Comfort Club Summer 2010

Summer 2010

club HELP! WHERE’S HOCOCO? Transporting you to 1959

NAME THAT SHOE

Get set for summer ENTER OUR

exclusive READER COMPETITIONS INSIDE

Pandora - Available Autumn 2010

Welcome Summer is here at last! We’re looking forward to holidays, barbeques and summer picnics – and we hope you are too (just don’t mention the British weather).

In this edition, we’ve taken inspiration from TV for our Over the Rainbow feature – as a fan of red shoes I realised how many different ruby red options we had in our current range. Once we started talking about shoe colours we were amazed to realise what a huge variety of colours we were offering in our Spring range – so much choice so little wardrobe space!

Your 1959 memories have inspired more interest too. You’ll find a few of our favourites on page 5; and we discovered that the President of the British Beekeeping Association lives close to our Lancashire factory, so I spent a very interesting afternoon with him finding out exactly why bees are so important to us all – and why we need to help them survive and thrive.

Look out for our competitions – as usual we’ve crammed lots in to keep you busy – and don’t forget to keep in touch with your stories and photos. Have a great summer and whatever you do, do it comfortably!

Best wishes Melanie Killilea Editor – Comfort Club

Spot Hococo!

*

Help us find Hococo*, he’s hiding somewhere in Comfort Club!

If you can find him you can be in with a chance of winning £50 gift vouchers. Send your answer to the usual Hotter address or to weloveshoes@hotter.com by July 7th 2010. * Not including this one

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ALL SHOES FEATURED ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.HOTTER.COM

Name that shoe Last year, we ran a competition to name a shoe and Pandora was the winning name suggested by Katrina Davidson, Inverness. It was obvious you all loved this competition as we were inundated with suggestions, so we have decided to ask you to name another shoe. Send your entries to the usual Hotter address or to weloveshoes@hotter.com and tell us why your chosen name should win.

If your entry is selected you will also win a pair once in production, so get your thinking caps on!

Over the rainbow Looking at the amazing rainbow of colours in our latest collection you could be forgiven for thinking that our design team have had a trip to Oz! Our summer collection is bursting with a wealth of dazzling hues, muted metallics and perfect pastels – so there’s a beautifully comfortable option whatever your favourite shade.

Wherever your summer travels take you - whether home or abroad, walking on beaches, through towns - or even along long and winding (yellow brick - just like Dorothy) roads, we've a shoe or sandal for every occasion. We even have a selection of ruby reds if the fancy takes you!

Shoes from left to right Dizzy, Timor, Breeze, Etna, Timor, Bailey, Mango, Candice, Energise, Breeze

COMPETITION:

Ruby Shoes-day

Win any pair of Hotter shoes by simply identifying two of the five ruby red styles we feature here.

Send your entry to the usual address.

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Hotter hits the high street We’ve been busy opening Hotter stores – and the great news is there’s more in the pipeline. You’ll find our newest stores in Bromley, Chichester and Eastbourne, and what better way to introduce them to you than with a few words from their managers...

Janette Calverley, Eastbourne

Ceri Ansen, Chichester Ceri, originally from South Wales joined Hotter this year to manage our new Chichester store. Ceri told Comfort Club her favourite thing to do at Hotter “is helping customers find a good pair of comfortable shoes”. One shoe Ceri would recommend is “Dizzy because they are so comfortable and come in a range of colours.” When she is not at the Chichester store, Ceri likes to read horror books and divulge in her hidden talent, interior design.

Chichester Store Facts Location: 87-88 North Street Day the store opened: 1st April 2010 Bestselling style: Easy

Julie Jobe, Bromley Meet Julie, who joined Hotter in March whose favourite holiday destination is Tunisia. Next time she visits she is planning to wear a pair of our very feminine looking Grace, the best sandal Julie thinks Hotter have ever made! Her favourite thing to do when she has time to herself is to relax by reading a good novel however when she is managing her new store her favourite thing to do is sell, sell, sell to many happy Hotter customers.

Bromley Store Facts Location: 128 High Street Day the store opened: 14th April 2010 Bestselling style: Candice

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Finally, please meet Janette, who joined Hotter in February, and is originally from Oakham, Rutland the country’s smallest county. We asked Janette what invention makes her life most comfortable, she told us “the telephone because you can keep up to date and in touch with people no matter how far away they are.” Janette thinks “the best Hotter shoe we’ve ever made is Charleston because I can wear it all day at work and then go out in the evening and not have to worry about looking good and feeling comfortable all at once.”

