Aspirational Autumn/Winter 2014 Edition 10 by Champions (UK) plc

ASPIRATIONAL magazine

ASPIRATIONAL

magazine

in every woman is a queen

in this edition... LAUREN BACALL: SILVER SCREEN STARLET AIR PARTNER: STYLISH PRIVATE AIR TRAVEL EDITION 10

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RUGBY: NEIL BACK MBE’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW CRICKET: MATTHEW HOGGARD MBE ON THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

AUTUMN/WINTER 2014

Reine de Naples Collection

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An icon just got larger

THE NEW NAVITIMER 46 mm

Leah Marks House, 10-12 Market Street, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE1 6DP Telephone: 0116 255 1233

IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

Editor in Chief Matthew Hayes Advertising Manager Sophia Hayes Production Manager Alexandra Buist Features Editor Victoria Marconetto

ASPIRATIONAL

magazine

Dominic Gomersall writes:

Advertising Executive Emily Knowles Features Writers Christopher Brookes Richard Padmore William Smith Megan Smith Elyssa Fagan Francesca Bonfiglio Sophie Brennan Senior Designer Ewen Lewis Designers Kristian Goodeve Jamie Traynor Terri Burton Liam Creek Photography Kristian Goodeve Antonia Doyle Jamie Traynor Web Development David Evans Michael Pattinson

Contributors

Dominic Gomersall Michelle Dilley James Warne Bob Woods Ian Mattioli Jason Yeomans

Glynis Wright Simon Fleet Janine Edwards Kirsty Brown Chris Darlington Vincent Kavanagh

www.aspirational.uk.com For mailing list and subscription enquiries please visit www.aspirational.uk.com For advertising enquiries please contact: Sophia Hayes on 08453 31 30 31 or email: shayes@championsukplc.com Published By

Christmas is coming, and the festive season offers us time to reflect on the year that has passed, what our families have achieved and how they have grown, the progress our businesses may have made, and to look ahead to the year to come, 2015. This year was another successful trading period for Lumbers and we continue to be grateful for the support of all our clients. 2014 saw Lumbers become the most successful independent retailer of both Breitling and Chopard watches in the UK – a fantastic achievement with two fabulous brands that are both iconic and desirable. But even more remarkably, Lumbers was the number one independent retailer of Breguet watches in Europe. This was achieved by the superb contribution of the Lumbers team in introducing the most historically important horological brand to Leicester. Earlier this year, we held a dinner in the showroom introducing Breguet to a select number of watch clients. The Breguet UK Sales Director commented that she had never witnessed such a fun but successful retail evening – this is the atmosphere we continue to strive for within Lumbers – retail should be about interaction, friendship, fun and, of course, selling. A visit to Lumbers should always be an experience, not just another visit to a shop. I am truly excited with the varied and exciting jewellery and watches we are assembling for Santa to distribute this Christmas. The stunning cuffs advertised on page 41 are simply gorgeous. Who will be the lucky Aspirational client who will be surprised on Christmas day with the beautiful emerald necklace on page 22? I think this is probably one of the most elegant pieces of jewellery in the Midlands. Hublot watches, introduced into Lumbers only last year, have been a revelation and this year they have introduced a stunning limited edition watch for me and any other avid Chelsea fan! Limited to just 50 pieces the Jose Mourinho ‘Special One’ may well be on my wrist rather than on display!!! We have jewellery, watches and gifts for everyone looking forward to their own ‘Lumbers moment’ on Christmas Day... As a county, we have many things to be proud of, and in 2015 the eyes of the world will turn to Leicester as we host the interment of King Richard III, with all the pomp, ceremony and pageantry that such an event deserves. All the investment into making King Richard III a highlight of the British tourist trail continues to change the City landscape, and will surely increase visitors and revenue, setting Leicester on an ever increasing upward spiral. I believe that the regeneration that this brings, especially to the Cathedral area of the city across to the Highcross, is of inestimable value for the businesses surrounding it. The new Jubilee Square at the top of the High Street is now complete and we need to embrace these additions to our locality. I’m sure that Leicester and Lumbers are in for a busy, exciting and prosperous 2015. On a personal note, the Gomersall family will be having a quieter Christmas than usual, as my two step children, Maddie and Gregory are off to travel Australia. So the house will feel a little empty this season. However with the impending arrival of a puppy to keep my Freddie company, I am sure it will be a joyous one. As a time for family and friends, celebration and togetherness, I do hope that you and your families celebrate a very happy Christmas, and a prosperous and exciting New Year! Pantone 871 Metallic

Pantone C465

Champions (UK) plc Barrington House, Leake Road, Costock, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 6XA Tel: 08453 31 30 31 Fax: 08453 31 30 32 www.championsukplc.com Please note: Aspirational magazine is fully protected by copyright; no part of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted without the complete and expressed permission of the publisher. The greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy, however there can be no liability accepted by the publisher for errors or omissions. Aspirational Magazine can under no circumstances be held responsible for any materials, matter or photographical copy submitted for publication or not within the magazine. We cannot be held liable or responsible for any breaches of copyright from adverts, materials, photography or any other matter supplied by third parties. The views and opinions expressed within this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher or indeed Aspirational Magazine or any featured parties.

In honour of The Special One - football coach José Mourinho - who recently rejoined the prestigious ranks of the Hublot ambassadors, Hublot has unveiled the aptly named King Power ‘Special One’. Available from: Lumbers | lumbers.co.uk • 0116 255 1233

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TAG HEUER CARRERA CALIBRE 1887 By pushing you to the limit and breaking all boundaries, Formula 1 is more than just a physical challenge; it is a test of mental strength. Like TAG Heuer, you have to strive to be the best and never crack under pressure.

editor’s note I’m delighted to welcome you to another edition of Aspirational Magazine – our tenth overall. It gives me great pleasure to see the magazine continue to go from strength to strength and our team has worked as hard as ever to compile yet another fantastic edition. I’m extremely pleased to announce that world-class air charter company Air Partner are our new air travel associate. Their exclusive service gives clients instant access to private air charter services across the globe, and what better way to enjoy the flight than by relaxing with a copy of Aspirational Magazine? On our cover is a true Hollywood icon who sadly passed away earlier in the year, Lauren Bacall. With the ability to captivate an audience with a single look, we pay tribute to one of Hollywood’s all-time greats and her glittering career in film that spanned nearly seven decades. As we have seen from the 2012 Olympic Games in London, major sporting events have the power to unite the entire nation, entertain millions of fans and give a significant boost to the economy. In this edition, we look forward to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England by speaking to a man who has lifted the famous trophy himself, Neil Back MBE. As always, we have hand-picked some of the East Midlands’ best restaurants for our Fine Dining Guide which this edition is introduced by MasterChef host, Gregg Wallace. What’s more, the famous foodie has personally chosen a special dessert recipe for you to try your hand at! Our usual social pages have some fantastic events from across our region and beyond so turn to page 132 to browse through at your leisure. Our brand new website is bigger and better than ever before so make sure to visit www.aspirational.uk.com to access some exclusive content including updated features and blog posts. Enjoy the 2014 Autumn/Winter edition of Aspirational Magazine and we wish you a fabulous festive season and a wonderful New Year!

Matthew Hayes Editor in Chief

This elegant timepiece is one of my favourites from the Breitling Chronograph collection finished in 18ct Rose Gold, this is a truly aspirational watch. Breitling Chronograph 1461 in 18ct rose gold Available from: Lumbers | lumbers.co.uk • 0116 255 1233

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3928-9983 PAdvCayenneRange Leicester_285x230_HR.pdf

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Missed the motorway exit. Missed the turn to the office. There are days when everything works out perfectly. The new Cayenne. For further information call 01163 198 715 or visit www.porsche.co.uk/cayenne

Porsche Centre Leicester Fletton Close Thurmaston Lane Leicester LE4 9LP info@porscheleicester.co.uk www.porsche.co.uk/leicester

Official fuel economy figures for the Porsche Cayenne range in mpg (l/100km): urban 17.8 - 37.2 (15.9 - 7.6), extra urban 31.7 - 47.1 (8.9 - 6.0), combined 24.6 - 42.8 (11.5 - 6.6), CO2 emissions: 173 - 267 g/km. Official fuel economy figures for the Cayenne S E-Hybrid in mpg (l/100km): urban N/A, extra urban N/A, combined 83.1 (3.4), CO2 emissions: 79 g/km. The mpg and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results, are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

12 32

66 30

42 BEAUTY, HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

Air Partner...................................... 12

Timepieces from Leicester’s finest jewellers

Aspirational Magazine’s new Air Travel Associate

Lauren Bacall ................................ 14 A tribute to Hollywood’s golden girl

The Dorchester ................................ 20 One of the world’s most iconic hotels

U Fit Studio .................................... 30 Five-Star Fitness

Dream Guides and Adventure Base ............................... 32 Awe-inspiring Alpine Adventures

Women’s Gift Guide ......................... 42 Inspiration for the festive season

Lumbers.......................................... 44 Men’s Gift Guide ............................. 48 Discover that perfect present

Rugby World Cup 2015 Preview ...... 52 We discuss England’s expectations with a former champion, Neil Back MBE

Magnolia Park ............................... 58 Ryder Cup legend Tony Jacklin CBE develops new premier Par 3 course

HOME, HOUSE AND GARDEN Walters Architects ............................ 71 Creative and ambitious schemes

Ventola Projects and SLM Builders.. 76 The development partners of Champions

Bentons .......................................... 78 Property expert James Warne discusses the future of the housing market

Abel Alarms .................................... 84 Providing peace of mind

Jason Palmer .................................. 64 The up-and-coming golfer wins his first major event

Cricket World Cup 2015 .................. 66

Matthew Hoggard MBE shares his thoughts with Aspirational Magazine

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124

116 126 128

FINE DINING GUIDE

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Gregg Wallace Introduction............. 86

Champions (UK) plc ..................... 100

The famous foodie provides the recipe for one of his signature puddings

Gino’s Pear Tree .............................. 87

The lowdown on the award-winning brand agency

College Court................................ 106 First-class facilities in the heart of Leicester

Hambleton Hall/Hotel Maiyango/ The Lighthouse ............................... 88

Glynis Wright ................................ 108

34 Windsor St ................................. 89

Mattioli Woods plc ........................ 112

Hart’s/La Rock/Sat Bains................ 90 Perkins/Chino Latino/ The Riverbank ................................ 91 World Service/Iberico/Marco Pierre White Steakhouse, Bar & Grill ........ 92 Leicester Tigers ............................... 93 Gregg Wallace................................. 94 A closer look at the MasterChef star

Hotel Maiyango .............................. 96 Alea Casino .................................... 98

Specialists in family law and mediation

Leaders in wealth management and employee benefits

PMGC .......................................... 114

SOCIAL AND NETWORKING Socialising.................................... 132 Tony Jacklin CBE Wentworth Charity Invitational Derby Telegraph Business Awards Aspirational Club Events Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship An Evening with Matthew Hoggard MBE & Friends St James’s Place Charity Ball St. James’s Place Client Day at The Belfry

Transforming businesses with ‘weightless’ technology

An Evening with Graham Rowntree

The F Word ................................... 116

Star Trust Ball

Make your business failsafe

Mazars Golf Day

Kellie Maloney .............................. 124 An incredible tale and an extraordinary year

Merrill Osmond............................. 126 The Osmonds singing legend joins Champions Celebrity

Finesse Hospitality ........................ 128 First class bespoke private event catering

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BEAUTY, HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ASPIRATIONAL

are pleased to introduce our new Air Travel Associate:

A notable history In operation for over 50 years, no other company can match the experience Air Partner has in the aircraft charter industry. In that time they have flown every mission imaginable, for every type of business and to every part of the planet.

Their expertise makes them the only aviation company with a Royal Warrant and, by building long term relationships with some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prestigious organisations, they are routinely recognised for their achievements. With a long history of flying high profile music industry figures, they regularly assist with the tour arrangements for some of the biggest names in the business

Your time is a precious commodity Air Partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guiding principles are simple. They take care to understand your exact needs and know you cannot afford to waste time. They attend to even the smallest of details to ensure your private jet service is delivered to the highest standards of quality and value.

Your peace of mind is at the centre of everything they do. Their first and last priority is to deliver you safely to where you need to be, on time, within budget, relaxed and ready for business or, indeed, pleasure.

Precision With 20 offices worldwide they offer truly global coverage. Air Partner has access to the largest fleet of private jets, VIP airliners and helicopters and, with the contacts they have built up over the decades, you are not restricted to commercial airports.

CharterPLUS GUA R A NTEE

Air Partner will cut down on your transfer time by flying you and your friends or business associates into the nearest airfield to your ultimate destination. They will save you all the hassle of conventional air travel and all the headaches of delayed flights and cancellations, lost luggage and crowded terminals will simply disappear. Air Partner take contractual responsibility for all their flights, so you can be fully confident your journey will be completed successfully. Their CharterPLUS guarantee ensures, at no additional cost, that you get exactly where you need to be. Whatever unexpected issues arise with aircraft or airlines, there will be guaranteed back-up aircraft at the ready.

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Flights On-Demand Air Partner offers the option to pay-as-you-fly with their On-Demand Charter, a service that lets you fly on your own terms, on the private jet of your choice, to your own schedule and from the airport most convenient to you. There are no long term contracts, acquisition costs or monthly management fees. In fact, there is no commitment beyond the flight.

Or you could opt for the Corporate Card. Designed to deliver the JetCard service with enhanced value for day-return users. It will save you time, money and makes sound business sense through fixed pricing and guaranteed availability when pre-purchasing flight time for day-return travel from your base airport.

JetCard Programmes

Whether flying for business or leisure the exclusive card options from Air Partner give you greater flexibility and value efficiencies, whenever you want to fly:

Alternatively, you might choose a prepaid solution. The JetCard offers total flexibility, hassle-free convenience, style, and comfort with only 24 hours’ notice. The price you see is the price you pay. Your Air Partner JetCard can make every stage of your journey just how you want it to be. And as relaxing, comfortable, safe and hassle-free as possible.

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25 hours of pre-purchased jet time Choose from six aircraft categories Aircraft guaranteed at 24 hours’ notice Dedicated account manager No fuel surcharges No monthly management fees Full refund on unused hours

As they understand the demands of work and the pleasures of a holiday, you will enjoy a relaxing, worry-free journey from the moment they pick you up to the second they drop you off. A private jet service that safely takes care of you and your passengers. A travel team taking you wherever you want to go in speed, style and luxury. Air Partner has the experience that delivers value, assurance and performance.

For more information on our services, contact our team today. +44 (0) 207 538 2273 or fly@airpartner.com We look forward to hearing from you.

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BEAUTY, HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

call auren Ba L , d o o w uty. Holly ering bea n Age of ld e u ld o o m G s e d end, s of th ice an creen leg husky vo een siren s r e c r s iv e l t v c a il s in in t e orig fellow er dis e 20th riage to red for h One of th r e a b m m ses of th e le s fi m e o r e r t r c p e a b h t ss ys ed abou and a hig nic actre lk o will alwa a lm t ic fi t n s a in o f r m ves o f the g caree er one o life and lo h e e A glitterin h d t a t a m , k s bac y Bogart era. zine look a g Humphre a dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great M o l o a n w y io ll t o a ith H Aspir century. ociated w s s a e b r foreve who will

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BEAUTY, HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

Born Betty Joan Perske in 1926, Bacall grew up in Brooklyn, New York, harbouring big ambitions and idolising one of the great actresses of the time, Bette Davis. Her mother and grandmother were Jewish immigrants from Romania. Her father, William Perske, abusive and unfaithful, fled when Betty was just six. The family’s finances were always shaky and Bacall’s mother worked multiple jobs to support her only child. After high school, Bacall enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, making her first stage appearance in January Two by Four (1942). In those early years, she found more success modelling than acting, and her big break came after she was spotted on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar by the wife of one of the great film directors of the time, Howard Hawks. Nancy Hawks urged her husband to invite the young woman for a screen test for his new film To Have and Have Not. Hawks initially asked his secretary to find out more about her, but misunderstanding his instructions, she instead sent her a ticket to Hollywood.

After Bacall was cast, next came the task of choosing her leading man. After briefly toying with the idea of casting another Hollywood legend, Cary Grant, Hawks opted for Humphrey Bogart, who was fresh from his Oscar-winning role as Rick Blaine in Casablanca. Bacall was so nervous in her first film role that she found herself shaking as soon the cameras began rolling. To combat this, she tilted her chin downwards to steady herself, inadvertently creating a look she would eternally be remembered for. To Have and Have Not became an instant classic and although she was just 19-years-old at the time, Bacall stole the film and will forever be remembered for coolly uttering some of the most famous lines in cinematic history: “You know you don’t have to act with me, Steve. You don’t have to say anything, and you don’t have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow.” Howard Hawks was renowned for defying the social norm of gender roles at the time and loved

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directing tough-talking women who spoke their minds and were more than a match for their male counterparts. Having directed stars including Katharine Hepburn, Ann Dvorak, Rosalind Russell, Barbara Stanwyck and Angie Dickinson, Hawks played a central role developing the talent of Bacall, and even chose her stage name. Though he was 25 years her senior and married at the time, Humphrey Bogart fell for Bacall and the two began a love affair, much to the anger of Hawks who himself harboured desires for the young starlet. He believed that by getting involved with Bogart she would never realise her full potential and reach the heights of the likes of Bergman, Davis or Garbo.

“Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow.” Just a year after the film was released, Bacall married Bogart on May 21, 1945. Their on and off screen chemistry was undeniable and their romance was widely publicised. Bogie and Bacall became renowned in Hollywood for their lavish lifestyle and all-night parties with the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr, better known as “The Rat Pack”. Bacall went on to star opposite her husband in a further three films in quick succession: The Big Sleep (1946), Dark Passage (1947) and Key Largo (1948). The former is a classic example of the film noir genre and is still considered one of cinema’s most culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant movies.

Images from left to right: Official movie studio poster for “To Have and Have Not” Starring Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Scene from “To Have and Have Not” Starring Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall and Betty Grable pose for a portrait on the set of the 20th CenturyFox film ‘How to Marry a Millionaire’. Lauren Bacall poses with husband Humphrey Bogart and children Stephen and Leslie.

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BEAUTY, HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

“I married a man who adored me and who taught me everything about life and movies and people and exposed me to the best part of living”

Bacall had two children with Bogart, Stephen and Leslie, and though she continued starring in films, she took the decision to scale back her acting commitments. Bogie had three failed marriages with actresses behind him and wanted Bacall to take more time to focus on their family. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she did not become consumed by drink and drugs and raised her family with strong traditional values. In her acting career, she routinely turned down scripts that she did not find interesting or challenging and thereby earned a reputation for being difficult. Many of the films that she did choose to star in were favourably reviewed including Young Man with a Horn (1950) and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), but audiences longed to see her reignite her on-screen chemistry with Bogart.

In 1956 Warner Bros planned their long-awaited on-screen reunion in a new picture about a love story between a military man and a journalist. Sadly, the film was never made as Bogart was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus later that year. For the next 10 months Bacall rarely left home in the evening, organising lateafternoon cocktail parties with close friends including Sinatra, Hepburn and Tracy. As his health deteriorated further, he was forced to stay in hospital. On the night of January 14, 1957, he grabbed his wife’s arm and muttered: “Goodbye, kid.” In the early morning, Humphrey Bogart died at the age of 57. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Bacall paid tribute to her late husband: “With Bogie, it’s no surprise that I say those were the best years of my life, because I married a man who adored me and who

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Images from top to bottom: Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe. Frank Sinatra and Lauren Bacall. Lauren Bacall posing with Husband Jason Robards and son Sam.

taught me everything about life and movies and people and exposed me to the best part of living, which was talented, creative people. And all of his absolute devotion to the truth, to honesty, to honour, and to laughter—to everything. How could I not find that the years that changed me completely and that gave me a life were the happiest?” Bacall was heartbroken after Bogart’s death, but she tried to move on by finding comfort in the arms of Frank Sinatra. The two had a short and fiery relationship and had arranged to be married before their acrimonious split, which resulted in them not speaking for over 20 years. In 1961 Bacall married her second husband Jason Robards and had her third child, Sam Robards. The marriage eventually ended in divorce in 1969, mainly as a result of his alcoholism and unpredictable behaviour.

“A legend involves the past. I don’t like categories. This one is great and that one is great. The word “great” stands for something.”

Her acting career continued and her later films saw her star alongside a host of Hollywood greats including Paul Newman, Janet Leigh, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery and James Caan. Film roles in Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and Misery (1990) kept up her stellar reputation but she could never quite reach the heights of her earlier films with Bogie. Over 50 years after her film debut, she received her first Academy Award nomination for her

performance as the overbearing mother of Barbara Streisand’s English literature professor in The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996). Having already picked up a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award, it came as a shock that she did not win the Oscar but she had demonstrated that she still had considerable talent to offer. In 1999 she was voted one of the 25 most significant female movie stars in history by the American Film Institute and was garnered with an honorary Academy Award in 2009 for her major contribution to cinematic history. Despite all her accolades and the attention she continued to receive, she poured scorn on those who described her as a cinematic ‘legend’ saying: “A legend involves the past. I don’t like categories. This one is great and that one is great. The word “great” stands for something.” Lauren Bacall died on August 12, 2014, at her long-time home in The Dakota, the Upper West Side apartment building overlooking Central Park in Manhattan. Even though Bogart had died over 55 years earlier, she will always be remembered for being half of Hollywood’s original golden couple. Yet this is perhaps to do a disservice to an actress who herself achieved greatness, and who continues to inspire the young Hollywood stars of tomorrow. Few stars can boast the enduring appeal and lasting influence of Lauren Bacall.

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LIFE IS A SMILE H A P P Y S P O R T A U T O M AT I C

2014/834 - Aspirational Magazine / Lumbers - 170ERI - 230 x 285 mm - UK - 04/08/14

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Femi Health & Beauty

stars at the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship 2014

Voted Leicester’s favourite beauty salon, Femi Health & Beauty is the salon of choice for countless East Midlands residents – as well as more than a few famous faces. A host of stars enjoyed treatments at this year’s annual Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship which was a spectacular showcase of first-class golf and top-quality entertainment. Held at the stunning Nailcote Hall in Warwickshire, record crowds gathered to watch the increasingly popular event and huge numbers stopped by Femi’s tent to enjoy a massage, facial, manicure or pedicure. The Championship featured an exclusive Tented Village area where visitors could go to relax and the Femi tent was booked out every day as guests were pampered with their range of luxurious treatments. The beauty experts received rave reviews and they proved to be a highlight of a trip to the Tented Village. Celebrity spotting was one of the main draws of the Championship and guests were delighted to see some of their favourite stars from the world of sport and entertainment enjoying Femi’s VIP treatments. Visitors strolling by the tent may have seen sights like ‘Strictly Come Dancing’

judge Len Goodman enjoying a Jessica Manicure, and goalkeeping great Peter Schmeichel MBE and snooker legend Willie Thorne relaxing with a massage. Other celebrities that made an appearance included ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ dancer Ola Jordan, BBC presenter Dan Walker, Coronation Street actor William Roache MBE, former EastEnders actor Jamie Foreman and Sky Sports star Alan McInally. Back at their base in Leicester city centre, Femi have been leaders in the health and beauty industry for over 20 years and guests are consistently impressed by their professional and caring standard of service. Using only the best quality of treatments available, their range of specialist products contain plant extracts and biologically active substances in a highly concentrated formula to achieve maximum results. Their Decléor facials were particularly popular with the crowds at the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship. Femi have been awarded Decléor Regional Salon of the Year for seventeen consecutive years for achieving excellence and

providing the highest standard of treatment and client care. Femi was also awarded Decléor Inspirational Salon of the Year 2012 and the Decléor NATIONAL Salon of the Year 2013, ahead of 900 salons throughout the UK. All treatments are carried out by Femi’s fully qualified beauty therapists who are trained to diagnose clients’ skin type and advise them on their home skincare routine. All Decléor facials include a back, hand & face massage. Aromatic massages were also a firm favourite at the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship and offered a range of benefits to visitors including stimulating circulation, boosting the immune system, improving muscle tone and draining toxins. Many treatments used the exclusive Decléor range of products combining aromatherapy, essential oils with phototherapy, and plant extracts which together help to treat the inner and outer body. With 12 treatment rooms spread over three floors and wonderfully relaxing surroundings, Femi offer their clients a complete professional spa experience.

Everyone at Femi was delighted to attend the British Par 3 and showcase their sublime services to the crowds. They are now back at their home in the heart of Leicester ready to treat more visitors with their exclusive range of luxury treatments. Femi Health & Beauty 60 Highcross Street | Leicester | LE1 4NN | Telephone 0116 253 2393 Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 8pm, Saturday 9am – 6pm

www.femi-health-beauty.co.uk /FemiHealthandBeauty

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Leah Marks House, Market Street, Leicester LE1 6DP Tel: 0116 255 1233 www.lumbers.co.uk

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27/10/2014 12:40

BEAUTY, HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

STYLISH DINING IN LONDON

Experience award-winning cuisine in The Rib Room Bar & Restaurant. Featuring a superb selection of wine and cocktails, this quintessentially British restaurant is located in the centre of London. Enjoy a cigar on the secluded al fresco terrace or recline in the bar to enjoy live music every Wednesday to Friday.

To book your table visit theribroom.co.uk or call 020 7858 7250. 28

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JUMEIRAH CARLTON TOWER Synonymous with luxury, Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London is renowned for providing friendly and discreet service. Situated in fashionable Knightsbridge, steps away from Hyde Park and iconic department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols, choose a room or suite to suit your needs including Garden View Rooms for stunning views over the capital, suites for extra indulgence or the Royal Suite – fit for a king and queen! The hotel’s 158 bedrooms and 58 suites include complimentary WiFi, flat screen television with choice of international channels, Geneva Sound System and Nespresso coffee machine. Browse the internet using your in-room iPad or simply pre-order room service using the Jumeirah Carlton Tower application. Experience one of London’s great culinary institutions with a meal at the award-winning Rib Room Bar & Restaurant. Combining worldclass service with the best British ingredients and an extensive wine list of more than 450 wines and champagnes, this is the perfect setting for any occasion. Savour the signature afternoon tea by master

pâtissier and celebrity chef Eric Lanlard in the elegant Chinoiserie lounge and enjoy the soothing tones of the resident harpist. Visit The Club Room to enjoy panoramic views of the city as you indulge with a freshly squeezed juice, extensive lunch buffet or smoothie. Experience the ultimate calm and tranquillity throughout your stay with complimentary access to The Peak Health Club & Spa. Located on the ninth floor, the club features a fully equipped gym, stainless steel indoor 20m swimming pool, exercise studios and fitness classes. Perfect your golf swing with a lesson from our in-house golf professional on the state-of-the-art golf simulator, featuring more than 30 of the world’s top courses to play a round on. Visit the award-winning spa and rejuvenate your body with a massage or revive your appearance with a facial. Treat yourself to the Daniel Sandler Finishing Touches make up treatment before your evening out or finish off your look with a beautiful manicure.

