enjoyed whilst in Canada though, he also loved making friends from all over the world, who he said would be “friends for life”. He also enjoyed the fun of those people being of average height, such as parents and coaches, being different from the majority of people attending the games. Bruce is an inspiration, his enthusiasm, dedication and attitude is infectious. When asked if he was nervous competing on the world stage he replied: “A little… but not as nervous as my mum!” After such a great time in Canada, Bruce has high hopes for the future where he ultimately wants to be a Para Olympian swimmer. But his next aim is to perform well at the national Para swimming championships in December, and I for one wouldn’t put it past him – his success in Canada is self-evident but he also works so hard, swimming around 8 hours a week at his swim club. He is already ranked 11th in the country for his category (S6) which includes athletes across all ages! I’m sure we’ll hear more about Bruce in the future - standby for headlines in 8 years at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

The new 16+ Academy & Education Scholarship, based at The Grange, home of Netherton Utd FC (NUFC), has gotten off to a great start. Over 30 students are signed on to the programme which provides 16-18-year olds an education scholarship and a BTEC level 2 or 3 in Sport, alongside daily training and regular competitive fixtures. Academy Coach Glenn Vaughan said: “The response to joining our Academy has been really positive and the standard of players on the course is high. The hosting of the Academy by NUFC, the excellent facilities for playing and studying at The Grange and the support of our education provider Coaching Connexions have been major factors in attracting students.” The new term saw the enrolled students benefit from quality coaching from UEFA-qualified coach Glenn Vaughan and Jony Joyce (previously a professional at Queen Park Rangers FC and a UEFA-qualified coach), playing a showcase game against Kettering Town FC U18 and ended on a high note with a visit from Peterborough Utd Manager Grant McCann with a Question and Answer session, all of which the students enjoyed massively. • If you’re enrolled on a course that isn’t exactly what you thought it would be come along to The Grange and speak with Glenn Vaughan or call 07880 703784.

Girls only football One Touch Football are delighted to announce our girls only football training and matches for girls in year 3 & 4, the sessions will be led by FA qualified staff that have undergone a number of workshops and training. They are looking for players that wish to play/ train on a weekly basis in the Stamford and surrounding area. Session Details: Venue - Ryhall Playing Fields, Ryhall, PE9 4ER Time - 11.00 till 11.00am, every Saturday Cost - £1.00

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM

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Tel: 01780 654321 Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk 12 St Leonardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HN 43

Ask Leo Gordon Turnill, Stamford Photographer 1920s-1970s These wonderful photographs relate to Gordon Turnill. The first shows the Turnill family in the late 1920s. Gordon Turnill is sitting on the running board and may have taken the picture himself using a delayed action device - note his left hand by his side. The second is a novel advert for Gordon’s business. Sue Lee and Jean Orpin tell you more about his life and career.

Family History

(Leslie) Gordon, the second son of Willingham and Rhoda Turnill, was born in Wittering in July 1900. His brother, John, was 5yrs old when Gordon was born. Willingham Turnill farmed Manor Farm at Wittering then left the area, returning, after a short time away to Little Casterton. Gordon was about 11yrs old by this time and shortly afterwards went to Stamford School. When Willingham Turnill retired from farming in the 1920s, they moved into Stamford and Willingham served as a JP and County Chairman. Gordon took a studio portrait of him. Rhoda Turnill was noted locally as a dowser, someone who uses rods to find underground water. The photograph shows her at work near Stamford where she apparently located several springs. Do any readers remember her or know of any springs she found?

Starting a Photographic Career

Although the Turnills had been farmers for generations, Willingham thought there was little future in farming after the War and encouraged his sons to look elsewhere for a career. John became a motor engineer and Gordon saw the potential for a photographic studio in Stamford serving the town and local area. How and where he learnt his skill is not known but he was certainly established in the town by the mid-1920s. He became an Associate of the Institute of British Photographers and soon became renowned for his studio portraits. Some of these were published in national publications like the Tatler and the Sketch, including this 1928 engagement picture of Lord Burghley (the champion hurdler and later Marquess of Exeter).

Studio

World War 1

John Turnill joined up in 1915 and became a Corporal in the Royal Engineers, but Gordon was only old enough to serve abroad at the very end of the War. His military records show that he was working for his father on the farm and had joined the Inns of Court Training Corps in 1918. He was on his way to France when he contracted Spanish Flu and nearly died.

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

In 1927 Gordon married Dorothy Richardson and soon after moved to 2 St Mary’s Place where their three children were born and Gordon lived for the rest of his life. Here he established his studio. Nearby at 16 St Mary’s Hill he had a shop with photo developing and printing facilities. For 30 years Gordon Turnill, photographer, was listed in Dolby’s Directories at both addresses. In the late 1950s, as the children left home and the rent on St Mary’s Hill rose, everything was incorporated under one roof at 2 St Mary’s Place and there it continued for another 20yrs. Generations of parents took their babies and children to be photographed by Gordon. This was an area of work for which he was particularly noted especially after he won a competition for a baby picture. The judges commented on the delightful background of a fairy landscape which he had added. (This was long before the digital age made such additions I Want . . . Why ? . . . simple!) 1. A picture of my kiddies, a really 1. Because they understand and love kiddies, and happy natural photograph. Just as I make them feel happy and at home, and their up-toAs this advertisement date lighting installation permits instantaneous see them every day. exposures to be made, catching the most fleeting 2. A portrait of myself, but I am busy all from 1933 shows, he expression. day, and evening is my only time. 2. Because Evening Sittings, every Wednesday and 3. A picture of old Rover, our favourite Friday, from 6 to 8, have been arranged for the dog, he’s such a dear. would photograph pets, special convenience of busy people. 4. A copy of that old faded photograph of grandmother, and I would like 3. Because they love dogs too, and dogs know it and do evening sittings in his father taking out of that little snap, it’s will sit for splendid pictures. the only photograph I have of him. 4. Because they specialise in this work and give every studio which were popular satisfaction. 5. Our new shop with its many improvements. The special window 5. Because they make a special study of commercial work, and will guarantee clear bright prints, showing display entered for that competition, for working people and all detail and free from reflections and halations. and the various showrooms. was already improving WHERE SHALL I GO ? PHONE 88 TRY and enlarging old 16, St Mary’s Hill, Gordon Turnill Stamford. photographs.

There must be many Stamfordians who still have wedding photographs, baby or school photographs, sporting, shop or work photographs with Gordon Turnill’s distinctive signature in their family archives. 1940s and After

Sport and the Countryside

When he was at Stamford School, Gordon Turnill was a noted athlete and sportsman. His name appears on the school cricket and rugby boards in the Cricket Pavilion. This was just the beginning of a lifetime interest in sporting activities. He was known for his prowess particularly in the country sports of fishing and shooting. When his daughter was born in 1929 he took a picture of her being weighed in his fishing scales and his love of dogs stemmed from their use as retrievers. Rumour has it that photography came second to sport in his priorities with his wife and shop staff having to step in to fill the gaps when necessary! Fortunately, he could combine the two with his work for The Illustrated Sports & Dramatic News. As well as providing numerous angling and shooting photographs he contributed articles on such subjects as ‘More Food Means More Trout’; ‘Mayfly Studies from Nymph to Spinner’ and ‘Trout Fishing on Tennyson’s Brook’. This work also brought him commissions from Country Life Magazine. Wherever he went - Norfolk, Anglesey, Devon - he took angling photographs. He was the author of two books ‘Sea Fishing’ and ‘Course Fishing’. At home, he particularly favoured the River Gwash and was Secretary to the Gwash Fishing Club for many years. When Rutland Water was built he insisted there should be provision for a continuing minimum flow to the river and he took an interest in any local conservation issues.

Colour and Films

There was no facility for colour printing in Turnill’s own business but from his early days he would colour tint to order. This photograph is a colour tinted picture of the family Labrador, Shandy, which shows his skill. Gordon was at the forefront of colour filming starting in 1928 with a film of his own family growing up. Wherever he took his black and white sporting pictures he also took colour films. In the 1950s, he made a promotional film for Blakes of the Broads, the holiday boating business. A collection of his films dating from 1929 to 1969 are in the Lincolnshire Film Archive.

Having just missed out on WW1, Gordon missed out on foreign action in WW2 as well. He was nearly 40yrs old and not accepted for service, however he became a Major in the Home Guard. No doubt, he took many pictures of servicemen. He was the only photographer in the district so was in great demand also for family pictures and weddings, for school pictures and such things as passports. There was always plenty of work. Commercial photography for promotional purposes became increasingly important from the 1950s onwards. He took pictures of shop fronts and window displays for advertisements. He was also commissioned to photograph industries and workmen.

Final Note

Gordon Turnill was a real Stamfordian: he went to Stamford School (so did his son, grandson & maybe another generation soon), took their school pictures, was involved in local activities and became Chairman of Stamford Board of Trade in the 1960s (including the year of the Queen’s visit). He continued taking local photographs all his life until he died at 2 St Mary’s Place in Feb 1977. There must be many Stamfordians who still have wedding photographs, baby or school photographs, sporting, shop or work photographs with Gordon Turnill’s distinctive signature in their family archives. These pictures form an important social record of the town. If you have photographs Ask Leo would like to hear from you (askleo@ btinternet.com)

Thanks to Bill Turnill, Gordon’s son, who supplied a lot of the information and several of the pictures.

Ask Leo would like to hear from you. Email them at askleo@btinternet.com STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

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It’s really never too early to think about booking a Christmas meal in one of our many fine local establishments. Either for an office party, a family get together or if you simply don’t want to cook on Christmas Day, there’s something for everyone. Nicholas Rudd-Jones takes a gander…

Christmas Menus and Party Rooms F O R

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THE BULL & SWAN AT BURGHLEY High Street St Martin’s, Stamford, PE9 2LJ 01780 766412 www.thebullandswan.co.uk Festive lunch (2 course for £19.95 or 3 courses for £24.95) and dinner menus (2 course for £25 or 3 courses for £30) represent great value, and are available for parties of 6 or more throughout December. Must be pre-booked & pre-ordered. Christmas Day lunch is available at £77, £38.50 for children. Menus can be found on their website. Always a great pubby ambience here. THE CROWN HOTEL All Saints’ Place, Stamford, PE9 2AG 01780 763136 http://www.kneadpubs.co.uk/our-pubs/thecrown-hotel There’s always a special ambience about The Crown at Christmas, and a buzz about the place.

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

F E S T I V E

S E A S O N !

