The Plymouth Magazine issue 106

plymouth magazine the

Issue 106 April 2013

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amanda’s key role for plymouth city sisters celebrate business success city property news what’s on in plymouth guide Published since May 2004 and now DELIVERED FREE

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sign up on social media and support plymouth’s city of culture bid Plymouth now knows which cities it will be competing with for the title of UK City of Culture 2017.

Eleven places – some of the bidders are clearly not cities – have put their names forward to become UK City of Culture.

They include, among others, Aberdeen, Dundee, Leicester, Southend and Swansea. Somewhat strangely Portsmouth and Southampton have put aside old rivalries to submit a joint bid, while even stranger is the lumping together of five towns in Kent to enter the contest under the banner of ‘East Kent.’

Some of the others on the list are clearly towns, so as a city of longstanding history and heritage, Plymouth must surely be in with a decent shout.

Bids have to be submitted by the end of April with a shortlist of four cities to be announced in June. The economic value of being an official City of Culture is immense. In their year as European City of Culture, Liverpool received 9.7 million additional visitors to the city which resulted in over £735 million in additional visitor spend.

We all need to get behind Plymouth’s bid and social media could play a key role in this. Twitter and Facebook pages have been created to support Plymouth’s bid and the more of us who ‘sign up’ the more chance we have of getting on that short list. The bid’s official Twitter profile – @Plymouth2017 – has already attracted several hundred followers, and the hashtag #Plymouth2017 is circulating among users. Hundreds more people have also ‘liked’ the Facebook page, which can be found by searching for “Plymouth City of Culture 2017”.

Against this background we report in this issue on the appointment of the hugely experienced Amanda Plumley as chief executive of Destination Plymouth – and the launch of Plymouth’s first-ever History Festival in May.

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Amanda’s job will be to champion the cause of Plymouth’s visitor economy and also get involved in other strategic developments in the city. We wish her well in her new role.

Meanwhile, you can read about the Plymouth History Festival on pages 28 and 29 of this issue: there are well over 100 events planned to suit all ages and interests.

Hope you enjoy the latest issue – and remember to back the bid!!!

Publishers: Chris Girdler and Ian Pilkington Editor: Debbie Girdler Designers: Lawrence Bird and Sven Lauch Photography: Roy Perring Contributors: Anthony Goord; Kerry Cole; Fiona Newton, Derek Anderson and Maria Ashurst; Charlie Waters; Dr Laurence White.

Advertising sales: Naomi Shearer, Sarah Simpson, Stefanie Clifton-Sprigg and Shakira Floyd Distribution: John Kowalski Finance: Karen Pilkington and Kim Craig Front cover: To celebrate Plymouth’s History Festival in May we feature the Elizabethan House, New Street in Plymouth’s historic Barbican. Picture by Plymouth Magazine photographer Roy Perring Contacts: Editorial Tel: 01752 268635 e-mail: chris@cornerstonevision.com Advertising Tel: 01752 225623 e-mail: ian@cornerstonevision.com The views expressed in the plymouth magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of all information contained in this magazine. However, the publishers do not accept any liability for any advice or information included in the magazine. the plymouth magazine is distributed free to 40,000 homes across Plymouth each month, with a further 5,000 copies strategically placed in leisure and retail outlets in Plymouth, Saltash and Tavistock.

Published by Cornerstone Vision, 28 Old Park Road, Peverell, Plymouth PL3 4PY Tel 01752 225623 Fax 01752 673441 e-mail info@cornerstonevision.com web: www.plymouthliving.co.uk

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april 2013 edition

taverna is tops

6

amanda’s destination

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12

art matters

19

what’s on in plymouth

46

neil hopes to clean up

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Amanda Lumley has been appointed to a new role as chief executive of Destination Plymouth, where her job will be to promote the city regionally, nationally and internationally

Kerry Cole visits the Victoria Sewart Contemporary Jewellery gallery in Southside Street to find out more about a special exhibition for those planning to get married

they’re not barking mad!

Two Plymouth sisters are celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Barking Mad business they launched in 2008 to provide care for dogs while their owners are away from home

A family-run restaurant located in one of the most historic parts of the city is proving to be a modern-day success with its offering of traditional Greek and Turkish food

Our comprehensive What’s On section has details of all the shows and events coming up at the Theatre Royal, Pavilions and other venues in the coming weeks

Former Royal Navy gunner Neil Thurston is targetting business succes with a new oven cleaning venture in Plymouth

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plymouth matters

amanda’s key role is to put plymouth on the map A new figurehead to represent Plymouth’s growing visitor economy on a national and international stage has been appointed.

Amanda Lumley is the new chief Executive of Destination Plymouth, the body which oversees the city’s visitor economy sector worth over £250 million a year.

Amanda brings a wealth of experience in both the public and private sector from working at leading attractions such as Chester Zoo and Leeds Castle, managing shopping centres and department stores to regional tourism and business partnerships including Visit Essex, Visit Kent, Dover Pride Regeneration Partnership and Kent County Council where she successfully delivered the Tour de France Stage 1 in 2007.

Amanda said: “I’m delighted to be part of a city that is beginning to really go places.

Plymouth has assets most cities can only dream of – a stunning waterfront, a city surrounded by outstanding countryside; it’s fast becoming a foodie heaven and is the cultural arts and entertainment capital for the region.

“It’s got an incredible history and it’s got an incredible future. There are exciting plans in the pipeline and Plymouth has already shown the scale of its ambition by bidding to become the City of Culture 2017.”

Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “We are really excited about this appointment.

We want someone who can not only shout about how great Plymouth is, but who also has the experience to ensure visions and goals become guests at our hotels, audiences in our theatre and attractions, diners at our incredible restaurants, walkers and cyclists to our waterfront and shoppers in our city centre and Barbican.

Amanda Lumley pictured with (from left) Richard Davies, chairman of the City Centre Company, Cllr Tudor Evans, Chris Arscott and Duncan Currall

This role is critical in ensuring we deliver the Visitor Plan for the city as we move towards 2020 and the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower setting sail from Plymouth.”

As well as being the voice of the city’s visitor economy, Mrs Lumley will lead on major strategic issues including marketing and digital strategy, events development, signage, major development projects, public space and developing transport links.

Over 30,000 jobs in the city rely on tourism and visitors and it is estimated that 3.5 million day visitors and 2.4 million staying visitors come to Plymouth annually.

Destination Plymouth was set up in 2010 to better co-ordinate the city’s tourism and visitor offer and develop a stronger image for Plymouth as a world-class, cutting edge maritime city with a strong heritage and culture.

It has made huge progress with a visitor plan to build on successes such as the America’s Cup World Series and the British Art Show. It has distinct projects which include • Signature events: developing the Marine City Festival and other major events, including the National Fireworks Championships and a new ‘Sailfest’ • Telling stories: a joined-up approach to signs and visitor interpretation • Development sites: regeneration of the waterfront.

There is now a Plymouth Waterfront Partnership in addition to the successful City Centre Company and the Council’s Economic Development department has been revamped to better support the sector and includes city events, tourist information, museums, arts and Mount Edgcumbe.

Duncan Currall, Chair of Destination Plymouth, said: “With over 1,000 stakeholders involved in this sector, Amanda is going to be a crucial listener as well as a strategic thinker. The Business Improvement District teams and the council are making a huge difference to the visitor experience on the ground, but we needed someone to champion Plymouth’s name far and wide. I am confident that Amanda will do this as well as ensure the delivery of our aspirations to transform the Plymouth visitor economy.”

Chris Arscott, Chair of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership said: “We’ve made huge strides over the last few years, with world class events and word is definitely spreading that great things are happening here. We’ve got plans, we’ve got teams who can carry out the work on the ground and Amanda has the skills and experience to lead us to greater success.”

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The post will be funded in partnership by the council and Destination Plymouth, although it is hoped that the post will become self-financing as income is generated from new events and by exploiting commercial opportunities.

a dverto ria l

Your voluntary organisation could benefit from getting together with business Join Plymouth’s Corporate Social Responsibility Project In April 2012, a partnership of Plymouth’s business and voluntary sector representative organisations embarked upon an eighteen month project under the Transforming Local Infrastructure funding from the Big Lottery - the Corporate Social Responsibility Project.

The project has been busy building pathways so members of the voluntary and community sector can gain support from the business community - and business employees can benefit from the satisfaction and skills they earn by helping somebody out.

• We’ve encouraged employee volunteering - where employers give their staff paid time off during working hours to volunteer with local voluntary and community organisations.

• We’ve created bespoke opportunities, putting the right organisations together with the right companies.

• Volunteers in groups or as individuals can carry out all sorts of roles like - preparing premises by painting, conservation work clearing grounds, rivers, woods, supporting a community event - anything that a voluntary organisation needs help with.

• We’re developing a pro bono service, where organisations are able to donate for free some of their time to carry out a professional service for a voluntary or a community organisation. This could be a legal or financial service for example - again a way of the business sector supporting the work of the voluntary and community sector.

• We’re promoting the work of two of the partners Plymouth Drake Foundation and Devon Community Foundation who already have strong links with the business community in fundraising and the administration of small grants to Plymouth’s voluntary sector. To date over £75,000 has been raised through the Local Giving Campaigns and distributed to local organisations in small grants.

Volunteers from Steria and the Land Registry at the Grow4Good project at Dartmoor Zoo

Dave Sharpe who leads the Grow4Good project based at Dartmoor Zoo, a project established to support students suspended from school by engaging in growing produce, comments: Grow4Good South West has been working with Steria, Land Registry and Carillion Construction through contacts made by the CSR Project and we have now built up a very strong corporate relationship with all 3 companies. Employee volunteering days have taken place involving 15 staff and another is planned for April with 12 more people engaging with support for the project.

We are also receiving in kind donations from the companies in the form of two laptops from Land Registry and construction work from Carillion to help in conversion of 2 buildings. All in all it has been a fantastic support for us and is ongoing.

If you would like to know more or get involved contact Gill Stringer

gill@plymouthguild.org.uk or 01752 201766

Project partners: Plymouth Guild; Plymouth Chamber of Commerce; Federation of Small Businesses; Business in the Community; Plymouth Drake Foundation and Devon Community Foundation.

Volunteers from KPMG at the Park Pharmacy Trust gardens in Mannamead

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women at work

barking mad business venture dog-gone success for city Hundreds of dogs in Plymouth are enjoying holidays while their owners are away – thanks to a successful business venture run by two sisters from the city.

this area,” said Jennifer. “The Plymouth area has been particularly successful for us and we have literally hundreds of regular customers who come back to us time and time again because their dogs are so happy with our carefully-chosen host families.

Dog lovers Jennifer Hamer and Carolyn Campbell run Barking Mad, the highly successful home-from-home dog sitting service for customers across Plymouth, the South Hams, Torbay and parts of South East Cornwall.

“It’s a great business,” said Carolyn. “We really love dogs and our work is a real labour of love.”

They are the local franchisees for the rapidly growing Barking Mad dog sitting service, described as the real ‘alternative to kennels’.

Jennifer, who had worked as a local hospital administrator for more than 20 years, decided to take the plunge in January 2008 and launch Barking Mad in the Torbay area.

“I really wanted the Plymouth franchise, but that had already been taken, so I settled on the next best area. Then in the following year the Plymouth franchisee decided to sell her business and Carolyn came on board,” said Jennifer.

Carolyn had worked in IT at Wrigleys for over 30 years and grasped the opportunity to take early redundancy to join Jennifer in running Barking Mad locally.

They now cover an area stretching from Teignmouth and parts of Dartmoor, down to the South Devon coast, through Torbay, into Plymouth and beyond into Cornwall as far as Liskeard.

“We are delighted to be celebrating our fifth anniversary of launching Barking Mad in

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Jennifer said: “Our service has been specifically designed for dog owners who are unable or unwilling to use traditional forms of kennelling. Instead we arrange accommodation with one of our host families who maintain the dog’s home life routine for exercise and feeding.

“When we receive an enquiry from a dog owner in the first instance we visit the customer at home and spend about an hour finding out about the dog, its daily routines, likes and dislikes, healthcare, feeding habits, exercise regime and so on.

“We then carefully match the dog with one of our host families and when our customer is about to go on holiday we collect their dog and take it to the host family.

We then collect the dog at the end of the holiday and return it to the owners.

“Dog owners want their pets to have just as enjoyable a break as them. Knowing that their pet is being cared for by a loving host family means that they can relax and enjoy their own time away,” she added.

“We have potential customers who ring us to check availability for their pets before they book their own holidays - it’s that important to them.”

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proves to be a sisters Carolyn said: “Many of our host families are retired people who enjoy the flexibility of caring for a pet without the full time responsibility. Alternatively, they may be at home during the day with children or pets of their own, and a visiting dog complements their existing situation perfectly.

