WELCOME, DEAR READER…

Welcome to the latest edition of Shire Magazine, arriving with you in a blaze of sunshine, just in time for the summer holidays. Whatever your plans, we hope you’ll find plenty in these pages to keep you out and about and entertained in the coming weeks.

One of our in-depth features this time aims to get everybody out on the water. Whether you dream of setting sail with the wind in your hair and the freedom of the open seas ahead, or jumping aboard a powerboat for a thrilling wet ’n’ wild ride, we’ve tracked down the local experts and locations where you can safely dip your toe in! Here’s to splash-tastic fun whatever you choose.

Elsewhere in this bumper issue we’ve taken a wander down the high street to meet some of the wonderful volunteers behind the region’s assorted charity shops. From hospice care to animal rescue, they’re all raising much-needed funds for worthwhile causes, so please do read their stories and support them where you can.

Our food and drink pages are packed with news and reviews, and there’s recommendations from our wine expert and a sneak peek at an upcoming craft beer festival. In the Homes section you’ll find a fascinating insight into a local historic house, as well as an amazing Georgian-style transformation that the Cheshire-based design company hopes will win a major award. All this and all your favourites inside – so take a seat in the sun and enjoy!

In This Issue

Print ISSN 2514-3913 Online ISSN 2514-3921 All hands on deck! We’re raising the mainsail and learning the lore of the seas in our big feature

SHIRE MAGAZINE is published bi-monthly by Superstar Publishing Ltd. Every e ort is made to ensure that the information and advice contained in these articles is correct and appropriate, but no liability or responsibility for loss or damage to any person acting or refraining from action in reliance on or as a result of anything omitted from such articles can be, or is accepted by, the authors, the publishers, their employees or any other persons connected with Superstar Publishing Ltd. Views expressed by contributors to Shire magazine are not necessarily those of the magazine or of Superstar Publishing Ltd and should be attributed to the authors concerned. Save as expressively permitted by law no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written authority of the Publisher, acting for Shire magazine. Privacy Policy published online at shiremagazine.co.uk © 2024 Superstar Publishing Ltd, all rights reserved. Registered Number: 10604188.

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Tell us about your upcoming events. Just remember that we work in advance, so 1st August is the deadline for events you’d like to feature in our September/October issue.

2 Share your reader stories

Have you got an exciting or extraordinary story to tell? We’d like to feature it in the next issue. Send us an email –and don’t forget to include a picture or two as well.

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INSIDE & OUT

Our homes section brings you the hottest trends for summer

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

Shows, festivals, sports, steam trains, arts and crafts – our What’s On pages have it all!,

We have lots of regulars that readers can contribute to:

Reader photos Taken a great shot recently? Email your best e ort and it might get featured! See page 121.

Reader poems Do you like penning the odd line? So do we! Send us your poems – we’d love to include them on our poetry page. See page 125 for more. Your pets Is your pet the love of your life? Send a snap, along with their name and anything else you want to tell us. See page 107 for further details.

Get social Follow, like and friend us on Facebook and Instagram to be first in line for event updates, competitions and more.

Visit our website online at shiremagazine.co.uk and send submissions and information by email to editorial@shiremagazine.co.uk

TURN TO PAGE 109 for our fantastic subscription o er

Estate Planning

• IHT Planning

• Trusts

• Pre Paid Trusts

• Wills

Personal & Family Protection

• Life Assurance

• Income Protection

• Critical Illness

• Mortgage Protection

• Guardian Cover

Savings

• ISAs

• Unit Trusts

• General Accounts

• B onds

• Wealth Management £

Pensions

• Power of Attorney For Business Owners

• Personal

• Company

• Transfers

• SIPPs

• Death In Ser vice •

• Key Person

• Buy Sell Agreements

• Auto Enrolment

Retirement Planning

• Drawdown

• Annuities

• Phased Retirement

JULY/AUGUST 2024

7 What’s On

104 Gardens

Across 21 packed pages our listings section covers North and Mid Wales, Cheshire including the Wirral, and the whole of Shropshire – check out what’s happening where and start making plans!

37 Celebrity Wrexham-raised broadcaster and Crimewatch favourite Sian Lloyd talks to Shire about her love for the region and her passion for Welsh produce

46 Reviews

The Shire team has been busy reporting from local shows and events to bring you the lowdown on the hottest tickets in town

50 Charity shops

We meet the volunteers behind some of the treasure troves on our region’s high streets. Why not shop more sustainably at the same time as supporting good causes – and save money too?

56 20 Questions

We probe the professor who masterminded university status for Wrexham, who’s also a guru on all things Shakespeare

59 Holidays

With summer upon us, now’s the time to plan a last-minute getaway or even make a holiday home investment of your own –we look at some of the holiday o ers available

67 Active

There’s no excuse for not getting out and getting some fresh air this summer! Here’s a great walking route and the best places on the patch to dive in and try wild swimming

68 Set sail

Whether you want to harness nature and go with the flow, or rev your engines and power across the waves, our in-depth feature will help you get out on the water this summer.

76 Food & Drink

We love our food at Shire and we’re lucky enough to be surrounded by brilliant farmers, growers and producers in this region – so our food and drink section is packed as always with news and recommendations

86 Homes & Interiors

Summer’s here – it’s time to make the most of that ideal indoor/outdoor blended living. We’re here to help with pages full of ideas for your own interior design dreams.

As the garden becomes everyone’s favourite place for the summer, we look to the experts at the RHS for inspiration at their Cheshire flower show

106 Pets & Wildlife

Conservation news, holiday activities for children – and we haven’t forgotten your furry friends, with another gallery of adorable pet portraits

114 Health & Beauty

Advice from the experts in health and well-being as well as some more myths busted – our regular section will keep you looking and feeling at your best

117 Arts & Crafts

Some spectacular stained glass opens our popular arts section – plus meet the artist behind a new printmaking show in Llandudno, as well as exhibitions in your area and your photography too

122 Volunteering

A look at the voluntary and charity organisations that do so much good for so many good causes across the area

124 Books & Poetry

A local author celebrating the completion of his trilogy as well as the road back to health – plus book reviews and some of your best poetry too

127 Schools

The education pages round up the latest news from colleges and schools across the area, keeping you up to date with developments across the sector

139 Retirement

We look at issues facing our senior readers as well as news from local health and socialcare providers across the patch

142 Town visit

Come with us to the small but perfectly formed town of Harlech, with its majestic castle overlooking the sea

145 Competitions

If you fancy your chances of winning some brilliant tickets and prizes, don’t miss our collection of exclusive competitions in this issue

146 Letters to the editor

Read what you’ve written as we hand over to you, with a selection of the lovely letters our amazing readers have sent in to us