House & Lifestyle | 248

Welcome

As we ep into January you may be motivated by resolutions and goals or perhaps you have decided to go for a more ontaneous “live in the moment” vibe, however you oose to approa 2023 we would like to wish you a very happy new year!

For those taking on the Veganuary challenge we have recipes from Deliciously Ella to help you on your journey. If 2023 is the year for exploring new places our travel sections has some great ideas for you; find out why Lulea in Sweden is a top winter break, or if you prefer to stay closer to home we discover where you can see the spectacular Northern Lights in Scotland. Helen Skelton talks to us about the power of dance – not just as a form of exercise but how it can help improve your mental health. Are you curious about what interior trends are set to be big this year? From playful colour, warm comfort to jazzed-up walls the experts share their insights. Our retail therapy page is packed full of ideas for anyone looking to take up a new hobby, or for the aspiring gardeners amongst you who are struggling for space we learn how to create a vertical allotment! We hope we can help to inspire a productive and fun-filled 2023!

ABOUT US

House & Lifestyle is a monthly magazine with approximately 150,000 readers and available in hundreds of outlets throughout Dorset and Hampshire. Pick up a free copy each month from supermarkets, newsagents, estate agents, theatres, garden centres, shopping centres, health clubs, hotels, train stations, bus stations, bars, clubs, restaurants, garages, doctors surgeries, dentists, cafes, pubs and many other retail outlets. House & Lifestyle magazine is published by GWP Marketing Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with the express permission of the publisher. The views expressed in House & Lifestyle are those of the contributors and are not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff. GWP Marketing Ltd accepts no responsibility for content and / or advertising copy supplied by third parties.

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CONTRIBUTORS

GARY PEARCE PUBLISHER

gary@house-mag.co.uk | 01202 287165 ext #1

ROSS STALLION SALES DIRECTOR ross@house-mag.co.uk | 01202 287165 ext #1

VICKY ANSCOMBE EDITOR

vi @house-mag.co.uk | 01202 287165 ext #2

MARC BUBB HEAD OF CREATIVE marc@house-mag.co.uk | 01202 287165 ext #4

READ ALL ABOUT IT

e late news ories in your area.

SAFFERY CHAMPNESS TEAM CELEBRATE PROMOTIONS IN BOURNEMOUTH OFFICE

Saffery Champness Chartered Accountants in Bournemouth is celebrating a wave of promotions across the office. In November 7 staff members received promotions, accounting for 9% of the work force in the Bournemouth office.

Partner Hannah Mazrae advised, “Huge congratulations to all of those recognised with promotions, they’ve all worked so well together as a team and are very well deserved.

“We are a training firm and therefore development is a natural part of our culture. We are proud of the opportunities that we offer our employees and it’s good to promote from within the existing team.

SAFFERY CHAMPNESS www.saffery.com

“In the last few years we have seen significant growth within the business and all of these promotions are bolstering our teams, allowing us to excel in the client service that we offer.” Staff promoted include:

Directors

Will Howell (Audit)

Collette Parry (Tax)

Managers

Kat Burleigh (Audit)

Alicia Greenfield (Accounts)

Amelia Palmer (Audit)

Assistant Managers

Stephanie Bartlett (Accounts)

Jazz Neild (Accounts)

FOREST HOLME TREE OF REMEMBRANCE RETURNS TO DOLPHIN CENTRE

Forest Holme Hospice has once again partnered with The Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole to have its iconic Tree of Remembrance outside the former Marks & Spencer store during the run up to Christmas.

From Monday 5th until Saturday 17th December, local shoppers were able to dedicate a ‘Light up a Life’ star on the tree in memory of a loved one, irrespective of whether they were cared for by the hospice or not, in exchange for a donation towards the charity.

The stall was also selling Christmas cards, merchandise, decorations, stocking fillers and a range of beautiful handcrafted items, with all proceeds going towards ensuring that everyone in the local community affected by life-limiting illness or bereavement gets the care and support they need, either at home or in their dedicated hospice facility.

FOREST HOLME HOSPICE www.forestholmehospice.org.uk

FUN CLIMBING FOR ALL WITH ROCKREEF’S NEW SEND SESSION!

RockReef on Bournemouth Pier has introduced a new SEND session on Thursday afternoons, from 4pm-5:30pm.

Some children and young people may require more help to learn and develop than other children and young people of the same age. If this is the case they may be classed as having special educational needs or disability (SEND) so they can get extra support.

RockReef has introduced this new session to offer a safe environment for these individuals to express themselves during a closed/protected session, enjoying the quieter and less hectic environment as experienced during a typical busy trading day.

RockReef has 28 climbing challenges to choose from, a highline aerial obstacle course, pier Cave and adrenaline activities, there’s something to suit everyone. Activities are suitable for children age 4 and up.

RockReef SEND sessions will start on Thursday 5th January and run every Thursday 16:00pm – 17:30pm during term time. More sessions will be added if these sessions become popular and SEND groups and schools can contact RockReef on 01202 237915 if they would like prices and availability of exclusive use on a different day.