“Our hosts are dog loving people who are at home most of the time and have a secure garden and experience of looking after dogs. Our current hosts are amazing people who range from a young housewife with children at school to retired couples.

“What they have in common is that they all love to have different dogs coming to stay and give these dogs a holiday to remember with exciting walks and, of course, all the cuddles and attention the dog needs.”

Jennifer said: “It is lovely to meet such a diverse mix of people who have such different dogs with lots of character. The great thing about Barking Mad is that the customer can go away on holiday and totally relax knowing that their dog is also having a great time.”

For more information on becoming a customer or host family call Jennifer or Carolyn on 01752 769453 or visit www.barkingmad.uk.com Sisters Jennifer Hamer and Carolyn Campbell pictured with Sid the golden retriever – celebrating five years running Barking Mad in Plymouth and Torbay

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helen proves it’s never to start a new career.

Charlie Waters of Pitman Training writes: “We are always inspired by students who turn their lives around whilst they are studying with us and one of our recent diploma students Helen Burr is no exception. Here is Helen’s story...

“I grew up in Oxford and left school at 17 with 11 GCSE’s and four AS levels, I then started working as a shop assistant and barmaid.

“At the age of 18 I moved to Plymouth and carried on working in retail and also in telesales. At 19 I had my first daughter Beth and at 22 I had Rosie I then spent the next four years at home raising the girls and at 24 I went back to work part time.

“I’d been feeling discontented and bored with the work I was doing and as I was approaching the big 30, my life wasn’t exactly where I’d expected it to be.

“I was a single mum, living in a small town 250 miles from all my family, working in a minimum wage job that I didn’t enjoy. I realised that if I didn’t do something about it, my life would never change.

“I wanted to be a better role model for my girls and be able to give them the life they deserved, so I decided to re-train. I’d always been interested in working for the NHS – a lot of my family work for in the health sector in various roles, so I decided to train as a medical secretary!

“My dad did a typing course with Pitman Training many moons ago and so following a consultation at the centre I started my medical secretarial diploma in November 2011.

“I found the training method worked really well for me: I could train at my own pace and there was never any pressure. If I needed to go back over something then I could and the staff were so patient and helpful. I never felt alone because there was always someone I could talk to or ask for help.

“The way the course was broken down into modules was really helpful. It allowed you to take in each section in turn, making sure you understood it and could put it into practice before moving on to the next one. Because of this, the work never seemed overwhelming.

“Trying to fit my college work around work and the children with no husband or family to help was challenging, to say the least. But because with Pitman I could work from home in the evenings or at the weekends when the children were at their dad’s, it was much easier to find the time to fit it in and I could always phone up and have a chat with one of the staff if there was a problem.

“I used to go into the centre for a few hours on my days off when the kids were at school and I found that I got a lot done because the atmosphere was so calm and friendly. The training fitted around our lives rather than us trying to fit around the training and actually, once I’d completed my diploma I really missed it! I enjoyed having something to focus on and to keep me busy!

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too late ...

training matters

Helen Burr - achieved a distinction for her medical secretary diploma and now has a new career

“I passed all of the exams and received my medical secretarial diploma achieving an overall distinction – which is something I’m very, very proud of.

Getting my diploma was the best thing I’ve ever done. Since I finished at Pitman in October 2012 I have moved back to Oxford with the girls to be closer to my family and I started a new job in March as a medical secretary for the Cardiovascular Department of the John Radcliffe Hospital.

The future is looking bright and I really couldn’t have got to where I am today without all the support and help from the staff at Pitman Training. I would recommend their courses to anyone, if I can do it as a single, working mum living 10 miles from my closest training centre - then anyone can!”

Charlie Waters added: “Helen’s success story is one of many and she has achieved so much in her time here with us. Her confidence has grown immensely and yet when she started she was in a similar situation to so many other people.

She could have put many obstacles in the way – she didn’t and now she is exactly where she wants to be.”

Find Pitman Training on Facebook or at Pitman Training Devon & Cornwall on 01752 227330

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plymouth matters

big demand for events hotel’s anniversary Anniversary celebrations at the Duke of Cornwall Hotel will feature a series of events in May as part of the first-ever Plymouth History Festival.

Special ‘behind the scenes’ historical tours of the hotel with director Walter Combstock and Jason Hirons are taking place on May 4 and May 19 – and all places have already been snapped up.

The walking tour will take in hidden rooms, corridors, passageways and give the public the chance to explore the iconic building, which this year celebrates its 150th anniversary.

a place on our behind the scenes tours and want to know more about the history of the hotel.”

During 2013 there will be six themed events, each reflecting a specific era in the hotel’s history. A contribution from each event will go to three local charities – Jeremiah’s Journey, St Luke’s Hospice and Friends and Family of Special Children.

May 1 sees the launch of ‘Tea at the Top’ – an exclusive opportunity to enjoy a champagne afternoon tea in the unique setting of the hotel’s distinctive tower with its panoramic views from 100 feet above the city.

Jason is a walking artist who will provide a narrative journey through the iconic Victorian hotel, while Walter will share memories from his 40 years working at the Duke.

The tower, which provides 360 degree views across Plymouth and The Sound, has been refurbished as part of the hotel’s anniversary celebrations and will be available for two people to enjoy incredible views that have not been available to the public for decades.

Events at the hotel in May are based on the theme of ‘Explorers’ to celebrate the fact that Sir Ernest Shackleton stayed at the hotel.

The charge for Tea at the Top will be £35 per head and will last for two hours for parties of just two people, with £5 per head going to charity.

The key event will be a talk on May 30 by Paul Davies, chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Polar Society and author of the book ‘From South Devon to South Pole’ which includes a foreword by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. His talk, entitled Sir Ernest Shackleton: Antarctic explorer and Plymouth visitor’ starts at 5.30pm and there will be a special menu for visitors who wish to stay on for dinner in the restaurant.

The exclusive promotion will only be available four times a week - with just two bookings available on Wednesdays and Sundays from 1pm to 3pm and 4pm to 6pm.

Hotel director Jon Morcom said: “We’re delighted that so many people have booked

Jon added: “The response we have received for Tea at the Top has been fantastic.

Places are being booked up rapidly. We’re now looking at the opportunity to promote this long-term as part of a package with our stunning Tower Suite.”

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to celebrate

Hotel director Walter Combstock in the original passenger lift and (below) pictured with the hydraulic ram located in the basement which used to drive the lift

Future events include an afternoon tea dance on June 16 featuring the Ken Cotton Duo while World War 2 will be remembered with a Big Band Night on August 24 featuring the Sharps and Flats ninepiece band.

Meanwhile work on preparing a special commemorative anniversary booklet is at an advanced stage. “We have carried out extensive research to source material for the publication and unearthed some interesting facts and figures,” said hotel director Walter Combstock.

“We have discovered that the hotel’s original passenger lift – now used as a service lift – is one of the oldest of its kind still in working order. Before it was converted to an electric system nearly 100 years ago it was driven by hydraulics. The system passed water through a ram to drive the gears and the ram is still situated in the hotel’s basement.”

The hotel team have also uncovered a 19th century brochure for the hotel which gives a fascinating insight into life in Victorian times. The brochure states: “For the convenience of visitors, attendants meet all trains and boats and porters are kept on duty both day and night. The corridors of the building are kept in the cold season at a pleasant temperature by a hot water apparatus.”

The brochure quoted a tariff of 5 shillings and 6 pence for a single room (about 25p!) and 11 shillings for a double. Servants of the guests were accommodated at the rate of 8 shillings and 6 pence per day while it cost 2 shillings (10p) to have a fire in the bedrooms in the evening.

“Times have certainly changed,” said Jon, “but we like to think that much of the Victorian charm and many of the original features of the hotel have been retained 150 years on.”

These include the hotel’s AA Rosette restaurant and recently-refurbished ballroom.

“We know the hotel holds many happy memories for people in Plymouth who held their wedding reception or other special occasion here and it has been great to hear some of their stories and recollections,” added Walter.

For more information call The Duke of Cornwall Hotel on 01752 275850 or visit www.dukeofcornwall.co.uk

the plymouth magazine

13

ringing the changes with contemporary wedding So, I’m out on a date recently, looking into the twinkling blue eyes of the handsome guy seated opposite me.

I reach across the table to squeeze his hand and I’m struck by the loveliness of his chunky wedding band.

There it sits on his finger as a constant reminder of the day he said ‘I do’. We’ve been married for a good few years now and I’ll often glance at that wedding ring and know that it is an outward statement of an inner committment he made to me. Of all the stuff he wears, it is my favourite part of his kit, as it speaks of his constancy and faithfulness.

In light of this, I have no hesitation in encouraging any of you out there who are considering getting married to get down to the ‘Ringing the Changes’ exhibition. It is already up and running in a bespoke jewellery shop on Plymouth’s Barbican.

I went along to 39 Southside Street to find out all about it.

What I discovered was a whole host of unique and unusual wedding pieces that really do offer the wow factor for ‘something different.’

The Victoria Sewart Contemporary Gallery is celebrating its seventh year of trading by holding this special exhibition.

Specifically showcasing a whole host of jewellery relating to weddings, the work of several internationally renowned British jewellery makers are on display.

Exhibitors include Beth Gilmour, Clara Breen, Daphne Krinos, Frank Luckham, Jacks Design, Kate Smith, Les Grimshaw, Mark Nuell, Maya Selway, Michael Carberry, Mikala Djorup,

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the plymouth magazine

Ringing The Changes – An Exhibition of Contemporary Wedding Jewellery at Victoria Sewart Gallery, Southside Street, The Barbican runs until Saturday July 13 11 am to 5pm Monday to Saturday 12pm to 5pm Sunday.

Rie Tanabe, Rhiannon Lewis, Shona Carnegie, Susan Piers and Susi Hines.

These designers all specialise in rings made from a wide variety of materials. Some follow traditional styles, others contemporary, but whatever your taste you will be sure to encounter a wide range to suit all pockets. The collections include pieces made from precious metals; diamonds, silver and gold dust, through to recycled unusual materials.

Sustainability is important with the designers using materials that are sourced as ethically as possible.

Vicky, the galleriy’s owner, recently got married herself.

Having organised her own wedding, she told me: “The bride and groom get so involved with details like choosing the photographer, the florist, the caterers etc, but why not add a new and exciting dimension by personalising their rings with individual jewellery designers?

“We also offer a service in the gallery whereby couples can make their own rings. This is an extremely romantic experience. Within approximately five hours of tuition, couples are shown how to craft their own wedding bands.”

stylish and jewellery

art matters

“Don’t be put off thinking it would be too expensive as the materials are offered at trade price.”

Here is a quote from a participating couple: “Making our own wedding rings

was a truly romantic and unifying activity to do! We are so happy and surprised at the beautiful rings that we created together and have built this into our wedding vows! We strongly recommend this workshop for engaged couples as it was so meaningful and moving for us both!”

Nema Cruse and Ed Hart (March 2012) Victoria intends to build on the exhibition annually and will involve other wedding related businesses on the Barbican.

“We have a whole host of shops and businesses down here that are geared to weddings; a bridal shop, florists, cake shops, dress makers. It really is a good area to visit if you are planning for your big day.

“Along with wedding rings, the gallery will by have other pieces on show including cuff links, Kerry Cole bridesmaid jewellery and a vast range of items that would be suitable as thank you gifts.”

For more information check out Victoria’s extensive website www.victoriasewart. com Here you can read up much more information on the designers who are taking part in the exhibition and you can see some images of their fine craftsmanship.

Victoria Sewart Contemporary Jewellery Gallery, 39 Southside Street, The Barbican, Plymouth Telephone: 01752 220011

Victoria Sewart

Kerry Cole is author of an arts style book called The Purple Veil. For more information visit www.thepurpleveil.com

the plymouth magazine

15

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taverna is popular with A family-run restaurant tucked away in Plymouth’s historic Barbican is attracting rave reviews from its customers.

Shirley Valentine’s Taverna in New Street has been run by Amanda Percival and her partner Ismail Celik – known as John – for the last four years after they moved from Wales to start their own business venture.

Amanda’s dad David and Cornish-born mum Shirley – after whom the restaurant is named – were planning to move to Plymouth when they retired. Sadly Shirley passed away eight years ago, but David pressed ahead with his plans to move to the city.

Amanda met talented Turkish chef John in Aberystwyth 12 years ago when they both lived there and they decided that Plymouth should be their new home as well.

Amanda said: “Dad started to look for premises for us to open up a catering establishment and he came across this wonderful old building which used to be the Robin Hood Club.

“It had stood empty for quite a while, but we could see the potential,” said Amanda.