Eastbourne Store Facts Location: Unit 16, The Arndale Centre Day the store opened: 25th February 2010 Bestselling style: Easy, Shake and Dizzy.

COMPETITION: Why not visit one of our new stores this summer and you could be in with a chance of winning a £20 Hotter gift voucher.

The first 20 people to take their copy of Comfort Club into one of these three new stores will win this special prize, good luck!

ALL SHOES FEATURED ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.HOTTER.COM

your

memories

of 1959

Hotter was founded in 1959 which, of course, is a very special year for us but we found out its special for lots of you too. We asked our readers to share their memories of this year and were delighted with their stories – here are a few...

My new shoes

ian was 17 ffy from Westloth In 1959, Wilma Du condary se r nio d just left se years old and ha rk as a er, she began wo school. Shortly aft wage bought t firs , and with her shorthand/typist a pair of shoes. pale grey, ase was a pair of Wilma’s new purch narrow heel, le pickers’ with a brogue style ‘wink r feet very he e covered mad which she soon dis Wilma told t! las at le e felt in sty sore, however sh ite quickly rned my lesson qu Comfort Club “I lea oes for sh r tte Ho en wearing and have now be many years.”

The Happy Couple Joan and John Bracegirdle married in September, 1959.

However in November that year, John was called up for two years national service in the R.A.F, the newlywed’s new neighbours had decided John had left Joan, deeming it the shortest marriage ever.

How wrong they were, because last year the happily married couple celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary.

Our New Arrivals August 1959 was a very eventful tim e for Mrs Methven from Ke nt and a time she remembers well.

Mrs Methven had just had her baby at home, and the following morning her husband was introducing the fam ily dog to their new arriv al, she quickly told him “careful, she’ll be getting ideas.”

Two days later to their complete su rprise, their dog had giv en birth to three puppies, completely upsta ging the new arriv al!

We’re planning to create a memory box of all your 1959 memories, so please keep sending them into the usual address or to weloveshoes@hotter.com.

We’ll keep you informed on our progress.

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what’s the buzz about bees?

Honey bees have inhabited the Earth for some 30 million years, but it’s only in the last 5,000 years they have been managed by humans to produce honey for our benefit.

Nowadays you’ll find it hard to find a honey bee in the wild in the UK, despite the fact that these amazing insects are responsible for 90% of the pollination of the British apple crop each year ... and that’s just a start for one of nature’s most industrious insects because fruit, herbs, vegetables and crops, in fact one third of the foods we eat rely on honey bees for pollination.

Bee Aware • Bees fly up to three miles from their hives from April to October • They fly 12 feet above the ground at 18 miles per hour • A bee will forage for about 40 minutes to fill its honey stomach or pollen sacks • The nectar collected by a single bee in its life makes less than a teaspoon of honey

Between 1985 and 2005 there was a 50 % decline in honey bee colonies, and from November 2008 to April 2009 nearly one in five honey bee colonies were lost mainly due to the varroa mite that has become endemic across the UK colonies. The British Beekeepers Association is leading the drive to raise awareness of the plight of the honey bee and turn around this decline.

Comfort Club met BBKA President Martin Smith at his Skelmersdale home to find out more.

“It’s not all bad news, as thanks to the education and campaigning work we’ve been undertaking, the number of beekeepers in the UK increased by 25% last year - but there is a long way to go,” said Martin, whose wife introduced him to the craft 25 years ago. “People take up the hobby for a number of reasons – some want to help

Win!

BBKA President Martin Smith

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The BBKA has kindly offered two free beehive adoptions to Hotter customers, to win this lovely prize for yourself or a friend simply send your answer to the following question to the usual address.

Q. How many worker bees are there are in an average colony?

the environment, some have heard about the decline of the honey bee and want to help and others simply love honey! Whatever the reason, it’s a fascinating way to spend your spare time and fits in with modern life very well.” It takes just an hour a week to maintain a beehive, and it’s a great way to escape – work, families, news and the phone have to take back seat when you immerse yourself in the activity within the hive. Each week the bee’s health has to be checked, and the keeper – togged in protective ‘bee suit’ – has to check for signs of swarming.