Festive Party Menus can be found on their website and are great value at £30 for three courses, offering all the traditional favourites in a friendly atmosphere of The Crown. They also offer a Christmas Day menu for £85 (children under 7, £45). EXETER ARMS, EASTON-ON-THE HILL 21 Stamford Road, Easton-on-the Hill, PE9 3NS 01780 756321 www.theexeterarms.co.uk I love the ambience and service at this pub – there are such good spaces to tuck away in and enjoy great hospitality and conversation. The chef is now the owner too, so there is a big emphasis on really well-cooked food. The Christmas party menu is good value and always delicious. Find more details of their menu on the website.

THE WILLIAM CECIL High Street St Martin’s, Stamford, PE9 2LJ 01780 750070 www.thewilliamcecil.co.uk

LAMBERTS 5 Cheyne Lane, Stamford, PE9 2AX 01780 767063 www.lamberts-stamford.co.uk Stephen Conway, owner, is a chef with bags of experience, and you can be guaranteed a top-quality Christmas meal here. Lamberts has become one of Stamford’s favourite eateries. These year’s menus are great value, available at lunchtime, best to book ahead, but also if there is availability on the day. Served from 12pm until 2.30pm Tuesday – Friday. 1 Course £14.95 / 2 Courses £17.95 3 Courses £21.50. Starters: Soup of the day; Oak smoked salmon & prawn salad topped with avocado & herb creme fraiche Mains: Roast breast of Turkey served with roast potatoes & all the trimmings; Baked butternut squash & goats cheese tart with wilted young leaf spinach & toasted pumpkin seed dressing Desserts: Traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce; Selection of cheese & biscuits with chutney & Celery Christmas Dinner Menu is served from 7pm until 9pm Thursday & Friday. 2 Courses £24.50 / 3 Courses £29.50. Four choices per course. THE MAD TURK 8/9 St. Paul’s St, Stamford, PE9 2BE 01780 238001 www.themadturk.co.uk The secret here is that you will not be subjected to a Christmas festive menu at all – just great, authentic Turkish Cypriot dishes; but to create a sense of the unusual, why not pop in to the garden for a quick puff on the shisha pipes? And this year you will find them open at lunchtime too. THE WICKED WITCH Bridge St, Ryhall, PE9 4HH 01780 763649 www.thewickedwitchexperience.co.uk You can always be sure that the food at the Wicked Witch will be cooked with flair, under the guidance of Head Chef Dameon Clarke. The Christmas Party Menu is available throughout December, advance booking and pre-order will be necessary. Two courses £24.95, three courses £29.95. Five choices per course. As well as traditional Christmas favourites, there are some more unusual dishes; for starters, for example, Pigeon Sausage Roll, with Beetroot salad and walnut vinaigrette; for mains, Pheasant Pithivier, with Chestnut puree, roast parsnips and game chips; for Desserts, Plum and Almond Cheesecake, with Poached plums and almond fudge ice-cream.

The Festive Dinner menu offers lots of choice and is good value at £35 for three courses (or £30 for 2). I liked the look of their starters: “Classic salmon gravadlax, crisp pea shoots, sweet mustard & dill ice cream”. To follow: “Norfolk Black turkey or Sirloin of Lincolnshire beef both served with duck fat roast potatoes, pork & apricot stuffing, pigs in blankets, sprouts, roasted root vegetables, fine beans, red wine reduction”. The Festive Lunch menus are even better value at £19.95 for 2 courses or £24.50 for 3 courses. For tables of 8 or more, must be pre-booked & pre-ordered. Party Nights will be held on the 8th of

Further afield

THE CHERRY HOUSE, WERRINGTON 125 Church St, Werrington, Peterborough 01733 571721 www.cherryhouserestaurant.co.uk Chef/Patron Andrew Corrick has run the Cherry House for more than 20 years, and his mission is simple: to offer ‘fine dining both in terms of food and service’. In that time, the restaurant has undoubtedly become Peterborough’s most loved eating establishment. The Christmas party Lunch menu, 3 courses £26.50 or 2 courses £21.50 offers four choices per course. I especially liked the sound of ‘Cream of fresh courgette lemon & thyme soup for starters, and ‘baked fillet of codling topped with a breadcrumb herb crust’ for the main course (although, of course, I could also have opted for the more traditional…). Christmas Party Dinner menu offers five choices per course and is £28.95. For sheer indulgence, it’s hard to beat the Christmas Day Menu at £84, with champagne and canapés on arrival and a selection of fine French & English farmhouse cheeses with home baked fig bread to finish. Let the experts do the work for you and have a truly relaxing day with your family! The Boxing Day Menu at £35.95 for three courses rings the changes with salads, beef and ham on the menu, something to top you up maybe after that brisk Boxing day walk. BARNSDALE HALL HOTEL North Shore, Rutland Water, Rutland LE15 8AB 01572 757901 www.barnsdalehotel.co.uk The offering this Christmas and New Year at Barnsdale Hall Hotel includes a festive lunch menu, a Sunday carvery, party nights (£31.50;

December (£38) and 13th and the 21st (both £33), 3 course dinner and dancing. Tables of 10. ZADA RESTAURANT 13 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford, PE9 2DP 01780 766848 www.zadarestaurant.co.uk Zada, specialising in Turkish cuisine has already made its mark having been recommended in the 2017 Michelin Guide, in which it says, “its name means ‘fortunate’ and the locals (that’s us) are lucky to have it in town.” The Christmas menu is great value at £25.95 for 2 courses or £29.95 for three. Feast yourself on Turkish specialities and finish off with a Turkish Mixed dessert plate that includes a selection of Baklava, Turkish delights, fresh fruits and a choice of Turkish coffee or tea.

dates throughout December), lunch on Christmas Day itself and a two-day Christmas residential package (available from £270 per person for two nights: 24 and 25 December). On New Year’s Eve, the hotel is hosting its annual adults-only Black & White Ball, which is £85 per person and includes champagne on arrival, canapés, starter, main course and pudding, plus truffles, as well as a table magician and a disco. BARNSDALE LODGE The Avenue, Rutland Water, Rutland LE15 8AH 01572 724678 www.barnsdalelodge. co.uk Wonderfully relaxed, with a cosy atmosphere that is spot on for the winter months, Barnsdale Lodge comes highly recommended for your Christmas and New Year celebrations. The team can cater for private dining with friends, family and colleagues from intimate gatherings for groups of 8 or more, to large party nights – there’s something here for everyone. For regular diners, there’s a Hotel Festive Menu for lunch and dinner, available Monday 4 December to Saturday 23 December. Lunch is £18 per person for two courses or £21 per person for three courses. A three-course Sunday lunch is available at £21.95 per person. During the same period, for parties of 12 or more, a set two-course lunch is available at £19 a head (three courses £22), and a set three-course dinner is on offer for £28. On Christmas Eve, there are Christmas carols with Exton Village Choir around the Christmas tree between 6–7pm, followed by a three-course dinner. On Christmas Day there’s a special five-course lunch at £87 per person, and on Boxing Day, there’s a three-course lunch for £35 per person. Booking is essential for these; non-residents need to book early, as places are limited.

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

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Restaurant with Rooms PERFECTLY SITUATED IN EASTON ON THE HILL FOR BUSINESS, VISITORS AND STAMFORD’S SHOPPING & LOC AL TOURIST ATTRACTIONS.

Lunch & Dinner Christmas Menus Menu A - 2 courses £18.95 / 3 courses £23.95 Menu B – 2 courses £17.95 / 3 courses £22.95 Available from 1st Dec to 24th Dec

Now taking bookings

21 Stamford Road, Easton on the Hill, Stamford, PE9 3NS T: 01780 756321 E: reservations@theexeterarms.net

www.theexeterarms.net

Christmas Parties 2017

‘The Study’ – one of Hambleton’s fabulous private dining rooms is perfect for Christmas parties of 6 to 16 guests. We are offering parties a Special Limited Choice Menu, Sunday to Thursday, £65.00 per person for 3 courses. (£80 per person for 4 courses) Hambleton Hall is one of Britain’s finest country house hotels, overlooking Rutland Water the hotel provides the most wonderful setting for a Christmas Party. Log fires, a beautiful Christmas tree, sensational Christmas

decorations and lovely bedrooms to rest your weary head.

At the end of the evening why not stay the night?

If you would like to stay after your Christmas Party and book two or more bedrooms on a Sunday to Thursday, we are offering a special rate of £240.00 per night, based on 2 people sharing one of our Standard double bedrooms, including full Hambleton breakfast & vat.

Terrine of Sea Bass & Artichoke Foie Gras Chicken Liver Parfait with Fig Wild Mushroom Risotto, Parmesan & Tarragon ***

Middle Course Offer - the best fish catch of the day *** Fillet of Turbot, Cockle, Clams & Cucumber Merryfield Duck, Caramelised Endive, Cucumber & Plum Jacobs Ladder, Smoked Potato, Horseradish & Red Wine Jus *** Prune & Armagnac Soufflé Golden Chocolate, Passion Fruit Sorbet Lime Meringue Pie & Lime Leaf Ice Cream *** Coffee, Chocolates All menus are subject to a discretionary service charge of 12.5%

HAMBLETON OAKHAM RUTLAND LE15 8TH T: 01572 756991 E: hotel@hambletonhall.com W: www.hambletonhall.com

December Lunch Specials

1 Course £14.95 / 2 Courses £17.95 / 3 Courses £21.50 Served from 12pm until 2.30pm Tuesday – Friday

December Dinner Menu

2 Courses £24.50 / 3 Courses £29.50 Served from 7pm until 9pm, Thursday & Friday Booking is essential Lunch, dinner or private hire, we can cater for you with a great selection of freshly prepared food and a well stocked bar.

Email Steve on manager@lamberts-stamford.co.uk or call 01780 767063

5 Cheyne Lane, Stamford, PE9 2AX 01780 767063 - www.lamberts-stamford.co.uk 51

CHRISTMAS PARTY MENU Amuse bouche Starters Sherry Cured Salmon Mulled wine sorbet and chive mayo Game Terrine Cumberland jelly and horseradish cream Pigeon Sausage Roll Beetroot salad and walnut vinaigrette Duck Liver Parfait Cranberry chutney and hazelnut brioche Roasted Chestnut Mushroom Veloute Stilton tortellini and coffee syrup

Mains Pheasant Pithivier Chestnut puree, roast parsnips and game chips Salt Baked Turkey Breast Ballotine of leg and bacon, turkey chipolatas, confit Brussel sprouts and Lyonnaise potatoes Confit Duck Leg Duck cottage pie, braised cabbage and honey roast carrots Pan Fried Cod Braised leek, dauphinoise potatoes and red wine shallots Sage Gnocchi Roasted squash, squash veloute and sheep’s curd

Desserts Christmas Pudding Brandy butter and vanilla ice-cream Dark Chocolate Tart Mascapone sorbet and amarena cherries Plum and Almond Cheesecake Poached plums and almond fudge ice-cream Lemon and Cranberry Meringue Candied lemon and cranberry sorbet Panettoni and Orange Parfait Cinnamon biscuits and orange sorbet

TWO COURSES £24.95 THREE COURSES £29.95 Available from 1st - 23rd December Tuesday - Saturday only

ADVANCE BOOKING AND PRE-ORDER NECESSARY

Late November dates maybe available with pre arrangement.