“We spent almost a year refurbishing it and turning it into a cosy place where people could enjoy a leisurely meal.”

Amanda explained that they originally opened the taverna as a coffee shop with light bites and a limited range of Turkish and Greek food.

They soon found, however, that John’s culinary skills were greatly in demand and they quickly established the business as a full-blown restaurant.

Shirley Valentine’s Taverna offers a wide range of traditional Turkish and Greek specialities, along with signature dishes which John and Amanda have developed over the years.

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All the dishes are home-made using the best quality local fresh ingredients wherever possible. The taverna is open from 11am until late seven days a week and is particularly popular with couples and small parties. Breakfast and lunches are always available as part of the special daytime set menu which is available until 5pm.

The daytime menu features a meze lunch special for £7.95 which includes a non alcoholic drink, warm bread and side salad.

A two course daytime special for £12.95 is also available offering a good choice of starters and main courses.

The a la carte menu features many of the most popular Greek and Turkish dishes including dips and spread and traditional meze and starters.

Mains include moussaka, souvlaki, kleftiko and stifado and an extensive choice of fish dishes.

The most popular dish, however, is the chef’s special chicken ouzo - chicken breast marinated in John’s secret recipe

Chef Ismail ‘John’ Celik

food matters

proving so city diners marinade, cooked in special Ouzo, cream, mushroom and garlic butter sauce.

A selection of mouth-watering desserts are available - including Shirley’s chocolate mayonnaise cake, based on a special recipe which Amanda’s mum pioneered. It is filled with a rich chocolate hazelnut cream, topped with Belgian chocolate and served warm with fresh cream.

There is good selection of selection of New World wines from £12.95 a bottle, as well as a number of Turkish white, red and rose wines.

There are 36 covers upstairs in the main dining area, which features an attractive vaulted ceiling, while 12 diners can be accommodated downstairs.

Amanda is assisted front of house by restaurant manager Chanelle Ghillyer and waiters Max and Rachel. John’s son Umit is also part of the team.

One of the more unusual attractions at Shirley Valentine’s Taverna is belly dancer Amira who entertains diners every other Saturday.

Shirley Valentine’s Taverna in New Street

Proprietor Amanda Percival (rear) with restaurant manager Chanelle Ghillyer

“She’s a real hit with customers,” said Amanda, “and makes family parties and other celebrations go with a real swing!”

Shirley Valentine’s Taverna, 12 New Street, The Barbican. Tel 01752 669686 www.letseat.at/shirleyvalentinestaverna

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30th May, 5.30pm: Explorers

with a talk by Paul Davies, Chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Polar society and author of ‘From South Devon to South Pole’.

16th June: Tea Dance

Join us for a traditional war-time tea dance with the Ken Cotton Duo

Watch out for details on special events and promotions on our website: www.thedukeofcornwall.co.uk the plymouth magazine

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what’s on?

theatres & shows Theatre Royal

Royal Parade Plymouth Box Office 01752 267222 www.theatreroyal.com

Apr 2 to Apr 6 Welsh National Opera

Under the theme of free spirits, WNO presents Lulu by Berg, The Cunning Little Vixen by Janacek and Puccini’s Madame Butterfly. This is the first themed season for Artistic Director David Pountney, with each opera promising a breathtaking and rewarding night at the theatre.

Apr 9 and Apr 10 Sutra

Sutra is a collaboration between Turner Prize winning sculptor Anthony Gormley, choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and 17 practising Buddhist monks from the Shaolin Temple in China. Aged between 10 and 26, the monks follow a strict Buddhist doctrine, with kung fu and t’ai chi martial arts forming part of their daily ritual. During Sutra the monks perform such dare devil moves, you will literally see them as leaps of faith.

Drum Theatre Royal Parade Plymouth Box Office 01752 267222

Until Apr 6 Forever House

In a terrace house in Plymouth, three different couples are cautiously looking to the future. Teenager Richard is plotting his escape to art college, mum-to-be Laura has big plans for her forever home, and in the middle of

Sutra at the Theatre Royal in April features 17 practising Buddhist monks from the Shaolin Temple in China

the night, marine expert Mark has an unexpected visitor…This Drum Theatre Plymouth production is a story of buried secrets and new beginnings, a black comedy-drama that asks the question: can you ever really start again?

Barbican Theatre Castle Street, Plymouth Box Office: 01752 267131

B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre

Apr 4, May 2 and Jun 6 Ladykillaz

Apr 3, May 1 and Jun 5 Comedy Night

April’s show features Lena Smith - a local piano-based singer-songwriter, with a distinct and original style. She performs her own songs as a solo artist and with her band. A multi-instrumentalist and with a classical background,

Castle Street, Plymouth 01752 242021 www.b-bar.co.uk

Some light relief with the best standups on the UK circuit.

Mondays Voices 4 Change

Voices 4 Change is a free weekly session for 12-18 year olds that explores many of the challenges that young people face today.

Tuesdays Dance Young Apprentices

Weekly sessions to develop dance skills.

Wednesdays Theatre Young Apprentices

Weekly sessions to develop theatre skills.

Theatre Royal plans ‘pop up’ shows during summer’s building works - see story on page 23 the plymouth magazine

19

what’s on?

theatres & shows her music has broad influences. With catchy melodies, rhythmical energy and a ‘magnificent vocal range’, her music has been described as ‘a fresh modern play on a long lost golden era’.

With a wide range of pop, rock, blues, jazz and classical influences, her music ‘ticks all the boxes and, thankfully, is fresh and original enough not to fit into any of them.’ Part of a new strand of programming featuring female musicians exclusively.

Apr 5 Lisbee Stainton

Lisbee Stainton’s 2010 album ‘Girl On An Unmade Bed’ led to widespread critical acclaim, national airplay and tours across the UK and mainland Europe supporting Joan Armatrading and Paul Carrack. Lisbee is supported

by Albert Jones, an authentic British singer-songwriter with a unique modern acoustic sound.

Matt Woosey who is appearing at the B-Bar on April 12

Apr 6 Tony Law - Maximum Nonsense

Join Tony Law – Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show Nominee 2012 – for some gloriously absurd, loud and ridiculous comedy.

Apr 10, Apr 24, May 8 and May 22 Café Acoustica

Fortnightly showcase of unplugged talent, hosted by singer-songwriter Jessie Mullen.

Apr 11 Edd Lane

Hailing from a small town in Devon, somewhere near the Cornwall border, Edd Lane is a singer/songwriter with an arsenal of self-penned, modern folk tunes and popular covers.

Apr 12 Matt Woosey

National touring blues artist Matt Woosey is in the city as part of his ongoing life-long tour. He has been described as the hardest working musician in the UK, consistently playing five or six shows a week all

over the country and more recently in Europe too, where his powerful vocals and original guitar style have gained him attention at some of the largest festivals and venues.

Apr 14 Jazz Morley

Dorset girl Jazz Morley possesses a voice with such natural soulfulness beyond her 23 years of age that it possibly comes as no surprise to learn that her first public performance was the first year infants nativity play! Fast forward to the present day and we find a rich, warm, emotive voice capable of the tiniest whisper of love to the full vent of a woman scorned.

Apr 18 Nels Andrews

Nels Andrews has spent the last decade wandering, gathering songs, and singing them all over the globe, sharing them around campfires, coffee shops, clubs, festivals, and living room floors. Critically, he’s struck a nerve, earning songwriting awards from prestigious US festivals while BBC 2’s legendary DJ Bob Harris recognized his work as an album of the year.

Nels Andrew

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the plymouth magazine

Apr 19 Fujalada

This irrepressible funk band generates a wall of hot, feel-good vibes to ensure advanced body movin’ for those present. Get set for a summer party like no other, whatever the weather!

Apr 25 and May 30 Thomas Ford

Electrifying blues talent in the form of this harp-playing, hard blues singing solo performer.

Apr 26 Lost in Space

A stomping seven-piece party band, with raunchy female vocals, a full brass section, funky bass, rocking guitar and more percussion than you can shake a stick at, playing funky ska and retro grooves, all with an edge of jazz and soul.

Plymouth Pavilions Millbay Road, Plymouth Box Office: 0845 146 1460

Apr 3 and Apr 4 Wizard of Oz

A spectacular all new professional Easter pantomime version of the classic story. The cast features a host of top quality professional performers including No. 1 children’s star Tracy Beaker’s Dani Harmer in the iconic role of Dorothy. Dani also reached the Strictly Come Dancing final recently and she will be joined along the Yellow Brick Road by comedy legend Bobby Davro as Scarecrow and star of C Beebies’ MightyMites and Tikkabilla, SarahJane Honeywell.

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theatres & shows Apr 9 Simple Minds

Simple Minds are arguably one of the best live bands in the world and over a thirty year career have been responsible for some of the most innovative and enduring anthems in rock music.

Apr 11 to Apr 13 Derren Brown

The acknowledged master of psychological illusion will once again mesmerise, shock and entertain the audience.

Apr 20 Jimmy Carr - Gagging Order

Brand new show, brand new jokes, same old Jimmy! Gagging Order promises to be an hilarious night out! The show will be packed with one-liners, stories and jokes. Some clever, some rude and a few totally unacceptable. Best to leave your conscience, sense of common decency and moral compass at home and come on out for a laugh. Over 16s only.

Apr 26 Bill Bailey – Qualmpeddler

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the plymouth magazine

Bill Bailey had doubts about the modern world, but these have now grown into qualms. He will be channeling these feelings of unease and apprehension, with the help of religious dubstep, his folk bouzouki, horntallica, a re-appraisal of some of the world’s greatest works

of art and perhaps a dub version of Downton Abbey. There will be a second date on September 24.

Apr 27 Cesar Millan

Dog behaviour expert Cesar Millan returns with a brand new show, sharing his secrets on how to build happier, healthier relationships between humans and their canine companions.

Apr 29 Michael Ball

Britain’s leading musical theatre star hits stages across the UK in 2013 with his brand new tour Both Sides Now. May 18 Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis is touring the UK for the first time in three years. Since her meteoric rise to global fame, Leona’s incredible voice has captivated millions of people across the world. She’s broken countless sales records and smashed chart records universally. Performing hits from her two No.1 albums Spirit and Echo, as well as her latest CD Glassheart, this tour promises to showcase Leona Lewis at her very best!

May 19 Snooker Legends

Seven time world champion Stephen Hendry teams up with six time champion Steve Davis, to take on The Whirlwind Jimmy White and 1986 world champion Joe Johnson! Doubles and singles, only one team can win!

A once in a lifetime chance to see, and meet, four legends of the game.

John Virgo will be on hand to provide expert analysis and generally keep the crowds entertained and leading referee Michaela Tabb will officiate on this special night.

what’s on?

theatre royal goes ‘pop-up’ for the summer The Theatre Royal closes its doors at the end of April for the start of work on the £7 million capital refurbishment project.

This will see the transformation of the front of house areas of the theatre including an extended main entrance and foyer area and a new performance space in the basement of the theatre.

While the Theatre Royal gets its makeover, a ‘pop-up’ theatre is being installed at TR2, the Theatre Royal’s production and education centre in Cattedown, enabling an exciting programme of work to take place at this award winning, unique location.

The pop-up theatre will see one of the rehearsal spaces at TR2 transformed into a performance space with seating and staging that will enable a full programme of work to be presented.

This will include both professional theatre productions that would normally be in the Drum Theatre and a range of community and Creative Learning projects.

Other facilities will also be available including a licensed bar and a cafe serving light pre-show suppers which will be located in the Green Room with its stunning views over the River Plym.

The venue also offers free parking and in addition, the theatre is offering free transport to the venue from the City Centre. Full details about the pop-up theatre programme at TR2 and how to get there are available on the Theatre Royal website www.theatreroyal.com

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Highlights of the programme of work at TR2 are: May 7 to May 11 National Theatre Connections

Each year the National Theatre asks ten writers to create new plays to be performed by young theatre companies from all over the country. Ten companies will be part of a showcase festival coming to the Theatre Royal Plymouth one of 21 venues across the UK celebrating great new writing for the stage and the energy, commitment and talent of young theatremakers.

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May 22 to May 24 University Student Showcase

Students from the Theatre and Performance Department at Plymouth University will showcase an exciting range of dance and theatre practice – an evening of innovative and contemporary theatre and dance performance work.

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A tribute to 2,500 years of oration, Valentijn Dhaenens ingeniously weaves together fragments of the seminal speeches of the Grand Inquisitor and Socrates to Mohammed Ali and Osama Bin Laden, showing the tricks of rhetoric have hardly changed.