Special Offers

family offer includes light package. This festive e Christmas Delight De s ma rist Ch the h wit & Restaurant. Th visit from Santa Claus akfast in The Rib Room Barand two children sharing, including VAT. ristmas and enjoy a private lts Indulge the family this Ch re trail under the twinkling lights of London and bre adu two per night based on personalised treats, a treasuto 24 December 2014 and starts from £1,127 per suite 1 with the help of our from le ilab package is ava January and start your detox hts, including VAT. 18th to h 16t from Spa & b h The Peak Health Clu single person for two nig s? Join our Fitness Retreat wit people sharing or £835 per Overindulged this ChristmaFitness Retreat will cost £595 per person based on two eirah.com/jct in-house fitness experts. The T: 020 7235 1234 www.jum

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.com

E: JCTreservations@jumeirah

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27/10/2014 12:42

BEAUTY, HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

FITNESS HABITS YOU NEED... Do you ever wonder why your favourite celebrities look amazing time after time? Or how that woman radiating confidence walking down the street got that killer figure? Or how that new mother got her shape back so quickly after giving birth? Hard work is one of the many reasons, as is discipline and balance, but whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the most important you might ask? Attitude! U Fit Studio is an award winning and exclusive health and fitness club, who are annually selected to train Miss Great Britain contestants, and we have asked one of their experts, JEFF LYNCH, to share the secrets of how to get into shape and more importantly, how to stay in shape.

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FIT PEOPLE LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES. Fit people make fitness part of their busy schedule, whereas unfit people don’t bother because of their busy schedules. Healthy people don’t make the excuse of not having enough time to be healthy, rather they take responsibility and acknowledge that they need to make the time for themselves. This is because to fit people, health is not an option, it is a necessity. FIT PEOPLE TREAT THEIR HEALTH AS A TOP PRIORITY. Those who achieve great things in fitness only do so because they value their health very highly. Fit people treat an appointment to the gym with the same level of importance as they would a business meeting. They don’t cancel unless there is a full blown emergency. FIT PEOPLE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN MAKING FITNESS ANY EASIER. Fit people are interested in finding a way to endure more. They prioritise rest and recovery and take supplements to reduce their post workout soreness. They ensure that their food is appropriate by not eating junk after training. They eat food to recover and fuel them rather than for any other reason. FIT PEOPLE DO NOT ALLOW EMOTIONS TO CONTROL THEIR EATING. Fit people eat consciously and listen to the correct cues for eating. If they are particularly hungry on any given day then they will eat more and on other days they will eat less and don’t ignore their body either way. Fit people do not allow things such as tiredness, stress and emotion influence their food choices. They eat the foods they should be eating as a natural lifestyle and only deviate when they have planned it in. FIT PEOPLE WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN WHEN THEY EAT UNHEALTHILY. Fit people appreciate that one bad meal will make just as much of a difference as one healthy meal. When fit people have a splurge meal they leave it at the table, and most importantly they don’t feel guilty about it. They allow it to be a completely positive experience. They have included these kinds of events into their normal diet and so they feel good about it.

FIT PEOPLE KEEP GOALS AT THE TOP OF THEIR MIND. Anyone looking to change the habits of a lifetime needs to be constantly reminded of what they are working towards. Whem motivation is not intrinsically strong, fit people use tools to keep themselves focussed on their task. By using tools such as diaries, files, motivational pictures and food journals, fit people have full control of their regime and track their training progress with a programme card. FIT PEOPLE TRAIN WITH INTENT. They track their progress accurately and begin each session with a set of goals to achieve. Unfit people turn up, work out and leave. FIT PEOPLE CONSTANTLY TEST THEIR LIMITS. Fit people compete with others to test themselves. For example, weightlifters meet up and train whilst runners time themselves on a 10-kilometre run. It is vital that your health and fitness has an outside pressure to force you to progress. If you are unable to do this, then you are in danger of becoming too comfortable where you are. FIT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT COMFORT IS THE ENEMY OF CHANGE. Fit people understand that if there is no strong reason to change then it isn’t going to happen. Therefore they have to make themselves uncomfortable in order to keep the motivation going. They force the discomfort by having friends and coaches to hold them to account. FIT PEOPLE DON’T DO IT ALONE, THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND A COACH. People who are serious about getting in shape look for outside help to get them where they need to be. They are level headed enough to acknowledge that if they have failed alone before then they will most likely fail again if they do the same thing. Healthy people rely on friends and colleagues for support or seek professional help to design a programme which will work.

FIT PEOPLE DON’T GET ON THE WAGON SO THAT THEY CAN’T FALL OFF. Fit people don’t make huge lifestyle changes all at once. They appreciate that their lifestyle has taken a long time to develop and as such will most likely take a long time to change. By not participating in a short term diet they are infinitely more likely to succeed. They focus on the bigger picture and break what they have to do into simple and easy to achieve steps. FIT PEOPLE CHUNK DOWN THEIR DREAMS BY ASSIGNING A DATE AND WORKING OUT THE NECESSARY STEPS TO GET THERE. All fit people have to do is do it. Unfit people think, ‘one day I’ll get there’ and wait for it to happen. When considering what they would like to achieve fit people first start with their dream. They then assign a date and time when they think is realistic to have achieved it. This transforms what was a dream into a goal. By breaking larger goals down into sub goals, the journey is far easier to manage mentally than the goal itself. Fit people write a plan on how they are going to achieve it. Now they have an action plan and are aware of putting those plans into action.

0116 276 3411

INFO@UFITSTUDIO.CO.UK

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BEAUTY, HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ADVENTURE BASE Awe-inspiring Alpine Adventures Imagine your dream adventure holiday, complete with exhilarating activities and some of the world’s most stunning surroundings on your doorstep. Independent chalet rental company Adventure Base can make that fantasy become a reality. Based in the heart of the French Alps, Adventure Base was created with the aim of providing flexible, luxury, as well as affordable, accommodation allowing guests to ski, climb, bike or relax to their heart’s content. Six years later and Adventure Base has increased its portfolio to include multiple chalets and apartments across Chamonix, Mont Blanc & Morzine, as well as a growing list of Alpine Adventure packages headed up by their sister company Dream Guides. Offering both fully catered and self-catered chalets as well as apartments in both the summer and winter months, Adventure Base ensures that every budget and need is catered for. As beach holidays become increasingly overpriced and overcrowded, mountain adventure getaways provide the perfect solution. If you’re looking for fresh air, tranquillity, spectacular views and thrilling activities, then look no further than Chamonix in the summer. Adventure Base are more than happy to help with the details of your holiday; whether you want to add some activities to your stay or to book a variety of extras while you’re away, their dedicated team of holiday experts are on hand to help. All the Adventure Base properties are located within a short walk of mountain trails for beautiful hikes or runs. The holiday company also provides a number of exciting adventures to make the most of your time off, from white water rafting, ice climbing and heli-skiing to mountain biking. As well as holiday rentals in Morzine & Chamonix, Adventure Base works closely with, Dream Guides, to provide clients with the best in mountain guiding, off-piste skiing, alpine climbing, snowshoeing and more.

www.adventurebase.com +44 (0) 845 527 5812 32

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@AdventureBase

facebook.com/AdventureBaseChalets

AdventureBase

27/10/2014 18:02

DREAM GUIDES Reach New Heights Based in Chamonix, Dream Guides organise complete itineraries for thrillseekers looking for world-class adventure holidays. Packages include offpiste skiing clinics, alpine climbing adventures and expeditions to the highest peaks in the world such as Everest, Denali and Kilimanjaro. Dream Guides has expanded rapidly over the years to offer an even greater range of skiing, hiking and climbing adventures all over the world.

Founded in 2005 by alpine climbers and adventurers, Kenton Cool and Guy Willett,

Dream Guides specialise in bespoke climbing and skiing expeditions across the globe. Both founders are experts in skiing and climbing, and so the company’s central principle was to create courses and expeditions from the point of view of the ‘guide on the ground’, ensuring that every aspect of the trip is carefully planned to be of the highest standard. Dream Guides and sister company, accomodation business, Adventure Base work closely together to combine their services and offer thrill seekers a complete holiday experience. They carefully design itineraries that climbers and skiers would love to go on and add in a pragmatic approach to safety and logistics. One of their signature trips is to the roof of Western Europe, the summit of Mont Blanc where Dream Guides has taken hundreds of clients, including none other than Sir Richard Branson.

Dream Guides provide a wide range of worldwide winter and summer adventures including ski touring, alpine climbing and expeditions to far-flung corners of the globe. They can take care of every aspect of your trip including accommodation, itinerary and guide so all you need to worry about is having the time of your life.

www.dream-guides.com +44 (0) 845 564 5219 @DreamGuides

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facebook.com/DreamGuides74

instadreamguides

30/10/2014 16:51

Founded in 2005 by alpine climbers and adventurers, Kenton Cool and Guy Willett,

www.dream-guides.com +44 (0) 845 564 5219 @DreamGuides

Dream Guides & Adventure Base v2.indd 33

facebook.com/DreamGuides74

instadreamguides

30/10/2014 16:51

Based in Radcliffe on Trent in Nottinghamshire, Lesley Cree Opticians are a leading boutique-style opticians offering exceptional levels of service and designer brands of frames. Besides extending a warm welcome to patients of Radcliffe and the surrounding areas, patients are drawn in from as far afield as London, where Lesley Cree Opticians provide both NHS and private eye examinations as well as stocking all brands of contact lenses for those who prefer not to wear glasses. Lesley Cree Opticians pride themselves on their bespoke style of service that focuses on the individual. Tailoring the experience to an individual patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs, Lesley and her team will go the extra mile to provide you with ideal frames from luxury designer brands including Tiffany & Co, Bvlgari, Jimmy Choo, Tom Ford and Ray Ban, to name a few. Lesley Cree Opticiansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fully qualified optometrists have a wealth of experience to ensure you are in the safest hands possible. Regular visits to opticians are highly recommended and form a vital part of healthy living. Lesley Cree Opticians are always on the lookout for the early indicators of eye disorders such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. They include a complimentary digital retinal photograph in all eye examinations, ensuring your eyes are kept in the best of health and that your vision remains as clear as can be. Open from 9:00am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday and 9:00am to 12:30am on Saturdays, Lesley Cree Opticians promise to provide a luxury service that will exceed expectations and put your mind at ease, allowing you to enjoy life without the worry of deteriorating eyesight. Lesley Cree Opticians 9b Main Road Radcliffe on Trent Nottinghamshire NG12 2DF

0115 933 2999 lesleycreeopticians.co.uk

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27/10/2014 12:46

BEAUTY, HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

AA SMALL HOTEL GROUP OF THE YEAR 2014 - 2015

Eden Hotel Collection wins ‘Small Hotel Group of the Year’ at the AA Hospitality Awards Eden Hotel Collection was awarded the coveted accolade of AA Small Hotel Group of the Year 2014 at the AA Hospitality Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

“Our commitment to delivering unrivalled and exceptional guest experiences is at the heart of everything we do and it’s what keeps our guests coming back time and time again.

The award recognises small hotel companies which have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to improve and develop their portfolio of hotels, while maintaining a high level of consistency throughout the group.

“The knowledge and experience of the AA’s inspectors is unrivalled and an AA rating is one of the most trusted forms of quality and service recognition in the hospitality industry. This achievement is an enormous source of pride to everyone who works at the Eden Hotel Collection,” added Mark.

The Eden Hotel Collection is a privately-owned group of nine luxury hotels across the Midlands, the Cotswolds and the South West. Managing Director Mark Chambers collected the award on behalf of the company at a glittering event to celebrate excellence in the hotel and hospitality industry hosted by TV newsreader Fiona Bruce. Mark said: “We are delighted and extremely proud to have been recognised by the AA Hospitality Awards, which is hugely prestigious for our industry. To win this award in a highly competitive market place is a great achievement and one which I’m honoured to share with each and every member of our fantastic team.

The AA award win caps a highly successful year of expansion and investment for Eden. In April the company announced a planned £13.5m investment in the 35-bedroom Tides Reach Hotel in Salcombe, South Devon. The site is being redeveloped to create a 50-bedroom luxury beachfront hotel and spa. And in June it acquired the 64-bedroom Bovey Castle in the heart of Dartmoor National Park and is planning a major investment in the country house estate, which today includes an 18-hole championship golf course, spa, country lodges and an outdoor pursuits centre.

Numphud, said: “We are delighted to recognise the Eden Hotel Collection with this prestigious award. This delightful small group has consistently re-invested in their hotels year on year with some impressive refurbishments. In addition, and most importantly, the strength of their hotels is their individuality and the high standards of hospitality and service delivered by their dedicated and professional teams.” Mallory Court Hotel, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire The Mount Somerset Hotel and Spa, Somerset Buckland-Tout-Saints, Kingsbridge, Devon The Kings Hotel, Chipping Campden, Cotswolds The Arden Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon The Greenway Hotel and Spa, Cheltenham Brockencote Hall Hotel, Worcestershire Tides Reach, Salcombe, Devon Bovey Castle, Dartmoor, Devon

Praising Eden Hotel Collection’s success in winning the award, Head of AA Hotel Services, Simon

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Winter Weddings

Eden Hotel Collection welcomes Bovey Castle

Celebrate your winter wonderland wedding with Eden Hotel Collection.

Bovey Castle, a 64 bedroom country estate in the heart of Dartmoor, has recently joined the awardwinning hotel group. The hotel boasts an 18-hole championship golf course, spa and luxury lodges in the grounds.

Seasonal winter weddings are becoming increasingly popular. Sparkling frost, powdery snow and crisp winter air create a magical setting for your wedding, not to mention a beautiful backdrop for memorable photography. Your guests will be welcomed in from the frosty air with roaring fires, slow burning candles and a glass of something deliciously alcoholic with a hint of festive spices to take the chill off.

Sunday Night Offers Golf Bed & Breakfast Two rounds of golf £109.00 per person, based on two sharing

Your day and menus can be customised to the season. A warming Winter Pimm’s to greet your guests after the ceremony, a selection of seasonal canapés or perhaps a spiced scone or two with brandy cream and plum jam.

Spa Bed & Breakfast Includes an express treatment; choose from a ‘Pure Refresh’ facial, a balancing back treatment or a cooling scalp treatment. £119.00 per person, based on two sharing

Eden Hotel Collection Spas Eden’s spas are a heavenly blend of decadent products,tranquil treatment rooms and soothing hydrotherapy pools.

Call Bovey Castle to book on 01647 445 000 and quote ‘Inspirational Magazine’.

ote Brockenc

Bovey Castle, The Greenway and The Mount Somerset hotels offer luxury breaks, day spa getaways and a range of innovative treatments using high quality products.

Hall Hotel Worcestershire

New, seasonal treatments are often introduced to keep the choices fresh and exciting. This November, The Mount Somerset are offering a ‘Hot Toddy Whiskey Wrap’ and in December the deliciously festive ‘Mulled Wine Mud Blanket’, a limited edition Christmas scrub infused with the heady aromatics of mulled wine and spices, creating a luxurious and intense body treatment.

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They’ve got it all, from state of the art fitness suites to Champagne nail bars, retail boutiques to al fresco hot tubs. The spas are an oasis of relaxation and luxury; places to sooth the soul, indulge the senses and revitalise the body.

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Eden Hotel DPS AW.indd 37

28/10/2014 16:44

BEAUTY, HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

Sampler Menthol

Sam Me

Sampler

E-liquids and vaping devices have enjoyed a huge surge in popularity in recent months as smokers, who have switched their allegiance from tobacco to electronic cigarettes, seek out longer battery life and a higher quality product. multiVAPE is one of the premier vaping brands on the market and has recently added a range of new flavours to give its growing customer base even more choice. For first time users, the multiVAPE Starter Kit comes

the vapour and the perfectly designed mouthpiece

rapidly expanding market sector. As e-cigarettes

complete with a BDC clearomizer, USB charger and 7ml

provides maximum comfort. The dual coil means it

increase in popularity, the number of smokers making

sample of Menthol Mist or Tobacco Leaf flavoured

burns at 1.84 Ω which produces more vapour, more

the transition to ‘vaping’ is on the rise. This viable

e-liquid. Other e-liquids can be purchased separately

quickly, compared to a usual single coil device.

alternative to cigarettes means that smokers are no longer inhaling the toxins, tar or the 4,000 chemicals

and added to the device to enhance the users’ overall vaping experience. multiVAPE have taken the time to

multiVAPE is the most recent addition to the multiCIG

develop a selection of brand new flavours, offering users

line, a Nottingham-based company that specialises in

found in traditional cigarettes.

a wider choice. The new flavours range from Caramel Silk

premium alternatives to cigarettes. multiCIG not only

multiVAPE believe in offering their customers choice. A

to Black Cherry and can be purchased in 10ml sizes

prides itself on products of the highest quality but is

choice to switch away from traditional tobacco

featuring two nicotine strengths, 12mg or 18mg.

also dedicated to encouraging the development of the

products, a choice of nicotine strength and a choice of

local economy. This commitment has led to multiCIG

e-liquid flavours. Their unique product range has been

Developed in partnership with Aspire, one of the

choosing a Nottinghamshire company as the sole

designed to give users a premium vaping experience,

world’s premier vaping brands, multiVAPE continues to

e-liquid manufacturer for its new mod device.

ensuring multiVAPE is one of the most innovative brands on the market.

lead the way in the ever-growing vaping marketplace. The bottom dual coil cartomizer used in the multiVAPE

The electronic cigarette marketplace is an exciting and

range is the first and only of its kind and has been

emerging one, engaging large and influential tobacco

expertly crafted in order to deliver the very best vaping

companies, some of which have acquired e-cigarette

experience. Its dual coils work together to deliver twice

brands to expand their offering after recognising a

multiVAPE v3.indd 38

30/10/2014 09:28

Sampler Menthol

Sampler

Discover the great range of devices and UK manufactured e-liquids at multiCIG.com EXCLUSIVE READER OFFER Aspirational readers will receive an exclusive 20% discount on their first multiVAPE order. Simply visit multiCIG.COM CIG.COM and enter code ASP20** at the checkout. *This offer is limited to one use per customer. Voucher code is valid on all multiVAPE products and expires on May 31st 2015.

WARNING multiCIG and multiVAPE products contain nicotine. Prohibited for children and young people under the age of 18 years. Keep out of reach of children. Toxic if swallowed or in contact with skin. This product is intended for existing smokers only.

multiVAPE v3.indd 39

30/10/2014 09:29

Romance & Radiance Radiant Cut Diamond 8.02cts, Heart Cut Diamonds 1.45cts

Leah Marks House, Market Street, Leicester LE1 6DP Tel: 0116 255 1233 www.lumbers.co.uk

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Elegance & Enchantment Leah Marks House, Market Street, Leicester LE1 6DP Tel: 0116 255 1233 www.lumbers.co.uk

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BEAUTY, HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

Stacychan.com Black Snakeskin Egg

£490

Michael Kors at House of Fraser Black Studded Tote Bag

£395

Chopard at Lumbers Jewellers Happy Diamond Pendant

£3,390

Dune Shaper

£169

Adriannapapell at John Lewis Geometric Embellished Dress

£230

Monochrome

Invigorate your winter wardrobe with one of the year’s most popular trends, monochrome. Classic, smart and effortlessly elegant pieces in black and white are the key to putting your best fashion foot forward this autumn/ winter.

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Hobbs Laura Court

Hobbs Tweed Print Skinny Scarf

£149

£45

Mont Blanc at Lumbers Jewellers Princess Grace Monaco - Ivory

£690

Dune Babybella

£65

Phase Eight at House of Fraser Caley Check Dress

Jimmy Choo at Flannels

£79

Chain Trilby Hat (in store only)

£266

Jaeger Double wool ZigZag Cardigan

£199

Hobbs Lauren Skirt

Hobbs Joanne Coat

£149

£269

Gucci at Lumbers Jewellers Horsebit Bangle Watch

£575 43

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28/10/2014 17:54

IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

TIME AFTER TIME Do you need more than one watch? That’s a bit like asking if you need more than one pair of shoes. There are so many different styles of watch, different occasions, different sizes, different metals. The watch that can be taken deep sea diving doesn’t always look right with a suit. A cocktail watch to wear with a little black dress would look out of place on the school run. So there are many reasons to have more than one watch and here are some of our favourites for this season.

Breitling for Bentley GMT Light Body B04 Bentley for the quintessence of British engineering and style. GMT for the revolutionary entirely crown adjustable dual timezone system. Light Body for the feather weight titanium case. BO4 for the high performance Manufacture Breitling Calibre. £9,970

Breguet Marine Chronograph Breguet Marine Chronograph in 18ct rose gold, with self winding movement. This stunning watch is made with a reinforced case and protected crown making it robust and wearable, while highlighting Breguet’s excellence and styling. £36,800

Breitling Galatic 36 Designed for women wishing to enjoy a blend of refined luxury and uncompromising technical sophistication. Available in steel, gold and steel and all gold. Models shown Steel and rose gold on a Bracelet £6310, Diamond set on leather strap. £6,480

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Hublot King Power Special One In honour of The Special One, José Mourinho. With a strapping 48mm case and a sporty design, in Jose’s favourite colour – blue. So Blue is the colour.... Limited to 100 pieces in 18ct rose gold £30,900. Also available in Titanium, Limited to 250 pieces £16,900.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique Power Control

Tag Heuer Carrera Lady

Inspired by classic single seaters from the 1970’s, with a snailed grey dial and yellow racing ring evoking speed and passion. £4,510

Classic Tag Heuer design with a feminine twist. Set with 52 diamonds surrounding the dial, this watch is designed to dazzle. £4,295

LEAH MARKS HOUSE, 10-12 MARKET STREET LEICESTER, LE1 6DP TELEPHONE 0116 255 1233

WWW.LUMBERS.CO.UK

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ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A MANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WORLD

BESPOKE TAILORING from Adrian Barrows Moving into his 20th year as a high-end, award winning tailor, Adrian Barrows has long been aware that it is all about the individual. Each of us is unique, with our own identities, our own personal preferences and singular requirements. Adrian attends to the smallest of details and works as a team with every client to draw out and accentuate their original sense of character, confidence and style.

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Adrian’s creative instinct runs deep. That his mother is an artist hints at the origin of his eye for design and, with an engineer for a father, the mathematics of pattern cutting comes all too easily. His uncle having been a tailor for some of the greatest names in the world, Adrian has always been exposed to incredibly wellmade clothing and it was no surprise that he would show a flair for the tailor’s craft. Since establishing The Bespoke Tailor service in 2011, Adrian’s niche creations have attracted the attention of a wide array of influential clients, ranging from Wall St. financiers and high profile sportsmen to business leaders and world-renowned actors. The underlying reasons for his growing reputation are straightforward – he creates garments of the very highest quality for any occasion and has a deep knowledge of the finest British fabrics, offering a choice of over 5,000 from the best cloth houses this country has produced. Should you wish him to, Adrian will quite literally refashion your whole wardrobe, conjure up a one-off pair of slacks or suit up your entire male wedding entourage. Adrian prefers not to be confined to a showroom and is committed to the idea that consulting his client in their home or at their workplace gives him the opportunity to build a fuller picture of the individual, their context and the environment they inhabit. This policy allows Adrian to expertly devise a selection of fine fabrics from which his client can choose and to develop a clear picture of the designs that would best suit their lifestyle. The discreet and highly personalised service also ensures the client’s life and work face the least disruption and time investment. He combines traditional techniques, tested over centuries, with his own cutting edge approach. Having developed his own pattern software, he conceives the blueprint for every finished garment and then, at the home near Lichfield he has adapted to incorporate his specialist workshop, applies his tailoring expertise to craft the final piece, all the time maintaining close and confidential communications with his client. Adrian travels throughout the UK, and often further afield, to ensure his clients’ personal styling requirements are fulfilled. He goes that extra mile for his clientèle, offering a repairs service that often sees him carrying out alterations years after a suit was made. Wear and tear is inevitable, and Adrian will happily replace just the one element of a garment that has been damaged. The Bespoke Tailor service delivers such high satisfaction that its clients remain fiercely loyal. Adrian’s business thrives therefore on repeat custom and word of mouth recommendation and in many ways his clients do much of his promotional work for him. From a mastery of tailoring and design, mixed with a wonderful personal and flexible professionalism, Adrian Barrows enables the exceptional style and individuality of every one of his clients to shine through and turn heads. The Bespoke Tailor has recently had the honour of being named Most Popular Menswear Designer - Worldwide at the Wedding Industry Experts 2014 awards, further showcasing Adrian Barrows’ impeccable skill and reputation.

The Bespoke Tailor Mobile: 07968 438 717 Email: info@thebespoketailor.co.uk www.thebespoketailor.co.uk @TweetingTailor

The Bespoke Tailor V4.indd 47

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IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

Mont Blanc at Lumbers Jewellers Wallet 4cc

Spaced 360 at John Lewis

£190

Portable Speaker

£250

Mont Blanc at Lumbers Jewellers UrbanWalker cufflinks

£230

Gucci at Flannels.com

Fox & Crop

Web Tab Leather Gloves

Loake Shoes

£200

£285

Jaeger Modern Chinos

£85

Bespoke Tailor Individually priced

Armani Collezioni at Flannels.com Double Breasted Wool Cashmere Coat

£795

Tailored

Tailored clothing is never out of fashion. In this year’s gift guide we’ve sourced some easy-to-wear tailored items mixed with classic paisley which will update your style and give you a professional air to your out of work wear.