Boxing Day Lunch

2 courses £20.95/3 courses £25.95 T: 01780 763649 E: wickedwitch@reborn.com www.thewickedwitchexperience.co.uk Like our Facebook page & keep up to date with our events

www.facebook.com/TheWickedWitchAtRyhall THE WICKED WITCH, BRIDGE STREET, RYHALL, PE9 4HH 52

Christmas Menus and Party Rooms F O R

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F E S T I V E

S E A S O N !

Further afield continued... THE EXETER ARMS 28 Main Street, Barrowden, Rutland LE15 8EQ 01572 747365 www.exeterarmsbarrowden.co.uk This quintessential village pub, which has had the Wade family at the helm since the spring of 2016, is frequently praised for its warm, welcoming atmosphere, customerfocused service and delicious, locally sourced, elegantly presented food at sensible prices. The views out the front, over the village green complete with duck pond, aren’t bad either! It’s well worth tying in a festive meal (for more specifics, call or visit the website) with a walk in the stunning surroundings – it’s perfect on a crisp winter’s day.

Hambleton Hall

HAMBLETON HALL Oakham Road, Hambleton Peninsula, Rutland LE15 8TH 01572 756991 www.hambletonhall.com With its fabulous setting overlooking Rutland Water, Michelin-starred food from head chef Aaron Patterson, a luxurious interior decorated with sensational seasonal ornaments, and impeccable service, Hambleton Hall is an exquisite choice for a Christmas meal or festive party. The Study, one of Hambleton’s private dining rooms, is perfect for Christmas parties for 6–16 guests. Party groups are offered the Special Limited Choice Menu, available from Sunday to Thursday for £65 per person for three courses (£80 per person for four courses), plus an additional “middle course” showcasing the best fish catch of the day. Starters include a terrine of sea bass and artichoke, mains include Jacob’s Ladder (beef short ribs) with smoked potato, horseradish and red wine jus, and, to follow, there’s prune and Armagnac soufflé (the soufflés are magnificent here), among others, then coffee and (delicious) homemade chocolates. On Christmas Day, the restaurant is offering a six-course lunch and dinner menu at £150 per person. This includes lovage and

smoked salmon, ballotine of foie gras, roast turkey with traditional accompaniments, Christmas pudding, orange and Grand Marnier soufflé, plus coffee and those homemade chocolates. Expect it to be fabulous. THE OLIVE BRANCH, CLIPSHAM Main Street, Clipsham, Rutland LE15 7SH 01780 410355 www.theolivebranchpub.com The Olive Branch has just been named “Leicestershire & Rutland Dining Pub of the Year” for the second year running by The Good Pub Guide 2018, which bodes very well for its seasonal offering. In fact, the menus, courtesy of co-owner and chef Sean Hope, look even more enticing than ever this year, and there are different options to suit all sizes of parties and all tastes. A three-course gourmet festive lunch menu, plus coffee and mince pies (£29.95 per person; not available on Sundays), and a five-course gourmet festive dinner menu, also with coffee and petit fours (£35 per person; not available on Saturdays), will be served throughout December in addition to the à la carte menu. The Olive Branch’s private party room, The Barn, can cater for parties up to 20 and will be full of Christmas spirit, with a log fire, candlelit table, beautiful Christmas decorations, and a record player and bar billiards table to create that extra special party feel. There’s also a luxury gourmet “Christmas Escape” package that includes a two-day feast from Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day and beautifully refurbished, luxurious bedrooms in which to sleep it all off at Beech House just across the road. The total cost is £365 per person based on two people sharing a superior room.

The Olive Branch

The Berkeley Arms

THE BERKELEY ARMS, WYMONDHAM 59 Main Street, Wymondham, Leicestershire LE14 2AG 01572 787587 www.theberkeleyarms.co.uk Neil and Louise Hitchen offer a warm welcome at The Berkeley Arms in Wymondham – an award-winning pub, where the food continues to impress. For the 6th year running the pub, which has an excellent reputation locally, has received a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good cooking at moderate prices – “appealing, gutsy dishes rely on seasonal produce”, reads the Michelin entry. This Christmas they are offering a twocourse festive menu with coffee and mince pies for £30, with a third course for £5 (a £10 non-refundable deposit per person is required on booking). The menu has four choices for each course, including all the traditional festive classics such as roast freerange turkey, pigs in blankets and honey-roast parsnips, plus Christmas pudding and brandy sauce for dessert. If you fancy a change from the classics, other options include Long Clawson Stilton panna cotta with watercress, butternut squash and caramelized walnuts for starters, roasted breast of local pheasant or fillet of Cornish Cod for the main course, and then, for pudding, chocolate tart with a zingysounding clementine sorbet or Christmas pudding parfait with brandy panna cotta.

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Manton

Richardson Thompson Leach 164_Layout 1 26/01/2016 13:42 Page 1

Guide Price £595,000

A substantial detached family home within this popular Rutland village, the accommodation although in need of updating is well proportioned and ideal for a growing family and also offers great potential for extension and alteration subject to any required planning permission. The accommodation which is over two floors comprises of reception hall with cloakroom, three reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room and large utility. To the first floor the master bedroom has a dressing area and en-suite bathroom, guest bedroom with en-suite shower room and two further good The Hayloft - Essendine £850,000 size bedrooms and a four piece family The Hayloft is a family home extending to approximately 3,775 sqft. This superb conversion offers a fantastic layout with a bedroom wing comprising of 4 double bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities, as wellbathroom. as a further double bedroom to the first floor with en-suite shower room. It features an impressive kitchen breakfast room with walk in pantry and large utility room. Bi folding doors from the The property benefits from kitchen breakfast give access to an enclosed courtyard ideal for al fresco dining. The Hayloft is complete and ready to move into. gas fired central heating and externally there is plenty of parking with large double garage and workshop, covered car port and enclosed private gardens. The property is offered with no chain and an inspection is strongly recommended.

The Hayloft - Essendine £850,000

The Hayloft is a family home extending to approximately 3,775 sqft. This superb conversion offers a fantastic layout with a bedroom wing comprising of 4 double bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities, as well as a further double bedroom to the first floor with en-suite shower room. It features an impressive kitchen breakfast room with walk in pantry and large utility room. Bi folding doors from the kitchen breakfast give access to an enclosed courtyard ideal for al fresco dining. The Hayloft is complete and ready to move into.

Stamford

Price £550,000

Located within walking distance of the town, the property provides a feeling of space and light with flexible accommodation which is set over 3 floors and comprises: reception hall, cloakroom, study, kitchen/diner with a range of built in appliances, utility, through lounge/diner leading into a conservatory. To the first floor there is a further good size sitting room, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom as Rosewood – North Luffenham £515,000 well as further double bedroom and Rosewood – Built by the highly regarded Francis Jackson Homes, this detached family home comprises of a large Kitchen/Family Room with double doors onto the garden, Utility Room, Separate Diningfamily Room, Downstairs WC, Living Room with multithere fuel burner and double doors onto the garden. Master bedroom with en suite & Bedroom 2 with en suite, Two further bedrooms and bathroom. To the top floor family bathroom. Double Garage. are three further bedrooms, two with built in wardrobes and an additional shower room. The gardens provide a high degree of privacy with a walled rear garden enjoying a westerly aspect and a good size enclosed front garden fronting on to Vence Close. Single garage with Rosewood – North Luffenham £515,000 a further spaces located to this detached family home comprises of a large Kitchen/Family Room with double doors onto the garden, Utility Room, Separate Rosewood – Builttwo by theparking highly regarded Francis Jackson Homes, Dining Room, Downstairs WC, Living Room with multi fuel burner and double doors onto the garden. Master bedroom with en suite & Bedroom 2 with en suite, Two further bedrooms and the rear of the property. family bathroom. Double Garage.

Beginning life in Russia, Alice Darkling’s Russian dolls are brought to life here in Stamford. By Clare Kelly

From Russia with love

N Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel, Alice is a girl with a big heart and an imagination to match. And so it is with Stamford’s own Alice Darkling, an artist who hand paints sets of Russian dolls (known as matryoshka) for customers around the world. Open the biggest and you’ll find another, open the next, and there’s another nestling inside and so on – each one a surprise. The tiniest one she’s ever made is smaller than a cashew nut, in fact, it’s probably smaller. I’m amazed that anyone can paint such tiny details with such precision. I visit Alice at her home close to Burghley House and we hang out in her garden studio. I like her straight away and it’s easy to see why she has customers who choose her to commemorate their special moments. One commissioned her to make a doll in which an engagement ring was placed. What makes Alice’s nesting dolls even more special is that they really are Russian dolls because she orders the unpainted dolls direct from St Petersburg. Russia has a proud history of matryoshka – these diminutive dolls first appeared in the 1890s and became a popular folk craft. Back in Stamford and In her hands as we

talk is a small hedgehog who is waiting to be given a face and there’s boxes of wooden dolls just in from Russia, ready for Alice to breathe life into them with her paintbrush. In the six years she’s been creating these miniature works, she’s painted woodland animals, three wise men (several times), families of four, families of six, pets aplenty and couples getting married. An owl and a pussycat wedding cake topper. There’s been plenty of owls, they are her favourite bird. “It began with owls really. I saw a set of Russian dolls that were ready to paint and just the shape of them made me think they’d make great owls. I gave them to my mum as a present and then posted them on a blog I had at the time,” she says. And that’s when the fairytale really began. People began to approach Alice to ask if she could make a set for them and through word of mouth – and the power of social media, her business grew. Sometimes, she begins early at 5am because she’s got an idea and needs to get started. At other times she works late into the evening becoming so absorbed that I imagine her tea often gets cold. And once she’s finished she takes great joy, she says, packaging her creations up and sending them

safely on the way, far away – to be opened, unwrapped and enjoyed. “Sometimes, if someone has had another child or got a new dog then they will ask me to create a new doll to add the set. One customer purchased a set for all of her three children. It’s a lovely feeling to know it makes them happy.” Alice begins with a sketch and she shows me some she’s done. These pencil drawings are just the beginning of the story. I look at one of a family and notice the line up, the little notes she’s written around the pictures, objects that represent hobbies and expressions that show character. As you’d imagine, this kind of work is not for the clumsy. The detail is incredible and lifelike just like a self portrait that hangs in the studio. It catches my eye straight away, “yes that’s me,” she says “I did it while I was studying art and the teachers were always trying to get us to do more experimental stuff but I’ve always loved to paint and in the future, I’d love to sell more paintings too.” As I sit in the chair watching Alice talk about her work, I see the joy it clearly brings her. It makes me want to pick up a paintbrush myself and, as I leave, I vow that I will. To find out more, visit: www.alicedarkling.co.uk

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Stamford Hospital has been expanded and upgraded in the last year. Nicholas Rudd-Jones met with Susan Brooks, Matron & Hospital manager, to find out more.