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May 28 to Jun 1 The Forest and the Field

A gently seductive, immersive piece of non-fiction storytelling which asks us to consider what we’re all doing when we meet in a theatre space. Using live demonstrations and video clips, with examples from Shakespeare to O.J. Simpson, The Forest and the Field creates a space for reflecting on theatre.

Writing, direction and sound design from Drum favourite Chris Goode. the plymouth magazine

23

what’s on?

music

box office on 01752 249988 or online at www.plymouthgilbertandsullivan.com Apr 14 Plymouth Jazz Club

Apr 5 Plymouth Area Police Choir

St Budeaux Baptist Church With the Saltash Ladies Choir. For ticket information and other enquiries contact Mr C Sharp 01752 842686.

Apr 6 Kessenyan Singers present The Military Wives Choir

St James Church, Torpoint Tickets £5 from Mrs Jennie Owens on 01752 829365 (evenings only). In aid of the Royal British Legion and the Military Wives Foundation.

Apr 9 to Apr 13 The Gondoliers

Devonport Playhouse, Plymouth Presented by the Plymouth Gilbert and Sullivan Fellowship at 7.30pm (Saturday matinee at 2.30pm).For tickets or further information call the

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the plymouth magazine

Royal British Legion, Tailyour Road, Crownhill Kevin Grenfell’s Jazz Giants – mainstream with special guest from Denmark, Paul Harrison. Admission £8 for visitors – all welcome – with concessions for members and students. Details 01752 721179 www. plymouth-jazz-club.org.uk Apr 15 Plymouth Clarion Choir

The Rees Centre, Plympton Concert for the Plympton Seniors Association. Contact Mrs Fay Hancock 01752 338618.

Apr 20 War Child Concert

Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery 13th Gala Charity Concert supporting children who are victims of war. Further details: jeaniemooremvo@aol.com or 01752 770345.

Apr 20 Plymouth University Student Composers Concert

University of Plymouth Sherwell Centre Plymouth University Student Sinfonia and Guests Jason Mitchell - conductor, Jennifer Harris - artistic director.

Programme to include: Maury van Loon: Alpha; David Everson: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra; Jason Mitchell: Mythology Odessey: A Symphonic Poem; Jennifer Harris: The Da Vinci Suite Movement 4: Mirror ; Songs and choruses from The Sound of Roses.

Tickets free. Parting donations invited toward concert costs.

Apr 21 and May 26 Carlton Big Band

Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club, Madeira Road, The Hoe Tickets £8 on the door or £7 in advance from: RPCYC - 01752 664327 Bookings available for carvery and light lunches also available.

Apr 21 Plymouth Jazz Club

Royal British Legion, Tailyour Road, Crownhill Chris Pearce’s Frenchmen Street

with Richard Leach - New Orleans and more! Admission £8 for visitors – all welcome – with concessions for members and students. Details 01752 721179 www.plymouth-jazz-club.org.uk Apr 27 SPiA Classical Masters Series

St Andrew’s Church, Royal Parade.

Ten Tors Orchestra, Simon Ible conductor, Leland Chen - violin.

Programme includes Beethoven: Coriolan Overture; Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor; Haydn: Symphony

Acclaimed guitarist Will McNicol be presenting ‘The Wake Up’ at the Sherwell Centre on May 11

No.104 ‘London’. Details 01752 585050. www.peninsula-arts.co.uk May 3 Clarion Choir

St Budeaux Parish Church Contact Mrs Blackler 01752 362931 May 9 Sydney Male Voice Choir

Saltash Wesley Church with the Saltash Ladies Choir. Tickets 01752 843073 May 9 Plymouth University Orchestra

St Andrew’s Church, Royal Parade, Plymouth Conductor Rupert Bond with Nadia Lasserson - piano. Featuring Borodin: Excerpts from Symphony No.2; Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnole; Rupert Bond: Piano Concertino Premiere; Saint Saens: Danse Macabre; Britten: Simple Symphony for Strings ...and music for strings, woodwind and brass. Tickets free.

Parting donation invited towards concert costs.

May 11 Will McNicol The Wake Up

University of Plymouth Sherwell Centre The Wake Up is the new album by award-winning guitarist and composer Will McNicol and features original compositions played on both nylon and steel-strung guitars. Described as ‘flawless’ by Guitarist Magazine, Will’s

playing takes inspiration from a large variety of genres and combines his love of Celtic melody and rhythm with intricate classical phrasing and technique. Tickets and details from 01752 585050 or visit www.peninsula-arts.co.uk May 16 The Chamber Ensemble of London

Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery Director Peter Fisher and the Ensemble as part of the 21st International Concert Series. Featuring works by Telemann; Vivaldi; Monteverdi; J.S. Bach; Rossini; Britten and Clive Jenkins. Tickets £20 from the Museum Shop (Tue Sat) or from www.wegottickets.com/ event/207384 May 18 Proms Concert: England’s Green and Pleasant Land

St Andrew’s Church, Royal Parade, Plymouth Featuring the Ten Tors Orchestra & University of Plymouth Choral Society, Simon Ible - conductor, Sally Harrison soprano, Sarah Pring - mezzo-soprano, Nathan Vale - tenor, Alexander Robin Baker - baritone. Includes traditional proms anthems Rule Britannia!, Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory.

Tickets £12, £10 Friends of Peninsula Arts & Ten Tors Orchestra, £5 students & children SPiA from Peninsula Arts, Plymouth University 01752 585050. www.peninsula-arts.co.uk

curtain up in devonport A celebration of 25 years of productions at the Devonport Playhouse by the City of Plymouth Theatre Company takes place in May. They will be presenting ‘Curtain Up!’ – The Sound of Musicals from Wednesday May 1 to Saturday May 4 at 7.30pm each day with a matinee on Saturday at 2.30pm.

Tickets are £12 for adults, £10 for seniors and £8 for children. For tickets and information call the box office on 01752 560726 or visit www. plymouththeatrecompany.com

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what’s on?

enjoy a day at the races with some great offers at newton abbot racecourse The new horseracing season jumped into action at Newton Abbot Racecourse over the Easter weekend heralding the start of another action-packed list of fixtures and money-saving offers at the Devon course.

The 2013 season started with the family-favourite Easter fixture where the first 200 children through the gate receiving a free Easter egg. The Family Enclosure in the centre of the course was open with inflatables and giant games to keep the children entertained.

Plus, all children aged 16 or under, and students with a valid student ID card, can once again enjoy free entry to every fixture at Newton Abbot Racecourse this year.

The free entry policy for children and students is just one of a number of moneysaving offers which will be available this year. The ever-popular 2-4-1 Super Monday Special offer returns, where racegoers can enjoy two Paddock Enclosure tickets for the price of one for all Monday fixtures when purchased a week in advance.

This season also sees two sets of back-to-back fixtures with an evening double on August 21 and 22 and the Summer Festival weekend on August 31 and September 1. To mark these fixtures, Newton Abbot is running an early-bird promotion where racegoers can enjoy a Paddock Enclosure ticket for two consecutive fixtures for just

26

the plymouth magazine

£25 instead of £36 when purchased at least one month in advance.

Following its success last year, Newton Abbot will be holding another self-funded fixture this season on Saturday August 8 where the racecourse will be offering a £100,000 prize fund.

Keen racegoers can revel in the excitement of watching some of the country’s top summer jumps horses compete in the racecourse’s richest fixture. To celebrate, the racecourse is again running a £10 ticket promotion for the August fixture when purchased before June 3.

Regulars at Newton Abbot can also enjoy the benefits of a new addition to the racing experience with the installation of a giant TV screen in the centre of the course for all fixtures this season. The giant screen will now offer the very best view of the day’s racing to those watching in the grandstands.

For those looking for an afternoon at the races with a difference, Ladies’ Day will return to Newton Abbot on June 25. Ladies and gents are invited to don their finery for a chance to compete for the coveted title of Best Dressed Lady, Best Dressed Gent and Best Hat and take home some great prizes.

Alongside the standard Course and Paddock Enclosure, tickets are also on sale for the VIP Marquee where guests can enjoy a two-course summer buffet, fashion show and charity raffle alongside the evening’s racing.

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Contact us today for more information or any advice ‘Ringing The Changes’ An Exhibition of Contemporary Wedding Jewellery

Tickets for all 2013 fixtures are on sale now. For more information about fixtures, money-saving offers and to buy tickets, visit Newton Abbot Racecourse’s newlook website at www.newtonabbotracing.com where you can also join the email database to be kept up-to-date on all of the latest news and offers from the course.

Alternatively, call 01626 353 235.

Fixtures at Newton Abbot Racecourse in 2013: Sunday July 21 Tuesday April 23 Saturday August 3 Thursday May 9 Wednesday August 21 - evening Monday May 20 Thursday August 22 - evening Tuesday May 28 Saturday August 31 Wednesday June 5 Sunday September 1 Monday June 10 Tuesday September 24 Tuesday June 25 - evening Monday September 30 Monday July 8 Friday October 11 Monday July 15

Private view on 15th March at the gallery and the exhibition will run for 3 months.

There is nowhere else locally that specialises in contemporary (not ‘high street’), wedding jewellery. The gallery will be showcasing over 10 new designers, specialising in rings from a wide range of metals and materials, both traditional and more contemporary and precious and more affordable.

“Making our own wedding rings was a truly romantic and unifying activity to do! We are so happy and surprised at the beautiful rings that we created together and have built this into our wedding vows! We strongly recommend this workshop for engaged couples as it was so meaningful and moving

for us both!"

For more Jewellery, Online Shop and Jewellery Workshops (Including “Make Your Own Wedding Rings”) visit us at: www.victoriasewart.com 39 Southside Street, The Barbican, Plymouth 01752 220011

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27

what’s on?

over 100 events planned for m

celebratin city’s history a Plymouth’s first-ever history festival will take place in May 2013.

The aim of the festival is to highlight and celebrate Plymouth’s unique history and heritage. The programme will feature over 100 different events for people of all ages and interests throughout the month.

The festival programme includes displays, talks, guided walks, tours, family-friendly workshops and special events such as Local Studies Day, Lord Mayor’s Day, Museums at Night and the official opening ceremony for Devonport Column.

Nearly 50 different local organisations and heritage providers are contributing to the programme along with a number of city council departments.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the level of interest and enthusiasm that everyone has shown so far. Our original aim was to bring together a number of historical events that happen in the city under one banner in order to provide people with as many opportunities as possible to take pride in and celebrate their local heritage,” said Councillor Peter Smith, deputy leader of the council.

“The programme is huge, with events on offer for all different ages and interests. It also features a wide variety of locations from Crownhill, North Prospect, Stonehouse and Devonport, to the Hoe, the Barbican, the City Centre, Plympton and Plymstock. All the event providers seem to have really embraced the Festival and I’m sure local residents and visitors will too.”

Full details of all the events can be found on the festival website at Local people can also stay up to date with developments by signing up to www.facebook.com/plymhistoryfest and www.twitter.com/plymhistoryfest Highlights of the festival include: Local Studies Day May 4 Robbins Conference Centre, Plymouth University 9am to 4.30pm Traditional May Fair May 4 and 5 Mount Edgcumbe House and Gardens 10am to 4pm.

Devonport Naval Heritage Centre Open Days May 6 and May 19 Granby Way, Devonport 10am to 5pm Family History Day May 11 Central Library 10am to 4pm Smeaton’s Sea Shanties May 11 Smeaton’s Tower 10.30am to 11.30am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm

Musical Merrimen

songs at the Elizabthan Ho atmosphere in one of the ci book.

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the plymouth magazine

All Things Vintage& tage &Lovely

may

ng and heritage

Royal William Yard in the 19th century. On Sunday May 26 there will be a Royal William Yard Walk and Talk from 2.30pm to 4pm.

Meet outside the Gate, Royal William Yard, Stonehouse, Plymouth PL1 3RP led by Nigel Overton, city and maritime heritage curator, for a guided walk and talk where you’ll find out more about the history of the former Royal Naval supplies yard. Admission is free but advance booking is essential on 01752 304774.

EST THE BIGG FAIR IN VINTAGE H WEST! THE SOUT

The Guildhall Royal Parade Ply�outh PL1 2AD

www.missivy.co.uk

Satu

rday Over 70 Vintage, Ret�o 27th Apr & Handmade Giſt Stalls il 10:30am - 4:30pm £1.50 FREE Huge selection of vintage for unde r 16s fashion, shabby chic f�r�it�re and homeware Live music: Miss Cher�� Bomb Shabby chic f�r�it�re painting Have your photo taken in demos by Kitt� Rose Interiors our Vintage Photobooth Real-life Vintage Room Display

Tea Room by

Charit� Raffle

‘Oh So Vintage’ Fashion Show

by Vintage Meets at 1:30pm

/MissIvyEvents missivyevents@aol.co.uk tel. 01803 213837

Spring Garden Tour

Devonport Column Opening Ceremony May 11 10.30am to 12 noon with open access to the column from 12 noon to 4pm. Opening party in Devonport Guildhall at 9pm.