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Breguet at Lumbers Jewellers 18ct Rose gold, Classic watch

£ 16,600

Garmin.co.uk VivoFit9

£99.99

Fox & Crop Navy quilted jacket

£100

Mont Blanc at Lumbers Jewellers Pringle at SockShop.co.uk Paisley Block Striped Socks

Daniel Defoe Limited Writers edition fountain pen 2014

£740

£8

Boss at Flannels.com Chelsea Boots

£250

Jaeger Slate Melange Check Fit Suit

Gucci G at Lumbers Jewellers

£499

‘Timeless’ Collection Watch

£620 49

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IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

WORLD CUP BACK CHAT NEIL BACK MBE TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO ASPIRATIONAL MAGAZINE ABOUT THE 2015 RUGBY WORLD CUP FINALS IN ENGLAND, ENGLAND’S PROGRESS UNDER STUART LANCASTER AND WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN THE COVETED WEBB ELLIS CUP… As we head towards 2015 questions will begin to be asked about England’s Rugby World Cup credentials. The tournament kicks off at Twickenham on Friday 18th September with England coming up against Fiji, in an opener the 2003 World Champions will be expected to win with relative ease to reinforce belief and ignite the necessary ‘feel good’ winning momentum required. In a five-team group that also contains the current World No.3, Australia, and a Welsh side hot on the heels of England in the IRB Rankings, this is a tough pool. Aspirational Magazine spoke to one of England’s most pivotal players on that momentous night at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney back in 2003, former Leicester Tigers flanker and captain Neil Back MBE, to assess England’s chances. Neil was quick to point out the huge positives strides forward England have taken under Stuart Lancaster & Co but believes there is still work to be done before they convince him they are genuine title contenders. “It is clear that, although Lancaster’s men were pipped to the Six Nations title by the Irish, England are developing a more threatening attack philosophy and now have at their disposal a strong nucleus of players with huge belief and an enormous drive to improve” he said. “The world of rugby is in broad agreement - England are a team to be wary of at the World Cup. But to my mind they are ‘good’ and the challenge is to become ‘great’, so they have it all to prove. The best way to do that is to continue building momentum by delivering against the best teams on the planet.” “In June they had an almost immediate opportunity to measure their progress to date against the All Blacks, over a three Test series in New Zealand. With the first Test at Eden Park coming just a week after the Aviva Premiership Final, England were denied the services of the finalists from Northampton Saints and Saracens, players like Owen Farrell, Courtney Lawes, Luther Burrell and Tom Wood.” “That said, the boys who had the privilege of wearing the shirt produced their best rugby of the tour and proved that competition for places is strong. We went on to lose the tour 3-0 to an outstanding All Blacks side despite all three games being highly competitive, but it’s against the very best that you have to show your mettle - unfortunately we came up a little short this time.” Much has been made of whether home advantage will help the team in their bid for glory but Neil thinks the proof will be in the pudding. “This autumn we can test that theory. During November, we’re playing 4 games at Twickenham, 3 of them against currently the highest ranked teams in world rugby – New Zealand, South African and Australia. We need to lay down a few markers and begin to build the winning belief that is so important. In the autumn of 2002 we beat them all ‘back to back’, showing we were more than up to the challenge that faced us in 2003.” “The current squad aren’t quite where we were at an equivalent point in time, pre 2003. If they’re to fulfil their ambitions they will need to continue to improve on all aspects of their play. These autumn Tests are a great opportunity to do just that.”

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“We are comparatively strong in defence but the All Black winger, Savea, showed our vulnerabilities recently. We must develop a more autonomous understanding and improve our decision-making under pressure. At the highest level you all need to be on the same page. Communication becomes simple when players can predict how their mates will react - it becomes more visual rather than verbal.” “There is a lot of debate over certain positions. Where in the back row should the captain, Chris Robshaw, play, for example, or which two players should play at 9 and 10? The combination between the centres is another issue but ultimately, despite competition for places being healthy, I now feel the Coaching Team needs to settle on their side and allow understanding to flourish.” “Owen Farrell’s clearly a fantastic player, but there are question marks over his ability to unlock the very best defences. The number 9 and the number 10 are often too close to the ball to maybe see the bigger picture, whereas the guy at 12 has more time to assess space and call the play. The communication between 10 and 12 is paramount and with that in place you still need the number 10 to have the wit and the nous to drive home any advantage.” “In 2003 I remember Mike Catt coming on against Wales in the quarter-final and changing the game with his vision and tactical nous. His experience played its part in that game but that is something our centres lack at the minute. As a player you learn quickly in the heat of battle, but I have to ask myself whether the 12 games between now and the World Cup in 2015 will be enough for them to make the transition between ’good’ and ‘great’.” Neil knows all too well that one of the biggest keys to World Cup success lies in building winning momentum. To win it you need to string seven good performances together and that is precisely what England did in 2003. When Neil points out that New Zealand and South Africa are the only two teams to have won 7 on the bounce since then, it perhaps casts light on who he thinks the Webb Ellis Trophy will ultimately be going home with. “England can find that momentum if the coaching staff show faith in a settled side and allow them to develop that sixth sense, whereby exploiting opportunities becomes second nature. Those same solid relationships must be encouraged to evolve in defence too. For me it’s about player combinations getting as much game-time together as they can between now and then.” “Pre-tournament there are 12 games, 12 opportunities, and when the World Cup starts we must hit the ground running. The autumn will be tough but it’s the ideal time to start stringing results together against the best Southern Hemisphere teams and they can then build on their belief at the Six Nations. To my mind, winning the Grand Slam is non-negotiable. During August, we warm up for the tournament with two games against the French and one against the Irish. We need to put them to the sword too.” “Winning the World Cup is a big ask and requires a huge amount of sacrifice, believe me. England have a tough group with Wales and Australia and any slip-ups in the pool stage could be fatal to their hopes. Beyond the group stage we’ll most probably need to beat the Springboks and the All Blacks to take the title. This World Cup could come a touch early for this group of players but with the right plan and a settled team we could be celebrating an historic home victory. I really hope so!” Time will tell whether Neil’s hopes are realised and, indeed, whether Stuart Lancaster has similar ideas on how to approach the tournament. Two things, however, are in no doubt. The 2015 Rugby World Cup will be a thrilling global spectacle and Neil will roar on England with all the passion and intensity he showed in leading the charge to the title back in 2003. For more information on how you and your business can work with Neil Back MBE simply contact Amelia Neate at Champions (UK) plc today by calling 07875 93 90 71 or 08453 31 30 31. Alternatively, email aneate@championsukplc.com 53

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IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

INSPIRATION AND LEADERSHIP To Improve Performance

There are many things one might call former Leicester Tigers scrum-half, Darren Grewcock, these days but none of them quite fit the bill. The modern vogue would be to call Darren a personal trainer yet that portrayal barely scratches the surface of what he does for his clients. In many ways, Darren defies description and maybe that is his secret. A man of immensely broad experience, Darren Grewcock, is one of the many alumni of John Cleveland College in Hinckley to have gone on to success representing Leicester Tigers. Darren was renowned within the squad for his attitude towards fitness and, after returning from four years playing rugby league in Australia where he qualified in Health, Physical Education and Recreation, he combined his rugby with building and then running The Fields Health Club in the town. As his playing days came to a halt he made the natural progression into coaching, first with Coventry RFC, and then Nuneaton followed by Hinckley, but his career was at the same time taking an interesting turn. In 1995 Darren went into business as a sporting agent alongside, among others, decathlon legend, Daley Thompson, and began to get involved in the mentoring of rugby players as prominent as Martin Johnson, Austin Healey, Neil Back MBE and Dewi Morris. It was during this period that Darren learnt that success in sport relies as much on the head as it does on the body, a philosophy he sticks with to this day.

By 1998 he was tempted by an interesting offer from Kevin Keegan, who approached Darren about improving the fitness of his Fulham FC squad. Shortly after Gordon Strachan, then manager of Coventry City, engaged Darren as Conditioning Coach and he remained there until Leicester City came knocking in 2001. After two seasons back in the city, Darren came full circle and was appointed Performance Director of Leicester Tigers and with responsibility for the entire physio, medical and fitness function at the club it was clear his reputation in the field was firmly cemented. Darren himself described this as his dream job, involved in both fitness and rugby at the club he loved and, following the success of England down under that year, a club chock full of World Cup winners to boot. The team itself was flirting with relegation at the time but thanks to Darren’s restructuring their fortunes were reversed and they turned a gloomy situation into one of renewal and European qualification. Unfortunately, Darren’s tenure at the Tigers was fixed in length but that allowed him to then strike out on his own and begin a new chapter that continues to this day. He began to offer his services privately and, so good was his reputation that he quickly picked up a number of professional sportsmen as clients, such as cricketers Darren Maddy and Paul Nixon, Test batsman Ian Bell MBE, Austin Healey when he needed to lose weight for

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Darren

Andy Reid

Darren & Denise Lewis

Strictly Come Dancing, cage fighters Jeff Monson and Barrington Patterson and Nottingham Forest’s Andy Reid, whose recent revival owes a lot to the improvement in fitness Darren helped bring about. Yet Darren doesn’t fit the mould of the archetypal fitness coach. The experience he has gained in the environments of professional sport and physical conditioning have equipped him with skills attractive in the business world and have allowed him to continue his ongoing personal evolution. His leadership skills and innate ability to deliver outcomes has gained a great deal of attention in recent times and he was recently tempted by an intriguing offer from one of his private fitness clients. David Hannah runs Cornerstone, a Kibworth based niche firm of tax consultants, and at first one might see a former Leicester Tiger as inhabiting a world to that of financial services. But dig a little deeper and it is apparent that an inspirational man like Darren, not that there are many of them around, is a perfect fit. Darren has taken charge of Business Development at the company, bringing his team building know-how and motivational skill to Cornerstone’s operational marketing and product development efforts. And it has been a move of genius thus far, with Darren using his knowledge of people to affect a tangible, new culture of ownership among staff. He knows how to get the most out of individuals and inspires in his staff a self-sustaining motivation and sense of ownership that underpins all their hard work.

Darren playing for Tigers

Put simply, Darren is both a leader and a communicator. This is an in-demand quality and was once more demonstrated when he drove a small team of otherwise poorly conditioned Leicestershire businessmen to achieve a feat they would never have thought possible. In 2010 he led the physical preparations of Dominic Gomersall, Ian Mattioli, Andy Lyon and Paul Bassett - and perhaps more importantly gave them the concrete belief - as they set about becoming the first ever team to row from Land’s End to the North Sea. This was a Herculean undertaking by anyone’s standards and enabling a gang of crazy businessmen to climb in an open top boat on one side of the England, take it up the coast, across the country through canals and rivers and have them emerge in one piece at the mouth of the Humber, requires some serious motivating. But Darren achieved it and the team broke two world records and raised well over £20,000 in the process. Dominic Gomersall, owner of Leicester’s finest jewellers, Lumbers, said that “Darren turned me from a zero into a hero!” The services Darren Grewcock offers his clients are unique in the fitness market and holistic in their approach to the individual. Your goals become his goals and, as much as he deals in physical fitness, he is also an educator, his clients’ counsel, their mentor, sounding board and guide. His commitment to the physical and mental wellbeing of his clients, and the results he delivers in whatever task he sets himself, are truly remarkable.

To find out more on how Darren Grewcock can help you attain your goals, get in touch with him by emailing grewyfit@hotmail.com.

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Lamborghini Leicester

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Lamborghini Leicester Authorised Dealer Watermead Business Park Rayns Way Syston LE71PF Phone: 0116 319 3969 www.lamborghinileicester.co.uk

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Meisterstück and Hugh Jackman Crafted for New Heights Ninety years ago, Montblanc created a writing instrument that became an icon far beyond writing culture: the Montblanc Meisterstück, a symbol for the everlasting quest of achievement. To celebrate 90 years of Meisterstück, the new Meisterstück 90 Years has red gold-plated ﬁttings and a nib specially engraved with a commemorative “90”. Visit and shop at Montblanc.com

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As a pioneering Brit in America in the late 1960s, Tony quickly noticed differences in the way the game was approached on opposite sides of the Atlantic. He began to apply some of the professional methods he saw in the States and soon embarked on the hottest streak of his career, winning the Open Championship in 1969 and the US Open the following year. Tony’s endeavours that year left a highly significant legacy, inspiring the most talented generation of European golfers ever that included the likes of Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and, of course, Seve Ballesteros. What eventually followed was an epic Ryder Cup renaissance that he would lead in person. In 1983 Jacklin was asked to captain the European Ryder Cup team. The Americans had held the cup since 1957 and, despite the rest of Europe joining Great Britain and Ireland in 1979, there was still a distinct lack of competitiveness. Tony Jacklin insisted on radical reform and, by sticking to his guns, he dragged European golf into the modern era, establishing new methods and a more professional approach. Tony also recently revealed plans to develop Magnolia Park in Buckinghamshire into another of his ‘Signature’ courses. Still subject to planning approval, Tony hopes work can begin early in 2015 and that he and his architect, Bruce Weller, can create an inclusive environment that encourages people of all abilities to play golf.

“We are trying to make golf as pleasurable an experience as possible and the design of the course will certainly allow that. We want to give people confidence on the course and by making the greens that bit larger, anyone of any age or experience will be able to land shots in regulation. The way to get more people to continue with the game, especially youngsters, is to make it fun and let them see what they can do rather than to frustrate them.” “That’s the main idea behind Magnolia Park, getting everyone to enjoy their golf. We want the game to have solid foundations for the future and we can do that by encouraging greater participation. Part of that is creating a course that players can admire while they go round, really impressive surroundings that catch a player’s eye. At the same time, we’ve put emphasis on sustainability too and we don’t want the course to be high maintenance.” “Ultimately, golf is about fun and enjoyment and, if we concentrate on that side of it, the game can only benefit in the long term.” Tony Jacklin remains as passionate as ever about a sport he has served so well for six decades. As arguably the most influential figure in European golfing history and as a studious observer of the evolutionary shifts in the game, he is one elder statesman with clear 20-20 vision for the future.

To find out more about

TONY JACKLIN CBE and MAGNOLIA PARK please visit TONYJACKLIN.COM or MAGNOLIAPARK.CO.UK Alternatively, please contact

FRANCESCA BONFIGLIO at Champions (UK) plc on 07766 938 414 or 08453 31 30 31. Alternatively email

FBONFIGLIO@CHAMPIONSUKPLC.COM

Alan Pither, Bruce Weller, Tony Jacklin and Lian Kaczykowski. 59

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IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

Owner of Magnolia Park, Alan Pither and Tony Jacklin CBE

TRUE GIANT IN THE WORLD OF GOLF, Tony Jacklin CBE massively raised the profile of the sport in Britain during his stellar playing career and, having seen it all, he has plenty to say about the game. Aspirational Magazine took the opportunity to talk to Tony about his experiences as Europe’s most successful ever captain at the Ryder Cup and gauge his thoughts on the Par 3 format, which many see as a key component of golf’s future. The two-time Major winner also shed light on an exciting new ‘TONY JACKLIN SIGNATURE’ course he plans to build in Buckinghamshire. 58

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IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

THE WORLD’S FIRST NIKE PERFORMANCE FITTING CENTRE AT ARCHERFIELD LINKS. Archerfield are delighted to be partnering with Nike Golf in the Performance Fitting Centre at Archerfield Links. Built with the athlete in every golfer in mind, the facility – a world first for Nike Golf - allows consumers to experience the very best in golf club fitting, as well as offering access to our coaching team that includes former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart and leading European Tour coach Gary Nicol. Opened by Rory McIlroy on July 7th this year the facility allows golfers to experience state of the art coaching and fitting using the latest technology from Trackman, V1 and SAM Putt Lab providing the very best in depth analysis of your game. ‘I see so many golfers who play in ProAms, who are playing equipment that just isn’t suited to their game and the same guys often don’t even know how far they hit each club. They would improve their performance after going through the ultimate fitting experience from the team here at Archerfield.’ – Rory McIlroy

‘Regardless of your ability, regardless of your handicap or your experience in the game, the premium services offered at the Performance Fitting Centre will improve your game. Golfers will have the opportunity to be fitted to a whole new level than ever before, and the constant development of Nike Golf means they will have the best equipment in their bag,’ he added. ‘What we have at Archerfield is the ultimate fitting experience for golfers who want to improve their game. Whether they come for an hour session, half a day or the full three-day experience, we are confident they will be delighted with the services offered.’ – Angus Moir Nike Golf EMEA General Manager Open to golfers of all abilities, fitting and tuition experiences are available from £75 for a 60 minute fit. For more information www.archerfieldgolfclub.com/ nike-performance-fitting-centre 01620 897 050 customfit@archerfieldgolfclub.com

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THIS INCREDIBLE FACILITY TAKES CLUB FITTING TO ANOTHER LEVEL. IT’S SO IMPRESSIVE THAT NIKE ARE PROVIDING THE CONSUMER THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICE THAT WE GET AS NIKE ATHLETES. - Rory McIlroy 61

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IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

LATEST WINNER

JASON PALMER WINS MAIDEN CHALLENGE TOUR TITLE IN CHINA

Midlands’ golfer Jason Palmer has enjoyed a dramatic rise in the golfing world after signing with leading management agency, Champions of Golf. The greatest victory of his career came at the Foshan Open in China where he held his nerve to defeat a strong field and claim his first European Challenge Tour title. A local player with a bright future ahead of him, Jason is keeping his feet firmly on the ground and working hard to join the golfing elite.

After dominating the 2013 Alps Tour and finishing streets ahead of his nearest competitor at the top of the Order of Merit, Jason once again qualified for the European Challenge Tour. Refusing to let past experiences hinder his performances but use them as a positive, Jason now has his sights set on a top 15 Order of Merit finish. His first taste of success on the Tour came at the Belgian Challenge Open where he finished T3 in June of this year.

Jason began his career at the historic Kirby Muxloe Golf Club, excelling as an amateur and showing a great deal of promise from a young age. In 2010 he finished second on the Alps Tour, earning qualification onto the Challenge Tour. Just as his career seemed to be taking off, he endured a couple of difficult seasons, particularly struggling with his short-game.

Finally his hard work was beginning to pay off and in October 2014, he claimed his maiden European Challenge Tour title at the Foshan Open in China. An impressive final round of 69 saw him win by a stroke from compatriot Ben Evans, and showed the strength of Jason’s character.

Things began to look up again in 2012 after he signed with Champions of Golf, an experienced agency with a strong history of managing European Tour golfers, with the likes of two-time Major winner, Tony Jacklin CBE amongst its clients. Back on the Alps Tour, Jason began to experience a dramatic upswing in his game, winning the 2013 Friuli Venezia Giulia Open and the Cervino Open and quickly ascending to the top of the Order of Merit.

With just two events left in the season, Jason is one step away from qualifying for the European Tour. If everything goes according to plan, Jason will soon be able to test his golfing ability against Europe’s elite including the likes of Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson.

His most impressive victory on the 2013 Alps Tour came when he claimed the Citadelle Trophy by a record 11 strokes. The Kirby Muxloe professional had an eight shot advantage as he teed off for the final round at Golf Château de Preisch. He held his nerve in the closing holes to score 67, the best round of the day, and make history on the Tour.

Jason has pioneered an almost unheard of one-handed technique for chip shots and bunker shots, after experimenting with ways in which to improve his short-game. Jason commented on his unusual technique: “I have to say that the results were instant. After going one-handed I enjoyed the best spell of form in my life to that point. I went from being terrified of missing a green or facing a pitch over any sort of trouble, to enjoying the challenge of it all.”

JASON WITH THE 2014 EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR FOSHAN OPEN TROPHY 64

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Jason proudly receiving his sponsored car from Ken and Chris Crouch

Jason claiming his first Alps Tour title in 2013

2013 Cervino Open winner Jason Palmer

Jason winning the 2013 Citadelle Trophy

Over the years, Jason has acquired a number of sponsors including local Leicestershire family business Crouch Logistics, the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship, equipment manufacturers Titleist and Ping as well as his clothing supplier Crest Link Apparel. He also works extensively with Nutrafit based in Leicester, who provide fully comprehensive health, fitness and nutritional services. Champions of Golf have secured various sponsorship opportunities for their golfers including Gary Wolstenholme MBE and Tony Jacklin CBE. As he continues to climb the ladder towards the golfing greats, now is the perfect opportunity for businesses to sponsor Jason. Sponsoring a golfer puts your company name in front of a high-end audience of influential business people, accountants and other professionals. The high-pressure and exciting environment of professional golf tournaments makes the perfect showcase for a wide and diverse range of bold and dynamic companies. Promoting your brand to large sections of your target market through golf sponsorship is an ideal way to reach individuals through a wide range of media, including television, press and attendance of spectators at events. Jason Palmer is a young golfer with an exceptional attitude and a bright future ahead of him. Ryder Cup legend Tony Jacklin is particularly glowing in his praise for Palmer commenting: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jason is an exceptionally talented young man and I believe he has all the necessary attributes for a strong future in the game. His hard work and commitment is admirable and I look forward to tracking his progress on the European Tour very soon!â&#x20AC;?

For more information about working with or sponsoring Jason Palmer please contact Lloyd Bailey on 08453 31 30 31 or 07791508305. Alternatively email lbailey@championsukplc.com. @jasonpalmergolf

www.championsofgolf.co.uk

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IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

Z W O H LANKA ALIA SRI R T S U A TAN INDIA AFGHANIS E W B A B IM D Z

ICA OUTH AFR S D N A L N ENG EW ZEALA N H S E D BANGLA

S WEST INDIE AE U PAKISTAN COTLAND S D N A L IRE

the s w e i v e r p E B M d r a g g o H Matthew Cup d l r o W t e k c i ICC Cr

The 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup will be hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand from 14th February. With 49 matches set to be played at 14 different venues, the winner will be decided in Melbourne on 29th March. Aspirational Magazine spoke to Ashes winning pace bowler, Matthew Hoggard MBE, to gauge his thoughts on the tournament and on England’s World Cup credentials. Showcasing One Day International (ODI) cricket on a truly global stage, the ICC Cricket World Cup has become one of the greatest tests in the sport since its inception in 1975. Held every four years, it stands as one of the most viewed sporting spectacles in the world, behind only the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. It was not, however, the first international cricket tournament. That came in 1912 with a triangular tournament of Test matches played between Australia, England and South Africa and it would be another sixty-three years before an official World Cup was organised and held in England. That inaugural Cricket World Cup was won by the iconic West Indies side of the 1970s. They narrowly defeated Australia at Lord’s and since then the format of the tournament has changed a great deal. Starting as a single group round-robin resulting in a final, it morphed over time into the current format of two groups of seven, with four sides from each progressing to quarter-finals, followed by semis and a Grand Final.

England’s preparations for the tournament were set back by poor ODI form against India and Sri Lanka over the summer and the fallout from the Kevin Pietersen bullying allegations has been a distraction. Speaking about the upcoming tournament to Matthew Hoggard, it is clear that England have their work cut out to get their hands on the World Cup Trophy. He told us, “Our One Day form has been poor of late, if I’m honest, but with no Test cricket this winter England can concentrate on the World Cup. The seven warm-up games before Christmas against a strong Sri Lanka do give us a chance to build some lost confidence. That said, the wickets there will be typical of the Sub-Continent and unlike the ones the lads will play on at the World Cup. It’s monsoon season in Sri Lanka and it will be lower, slower and turn more than the quicker wickets down under.” Matthew took us through England’s group stage schedule, outlining a tough set of games to kick off the tournament. He told us, “Playing the Aussies in their own backyard first off isn’t ideal. Both sides will want to get one over on their opponent and set the tone for their own tournament. Australia are always strong but we can beat anyone on our day. The second game versus New Zealand at Wellington is arguably just as big. They are always dangerous, particularly in the One Day format, and will have home advantage like the Aussies.” “If those first two matches don’t go well, the pressure will be

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! T A Z W on against Scotland in the third. Ireland have shown England in the past that there are no easy games. Clichés like that come about for a reason and the Scots could be a real banana skin. With Sri Lanka in good form and lined up for the fourth game, I’d say to qualify we really must beat our friends from north of the border.” “The final group game is against Afghanistan and, although we shouldn’t take victory for granted, I’d expect us to win it comfortably. But it’s the game before that against Bangladesh that could surprise us. The Adelaide Oval traditionally favours spinners and that could play right into Bangladeshi hands. That’ll be a tricky game – and a massive one at that!” Hoggy is optimistic about England making the quarter finals. “Realistically, Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka should qualify from the group and I think we will too. It perhaps won’t be the case and we may be on a roll, but my worry is that a fourth place finish will see us play the winners of the other group. Whoever that is they’ll be in form and will have momentum. The margins at this level are so fine and often we see the form team win the World Cup. I’m sure it’ll go that way this time.” “There are so many sides playing well at the moment. You can never write off the Indians and as defending Champions they’ll be up for a scrap. South Africa have quality throughout the team, bowlers and batters. The West Indies may struggle in the

Test arena but ODIs are a different matter altogether for them. As Asian Cup winners, Sri Lanka have shown their potential recently and New Zealand can pose anyone a problem.” “It’s fair to say the bookies don’t fancy England but with games and hopefully some confidence-building wins under their belt on tour in Sri Lanka, the boys can go to Australia and New Zealand with their own momentum. If that happens, we could find ourselves as the ones peaking at the right time!” 2015 will be chock-full of sporting spectacles and we have the Rugby World Cup on home soil to look forward to in September. The ICC World Cup is sure to kick start the year with a wonderful celebration of cricket, featuring many of the planet’s finest players and Matthew Hoggard will study the action closely. England may have never won the tournament and they are no shoo-in this time round, but stranger things have happened!

For more information on how Matthew Hoggard MBE can benefit your brand or add star quality to your event, Please contact Benny Lawrence at Champions (UK) plc today by calling 07792 530020 or 08453 31 30 31. Alternatively, email blawrence@championsukplc.com

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IT’S A MAN’S WORLD

Chopard has had a long and passionate affair with motorsport. Not just as a sponsor, but an all encompassing involvement with many aspects of petrol headed sport. It started more than 25 years ago, when Chopard supported the famous Mille Miglia race in Italy for the first time, travelling from Brescia to Rome and back again in exactly 1000 miles. Each year, an elite few join the starting line, in cars constructed between 1927 and 1957, ready to be part of three days of motoring history. The combined value of the cars is inestimable, the ancient route - picturesque yet demanding - a classic.

In 2014 “the most beautiful race in the world” started under sunny skies, leaving Brescia and heading through more than 56 cities and towns including Padova, Rome, Florence and Bologna. Thousands of spectators line the route, car enthusiasts to the core, passion is not an optional extra. Chopard’s involvement is not merely one of money. Each year a member of the Scheufele Family, owners of Chopard, joins the racing and this year, in honour of the new partnership with Porsche Motorsport, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele co-drove with Jacky Ickx in the Porsche 550A Spyder RS, on loan from the Porsche Museum. As world sponsor and official timekeeper of the Mille Miglia, Chopard create a limited edition official watch for each race. The Mille Miglia Chronograph 2014 is even more distinctive, with its red tachometric scale and

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Jacky Ic

hands, white dial and green minute circle, echoing the colours of the Italian Tricolore in the most subtle of ways. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s watch honours the oldest cars taking part in the race, so the usual rubber strap has been replaced with a stylish calfskin, reminiscent of the bonnet straps on the more venerable motors in the race. The limited edition release of 2,014 watches in steel, makes this watch as desirable and sought after as the cars that race each year. Lumbers are delighted that we have now been associated with Chopard for 10 years, and we have seen some beautiful pieces, jewellery and watches, during this time. We are passionate about Chopard, from the precision of the watches to the sparkle of their Happy Diamonds. To view the full collection, please do visit our store.

