Editor’s Choice

Open Space Gallery is the new online venue where artists can showcase their work, owners can sell and art lovers and dealers can buy. There are hundreds of unique pieces to view at any one time, from all and any genres and covering all media including water colour, oil and acrylic paintings, sculpture, ceramics and decorative glass. The website is open to artists known or unknown, newcomers or wellestablished. It gives them the means to get their work seen without having to travel to exhibitions or incur showing fees. A fee is payable only when an artwork is actually sold. For buyers, there is every chance they could be spotting and investing early in the artistic greats of the future. It’s free to exhibit, free to view and links enable potential buyers to contact the artists or their representatives directly. Active since 2016, Open Space Gallery is the brainchild of Leicesterbased Ian Briers, who acts as a ‘middleman’ to ensure that when sales are made, the buyer receives their purchase and the artist gets paid. “It’s loosely based on classified ads,” says Ian. “We aim to serve both artists and buyers and we have something for all tastes and all budgets. Some pieces are very affordable, some more expensive and new artists are being added all the time. There are currently more than 600 pieces on display from over 100 artists from all over the UK. “Just as football scouts seek out the most promising players, art scouts can use this website to spot who’s up and coming.” www.openspacegallery.co.uk T 07588 907156 or 07958 394740 E openspacegallery007@yahoo.com

Warren’s Removals & Storage, making moving easy

Moving house or office can be seriously hard work, even for the fittest people, and virtually impossible for those who are older, frailer or just less inclined. Warren’s Removals & Storage takes away all of that work and associated stress through an exemplary service operating right across Worcestershire and recommended by a growing number solicitors, estate agents and satisfied customers.

Even under its standard removals package, the company disconnects and replumbs washing machines and dishwashers, disconnects and reconnects TVs, dismantles and reassembles furniture, provides bespoke furniture protectors and place boxes in the correct rooms at the new address. There are no weight restrictions on removals. Within its premium package, the team arrives the day before the move and packs everything for you. It even unpacks some items, such as kitchen equipment, the day after the move. Both packages are covered by full like-for-like insurance and carried out by a super-friendly team for whom nothing is too much trouble. The company also has high security storage facilities in Worcester, Upton and Inkberrow, for property ranging from something that will fit in a crate up to the full contents of a large house or business. Company founder Warren Leggett says: “We cater for all removal and storage needs and we can do literally everything. We make it really easy for our customers.” Warren’s Removals and Storage T 01905 896600 E info@removalsworcester.com www.removalsworcester.com Facebook, Twitter & Instagram @ Warren’s Removals and Storage

From weddings to funerals, parties to presents, you’ll get floral arrangements with flair from Lisa Flowers Floral Design in Solihull. Owner Lisa Hicks has been perfecting her floral artistry for many years, taking immense pride in providing bespoke designs for individual customers. Whether she’s needed to provide knockout displays for a wedding, touching tributes for the bereaved or something extra special for a ‘thank you’ bouquet, you can be sure she’ll fulfil the brief to perfection. Delighted customers have left an array of favourable reviews on her website. Among them are these examples: “She did such a fantastic job on our wedding day! Everything from the bouquets, buttonholes to the reception tables was perfect and just what I wanted.” And: “Her advice and talent took our basic ideas and created something very special indeed.” Lisa loves working in new ways and working with customers’ chosen themes and preferences, whatever the occasion and even on a modest budget. She can happily dress a whole venue with themed displays or fashion a single posy or flower basket. Each separate assignment is undertaken with pleasure, to create something outstanding “I have catalogues, but these are just to give people an idea of what I can do,” she says. “I like to speak with each customer individually, to discuss what they would really like.” Contact details: Lisa Flowers Floral Design, 49 Lodge Road, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands B93 0HG T 01564 635126 or 07900 881 867 E enquiries@lisaflowersfloraldesign.co.uk www.lisaflowersfloraldesign.co.uk Brides can look amazing even on affordable budgets thanks to a vast range of designer gowns priced between £199 and £2,000 at Tamsin’s Bridal Boutique. Shop for styles from elegantly figure-hugging to extravagantly frothy and enjoy exclusive personal service when you book a long, leisurely appointment to find the perfect choices for you and your entourage. Tamsin’s Bridal Boutique, in the heart of Kidderminster, carries collections for every taste from bridalwear designers carefully selected by owner Tamsin Hancocks-Guinan. They include Romantica of Devon, retro Brighton Belle with on-trend tea length circular skirts, White Rose for the curvier bride, LouLou Bridal and many more. Naturally there are wonderful accessories to complement the looks, including veils, tiaras, jewellery and shoes. After all, Tamsin’s won Best Bridal Boutique in Worcestershire for 2022. But it’s not just the bride who finds her best looks among Tamsin’s three storeys of wedding finery. The boutique caters just as extensively for bridesmaids, mothers-of-the-bride and groom and even the best dressed bridegrooms and best men. Stunning prom gowns are also part of the sparkling attire to be found on the three storeys of this extraordinary shop. Tamsin says: “We have a huge collection and offer things that are really funky and alternative as well as more traditional. “We pride ourselves on catering for everyone and giving an unrivalled, luxurious customer experience.” Contact details: Tamsin’s Bridal Boutique, 20-21 Oxford Street, Kidderminster, DY10 1AU T 01562 746607 E info@tamsinsbridalboutique.co.uk www.tamsinsbridalboutique.co.uk