Museums at Night: Tudors at Twilight May 17 Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery 6pm to 9pm Lord Mayor’s Day: Plymouth’s Hidden History May 18 Parade begins at 1pm Plymouth City Centre Humanities and Performing Arts Showcase May 21 to May 23 Roland Levinsky Building from 6pm each day Treasure Hunt May 22 Plympton Library 10.30am to 12.30pm Royal William Yard Walk and Talk May 26 Meet outside the Gate, Royal William Yard, Stonehouse 2.30pm to 4pm Freedom History Day May 28, Freedom Fields Park, Plymouth (meet at the cafe) 12pm onwards Musical Merriment May 28 2.30pm to 3.30pm and May 30 10.30am to 11.30am at the Elizabethan House, 32 New Street, The Barbican, Plymouth The History of Plymouth Schools May 30 Ford Park Cemetery Visitor Centre 10.30am to 3.30pm Open Grounds May 31 Crownhill Fort, Crownhill Fort Road, Plymouth 12pm to 7pm

nt – Listen to local folk band ‘Tobacco Road’ perform some of their favourite ouse on the Barbican on May 28 and May 30. At the same time soak up the ity’s most historic properties. Standard admission applies but there is no need to

Wednesday 10th April 2013 - 2pm to 3.30pm

Take a tour of our Grade I listed gardens and historic buildings while they are surrounded by beautiful spring blooms. Tickets cost £4.00 per person.

Check www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk for more events All tickets should be booked in advance by contacting: Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park Tel: 01752 822236 email: mt.edgcumbe@plymouth.gov.uk the plymouth magazine

29

what’s on?

all things vintage at big guildhall event in april After the huge success of the ‘All things Vintage & Lovely’ fair in September, organisers are now returning to the Guildhall in Royal Parade on Saturday April 27.

Plymouth

HOST FAMILIES WANTED Earn £91 per week for hosting young people learning English with us for 1-2 weeks.

Other host categories wanted include: Executive and Business (£280, £140 per week respectively) We also provide work experience programmes for adults and would like to hear from businesses interested in hosting a graduate.

Contact David Lindsay or Jill Darton on:

01752 251688

Tellus Group Ltd Swarthmore Centre, Mutley Plain, Plymouth, PL4 6LF Email: info@tellusgroup.co.uk

The fair, which runs from 10.30am to 4.30pm is now the biggest in the South West with over 70 vintage, retro, antique and handmade stalls.

There will be a huge selection of vintage fashion sellers including Vintage Meets, Vintage & Retro and lots more. All eras are covered from the 1920s up to the 1980s.

Vintage Meets are also organising a spectacular ‘Oh So Vintage Fashion Show’ at 1.30pm in the main hall.

Shabby Chic painting demonstrations will be shown throughout the day. This runs alongside a vintage room set up where visitors can get lots of ideas for their homes.

Miss Cherry Bomb will be singing live and some jive dancers showing the audience how it is done!

There is also the chance to have a photo taken in the Vintage Photo Booth and get all glammed up in the Beauty Parlour. A tea room by Jo Jo’s Home Bakery returns with mouthwatering cakes and cream teas.

There will also be a charity raffle for Help the Heroes. Entry is £1.50 (under 16’s free).

For more details see www.missivy.co.uk

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major events League 2 Football

Apr 6 Argyle v Cheltenham Apr 20 Argyle v Rotherham

Championship Rugby

Apr 13 Albion v Newcastle

British Basketball League

Apr 6

Raiders v Worcester

Premier Speedway League

Apr 5 Apr 12 Apr 20 Apr 26 May 10 May 18 May 24

Devils v Rye House (Cup) Devils v Ipswich (Cup) Devils v Somerset (Cup) Devils v Newcastle (KO Cup) Devils v Scunthorpe Devils v Edinburgh Devils v Leicester

Apr 4 to Apr 7 Continental Market

City Centre The hugely popular Continental Market is returning as part of a series of street

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markets being held in Plymouth City Centre. Featuring a wide variety of delicious produce brought to the city by traders from across the globe.

Apr 8 to Apr 13 National Bible Exhibition

The Guildhall, Plymouth The exhibition includes a display of ancient and modern Bibles, 13th Century manuscript facsimile of the first printed Bible, a 16th Century scroll, replicas of archaeological artefacts, video presentations, quizzes and adult and children’s trails. The purpose of the exhibition is to bring to the attention of people this important book, its history and contents, and its universal and timeless message.

Apr 28 Plymouth Half Marathon

The Plymouth Half Marathon is well known for its fantastic atmosphere where thousands of supporters line the scenic route which finishes in the historic area of The Hoe with a backdrop of Smeaton’s Tower. The course takes runners along the promenade with views

of the seafront, picturesque Barbican and through the green Saltram Park.

The great course, good reputation and atmosphere ensure that this iconic Plymouth race attracts everyone from local, national and international athletes as well as beginners, club runners and charity runners.

amazing sounds of dawn birdsong within the gardens of the estate. Meeting at Barrow Car Park at 4:30am, the walk will take approximately two and half hours and finish off with breakfast and cost £6.50 per person. Suitable walking shoes and warm clothing is a must, and don’t forget the binoculars!

May 1 to May 31 Plymouth History Festival

May 12 Sky Ride 2013

Over 100 special events celebrating Plymouth’s heritage and history. See full details on pages 28 and 29.

May 4 and May 5 Traditional May Fair

Mount Edgcumbe Maypole dancing, morris dancing, archery, clay pigeon shooting, medieval jousting, coconut shy and lots of stalls selling goodies. Starts at 10am until 4pm.

May 11 Dawn Chorus

Mount Edgcumbe Awaken to the delights of the avian world here at Mount Edgcumbe. Join our expert guide to experience the

Central Park The free event is part of a national campaign to get more people cycling regularly, inspiring and helping people to get back on their bikes to re-discover the fun they can have. Last year 7,000 people took part in the event and due to its popularity it will return again this year. More information at www. visitplymouth.co.uk May 18 Lord Mayor’s Day

City Centre This popular annual event will again be taking place, welcoming the new Lord Mayor into their role. ‘Plymouth’s Hidden History’ is the theme for this year’s Lord Mayor’s Day and will see

what’s on?

the whole city centre come alive in a celebration of music, fun and a colourful carnival costumed procession. The day will include a walking parade from Plymouth University, through the city centre finishing on the Piazza, where a programme of local entertainment will be taking place.

FASTNET TO FINISH IN PLYMOUTH Plymouth has once again been chosen to host the finish of the prestigious Rolex Fastnet Race in 2013.

A total of 300 yachts have signed up for the event, with the fastest boats expected to cross the line on August 13 - coinciding with the first night of the British Fireworks Championships. A total of 3000 crew will be involved.

Pictured here is Ian Walker’s Volvo 70, sponsored by Abu Dhabi which set the fastest time ever for a monohull in the 2011 race

family events Events at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Drake Circus The Imaginators

Admission free. Booking essential. Free, fun creative learning sessions for preschool children and their parents/carers.

10.30am to 11.30am or 1pm to 2pm on Wednesdays (term time only). Advance booking is essential. Call 01752 304665 to reserve your place.

Wild About Plymouth

Big Beach Fossil Hunt Apr 28 12pm to 4pm. Charmouth Beach, Dorset.

Admission Free. No need to book. Come to Dorset for the day as ‘Wild About Plymouth’ goes the extra mile! Hunt for ammonites, belemnites and maybe an ichthyosaur skeleton! Our natural history experts will give you the help you need to be the next great fossil hunter. Bring some warm clothes, a packed lunch and keen

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33

what’s on?

family events eyes. Fossil hunting hammers and goggles can be hired or purchased from the beach shop, although they’re not essential. There are toilets and a cafe at the beach if you need them. Fingers crossed everyone will return home with a fossil! There is a pay and display car park on Charmouth Beach. Head for Charmouth and follow the signs for the beach along Lower Sea Lane. Meet in the car park on Charmouth Beach.

Creatures from the Past May 11 11am to 2pm Buckfastleigh Caves, Buckfastleigh, Devon. £5 per adult £2.50 per child/ under 5s free. Advance booking is essential. Join the team to see and hold fossil bones of hyenas, rhinos, bison and hippos that lived around Buckfastleigh Hill 120,000 years ago when the climate was very warm. The caves are part of a conservation area and home to over 1000 bats. Learn the secret lives of our bats, walk ancient

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pathways, see where earthquakes happened, volcanoes erupted and enjoy some family friendly activities.

Refreshments will be provided, but bring a packed lunch. Please wear long trousers and sensible shoes. Parking is available at the Caves site. Meet at the William Pengelly Museum entrance at Buckfastleigh Caves (TQ11 0DY).

you see on display at the City Museum and Art Gallery.

Holiday Activities

Make and Take

Family friendly drop-in workshops aimed at primary school aged children although younger siblings are welcome.

All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Stay for as little or as long as you wish.

Animal Magic Apr 3 10.30am to 1pm (last entries at 12.30pm) Make a mask in the shape of an Easter bunny or other animal in this drop-in family-friendly workshop at the City Museum and Art Gallery.

Keep Your Hat On Apr 4 10.30am to 1pm (last entries at 12.30pm) Make an Easter-themed hat inspired by the collections at the City Museum and Art Gallery.

Nest Friends Apr 10 10.30am to 1pm (last entries at 12.30pm) Create a bird’s nest inspired by what

Put it on Paper Apr 11 10.30am to 1pm (last entries at 12.30pm) Devise some designs for paper plates and cups based on the ceramic collections and ‘Gordon Baldwin: Objects for a Landscape’ exhibition at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery.

Make something then take it home with our seasonal creative sessions aimed at children aged five to 11 (all of whom must be accompanied by a responsible adult). Sessions run from 11am to 12 noon and 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Admission is free. Advance booking is essential on 01752 304774. Call on the day to see if any last-minute places are available - although there is no guarantee any will remain.

Daddy Cool June 15 11am to 12pm, 1.30pm to 2.30pm Father’s Day is on June 16 this year.

Come in and make little hand made gifts to give to your dad on his special day.

Family Events

Museums at Night: Tudors at Twilight May 17

6pm to 9pm Admission free - no need to book. Meet re-enactors and find out more from them about what life was like in Tudor times. Enjoy a range of fun arts and crafts activities including helping to create a giant 3D map of Tudor Plymouth. Admission is free and there is no need to book. Drop in for as little or as long as you like.

Hidden History Hats May 18 10am to 1pm (last entries at 12.30pm) Admission free - no need to book

May 27 Seashore Explorer

Join the rangers to explore the creatures of the deep, and not so deep at Mount Edgcumbe. Starting at 1pm the event will run across low tide.

Explore the huge amount of sea life that lives above and below the low water mark. Appropriate footwear and wet weather gear is a must for this event.

Tickets £4 per child (all children must be accompanied by an adult, maximum three children per adult).

TR2 12 Neptune Park, Plymouth 01752 230575

Apr 2 to Apr 5 Easter Eggstravaganza!

Plymouth has links to many famous people throughout history including artists, entrepreneurs, seafarers and explorers. Come in and find out more about some of these fascinating characters and make a hat inspired by them before the Lord Mayor’s Day parade begins. Drop in for as little or as long as you like but please be patient with us if sessions are busy as activities are organised on a first come, first served basis!

Mount Edgcumbe Cremyll 01752 822236

Apr 24 Back to the Tudors

11.30am to 12.30pm Discover why Mount Edgcumbe House was so modern and unique when it was built. Look at the collections to find out more about this fascinating period in history. Tickets cost £5 per person and include entry to the House and Earls Garden on the day.

Make a musical in a week! 5-7 year olds can get hooked on a new version of the classic Grimms Brothers tale The Fisherman & His Wife, while 8-11 year olds can take part in The Last Dodo about what happened to the last of this unique species. Both musicals are packed full of brilliant songs, movement, dance and drama. To book contact the Box Office on 01752 267222.

Apr 2, Apr 16 and Apr 30 TR2 Backstage Tours

See the unrivalled set, costume,

prop-making and rehearsal facilities at the award-winning TR2 building in Cattedown, as well as learn more about the Creative Learning team, who provide one of the biggest education and outreach programmes for a regional venue in the UK. To book contact the Box Office on 01752 267222 Starting Apr 22 Young Company and People’s Company

Weekly workshops in theatre and performance are run on a term by term basis, open to anyone regardless of previous experience. Membership gives direct access to work on exciting projects including Young Company and People’s Company shows. There are also regular opportunities to develop your skills through regular workshops in theatre, dance, singing and theatre design. The Young Company is open to anyone aged between 5 and 25, and the People’s Company is for anyone aged 18 and over. For information 01752 230379.