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LEAH MARKS HOUSE, 10-12 MARKET STREET, LEICESTER, LE1 6DP T: 0116 255 1233 | WWW.LUMBERS.CO.UK

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HOME, HOUSE AND GARDEN

HOME, HOUSE AND GARDEN Extended edition Welcome to a special extended edition of the Home, House and Garden section of Aspirational Magazine. We know that your home is your castle and you want it to look as good as it possibly can – that’s why we have assembled this section bursting with ideas to spruce up your abode, or even find an entirely new dream home!

From kitchens and living spaces to bathrooms and bedrooms, Plug Interiors can give you access to some of the latest and most innovative ideas in product and design from Europe’s leading brands. Plug can create imaginative, spectacular interiors that fit your budget and exceed your expectations.

If you are looking to create your perfect place, Walters Architects are a design-led architectural practice delivering creative and ambitious schemes, from one-off interiors and prefabricated buildings to new build houses and large-scale residential schemes.

A six-page section from property experts Bentons begins with Director James Warne offering an overview of the current housing market. The next four pages list some of the most exclusive properties in the East Midlands and provides plenty of inspiration to discover the home of your dreams!

Specialising in high quality and impressive lighting installations, Ventola Projects adapt their services to suit each of their unique projects and clients. SLM Builders have over a decade of experience working with developers on a range of residential, commercial and new-build developments.

Finally, Abel Alarms is Britain’s largest privately owned providers of top quality, residential and commercial security systems and can provide you with much-needed peace of mind.

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full architectural services for both domestic and commercial clients

141 London Road Leicester LE2 1EF

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69 Town Green Street Rothley Leicester, LE7 7NW

T. 0116 254 1830 E. info@waltersarchitects.com W. www.waltersarchitects.com

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HOME, HOUSE AND GARDEN

MARKS ELECTRICAL Creating a Buzz for Over 25 years

Established over 25 years ago, Marks Electrical is the largest independent retailer of domestic appliances in the UK. Over the years, the store has sold hundreds of thousands of appliances to its countless satisfied customers. Located in the heart of the country in Leicester, Marks Electrical sell a huge range of domestic appliances from all major manufacturers direct to retail and trade customers. With the largest showroom in the Midlands and free delivery across the UK, they were recognised as a Gold Trusted Merchant by Feefo, an independent reviews company, for achieving a Customer Service Rating of 98% in 2013. Recently added to the showroom was a prestigious Miele Centre with working built-in displays now stocking the exclusive Pureline Built In Range. Their recently installed flagship LG shop is among only 10 in the country and offers dedicated displays of Rangemaster, Stoves, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony. Marks Electrical is the preferred retailer chosen by manufacturers to be the first to display brand new innovative products such as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first curved screen LG TV.

Delivery is flexible to suit customers with a free next day service, two hour timeslots and a personal service by delivering themselves using their fleet of 18 vehicles. Their prices beat John Lewis, Currys and Appliances Online with a wide range of appliances to suit any budget. 365electrical.com is another exceptional service offered by Marks Electrical, allowing customers to conveniently purchase a huge range of products online. Free weekend and next day delivery is available to all customers, as well as same day and evening delivery to most Midlands addresses. Marks Electrical is always looking to expand its range of services and now offers installation across the Midlands for gas and electric appliances. The retailer was voted runner-up for Best Electrical Retailer by Domestic and General. Constant investment by Managing Director Mark Smithson has provided a state-of-the-art warehouse, a modern ever-changing showroom and a brand new website which stands out from the crowd.

Marks Electrical 111-115 King Richards Road, Leicester LE3 5QG Telephone: 0116 251 5515 Email: sales@markselectrical.co.uk www.markselectrical.co.uk

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HOME, HOUSE AND GARDEN

BUILDING A BRIGHT FUTURE with Ventola Projects and SLM Builders Ventola Projects Ltd have been managing projects for over 25 years, providing the very best in efficiency, service and quality. SLM Building Contractors have over a decade of experience working with developers on a range of residential, commercial and new-build developments. The two companies are combining their services on a new project to develop brand new offices for leading East Midlands brand agency, Champions (UK) plc. Based in the East Midlands but working on projects around the UK and globally, both SLM Builders and Ventola Projects provide their extensive range of services to retailers, businesses, councils, housing developments and futher specialist work within the commercial and leisure industry. SLM Builders have worked on major projects with both the city and county councils, as well as ventures across the country, both big and small. SLM Builders are accredited with Constructionline and Gold Standard with Exor Management Services, as well as being on the Approved Supplier List for Local Government Contracts. SLM Builders are a part of Leicestershire Police Reactive Framework, which gives them the opportunity to conduct day-to-day maintenance throughout Leicestershire

police stations as well as tender for larger projects. They have completed two school projects for Rutland County Council and are looking at completing various new build developments with the East Midlands Housing Association in Leicester. As well as large-scale commercial work, they also undertake residential projects and extensions both large and small, whether building a porch or doubling the size of a house. Specialising in high quality and impressive lighting installations, Ventola Projects adapt their services to suit each of their unique projects and clients. Energy efficiency is one of the key concerns for Ventola Projects and they are always looking for new ways to reduce energy consumption, adding sparkling and effective new LED lighting solutions that can reduce energy consumption by up to 70%. Ventola Projects thrive on a reputation of high quality craftsmanship and deadline delivery which is why such a wide spectrum of clients trust them to manage projects both large and small. While they specialise in high quality light fittings, they are also experts in all aspects of big projects including refitting, design, electrical installation, design and project management.

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Based in the village of Costock in south Nottinghamshire, Champions (UK) plc have expanded rapidly since their first offices opened in 2009. Work is currently underway to double the size of their premises, creating new state-of-the-art offices with top-quality facilities for their staff and clients. SLM Builders are managing the build with Ventola Projects overseeing other aspects of the development including the lighting and electrical system installations. The new development for Champions (UK) plc will be a perfect showcase of the top-quality range of services that both SLM Builders and Ventola Projects can provide for their clients. Set for completion in 2015, the new offices will mark another exciting phase in the brand agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development, and another achievement for SLM Builders and Ventola Projects.

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HOME, HOUSE AND GARDEN

THE HOUSING MARKET â&#x20AC;&#x201C; RECOVERY OR NOT? As 2014 draws to a close, there has been much speculation this year about the housing market but much of this seems to have been centred around the boom in London and the South East. But what about the East Midlands? Who better to ask then James Warne at Bentons, who handles property in all price ranges throughout the whole region.

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We asked James for his thoughts on the year so far and the prospects for 2015... “This year has been our best year since the credit crunch in 2008. The market started extremely positively with a big surge in activity up until Easter over the same period last year. This was mainly due to the media frenzy over the boom in London and the South East and expectation that this would ripple out across the country as has so often happened in the past. With the prospect of imminent house price rises and interest rates at an all-time low, buyers were encouraged to enter the market worrying that if they didn’t, house prices may rise beyond their reach. House prices therefore rose slightly at the beginning of the year but certainly not as much as had been experienced in areas further South. As the summer arrived, the Government took measures to cool the market which was really only booming in the South East. Lenders were now to ask buyers much more detailed questions about their affordability and the mortgage application process became much more complicated. Shortly afterwards, the Government introduced further restraints on the mortgage market to ensure that buyers could not only afford mortgage rates today but could also afford mortgage repayments if interest rates were to rise tomorrow. The effect of these changes has been to cool the market significantly in the South East but they have also affected the market elsewhere across the Country.

During the summer and into the autumn, the market has remained better than last year however house prices have stopped rising in the short term and this, of course, is good news for those moving upmarket. In the middle to upper end of the market, we have sold some fabulous properties this year and our 1,200 connected offices and office on Park Lane have been extremely helpful in providing us with those all-important out-of-area buyers. High profile sales include Benscliffe Hay at Newtown Linford, Radius House at Rothley and a large number of properties across Charnwood Forest - worth over £1,000,000. We are currently also handling the sale of Quorn House at Quorn for Rosemary Conley. With regards to next year, a general election will always unsettle the market somewhat which may affect the first half of the year and there is the real prospect that interest rates may also rise. After six years of difficult market conditions, I do believe that the recovery is sustainable and that long-lasting enthusiasm has returned amongst buyers and sellers. As ever, the key to selling requires a number of elements including high impact online marketing, a national marketing capability and an enthusiastic and pro-active approach. Initially, setting the correct price and adopting the right marketing strategy will remain essential.”

If you are thinking of buying or selling during the rest of 2014 or 2015, James and his team can be contacted at Bentons on 01664 563 892 or at sales@bentons.co.uk

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Quorn House, Quorn An elegant Georgian country house situated within approximately 128 acres of parkland with large lake and two bedroom separate lodge house. Offering an impressive entrance hall and inner main hall and five magnificent reception rooms, the property extends to 15,500 sqft and offers ten bedrooms and four bathrooms. A separate outbuilding includes a professional film studio, editing suite, production suite and training room offers potential for a variety of alternative uses. The property enjoys spectacular uninterupted open views across parkland and woods towards Charnwood Forest. In all, a spectacular small Country Estate, currently a company headquarters but formerly the Farnham family home for over 800 years. EPC exempt.

ÂŁ3,250,000

Tree Tops, Newtown Linford Situated within this most favoured of residential locations in the heart of Charnwood Forest with outstanding panoramic views, this remarkable detached family home commissioned by the previous owners for their own occupation and having been painstakingly constructed in fine course local stone with substantial oak framed wings. Lavishly appointed throughout with the finest quality fittings, the accommodation is arranged over three floors and features oak joinery throughout, extensive limestone flooring with underfloor heating, superb kitchen by Robinson & Cornish and a superb fitted study and wardrobes by Philip Dowse Interiors. With five bedrooms and four bathrooms, the property demands internal inspection. EPC-C

ÂŁ1,750,000

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The Old Hall Queniborough

£1,400,000

Situated within 7 acres of magnificent gardens and paddocks on the edge of this desirable village, a fine and period property of considerable integrity and character dating back to 1672 with Medieval origins enjoying a sylvan setting on the very edge of Queniborough village. Offering a total of seven bedrooms, four bathrooms and four reception rooms off a magnificent hall, the property is steeped in history and offers a wealth of magnificent original features together with a self contained two/ three bedroom apartment in a service wing. With three stables, two storey barn and garaging, the property is a truly beautiful period property in an outstanding setting with considerable potential. EPC exempt.

Queniborough Barn Queniborough

£995,000

Delightfully situated next to the ancient village church within the conservation area of Queniborough village, a substantial 6/7 bedroom detached Grade II listed barn conversion offering stylish and immaculately presented accommodation over three floors. With completely self contained office, two storey office/cottage annexe and attractive walled gardens to front and rear, the property features a magnificent first floor drawing room, three reception rooms, three en suites and a further family bathroom. Finished with the very highest quality kitchen and bathroom fittings and oak sealed double glazing throughout, the property offers a wealth of original features such as Cathedral ceilings with exposed roof trusses and exposed brickwork, a detached double garage and a delightful view of the impressive adjacent church. EPC-E

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Connaught House Rothley

£1,275,000

A unique opportunity to acquire three detached family homes within their own electric gated community ideal for extended families, those seeking to house dependant relatives, grown up children or other family members or as a buy-to-let investment. Connaught House is a beautifully presented five double bedroom detached house, luxuriously appointed with luxury en suite bathroom, family bathroom, bespoke fully fitted kitchen and a completely separate self contained annexe with second kitchen, lounge and bedroom with shower. The two detached houses (number 32 and number 34) are completely separate, also offer gas central heating, uPVC double glazing and offer four bedrooms, both with en suite shower rooms, family bathrooms, single and double garages and private rear gardens. In all, a substantial property portfolio within the centre of Rothley village for sale as a whole. EPC-C Individual Pricing as follows:

The Priory Hungarton

Connaught House: £625,000 32 Howe Lane: £325,000 34 Howe Lane: £325,000

£950,000

Enjoying a spectacular location surrounded by parkland within this exclusive gated development of only five substantial properties, a six bedroom family home offering six reception rooms, two bathrooms and two shower rooms within 0.75 acre of magnificent landscaped gardens with outstanding panoramic views. With a prestigious double electric gated tree lined approach, the property offers Calor gas central heating, sealed unit double glazing, triple garaging and a ground floor guest annex together with a substantial oak fitted kitchen. Featuring a large pond with waterfall fountain, rockeries and extensive planted borders, the gardens are exceptional and viewing is highly recommended to appreciate the stunning setting, approach and size of the property. EPC-E

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Oak House Nether Broughton

£795,000

Oak House is a quite stunning new built property by specialist developers Soar Valley Homes Ltd. The dwelling has been constructed with a reclaimed red handmade brick and local stone. The accommodation extends to 3500 sq/ft and is arranged over two floors comprising 3/4 reception rooms, kitchen, five bedrooms, three en suites, family bathroom, private walled garden, double garage/workshop and annexe with WC, study/office or playroom use. The property is finished to a very high standard which include oak doors, oak staircase with glass and stainless steel balustrades, a bespoke fitted kitchen to the buyers requirements along with high quality Laufen bathroom sanitary ware and tiling/porcelain also to the specification of the purchaser. Oak floors and travertine/ limestone complete the ground floor finishes. EPC-TBC

Tudor House Long Whatton

£685,000

Situated on the edge of this desirable and well serviced village with open views to the rear, a substantial five/six bedroom detached Grade II listed period residence with substantial detached barn with planning consent for conversion to a three/four bedroom separate dwelling with separate access and garden. Offering a wealth of period features including heavily beamed ceilings and wall beams, the property also features a highly contemporary fully fitted dining kitchen, two bathrooms and remodelled wet room, five/six double bedrooms and three large reception rooms, the property also offers a large car port, garage and delightful landscaped garden grounds, the whole extending to approximately 0.6 acres. EPC-E

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Moss Deeping Frisby On The Wreake

£725,000

An outstanding Grade 2 Listed L-shaped period property dating back in part to 1757, having been the subject of complete restoration and renovation programme offering a wealth of period features including heavily beamed ceilings, stripped pine doors, fireplaces, window shutters an original Range and bread oven in the breakfast room. Four large reception rooms, superb fitted kitchen with dining area off, five/ six bedrooms on two floors, two new en-suite shower rooms and family bathroom. Walled gardens to front and rear and parking to rear. EPC-E

Jubilee House John O’ Gaunt

£565,000

Enjoying a spectacular location within this unspoilt hamlet with elevated and uninterrupted open views to the rear, a four bedroom detached property dating back to 1897 and set within delightful landscaped gardens and offering a range of attached outbuildings including six former stables, a professional home office and detached double garage. With gas fired central heating, replacement sealed double glazing and three reception rooms, breakfast kitchen, cloakroom, utility room, large family bathroom, en-suite shower room and fitted wardrobes to three bedrooms. A 0.75 acre paddock is rented adjacent and 8.0 acres of stock proof paddocks are available by separate negotiation at nearby Twyford. EPC-E

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Oak Lodge Nether Broughton

£550,000

Oak Lodge is an individually constructed home occupying a pleasant position within this highly regarded village. Offering spacious accommodation arranged over three floors comprising; entrance hall, cloaks/wc, two reception rooms, superb living/dining/kitchen, six bedrooms, two with en-suite facilities and a family bathroom. The property benefits from double glazing, gas central heating, NHBC Certificate (3 years remaining) and security alarm control system. Outside, is a block paved driveway providing ample parking, detached double garage and landscaped gardens to front and rear. Viewing is essential to appreciate the location and spacious interior. EPC-C

The Dairy Parlour Rearsby

£499,950

The Cottage, Willoughby On The Wolds

£500,000

The Cottage occupies a delightful secluded position on a ‘no through lane’ within the heart of this highly regarded Wolds village. Having been extended by the present owners, the property offers flexible accommodation comprising entrance hall/study, three reception rooms, superb living/dining/kitchen, utility with cloaks/WC off, four bedrooms, nursery/facility for en-suite to master bedroom and a family bathroom. Whilst retaining a wealth of original features to include open fronted fireplaces, beamed ceilings and ledged/braced doors, the property benefits from part under floor heating, oil fired central heating, off road parking, detached double garage and delightful well established gardens to three sides. Viewing is essential to appreciate the location and size of accommodation. Offered with NO CHAIN, early viewing is highly recommended. EPC-E

Rectory Road Wanlip

Offers Over £400,000

The Dairy Parlour is the centrepiece within this imaginative development by Bloor Homes of barn conversions and new homes. Ideal for entertaining, family or retirement living, the property offers numerous design features including a 36’7” x 17’2” magnificent cathedral open plan hall/living/dining room with bespoke oak staircase and oak and glazed screen to the generous 25’7” x 17’1” family/dining/kitchen.

An immaculately presented character property, occupying a pleasant leafy position backing onto Watermead Country Park within this sought after village. Having been sympathetically extended and modernised, the property offers accommodation comprising entrance vestibule, three reception rooms, re-fitted kitchen, utility, ground floor bedroom with en-suite shower room and two first floor bedrooms, both with en-suite facilities.

With four bedrooms, two en-suit shower rooms and family bathroom over two floors, the property also offers parking, garaging and a west facing walled rear garden. EPC-C

Whilst retaining original features to include latch and brace doors and lattice windows, the property benefits from some double glazing, night storage heating, gravelled driveway providing parking for three vehicles and delightful established gardens. Viewing is essential to appreciate the location and deceptively spacious interior. EPC-E

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HOME, HOUSE AND GARDEN

INTELLIGENT PEACE OF MIND Abel

The urge to protect and to nurture is one of our most basic instincts as human beings. We work hard to build comfortable homes for our families; establish successful businesses and we have to know that the fruits of our labour will be there for the long term. Yet within this most natural of impulses, shared by each and every one of us, we all have different ideas about how and what we wish to defend.

The security systems Abel design and install are tailored specifically to your individual needs, whether that is the particular requirements of your business or the unique way in which your home is configured. From the outset they focus on delivering easy to use, reliable and cost effective systems that offer you the peace of mind you are looking for in the protection of all the things closest to your heart.

Established in a small Leicester office in 1965 by the current Chairman Peter Eyre, Abel have almost 50 years’ experience protecting families, property, possessions and businesses and place high end customer service at the core of their offering. They have stuck with their commitment to outstanding service and today operate from their large Head Office near Highcross. This family owned business is overseen by Peter’s grandsons, Joel and Robin Mulloy who continue the traditions that cement Abel’s reputation for quality and service. Abel have grown to become Britain’s largest privately owned providers of top quality, residential and commercial security systems with UK coverage from 14 local branches that insulate you or your company from the effects of crime, fire and flooding.

After a detailed survey of your property, Abel’s expert installers will provide you with a system that can send any kind of alert direct to your phone - whether that’s notifying you about intruders, detecting the outbreak of fire or even flooding, and all systems can be fully integrated with CCTV, fire alarms, security lighting and hold-up alarms. Abel’s systems will also actively reduce those irritating and frightening false alarms and can be extended through your home, often wirelessly, as and when your requirements change. It is all about keeping you informed and, by the same token, in control.Yet Abel go far, far beyond just alerting you. CCTV on its own simply views and records crime, but an Abel detector-activated, monitored CCTV system allows activity on site to be transmitted to their Communication and Monitoring Centre,

www.twitter.com/abelalarm

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www.linkedin.com-Abel

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where fully licenced CCTV controllers can take action on the video footage they see, using either an intercom link to warn away offenders, or calling the police and specified keyholders. With an Abel system, you are safe in the knowledge that someone is always watching over everything that is precious to you.

gaseous fire extinguishers, air sampling and wire-free detectors, smoke beams and automatic door and ventilation controls.

Abel will help you determine the best system for your needs from a comprehensive range of options. This could include fixed cameras or fully functional cameras which can tilt, zoom and pan and can include security lighting when needed. They offer a wide choice of viewing and recording features to suit the size and layout of your property, including time lapse recording onto DVR (digital video recorders) and NVR (network video recorders), time and date generation for legal proceedings, instant printing of screen images and continuous monitoring and recording of multiple images.

Abel have long been installing and maintaining security systems as protection and are now integrating those measures with intelligent home automation. This allows for the control of various aspects, be it lighting, heating, air conditioning, music, video or security, all with the touch of the same button. They design, install and program systems of all sizes, from a small home cinema system to a complete, multi-room, fully integrated home.

Abelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fire systems are also highly bespoke for your home or business and giving you and the Fire and Rescue Service an early warning can stop a small incident turning into a catastrophic loss. They will tailor a system specifically for your property and install the ideal equipment ranging from systems detecting heat, smoke and water, voice evacuation and visual warning systems to fixed

With priority access to all UK Police and Fire & Rescue control rooms, by employing Abel you can depend on a prompt response to any incident.

Abel are as flexible as you want them to be. They will make sure your family and property are safe and sound, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They will do the same for your business, no matter if it is a large corporate HQ, a school, hospital or government building, right down to the smallest of business premises. Your children and your employees, your students, patients and your clients will remain fully protected. Abelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first priority is ensuring that what you have today, you still have tomorrow.

For confidential advice and information on security systems, or to arrange a detailed, no obligation survey of your home or business premises, call Abel on 0116 2654200 or email info@abelalarm.co.uk

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FINE DINING GUIDE

ASPIRATIONAL

FINE DINING GUIDE We all know that food is at its best when in season and, with autumn upon us and with winter fast approaching, we took the chance to ask food critic and Masterchef host, GREGG WALLACE, for some pointers on where to find the very best East Midlands hearty fayre this winter. Drawing on Gregg’s in-depth knowledge of the region’s restaurants, Aspirational Magazine has lovingly prepared this essential fine dining guide to help you search out the very best comfort food this winter. We found that the East Midlands is a great place for foodies at this time of year. We’ll venture into Leicester’s city centre to sample the seasonal warmers on offer at the chic HOTEL MAIYANGO and then head across the county to check out the authentic Italian cuisine being cooked by the Albiano family this autumn and winter at GINO’S PEAR TREE. We’ll then zip out to Rutland to get a taste of HAMBLETON HALL’S refined à la carte menu before savouring the sumptuous seafood available at THE LIGHTHOUSE in Kibworth. Those are but a few of the quality eateries showcased in the following pages, so read on and make sure you know where to look for a treat. If you’re looking to rustle up something for yourself, why not indulge yourself with this scrumptious Rhubarb Crumble recipe, our special recommendation straight from Gregg Wallace - a man who knows a thing or two about desserts...

For more information on Gregg Wallace or to enquire about him appearing at your event, simply contact Jack Hayes at Champions (UK) plc today by calling 07772 440 596 or 08453 31 30 31 or email jackhayes@championsukplc.com. Alternatively, please contact Victoria Marconetto on 07791 508 235 or email vmarconetto@championsukplc.com 86

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GINO’S PEAR TREE, PIZZERIA, WINE BAR & RESTAURANT Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire

Evoking the atmosphere of the Italian countryside, Gino’s Pear Tree is celebrated for its authentic Italian cuisine and excellent wine list. The brand new pizzeria is a superb addition that would not be out of place in the historic streets of Naples. Renowned for the quality of their pizzas, the Albiniano family work closely alongside their expert pizza chef, Davide to create delicious results. Davide comes from a rich culinary background; his father is a celebrated pizza chef while his mother is a master baker specialising in mille feuille. He has moved across from Italy to offer Gino’s diners the incredible opportunity to sample authentic pizzas from a renowned chef. Following the tradition of true Neopolitan pizzas, the dough is proved and developed before being stone baked in the oven which was imported directly from the Albiniano family’s home town of Campobasso. Only the very finest aged and cured prosciutto and salamis are used on the topping which complement the secret tomato sauce, made using sun ripened calabrian tomatoes. Gino’s now offers their loyal customers the chance to enjoy some of their delicious pizzas at home, cooking pizzas to order and sending them out in creatively branded boxes. Gino’s now serves pizzas all day. The oven will be fired up from 12pm - 10pm Tuesday to Saturday and from 4pm to 10pm after their traditional sunday lunch service, which offers a 2/3 course choice set menu.

Open for lunch and offering an earlier opening time for pizzas, Gino’s is the perfect place for a relaxed meal with friends and family. With stylish yet casual surroundings, Gino’s are proud that so many customers are delighted with their experience. Gino’s Pear Tree also host live jazz nights every Friday, bringing together fantastic food and great music for their delighted visitors. The restaurant continues to offer a full à la carte menu. Representing the very best of true Italian gastronomy, diners find themselves transported to the rolling foothills of the Tuscan countryside. The wine list is extensive, featuring the best wines from around the world and perfectly suited to the delicious dishes. Seasonality is extremely important at Gino’s, and the dishes are created using fresh produce and the very best ingredients. With a beautiful dining room, alfresco dining area and spectacular ambience, Gino’s continues to entice visitors across the East Midlands and beyond. Food served: Tuesday to Saturday: 12noon to 10.00pm Sunday: Lunch 12noon - 4.00pm & Pizza 4.00pm - 10.00pm Gino’s Pear Tree 8 Church Hill, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire LE12 8RT Tel: (01509) 890 243 www.ginospeartree.net

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FINE DINING GUIDE

ASPIRATIONAL

FINE DINING GUIDE

HAMBLETON HALL

HOTEL MAIYANGO

THE LIGHTHOUSE

Hambleton, Rutland

City Centre, Leicester

Kibworth, Leicestershire

Head chef, Nick Wilson, has created a real buzz of excitement at Maiyango since his arrival. Having spent several years working under acclaimed celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli, Wilson progressed to heading up the Michelin-starred restaurant, Les Saveurs, in London’s Mayfair.

The Lighthouse at Kibworth offers one of the most contemporary and exciting dining experiences in Leicestershire. Delivering exquisite seafood all year round, The Lighthouse has received coveted accolades such as the Bib Gourmand, proving testament to the restaurant’s longstanding reputation as one of the most consistent and committed culinary destinations in the East Midlands.

Celebrate The Occasion... Birthdays, anniversaries and memorable dates are all worth celebrating in style. Stay a night in one of our Superior or Master bedrooms or our Croquet Pavilion suite with stunning views over Rutland Water. This special occasion offer includes: • A half bottle of NV René Beaudouin, Blanc de Blancs champagne • Seasonal fruit • Rich chocolate brownies from Hambleton Bakery • Bouquet of flowers • 6 course gourmet Tasting menu with coffee and chocolates • Personalised dinner menu • Full Hambleton breakfast and morning paper Inclusive of VAT and a discretionary service charge of 12.5%, based on two people sharing. Reservations are subject to a minimum two night stay at weekends and can be combined with a tariff rate for the 2nd evening.

Wilson’s menu is packed with flavour and innovative ideas and techniques. It also offers a fantastic selection of dishes for allergy sufferers, veggies and vegans, groups often overlooked by restaurants. One of our favourites from Hotel Maiyango’s latest wonderful menu is their cod dish, served with celeriac, kale and beautiful potato puree. Its curried mussel ragout accompaniment is a lovely touch too. The dish is just one of many offering a fusion of flavours, textures and spices, which, as Wilson has noted, ‘encapsulate the melting pot that is Leicester.’ And if sweets are more your thing, how about a more indulgent treat? The deconstructed carrot cake is to die for, served with a well-balanced mandarin sorbet, candied chutney, orange jelly, carrot puree and pickled walnuts. With Hotel Maiyango also offering The Glass Bar and The Gallery for private hire, guests can hold their own exclusive event, complete with a bespoke menu, while revelling in panoramic views across Leicester’s many historical landmarks.