Honey bees live as colonies, huge ‘families’ with only one queen, up to 50,000 ‘sister’ workers and 200-300 male drones. The queen can lay up to 2,000 eggs a day.

Drones mate with new queens but do no work in the hive.

The females will find food, feed the queen, clean the hive, produce wax for the frames, and make the honey.

What is the Waggle dance?

When a honey bee finds a great source of nectar, it returns to the hive and performs the waggle dance to let its fellow bees know where to find the booty. The angle of the bee’s body denotes the direction, the number of times it turns reveals the distance – and the waggle dance is accurate to within six feet!

“The honey bee will want to swarm to create a new colony if the colony gets too large,” explained Martin, who became President in January. “The queen produces royal jelly which turns a small number of larvae into queens, the strongest of which creates a swarm to split the colony.

We monitor these early signs of swarming and try to prevent it in order to maintain honey production.”

To find out more about the BBKA contact www.british bee.org.uk

Adopt a beehive

Five ways to help the honey bee • Adopt a beehive Beekeeping is not practical for everyone so why not adopt a hive - or better still adopt one for a friend.

• Make a honey bee friendly habitat Plant flowers like asters, sunflowers, hollyhocks, larkspur, foxgloves, mint, peas, beans and flowering herbs. If you have space, fruit trees, hebe and hydrangea are all bee-magnets.

• Buy locally produced honey Buying direct from your local beekeeper at farm shops and local markets helps cover costs and protects the local honey bee population.

You’ll also find the flavour of each local honey reflects the local flora.

• If you spot a swarm of bees report it Swarming is natural bee behaviour. Honey bees in swarms are usually very gentle and only become aggressive if provoked or sprayed with water. Call your local authority or police who will inform the local beekeeper.

• Invite a beekeeper to visit Beekeepers are always happy to share their knowledge with local groups, schools and clubs.

Backed by Michelin starred chef Raymond Blanc the BBKA’s Adopt a Beehive scheme is the perfect way for people to help the honey bee.

Each £29.50 adoption includes a jar of honey or honey mustard, a wooden honey dipper, certificate and seasonal newsletter. To find out more visit www.adoptahive.co.uk where you can also follow the progress of a colony of 14 beekeepers.

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Joie De Vivre

-French style!

Whether you visit France by plane, train or automobile (with caravan in tow) there’s lots to keep you busy.

In 2007, 15 million of us made the trip across La Manche to experience the sounds, sights, smells and tastes of our Gallic neighbours and here we have a little French ‘je ne sais quoi’ for you to enjoy from your armchair.

For those of you venturing to France this year, we’ve managed to secure tickets to French theme park Futuroscope for you to win. Graham Gendall Norton writes: My first encounter with one of the most unusual drinks to emerge from France’s vineyards was on a recent visit to the Region of Poitou-

Charentes. There are two Charentes Charente-Maritime, with its picturesque harbours and historic towns such as La Rochelle, and inland simply Charente.

At their heart a name we are all familiar with: Cognac. The best of brandies bears the name of this town of immense charm and antiquity on the banks of the river Charente.

The local grapes, mostly white, do not make great wines so when spirit distilling came to Europe in the Middle Ages the natives of Cognac decided to use them to distil an improved drink which was destined for fame. I toured an ancient Cognac distillery, in a castle where one of France’s great kings, Francis the First was born. Brandy is aged in fine old oak barrels, which give both taste and a golden glow. Complexity

L a Roche lle comes in the labelling which reveals the vineyard’s location and the ages of the vintages, with some barrels 100 years old or more. These oldest barrels are secured in a fortified part of the distillery’s cellar called “le paradis”— Paradise!

Then, in a delightful hotel, came my first opportunity to taste another local brandy-based speciality: Pineau des Charentes. It is said to have been the result of a happy accident. Grape ‘must’, the freshly pressed grape juice, was put into a barrel believed to be empty. It contained brandy, which instead

Shoes to wear while you’re there!

Comfy, casual holiday breaks, days out with the children and grandchildren trekking round theme parks, zoos and museums can play havoc with your feet. Here are our top five foot soothing, stress busting, comfy loving styles for you to wear while you’re on your travels.

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ALL SHOES FEATURED ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.HOTTER.COM

Nirva n a Chic, neat, stylish £59

French fun at Futuroscope

preserved the sweet juice. Later when the barrel was opened the combination made a delicious aperitif.