Stamford Hospital – not so small, but still very beautiful

VERYONE knows there has been a hospital at Stamford since the year dot (1828 to be precise), most of us have used it at some stage, be it for minor A&E or blood tests, but few of us have kept pace with the latest developments. Today the hospital has a staff of 170, several leading-edge facilities and greatly increased outpatient clinics. There has been a very substantial £2 million investment in the last year, confirming the hospital’s vital role within the North West Anglia Foundation Trust, which includes the Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchinbrook. These are the most notable recent initiatives which have taken place: • A new MRI scanner, which serves over 8,000 patients a year • A re-furbished X-ray clinic, with an ultrasound machine and a second planned • Several new outpatient clinics, allowing up to 40 additional sessions a week • A tailored children’s outpatient clinic

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

• A new specialist service – Lymphedema specialist team of five • A new, much expanded Phlebotomy (blood) dept. (3,000 patients a month) • Upgraded reception and spruced-up corridors • A new physiotherapy department with private consultation rooms for privacy. Other existing facilities include a theatre for day surgery and the Van Geest in-patient suite, which is a step-down rehabilitation phase after hospital that enables relatives to get back to their community more quickly. One thing that the hospital has certainly not lost in the process of upgrading and expansion is its sense of homeliness and friendliness. “I felt very much from the first day I worked here,” Susan told me, “that this is a special place, in a way that I had never felt about another hospital. And I still feel this today, nine years later. Everyone knows each other on the staff and supports each other.”

I know from my own family experience that getting an out-patient appointment here is like winning the lottery and avoiding the trudge down to the City Hospital in Peterborough, which almost always takes longer and feels more anonymous. The hospital has a large catchment, South Lincolnshire, Rutland and Northamptonshire. Incredibly, it accounts for a third of Trust’s patients, over 110,000 patients a year, so by no means a junior partner. Massive support from the community also makes a big difference – the Friends of Stamford Hospital, the Town Council and the community at large. If you would like to become a Friend, visit www. friendsofstamfordhospital.org.uk COME TO THE OPEN DAY Why not visit Stamford Hospital and find out about all the new services on Sat Oct 14th between 11am-3pm. You are very welcome, no booking needed.

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AUTUMN PROPERTY UPDATE WITH MOORES AUTUMN IS THE NEW SPRING! Its official – autumn is a great time to market your home to waiting buyers. According to sales results at Moores Estate Agency, there were more properties exchanged in the latter half of last year that the first – something that may surprise local vendors. Managing Director Vernon Moore commented, “The last couple of years have been skewed by political events such as the Brexit vote and the general election which caused a stalling in spring and summer sales and an increase in the latter part of the year. The traditional high spots for sales in spring and summer have made way for an increased level of activity in the autumn – so much so that last month we attended the Autumn Move to the Country Show in London where hundreds of potential buyers were keen to find out about this region. We were delighted to take the details of buyers from London and the South East looking for properties in Rutland and Stamford and we will be accompanying them on viewings during October and beyond.”

The message is clear – don’t wait until spring 2018, buyers are ready now.

REMARKABLE RESULTS ON LINE Moores are delighted to welcome Olivia Craft to their growing team of specialists. Olivia is a media marketing expert who specialises in creating targeted geographical on line sales campaigns for Moores and is driving some remarkable results. “Olivia is able to use social media platforms to directly seek out buyers in areas such as Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex where we know interest in moving to this region is high,” explains Vernon. “Using this specific approach, we are able to reach potential buyers without them having to search for us first and the results are really exciting.”

them about our area. Grantham station has been a great success and we are expecting Peterborough to be even busier. We already have buyers requesting to meet us!

OUR LONDON TAXI WILL CHAUFFEUR BUYERS TO OUR HOMES! To have your home offered to these out of area buyers, we are offering a Peterborough launch package for home owners where we will look to match / better any other quotes you have received to market. We look forward to being of assistance.

NEW PETERBOROUGH TRAIN STATION OFFICE We are hoping to have the Peterborough train station open for the spring once Network Rail have completed the landscaping taking place around the station. We will then be able to offer our “meet and greet” service; meeting buyers from the train and driving them around the properties we can offer and talking to

For a valuation or advice on any aspect of buying or selling your property Tel: 01572 757979 (Oakham Team), Tel: 01572 821935 (Uppingham team) or Tel: 01780 484555 (Stamford team). www.mooresestateagents.com

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Georgie Fenn tells us how to make the most of the British hedgerows this autumn

Fall in love with autumn Port

LOVE smells, and autumn is one of my favourite bouquets. The earthy smell of leaves as you tread, wood smoke gently folding out of chimneys, cooking apples that haven’t made it into a pie wafting up their acidic aromas and the scents of horses and hounds as you watch them steaming in the crisp morning air is quite possibly unbeatable. I’m a strong believer that nature provides the cure for everything, and now we’ve come to the end of September, it is time to harvest sloes, damsons and what’s remaining of the blackberries. These strong acidic fruits are perfect for fighting off winter colds with a tasty fruit crumble or if you’re like me, can be used to produce delicious sloe or damson gin and even port. In Stamford, you’re going to have to get your wellies on to get the best pickings. If you’re feeling ambitious, I recommend following the river to Ketton to find some exceptional fruit. If you plan this walk on a Monday, you could treat yourself to a delicious steak at The Northwick Arms before following the footpath home. Another possibility is cutting through Stamford meadows up to Easton-on-the-Hill and seeing what the hedgerows have to offer that way. The Exeter Arms provides perfect replenishment and drinks, and it’s all downhill on the way home so you can have more than one. Both of these pubs are dog friendly so feel free to take your companions with you on your foraging adventure. I’ve had some success with sloe gin and more recently port, so I can recommend the following (very estimated) recipes:

Sloe Gin

When it comes to sloe gin, it depends how much you want to make but this recipe, which uses an Old Rosie 2L container, made enough to fill two empty Sipsmith 70cl bottles. If you’re not a fan of Old Rosie, you don’t have to drink it but definitely don’t just pour it down the sink. Cider is the perfect accompaniment to cooking, especially when added to a slow cooker with some gammon, onion, carrot, cloves and seasoning. It’s always best to pick sloes after there has been a frost; this is because it removes the white film making them juicier, I also like to think it makes them a bit cleaner. Some people prefer to just put them in the freezer but why bother when nature does it for you. For the 2L container, I picked around two old Stork margarine containers full of sloes then put them into a mixing bowl – pricked them with a skewer until they were bleeding and stuffed them into the marginally sterilised Old Rosie bottle. Once you have your sloes, you need to add around two mugfuls of sugar and then a litre of gin, I used Gordon’s. Now, a lot of recipes say you should have delicious sloe gin by Christmas but frankly, it needs a lot longer. I shook my bottle everyday for around a month, then weekly for a further two months. Then, I just left it in a dark cupboard until the following autumn where I strained it through muslin and bottled it up – it was delicious, didn’t last long.

After doing some research on what on earth to do with the left over sloes, I found a thread online where someone had managed to create port. Port is a fortified wine, originally made by adding brandy to fermenting grapes, so why not add brandy and red wine to fermented sloes? I added a bottle of red wine, some more sugar (poor teeth) and a mug full of brandy to the sloes. Then followed the same routine; left them a year and voila I have created some delicious port. I might see if the sloes have got one more bottle left in them and after that I plan on just using them as a decoration to champagne, they must be absolutely lethal by now.

Wining away the weekend Georgie Fenn has started a new blog on one of her passions, wine! Here’s a roundup of what to drink in Stamford this month It’s a really tough job discovering so many great wines, but someone’s got to do it. RED WINES The Wicked Witch, Ryhall – McPherson Shiraz 2014 Australia, £5.90 for a large glass or £16.95 for the bottle. Waitrose – Camino Roja Cariñena Gran Reserva 2007 Spain, £6.69 for a bottle. WHITE WINE The George of Stamford - Chablis Premier Cru Montmains 2015, £9.90 for a large glass. You can read more on my blog

www.winingawaytheweekend.wordpress.com

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Please Sir ...can I h Over the last few years the ‘healthy eating’ campaign has gathered momentum. This month Deborah Pennell delights in how our local schools have embraced this movement PHOTOGRAPHY: ELLI DEAN

Copthill Independent Day School

The Copthill school kitchen has been run for the last 13 years by Maria Burgess. Known for her incredible attention to detail, even the bay leaves for the stews are picked from the bay leaf tree next to the school car park. As Maria has decided to retire, Brookwood Partnership Ltd, an independent school caterer, who hold the contract at Copthill are in the throes of finding her perfect replacement. The management team from Brookwood, who cater for 100 schools countrywide, oversee but do not interfere in the day to day running of the kitchens. This way, as Maria says, “each Chef Manager runs their own kitchen and gears it to the needs of the school they are catering for.” At Copthill, all the children aged 2-11 years eat

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

the lunches provided, so the kitchen team of eight cater for around 300 daily. Vegetarians and vegans are offered a set option each day and many allergies and intolerances are catered for under the careful watch of Mrs Hammond, the school nurse. Although charged as an extra, Copthill provides a Breakfast club which runs from 7.55am with pancakes, waffles, cereal and croissants and Tea from 4.30pm, a picnic style tea with sandwiches, homemade cake and fruit; a great asset for busy working parents ensuring children have the option of three healthy meals a day. What can we expect to see on the menu? The Copthill catering team will design their own menu with input from the children. Expect to find food such as Mexican Beef Mince Tacos, Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple, Salmon

have some MORE?