Presented as a ‘Seafood Restaurant & More’, The Lighthouse at Kibworth’s owners Sarah and Lino deliver a succulent selection of tapas-style nibbles, a variety of fish dishes, form the Great British Favourites of Potted Shrimps, Mussels, Fish n Chips, and Fish Pie, to the Mediterranean influences of Lino’s heritage, such as Sea Bass, Halibut, and the much loved Lobster Spaghetti, and yet still giving place on the menu to some superb meat dishes, and a vegetarian option too. The Lighthouse’s welcoming interior comprises of a light and refreshing maritime theme that perfectly compliments the delicacies that the restaurant deliver time and time again. The Lighthouse at Kibworth pride themselves on knowledgeable and passionate staff who ensure that your dining experience is as fulfilling as possible. Sarah and Lino strive to make The Lighthouse at Kibworth the restaurant to visit and enjoy all week round. With the introduction of ‘Midweek Nibbles & Tipples’, guests can sample an array of nibbles whilst sipping on a bottle of wine, all for £25 for two people, or alternatively push the boat out and savour Prosecco for an additional £5. Recently launched is the Supper Menu, offering a selection of Nibbles, and a choice of 3 main courses, at just £14.50, including a fabulous smooth Italian coffee to finish (or £17.50 if you can squeeze in a dessert too) This menu is served Tuesday – Thursday and makes for an affordable midweek treat. If you wish to sample the very best The Lighthouse at Kibworth can offer, then book a spot on ‘The Captain’s Table’. Simply tell the staff your likes and dislikes and the hugely skilled chefs at The Lighthouse will serve dishes tailored to you, making your experience in the restaurant feel bespoke and individually focused. From £35 per person, Sarah describes ‘The Captain’s Table’, as ‘quite the best way to eat’. Be sure to drop by The Lighthouse at Kibworth this winter and sample the delights of what so many have been raving about.

Food Served: Breakfast, Brunch & All Day Dining served Monday to Friday 7:00am onwards, Saturday & Sunday 8am onwards. Dinner Served Monday to Saturday 6:00pm - 9:30pm and Sunday 6:00pm 9:00pm Open for cocktails and drinks till late, 7 days a week. Hambleton Hall Hotel & Restaurant Hambleton, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8TH Tel: (01572) 756 991 Email: hotel@hambletonhall.com www.hambletonhall.com

Hotel Maiyango 13-21 St Nicholas Place, Leicester LE1 4LD Tel: (0116) 251 88 98 Email: reservations@maiyango.com www.maiyango.com

Food Served: Tuesday to Saturday from 6.00pm The Lighthouse No.9 Station Street, Kibworth Beauchamp LE8 0LN Tel: (0116) 279 6260 www.lighthousekibworth.co.uk

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For more information and for bookings, contact 34 Windsor Street on (01455) 234 342

34windsorst.com

Nestled in the heart of the beautiful village of Burbage, 34 Windsor St is the destination restaurant to experience creative modern British food. Carefully selected wines, cheeky cocktails and vintage afternoon tea can be enjoyed in the company of friends, family and loved ones in a relaxed, warm and intimate surroundings.

34 Windsor St is owner Zeffy Thompson’s creation of an array of ideas born from her own personal taste and experiences. With beautiful fabrics and soft furnishings Zeffy has designed a restaurant and cocktail bar that injects a touch of glamour into the culinary experience. An environment created for people with a huge and insatiable passion for good food, wine and an overall great time, 34 Windsor St is not to be missed. 34 Windsor St’s restaurant is all about creating a memorable experience from the moment you walk in. Head Chef, Sam Owen’s ethos is simple, ‘British food done well’. Sam’s organic methodology comes from using our very own produce fresh from our Secret Garden, locally sourced quality produce and innovative cooking techniques. Our carefully

selected wine menu compliments the dishes and constantly evolves and adapts with the season. 34 Windsor St use the same approach with our cocktail bar menu, fusing combinations of classic cocktails with our own creations using home grown produce and taking inspiration from our dishes. 34 Windsor St caters for any need throughout the week. At the weekend, relax with the Saturday papers over Chef David’s homemade croissants and legendary eggs benedict, or treat yourself to an afternoon tea with the girls. Enjoy a romantic date night, special occasion dinner or simply gather friends and family together for a delicious Sunday roast and live acoustic music. As a venue 34 Windsor St can host the smallest to the largest of celebrations and can cater to a

wide range of private events and meetings. We have a dedicated events team, state of the art audio and visual facilities and a brigade ran by Head Chef Sam Owen who will design a bespoke menu around your personal preferences and seasonal ingredients that will match the mood of any occasion.

LUNCH Tuesday - Saturday 12noon - 3.00pm

TASTING MENU Tuesday - Saturday 6.00pm - 9.00pm

AFTERNOON TEA Tuesday - Saturday 12noon - 5.00pm (reservations only)

SUNDAY LUNCH 12noon - 3.00pm

EVENING À LA CARTE Tuesday - Saturday 6.00pm - 9.00pm

SATURDAY BREAKFAST 10.00am - 11.30am

89 89

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FINE DINING GUIDE

ASPIRATIONAL

FINE DINING GUIDE

HART’S

LA ROCK

RESTAURANT SAT BAINS

City Centre, Nottingham

Sandiacre, Nottingham

City Centre, Nottingham

Hart’s in Nottingham is the city’s most successful up-market eatery. With over 15 years experience providing a flawless service and stunning British cuisine Hart’s possesses a calming and peaceful setting so difficult to find in a city, truly setting the standard for diners and guests.

Tucked away in the East Midlands town of Sandiacre, La Rock focus on offering their diners a unique experience that lasts for an entire evening, rather than simply a meal. Ranked among the finest restaurants in the East Midlands, hundreds of satisfied diners have walked away stunned by the service, quality and presentation of the food.

Awarded two Michelin Stars for its outstanding modern British cuisine, Restaurant Sat Bains is one of the East Midlands’ most highly regarded restaurants. In the past decade, the restaurant has also been garnered with the ultimate 5 Rosettes from the AA and 9 out of 10 in the Good Food Guide.

With a menu selection to intrigue even the most seasoned diner, Hart’s has something for everyone. The stunning Gourmet Corner served on Friday and Saturday night’s à la carte menu, is perfect for that extra special occasion. Situated above the restaurant is Hart’s Upstairs, catering for the needs of larger parties. Accommodating up to 100 guests, it is one of the finest venues for your private party or wedding. Located next door is Hart’s Hotel, boasting award-winning architecture design by Julian Marsh and opened in 2003. Each room is individually designed by Mrs. Hart, bespoke and designed to cater to your every desire, the hotel exhibits luxury at its best. Combined with the quaint garden and serene surroundings which mimics the countryside, yet situated only a short stroll from the city, this hotel is in an idyllic location where guests can relax in true style.

Chef Nick Gillespie has over twenty years’ experience, and diners at La Rock are able to enjoy food lovingly prepared using his favourite methods, techniques and influences from around the world. La Rock place intense focus on flavours, textures, colours and aromas, and vow never to compromise on their quality and consistency. The décor is striking, and blends rusticity with finely-edged flair. Every detail has been painstakingly thought-out to ensure the restaurant radiates a unique sense of life. With individual Weekday Lunch, Evening and Sunday Lunch menus, the restaurant combines passion and vision in each of their individual dishes. Special 7 or 9 course tasting menus are also available for diners who want to sample a wide range of courses and enjoy a complete dining experience.

Opened by the eponymous chef in 2002, Sat Bains has designed his menus to offer contrasting flavours, textures and temperatures, as well as incorporating five individual ‘tastes’. Bains champions the use of quality, local produce and is passionate about training young aspiring chefs and developing the industry as a whole. Sat Bains has made numerous TV appearances including UKTV’s Market Kitchen and BBC’s Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen. Restaurant Sat Bains offers both lunch and dinner options, with the chance to sit on their Chef’s or the Kitchen Table and see behind the scenes at the bustling restaurant. With various tasting menus available, fusing together a variety of vibrant flavours, fine dining enthusiasts will not be disappointed.

Food Served: Lunch: 12.00pm - 2.00pm Dinner: Monday to Saturday 7.00pm - 10.30pm Dinner: Sunday 7.00pm - 9.00pm Pre-theatre supper from 6.00pm Afternoon Tea served in the Park Bar, Hart’s Hotel 12noon 6.00pm daily (pre booking essential)

Food served: Open for dinner; Wednesday to Saturday. Lunch; Thursday, Friday & Sunday

Tuesday to Saturday from 12noon - 1.30pm Dinner: Tuesday to Thursday 6.30pm - 8.30pm & Friday to Saturday 6.00pm - 9.45pm

Hart’s Nottingham Standard Hill, Park Row, Nottingham, NG1 6GN Tel: (0115) 988 1900 www.hartsnottingham.co.uk

La Rock 4 Bridge St, Sandiacre, Nottingham NG10 5QT Tel: (0115) 939 9833 www.larockrestaurant.co.uk

Restaurant Sat Bains Lenton Ln, Nottingham NG7 2SA Tel: (0115) 986 6566 www.restaurantsatbains.com

Food served:

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PERKINS

CHINO LATINO

THE RIVERBANK

Plumtree, Nottingham

City Centre, Nottingham

West Bridgford, Nottingham

Set in Plumtree’s beautiful former railway building amidst the rolling Nottinghamshire countryside, Perkins Restaurant has twice been named the Good Food Guide’s East Midlands Restaurant of the Year. Situated just ten minutes from the city centre, Perkins is committed to locality, seasonality and responsibility.

If being tied down to a fixed price set menu isn’t for you this New Years Eve then award winning Pan-Asian restaurant Chino Latino might just be the one for you. This year it is doing away with a traditional set menu and will be offering all guests a choice of their a la carte menu or tasting menus.

The Riverbank Bar & Kitchen, based on Trent Bridge with stunning Riverside views offers sophisticated dishes in the beautifully designed restaurant, simplified but equally delicious light meals in the bar area and a great range of foodie produce.

Head Chef Sarah Newham leads a talented and innovative kitchen using ingredients sourced close to the restaurant’s doorstep, the nearest being Perkins’ very own smokehouse located in the restaurant grounds. Perkins’ Prix Fixe is excellent value, often including wonderful slow braised beef from nearby Clipston-on-the Wolds, Belvoir game and home-cured Gravadlax. For Perkins’ wine list, the comparison couldn’t be starker, as co-owner David Perkins works hard to reflect the most diverse international offerings possible. Renowned for their Friday steak night, Perkins ensure you will have the perfect start to the weekend. Alternatively, enjoy a wonderfully fresh breakfast on Saturday morning between 10am and 11:30am. Browse the weekend newspapers over delicious coffees and a classical cooked breakfast comprising of sausages, bacon, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms. Finish your weekend as you started by visiting Perkins for Sunday lunch and choose from the finest local pork, beef, chicken and vegetables with all the trimmings. Perkins’ Old Waiting Room houses up to 26 guests, making it the ideal venue for celebrating something special or just getting together for a much needed catch-up. If your party is even larger, Perkins’ Carriage Hall can hold 200 guests and is perfect for weddings.

Pioneers is fusion cuisine and established over ten years ago, Chino Latino are masters in their craft with their delicate menu highlighting the best of Pan-Asia’s culinary offering, whilst also being laced with Latino flourishes from Peruvian cuisine. Highlights from the adept menu include signature black cod with spicy miso, sizzling sirloin steak on hot stones, and freshly caught sushi and sashimi. Starters range from £4.00 - £12.00 with main courses from £18.00 - £29.00. The cocktail menu is where the Latino element really comes alive in a veritable showcase of South American tipples. Signature cocktails include; ‘The Rum Re-Fashioned’, ‘Chilli and Ginger Caiprinha’ and the ‘Elderflower and Mint Margarita’.

Outside boasts an extensive ultra-chic, all weather terrace with wild-flame heaters and sunken wind-free enclaves to keep you snug and warm in Winter and all of which is shaded from the sun and showers during our glorious English Summers! With a great range of offers available, The Riverbank has an ‘Earlybird Menu’ from 6 - 6.45pm and all night Monday – Thursday throughout the months of October & November! And don’t forget to keep an eye out for our seasonal offers such as our ‘What’s Your Beef?’ offer with up to 50% off selected Beef Dishes on Mondays & Tuesdays throughout October & November, plus our 50% OFF’January Sale offer to beat the Winter blues! The brasserie offers a fantastic selection of classic dishes such as ‘The Gourmet Burger’, Fish ‘n’ Chips and our delicious range of world tapas dishes, perfect for sharing with friends!

Those of your dining on New Year’s Eve will be treated to a complimentary glass of Champagne on the stroke of midnight as well as a few surprises along the way from executive chef Paul Thacker. Overnight accommodation is available at the Park Plaza itself, including a New Year’s Day Brunch and 2.00pm late checkout.

If you’re looking to celebrate an event, why not book a table in our bar for something a bit different? Whether it’s a social event or you want to party hard, we have the perfect sharing packages for you! With live music every week from the Midlands finest funk and soul bands fuelling the dancefloor until 2am, it’s the perfect night out!

With an ethos of LOVE, SHARE & ENJOY – Be prepared to expect a heady mix of wild, exotic flavours, and zingy Latino cocktails for all of your party to share.

The venue also offers a stunning Gallery Function room available for private hire; perfect for Weddings, Christmas parties, Conferences, Dinner Dances and Drinks Receptions.

Food Served: Monday to Saturday: ALL DAY from 12noon Sunday: 12noon - 5.00pm (last order 3.30pm) Breakfast: served on Saturday mornings À la carte: Every day EXCEPT SUNDAY

Food served: Lunch: Monday to Saturday 12noon -10.00pm Dinner: Monday to Saturday 6.00pm -10.30pm Sunday: Closed

Food served:

Perkins Restaurant Station Road, Plumtree, Nottingham NG12 5NA Tel: (0115) 937 3695 www.perkins-family.co.uk

Chino Latino 41 Maid Marian Way, Nottingham NG1 6GD Tel: (0115) 947 7444 www.chinolatino.eu

The Riverbank Bar & Kitchen Trent Bridge, Nottingham NG2 2GS Tel: (0115) 986 7960 Email: info@riverbanknotts.co.uk

Monday to Saturday: 12noon - 2.30pm & 6.00pm - 9.30pm Sunday: 12noon - 8.00pm

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FINE DINING GUIDE

ASPIRATIONAL

FINE DINING GUIDE

WORLD SERVICE RESTAURANT

IBERICO WORLD TAPAS

MARCO PIERRE WHITE STEAKHOUSE BAR & GRILL

Nottingham

City Centre, Nottingham

The perfect combination of heritage, tradition and modern elegance, World Service is one of Nottingham’s most innovative and elegant dining offerings. The restaurant and lounge bar are given their own personality, using unique furniture and decoration to reference both traditional and contemporary design, as well as different cultures from all over the globe.

Iberico World Tapas offers wonderful Spanish cuisine in the heart of Nottingham. Creating a wide range of tapas style dishes with the very best ingredients, Iberico offers its diners delicious and varied food drawing inspiration from a range of different cultures, including diverse Moroccan and Japanese flavours, all delivered in their stylish restaurant.

Focussing on fresh, seasonal produce and an ever changing menu of eclectic global dishes, the restaurant is characterised by the outstanding quality of its food. Diners benefit from the choice of set menus, the variety of the à la carte selection and specially designed celebration menus.

The atmospheric vaulted restaurant is the perfect place to provide with diners a taste of the culinary team’s exciting flavours and the tapas dishes make for a great way to sample some of the most delicious cheeses, cured meats, fish dishes and classic Spanish creations.

The historic setting of Newdigate House boasts a traditional English walled garden, perfect for al fresco dining and offers a tranquil escape from Nottingham’s busy centre. The lounge bar provides the ideal accompaniment to a delicious meal. With a range of traditional and modern cocktails, a wide range of spirits and over 200 different wines, the lounge bar has seen World Service recognised as one of the city’s best destinations for both great dining and drinks.

The restaurant, in the city’s atmospheric Lace Market, is the perfect place to spend a relaxing evening, surrounded by the delightful sights and smells of wonderful food, great wine and the very best customer service.

World Service also offers private dining spaces, available for a wide range of events and allowing guests to celebrate their event in style and comfort.

Diners typically order a selection of dishes, enjoying the chance to taste so many different culinary creations at once. The dishes can be shared and enjoyed by the whole party, promoting the warm and lively atmosphere of the underground eatery and ensuring that the restaurant continues to be acclaimed by patrons and critics alike. Iberico is also the county’s only Bib Gourmand entry in the 2015 Michelin guide.

One of the most stylish restaurants in Nottingham, the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill provides a lively ambience and modern dining experience. Part of the critically acclaimed chef’s spectacular selection of restaurants, the menu has been personally chosen to provide diners with a delicious range of meals created from the very best locally sourced produce. Part of the city’s Alea Casino conveniently located in Nottingham city centre, the vibrant interior is striking, and the contemporary furnishings add to the atmosphere. The restaurant has received fantastic reviews from diners and critics alike, especially for its choice of premium steaks which are mouth-wateringly excellent. Complementing the food is a fantastically diverse champagne and wine menu, as well as a cocktail list that guarantees something for everyone. The focus of the restaurant is on the complete dining experience and Marco’s own mission statement is to “feed people at the right price within the right environment and with the right level of service”. The Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill certainly goes above and beyond this and is not to be missed.

After opening their second restaurant in Derby in November 2013, Iberico are delighted to announce that this too has been included as a Bib Gourmand entry for the 2015 Michelin Guide. Located at 911 BOLD LANE, DERBY DE1 3NT. TEL: 01332 345 456.

Food Served: Monday to Friday: 12noon - 2.00pm & 7.00pm - 10.00pm Saturday: 12noon - 2.00pm & 6.30pm - 10.00pm Sunday: 12noon - 3.30pm CLOSED Sunday night except for bank holidays and throughout December

Food Served: Monday to Friday: 12noon - 2.00pm & 5.30pm - 10.00pm Saturday: 12noon - 2.00pm & 6.00pm - 10.00pm

Mon to Thu: Lunch 12.15pm - 3.00pm & Dinner 5.00pm - 10.00pm Fri & Sat: Lunch 12.15pm - 3.00pm & Dinner 5.00pm - 10.30pm Sunday: Lunch 12.30pm - 8.30pm

World Service Restaurant Newdigate House, Castlegate, Nottingham NG1 6AF Tel: (0115) 847 5587 Email: info@worldservicerestaurant.com

Iberico Tapas The Shire Hall, High Pavement, Lace Market, Nottingham NG1 1HN Tel: (0115) 941 0410 Email: nottingham@ibericotapas.com

Alea Nottingham 108 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham NG1 6LF Tel: (0115) 872 0602 www.aleacasinos.com

Food served:

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285 x 230 VIP Aspirational Advert final:Layout 1 06/10/2014 15:13 Page 1

only the best sporting experience

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For a truly memorable day out, enjoy our VIP hospitality experience and get the best of everything we have to offer at Welford Road. Watch all the rugby drama unfold from reserved seats and have full access to your own private lounge so you can make the most of our hospitality and facilities.

Upcoming fixtures for 2014/15 include:

With record crowds and sell-out matches, there are a limited number of VIP hospitality experiences available from match to match. Perfect for entertaining customers and clients, rewarding employees or simply enjoying with friends and family, VIP hospitality with Leicester Tigers is the best way to experience matchdays at Welford Road. VIP hospitality is available on a match by match basis from as little as £170 + VAT per person.

• Saturday November 29 Wasps

• Tuesday November 4 Barbarians • Sunday November 9 Sale Sharks • Sunday November 16 Saracens • December 5/6/7 RC Toulon • Saturday January 3 Bath Rugby

For more fixtures and information or to book your place please contact 0116 217 1215

We are also giving you the chance to enter our lucky draw competition for your chance to win VIP hospitality for four at the Leicester Tigers v. Bath Rugby game on Saturday January 3. Simply visit www.leicestertigers.com/vipcomp now to enter our competition.

www.leicestertigers.com/vip vip@tigers.co.uk 0116 217 1215

COOKING DOESN’T GET TOUGHER THAN THIS

On 2

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G R E G G WA L L AC E Media personality, writer, businessman and former greengrocer Gregg Wallace is best-known as one of the presenters of the hit BBC cookery programme MasterChef. A self-confessed workaholic, Gregg is renowned for throwing himself into every project he gets involved with, including his recent starring turn on Strictly Come Dancing. Gregg Wallace grew up in a workingclass family in Peckham, South East London. After a troubled childhood, he found himself living on his own and fending for himself when he was just 14-years-old. Though he is now known as one of the nation’s favourite foodies, in those days he survived on a diet of fried food and take-aways.

Gregg and co-host on Masterchef, John Torode.

Gregg’s career began in the building trade before he became a warehouseman at New Covent Garden Market. During this time, he first discovered his passion for food and resolved to start his own fruit and veg business. Gregg displayed his business acumen when he set up George Allan’s, which set itself apart from its Covent Garden rivals by offering flexible deliveries that restaurant chefs wanted but couldn’t get. Instead of one early-morning daily delivery, vans would go out twice, sometimes three times a day to the same restaurant if the kitchen needed the service. Gregg turned the £15,000 that he had borrowed from friends into a business with an annual turnover of £7.5 million. Spotting the trend for local and seasonal produce, Gregg’s next venture was selling produce from Secretts Farm and garden in Milford, Surrey, operating under the name Secretts Direct. The business expanded, using lots of farms in the Home Counties and distributing high-quality produce to London restaurants in a fleet of vans. Gregg supplied ingredients for many of the nation’s leading chefs, including Michel Roux, Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver. Based on his business success, Gregg’s first taste of a media career came when he was invited to co-present Veg Talk on BBC Radio 4 with Charlie Hicks. Showing a flair for broadcasting, he followed this up by becoming the original host of Saturday Kitchen in 2002 which has since gone on to become a hugely successful cookery programme.

With Merill Osmond of the Osmonds at the 2014 Wentworth Charity event organised by Champions.

On 2014’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The BBC took notice of Gregg’s presenting skills and when the popular cookery series MasterChef was revamped in 2005, he was chosen to co-host alongside professional chef, John Torode. Though MasterChef’s original series was a success, the show had lost its way after the departure of host Loyd Grossman OBE and had been off the air for four years before the BBC decided to revive the format. The pairing of Wallace and Torode proved to be instantly popular and the nation couldn’t get enough of the programme that puts amateur chefs through their paces in a series of high-intensity cookery challenges. As Gregg often says... “cooking doesn’t get tougher than this!”

In 2009 the programme moved from BBC Two back to its original BBC One home. The spin-offs came thick and fast including Celebrity MasterChef, MasterChef: The Professionals, Junior MasterChef and even a MasterChef Live event that runs annually in London. The amateur cookery programme captured the imagination of a nation and encouraged countless people to take up cookery. Unlike many reality TV programmes where the hosts change every series, the original partnership of Wallace and Torode has lasted for nearly a decade which is testament to their popularity and presenting skills. Gregg’s success in MasterChef has brought him numerous other TV opportunities including Eat Well for Less, Turn Back Time, Harvest, Supermarket Secrets and Who Do You Think You Are? A firm favourite on the nation’s favourite chat and entertainment shows, Gregg has also appeared on programmes including Alan Carr’s Chatty Man and The Graham Norton Show. After the success of MasterChef, Gregg has gone on to release three successful cookbooks: Veg: The Greengrocer’s Cookbook, A Cook’s Year and Gregg’s Favourite Puddings, as well as an autobiography, Life on a Plate. Gregg’s latest foray into reality TV saw him star on BBC’s ever-popular celebrity dancing programme, Strictly Come Dancing. Throwing himself into training with his usual enthusiasm and gusto, Gregg was unfortunate to be voted off first even though he did not finish in the bottom two in terms of judge’s points. As Gregg’s status in the cooking world continues to grow, his reputation as a culinary expert goes from strength to strength. At food festivals and roadshows, Gregg’s warm style of presentation and demonstration make him a hit with audiences. One of the nation’s favourite celebrity foodies, Gregg is always in demand for cooking demonstrations on television, at food shows and at exhibitions around the nation. Gregg’s extensive television experience has led him to be an ideal choice as a personality to host or present with professionalism and charm.

For more information on Gregg Wallace or to enquire about him appearing at your event, simply contact Jack Hayes at Champions (UK) plc today by calling 07772 440596 or 08453 31 30 31 or email jackhayes@championsukplc.com. Alternatively, please contact Victoria Marconetto on 07791 508235 or email vmarconetto@championsukplc.com 95

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FINE DINING GUIDE

HELPING YOU PLAN YOUR ULTIMATE WINTER SOIRÉE The colder months are a brilliant time to gather with those closest to us, be they family or friends, to celebrate, reminisce and to indulge. It is a time to strengthen old friendships, forge new ones and create great memories.

Venison . Heat a heavy based frying pan until smoking hot, add a little oil then seal the venison on all sides. Place in the oven for six minutes (rare) then remove and allow it to rest. In the meantime gently warm your granola in the oven for a few minutes then crumble on to your plate. Place a swoosh of beetroot puree alongside then smear some of the melted chocolate so you

There are parties aplenty in the run up to Christmas but hosting your own celebration can come with its own pressures as well as pleasures. Hotel Maiyango’s kitchen team have a wonderful suggestion to help make sure your bash is a bona fide showstopper. And if it doesn’t quite go according to plan put Maiyango’s telephone number on speed dial and head straight to the restaurant and let the award winning team do the hard work for you. Otherwise roll your sleeves up and bring together all the components you need to impress your guests and show off your culinary ingenuity.

create an abstract base for your venison to sit on. Carve your venison, arranging it to your liking, then simply serve and enjoy!

Winter Pimms This cocktail makes a perfect arrival drink to go alongside canapés and has a real wow factor with its jewel like ingredients. The flavours combine beautifully to create a signature cocktail. Recipe per glass (tall highball) - 2 shots (50ml) of your favourite gin

Maiyango’s in-house mixologist has an interesting winter cocktail tip too.