Numerous careers have been successfully forged in the fashion design and textile industries, thanks to the professional skills taught on-site and online by Inkberrow Design Centre (IDC). An approved City & Guilds training centre, this independent establishment is one of very few outside London to teach skills from Level 1 sewing machine skills to diplomas in specialities such as tailoring, fashion wear, textiles, pattern cutting, corsetry and theatre costume. Courses vary from one day workshops to GCSEs and full-time City & Guilds diplomas which can support students’ ongoing professional development, university entrance or credentials for launching their own businesses. One of the progressive hallmarks of IDC is that it offers very flexible learning packages to suit all learners, from home-schooled beginners to full-time professionals wanting to keep developing. Always competitively priced and top quality, IDC gives highly flexible learning choices, including parttime and full-time options, one day workshops and courses which can be face-to-face in a classroom, interactive online or a blend of both. This expert teaching is bolstered by a library of more than 40 high quality video films covering a wide range of skills, such as smocking, millinery, alterations and repairs, patchwork and quilting and craft skills for the creative industries. Students always have great support and advice at hand. Some even have the chance to participate in prestigious competitions such as the Master Tailor Golden Shears Award from Savile Row. IDC was founded by Managing Director Brenda Killigrew more than 30 years ago. Alongside it, in Bromsgrove, she now runs Brenda Killigrew Sewing Studios, which support a Young Designer Sewing Club, a children’s after school sewing club, a haberdashery shop fulfilling all sewing needs from fabrics to accesseries – which is open to the public – and also a specialist dealership for the high quality Janome sewing machines. “Fashion and education are my watchwords,” says Brenda. “We provide bespoke courses to give people the skills they need to fulfil their ambitions, however great or small those ambitions may be.” Inkberrow Design Centre (IDC), 17 Worcester Rd, Bromsgrove B61 7DL T 07966 497783 E info@inkberrowdesigncentre.co.uk www.idccollege.org instagram - @idccollege facebook - @inkberrowdesigncentre twitter - @idcbromsgrove Brenda Killigrew Sewing Studio www.sewingstudio.org instagram - @bksewingstudio facebook - @ brendakilligrewsewingstudio twitter - @brenda_studio

Discover in Worcestershire

Great Outdoors Heritage Sports Arts Food & Drink

With so much to see and do, right on your doorstep, why wouldn’t you?