Check First: We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our listings, but we recommend that you check details first to avoid disappointment.

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35

Could you do with a helping hand?

what’s on?

Talk to Extra Help for the complete solution

We can help with: • Cleaning & tidying • Ironing • Gardening • Dog walking • Household maintenance • Shopping • Meal preparation ….and so much more!

From £10 per hour.

Tel: 0845 219 8973

TM

www.extra-help.co.uk

exhbitions & other events Events at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Drake Circus Various dates Art Bite Tours and History Bite Tours

Fancy spending your lunchtime taking a bite-sized look at the museum’s collections and changing exhibitions?

Then join the museum team at 1pm for a 30-minute tour. Unless stated otherwise, no two tours are the same - so even if you’ve been before there is always a reason to come back!

Admission is free but places are limited. Please collect a ticket from the Welcome Desk or contact the museum and they will post or put one aside for you. Everyone who attends receives a voucher for a 20% discount in the café afterwards, so you can grab yourself a quick bite to eat too!

Art Bite Tours

Apr 17 Women in Art: Behind the Canvas Apr 24 Gordon Baldwin and his Career History Bite Tours

let us clean your oven… so you don’t have to!

before

May 1 From 17th Century Portraiture to the Pre-Raphaelites May 8 Plymouth Uncovered May 15 Plymouth: Port and Place May 25 Stories from the Stores

fhrobecleean

ur first with yo lean!

oven c

after

call neil on: 01752 590102

neil.thurston@ovenrescue.co.uk www.ovenrescue.co.uk/plymouth

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the plymouth magazine

Until April 7 Timmy Mallett

An exhibition of Timmy Mallett’s work at Residence No 1, Royal William Yard, Plymouth until April 7 from 10am to 8pm every day including Sundays.

Until April 13 Ida Kar: Bohemian Photographer

In 1960 Ida Kar became the first photographer to have a retrospective exhibition at a major London art gallery.

Despite receiving public and critical acclaim from her contemporaries, she is surprisingly unknown today, yet she was instrumental in encouraging the acceptance of photography as a fine art and her subjects included some of the most celebrated figures from the literary and art worlds of 1950s and 1960s Europe and Russia. This exhibition will be drawn from the Ida Kar Archive, acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in 1999 and will include around 40 of her portraits. A number of the artists Kar photographed are represented in the Museum’s permanent collections

and selected works by them will also be on display.

Until May 11 Gordon Baldwin: Objects for a Landscape

This major touring exhibition from York Museums Trust celebrates the achievements of Gordon Baldwin OBE, one of the most important ceramic artists of our time. It will include around 100 works shown alongside related drawings, collages and photographs.

Apr 27 to June 29 The Making of a Modern City

Celebrate the 70th anniversary of Abercrombie and Watson’s ‘Plan for Plymouth’ and get a unique insight into the reconstruction of the city following heavy bombing during World War 2.

The museum’s staff will be delving into the archive collections for this exhibition to reveal previously unseen documents, plans and images that record the people, politics and places that shaped the city we know today.

Contemporary Craft Workshop

Apr 27 Printed China 10.30am to 3.30pm £25 per person A screenprinting workshop. Create designs inspired by the china in the museum’s collections. Cut and tear paper to make stencils for screen printing. Use your designs to print onto tea towels, tote bags and papers.

Experiment with colour and texture using water based printing inks. During the day you will have the opportunity to make a bag and a tea towel plus other experimental and samples pieces on both paper and fabric. To book please send a cheque for £25 made payable to H. Round to Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Drake Circus, Plymouth.

Special events at historic sites

May 11 Smeaton’s Sea Shanties 10.30am to 11.30am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm Listen to local salty sea dogs ‘Tobacco Road’ perform some authentic sea shanties while you look around the landmark lighthouse.

May 28 Musical Merriment at the Elizabethan House 3.30pm May 30 Musical Merriment at the Merchant’s House 10.30am Listen to local folk band ‘Tobacco Road’ perform some of their favourite songs as you soak up the atmosphere in one of the city’s most historic properties.

Standard admission applies to three events but there is no need to book.

food matters

recipe of the month sponsored by riverford organic

roasted asparagus with hazelnut dressing Serves 4 750g asparagus 75g whole hazelnuts 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp hazelnut or walnut oil 1 tbsp white wine or balsamic vinegar salt & pepper Preheat the oven to 180ËšC. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and place in the oven to toast for about 10 mins. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 220ËšC, ready for the asparagus. Place the nuts in a clean tea towel, fold the towel over and rub so that the skins come away from the nuts. Coarsely chop or lightly blitz the nuts in a food processor and keep to one side.

To make the dressing, place the nut oil, half the olive oil and the vinegar in a small bowl add salt and pepper to season. Whisk until combined and set to one side.

Place the asparagus spears on a baking tray, toss with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for about 12 mins, until they are just lightly browning and tender. If the spears are small they will take less time to cook, so keep an eye on them. Transfer the asparagus to a warm serving dish and drizzle over the dressing. Sprinkle over the hazelnuts and serve.

for more information and recipes visit www.riverford.co.uk call ian + emma on 01752 790703 the plymouth magazine

37

fashion matters

designer wedding dresses for that dream day According to research, the average wedding will cost around £16,000 in 2013. Although a sizeable sum, this is still several thousand pounds less than it was a few years ago, as couples become more thrifty in their wedding planning.

Research also reveals that the average price of the bride’s dress is likely to be around £1,000, which means that brides-to-be continue to look for more affordable options.

That picture is highlighted by Bev Saunders of Bee Bee Gowns in West Park, Plymouth where they have been stocking a range of designer wedding dresses for the last eight years.

Bev said: “Weddings have certainly changed over the years. Traditional weddings are perhaps not as popular as they used to be, mainly because of the cost.

“A lot of the couples who come to us are planning smaller, low-key occasions and working within quite tight budgets.

We have also seen an increase in destination weddings which have the potential advantage of combining the ceremony with the honeymoon.

“Cost is certainly a big factor these days and that’s why we have concentrated on stocking affordable dresses which are hand-picked from selected designers.”

Bev said that Bee Bee Gowns offer a range of exclusive wedding dresses averaging between £350 and £500 in price, which are increasingly popular in these difficult economic times.

“But we don’t compromise on quality or customer service. Being an independent, specialist business we are able to keep our costs down.

“A lot of people wrongly believe that because we are a specialist wedding dress and gowns shop that our prices are out of their reach, but we get told time and again that our prices are very competitive.

“Because we have dresses in stock from size 2 to size 28, a bride-to-be doesn’t have to wait months and months for the dress to be delivered. We can alter or modify the dress to suit the customer’s taste if needed and also offer the full range of accessories, such as balero jackets, cap sleeves, chiffon sleeves, veils, tiaras and wedding jewellery.

“We also stock detachable trains which means the bride and groom can dance the night away without having to worry.”

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Bee Bee Gowns also offer a variety of bridesmaid dresses in a range of colours. They are suitable for

The designer wedding dress above is made of full taffata with corset bonice and adorned sequence and beads and costs £449. The lined and boned chiffon wedding dress below is just £299

Bev Saunders and assistant manager Jaz Boltwood with one of Bee Bee Gowns designer wedding dresses and bridesmaid dress

bridesmaids of all ages and average around £150 each. Dresses for the mother of the bride are also available.

“Our styles are contemporary and glamorous to help make the day feel very special for everyone,” she added. “We offer a very personal service and are able to give professional advice based on our years of experience. We have customers who come from as far away as London and Manchester for our exclusive designs.”

Bev had a word of warning for people thinking of buying a prom dress - or even a wedding dress - on the internet. “They may look attractive because of the low price, but sizes vary all over the world. You could order a size 12 and discover when it’s delivered that it’s equivalent to a size 10.

“You can’t send it back, so it’s then a question of expensive alterations - or buying another dress altogether. There is also the potential addition of having to pay import tax. I have heard some horrific stories about the poor quality of dresses made in some countries. It really isn’t worth the risk.”

Bee Bee Gowns 434 Crownhill Road, West Park, Plymouth Tel: 01752 350 305 www.beebeegowns.co.uk

for SeptBook now ember

• • • •

Long established Christian nursery Qualified Early Years Teachers on staff Most staff first aid trained Home cooked meals prepared on site by our own chef • Outdoor play areas • Open 7.45am – 6pm • Drop off point by the front and rear entrances.

Open Monday - Friday 7.45am - 6.00pm Take a look at our website for further details or call Liz to make an appointment to come and visit us.

Roundabout Nursery Embankment Rd Plymouth PL49HP T: 01752 229563 E: liz@plymouthchristiancentre.org www. plymouthchristiancentre.org Free Nursery Education funding for 3-4year olds

Term-time only option available

Me2 funding

Childcare Vouchers the plymouth magazine

39

travel matters

try something different and get on track with a railway holiday There are so many advantages living in the West Country, but transport links to the rest of the UK and Europe isn’t one of them.

Unfortunately, Plymouth Airport is still closed and we seem to be flying to fewer destinations from Exeter compared to previous years.

Newquay and Bristol Airport are other alternatives to fly from, but you are still over an hour away from Plymouth before your holiday begins.

Have you ever thought of a holiday by rail? This year there is no question that ‘rail holiday’ bookings have increased dramatically, and offer the traveller many different itineraries.

Television programmes have always influenced the pattern of holidays. This year Africa has been popular due to the David Attenborough series and rail journeys because of the Michael Portillo series ‘Great British Rail Journeys’ and ‘Great Continental Rail Journeys.’

Travelling by rail can be very relaxing, giving you a chance to see more of the scenery in a comfortable environment. Linking through the Channel tunnel it is possible to experience most of Europe travelling through France to Italy, Germany, Scandinavia and the Baltic.

‘Great Rail Journeys’, a fast expanding tour operator, have a wonderful choice of holidays by rail, with departures from Plymouth. You may have seen many of their advertisements in the national newspapers and wondered where you can book their holidays?

I am pleased to announce that here at Peter Goord Travel we can now book any Great Rail Journeys and Treyn holidays at the prices advertised nationally, but with our local service. Please give us a call if you would like more information, to check availability, or if you would like to reserve a copy of their 2013 brochure.

There are many of us that really want to go on holiday but, due to a medical condition or fear of flying, struggle to come up with a choice of trip apart from cruising, coaching or a British break. A rail holiday is

By Travel that perfect alternative, Expert but as many of you know Anthony Goord the biggest problem when travelling by rail is taking your luggage with you. I have been on numerous journeys between Plymouth and London, and seen those travelling with large suitcases having problems storing them.

Passengers often stand in the corridor so they can be with their luggage. This, I’m sure, would deter you from booking a lovely holiday knowing that you have to lift heavy bags on and off trains.

At Peter Goord Travel we have a company that can solve your luggage problem in an instance. ‘The Baggageman’ will collect your suitcases from your home and take them to the chosen destination. After breakfast, on your last day, you leave your luggage with the porter/concierge and they will be collected and brought home for you. Within the UK the cost is only £58 for one case or £90 for two. For trips abroad, with destinations such as Italy and Spain, it is £144 for one case up to 20kgs, and £244 for two. This service can be used for all holidays, but clients booking rail holidays or river/ Mediterranean cruises would benefit the most.

The additional cost of the ‘Baggageman service’ would not substantially increase the overall cost of the holiday, and would make it a much more relaxing and less stressful experience from the beginning. This service can now be booked with any holiday we offer. Don’t be put off travelling because you, or a member of your family, cannot physically carry luggage. The ‘Baggageman’ will make it possible to enjoy the holiday of your dreams. Happy holidays!

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Kuoni have named Peter Goord Travel as their ‘agent of the year’ in recognition of its outstanding dedication to customer service and in-depth knowledge of the Kuoni product range.

Pictured here with the award are (from left) manager Andrea James, Kelly Price, Leanne Tregidgo and Kelly James

Peter Goord Travel Tel 01752 364186 Plymouth Mag Advert_2013.pdf 1 05/03/2013 14:07 www.petergoordtravel.co.uk

GARAGEDOORS Unit 11, Chantry Court | Marshall Road | Plympton | Plymouth | Devon | PL7 1YB C

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01752 338990 sales@westcountygaragedoors.net www.westcountrygaragedoors.net the plymouth magazine

41

travel matters

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new travel centre opened by citybus Plymouth Citybus has opened its brand new Travel Centre in the heart of Plymouth.

Citybus, which is part of the Go-Ahead Group, has invested £175,000 in the new travel centre in Royal Parade at a time where investment in the high street is at an all time low.