Pineau, usually white, is served chilled in a big tulip-shaped glass and is the queen of sweet aperitifs. I noted orchard and lime-tree scents on the nose, then on the palate lovely sweet white fruits with hints of raisins and oak. There’s a light red or rosé too - made using red grapes and containing strawberry hints. It has just become possible to order the white in the UK from Oddbins (www.oddbins.com), who get regular

Bliss Comfy, pretty, practical £55

consignments (£9.99 a bottle).

Thanks to the Regional Tourist Board of Poitou-Charentes (www.visitpoitou-charentes.com) we are able to offer one lucky reader the chance to enjoy the two Pineau des Charentes, plus a bottle of Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. (Very Special Old Pale.)

To enter, send your answer to following question, with your name and address to the Comfort Club address: Q. Which French Emperor loved Cognac brandy?

L ea n n e Sporty, smart, sassy £49

Poitiers, in the north of PoitouCharentes, is an historic hilltop town with a sensational theme park, Futuroscope right on its doorstep. If you’re planning a trip to the area Futuroscope is packed with fun to keep the children or grandchildren occupied, with the latest 4D technology shows and realistic impressions of amazing animals and underwater life of the future. Find more information at www.futuroscope.com Futuroscope have kindly offered five sets of 4 free tickets for a day’s visit to Futuroscope each valid until end of January 2011 – so lots of time to plan for for school holidays. If you would like a chance to win a set of tickets worth approximately £125 send in your answer to the following question to the usual address.

Q. Which French town is nearest to Futuroscope?

Ca ndice

Foot hugging, eye-catching £49

Sha ke Bright, bold, fun loving £59

ALL SHOES FEATURED ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.HOTTER.COM

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Healthy feet are happy feet Shoes that fit feet properly will bring a smile to your face, but certain health conditions or foot health problems may mean you need extra help or more footwear options. In this special health focus we’ve asked Jo Cumming from Arthritis Care and Podiatrist Andy Mayo to take a closer look at feet, how they work with shoes and how to help make your feet happier.

Arthritis and feet We use our feet to take over two million steps a year on average so taking care of them is paramount for our wellbeing. Anyone can experience foot problems, but for people with arthritis however, it can be a daily annoyance.

There are many ways arthritis can affect feet. Osteoarthritis (OA) can cause pain in any foot joint. It’s most common in the big toe, but occurs occasionally in ankles if there has been an earlier injury.

Calluses and corns can form pressure points, especially under the foot. Bunions, bony lumps at the side of the big toe’s base, can distort feet inside shoes, pushing the big toe over and causing smaller toes to ‘claw’ – hammer toes – a common symptom of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). A fluid-filled sac, known as a bursa, can form near a bunion and become inflamed, or develop under the ball of the foot. Bony nodules can also form at sites of pressure in RA. Inflammatory arthritis like RA causes inflammation in tendons and other soft tissue, commonly where tendons attach to the heel bone (known as plantar fasciitis). Feet and ankles can be stiff in the morning or after sitting, and sometimes heels can ‘drift’ outwards – valgus heel – with

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the ankles appearing to turn inwards, destabilising the foot. This can cause the foot’s arches to flatten and become painful – but supportive shoes or insoles can help stop this happening.

Caring for your feet Foot care is really important if you have arthritis and if you are having problems you should seek help. Therapeutic massage can help reduce foot pain or tiredness, as can a warm-water foot bath. You can do exercises to strengthen ankles and feet – a physiotherapist can provide specific exercises to suit you - but in general try to move them regularly.

Footwear is one of the first things to think about. Comfort and reducing pain should be priority – tight shoes or high heels will increase the likelihood of calluses and bunions forming. Finding a good pair of shoes can be difficult when you have arthritis so you may need to seek help from a podiatrist.

Jo Cumming is manager of Arthritis Care’s free confidential helpline which is open to anyone affected by arthritis. Call 0808 800 4050 (10am-4pm weekdays) or email: Helplines@arthritiscare.org.uk

ALL SHOES FEATURED ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.HOTTER.COM

Healthy Happy Feet for you There’s lots more ideas and suggestions how you can make you feet happy in our free downloadable Healthy Happy Feet guide – find it at www.hotter.com. And if you need further footwear help you can call our free personal shopping service on 0800 083 3083.