- ½ shot (12.5ml) cranberry juice - Ginger beer - 2 teaspoons small segments of citrus fruit such as

Denham Estate Venison, pine nut and winter berry granola, beetroot puree, sour cherries and bitter chocolate. Serves 4 - 4 x 200g portions of Venison saddle For the granola

oranges, lemons and limes. (The smaller the pieces are cut the better the drink will look) - 1 teaspoon pomegranate seeds - ½ teaspoon pink peppercorns - Small pinch of grated root ginger (optional)

- 250g rolled oats

- A pinch of chopped coriander leaves

- 70g pine nuts

- A pinch of mint leaves

- 70g dried cherries - 30ml rapeseed oil

Fill the glass to around ¾ with crushed ice, then add all the

- 20g Muscavado sugar

ingredients and stir well. Top up the glass with ginger beer

- A pinch of Maldon sea salt

(60ml) and give a final gentle stir. Garnish with a few more

- 25ml maple syrup

pink peppercorns and a coriander sprig.

For the beetroot puree - 500g fresh beetroot - 100ml water - Melted dark chocolate

Granola . Mix all ingredients together, then bake in a low oven at

Hotel Maiyango Gift Vouchers Hotel Maiyango offers a range of cookery classes and cocktail classes which make great gifts for every occasion. Prices start from £50 per person making ideal stocking fillers.

around 150 degrees for 35 minutes and allow to cool.

Puree . Peel and chop the beetroot into even chunks, place in a pan with water and cook over a gentle heat with a lid on until tender then blitz in a food processer until smooth – put it to one side.

The Great Gatsby New Year’s Eve Bash at Hotel Maiyango Arrival drinks, canapes and 5 course meal £65 per person. To book call 0116 2518 898 as places are limited.

13-21 St Nicholas Place, Leicester LE1 4LD

www.maiyango.com

For enquiries and bookings call 0116 251 88 98 or email reservations@maiyango.com 96

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Maiyango Head Chef, Nick Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winter venison dish

Winter Pimms Spiced ginger cake, carrot puree & muscavado jelly (left) Epoise cheese with golden sultanas and cranberries from the bistro style canapĂŠs selection (right)

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Antonia Doyle Photography

Beautiful Images to Treasure Forever Capturing the unique spirit and personality of each and every one of her subjects, Antonia offers her clients a relaxing and enjoyable photography experience. A highly skilled photographer, she offers a wide range of different options, from informal portraiture to candid and lively shots, capturing the essence of a wide range of events and celebrations. Building personal relationships with her clients allows Antonia to capture them at their very best, creating beautiful, relaxed photography that is the true embodiment of their individuality, whether for family portrait, wedding or as part of a larger event. Offering bespoke wedding packages, Antonia takes a variety of images throughout the day, capturing the joy of the occasion and providing the bride and groom with a collection of priceless memories. She also employs her unique style at a wide range of corporate events, liaising with the organisations involved to provide a collection of images that are both true to the event and useful business tools.

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Antonia understands the needs of her customers and is able to work to tight deadlines often required in the commercial environment. She is the official photographer for leading brand agency Champions (UK) plc. Antonia’s corporate clients are able to benefit from her dedicated services and use images of their offices, portraits of their staff or lively snapshots of corporate events to ensure that their brochures are high impact and their websites engaging, allowing their clients a more personal insight into the services they offer. Her personal approach sees her work with clients time and time again, recording important occasions in their lives or covering their corporate events and they speak highly of both her skill and style: “Antonia is an excellent photographer. I have known her and her work for more than 20 years. She has a great personality, which brings out the best in the subjects she is working with. I am a fellow photographer and highly rate her work. She manages to produce very relaxed and natural photographs. I would strongly recommend her for hire.” - Gary Brown, Global Head of Service

Transition at Nomura, Hong Kong Tony Jacklin’s surprise 70th Birthday Party at The Belfry “I want to say thank you for taking so many wonderful photographs at Tony’s 70th birthday celebration. They were absolutely fabulous. Tony was definitely shocked and is still talking about it. Great job as always Antonia and thanks again.” - Astrid Jacklin

Antonia Doyle Photography Contact Antonia Doyle on info@antoniadoylephotography.com or call 07768 19 38 49 for memorable photography, whatever the occasion. www.antoniadoylephotography.com

27/10/2014 15:09

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

An agency that provides a

GUARANTEED return-on-investment?

Call us to see how Champions (UK) plc has transformed the fortunes of other brands.

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INVESTING IN YOUR BRAND’S

FUTURE WITH CHAMPIONS (UK) PLC With a string of accolades highlighting the brand agency’s fast growth, Champions (UK) plc continues to cement its status as one of the UK’s most effective and diverse agencies. Founded in 2003, the business has built its success on a unique structure of five in-house departments;

CREATIVE

MARKETING

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Champions (UK) plc focusses on a results driven strategy, with all activities designed to increase market share, drive widespread brand awareness and develop brand loyalty within all relevant markets. The client portfolio is diverse and continually expanding, benefiting from the agency’s unique capability and influence across the UK and beyond. Perhaps the secret to the agency’s success is working collaboratively with their clients; a hands-on approach that sees each client benefit from the extensive experience of their account management team and the guarantee that all aspects of their brand strategy can be taken care of entirely in house. 2014 has been another hugely successful and exciting year for Midlands based Champions (UK) plc. Continuing a pattern of success that has only been buoyed by the resurgent British economy, Champions (UK) plc have used their specialised expertise in PR, marketing, creative, events and celebrity management to deliver continued success to their clients, whilst also attracting new business from brands that were to benefit from a holistic package of services delivered quickly and effectively by an expert team. Champions (UK) plc continues to work with its clients to reinforce the important role that communications and branding holds for the success of any business. For many it is seen as an additional cost and the process is often rejected as too costly and time consuming.

EVENTS

CELEBRITY

A dangerous approach, as explained by Champions (UK) plc’s managing director Matthew Hayes: “The tough economic times of the past few years have, of course, seen many businesses fail outright. For those that have weathered the storm, the necessity of an austere approach to business finance has become a mentality that is hard to shift. It is vital that businesses have a robust position within the economy and continue to build their brand, investing in its identity and its communication, as they would with any other part of the day to day activity of the organisation.” Inward investment is vitally important for the growth of any business and a focus on marketing your brand correctly should be fundamental part of any business strategy. While some businesses would automatically exclude communications support from their annual budget, it should be a core component to be valued, measured and built upon year on year. Of course, tangible ROI is the key to a positive partnership and Champions (UK) plc have a proven track record of building on the investment of their clients, even during one of the most challenging economic times for decades. They measure their own success against the results achieved for their clients, tirelessly creating effective campaigns that continually win the hearts and minds of consumers and corporate groups alike and have a large portfolio of case studies to prove their success rate.

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

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Assigned to create, produce and manage the Farmfoods Christmas television advert for 2013, Champions (UK) plc increased sales for the period by 42% thanks to a savvy partnership with BBC Strictly Come Dancing judge, Len Goodman and effective accompanying marketing support. This work built on the longstanding relationship between the two businesses, one that sees Champions (UK) plc work with one of the UK’s most successful value driven supermarket brands to increase turnover year on year across 365 stores distributed between high street and out-of-town locations.

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The reason Champions (UK) plc has enjoyed continued success in the marketplace is straightforward. They form a partnership with their client that allows the two businesses to work together as simply as possible. Priding themselves on the variegated selection of brands they work with alongside their ability to maximise return on investment, Champions (UK) plc has attracted several new companies to become part of the Champions family. Over the years, Champions (UK) plc have been honoured with a number of business awards, showcasing and proving testament to the enduring growth and impressive results for their clients. Matthew’s management and ability to create an environment that invigorates growth led to him being awarded two highly coveted awards at the Growing Business’ Young Guns ‘Class of 2014’, in association with startups.co.uk.

Champions (UK) plc’s client base is as diverse as their service delivery and the brand agency works in partnership with each to ensure that they are provided with a bespoke and hardworking strategy that delivers great results and exceeds expectation. Managing Director Matthew Hayes explains the agency’s effective approach: “Making noise for your brand in a crowded marketplace is never easy. It is essential that you use the right people to tell the world just how great your brand is. Marketing your brand correctly is just like any investment a firm decides upon, and the return you receive on it should be measured by a marked increase of your brand presence, as well as well a boost in sales and market share. We advise each client we work with on a truly individual basis. No two businesses are alike and we create each brand strategy based on our client’s needs, expectations and goals.” Champions (UK) plc have most recently signed a three year deal with national gaming giant Grosvenor Casinos. Champions (UK) plc’s dynamic after dinner speakers agency Champions Speakers are now the sole provider of entertainment and national brand strategy for the group, a win that will see both the Speaker Agency and Champions (UK) plc the brand agency offer the group a range of comprehensive entertainment and communication services to support the brand’s growth across the UK. The success of their diverse client portfolio has aided Champions (UK) plc in its dramatic growth and the brand agency has been recognised with a string of accolades.

Matthew Hayes receiving his Top Gun award

Named as one of the UK’s most outstanding entrepreneurs aged 35 and under, Matthew was also delighted to receive the haysmacintyre ‘Top Gun’ award, an accolade delivered to the entrepreneur that stands out to the expert panel of judges. Matthew was chosen thanks to the incredible growth of Champions (UK) plc, an incredible figure of 750% over the last six years, the ever-growing portfolio of celebrities the company manages and deals with as well as the stable of national brands Champions (UK) plc supports. Previous winners of the ‘Top Gun’ award include Michael Acton Smith OBE of Mind Candy, Holly Tucker MBE of Notonthehighstreet.com and Richard Reed of Innocent Drinks, showing how highly the judges held Matthew’s achievements alongside incredibly esteemed business leaders in the UK.

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Peter Shilton OBE pictured with members of our Celebrity, PR and After Dinner Speakers teams

However this is not the only award bestowed upon Champions (UK) plc in 2014. Recognised as part of the UK’s ‘Breakthrough Businesses’, at the inaugural Santander Breakthrough 50 Awards in partnership with smarta, Champions (UK) plc is a member of a select group who ‘are transforming established industries, leading the entrepreneurial movement in the UK and inspiring others to grow into businesses that push our economy forward.’

In October 2014, Champions (UK) plc embarked on an impressive expansion of their offices in the East Midlands countryside. Doubling the footprint of the building, the new office block gives the potential to expand working capacity exponentially to ensure that Champions (UK) plc can continue to deliver the impeccable standards that it has become known for as an agency. With the build set for completion in March 2014, the extent of the work epitomises the confidence of Champions (UK) plc that its growth and reach will continue far into the future.

This success follows on from Champions (UK) plc being named one of the London Stock Exchange’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’, demonstrating that Champions (UK) plc’s exemplary growth and formidable corporate attitude has been brought to the attention of business giants in varying professional sectors. Another development in Champions (UK) plc’s story this year was the acquisition of Warner Music & Entertainments (UK) in June. Owner of Warner Music & Entertainments (UK), Alan Warner, has enjoyed a firm friendship spanning decades with CEO of Champions (UK) plc, John Hayes and when a meeting between the two presented the opportunity to purchase the firm, both parties knew this wasn’t a chance to be missed. Alan has also decided to join Champions (UK) plc on a three year contracted deal, bringing invaluable experience to the After Dinner Speaker and Celebrity Management departments. An Executive Vice President of The Agent’s Association (GB), Alan has provided headline entertainers and musicians to the world’s leading cruise companies, theatres and venues.

Some of the rapidly expanding team at our bespoke offices in the East Midlands

2014 has showcased Champions (UK) plc yet again exceeding expectations and 2015 is set to see the company reach new heights with the added firepower of a new building and extended workforce. By incorporating these new developments and coinciding them with Champions (UK) plc’s precedents of providing highly efficient Marketing and PR services tailored to provide return on investment, Champions (UK) plc will continue to remain as one of the nation’s most creative, efficient and effective brand agencies.

Member of

For more information on how Champions (UK) plc can take your brand to new heights, please call 08453 31 30 31 or email info@championsukplc.com Alan Warner pictured with the Hayes Family

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Mazars East Midlands – a round up on the last twelve months It is hard to believe that it is over a year since a team of seven new partners joined Mazars in the East Midlands, with a clear mandate to grow the firms presence in this very important market place for the national business. There have been many highlights to reflect on, lots of exciting prospects to look forward to and the following key achievements to be proud of: • The opening of a new Leicester office with a full service offering. • The growth of the combined regional team to more than 60 professionals • The welcoming of many key recruits across all service lines most latterly including Stephen Fuller as lead tax partner for the region. • The imminent relocation of the Nottingham office into prime city centre offices. • The establishment and consolidation of a strong and rapidly growing client base. We are grateful to the local market place for the universal backing and encouragement we have received and would like to thank all those that have supported us, whether they be clients, members of staff or other business contacts. There is no doubt that we have established a strong base and can look forward to future growth with confidence and anticipation so please come and talk to us if you want help with your business or are looking to develop your career in a friendly, vibrant and fast moving environment – we have a great service offering and are actively recruiting for a variety of exciting roles.

MAZARS LLP – EAST MIDLANDS

www.mazars.co.uk

NOTTINGHAM

CHRIS DARLINGTON

ALISTAIR WESSON

chris.darlington@mazars.co.uk 07552 007927

alistair.wesson@mazars.co.uk 07557 261445

6 Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1RP

T: +44 (0)116 281 6500

Par View House, 58 The Ropewalk, Nottingham NGI 5DD

T: +44 (0)115 964 4744

MAZARS LLP – EAST MIDLANDS

www.mazars.co.uk

NOTTINGHAM

CHRIS DARLINGTON

ALISTAIR WESSON

chris.darlington@mazars.co.uk 07552 007927

alistair.wesson@mazars.co.uk 07557 261445

6 Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1RP

T: +44 (0)116 281 6500

Par View House, 58 The Ropewalk, Nottingham NGI 5DD

T: +44 (0)115 964 4744

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Please co member of ntact a o to book youur team of our facilit r tour see for you ies and rs College Cou elf how benefit you rt can conference r next or event.

THE VENUE THAT WORKS FOR YOU Located just minutes from Leicesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vibrant city centre, College Court is a leading conference and events venue in the East Midlands. College Court boasts a 123 bedroom on-site hotel with a selection of standard rooms, executive rooms and suites. Each guest benefits from immaculate service and exceptional facilities ensuring that a stay at College Court is always enjoyable. The Knighton can accommodate 168 people and offers the highest quality in catering in an environment that echoes the iconic Sixties design of College Court itself as well as private dining in The Lady Hester..

Quite simply... All inclusive The purpose built conference facilities, which include 18 meeting rooms, provide ideal event spaces for between two and 160 delegates. With state-of-the-art facilities including extensive high quality onsite AV equipment and click and connect high speed Wi-Fi, College Court is the number one venue for modern conferences. The in-house AV support team are committed to making sure everything runs smoothly. Our passionate and experienced team are on-hand to offer any support and guidance you may need.

What makes College Court different? When you choose College Court, the team fundamentally understand your objectives and will deliver an outstanding event. Together the staff have over 200 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience delivering conferences and events so you can be assured that your event is in good hands. College Court is a haven of tranquillity, surrounded by established trees, landscaped gardens and is adjacent to our very own Arboretum.

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Don’t take it from us, this is what College Court’s clients say... “Brilliant food and service,

cs: back statisti d e fe r e m to Cus

mfort Bedroom Co or 5 ests marked 4 95.4% of gu nd Bedrooms a Standard of ss leanline Bathroom C 5 - 95.4% 4 - 4.5% f the e standard o th d e rk a m st n4 Not one gue ss as anything less tha e n li room clean Reception or 5 97.7% said 4 Restaurant 4 or 5 88.37% said Bar or 5 90.6% said 4 Services Conference or 5 100% said 4

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“I just wanted to thank you and all your staff for providing us with a fantastic weekend. All our delegates were delighted with all aspects of the venue and staff, who could not have been more helpful”

a very comfy night’s sleep, shower to shake me awake in the morning and a great breakfast; everything you could want from a night’s stay”

“...it was the attention to little details which was thoroughly impressive. The venue definitely has your stamp on it”

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“I have attended many conferences and other events as part of my academic life but never has the quality of food been so high”

Like us on facebook: Contact us Tel: 0116 244 9669 CollegeCourtLeicester Email: info@collegecourt.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: www.collegecourt.co.uk

@TheLeicsVenue

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

BOUTIQUE FAMILY LAW FIRM EXPANDS AGAIN! Glynis Wright Family Solicitors and Mediators & Co was set up three years ago and has rapidly become one of the leading family law firms in the Midlands. The practice is based in Leicester city centre and is a niche firm specialising in all aspects of family law and mediation.

MEET THE TEAM The founder of the practice is Glynis Wright. Glynis became a family solicitor at forty. She secured a Distinction in Law at University and achieved an award for academic excellence from the Law Society. Within 2 years of qualifying as a Solicitor, she was made a partner in a local firm having established herself as a much sought after divorce lawyer with a substantial client following. She also qualified as a family mediator at that time and is one of only a few mediators in the country qualified to consult with children in the mediation process.

Glynis Wright Head of Practice

Sushma Kotecha Associate Family Solicitor

Gayle Rowley Senior Family Solicitor

Glynis is highly committed to the mediation process. She says “I get to see both sides because as well as carrying a large caseload of clients who instruct me as their family Solicitor I also deal with a caseload of couples who approach me to be their mediator. The fact that I am a mediator as well as a family Solicitor means that all of my work is based on trying to settle matters without acrimony wherever possible.” Glynis decided to go it alone in 2011 and launched her niche practice, Glynis Wright & Co. Since then, her practice has grown rapidly. She now employs seven members of staff. Glynis considers that the success of her practice is due to the fact that she and her team specialise in nothing but family law and mediation cases and are committed to out of court settlements using alternative “solutions based” methods such as mediation and arbitration. Her team are all specialist family lawyers like Glynis with years of experience and a real passion for providing a superb service to people who are often facing one of the worst times of their lives. Glynis expanded her practice by taking on Sushma Kotecha last year. Sushma qualified as a Solicitor in 1994. She is a specialist in her field having practised family law for over 20 years. She has Resolution accredited status and is also a qualified family mediator. Sushma received an outstanding evaluation from her assessors for her mediation work. Sushma says “Mediation can really help to break down the barrier of mistrust and anger that can so often hold settlement up – whether the dispute is over finances or the children. When it works, it is hugely rewarding for me and for my clients and can be a fraction of the cost.” Sushma is highly regarded as a consummate family law professional and is known by clients and fellow professionals alike for encouraging a non-confrontational approach to resolving family disputes.

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The most recent recruit to Glynis Wright & Co is Gayle Rowley. Gayle qualified in 1997 and brings 17 years of family law experience to the team. Glynis says â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gayle is an outstanding lawyer. She obtained a First Class degree in Law winning the Herbert Smith prize in her final year and went on to obtain a Distinction in the Legal Practices Course. In 2004, she was one of a handful of lawyers in Leicester to obtain accreditation with the national body Resolution, gaining recognition as a specialist in matrimonial finance and private children law. I am delighted that she has chosen to join the practice. Her reputation as a highly talented and popular family lawyer precedes her appointment to my practice.â&#x20AC;? There are few law firms that can boast such a wealth of expertise in family matters under one roof or such a high calibre of Solicitors as Glynis Wright & Co, who are rapidly becoming one of the most sought after family practices in Leicester. In 2011 when Glynis Wright set up the company, she was operating from small first floor offices in Bowling Green Street. Now the company has expanded into a 3 storey building at 5 Bowling Green Street, Leicester and is hoping to recruit another senior specialist family lawyer in forthcoming months to grow the team further. The practice offers the whole range of family law services including divorce, financial settlements, civil partnership dissolution, disputes about children and the drafting of nuptial agreements. The practice also draws up agreements for people moving in together, and deals with disputes that can arise when cohabitees split up. In addition, Glynis Wright & Co offer a specialist family mediation service for those who wish to resolve their differences in a more positive way than battling it out in court.

If you have any enquiries about family law, divorce, mediation or any other related legal matter, you can contact Glynis, Sushma or Gayle at Glynis Wright & Co on: enquiries@glyniswright.co.uk or call on 0116 238 5680. All of the team welcome the opportunity to speak with you personally. You can also visit the website of Glynis Wright & Co at www.glyniswright.co.uk and complete the contact form if you would like us to contact you for an appointment to discuss a family law matter or for mediation.

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The Doctor will see you now... Or tonight, or tomorrow or this weekend, because at Nottingham Woodthorpe Hospital we understand that busy people need healthcare too.

Nottingham Woodthorpe Hospital are delighted to launch Nottinghamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first hospital based Private GP Service. Run by Dr Abraze Khalique and Dr Lawrence Lau, the hospital can provide fast access to on-site diagnostic facilities, consultant referrals, physiotherapy and medical treatments. With many years of experience in general medical practice between them, appointments are unhurried, full and in-depth.

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Cosmetic Surgery at Nottingham Woodthorpe Hospital Competitively priced cosmetic surgery is available for a wide range of procedures including breast enlargement, reduction, uplift, tummy tuck, liposuction, eye lid surgery, facelift and nose surgery by our consultant led service. Our consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeons are highly regarded in their field and skilled in every aspect of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

WHY SUCCESSFUL WEALTH MANAGEMENT is like the Tour de France By Simon Gibson, Mattioli Woods plc OK, I admit it, I love the Tour de France (TdF). For the first time ever, I saw it and experienced it live as a Tour Maker in Cambridge, rather than France though! To some it is “just men on bikes”, yet when one knows what they go through to even finish, let alone win, it must come close to being the toughest sporting challenge there is. Then add in the tradition, the chance of immortality and the mental strength needed to compete. It is not in respect of the pain barrier or immortality that I will compare successful Wealth Management to “Le Tour”. Rather, I see seven themes that appear in both. They are, in no particular order: • The need to integrate skills/factors – no single strength wins in either discipline; • It is at least as much about the team as the individual; • It is best to start young (or soon anyway); • Great care is needed, even when the road ahead looks clear; • Accidents happen; • Don’t (always) believe the hype; • Yes, do it for “me”; also do it for the people in our life we care about; • We don’t have to go to France to find it! Now, if you will forgive me the last (and eighth, for those that were counting), the other seven seem pretty straightforward analogies, as follows: The overall winner must be part sprinter, part climber, have amazing endurance and know enough about other areas of the race to avoid a horrendous final day. Similarly, successful Wealth Management is the integration of financial planning and asset management. One without the other is never likely

to work nearly as well, so we must make sure we treat our financial affairs to both. Without back up, no one, however talented, can complete the TdF. let alone win it. Likewise, Wealth Management, done successfully, is delivered by a team, perhaps led (like a TdF team) by the most experienced or “quickest”, and backed up by talented people in their own right. This can be taken even further, when one considers the team that the person requiring Wealth Management has to incorporate – their partner, children, parents, work colleagues etc. can all have a big part to play, as indeed do lawyers, accountants and other professionals. Of course, for the Tour, starting young is pretty much a prerequisite. No 60 year old will ever win it, and definitely not at the first attempt! When it comes to personal finance, many elements really need to be started young; others can wait – just don’t leave them too long! Like cycling generally, the sooner we learn, the sooner we can enjoy what follows. One of the fundamentals of Wealth Management is helping children to learn the value of money; this might seem a wish rather than an important objective, yet there is plenty of evidence to show that learning about (and practising) budgeting at a young age, with a concept of the value of money, really pays off. Starting a pension or other savings early means more in the pot when we need it. In the TdF, the road ahead can indeed look clear. However, a wheel a few inches out of place, a slippery stretch of road or sharper than expected corner, and the race can be over, or at least one’s ambitions dented for a year or perhaps even a lifetime. Successful Wealth Management is also about remaining vigilant, perhaps particularly when everything seems just fine. A TdF team will have communication sent regularly to its riders, ensuring they know what conditions to expect and what is around the next corner (or might be). It is helpful for us

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if our financial futures are considered from a look at the road ahead rather than what lies behind us! Regardless of this vigilance, accidents happen. The TdF rider has a support team consisting of both medics and trained mechanics to fit new parts at high speed, keeping the show (and their chances) on the road. All too often, the Wealth Management equivalents get forgotten - sensible protection in place for when things do go wrong – for example; life assurance, cover if we suffer a long-term or critical illness and provision in our portfolios to help protect from the ravages of recession or unexpected events. As in the Tour, some elements are more important at different stages of the “race”, and the best preparation is simply to be prepared, not to chance to luck.

WEALTH MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

The TdF has the makings of a block-buster novel every year even before the race has started. By the finish, there are more twists and turns than the average rollercoaster. It also has a long history of problems, and the ethics and integrity of many have come into question. Yes, some is hype, and we need to avoid that “noise” just as much in our financial planning and asset management as we do when we turn on the TV for an hour watching this beast of a race. However, sometimes what appears unlikely or hyperbolic turns out to be only too true and real, and help from a trusted adviser, who already knows us and understands our needs can really help. Ethics and integrity stand the test of time. Finally, despite the Tour being a team event, it is the individual that receives the focus, and the individual that is ultimately responsible for bringing the bike home. However, making sure that everyone will be fine even when we are not, that there will be a legacy left and that our name will be remembered for the right reasons, these resonate with both our Wealth Management needs and the Tour. We have a responsibility to those around us – our personal “team”. Successful Wealth Management – it’s just like the world’s greatest race.

To start planning for the future today, please contact:

Tel: 0116 240 8700 Email: info@mattioliwoods.com www.mattioliwoods.com Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority 113

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

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WHY DO SO MANY SMALL BUSINESSES STILL FAIL? WITH ALL THE BUSINESS ADVICE OUT THERE THESE DAYS AND VASTLY IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY GIVING US BETTER AND BETTER INFORMATION, FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE F WORD LTD, SERENA HUMPHREY, EXPLORES WHY BUSINESS FAILURE RATES ARE STILL SO HIGH. In the East Midlands 55% of companies won’t survive to see their fifth birthday. Look at the ten year survival rates and that figure leaps to somewhere around 80%. That’s around 315,000 companies failing every year. Just think how many business owners have lost the future they dreamed of, their savings and maybe even their homes. I’ve spent 20 years studying business failure, or more specifically how to prevent it. In the early ‘90s I lived through a perfect storm of financial disasters, including my parents losing their business and home. What I’ve discovered in that time is that many business failures are entirely preventable. In fact some research I did with East Midlands insolvency practitioners said that they rarely see businesses that couldn’t have been saved if they’d seen the problem coming in time. Now obviously not all businesses are great ones, and not all of these failures are spectacular many businesses just fizzle out – but if we assume that the idea is good, and there’s a market for the product or services, then what’s going wrong? Sometimes it’s down to the reasons the owner set up in the first place. If it’s because they want an easier life than having a job or just want to make a lot of money they’re in for a shock. I’m sure that most business owners will agree that running your own business is way harder than having a job. And if money is your motivation and not passion, you’re unlikely to be able to dig deep enough inside you when things get tough, which they will and do. Putting these aside, there are still a vast proportion of businesses failing that really shouldn’t. ULTIMATELY MOST BUSINESS FAILURES BOIL DOWN TO ONE THING. THEY RUN OUT OF CASH. BUT THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY THEY RUN OUT OF CASH: • They lose a big customer suddenly • A large customer doesn’t pay • They are growing quickly and burning cash more quickly than they’re making it

• •

Unprofitable customers, products or services Not enough capital in the business so it’s always running on a shoestring

• •

Confusing profit and cash – thinking that they’re the same thing Not putting VAT and corporation tax away, instead thinking it’s part of their working capital Not enough fat on the bone to withstand a downturn Not monitoring pipeline and seeing in advance if sales are robust Buying fixed assets out of cashflow rather than financing them Making losses Taking too much out of the business – high dividends, flash cars

• • • • •

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESS FAILSAFE? Two things. You need to understand your finances, and you need good financial information that lets you see at least a couple of months into the future. Then, whatever is going on in your business, you know you’ll get to see problems as soon as they happen, and in time to fix them before they become terminal.