The state-of-the-art Travel Centre also comes with driver facilities on the upper floors, meaning the investment benefits both the customer and the Citybus employees.

The official opening took place on March 1 with members of the Plymouth Military Wives Choir singing and local councillors cutting the ribbon. There was also a huge blimp being flown over the Travel Centre, guiding people to it.

Plymouth Citybus managing director Richard Stevens said: “The opening of the new Travel Centre is a big step forward for us and the city; we have brought our retail outlet to the forefront of our operation on Royal Parade.

“We have also maximised the building’s capacity by moving our employees’ rest facilities from the tired Bretonside site to the upper floors of the Travel Centre.”

Charles Howeson, chairman of Plymouth Area Business Council, said that the decision by Citybus to invest in the new facility was a mark of the company’s commitment to the city and to its customers.

“This is a very significant day for Citybus and the city alike,” he said, “On behalf of the business community and the people of Plymouth I offer my sincere congratulations and thanks to Citybus for this major investment.”

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The Travel Centre is home to both Plymouth Citybus and Plymouth Citycoach.

As well as having information and ticket purchasing facilities for bus services in and around the city, it has a dedicated booking area for Citycoach, where customers can book coach tours and trips to all corners of the UK. In addition, customers will be able to book their National Express and Megabus tickets at the Travel Centre.

“There has been a huge amount of hard work put in to make sure the new Travel Centre was open on time, with work being done behind the scenes to make sure we are offering the very best customer experience‚“ added Mr Stevens.

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Tape cutting...Emilie Perring, Adrian Trim, Cllr Jonathan Drean, Citybus managing director Richard Stevens, Mark Horide, Cllr Pauline Murphy, Plymouth Area Business Council Chairman Charles Howeson and Hayleigh Beck

The Citybus blimp flying high above the City Centre, guiding passengers to the new Travel Centre

the plymouth magazine

43

property matters

city estate agents get smart with state-of-the-art website With the property market remaining as competitive as ever, one Plymouth business has stolen a march on its rivals.

with our marketing agency Real Fusion we have created a new and positive image for the business under the Your Town Your Country banner.

Recognising the increasing importance of mobile phone and computer technology, Town & Country Estate Agents and its sister company Town & Country Lettings have just launched a new website under the banner ‘Your Town Your Country.’

“The website has a new front page and features iconic images from the city and the surrounding area. From the home page, visitors are provided with quick access to either the residential sales or lettings side of the business. The layout of both sites has been re-designed with a clean and eye-catching layout.

Six months in development, the new website has been completely upgraded to provide rapid access not only from desktop PCs, but also from smartphones and tablets.

“Although the residential sales side of the business was only launched two years ago, we have performed really well in a challenging market, achieving all our key business targets.

Gareth Forrest, director of Town & Country Estate Agents said: “We recognised that more and more people were accessing our website from smartphones and tablet PCs and decided to respond with a major investment in our internet presence.

“The emphasis we place on first-class customer service and very competitive fees is backed up by our continuing investment in the business to ensure we are at the leading-edge of market developments.”

“We have developed the new website to make it even easier for users to navigate, with quick links, high quality imagery and easy-to-follow layout.

As part of the re-launch the Town & Country logo has been simplified to create a stronger identity, with the new look also incorporated through the livery on company vehicles.

“We have also created a separate mobile website so that people using iPhones and other smartphones can get access quickly and easily, without having to waste their valuable time downloading an app.

“Using the mobile site customers can choose to navigate to residential sales or lettings and one click will will then provide details of relevant properties.

Alternatively they can look at our selection of waterside properties, as well as booking valuations or viewings or linking to our Twitter feed.”

Richard Rabin, director of both the sales and lettings businesses, said: “Working

The rapid development of the residential sales business is reflected in the fact that Town & Country are eager to hear from homeowners who may be thinking about selling.

Gareth said: “Our ‘no sale no fee’ offer is genuine - unlike some agents who will charge clients just for the privilege of being put on their books, as well as charging extra for advertising, photos or floor plans. We provide all of these services within our very affordable fee structure.

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Gareth Forrest, director of Town & Country Estate Agents with Becky Ford, the agency’s latest recruit

“Homeowners should read the small print very carefully before signing up with an estate agent as they could find themselves locked in for up to six months.”

He said that Town & Country had achieved excellent levels of property sales in the last year - reflected in the ‘Recently Sold’ section of the website.

“We have achieved sales of properties priced from less than £100,000 to nearly £700,000 in recent months.We are currently interested in one and two bedroom properties valued around the £100,000 mark as we have a number of buyers ready and waiting to buy.”

Town & Country has also seen a successful year as a member of the Waterside Properties network, with the agency represented at both the Southampton and London Boat Shows.

Gareth said: “Plymouth is an increasingly popular waterside choice for buyers from outside the area. Our membership of the Waterside Properties network has not only helped raise the profile of Town & Country, but also the city as a whole.

“There is a genuine shortage of waterside properties at the moment and we would be delighted to hear from anyone with a property on the waterfront who may be thinking about selling.”

Handing over the keys of the new liveried Town & Country cars are (from left) Richard Rabin, Sarah Rabin, Tracy Brady and Madeline Morice of Audi

For more information call Town & Country on 01752 201010 or visit www.townandcountryproperty.com the plymouth magazine

45

business matters

let’s back the bid!

Spring must surely be just around the corner after this long cold winter and in Plymouth, there’s certainly a spring in our step as many people have looked to the future in working on the City of Culture 2017 bid.

I think the bid will encourage us all to make the most of the skills and talents of people too – just look at the kind of successful events the community has organised in the past, like the huge outdoor production Music of the Night.

Winning the bid would help us encourage more people to participate in things which relax, energise and develop us. It would help enthuse children and young people to participate in different activities, and it would be great if it made lots of activities accessible to people who haven’t yet had the LESLEY SHORROCKS chance to get involved. It will Chair of the Plymouth also be great for business and the Branch of the Federation city’s economy! of Small Businesses

For businesses with their noses to the grindstone, it could be easy to think such grand plans to celebrate Plymouth’s cultural activities are a long way off and perhaps nothing to By do with them.

However, in backing the bid for the UK City of Culture, the really important thing for me is that we recognise just how wide the meaning of the word ‘culture’ is and how wide it should be.

We’re not just talking about how many arts facilities we have in the city or how many events we could go to, we need to be encouraging everyone to think about the things they enjoy doing, the hundreds of leisure activities which improve and enrich our lives.

and Director of Sigma Marketing & Advertising

For businesses looking to attract, keep and develop their staff, a great family life outside of working hours is so important. For the sole trader or partnership, a few precious hours you can spend relaxing close to home is crucial when time is pressing.

Experiencing the city’s cultural offering could mean enjoying a great meal in a restaurant, spending spare time messing about on the water in a dinghy, exploring the hidden gems on the Barbican, rambling through Central Park or playing an instrument in a band.

• One of the FSB’s flagship events for the last few years will be held at Endsleigh Garden Centre this month, on Monday April 22 from 6.15pm to 8.30pm – it’s our Business Advice Evening.

This popular event features a host of experts on hand to offer start-up and existing businesses free advice on a whole host of matters, like taxation, trading issues, environmental regulation, banking, loans, training and apprenticeships to mention just a few.

Sponsorship from Francis Clark Accountants and Bright Solicitors means we are able to put this event on and offer refreshments. This is a great event for networking, so come along and bring plenty of business cards.

Please book in advance, so we can make catering arrangements, on 01803 322499 or online on www.fsbendsleighbae220413.eventbrite.co.uk

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47

former royal navy gunner targets business success with new oven cleaning venture Former Royal Navy gunner Neil Thurston has set his sights on business success with a new oven cleaning venture in Plymouth.

The business took off quickly, thanks in part to Mike’s 20 years of experience in marketing. Initially he delivered leaflets, and within two hours his phone started ringing!

Neil, who lives with his wife and family in Thornbury, spent 23 years in the Navy, retiring with the rank of Petty Officer.

After meeting Mike, Neil returned to Plymouth and carried out in-depth research into the market potential for an oven cleaning business in the city. After several weeks satisfying himself on the business prospects, he called Mike Harris in December to say that he would like to be involved with Oven Rescue.

Back in civvie street he became a self-employed driving instructor, but gave that up 18 months ago after 10 years in the job because the market had become increasingly competitive.

In the months that followed, Neil had a number of temporary jobs, but in June last year started to research the opportunities of taking on a business franchise.

He went to the Franchise Exhibition in Birmingham on his birthday in October 2012 and it turned out to be happy returns in every way.

Neil said: “I met Mike Harris and his son from Oven Rescue and was hugely impressed by their enthusiasm and the superb quality of their marketing and professional approach to business.”

Mike started Oven Rescue in 2008 after he was made redundant twice in one year!

Whilst on holiday in Spain to discuss with his wife what to do next, he met a businessman who had retired to the continent after selling his oven cleaning business.

Following significant research, training and encouragement from friends and family, Mike decided to start Oven Rescue in Sussex.

“I spent three weeks in Sussex with Mike and his team learning how to do the job professionally – by actually cleaning ovens for Mike’s customers. It was a brilliant way to learn,” said Neil.

Oven Rescue was launched in Plymouth in February – and was an immediate success.

“Thanks to Mike’s brilliant marketing and advertising, we really hit the ground running,” said Neil. He broke all records for Oven Rescue by booking 46 jobs in the first four weeks.

“I had hoped to book 10 jobs in the first couple of months - but did that in the first week,” said Neil. “It was brilliant.”

Neil will formally take over the Oven Rescue franchise in the PL1 to PL6 area in the next few weeks and hopes to build a highly successful and profitable business.

Oven Rescue’s cleaning process involves removal of all oven racks and trays, fan

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business matters

Former Royal Navy Petty Officer Neil Thurston is all set to clean up with his new business venture in Plymouth

plates and bulb covers, which are then soaked in a non toxic cleaning bath in the Oven Rescue van.

With a track record of 90 per cent repeat business, former gunner Neil is confident his new business venture will hit the target!

Neil said: “We don’t use any chemicals - just boiling water and washing up liquid.

The oven is cleaned with specialised tools and non toxic degreasers including door and oven fascias to bring the oven back to a good as new standard with no fumes or gases.”

To contact Oven Rescue in Plymouth call 01752 590102 or e-mail Neil at neil.thurston@ovenrescue. co.uk website www.ovenrescue.co.uk

Making a Will? Don’t get fleeced!

Having an up-to-date Will is really important.

But how can you make sure you are getting the best advice?

Many will writers are unregulated, so that can mean bad wills and dodgy sales practices - just read the media horror stories. You could make an expensive mistake.

Always use a qualified legal executive or solicitor as they undergo constant training, have insurance and put things right if they go wrong.

Here at Thompson & Jackson, we will always find a solution to suit you and won’t persuade you to do something you aren’t sure about.

We can also help you with other services, such as the creation of trusts, transfer of assets and powers of attorney.

Contact us for an appointment and a 10% discount on production of this advert.

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4 & 5 St Lawrence Road Plymouth PL4 6HR the plymouth magazine

49

language matters

plymouth research

Did you learn another language at school? Many of us started studying French, German or Spanish at age eleven and found it hard work getting our heads around complicated grammar and getting our mouths around unfamiliar sounds.

By Dr Laurence White from Plymouth University’s School of Psychology

But all of us, only a few years earlier, learnt our own mother tongue without any effort.

The amazing ability of very young children to pick up any language they are exposed to remains one of the great puzzles of psychology. Unravelling the mysterious process of learning to talk and understand speech is so difficult because, as any parent knows, babies do not easily reveal what is going on in their minds.

In more recent times, various ‘feral’ children have been discovered apparently raised by wild animals or otherwise deprived of human contact in infancy. These tragic cases demonstrate that children need to be exposed to a human language within the first seven to ten years of life, or they will never acquire full linguistic abilities.

One thing is clear – only humans are able to learn the complexities of human language. Even our closest living relatives, chimpanzees, cannot compete with the linguistic abilities of a three-year-old child. One problem is that chimpanzee mouth and lungs cannot generate the great variety of human speech sounds.

However, they can use their hands effectively to make the shapes used in deaf sign languages.

However, studies of deprivation cannot fully answer the burning questions. Are we born with knowledge of human language? What experience with speech do babies need to recognise and produce the sounds of their mother tongue? Can we help our children to use language more effectively?

So, scientists in the 1960s and 1970s tried to teach chimpanzees to communicate using sign language. As seen in the 2011 film ‘Project Nim’, chimps can learn to recognise and even produce a vocabulary of a few hundred sign words, but never combine these words with the creativity and expressiveness of homo sapiens.