Malcolm Sargent School Karen Fisher, Catering Manager has run the kitchen at Malcolm Sargent School since March 2016. Employed by contract caterers Sodexo, Karen and her team of six create around 460 school meals a day. In addition to this, they also cater just over 100 lunches daily for Bluecoat Primary School.

Bites, Cheese and Broccoli Stuffed Pancakes and Vegetarian Tarts as well as a colourful salad bar stuffed full of freshly prepared salad items. A homemade soup with freshly baked bread is offered every day and a hot or cold pudding. Do you source local ingredients? Yes. We use Grasmere and Stilton butchers, and as much of our fruit and vegetables as possible comes from The Fens. What is the most popular school meal? The children seem to love the Curries. For dessert Sticky Toffee pudding is a firm favourite. Do you ever do special themed days? Themed days, which are often curricular-led, happen regularly; Roman day, Chinese New Year, and Egyptian day have proved popular. Our recent Mexican day was completely inspired, and led by a small group of Year 4 children who came to the kitchens with a proposal -dried crickets and churros were on the menu that day!

What did you do before working at Malcolm Sargent? I originally worked in a care home. Then did a stint at Malcolm Sargent before heading up the kitchens at the Collyweston Slater pub. I returned to Malcolm Sargent in 2016. Do you offer any other meals except lunch? Not at the moment. We do however cater for parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; evenings, and offer taste tester sessions to children about to start at the school. What allergies/intolerances do you have to cater for? We cater for the full remit of allergies and intolerances plus 30-40 vegetarians or vegans, which equates to approximately 15% of the total number of children we feed. Who designs the menus? Head office will design the menus but work with the school. Do you source local ingredients? We tend to work more on traceability and sustainability, as Sodexo are such a large company. What is the most popular school meal?

It would be fish fingers and chips. Pizza, spaghetti bolognaise, and lasagne are also very popular. What percentage of the pupils eat school food? About 63%, which is a high uptake. What options do you provide for lunch? Pupils can select from a choice of five options: a meat or fish dish such as traditional roast lunch, cheese and bacon wrapped chicken, fish fingers and pizza. A vegetarian option such as sweet potato and chick pea curry. As well as a jacket potato option with fillings such as cheese and beans/coronation chicken, a large variety of sandwiches with salad and, Pasta King, our daily pasta dish. For pudding, yogurt and fresh fruit are offered daily alongside the more traditional puddings such as jam sponge and bananas and custard. Do you ever do special themed days? BBQ days are always popular STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

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Please Sir ...can I have some MORE? New College Stamford with 60 covers and seating outside for 45, and the Bistro at Borderville Sports Centre, so plenty of options.

Having just spent a whopping £250k on refurbishing their Refectory, New College Stamford’s Catering Supervisor, Karen Townsend is understandably delighted with her new kitchen and dining area. Catering for the college’s 4,000 students, Karen has been leading the team at NCS for the last 14 years. Ably assisted by her team of 11, all the college food is produced on site. Karen says, “we have a great team in the college kitchens and each week three students on the NVQ catering courses will come up and join us in the refectory kitchens to get hands on experience. In fact this year we have even taken on a graduate of the NCS catering department to add to our team.” How many lunchtime meals do you serve each day? There are around 4,000 students enrolled on different courses in the College, but not everyone attends each day. We would generally cater for around 2,000 each weekday, plus 250 staff. Do you offer any other meals apart from lunch? Free breakfast is offered to all students in the form of porridge or cereal. This seems very popular. Is the Refectory the only place where food is served? We have the Refectory which seats around 200, the Bistro which seats 80 and has the very popular Starbucks, requested by the students, the Gallery

What is on the menu? Each area serves a slightly different selection of foods. Hot food includes vegetarian dishes and a vegan dish daily, stir fries, homemade pies, Pasta King (a daily pasta with a choice of three sauces), Southern fried chicken strips. Cold options include Pret a Manger style salad boxes, an array of freshly prepared sandwiches and wraps, masses of fruit, yogurts and smoothies. All the food looks fresh and inviting. Do students fund their own meals? A large percentage of students pay for themselves, but some will be eligible to free meals. Who designs the menus? The team in the kitchen, with input from the students. Some Vegan students have even suggested recipes, which we have used. A popular new idea this term is ‘Build your own burger.’ Do you source local ingredients? As much as is possible. We regularly use R&P Butchers and Peterborough Dairies. What is the most popular meal? It has to be the chicken strips – served five in a box with a dip. In April 2016 the College’s Vice Principal posted on social media that they were being removed from the menu – it nearly caused a revolt, until everyone realised it was an April fool! Stir fries are also hugely popular. An interesting fact about the kitchens The students and staff will consume around 15,000 portions of chicken strips per year.

St Gilbert’s When I met with Tommy Mudd, Kitchen Manager, at St Gilbert’s, he had only been running the kitchens at the school for two weeks. However, he has worked for contract catering company The Farm Kitchen for nearly five years, three of those years in nearby Crowland. The Farm Kitchen, a successful Lincolnshire based company has an enviable reputation, and is contracted to 50 schools around the area. In Stamford, The Farm Kitchen uses the St Gilbert’s kitchen to also cater for Uffington, Langtoft, Thurlby and St. George’s Schools, providing hot lunches for another 320 children. Tommy and his team of five are tasked with the preparation of food for 210 children at St Gilbert’s, and the additional 320 meals for the other local schools. Do you offer any other meals other than lunch? No. The only other provision we make is to cater for parent/child taster sessions, which are provided as an introduction to food at the school. What allergies/intolerances do you have to cater for? We cater for a wide variety of intolerances and allergies so all our recipes are allergy allocated. Who designs the menus? Victoria Howe, Director of The Farm Kitchen, who has been a caterer for many years, designs the menus. Coming from a farming background in North Lincolnshire, Victoria is dedicated to sourcing all our ingredients locally. We use award-winning Simpsons butchers, a local bakery for all our bread rolls, fresh fish comes from Grimsby and potatoes from Lincolnshire. What is the most popular school meal? There are several. The delicious sausages, roast chicken, and the handmade burgers from Simpsons; for pudding yogurt and shortbread. What percentage of St Gilbert’s pupils eat school lunches? Around 60% What options do you provide for lunch? We offer three options each day – a meat or fish dish such as chicken, tomato and mozzarella bake, beef bolognaise, or a vegetarian dish such as Veggie bean melt or Jacket Potatoes with lots of freshly prepared fillings. An interesting fact about the kitchens Victoria Howe, director of The Farm Kitchen wrote to Theresa May earlier in the year to express her views on the Conservative Government’s plan to withdraw Free school meals. STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

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Please Sir ...can I have some MORE? Stamford Endowed Schools Lunch is provided to all pupils and staff at The Stamford Endowed Schools, meaning Penny Hudson, SES Catering Manager and her team, have a huge task. All catering is produced in-house, and they pride themselves on providing home-cooked food and a healthy balanced diet. After attending catering college in Darlington, Penny came to SES following work in contract catering and as Deputy Catering Manager at Uppingham School. For the last eight years Penny has been in charge of the school food at SES and heads up a team of 45 who create meals out of three kitchens for Stamford Junior School, Stamford High School and Stamford School. How many lunches do you provide Monday to Friday? 1,600 Do you offer any other meals other than lunch? As the school has boarders, the catering team provide three meals a day, seven days a week during term time. All our meals are home produced; we do not use pre-prepared meals, so even the soups and a lot of the bread is homemade. Do you have to cater for a lot of dietary requirements? Yes, the full spectrum. Interestingly, I have recently noticed the number of students opting for a vegan diet has been creeping up. At the Junior School alone, the kitchen caters for 10 different dietary requirements. Who designs the menus? I design the menus but I am led by the students. I have regular meetings with the sixth formers who give me interesting ideas. Do you source local ingredients? Yes, for the majority of the products â&#x20AC;&#x201C; eggs are local and most of our vegetables come from The Fens. What is the most popular school meal? It has to be the Traditional Roast Lunch What sort of food might we expect to find on the menu at SES? A meat or fish option such as chicken and vegetable pie or homemade sausage plait, a vegetarian option such as sweet potato stew, falafel burger with raita, and puddings such as orange and lemon cheesecake and chocolate rice pudding. There are also daily fruit and yogurt options. An interesting fact about the kitchens Over the three SES schools the pupils and staff consume 1,800 pints of milk and eat 7,500 eggs per week! For the popular weekly Roast lunch, we cook 170kg of meat, 245kg of potatoes, 60kg of carrots and 125kg of broccoli

In summary, I think we can happily say, that thanks to a dedicated group of caterers and lots of wonderful local produce, the food in Stamfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schools is top of its class. 64

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

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With a chain of six pubs in towns around the region and his flagship hotel, The Crown in Stamford, Michael Thurlby (known as Mick to many) keeps himself very busy. His next bar Paten & Co, opens its doors in Stamford this month. Based on the site of his former pub The Periwig, a popular late-night haunt of many, Michael has decided to refurbish this beautiful building and bring a more up to date, open plan loft style feel to the bar. Deborah Pennell finds out more.

Michael Thurlby Managing Director, Hotelier, Publican The Knead Chain of Pubs, and The Crown Hotel in Stamford.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ELLI DEAN

What brought you into the hotel/pub business? To be honest, I rather drifted into the business. I used to enjoy a drink with my grandfather at a local pub near the family farm in Tallington. I developed a passion for real ale and have really built the business around that. How many pubs/hotels do you own? We have six at present and with Paten & Co coming on board this month that will bring us up to seven. How many people do you employ? Just over 200, but some are just seasonal staff. The Crown alone employs 55 local people. What are you looking for in an employee? Most importantly - loyalty. I understand you have an Executive Head Chef who overseas all the kitchens and menus throughout the group. Can you explain the reasoning behind this decision? It ensures consistency of product throughout all the pubs. Nick Buttress, our Executive Head Chef and I sit down and discuss all the menus together. I have very definite ideas of how I want the food produced. This includes using our home produced meat on the menus. I am also very involved in the farm. How would you describe your food? Pub food with provenance: as many of the key ingredients originate from our own farm. We are catering for people in their teens to there eighties, and the menus reflect this. Each pub has a pizza oven and our Pizzas are very popular. We sell about 1,500 pizzas throughout the pubs in a week. We will also offer Thai food, sharing platters, a delicious range of home produced burgers and your pub classics. There is something for everyone on the menus. Do you serve local ales from small breweries? Oakham Ales are served in all the pubs and the hotel, and we often showcase beers from local producers such as Stoneford. Tell me about your farm The farm at Tallington, has been in the family for a few generations now. Living and working on a farm all my life has made me understand the importance of opting for local produce. At present we have a herd of 70 Lincoln Red Cattle and a flock of 230 Texel Cross sheep. We also have a small orchard

with apples and pears. All these wonderful products are used in the pubs and the hotel. Has any one person influenced your career? I suppose the one person who had a great influence on how the business has evolved and really got me interested in the food side of the business was Richard Brandrick. He used to work at The Haycock and then with me. He gave me lots of advice. Sadly he died some years ago now. Do you ever get time to take a break? I work hard but I do travel a lot, and this is when I get my inspiration. I will try to spend time in the South of France, and Crete each year, and ski-ing in Morzine. Where is your favourite place in the world to visit? It has to be Crete. We actually import all our olive oil from a friend of mine in Crete.