SO IS IT ALL ABOUT VISIBILITY? It seems that is the case and what I’ve found over the last 20 years, time and time again, is that most business owners just don’t have good enough financial information or the basic financial skills needed to successfully run their business over the long term. Companies that do survive without these key skills either have deep pockets behind them or are just very lucky. A recent report by ABN Amro found that 50% of business owners don’t feel in control of their finances, and two thirds don’t look at their figures regularly. I wonder if this is a key reason for the failure rate being so high? There is without doubt a black hole of financial skills and information in most small companies. It’s usually not until a business reaches around £8m to £10m that a bank manager might suggest a business gets a finance director. But of course the odds of your business reaching those dizzy heights are slim. I’m curious about where this black hole comes from. There’s certainly a lot of jargon spoken by the financial professionals – the accountants and the bank managers. I remember a survey from a few years ago that said over 70% of business owners didn’t understand what their accountant told them, but were afraid to ask. Also access to good financial skills tends to be limited by cash in the early years, with book keeping staff tending to be unqualified. Business owners often assume that if something is wrong their accountant will tell them but if you only see them once a year to discuss figures that are already several months old, you’re never going to catch a problem in time. The solution is one I’ve been working on for the last 14 years. It’s become my mission and even obsession in life. Help business owners easily understand their finances, and make sure they have accurate, up to date financial information that tells them everything they need to know about their business. Where they are now and most importantly where they’re going. And in a format that’s easy to understand and relates directly to their business, not in some dreadful statutory format that’s not much use to anyone. If finance is your F Word and you recognise a gap in understanding within your business, I can help you shed light on the dynamics that will determine its future. I will also show you which levers you can pull to achieve significantly different outcomes.

To get in touch with Serena Humphrey, call on 0115 984 6344, email serena@fwordtraining.com or visit her website, www.fwordtraining.com The F Word Article.indd 117

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Open Forum Since 1957, when a Wisconsin businessman convened its very first meeting at the offices of the Milwaukee Valve Company, Vistage has been improving the effectiveness of business leaders by bringing together successful MDs, CEOs and business owners in peer-to-peer advisory groups where they share insights in order to benefit from each other’s unique perspectives.

Back in the 1950s it was a revolutionary idea but its genius remains rooted in simplicity and is now implemented in 16 countries worldwide. When you put twelve or so high performing business leaders in a room, the potential is enormous. Vistage members meet locally in Chaired Groups once a month in the spirit of collaboration. It’s no secret cabal - there are no hidden agendas and no room for egos, just the express will to meet challenges head on and come up with innovative solutions. It’s all about generating better results and no matter whether the issues are strategic, operational or even personal, members work together to solve them and move forward. Within each local group, members take turns in hosting the monthly session. By moving around members’ premises everybody learns about each other’s habitats. Context is key to recognising one another’s issues and lending fresh perspectives.

Business leaders do just that – they lead. The example they set and the environment they create foster a working culture. When you hit the right note, your leadership team identify challenges together, find opportunities and develop a greater sense of ownership. Your people are committed to their mission and your bottom line reflects the positive values endemic to the culture you’ve brought into being. Vistage membership will improve your cultural skills and help enhance the engagement of your management team. Vistage peer groups go way beyond offthe-shelf management training. They tailor programmes of events formatted specifically to address your organisation’s most pressing issues. That could be a blend providing expert speakers, one-to-one coaching or even leading internal private advisory groups comprised entirely of your own staff. Delivered at your premises and at a frequency to suit your MO, the options available are as limitless as the creativity and imagination within your peer group.

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Group Chairs The role of the Vistage Chair is to ensure that every bit of experience and wisdom in the group is brought to the benefit of all. They help stimulate thinking, frame issues, challenge ‘groupthink’ and guide discussions, eliminating time lost on tangents. But much more than that they are passionate about what they do and that is, quite simply, helping you become a better leader. Take Paul Knee as an example. As a Group Chair, Paul has 3 Groups with 37 members from a diverse array of business sectors, their turnovers ranging between £5 and £140 million. That’s a lot of ground to cover but, with 35 years in the corporate sector under his belt and 21 years’ directorial experience in both the public and private spheres, he brings an enormous amount to the role. Having worked for the MoD, the NHS and Xerox, and with time at Group 4 giving him a truly global perspective, he has seen for himself the innate ability of every individual to fulfil their promise through by developing their own ability. Plus, his experience of playing international rugby for England in the late 1970s and early 1980s taught him a great deal about team dynamics and leadership.

Vistage also runs a series of regional and national conferences designed to help business leaders gain knowledge from a wider pool and to connect and empathise with fellow executives. Yet unlike other business conferences, you get actionable takeaway value you can use immediately to keep yourself and your company moving forward. Events range from large scale Vistage Open Days with up to 300 delegates in a room to hear from a major keynote speaker to informal Breakfast Seminars involving a maximum of just sixteen business leaders.

So why not sample the Vistage experience? In the East Midlands, they’re looking for new members from as diverse a set of industries as possible.

17,000 CEOs, MDs, executives and business owners around the world know that Vistage works. Vistage Groups help business leaders get answers to questions as varied as “how do I take my business to the next level?” and “how do I take more time off without my business suffering?” It can be lonely at the top but, in a Vistage Group you will find the support, the focus and the actions you need to take to make a real difference.

Take a tour of the Vistage site and explore the many ways in which you and your business could benefit. There’s everything to be gained.

vistage.co.uk

Retiring in 2012 to pursue a protégé scholarship with the Coaching Academy, Paul now has the business coaching and mentoring qualifications to add to all that experience, and he was honoured with the ‘No.1 New Chair 2013’ award at celebrations marking the 25th Anniversary of Vistage’s arrival in Britain. His work as a Vistage Group Chair has already benefited a number of companies, including the likes of PERI, a large German construction firm and the engineering company AW Precision, both based in Rugby, the Leicestershire branding and celebrity agency, Champions (UK) plc, and Oval Insurance, now part of AJ Gallagher based in Leicester.

Paul Knee Group Chair Direct: +44 (0)1788 81 11 44 Mobile: +44 (0)7786 54 83 72 paul.knee@vistagechair.co.uk www.vistage.co.uk /paul.knee

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A DV E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

THE FLEXIBLE TOOLS Following some of the biggest ever changes to the rules on ISAs and pensions, investors need to take advantage of the new planning opportunities available

avers and investors have new financial planning opportunities following this year’s Budget, in which the chancellor changed the rules for Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) as well as reducing restrictions on taking benefits pensions. A key change is the increase in the annual ISA allowance by more than a quarter, from £11,880 to £15,000 per adult. The old distinction between Stocks and Shares ISAs and Cash ISAs where the maximum annual subscription had been restricted to £5,940 – has also been removed. The new rules of the ‘nicer ISA’, as it has been dubbed, mean that couples will now be able to shelter up to £30,000 a year from taxes by using both their annual ISA allowances a significant sum and one that, invested wisely, can be a key component of long-term financial planning. ISAs are very straightforward to operate. There is no need to declare investments held in them in Self-Assessment tax returns, nor is there any further tax on income or on profits when the funds are withdrawn. Of course, ISAs do not offer any protection against Inheritance Tax; planning for that must be done separately. A further advantage is that there is no minimum period for which ISAs must be held to earn their favourable tax status. The funds within them can be used for any purpose, from paying school fees to covering the cost of care for elderly parents, as well as building up a portfolio for retirement. That makes the ISA a flexible tool for use in medium and longterm financial planning objectives.

Being able to save more than two and a half times as much cash in an ISA now may sound tempting as it provides confidence that there will remain £1,000 to withdraw for every £1,000 deposited. In reality, however, the returns on cash savings are currently not sufficient even to protect the value of the investment from being eroded by inflation: inflation as measured by the Consumer Prices Index was 1.5% in May but only just over 50% of ISAs which are wholly invested in cash offer an interest rate above that (1). Under the proposed changes, everyone aged 55 or more with a defined contribution pension which includes all personal plans, including SIPPs, and rising numbers of occupational schemes in the private sector should be allowed to withdraw as much as they like from these funds, although there is likely to be a tax liability depending on the amount withdrawn and the marginal rate the investor currently pays. The old legal requirement to buy an annuity or guaranteeing an income for life by the age of 75 will be scrapped, although people who still want to buy an annuity will be free to do so. Under current rules, only those who can show a ‘secure income’ of £20,000 or more from State Pensions, annuities and defined benefit schemes are allowed to withdraw as much as they like from their pension, under what was known as ‘flexible drawdown’. The proposal is to extend flexible drawdown to everyone after April 2015,

regardless of the size of their pension pot or the income it will buy. Those nearing retirement now may wish to consider deferring withdrawals until the new rules take effect. Remember that annuity purchase is a once-and-forever decision; after the 30-day cooling-off period has expired, you cannot get your money back unless the annuity provider chooses to allow this. Payments into all types of pension are expected to continue to attract tax relief equal to the individual’s top rate of Income Tax subject to restrictions including the annual allowance of £40,000 per person. All pension savers will still be able to take up to 25% of the fund value tax-free at retirement to depend on whatever they like. The changes in the Budget have greatly increased the planning opportunities for investors. If you would like any advice on the impact they will have, please contact Janine or Simon on the details below. (1) moneyfacts.co.uk, June (2) Barclays Equity Gilt Study The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds selected and may fall as well as rise. You may get back less than the amount invested. An investment in equities does not provide the security of capital associated with a deposit account with a bank or building society. The levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time and are generally dependent on individual circumstances.

JANINE EDWARDS Principal Partner Tel: 01676 530606 Email: janine.edwards@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.janineedwards.co.uk

SIMON FLEET ASSOCIATES

Principal Partner Practice of St. James’s PlaceWealth Management

Tel: 01949 842828 Email: simon.fleet@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.sjpp.co.uk/simonfleet

PA RT N E R S IN M A NAGING YOUR W E A LTH

Janine Edwards and Simon Fleet, each run separate businesses within St. James’s Place and do not operate in legal partnership with each other. St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

ONE MAN, ONE MACHINE. G.P.M.H. GRAND PRIX DE MONACO HISTORIQUE CHRONO

2014/834 - Aspirational Magazine / Lumbers - 002GPMH - 230 x 285 mm - UK - 04/08/14

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

HELP US TO SUPPORT CHILDREN LIKE FINLEY Branded as a chatterbox by his mum, two-yearold Finley Cooper doesn’t let his degenerative condition stand in his way. Finley suffers from Type Two Spinal Muscular Atrophy - a neuro-muscular condition that affects the nerves in an area of the spinal cord. These nerve cells become damaged, breaking the link between the brain and the muscles. As a result, the muscles can’t be used and become wasted. Finley experiences a lot of pain and often his muscles seize up. He becomes worn out more easily, especially as he tries to keep up with the other children. Finley is also prone to lung infections and in the future, he will need cough assist treatment as well as ventilation at night. First-time parents Charlotte and Jonny feared

there was something seriously wrong with Finley when he never moved his legs or tried to roll over. They quickly noticed that all of his movements tended to be waist upwards. Charlotte said: “At 12 months, Finley had some blood tests. We went in to the room and there were lots of doctors and nurses and I just thought ‘oh my God’. We were told with his type of condition, his life expectancy was around mid-teens. We never expected that outcome when we went to the hospital that day. “Finley is so happy. He is such a chatterbox; he does make us smile a lot. When he is old enough, we will explain to him about his condition. We don’t want it to be brushed off and he just thinks it is his legs that don’t work. We would rather be honest

with him and tell him how serious it is. “We never know what will happen in the future. We just have to get on with it and enjoy our time with Finley.” Life is ever changing for the family and they have started to rely on the support they get from Rainbows. Finley and his parents come to stay and make the most of the therapies and state-of-the art equipment as well as seeking much needed respite care. “We love Rainbows,” said Charlotte. “It is so fantastic to meet other parents and I find it so helpful talking to them about what they have already been through. I also find it is a place where I can relax, knowing that Finley is very safe. I always feel so relaxed and comfortable there.”

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RAINBOWS IS THERE FOR THE JOURNEY

Josh Hall would love to have the lifestyle of his 23-year-old friends but because of a life-limiting condition, he is unable to. The one thing he wishes for is to have a family of his own but he realises it may never happen. Josh (23) suffers from Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD) – a condition that leads to Josh having significantly weakened muscles and impacts on his breathing. Currently there is no cure for CMD. Josh relies on a respiratory ventilator which three years ago, became a permanent part of his everyday life following a bout of pneumonia. Since the age of seven, Josh has spent his days in a wheelchair but being confined to the chair means his joints get stiff and painful. “When I was younger I felt very conscious about using my ventilator in public,” said Josh. “But I found that people respected me more when they knew more and they understood where I was coming from. I do still get people that treat me differently. When I am out and about, I get a lot of stares and people whisper and point.” He said: “When we first got the news it was such a shock as we have no family history of it. My family didn’t know what to do. I was given the life expectancy of 20 years but as medicines have improved, that has obviously extended.” When he was 19, Josh started visiting Rainbows and has been part of developing the day-care service, which is now running five days a week. “Rainbows is brilliant. I couldn’t think of coming anywhere better than Rainbows. I have good relationships with everybody. There is such strong support for me if I need it and it also helps my family out. Going to Rainbows is almost like going on holiday.

New patrons for Rainbows DAVID WALLIAMS visited Rainbows in February and was so moved by the families he met and the work it does, he wanted to get on board. As a Rainbows Patron, David will be supporting the hospice in whatever way his busy schedule allows. Ahead of his last visit, he donated personally signed copies of his books to the children and their siblings and said that he looked forward to visiting again. David said: “I am thrilled to become a patron for Rainbows. It’s a very special place with incredibly inspiring people. I have recently been to the hospice and met some of the children and their families. They have to deal with so much and Rainbows is there for them with smiles, laughter and lots of care and support. I was so moved by the positive atmosphere, that I wanted to get involved. It will be my pleasure to help raise awareness of this charity to help all of the children, young people and families.” David first heard about Rainbows when Susan Taylor very sadly lost her life swimming the English Channel for Rainbows last year. Although he didn’t know Susan personally, he was very touched by her story.

Golfing legend TONY JACKLIN CBE also joins the prestigious list of Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People’s celebrity Patrons and Ambassadors. Tony has pledged his support as a Patron and is committed to raising awareness for the hospice. Tony said: “I am thrilled to be named as a patron for Rainbows; they are such a great organisation and do such fantastic work. I am looking forward to helping with fundraising efforts and visiting the charity when I am in the UK.” Welcoming a host of celebrities and professional golfers, the inaugural Tony Jacklin CBE Wentworth Charity Invitational was a fantastic success that helped to raise vital funds for charity Rainbows. Hosted by Jacklin, the event took place at Wentworth, one of the world’s most exclusive courses and home to the BMW PGA Championship. The all-star cast of celebrities in attendance included Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Steve Redgrave, Damon Hill OBE, Jimmy Nesbitt, Mike Tindall, Gregg Wallace and Merrill Osmond.

HELP RAINBOWS TO CONTINUE PROVIDING CARE AND SUPPORT TO HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LIFE-LIMITED OR TERMINAL ILLNESSES. VISIT WWW.RAINBOWS.CO.UK/DONATE

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Kellie Maloney is available for personal appearances, after dinner speaking engagements and brand endorsements. It is an honour for Champions (UK) plc to represent and support her as she continues her journey of self-realisation. To find out more about how Kellie can benefit your business contact Victoria Marconetto on 07791 508 235 or 08453 30 31 30. Alternatively, email vmarconetto@championsukplc.com

After a year of tremendous flux and emotional strain Kellie Maloney has her eyes firmly fixed on the future... To say that 2014 has been an eventful year for Kellie Maloney would be an understatement. Back in January she was not only already embarked on a private journey of transition and self-discovery but also trying to hold her family together. By the spring her most personal struggles faced being thrown open to the public and it was only thanks to the careful crisis and media management efforts of her representatives at Champions (UK) plc that her privacy was protected until she and her family were ready to tell her tale in August. Yet despite this year having not quite turned out how she originally thought, as Kellie exclusively told Aspirational Magazine, her future looks all the brighter for a whirlwind 2014. Until news of her gender reassignment broke in August, Kellie was best known as the former boxing promoter and manager, Frank Maloney, who guided Lennox Lewis to the undisputed World Heavyweight title and Paul Ingle and Scott Harrison to

become World Champions. Frank was a driven character, brash and somewhat flamboyant with a penchant for Union Jack suits and a controversial comment or three. He inhabited a competitive and sometimes theatrical environment where no quarter could be given and no weakness shown. Speaking to Kellie, it is clear that, although she has left Frank behind, she has learnt a great deal from him. She told us, “Frank was like Marmite - you either loved him or hated him. He could be very outspoken and judgmental on occasion but he was always confident – he had to be in that world. He wasn’t afraid to speak up and I need to keep that if I’m to continue raising public awareness of transgender issues. Besides, out shopping for clothes with my daughters lately, it’s helped me get the best bargains!”

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“What I’m trying to do, though, is hang on to his better points and jettison his worst qualities. It’s funny - I don’t like talking about myself in the third person and I need to take responsibility for what has happened in the past. I’m ashamed of some of the statements I made and I know I used to judge people. Often the things I said were outrageous but they were in the context of boxing and intended to keep the spotlight on my latest promotion. With hindsight I do think as well that, at least in part, some of my comments came out of a wish to defend the identity I’d built for myself. Maybe to deflect a little but I wasn’t bothered if I hurt people in the process, unfortunately. Things are very different now. The last thing I want to do these days is hurt anyone and I’ve learned how to be tolerant because I appreciate my own need to be accepted.” Talk turned to transgender issues when Kellie mentioned she was meeting her support group, TG Pals, that evening. She has found great solace in TG Pals since deciding to live as a woman and has been overwhelmed by the positive response she has received since August from the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, so much so that she wants to offer all the help she can.

“The last thing I want to do these days is hurt anyone and I’ve learned how to be tolerant because I appreciate my own need to be accepted.” “I don’t want to be known as a reality TV star,” she said, “I want to be respected as a human being who has done some good. I didn’t plan for all this to come out as soon as or in the way that it did, but I’m quite spiritual and believe things happen for a reason. It’s a trade-off – I no longer have a private life due to what’s happened but I can use my new profile to be of help to others. I want to stay as active as I can in raising transgender awareness. I’ve started speaking at a few functions recently, at LGBT youth events and at schools and I’ve needed a bit of Frank’s front for that. The first time I did it my knees were knocking a bit but when I got into it I really, really enjoyed it.” “I’m gaining inspiration from young people all the time now. I’ve had young people with gender issues telling me “Kellie, we now no longer feel the need to hide. You’ve opened the door for us” and when that happens I realise there is a lot of good that I can do. It’s a great feeling and I know what these people have gone through. If I can lessen

their burden in any way, then that’s marvellous.” Kellie was equally fatalistic about how 2014 has affected her family life. Sensitive subjects can easily divide even the closest families and Kellie’s younger daughters, 18 year old Sophie and Libby who is just 13, had difficulties when their father first told them ‘his’ secret, yet things are really looking up. “Back in March, things were awful but Champions dealt with the situation superbly and bought us the time we needed to process things. I couldn’t have planned it better myself. The positivity I’ve had from the public has really helped my family come to terms with what’s happening. It’s brought my family back together again and I couldn’t be happier about it. We always were a close and supportive unit and, although I put that in jeopardy for a while, we’re back to that.” “My eldest daughter, Emma, has been fantastic throughout and has been a particular help to her sisters over the last year or so. I went shopping with all three of my daughters at the weekend and they’re giving me fashion tips and make-ups hints and I’m doing all I can to help them through with advice on this and that – I’ve seen all manner of things, after all.”

“Kellie, we now no longer feel the need to hide. You’ve opened the door for us” “Of course, there is still bigotry and ignorance. Amid all the positive feedback since my story came out, I’ve faced the odd keyboard warrior, terribly brave from behind their computers. The other day I was abused in the street by a drunk telling me I must be mad and questioning my credentials as a true Millwall fan. At least this guy had the bottle to say it to my face but it doesn’t change the fact that it was him who lacked understanding and empathy.” “I just walked away from the situation and got on with what I was doing – putting a bit more time on my car at the ‘Pay & Display’, as it goes. My friend told me I’d handled it extremely well and it struck me then that, had that drunk hurled insults at Frank, the outcome would have been very much different – and not in a good way!” 2014 has indeed been a landmark year in Kellie’s life. She had known for a long time that certain adjustments needed to be made and had set about building a new life for herself and for her family. Change is in many ways inevitable and it is often forced upon us by circumstance. Kellie handled the challenges this year pushed upon her and embraced that change. She has now emerged with strong senses of both purpose and identity and we wish her well on her journey. 125

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

joins Lead singer in one of the most famous groups in history, the Osmond Family, Merrill Osmond is synonymous with show business and music production in some of the world’s most prestigious venues. During a trip to Disneyland, the family, then consisting of Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay, were hired to perform after an impromptu performance with an adult barbershop quartet. After appearing on a televised Disney special, Andy Williams took the advice of his father and decided to book The Osmonds for his show, who continued to make regular appearances from 1962 to 1969. Fame was soon upon The Osmonds thanks to their ability to combine instrumental expertise, vocal talent and nous for performing. The group’s first break into the pop charts came in 1971, signing a record contract with MGM and hitting the top spot with ‘One Bad Apple’. Ever since this moment, The Osmonds have been a prominent feature in the world of show business, touring the world to play for their fans, showing musical talent is appreciated in any nationality. The keystone of the Osmond’s resounding success, Merrill produced and wrote the music and lyrics for five number one hit records. Singing the lead on 27 gold records whilst also playing his part in The Osmonds’ total of 59 platinum and gold recordings, Merrill holds the record alongside his brothers for earning the highest number of gold records in one year, a record not even surpassed by The Beatles.

Since their inception, The Osmonds have recorded over 200 albums, producing an enormous back catalogue of music that has sealed their reputation as hugely talented and prolific musicians at the forefront of popular music. The voice behind iconic records such as ‘One Bad Apple’, ‘ Let Me In’, ‘Love Me For A Reason’, and ‘Crazy Horses’, Merrill became renowned for his ability to lead the band to greater success as well as holding production credits on a number of other artists. Bearing testament to his remarkable career, Merrill has won two ‘People’s Choice Awards’ as well as gaining two ‘Grammy Award’ nominations whilst also amassing record sales topping 100 million worldwide. Merrill’s remarkable ability to lead and a lifetime spent in showbusiness led to him becoming a producer of ABC-TV’s ‘The Donny & Marie Show’, furthering his family’s presence on television and any other media platforms. Merrill’s efforts were quickly noticed by President Ronald Regan, who engaged him to work closely with the production of his Inauguration. Such was the success of this venture, that Merrill was invited back to produce the Inaugural Ball for President George H. Bush in 1989.

A prominent music artist and exemplary philanthropist, in 1983 Merrill co-founded and assisted in creating The Children’s Miracle Network. Organising the first annual telethon at the Osmond Studios in Utah, Merrill’s tireless work brought 22 hospitals to join along with a staggering 30 television stations agreeing to broadcast the 21 hour show. The first telethon show raised $4.7 million and The Children’s Miracle Network has never looked back since, having raised a total of $5 billion by the time of its 30th Anniversary in 2013. The Network is now proud to associate itself with 170 hospitals, 200 television stations, 340 radio stations and a whole host of sponsors and celebrities. Named by USA Today as the No.1 charity in America, none of this would have been possible without Merrill and his family in the 1980s.

From l-r: Masterch

With such an illustrious career behind him, Merrill could quite easily consider retirement, but his love for entertaining and music is as strong as it has ever been. With an ethos centred round his belief that a song can change the world, Merrill will always want to make a difference to people’s lives in any way he can.

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© s_bukley/Shutterstock.com From l-r: Jay Osmond, Merrill Osmond, Vernon Osmond, Andy Williams, Jimmy Osmond, Alan Osmond, Wayne Osmond, Tom Osmond, Johnny Grant, Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond, Leron Gubler CA

Champions (UK) plc are proud to announce that Merrill has joined our ever-growing family, ensuring he continues his resounding success of over five decades here in the UK. With Merrill now on board, Champions (UK) plc have proven their ability once again to attract star quality to add to their talented roster and they look forward to working with Merrill long into the future.

From l-r: Merrill pictured with his son, Justin Osmond and his wife Kristi and Head of The Merrill Osmond Fan Club, Tracy Beaumont; with Gregg Wallace of Masterchef; and with Keith Duffy, former member of Boyzone

Appearing at Champions (UK) plc’s Tony Jacklin Charity Invitational Golf Day at Wentworth in August, Merrill raised the roof after dinner and was joined in a spark of spontaneity by Boyzone’s own Keith Duffy for a rendition of ‘Love Me For a Reason’. The performance was preceded by an inspirational speech from Keith himself about the tremendous work he has been involved in with children’s charities, as well as the importance of events such as the Tony Jacklin Invitational and huge philanthropic contribution stars such as Merrill Osmond make.

For more information on Merrill Osmond or to enquire about him performing at your event, simply contact Jack Hayes at Champions (UK) plc today by calling 07772 44 05 96 or 08453 31 30 31. Alternatively, email jackhayes@championsukplc.com

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

Proud to sup ply exquisite cuis ine for Lumbers Fin e Dining Experience over the past 4 years .