There’s something wonderfully wild about the street scene in the chic market town of Alcester these days. Shoppers already love the awardwinning Wild Bunch floristry and gift business which moved in some time ago. Now its sister business, Wild About Interiors, has set up shop midway along the high street, selling fashionable homewares with a sustainable twist, such as upcycled furniture, handmade pebble glass lamps and quirky lighting. Items sold in Wild About Interiors are all one-offs, crafted with skill and made to last. That means every visit will be different. If you want to fill your home with personality, this is the place to shop for those unique statement pieces and accents. The business is the brainchild of Wendy Higgins and her husband, Justin, who source all their stock locally. For Wendy it is a dream come true as it enables her to use her considerable artistic skills in practical and beautiful ways. She does the furniture upcycling herself, paying great attention to quality and detail. Wendy is delighted to work with Chalk Paint®, and also to now be able to sell it in its many fashionable colours, so customers can also put their upcycling inclinations to work. It’s only available to the independent businesses which its inventor, decorating expert Annie Sloan, supports. Wendy says: “We’re very keen on recycling and reusing what we have. The focus is on sustainability.” Wild About Interiors, 33A High Street, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 5AF T 01789 765477 E wildbunchalcester@outlook.com www.wildaboutinteriors.co.uk Facebook and Instagram @ wildaboutinteriors BMT Timber is pleasing customers all over Worcestershire thanks to sheds, summerhouses and fencing made bespoke to their own specifications. Whether they want a log store or a place to entertain, some extra storage or a garden bar, this is the company to make it happen in just the right way and always at competitive prices. The carpenter behind the company, Ben Harris, designs and makes each structure personally, always working with top quality pressuretreated timber so they achieve their purpose, look good and last long. He also offers an installation service, if desired. The beauty of having structures purpose-made by BMT Timber is that they can be made to the perfect size for the available space and for any specialised purpose, such as being a shelter for a motorbike or mobility scooter or even being a deluxe dog kennel. They can add the windows of their choice to create a summerhouse, workshop or hideaway retreat. Fittings can be made extra secure as wished. Fencing can be made to give simple security for dogs, children or belongings, screen off certain areas or even create a decorative feature. Customers can count on friendly, prompt and reliable service from Ben. So, if you have any timberbased projects in mind, why not call today to see how he could help. T 07990 913855 E amyben1030@yahoo.co.uk Facebook @ BMT Timber

Heat Genie, your one stop heating solution. Why not heat and eat?

Heat Genie grants all your heating wishes with a new generation of eco-friendly electric radiators. This smart technology turns up the heat just where & when it is needed, without waste and typically for 30% to 40% less than the energy costs of conventional heating. It’s affordable to buy, quick to install and looks great. It’s also planet-friendly, creating no Co2 emissions whatsoever. The radiators are high quality, lightweight and slim, made from recycled aluminium by the leading Italian manufacturer, Fondital, in Italy. The radiators come in 6 different wattages and can be fitted anywhere in the home, workplace or commercial setting, there are no ugly pipes to spoil their elegance and there is no disruption to your property. These new generation electric radiators are designed to heat up quickly and as each one is fitted with a thermostat it can be independently controlled so that you have heat only where you need it, when you want it. Each radiator can be controlled or programmed separately by your mobile app, so different rooms can be at different temperatures. You don’t need to heat the whole building if you’re only in one room! Each radiator has an advanced thermostat which can be controlled from an Apple or Android smartphone. They are designed to reach your chosen temperature rapidly and then maintain it, adjusting accurately to changing conditions to keep you comfortable while minimising energy consumption and saving money. Built in safety features include a child safety lock and Heat Genie systems can be powered by regular electricity supplies or renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind generators, supporting the owners’ green aspirations. They are also fully recyclable themselves. Heat Genie is based in Solihull and operates all over the UK. They provide a fitting service for Worcestershire and West Midlands customers who desire it. Average costs to supply are around £2,300 for a two bedroomed house, including delivery. Managing Director Av Manku says: “These radiators are unrivalled for efficiency and performance, making them an excellent investment. We have had glowing reports from property developers, business owners and private customers alike. Landlords love them because there is no need for an annual heating inspection, as there are no CO2 emissions.”

Europa Model Railroads, your one stop online and retailer for great layouts

If you are looking for a new hobby, Europa Model Railroads Ltd may have your perfect answer! With some 35 million devotees worldwide, creating model railway layouts is an absorbing pastime for everyone from absolute beginners to experts. For the young, it can even lay foundations for a career, imparting knowledge of mechanics, electrical engineering and many other disciplines. Europa Model Railroads Ltd was created by Michael Thomas and his son, Gareth, capitalising on their 30 years of passionate model railroading experience and international business knowledge. They lived in Canada for many years, but on returning to the UK in 2015, they established their company as a global online business and retailer specialising in the products that make model railroad layouts so realistic. Their product range comprises leading brands in the scale/ gauge sizes of Z to G, locomotives and rolling stock, power control systems, buildings and structures, materials, tools, scenery and landscaping. They also sell catalogues and publications containing detailed guidance about constructing layouts suiting the systems of Europe, North America, the UK and other countries. Michael says: “We love to support our customers, answer their questions and encourage them to use their imagination. We can give all sorts of advice and information to help them achieve their modelling goals.” Visit Europa Model Railroads Ltd at www.emrailroads. com , Facebook, YouTube or LinkedIn. Unit 20 The Mansley Centre, Timothy’s Bridge Road, Stratford upon Avon CV37 9NQ T 01789 532390 E sales@emrailroads.com www.emrailroads.com