Is there a particular style of food you enjoy? Anything with a bit of spice. Travelling India was a great experience. Give me an interesting fact relating to the pubs and hotel. Last year our customers ate their way through over 7,000kg of our home produced Lamb! To sample great food and local beers, head to: www.kneadpubs.co.uk The Crown Hotel, All Saintsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Place, Stamford, PE9 2AG 01780 763136 Smithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Bourne, 25 North Street, Bourne, PE10 9AE 01778 426819 The Tobie Norris, 12 St Pauls Street, Stamford, PE9 2BE 01780 753800 The Prince Rupert, 46 Stodman Street, Newark, NG24 1AW 01636 918121 The Lord Nelson, 11 Market Place, Oakham, LE15 6DT 01572 868340 STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

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This month our town is proudly paying tribute to a world famous former resident, nicknamed Flash Harry, Britain’s leading conductor of choral works, Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent. Kate Cadman finds out more about the Stamford School boy turned musician who co-founded the London Philharmonic Orchestra and was chief conductor of the Proms for almost two decades.

Celebrating Flash Harry T

HIRTY-FIVE very lucky young musicians from the Stamford Endowed Schools (SES) will experience a unique opportunity this month as they have been handpicked to perform alongside the Band of Irish Guards in a Last Night at the Proms tribute performance commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of Sir Malcolm Sargent. The concert is the brainchild of George Woolf, a former Maths Teacher at SES for over three decades. “It is almost exactly 20 years ago when I started the band concerts and we’ve pretty much had one a year since then. This year we’ve got three!,” explains George. Despite now enjoying his retirement, George’s vision to work alongside Military band musicians started many years ago when a colleague at the time responded to his idea saying it was an ‘impossible challenge’ to organise such an event. Determination took over and George got planning and simply hasn’t stopped yet! The Last Night at the Proms tribute concert will take place on Tuesday 3rd October at the Oswald Elliott Hall. The lucky group of SES musicians will get to practice with approximately 35 Royal Band members during the afternoon prior to staging a joint performance in the evening to the public. The event is sure to be quite a spectacle with a total of 70 musicians on stage during the performance. “I think events like this serve to hugely boost the self-confidence of all SES pupils and are so aspirational - allowing the youngsters to experience something quite extraordinary. It is a great credit to all the music teachers involved in prepping the pupils to a high enough standard to be able to work with professional band members at an appropriate level. It’s all very moving,” adds George. Despite not being musical himself, George attained the level of Lieutenant Colonel (Honorary) in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF),

George Woolf

Sir Malcolm Sargent

“Malcolm Sargent had an infectious personality and became world famous, bringing music to the masses.” and ran the SES CCF for the majority of his teaching years at SES. It was this involvement with the youngsters and his own love of music that provided the inspiration for his tie up with the Royal Band musicians. “I like to get what I can for the pupils,” he adds modestly. “It is important to celebrate Malcolm Sargent as he was a very, very popular man,” says George. Sargent was brought up in Stamford, joined Peterborough Cathedral choir and won a scholarship to Stamford School. At the age of 14 he accompanied rehearsals for amateur productions of The Gondoliers and The Yeomen of the Guard at Stamford. “In later years, he became particularly popular with the Royals of the time and arranged the wedding music for Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth. He had an infectious personality and became world famous, bringing music to the masses,” adds George.

Malcolm Sargent’s fame extended way beyond the concert hall: he became a familiar voice on BBC Radio and toured widely throughout the world. He was noted for his skill as a conductor, his championship of British composers and his debonair appearance which won him the nickname ‘Flash Harry’. “As far as we know, Malcolm Sargent’s last visit to Stamford was in 1961. An old boy of the School recalls him returning to the School for the 500th anniversary of Stamford gaining its Charter. We have a very special guest who will be attending our tribute performance - 94 year old Sylvia Darley - Malcolm Sargent’s PA. In addition, local dignitaries from Peterborough, Melton Mowbray and Leicester have also been invited to attend. Anyone interested in attending can obtain free tickets online at: www.ses.lincs.sch.uk/ boxoffice - there is limited availability. STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Antonia Scott speaks to Judith Graham and her daughter Lucy-Rose on their love for music and how they have inspired the local community

A love of music PHOTOGRAPHY: ELLI DEAN

How it all began Judith: “My father was a church organist, having been Head Chorister of Clare College, Cambridge, and my mother sang in his choirs. He taught me piano and my love of recorder led to the clarinet, and these instruments, alongside singing, dominated my teaching degree. I returned to Cambridge as a primary teacher and then was appointed Head of Music at Copthill School, Uffington in 1995.” Lucy-Rose: “I have always been surrounded by music and, to be like my two older brothers, I never remember not playing piano. But I wanted to be different from my family, who all played wind instruments, and so chose the cello! I was lucky to get a music scholarship to Oakham School. I currently study a music performance degree at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, where I perform with talented musicians in wonderful venues. I also commute to Stamford once a week to teach cello at Copthill School in Uffington.” What inspires you? Judith: “I love to see the joy and fulfilment that music can bring when performed by all ages and abilities.” Lucy-Rose: “I get inspired when people tell me that they enjoy the work and effort that I put into music; whether that’s teaching or playing at their functions, it’s the best feeling in the world! I always try and tailor what I play for individuals’ 70

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

events, and I get a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfilment from the audiences’ reactions, as I play requests and music to fit their events.” What drives or motivates you? Judith: “My late mother taught me to believe in my own musical abilities, and was my driving force, as by nature I am shy.” Lucy-Rose: “My teaching motivation is driven from the enjoyment of my pupil’s performances and achievements. My performance motivation comes from my love of playing cello in front of people! Is there a person that you admire or aspire to be like? Judith: “I started the “Copthill Community Choir” in 2010, inspired by Gareth Malone’s TV programmes. I wanted to unite all ages, and include adults who had not sung since school. The success of that venture grew to the recent community project, “The Copthill Eagle has Landed” written and produced by Lucy-Rose, and had over 200 participants, and included dance, gymnastics, art, instrumental accompaniments and singing. The age range spanned toddlers attending rehearsals, the entire Copthill key stage 2, and local residents, who have always loyally supported the choirs.” Lucy-Rose: “The only person I have ever wanted to be like is my late Nan. She was a strong, determined and amazing lady who saw the

good in everyone. No matter what illnesses she bore, she would put others first. She would have fully supported my future plans, as she enjoyed sharing music with everyone. She loved to hear about productions I was writing, lessons I was teaching and venues and events I played at. I know she would be excited to hear about my future plans.” Where next - what does the future hold? Judith: “After 21 years at Copthill School, I teach various aged students on piano, clarinet, singing, theory, recorder, saxophone and beginner flute in my own music room. I tailor tuition to the individual, feeling privileged that I can further their love of music.” Lucy-Rose: “I am currently planning a music teaching business, which will include music lessons, courses, workshops, concerts and productions. I think that it is extremely important for everyone to be able to share and play music, as it brings joy to many people in so many different situations. I will always keep performing, as I enjoy playing at weddings, dinners, parties etc, and a teaching business will allow me to fulfil my two musical loves simultaneously! Contact: Judith: jcg.pmg@btinternet.com 07519 424013 Lucy-Rose: www.lucyrosegraham.com lucyrosegraham@gmail.com 07599 569929

Do you know what your pension can do for you? • • • • • • •

When can I access my pension? Should I take my tax-free cash? What are my income requirements? Should I put all my pensions together? How tax-efficient is my pension? Can my pension be left to my family after my death? Final Salary Schemes – What are the options?

If you would like any advice on the above or have any other financial questions, please get in touch.

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News & Notes Helping you make the most of Stamford living

Stamford lettings market continues to flourish The lettings market in Stamford and the Rutland area is reaching new heights as we head into autumn, according to Graham Freeman, Senior Branch Manager of Leaders

Graham Freeman

TAMFORD has long been an area regarded by investors and homeowners alike as a great place to live and make money on property over the medium to long term. Capital growth has been the main motivator for landlords who often see the rental income as purely a means to cover the costs of running the property whilst capital values rise. Not surprising when you consider the fact that the average property has increased by over £68,000 in the last five years. But 2017 has seen even further growth in the rental values of properties as more people are choosing Stamford as the place to call home. In the first 8 months of the year Leaders have seen an increase of almost 20% in applicants looking to rent in comparison to previous years. With higher demand comes higher yields and the ability for landlords to choose the best quality tenants. Yields are now averaging close to 5% across all property types, which at a time when buy-to-let mortgage rates are as low as 1.3% the rental profit for landlords is also proving to be a good income. We often have people asking about letting out their property, when having lived in the area for many years work or other reasons mean they

have to move away. This is how a large proportion of landlords become landlords in the first place, and it’s an extremely savvy move. Demand in the area is always strong, so void periods are very low. In fact, for properties managed by Leaders the average tenancy length in the area is 36 months, so tenants stay for a good amount of time too. This has another benefit to landlords beyond the obvious stable income, because tenants that stay tend to view the property as their home, which means they look after it better, reducing maintenance costs and repairs in between tenancies. So, whether you are looking to retain your family home whilst you work away, or are looking for a stable and reliable income from monthly rent and longer-term capital growth you would be wise to consider Stamford as a great place for this. Typically, the highest demand levels from tenants are for two and threebedroom houses. Character properties tends to let faster as long as they are well maintained with modern kitchens and bathrooms. But with flats being fewer and further between, these also let very well and often achieve yields in excess of 5.5%. Whatever your circumstances, if you want expert advice on how you could make the most of being a landlord in Stamford or across the Rutland area, we’d love to help. Contact the Leaders team 01780 408551. Leaders, 2 Gooches Court, Stamford PE9 2RE www.leaders.co.uk/branches/stamford