For thousands of years, people have been speculating why humans have this unique ability. A long-standing theory is that we are born with knowledge of how language works. In ancient times, some ethically-troubling experiments were carried out to test this theory.

Pharaoh Psamtik I – hoping to discover what language children were born with – left two babies with a shepherd who was told never to speak to them. The pharaoh was disappointed when the first sounds uttered by the babies did not correspond to Egyptian, which he assumed was the authentic first language of all people.

Answers to these questions are closer than ever, because new child-friendly experimental techniques allow us to study young babies’ understanding of language, even before they produce their first words.

“Babies are instinctively curious and often show a preference for new experiences, such as sounds they have not heard before,” says Dr Caroline Floccia, of Plymouth University’s Babylab. “We measure children’s reactions to familiar and unfamiliar sounds to discover whether they can perceive a difference between the two.”

These simple but invaluable experiments work with children as young as fivemonths-old. They sit on their carer’s lap while listening to speech sounds and looking at lights presented simultaneously. High-tech video equipment records the direction of the child’s gaze, and because lights and sounds are associated, the experimenter can tell when a child has a preference for a particular sound.

Armed with these experimental techniques, the Plymouth Babylab has recently been investigating how children recognise their first words. Early on, it seems that

THE FUTURE OF FAMILY LAW 2013 AND ONWARDS. Family Law will see one of the biggest changes in decades in April 2013 with the availability of Legal Aid reducing dramatically. Traditionally Legal Aid has been available for those who need legal advice in relation to divorce, children and financial matters on separation provided they meet the financial eligibility criteria. From 1 st April 2013 this will no longer be the case. Those who have been granted Legal Aid before that date will continue to receive it until their case ends, but any new applications will be dealt with under new criteria.

The new rules will mean that Legal Aid for divorce, children and financial issues will only be available to those who can produce sufficient evidence that they have been a victim of Domestic Abuse or where a child is at risk. Legal Aid will continue to be available for applications for injunctions and care proceedings.

The Courts and Legal Aid Agency will encourage people to try to resolve their issues through mediation. People will be expected to meet with a Family Mediator before making an application to the Court. Legal Aid will continue to be available for those meeting the financial criteria for mediation services.

Legal Aid will also be available for people who are in the process of mediating so that they are able to access legal advice about any agreements that they are considering making through mediation.

It is likely that solicitors’ firms will offer fixed fee services for family work to enable those who previously would have been represented under Legal Aid to obtain advice.

Wolferstans offers a fixed fee service and will be happy to discuss payment options. Wolferstans also offers a Mediation Service.

For information about legal work please contact our New Client Co-ordinator Sarah Webb on 01752 292239.

For information about mediation please contact our Mediation Co-ordinator Morwenna Luxford-Leach on 01752 292315.

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the plymouth magazine

into the learning of language

vowels are particularly important. Mispronounce a vowel in a baby’s name – ‘Imma’ instead of ‘Emma’ – and they will not recognise it, but they are happy to accept consonant swaps, such as ‘Taisy’ for ‘Daisy’.

This suggests that, as suspected, we may be born with mental biases influencing how we interpret the stream of sounds we are continually exposed to.

development is the need for them to interact socially with others. As humans, the best way we can socialise is through language, and so babies will learn to speak in the way that maximises their ability to interact with other people, not just their immediate family.

We have come a long way from the pharaoh’s dubious experiments on a child’s first words. It now seems that, although some of our power of language is passed on through our genes, the fundamental human need to socialise may be just as important.

Another Babylab study highlights the importance of local environment on word learning. “We tested children living in Plymouth whose parents had accents from elsewhere in the country,” says Dr Floccia. “Against expectations, children prefer the pronunciation of words in the local accent, even though they only hear a different accent at home.”

If you are interested in contributing with this research and have a child aged 0 to 6 years, please contact us at the Plymouth Babylab on 01752 584865 or visit www.plymouthbabylab.org

It seems that one of the most important factors influencing a baby’s language

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51

exciting time to be working This month I want to start by saying thank you to the team at the Plymouth Magazine for the lovely editorial feature about the garden centre and our 50th Anniversary, which appeared in last month’s issue.

Many customers have stopped us and said how much they enjoyed the article and fondly remember visiting the garden centre over the years and seeing my grandparents. So thank you!

Now is Spring finally here? Warm, then cold, then really cold! But fortunately most of March was dry! This month I’m also delighted to introduce our new plant area

by

Fiona Newton and Derek Anderson of Plymouth Garden Centre

manager Maria Ashurst, who has taken over the reins from Lesley.

Maria said: “Having completed my first four weeks in the job, I can happily say that I am very excited about the focus on plants here at Plymouth Garden Centre. I am a gardener and a very keen plantswoman: my previous horticultural experience includes working for the National Trust and a spell in plant retail. Maria Ashurst I am the vice chair of Plympton Fuchsia and Geranium Group and I am also the assistant county organiser (Plymouth area) for the National Gardens Scheme in Devon (the Yellow Book).

“Today I have been out and about with Fiona meeting local suppliers and looking at their plants. For me that is absolute heaven! We have been planning changes and improvements to the plant area and exploring ideas to give our customers the best experience when they come here.

Plymouth City Council

“Anyway, back to the plants. We will be setting up areas for new plant introductions, displays to inform and inspire, displays focused on different areas such as shade, coastal conditions and lots, lots more.

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“We are about to put together a new information point specifically for gardeners, regardless of your experience and knowledge. So if you’re new to gardening and not sure where to start, come and talk to us. Similarly, if you’ve been turning the soil or growing your own for years we welcome your questions, comments and feedback.

“There is a wealth of horticultural knowledge and a fantastic selection of plants for your garden available here at Plymouth Garden Centre. With our 50th Anniversary to celebrate this year as well, there is just so much to look forward to. Exciting times! Next time you’re in the Garden Centre, come and say hello. I look forward to meeting you.”

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“We’ll also be keeping an eye on the big shows and emerging trends to make sure you know what’s hot in the gardening world. We will have sample planting plans and advice to help you make the most of your garden and we have events planned throughout the year.

Also Available Wormeries £25-£49

Payment on the day can be made by Cash, Cheque or Credit/Debit card.

01884 841515

“With the busy planting season about to start I have been busy stocking up on all the must have plants for the garden – and there’s so much more to come! The weather so far has not been particularly kind to us. Those bitterly cold winds have snapped at new foliage and made all the beautiful spring flowers drop their little heads. The great thing about plants is that they’ll pick themselves up as soon as the sun comes out...and I am confident that it will come out!

www.originalorganics.co.uk/plymouth

the plymouth magazine

Clematis Alpina

Derek Anderson writes: Now that trees are smothered in blossom and gardens are exploding with the colour of flowering bulbs, it’s clear that spring has well and truly arrived. Clematis is one of the most widely used and versatile groups of plants and is starting to fill our gardens with colour. The evergreen varieties will have been in flower now for a few months, but it is the turn of the deciduous varieties to burst into flower.

The first deciduous group to flower are the Clematis Alpinas. These Clematis are strong growing, tough plants and are extremely hardy. They can withstand temperatures as low as -40C. They are the perfect Clematis for beginners or for

gardening matters

at the garden centre those who are fearful of Clematis as they thrive on neglect and never need pruning. They originate from high mountainous regions and grow in poor soil, so are used to difficult conditions.

They will grow in most aspects, but will do better in a position in full sun or partial shade. Clematis Alpina will grow in any reasonable garden soil and it can also be grown in a large pot using John Innes no.3 compost. It flowers from mid March to May. The flowers are available in blue, pink, purple and white. It grows to a height of approximately 1.8-2.4m (6-8’) with a spread of 1.2m (4’).

The next group of Clematis to flower is the Macropetalas. Clematis Clematis Mecropetalas Mecropetalas flower almost at the same time as Clematis Alpinas, but are just slightly later. They are robust, hardy plants that are very easy to grow. They will grow in most soils, except ericaceous and will tolerate mosts aspects, but will do better in a position in full sun or partial shade.

It can also be grown in a large pot using John Innes No.3 compost. Clematis macropetala is great for growing through large shrubs and trees for added interest.

It flowers from late March to May. They flowers are available in blue, pink, purple and white. It grows to a height of approximately 2.4-3m (8-10’) with a spread of 0.9m (3’).

Clematis Montana is a well known variety of Clematis that is extremely vigorous and extremely strong growing. They can grow very large and very quickly. They are ideal for growing over garages, sheds and growing up the side of a house.

They are also excellent at growing through hedges and up large trees to give extra interest. They flower in abundance from late April to June, Clematis Montana in shades of deep pink to white. The flowers will smoother the entire plant, creating blocks of solid colour. It can grow to a height of 8m (24’) with a spread of 4m (12’). It is very tough and easy to grow, but not really suitable for a pot. Clematis montana will grow in partial shade to full sun and most soils.

it has a mound forming habit, so it is perfect for using as ground cover and it is an excellent variety to grow in a hanging basket and for tumbling out of pots. It has masses of blue large blue flowers starting from May and continuing through to September. It grows to a height of 30cm (12”) with a spread of 60cm (24”).

Thanks Maria & Derek.

Don’t forget to visit the garden centre for lots of offers and events from now on! Our coach trips are in full swing with a few new places to visit this year. We very much look forward to seeing you in the garden centre in this our anniversary year.

Happy Gardening – Fiona

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Next to flower are the large flowered hybrids: there are many different varieties available now, but there are few that have been selected to grow successfully in pots. All of these Clematis are perfectly suited to growing in a large pot in John Innes No.3 compost. Place them in a position in full sun to partial shade and keep them moist, but not water logged and they will thrive. They will also grow successfully in the garden, either growing supported up a wall or fence or over an arch. They also look great when allowed to scramble through shrubs and are great when partnered with climbing roses.

A real beauty is Clematis Black Tea. It is an unusual new variety with possibly the darkest flowers of any clematis. The large, vevelty flowers are deep purple with a deep red stripe running down the centre of each petal. It is extremely eye catching and will look great with paler flowers or against golden or silver foliage. It flowers in May and June and then again in August to September. Clematis Black Tea will grow to a height of approximately 1.8-2.4m (6-8’) with a spread of 1.2m (4’).

A unique Clematis to grow is Clematis Bijou as it doesn’t climb. Instead of climbing, Plymouth Garden Centre in Fort Austin Avenue, Crownhill is open from 9am to 5.30pm weekdays and 10.30am to 4.30pm Sundays Tel: 01752 771820. www.plymouthgardencentre. co.uk the plymouth magazine

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Here is a great chance to win a weeks holiday at one of Cornwall’s popular holiday parks. Atlantic Bays Holiday Park – which is around an hour’s drive from Plymouth – offers self-catering chalets and country lodges set amidst 27 acres of peaceful parkland in Cornwall.

On-site facilities include a conservatory bar and games room, children’s play area and recreational field. There is also a site shop, brand new laundrette and a new shower block for tourers and campers.

Atlantic Bays is just one mile from St Merryn Village, which has a variety of shops, including three restaurants, two pubs and a fish & chip shop. The site is three miles away from Padstow, the historic fishing village on the Camel Estuary, where Rick Stein has three restaurants, a fish & chip shop and a patisserie.

Atlantic Bays Atlantic Bays Holiday Holiday Park Park

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Please coupon to to the the Atlantic Atlantic Bay Bay Competition, Competition, the plymouth magazine, 28 Please send send your your completed completed entry entry coupon 28 Old Old Park Park Road, Road, Peverell, Peverell, Plymouth Plymouth PL3 PL3 4PY 4PY by Please put put your your name name below below with with contact contact details. details. Winners Winners will will be be contacted contacted by by the the end end of of 01.05.13.

01.05.13. by the the closing closing date date of of 30.04.13.

30.04.13. Please Where is is Atlantic Atlantic Bays Bays Holiday Holiday Park Where Park situated? situated?

Name: Name: Address: Address: Postcode: Postcode:

Tel: Tel:

Email: Email: Please Please tick tick the the boxes boxes if if you you wish wish to to receive receive any any information information from from Atlantic Atlantic Bays: Bays:

the plymouth magazine

or or Cornerstone Cornerstone Vision: Vision:

! !

Entry Coupon

St St Merryn, Merryn, Padstow, Padstow, Cornwall, Cornwall, PL28 PL28 8PY 8PY Telephone: Telephone: 01841 01841 520855 520855 info@atlanticbaysholidaypark.co.uk info@atlanticbaysholidaypark.co.uk www.atlanticbaysholidaypark.co.uk www.atlanticbaysholidaypark.co.uk

the plymouth magazine

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3D OCT EYE Scan and retinal eye photography www.plymouthopticians.co.uk Tel: 01752 366022 109 Victoria Rd, St.Budeaux Plymouth PL5 1RX