BRAND GURU APPOINTED NEW CHAIR OF POOLE ARTS TRUST

Poole Arts Trust, the charity that runs Lighthouse, has announced the appointment of MT Rainey OBE as its new Chair.

The former Deputy Chair of Channel 4, she brings a wealth of experience from commercial roles in the creative industries that saw her honoured with an OBE for services to advertising in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. After eight years in the USA as Planning Director at Chiat/Day working with Apple and other early Silicon Valley companies, MT founded and was CEO of top advertising agency Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe. She also served as Vice Chair of Creative Skillset, the UK Sector Skills Council for the Creative Industries and is a Trustee of The Booker Prize.

“It’s a privilege to be asked to Chair this very loved, respected and important organisation,” says MT. “I’ve been coming to Lighthouse since I first had a home here in Poole in 2004 – in fact, it was one of the reasons I came. For an arts venue outside of London the quality and diversity of the programme is amazing.”

An avid consumer of the arts in all their guises, MT is looking forward to bringing her background in Brands and Marketing to bear in a sector she knows and loves so well.

“We have very loyal audiences, and while some elements of the programme bring

LIGHTHOUSE POOLE www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

in new audiences, I still think not enough people in this area know what a jewel in the crown they have on their doorstep and how many choices they have at Lighthouse on any night of the week. I’m hoping I can bring my specific expertise to bear on that particular challenge.”

Since joining the Board of Trustees in 2020, MT has been contributing her expertise to a range of projects supporting the team to develop the new website and recent brand refresh that has seen the logo updated, new signage and the adoption of the tagline ‘Different Every Day’.

In common with venues across the country, Lighthouse continues to recover from the pandemic and audiences are returning in encouragingly greater numbers. But with rising costs in every aspect of the business, the worsening effects of the cost of living crisis, soaring energy prices and deepening economic hardship, there are enormous challenges to that recovery.

However, having recently retained Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation status, MT is certain Lighthouse will meet such challenges with characteristic creativity and ingenuity.

PHWM TO HOST ‘FINANCIAL FITNESS’ SURGERIES AT WEST HANTS TENNIS CLUB

Lewis-Manning Hospice Care has opened its 6th charity shop on Wimborne Road in the heart of Winton high street.

The shop was officially opened by Charter Mayor of Bournemouth, Cllr Robert Lawton. After cutting the ribbon Cllr Lawton said, “I’m really pleased to open this magnificent new shop and hope that it makes lots of money for your charity.”

Peter Harding Wealth Management (PHWM) is to run weekly ‘Financial Fitness’ surgeries at West Hants Tennis Club in Bournemouth.  The surgeries will launch on 23rd January, with  further surgeries taking place on 30th January (10.00am - 2.00pm) with afternoon surgery bookings available at the club  3rd, 10th, 17th & 24th February (12.00pm – 4.00pm).

Marketing Director, Julian Barrett said, “As the business is an official sponsor of West Hants Club, it was an obvious choice of venue.  There will be a financial expert from Peter Harding Wealth Management on site to chat to club members and others in the locality about topics including: pension planning (for people approaching retirement and those already in retirement), tax planning (including inheritance tax planning), and also tips on investment management in a climate of increasing inflation and taxation.

PHWM has been awarded the prestigious Chartered Financial Planners designation by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). This is the industry’s gold standard for firms of financial planners. It confirms that they have satisfied rigorous qualification criteria by retaining highly qualified staff who subscribe to the membership conditions of the CII.

Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s Retail Area Support Manager Michelle Cooper said, “We are so excited to be opening our latest shop in the heart of Winton high street.

“The shop is boutique style, with a focus on fashionable clothing and accessories for ladies and gentlemen, with the occasional designer item included too. We’re really hoping to stand out in terms of our offering and be bright, vibrant and offer some wonderfully unique and stylish items for sale!

“We look forward to welcoming the community over the coming weeks and would urge people to declutter and donate their preloved items to the new shop too.

Every bag that is donated is worth around £30! We would love your preloved crockery, ornaments and other household items –please declutter and donate them today! You’d be turning trousers into treatment, bric-a-brac into better breathing and dresses into day hospice.

“The shops are not only making sustainability more fashionable, but they are fantastic for fundraising, so that we can keep providing extraordinary care to people who really need it.”

The hospice is appealing for volunteers to join the team in Winton, so if you are happy to spare some of your precious time please contact the Volunteers Team today on 01202 708470 or apply straightway on our website https://lewis-manning.org.uk/ volunteer_vacancies/retail-assistant/

Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s other retail shops across East Dorset and Purbeck are located in Ashley Cross, Christchurch, Swanage, Westbourne & Wimborne.

PETER

HARDING WEALTH MANAGEMENT

www.peterhardingwm.co.uk

LEWIS-MANNING HOSPICE CARE www.lewis-manning.org.uk

SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING JUST GOT MORE FASHIONABLE IN WINTON

A LITTLE RAYA SUNSHINE!

We’re thrilled to be able to announce the arrival of a little “Raya” sunshine in Banteng form, born to mother, Dewi, and father, Henkey, last month.