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OST of us have experienced that sinking feeling when a glass or mug has accidentally been knocked over onto a rug, carpet or upholstery, or when your beloved pet has had a little accident in the home. Some stains can be tackled by yourself, but more problematic ones will need to be treated with skill and care and are best left in the hands of the professionals. Mistakes with delicate fabrics can cause shrinkage, damaged fibre texture or even colour loss, resulting in expensive damage. For a local cleaning firm with national accreditation, Oakham-based Weaver (UK) Ltd comes highly recommended. The firm is an advance member of the National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA), the only nationally recognized trade association in the UK for carpet and upholstery cleaners, and its founder, David Weaver, is a Director of the NCCA. Weaver (UK) Ltd is also “Trustmark” approved business and a “Trusted Local Cleaner”. It offers a 24-hour emergency service for small

floods, spills and accidents. Perfect for giving you peace of mind… In addition to emergency cleaning services, Weaver (UK) Ltd is also expert in giving tiredlooking carpets, rugs, fine fabrics, antiques, wool, leather and even stone floors a new lease of life. Natural stone floors can be cleaned, restored to their former beauty and then sealed. Tile and grout cleaning services are also available. Curtains up to 5 metres high can be cleaned in situ, saving you the time and hassle of taking them down and rehanging them. The firm even runs Oriental rug-cleaning workshops at its office in Oakham’s Pillings Road. Weaver (UK) Ltd David offers a round-the-clock service and is happy to offer free advice and free quotes. Don’t hesitate to get in touch. Weaver (UK) Ltd is based at 24F Pillings Road, Oakham LE15 7SX. For more information, contact David on 01572 759899 or visit weaverltd.co.uk. STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

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News & Notes CookSmart with Rachel

Two more awards for QKS Home

KS Ltd are delighted and honoured to announce that they have won the 2017 BUILD Excellence Award for Home Improvements. QKS are particularly pleased to have received this award. Their design and build team strive to provide the best products and services for their customers. Their mission is for continual improvement and this award recognises that. QKS Ltd have also been announced as proud winners to feature in Solidor’s new Solidor Style Wall campaign which aims to showcase outstanding projects from Solidor installers. According to Solidor, its followers share a lot of project images on Twitter. As a result, Solidor says it is showcasing the best on #SolidorStyleWall, and will be featuring the very best in its advertising and marketing. They will be professionally photographed, and QKS will be credited wherever the image appears. QKS is the second to appear in Solidor’s advertising, with a stunning Flint 2 Composite door in Golden Sand. The lucky owners of the door, Mr and Mrs Orme of Stamford, were delighted when the news was shared. They commented “we are extremely pleased with the service we have received from QKS and couldn’t be happier with our new door. It is an honour to know our door has won this prestigious award!”

ookSmart with Rachel, a new cookery venture in Oundle, offers tailored cookery tuition in a fun, relaxed way in either the CookSmart kitchen or the client’s kitchen. Sessions are tailored around what the client wants to learn and all ingredients are provided, making each experience unique and hassle-free for the client. Sessions can be individual or in groups for those preferring a more sociable experience. Rachel says “I’ve always been a keen cook and I love sharing tips and recipes with others. Like everyone, I have lots of demands on my time, so whether I’m catering for large gatherings, children’s parties, dinner parties for friends or colleagues, making preserves or treats as gifts, or simply cooking for my family, it’s all about getting the most out of the time I have available. Rachel is an advocate of ‘from scratch’ cooking and says she’s convinced that staying healthy has to start with knowing what’s in your food. “The best way to know, surely, is to make it yourself.” She worked in healthcare education and science education fields for several years and has a first degree and PhD in biology, so has a good understanding of nutrition. She has a keen interest in making ‘naughty healthy’ food such as her no added sugar muffins and desserts. For more information or for details of how to book a session, see her on Facebook, @cooksmartwithrachel, email, cook.smart@outlook.com, or call 07913 514702.

QKS, Unit 4, Priory Industries, Cherryholt Lane, Stamford, PE9 2EQ 01780 756666 www.qks-ltd.co.uk

UFFORD ART SOCIETY

An exhibition of paintings by local artists Ufford Village Hall, Sat 7th October 10am-5pm Free entry – refreshments

Organ Recital by Fergus Black at Stamford All Saints’ Wednesday 4th October at 6pm

USIC by composers who have lived locally including Gwilym Beechey, Philip Spratley, Peter Thompson, Christopher Gower, Stan Hansell and Stephen Barber. Promoted by the Peterborough and District Organists’ Association. “We don’t often get a chance to hear music by our local composers, and that is a pity”, says Fergus Black. “There is a complete range of styles, from pastiche to avant garde. Some of it is very exciting and some of it is a bit of a challenge for the player. I am looking forward to sharing it.” Stephen Barber’s organ prelude on the chorale Es spricht, recently won the Orgelbuchlein Project Prize given by the Trustees of the Royal College of Organists.

Barnsdale Hall Hotel celebrates 25 years with leading worldwide exchange company RCI

ARNSDALE Hall Hotel recently celebrated 25 years as a worldwide holiday destination with its association with RCI Group. Barnsdale Country Club affiliated to the RCI Holiday Exchange programme in 1992. Benefiting from a prime location overlooking Rutland Water, it has long been a much-in-demand holiday option for members. Dimitris Manikis, Vice President, Business development, RCI Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “At RCI we do everything in our power to ensure the resorts affiliated to our programme provide a quality holiday experience in every way. The staff at Barnsdale have always been one hundred per cent behind us in Left to right: Peter Moore chairman of BOA, Marj this, having held a top RCI resort quality award for the entire 25 years of its operation and affiliation with RCI. Anderson of RCI, and Barbara Hodges and Russell Waters, For the past 14 years, Barnsdale has held the RCI Gold both of Barnsdale Hall. Crown quality rating and it can be very proud of that fantastic achievement.” Barnsdale Hall Hotel, Stamford Road, Near Oakham, LE15 8AB 01572 757901 www.barnsdalehotel.co.uk STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

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News & Notes Stamford Property Values Rise by 6.9% in 12 months As economics is about ‘supply and demand’, the story behind Stamford’s property market can also be seen from those two sides of the story. This month, our local property advisor David Crooke, owner of UPP Property Agents applies the principle to Stamford’s property market.

Murano jewellery opens in Stamford

OLLY Clegg, owner of Murano jewellery in Deeping, has just opened up a second shop in Stamford where Snow Designs and Interiors used to be. Within this new shop you will find the lovely Molly, a young entrepreneur who has found herself a rewarding career in jewellery, some beautiful pieces from local designers as well as art from Stamford’s favourite Katie Cardew and well-known brand Ostrich 2 Love who you may have seen last month at Burghley. Some of the jewellery brands that you can expect to find include Joid’art, a name Molly came across while away in Barcelona. This contemporary Spanish brand is perfect for gifts, or a personal treat for yourself with prices ranging from £15 up to £300, depending on the occasion. Other exciting products to look out for come from Charlotte Lowe, a Birmingham based jewellery designer specialising in handmade silver products that aim to capture precious memories. Then, holding up Deeping St James’ end is Lesley Adolphson who will be showcasing her individualistic handmade items in Murano alongside fellow local designers Amity & Grace from our very own Stamford. If you haven’t visited 32 St Mary’s before, you missed out big time on Camilla’s quirky interiors shop. Don’t make the same mistake twice and be sure to make your way either up from The George or down from the High Street to this lovely road of shops. Murano isn’t just another jewellery shop, it’s a very passionate shop owner doing her best to support local businesses and communities while bringing in a few different niche pieces too.

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

HE most recent set of data from the Land Registry has stated that property values in Stamford and the surrounding area were 6.92% higher than 12 months ago and 18.28% higher than January 2015. Despite the uncertainty over Brexit, Stamford’s property values continue on a medium and long-term upward trajectory. Looking at the supply issues of the Stamford property market, putting aside the short-term dearth of property on the market, one of the main reasons for this sustained house price growth has been down to the lack of building new homes. Over the last 70 years, the draconian planning laws (starting with The Town and Country Planning Act 1947) has meant the amount of land built on in the UK today, only stands at 1.8% (no, that’s not a typo – it’s one-point eight percent) and that is made up of 1.1% with residential property and 0.7% for commercial property. These 70-yearold planning regulations are restrictive and irrelevant to today’s housing needs and don’t reflect on the type of homes badly needed by Stamford’s young and growing population. Looking at the demand side of the equation, one might have thought property values would drop because of Brexit and of buyers’ uncertainty. However, certain analysts now believe property values may actually RISE because of Brexit. Many people are risk adverse, especially with their hardearned savings. The stock market is at an all-time high (ready to pop again?) and many people don’t trust the money markets. The thing about property is its tangibility; you can touch the bricks and mortar and you can easily understand it. As a nation, we have historically put our faith in property, which we expect to rise in value, in numerical terms, at least. Nationally, the value of property has risen by 635.4% since 1984 whilst the stock market has risen by a very similar 593.1%. However, the stock market has had a roller coaster of a ride to get to those figures. For example, in the ‘dot com bubble’ of the early 2000’s, the FTSE100 dropped 126.3% in 2 years and it dropped again by 44.6% in 9 months in 2007… the worst drop Stamford saw in property values was just 16.7% in the 2008/9 credit crunch. Despite the slowdown in the rate of annual property value growth in Stamford to the current 6.92%, from the heady days of 12.81% annual increases seen in late 2015, it can be argued the headline rate of Stamford property price inflation is holding up well, especially with the squeeze on real incomes, new taxation rules for landlords and the slight ambiguity around Brexit. With mortgage rates at an alltime low and tumbling unemployment, all these factors are largely continuing to help support property values. For more thoughts on the Stamford property market, visit www.stamfordpropertyblog.com

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News & Notes Loomes & Co watch and photography display Loomes & Co are to host a reception and photographic exhibition for one of their Stamford-made mechanical watches.