Putting the Podiatrist on the sp ot

Podiatrist Andy Mayo

Each of our feet has 26 bones, 20 muscles and 100 ligaments – a technological marvel! Combine these facts with the miles and miles we walk in a lifetime and it’s not surprising that sometim es things can go wrong. Here Podiatrist Andy Mayo, who owns The Foot Company, Lytham St. Annes talks us thro ugh some of the most common questions he gets asked to explain why some feet become unhappy and what you can do about it!

Will wearing high heels regularly affect my feet in the long term?

Yes it could cause a multitude of problems, including bunions, disfigured toes and increased pressure areas which may lead to callus and corns. Wearing heels regularly could also cause a condition called mortons nuroma which is a very painful condition.

It is usually found in women, where meta-tarsal bones entrap the nerv e which becomes very painful and can lead to surgery.

What is the correct way to cut my toenails and file them?

If you ever feel that your nails are in-growing or painful you should never try to cut them down the sides of your toe as this could cause more problems, consult your podiatrist instead.

How can I prevent getting cracked heels?

To help prevent cracked heels, file over the heels away from yourself with an emery foot file. Try to avoi d metal files as they can sometimes be dangerous and tend not to leave a smooth finish. It’s also very useful to regularly apply a specific foot moisturiser which contains urea. A quick tip is to put plenty of cream around the heels and wea r a pair of cotton socks whilst you go to bed. Always remember never to cream in between toes as this could lead to athlete’s foot.

How can I help treat bunions or prevent them from appearing?

There is no real treatment once a bunion has formed other than surgery. To help prevent them, wear a shoe which fits your foot shape correctly with a supportive lace or touch close fastening. Arch supports can also be useful in the prevention of bunions as they help control your feet whilst walking.

What would you say are the top tips for looking after your feet and keeping them healthy?

Try to wear suitable shoes whilst out working or on your feet for long periods of time. Regularly moisturise your feet and use a gentle emery file on any rough areas. Cut your nails straight acro ss and cut them often rather than leaving them to grow and cutting them too short. Visit a podiatrist regularly if you get any painful areas on your feet rather than trying to treat them yourself. Quit e often this makes the problem worse and corn plasters should be a complete no no as they can be very dangerous. Cotton socks are healthier for your feet, as opposed to wool or nylon, especially if you suffer from athlete’s foot or any fungal infections in your feet.

ALL SHOES FEATURED ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.HOTTER.COM

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Readers’ letters Dear Editor,

hased Hotter shoes and slippers.

Over a number of years I have purc of myself taken in Dubai in February Please find enclosed a photo of for ble forta com very a), (Evit als sand this year when wearing Hotter t of Dubai. walking or at the beach in the hea the pair ther ano have and style this I like and and husb My ur. same in a different colo lives who r ghte dau our ing visit I were and works in Dubai.

Mrs Campbell, Edinburgh

An Ode To My Feet

Elizabeth, Staffordshire

I visited the store last week and thanks to the care and attentio n of Julie (store manager); I was able to buy two pairs of Man go sandals in my size.

I was particularly impressed by the service I received. I sat in the store and Julie brought out the sandals, adjusting the straps so that they were a perfect fit. I cannot remember a previou s occasion where I have been so well looked after in a shoe sho p.

Evita

After years of having to be put into trends of the times, enough is enough as I'm getting past my prime.

I want something comfy, but look pretty and chic.

So people will still say WOW what are those you’re wearing, they look really sleek.

New Hotter Bromley Store

Miss Bailey, Kent

If you want to keep your feet as happy as Elizabeth’s, please visit www.hotter.com where you can download our Happy Feet guide.

At Comfort Club we always love to hear what our customers have been up to, especially in their Hotter shoes. Please send us your stories and photographs to the usual address; you may even be featured in our next issue. Each letter we publish will receive a thank you gift.

Mango

If you would like to receive a list of our latest competition winners, please contact us at the address below and we will be happy to send this to you. Unless stated otherwise competitions in this edition will close on 7th July 2010.

Hotter Comfort Concept Shoes, 2 Peel Road, West Pimbo, Skelmersdale, Lancashire. WN8 9PT

Customer Service: 0800 525 893 Personal Shoppers: 0800 083 3083 Melanie Killilea:01695 712 720 Email: weloveshoes@hotter.com Web: www.hotter.com