Think of Finesse next time you are looking to host: - VIP Corporate Entertainment - Weddings - Private Dinners - Gourmet Food and Wine Experiences - Charity Functions - Marquee Events

Catering for many of the East Midlandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most high-profile events, Finesse Hospitality carry out their services with the utmost precision and distinction. With years of experience and a dedication to excellence, Finesse are perfectly equipped to exceed your expectations, whatever kind of event you are hosting. Finesse Hospitality has an unrivalled reputation for first-class private event catering in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. As one of the members of the prestigious business networking group, the Aspirational Club, Finesse cater for events across the East Midlands that welcome top business people from all over the county. Many local sports and business awards, sporting dinners and charity Gala Balls are also catered by Finesse and they ensure that they adapt their menus to perfectly suit each event. Working closely with Leicesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier jewellers, Lumbers, Finesse create Michelin-star dining experiences that offer opportunities to enjoy sumptuous dinners and preview the latest exclusive designer jewellery from around the world. Their Breguet Evening showcased some of the most

prestigious timepieces the watchmaking world has to offer, and they recently catered for another series of fine dining events that featured top-quality entertainment and, of course, world-class cuisine. Having catered for Government leaders, regional dignitaries and Her Majesty the Queen, their dedicated team of event managers and professionally trained catering staff have the expertise to deliver a truly memorable event, every time. Born from a local collection of independent hotels and restaurants, Finesse Hospitality has access to some of the most talented chefs, staff and creative events minds in the region. Finesse approach each occasion individually and create spectacular events that are tailored to the client. They are more than happy to work with each client to find out their exact ideas and requirements and implement them. At the heart of everything Finesse do, top quality cuisine takes paramount importance. With an expert team of chefs, they are committed to using delicious, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. Their team of event managers and catering staff focus on the provision of an immaculate and personal service.

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In the comfort of your own home they can create a dinner party to the highest standard complete with a chef, waiting staff, wine waiter and whatever you require to create your own very special private dinner party. Alternatively, if you are planning a lavish wedding in a marquee or a stately home, they can create your perfect menu, help you design the room dressing for your wedding breakfast room and pull together all your little ideas which help make your magical wedding come to life. From huge corporate events to an intimate dining experience in your own home, Finesse Hospitality approaches each event with the same level of professionalism, dedication and enthusiasm.

For more information on how Finesse Hospitality can help cater for your event, get in touch by calling: 01332 810 253 or by emailing: hospitality@ thefinessecollection.com

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE

THAT SHOULD

COVER IT! Whether you are hosting an intimate family party, arranging a corporate function or organising a fashion show Mudford Marquees is happy to oblige your needs. The company has been providing shelter for every imaginable event and every guest conceivable, including celebrities and royalty, for over 178 years. Their commitment to attentive bespoke and efficient service has earned them their fantastic reputation for delivering excellence in the UK.

specialist crew will erect a marquee on a range of surfaces in countless locations. As a result, from nationally known sports teams to media companies, Mudford boast a huge selection of high profile corporations as their clients. These clients call upon the marquee specialists for their conferences, Christmas functions and award ceremonies in order to create a profound and lasting impression on their guests.

With a wealth of experience behind the company, its specialist crew know exactly what the customer wants- a uniquely tailored experience combining their client’s requirements with the practical knowledge of marquee experts; this creates the perfect environment for a successful event.

Numerous county and agricultural shows have Mudford Marquees to thank for their attractive and practical storage, display and retail solutions as well as their floor coverings, trestle tables and furnishings. Mudford go the extra mile to satisfy customer needs; which is why they now have a number of “extra” finishing touches available.

Mudford Marquees frequently provide structures for house parties, giving customers the opportunity to transform their gardens into all manner of opulent settings. From night clubs to tropical rainforests to Las Vegas casinos to any other theme imaginable Mudford will cater their service to your every event need. Alternatively, for the larger party, Mudford can build frame extensions on homes to create extra space. As a result of the complete freedom they offer customers Mudford Marquees are extremely popular with wedding planners. Mudford understands that the special day belongs to the happy couple, so they readily submit control over layout, design and timing to ensure bride, groom and guests have the perfect setting for a truly unforgettable day. Their reputation for reliability and willingness to welcome the challenge of awkward spaces and tight corners makes Mudford a favourite amongst corporate event organisers. Proving their flexibility Mudford’s

George Mudford & Sons Ltd. Aurillac Way, Hallcroft Industrial Estate Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7PX

Telephone: 01777 703489 Email: info@mudfordmarquees.co.uk Or visit www.mudfordmarquees.co.uk

The additional services they now provide include a bespoke interior design option which brings venues to life, especially when combined with their range of furniture and furnishings. In just a few short hours Mudford can transform an empty space into a coordinated and stylish scene. They will make dreams a reality with their creative use of impact sails, themed backdrops, lighting and plush interior linings. As well as promising to provide a tasteful setting with charming interiors in virtually any location, Mudford tackles the obvious downfall of outdoor events with success and practicality. The eternal outside toilet dilemma is swiftly resolved with Mudford Marquees’ premier hygiene facilities. Certainly not typical examples of portable toilets, these facilities could easily exist within a five star hotel or restaurant. With their impressive history it’s difficult to see how Mudford Marquees will ever be anything less than industry leaders. With its continuous expansion, adaptable nature and apparent dedication to customer satisfaction this innovative company is certainly one to watch.

Official supplier to Champions (UK) plc

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Keith Duffy and Merrill Osmond dueting on Love Me for a Reason

World beaters Sir Steve Redgrave, Mike Tindall MBE and Martin Corry MBE

Tony Jacklin CBE and Sir Garfield Sobers are all smiles

Wednesday 27th August 2014

Tony Jacklin CBE’s thank you speech

Hosted by the two-time Major winning golfer, the inaugural Tony Jacklin CBE Wentworth Charity Invitational took place at one of the world’s most exclusive courses. Devised, created and managed by Champions (UK) plc, the event was a star-studded occasion that combined top-quality golf with first-class entertainment.

James Nesbitt admires his approach play

Some of the other pros competing on the famous West Course included former Ryder Cup Vice-Captain, Peter Baker, European Senior Tour star, Gary Wolstenholme MBE, and European Tour winner, Paul Broadhurst. The all-star cast of celebrities booked by Champions (UK) plc included Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Steve Redgrave, Damon Hill OBE, Jimmy Nesbitt, Mike Tindall, Gregg Wallace and Matthew Hoggard MBE. James Nesbitt applauds Kev Orkian

After the golf, guests enjoyed a delicious three-course meal back at the Clubhouse. Entertainment was provided by comedian and entertainer Kev Orkin, as well as musical legend Merill Osmond and Boyzone singer Keith Duffy who sang a duet of ‘Love Me For A Reason’.

BBC Sport’s Dan Walker at the first tee

The event raised funds for Children’s Hospice, Rainbows, through activities including a charity auction conducted by TV auctioneer, Charlie Ross.

Gregg Wallace and Merrill Osmond enjoying the evening festivities

Marilyn Pither, Gareth Barefoot, Alison Barefoot and Alan Pither

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Guests enjoyed accommodation at the beautiful Pennyhill Park. Lyle and Scott donated all the players’ shirts for the day and there was also an exclusive whisky tasting on the first tee provided by luxury Scottish whisky maker Glenmorangie. The event was generously supported by sponsors: Farmfoods, William Hill, Glenmorangie, Lyle and Scott, Pennyhill Park and the Barbados Tourist Board.

Charlie Ross conducting the charity auction

Matthew Warner, Damon Hill OBE, Tony Jacklin CBE, Sir Roy Gardner and James Henderson

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Nigel Jemson, Dougie Keen, Tony Jacklin CBE, Chris Cockerell and Haydn Mackenzie

Tony Jacklin CBE demonstrates his legendary swing

Jamie Foreman sharing a joke with the audience

Matthew Hayes, Gareth Barefoot, Tony Jacklin CBE, Paul Addison and Mike Tindall

Ian Robertson welcoming the eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guests

Steel band courtesy of the Barbados Tourist Board

Eric Herd, Jamie Little, Tony Jacklin CBE, Basher Hassan and Stuart Downie

Kev Orkian entertaining the audience

Paul Broadhurst tees off in style

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David Nelson, Ricky Sturrock, Tony Jacklin CBE, DJ Russel and Johnstone Mackie

Glenmorangie whisky tasting on the first tee

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Adrian Dixon provides musical accompaniment for the evening

Anne Davies and Paul Ross host the evening

The Champions (UK) plc Table

Thursday 18th June 2014 Contribution to the Community Award winner Chameleon Schools of Construction with sponsors, Aspirational Magazine and intu Derby

The inaugural Derby Telegraph Business Awards took place at the Derby Roundhouse and saw representatives gather from the region’s most successful businesses. Award category finalists and sponsors all attended the prestigious event to celebrate the region’s diverse economy.

Sponsors Derby College with HL Plasters, winner of the Company of the Year Award

Guests were entertained throughout the evening by a dynamic duo; the award winning broadcaster and face of East Midlands Today, Anne Davies, and journalist and TV entertainment expert Paul Ross, who exchanged his normal post as co-anchor of London’s 94.9 Breakfast Show for the Roundhouse. A jaw-dropping demonstration of magic, mind reading and psychological genius was provided by Graham Jolley, astonishing and surprising the audience. Pianist, Adrian Dixon, who regularly plays at the Dorchester Hotel, was also on hand to provide a melodic backdrop throughout the entire night. The Derby Telegraph table

The evening was also a fantastic opportunity to raise vital funds for Rainbows Hospice through a series of games and events including stand up bingo and a silent auction. The charity offers children and young people with life threatening and life limiting illnesses specialist hospice facilities at their base in Loughborough and money raised ensures that they can continue their important work.

Entrepreneur of the Year Dean Jackson from HUUB with sponsor from Derby University

Organised by leading brand agency, Champions (UK) plc, the quality of the awards ceremony matched its prestigious reputation. Neil White, the main editor and publisher of the Derby Telegraph thanked the East Midlands-based company for the immaculate organisation of such an esteemed event. Excellence in Manufacturing award winners Bowers Electrical LTD with sponsor Flint Bishop

Mindreader Graham Jolley bamboozles the audience

Services Award winners Employ Recruitment with sponsors Franklin Underwood

The Derby Roundhouse looking spectacular for the award event

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COMPANY OF THE YEAR HL PLASTICS A lavish Champagne reception starts the evening in style

NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR INTARACK SOLUTIONS LTD

INTERNATIONAL TRADE AWARD TECQUIPMENT LTD

RETAIL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR ANOKI DERBY LTD

EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING AWARD BOWERS ELECTRICAL LIMITED

The Freeths table

CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY AWARD CHAMELEON SCHOOL OF CONSTRUCTION LTD

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS OF THE YEAR GREENDOG MEDIA

Not-For-Profit Award winners RippleZ CIC with sponsor Nikki Graham from Sellick Partnership

DERBY SALES & MARKETING AWARD HUUB LTD

NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATION AWARD RIPPLEZ CIC

EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AWARD SURESCREEN DIAGNOSTICS LTD

SERVICES AWARD EMPLOY RECRUITMENT UK LTD

Wheeldon Brothers Table

DERBY SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR COLLSTREAM LTD

BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR DEAN JACKSON, HUUB LTD

Paul Ross keeping the evening running smoothly

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An impressive range of Bentleys

Darren Farmer, Mick Ventola and Anna Wells

Attendees enjoyed testing their skills on Donnington’s Tarmac Lake

Aspirational Club ‘Dynamic Drive’ Day Donington Park

Dominic Gomersall, Michelle Dilley, Janine Edwards and Tim Maxted

Wednesday 4th June 2014 The Aspirational Club welcomed its members to take part in the Dynamic Drive day at Donington Park. Guests were offered the chance to enjoy the experience of driving Bentleys and the prestigious Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 around the famous circuit before sampling some delicious food.

Janine Edwards of St James’s Place and guests

The drive day was the club’s second event of the year and featured both track and road driving experiences, allowing everyone to get the very best out of the iconic cars.

Neil Back MBE and Dominic Gomersall of Lumbers

Following a great morning enjoying both the challenging track and the showcase of luxury vehicles, guests were provided with a delicious gourmet lunch from Finesse Hospitality, also a member of the Aspirational Club. Just one in a series of events held by the club each year, these events prove to be a great way to build strong business links in the region, promoting and supporting the organisations that continually add to the East Midlands’ strengthening economy. Companies in the Aspirational Club are: Bentley Leicester, Bentons, Berkeley Insurance Group, Champions (UK) plc, Lamborghini Leicester, Finesse Hospitality, Lumbers Jewellers and St James’s Place. David Donegani

Tim Reed and Neil Back MBE

James Warne and guests of Bentons

Tracey Jackson, Trudi Colledge, Sophia Hayes and Anna Wells

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Dominic Gomersall, Martin Johnson OBE and the Lumbers Team

James and Paul from Bentons and Lamborghini Leicester

Aspirational Shoot Noseley Hall

Falconry display

Dominic Gomersall and guests enjoying the day

17 September 2014 th

Members of the Aspirational Club enjoyed their very own action-packed Country Pursuits Day in September. The activity day was held at Noseley Hall which offers outstanding panoramic views of the Leicestershire countryside. The day consisted of teams battling it out over a variety of challenges and activities including, archery, muzzle-loader and flintlock shooting, clay pigeon shooting and GNAT shooting.

Guests eyeing up the target during the archery

This year’s event featured a successful new element very much in keeping with the day’s shooting theme. Club members were treated to a first class display of falconry and the reaction was incredible. To witness these majestic birds in full flight at close quarters was a wonderful treat but seeing the skill of the falconer really added to everyone’s overall experience.

Mick Ventola firing on the range

Some of the guests who participated in the fun filled activity day included former English rugby captain Martin Johnson OBE, and his fellow World Cup winner and former Leicester Tigers captain Neil Back MBE, who both thoroughly enjoyed the unique event.

James Blick from Finesse

Janine Edwards and team

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The day was organised by The Aspirational Club, which is run by specialist brand agency Champions (UK) plc. There are many events organised throughout the year which give leading businesses an opportunity to network and gain links with potential clients within the region, as well as interact with other businesses.

James Warne from Bentons and guests

Neil Back MBE, Sophia Hayes and the Champions Team

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Astrid and Tony Jacklin CBE enjoying themselves

Strictly Come Dancing judge, Len Goodman

BRITISH PAR 3 CHAMPIONSHIP Nailcote Hall, Warwickshire Tony Jacklin CBE, BP3 2014 winner Eddie Pepperell and Eric Herd

Tuesday 5th - Friday 8th August 2014

Olympic athlete, Derek Redmond and wife Maria

The 81st annual edition of the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship was another golfing extravaganza welcoming a host of top professionals and celebrities to the stunning Nailcote Hall in Warwickshire. Hosted once again by Tony Jacklin CBE, the two-time Major winner welcomed top calibre golfers including Paul Lawrie OBE and Ian Woosnam OBE to one of the world’s premier Par 3 courses.

Former Manchester United player, Clayton Blackmore and wife Tracy

The Championship always attracts a host of stars and this year was no different with the likes of Peter Schmeichel MBE, Sir Garfield Sobers, Len Goodman, Jasper Carrott OBE, Neil Back MBE and Matthew Hoggard MBE showing off their golfing skills.

Goalkeeping great, Peter Schmeichel MBE

Champions (UK) plc organised the event and Farmfoods were once again the headline sponsor ensuring that there was an impressive £100,000 prize fund on offer to attract some of the biggest names in world golf. Away from the greens, the fantastic tented village provided a chance for visitors to enjoy a drink, browse the stalls from leading retailers, practise their golf swing or even relax with a massage. Over the course of the Championship, there were three starstudded Gala Balls which provided first-class entertainment and a valuable opportunity to raise money for Rainbows. Five time olympic swimmer, Mark Foster

The event is televised on Sky Sports and Challenge TV and covered across the media in titles including The Daily Telegraph, Golf Monthly and the Birmingham Post.

Promising young golfer, Charley Hull

CATCH

Strictly Come Dancing’s James Jordan

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Eddie Pepperell, winner of the BP3 2014

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Bill Roache MBE at the first tee

1991 Masters winner, Ian Woosnam OBE

Paul Lawrie OBE chips from bunker

Comedian Jasper Carrott OBE joking around

Tony Jacklin CBE watches eventual runner-up, Jak Hamblett

Steph Hayward and Peter Shilton OBE

Garden party atmosphere at Nailcote Hall

American Seniors legend, Larry Laoretti

Alan McInally and Paul Broadhurst discuss their next hole

Watchdog presenter Chris Hollins

Franklyn Stephenson and the T1 Caparo

Ola Jordan, Sue Cressman and James Jordan

Sir Garfield Sobers

Big Ron Atkinson keeps his eyes firmly on the ball

Dan Walker interviewing Peter Shilton OBE

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Sir Garfield Sobers signs a ball for KC Suri

Matthew, Sarah Hoggard and the Mattioli Woods team pose for photos

The honored guests, Matthew and Sarah Hoggard

An Evening with Matthew Hoggard MBE & Friends Thursday 5th June 2014 James Upton and guests meet Matthew Hoggard and James Anderson

Hosted at King Power Stadium in Leicester, East Midlands based brand agency, Champions (UK) plc, organised a fantastic evening in honour of former England cricketer Matthew Hoggard MBE.

Rugby pals Neil Back MBE, Neil Fletcher and George Chuter

Guests arrived to a Champagne reception before being seated as host Geoff Miller OBE introduced the beginning of an enjoyable and charitable occasion. The room enjoyed a delicious traditional three course meal while Sri Lankan cricketers Mahela Jaywardene and Kumar Sangakarra answered questions from the audience.

Chris Darlington, Sri Lankan cricketers Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene and guests

Later in the evening they turned their attention to Matthew Hoggard MBE as he reminded the audience of his decorated career whilst thanking his close friends and family for his success. He was joined by James Anderson and together they shed light on their international and county cricketing careers with a Q&A session. International cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers, also made a special appearance.

Sir Garfield Sobers and Matthew Hoggard MBE are all smiles

Matthew Hoggard took a few moments to express his gratitude to everybody in attendance. He presented Champions (UK) plc CEO, John Hayes, with a signed picture commemorating the historic 2005 Ashes victory as a token of his appreciation for not only organising the Charity Cricket Dinner in his honour but also for all the hard work the company has put in representing him in recent times.

David Donegani, Rainbows parent, speaks to the audience

The evening was also a fantastic chance to give Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People a voice. Funds were raised through an auction hosted by Des Coleman, which encouraged guests to donate in exchange for memorable days out and iconic memorabilia.

James Anderson, Sir Garfield Sobers, Torie Blythe-Richards, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Matthew Hoggard MBE

ASPIRATIONAL magazine

WEALTH MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Geoff Miller OBE

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Great to see Bill Roache MBE back at a Champions (UK) plc event

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Tim Maxted, Sarah Maxted, James Warne, Caroline Warne, Kim Gomersall, Dominic Gomersall, Janine Edwards, Emma Blick, James Blick, Sarah Wilkins and Raj Ragii.

James Blick and Peter Edwards

Junior National Champions Lloyd and Rebecca, trip the light fantastic

St James’s Place Oscars Night Richard Thompson addresses guests from the stage

Consummate Master of Ceremonies Willie Thorne

Friday 19 September 2014 th

Wealth management experts St. James’s Place organised an amazing Oscars-themed evening at the King Power Stadium, Leicester. Snooker legend and Strictly Come Dancing star Willie Thorne welcomed guests to a night full of entertainment as the Great Hall was transformed to pay tribute to the annual spectacle that is the Oscars.

Naomi, lead singer of Urban Intro and Neil Back MBE

As well as enjoying a sumptuous menu, guests were entertained by Lloyd and Rebecca who are the current Junior British National Champions in both Latin and Ballroom. Further live musical entertainment was provided by Georgia Holland and Urban Intro.

Jean-Christophe Novelli and Willie Thorne getting on famously

The evening had been organised to raise money for the St. James’s Place Foundation which helps to give relief to a number of worthwhile causes including children’s charities and hospice-based charities. An incredible charity with stunning items on offer also helped to raise money for the East Midlands-based Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People. The charity auction led by snooker’s Mr Maximum Willie Thorne, and is expected to have raised thousands of pounds for both of the ever-deserving causes.

David Taylor, Peter Edwards, Janine Edwards, Lisa Wilson, Martin Wilson, Sheree Taylor, Jonathan Taylor and Becky Moss

Sheree Taylor and Janine Edwards sharing a joke

Pantone 871 Metallic

Georgia Holland gave a wonderful performance

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Pantone C465

Some of the memorabilia auctioned to raise funds for the evening’s charities

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The Belfry

Alison Ramoutar, Wendy Freestone, Richard CM wines, Sue Earles, Peter Yates from Bentley Leicester, Emma Ayres, Simon Fleet and Matthew Ayres

The Belfry

Exclusive Client Day at The Belfry Janine Edwards

Wednesday 2nd July 2014

Tim Knight

The latest in Janine Edwards’ highly popular client days, the event was set in a first class environment with a friendly and social atmosphere while addressing the latest wealth management news from industry experts. To start the event Janine introduced Tim Knight, Head of Investment Consultancy at St. James’s Place head office, who delivered an engaging speech around investment market performance before moving on to provide an outlook for the economy. Venue shot

Following on from Tim, the clients were introduced to Charles Mitchell Wines. Since 1981 Charles Mitchell Wines have been sourcing the finest hand crafted wines from boutique wine growers around the world and they provided an opportunity to taste some fantastic exclusive Grand Cru Champagne and Wine.

Jeanette Hill, Janine Edwards and John Hill

To finish, clients were treated to dinner in the fantastic Ryder Room’ at the newly refurbished Belfry Hotel. If you would like to attend Janine’s next event please contact her on 01676 530 606

Janine Edwards and Colin Baldwin

Peter Green, Harry Kershaw, Janine Edwards, Imogen Rex and Gill Lewis

Matthew Ayres, Janine Edwards and Emma Ayres

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Howard and Richard from Charles Mitchell Wines

Alison Ramoutar, Janine Edwards, Tony Billingham and Afia Sirkhot

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James Upton and guests taking in the atmosphere

Fred Benskin, Jayne Tarr and Moss Solicitors enjoying the champagne reception

Luke Essex, Declan Stapton and Andy McHugh

An Evening with Graham Rowntree Thursday 16th October 2014 Angie Gillespie and guests of Rainbows

Stars and supporters gathered together to celebrate the outstanding career of rugby legend Graham Rowntree, alongside fellow international rugby icon, Andy Farrell OBE. The event, which took place at King Power Stadium in Leicester, hosted by brand agency, Champions (UK) plc, was an unforgettable evening for all in attendance.

Ian Robinson and Andy Farrell OBE discuss the latters career

Guests were welcomed with a champagne reception and the chance to watch highlights from Graham’s fantastic career, before sitting down to an extravagant three course dinner.

Benôit Lawrence, Amelia Neate, Neal Back MBE, Emily Harrison, James Butcher, Colm Hannan, Matthew Boseley and Dean Eldridge

Scottish broadcaster and former international rugby player Ian Robertson guided guests through an evening of excellent entertainment. Guests enjoyed a Q&A session with Graham Rowntree which had the audience captivated as he relayed stories from his impressive career.

Andy Farrell OBE and Graham Rowntree - Guest’s of honour

Much loved Antiques Road Trip presenter Charlie Ross then hosted an auction with an array of extraordinary items on sale. Vital funds were for the chosen charity, Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People. To end the professional Andy Farrell with stories

remarkable sporting evening, former and dual-code international rugby OBE, took to the stage to delight and memories of his momentous

English player, guests career.

Dominic Gomersall presenting Melissa Chontrill with a Tag Heuer watch

Cherie Concannon and guests enjoying the event

WEALTH MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

ASPIRATIONAL magazine

Crouch Logistics, Ken Crouch and guests, enjoy the evening of rugby filled fun

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Qdos

Sophia Hayes, Christopher Scotney and the Aspirational table

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Mark Hands, Alea Casino Nottingham and guests

Janine Edwards and guests

Victor Ktori, Savills and guests

The Star Trust Annual Ball at Stapleford Park Saturday 4th October 2014 Sonia and Jim Pelton

The Star Trust’s annual Ball, held at Stapleford Park on Saturday 4th October, saw business leaders and entrepreneurs from across the East Midlands dig deep and raise an outstanding £95,000 for good causes, including Loughborough-based Steps, a conductive education centre for children with motor disorders, and the Children’s Bereavement Centre based in Newark.

Tina Livingstone and Steve Lewin

The funds raised on the night will play a key role in improving the lives of some of Leicestershire’s most in need residents.

Chris and Nikki Holland

Tim Maxted CEO of Berkeley Insurance Group and Star Trust Co-Chair said: “The Star Trust has established a reputation for raising exceptional amounts for small charities right across the region, and the outstanding total raised by our generous supporters at this, our second annual ball, firmly cements this.

Tom and Sarah Goodwin, Collective Minds

“We are delighted to be able to make a real difference to these deserving causes that lack the fundraising impact of more high profile organisations. We would urge any small, East Midlandsbased charity that is seeking funds for a specific project to get in touch so that we can lend our support.”

Charities interested in applying to the Star Trust should visit www.star-trust.org.uk or call 0116 261 4797 for further information.

Gemma Orton, Tim Maxted of Star Trust Co-Chair, Mia Simms and Jonny Voce

Paul Brownhill

Steve and Nikki Burgess, Mona and Aman Kular

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Guests enjoying the live band on the night

Katrina Brownhill and guests

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Fred Benskin, Darren Bicknell and Alex Reid relaxing after dinner

Sporting memorabilia and champagne prizes

Ken Crouch putts for a birdie

Mazars Golf Day Thursday 25th September 2014 Global audit, accounting and consulting group, Mazars, hosted their annual Golf Day at Rushcliffe Golf Club in East Leake. Final preparations in the clubhouse

Guests arrived for registration at 10:30am, before lunch was served and the teams began with a shotgun start. After a fantastic afternoon of golf, guests returned to the Clubhouse for the eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities. Guests were then welcomed by the event host, former Surrey cricketer and Nottinghamshire captain, Darren Bicknell.

David Stockhill, Gordon Greenidge MBE, Rob Watson and Chris Darlington

The evening continued with a delicious three-course dinner, and an exclusive Q&A session with Bicknell and West Indies cricket legend Gordon Greenidge MBE. Further entertainment was provided by comedian and musician, Steve Womack, who enthralled the crowds with his witty repartee.

Gordon Greenidge MBE presents winnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; prizes

The day featured charity fundraising with all proceeds going to the chosen charity Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People.

Bev Cook eyes up the pin as Fred Benskin looks on

The event was for 11th largest accounting firm in the world, Mazars and organsied by brand agency Champions (UK) plc.

Alan Tubb receives champagne from Gordon Greenidge MBE

Alan Tubb, Ken Crouch, Marvin Cook and John Hayes

Gordon Greenidge MBE and Mazars partner Chris Darlington

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Alex Reid, Darren Bicknell, Dan Banton and Andy Holmes

Comedian and muscian Steve Womack, sings an hilarous ditty

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ASPIRATIONAL magazine

ASPIRATIONAL

magazine

in every woman is a queen

in this edition... LAUREN BACALL: SILVER SCREEN STARLET AIR PARTNER: STYLISH PRIVATE AIR TRAVEL EDITION 10

Aspy A/W 2014 Cover ARTWORK.indd 1

RUGBY: NEIL BACK MBE’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW CRICKET: MATTHEW HOGGARD MBE ON THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

AUTUMN/WINTER 2014

Reine de Naples Collection

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