Rockblok October Half Term Adventure Club

TAMFORD Town Hall on 17th October is the venue for a unique reception. The entirely British-made watch was made for the Royal Gurkha Regiment climbing team. On May 15th this year, the team summited Everest. It was the most successful Army expedition ever to climb Everest, in getting three British officers and thirteen Nepalese RGR soldiers to the top. In doing so they also carried Loomes watches, testing them to the limit by way of the cold, the knocks and bumps of three months on a mountainside and the altitude of Everest. One of the watches is about to be auctioned online by Bonhams. The watch will be on display in Stamford for one day only, before moving to the Saatchi Gallery on November 2,3,4 for salonQP, the London watch show. The online auction will run until 4th November. Loomes’ entirely British made wristwatches range from £7,850 to £34,500. This watch is unique in being a 19 jewel, hand-wound movement specially prepared for the Expedition, complete with unique, Stamford-made, dial and fitted with a couture British leather strap. All proceeds from the Auction will go to raise funds for The Mountain Trust, a charity specialising in aid to the most remote regions of the Himalayas, badly damaged in the catastrophic earthquake of 2015. The exhibition at Stamford Town Hall will also feature the lavish and evocative imagery of the Gurkha200 Everest Expedition by the British mountain photographer Alun Richardson FRPS, who joined the team in Nepal in both 2015 and 2017.

Robert Loomes FBHI FRSA, 4 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford, PE9 2DP 01780 481319 www.robertloomes.com www.twitter.com/loomes_robert

How can Pink Spaghetti help you?

ICHELLE Kaberry knows what it takes to run a busy household, as a working mother. She lives in Ketton with her husband and 4 children. For the past 9 years, Michelle worked at Peterborough Hospital managing consultant waiting lists, but recently decided it was time to embark on a new challenge and so brought a franchise called Pink Spaghetti, who provide ‘pick up, put down’ Personal Assistant services and invaluable, part-time help for small business owners, who are often faced with a multitude of challenges to overcome on a daily basis. Not all of these tasks are complex, or individually time consuming, but there are occasions when the sheer volume on your ‘To Do List’ can seem overwhelming. Whether it’s a cost saving exercise such as seeking the best price for your utilities, or that all important but time-consuming first foray into social media, or someone to act as your very own virtual PA,

ITH October half term around the corner, and following the successful Summer Club, Rockblok at Whitwell will be running the Rockblok Half Term Adventure Club, from Monday 23 October until Friday 27 October for children aged eight and over. If you’re looking for one day of childcare, juggling work with school-holiday fun or need to book consecutive days for your child, the Rockblok team is here to help. Rockblok instructors will guide adventurers in hands-on activities from rock climbing and high ropes to exploring, trying out mini watercraft and building dens, shelters and campfires. There’ll also be painting, treasure maps and much more. Supervisors, co-ordinators and instructors are DBS checked and have the appropriate first-aid qualifications along with a wealth of experience in providing supervision and activities for young people. There’s also a shared desire within the team to make this an exciting and memorable experience for children. Bring friends or come along and make new ones! • The club will run Monday 23 to Friday 27 October, 8.30am–5pm. Rockblok is in the Whitwell Leisure Park, next to Rutland Cycling, on the north shore of Rutland Water. The club costs £30 per day, with a 15% discount for three days or more. Booking is essential – please contact Rockblok on 01780 460060 or visit www.rockblok.com for more information.

Pink Spaghetti offers a fast, efficient and cost-effective business and lifestyle management service. Michelle will aim to unravel the time-consuming small stuff, giving you time to sort the big stuff and enjoy life. Examples of work undertaken: • Want to send an email newsletter? – they can design a template. • Need a database built? • Receipts in a pickle? • An endless list of ‘important, but not urgent’ tasks for home and work that simply never get done? They charge a standard rate of £25 per hour, with a minimum charge of £6.25 for 15 minutes. Full details on www.pink-spaghetti.co.uk How can people get in contact? Michelle.kaberry@Pink-spaghetti.co.uk 07731302262 STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Out & About

Amander Meade selects some of the best entertainment in the region this month.

Simon Day

Monday 2 to Saturday 14 October, 10am to 5pm daily EXHIBITION: Welland Valley Art Society Autumn Exhibition Members of the Society look forward to sharing their work with the public at their Autumn Exhibition. Visitors will find a mix of original paintings, prints and sculpture to suit all tastes. Most works are for sale and there will be the opportunity to chat to the friendly artists who made the work. Stamford Arts Centre All are very welcome and entry is free. Thursday 5 October, 7.30pm DANCE: The Sandman Chantry Dance Company presents a fabulous, original full-length contemporary ballet for 2017. The Sandman’s magical rainbow umbrella imparts good dreams, and his dark umbrella brings nightmares to humans. A woman yearns for good dreams to heal her ailing husband, so she visits the Dream World to steal the umbrellas. But what will happen if the umbrellas get mixed up? The Company is run by choreographers Paul Chantry and Rae Piper, known for their work on shows including ‘Gangsta Granny’ and ‘Horrible Histories’. Stamford Arts Centre Tickets £12/£8.50 Tel: 01780 763203 or visit stamfordartscentre.com Friday 6 October, 7.30pm COMEDY: Simon Day in Character The much loved Fast Show star revives four iconic characters. Billy Bleach: the pub bore, Geoffrey Allerton: confirmed bachelor and unpublished Yorkshire poet, Tony Beckton: one of Britain’s most dangerous men and Brian Pern: prog rocker and humanitarian. Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre Tickets £20 Tel: 01780 766455 stamfordcornexchangetheatre

STAMFORD LIVING OCTOBER 2017

Welland Valley Art Society Autumn Exhibition Sunday 8 October, 5pm FUNDRAISER: A Children’s Celebration for Malcolm Sargent Solo prize winners from the Stamford Music Competition, the Malcolm Sargent Primary School Choir, All Saints Church Children’s Choir, and special guests will all be performing. There will also be ‘Last Night of the Proms’ favourites to join in. Fergus Black, the Director of Music at the church, said ‘Sargent’s funeral was held at All Saints, so it is right that we should be hosting an event to mark the 50th anniversary of his death. He spent his life at the highest performance levels, but never forgot about children starting out and making music - his recording of Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, is still a classic.’ All Saints Church, Red Lion Square Admission is free with a collection in aid of Clic Sargent - for children with cancer.

Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 October, 7.30pm and Thursday 14 October, 6.30pm OPERA: The Pirates of Penzance Presented by the Stamford Gilbert & Sullivan Players, this comic opera is packed full of sentimental pirates, blundering policeman, absurd adventures and improbable paradoxes. Frederic, a pirate’s apprentice, falls head-over-heels in love with Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley. Frederic is due to be released from his apprenticeship on his twenty first birthday, but there’s a snag. Born on 29 February, Frederic discovers that he is technically still a youngster. Can he find a way to live happily-ever-after with Mabel? Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre Tickets £13.50/£12.50 Tel: 01780 766455 stamfordcornexchange.co.uk Thursday 19 October, 7pm for 7.30pm TALK: The Collages and Collegiate Churches David Bond will address the Stamford & District Local History Society. Refreshments will be served at 7pm with the talk beginning at 7.30pm. All are welcome. Methodist Church Rooms, Barn Hill Entry for members is £3, £5 for non-members. Tuesday 24 October, 10am to 12pm CHILDRENS SINGING WORKSHOP Brooke Peverell is leader of Stamford ladies choir, ‘Stamford Sings’ and she will be turning her talents to a special workshop aimed at introducing children aged between 5 and 12 to the joy of singing this half term. Carlby Village Hall £6 per child or two for £10 Booking and details Tel: 0777 2055 935.

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Out & About

Amander Meade selects some of the best entertainment in the region this month.

Scary Fun for Halloween… Wednesday 18 to Tuesday 31 October, 11am to 5pm The Burghley Pumpkin Trail Join the Burghley Pumpkin Trail around the Sculpture Garden. Tread through the crispy autumn leaves and find the hidden pumpkins to receive a treat. Admittance is free with a Gardens ticket. Prices at burghley.co.uk Wednesday 18 to Sunday 29 October Pumpkin Rolling Have a day out at Easton Walled Gardens where children of all ages are invited to roll pumpkins down the grass terraces and the furthest roller wins. Seasonal nature trails and planting a bulb to take home are all part of the fun Easton Walled Gardens Admission is £7/£3 Tel: 01476 530063 or visit eastonwalledgardens.co.uk Wednesday 25 October, 2pm FAMILY SHOW: Harry Panto and the Chamber Pot of Secrets Join our young magicians as they fight the dark lord in this spellbinding tale of good versus evil. Magical illusions, pop songs and things that go bump in the night all form the essential ingredients of this bewitching plot sure to delight youngsters and adults alike. A ghoulishly spooktacular parody production for half term. Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre Tickets are £10.50/£8.50 or £34 for a family of four Tel: 01780 766455 stamfordcornexchange.co.uk Wednesday 25 October, 2.30pm FAMILY SHOW: Hansel and Gretel The classic story tells of two children, a brother and a sister, who support each other and survive foolish parents, a dark wood, a gingerbread house and a wicked witch. With period costumes, an ingenious set, professional actors and wonderful music – family theatre at its best. Stamford Arts Centre Tickets £8/£7 or £28 for a family of four Tel: 01780 763203 or visit stamfordartscentre.co.uk

Wednesday 18 to Tuesday 31 October Spooky Tours Visitors will be escorted around Burghley recalling spooky events over the centuries. The tours are designed to be scary but fun and although not recommended for children under 11 – it’s up to parents to decide. Tours take place in the evening with low level lighting across uneven surfaces, steps and in the open air in all weathers. You will be on your feet for up to 50 minutes so please wear suitable clothing and footwear. Burghley House More information and ticket prices at www.burghley.co.uk

Friday 27, Saturday 28 and Tuesday 31 October, hourly from 6.30pm to 9.30pm Halloween Ghost Walks Join a Halloween Special Ghost Walk lead by professional actor Martin Tempest. But be warned, there are other ghoulish characters waiting to pounce and make you jump on what will be a spooky, fun and information walk. Recommended for 8 years and over. Tours begin from Stamford Arts Centre, £5 per person Tel: 01780 763203 or visit stamfordartscentre.co.uk

Thursday 26 October, 1pm and 2.30pm Halloween Story Walks Join Tom the Tale Teller for spooky Halloween story walks around the gardens. Tom’s stories come alive with his endless enthusiasm and wonderful talent for telling tales. Easton Walled Gardens Tickets for the story walks will be £5 (plus normal garden admission fee) for children aged 4 - 16years Tel: 01476 530063 or see visiteaston.co.uk

Sunday 29 October, 12pm-4pm. Barnsdale’s Scary Spooktacular Take a walk in the weird woods, take part in a terrifying treasure hunt or carve your own petrifying pumpkin to take home- there’s frightening fun for all the family, and kids in costume visit free. Garden admission: Adult £8.50/£7.50, child £4.50 (free in fancy dress), family (up to 5) £25

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