Keepers have reported that Raya, who is female, is doing well “running around with her tail held high in the air”.

Banteng are listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Originating from Asia, where they prefer dry, deciduous forests and sub-tropical grasslands, Banteng favour areas of mixed forest cover.

They have become endangered as a result of hunting and loss of habitat. They are

MARWELL www.marwell.org.uk

typically shy animals who come out to graze at dusk and dawn, returning to forest cover between these times.

In the wild, Banteng tend to move in maternal herds of adult females or as all bachelor groups. Female calves will typically stay with the herd whilst males generally leave around 2-3 years old.

Conservation charity Marwell Wildlife received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development in July and owns and operates the zoo.

Marwell offers visitors the chance to get up close to amazing members of the animal kingdom, from Amur tigers to towering Rothschild’s giraffes.

For more information go to marwell.org.uk

STEELE RAYMOND WELCOMES NEW PARTNER AND HEAD OF PROPERTY LITIGATION

South Coast solicitors Steele Raymond have announced the appointment of specialist property litigator David Crockford, as the Bournemouth-based firm continues to expand its leading Property Group.

David, who joins Steele Raymond as a partner and head of property litigation after four years at Foot Anstey in Southampton, brings a wealth of commercial property litigation expertise to an already outstanding team, consisting of Legal 500 ‘Rising Star’ associate solicitor Laura Offer and Legal 500 recommended partner, Hannah Dare. The team is described by the 2023 edition of the Legal 500 as ‘dynamic [,] with an in-depth insight into the needs of their clients’.

In even more positive news for the Group, Steele Raymond was recently nominated for ‘Property Law Firm of the Year’ at both the South Coast Property Awards and the South West Property Awards.

STEELE RAYMOND www.steeleraymond.co.uk

A REFLECTION OF QUALITY

Nothing gives the look of your home more class and style than the addition of elegant replacement windows and doors. With Dorset having such a diverse range of architecture, it is important to replace windows and doors with styles that retain the original character of a building. Diamond can meet this requirement with our high quality products.

Excellent services received from Alex and William. Both of them are very professional, friendly and efficient. Their fees are very competitive and good value for money. Highly recommended to anyone who is looking for a professional and responsive letting services in the area.

Excellent service provided by Winkworth Westbourne, I cannot speak highly enough of them. My sale was extremely complicated for various reasons, the agent I worked with had the patience of a saint and couldn’t have been more helpful.

Will and team did an absolute fabulous job on the sale of our property. Highly recommend, we’ll definitely be using in the future and will be passing on their details to friends and family. Thank you.

Great all round job, getting me a quick sale at my asking price with minimal fuss. Friendly and professional service by Will and Rob from start to finish. Will definitely use Winkworth and especially these guys again in the future.

TALBOT WOODS, FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £1,275,000

A stunning detached character home situated on a generous westerly plot within the sought after location of Talbot Woods. Boasting four double bedrooms, three bath/shower rooms, two reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, utility room and tandem garage. Planning approved for further extension.

TALBOT WOODS, FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £950,000

QUEENS PARK, FREEHOLD | £850,000

SOUTHBOURNE, SHARE OF FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £260,000

A superbly presented two double bedroom character apartment situated a short walk from Southbourne high street and the moments from the seafront. The property is presented to an excellent standard throughout and benefits from a kitchen/ diner, share of freehold and residents parking.

POOLE, LEASEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £280,000

A recently redecorated two double bedroom top floor retirement apartment situated in the sought after Melton Court development. Ideally situated within easy reach of Westbourne and offering pleasant distant views, modern kitchen and bath/shower room, on site restaurant and 24 hour management. Residents parking. No forward chain.

BOURNEMOUTH, LEASEHOLD | OIRO £210,000

A superbly presented two bedroom maisonette ideally located within easy reach of Bournemouth town centre, award winning sandy beaches and main transport links. En suite shower room. Allocated parking. Gated development. Long lease. No forward chain.

HIGHCLIFFE, FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £765,000

An

QUEENS

TALBOT WOODS, FREEHOLD

PRICE

TALBOT WOODS, SHARE OF FREEHOLD | OIEO £375,000

A well presented character two bedroom ground floor apartment located in the premier Talbot Woods location. Featuring a private entrance, living/dining room, two bath/ shower rooms along with a refitted kitchen. Occupying a westerly plot with a spectacular and private garden. Share of freehold.

BOURNEMOUTH, LEASEHOLD

| £440,000

A stunning two bedroom apartment situated within a luxury new development a moments walk to beach and Bournemouth town centre. Benefitting from south facing balcony, high specification finish throughout and off road parking.

COY POND, FREEHOLD | POA

A beautifully presented four bedroom detached character house situated within the sought after Coy Pond location. The property benefits from a large kitchen breakfast room, two reception rooms overlooking the private south facing rear garden and modern bathroom, plus 30ft garage/ workshop in the garage which could be an annex or office. Viewing advised.

FERNDOWN | GUIDE PRICE £675,000

This superbly positioned and well-presented three double bedroom, one bathroom, one shower room detached chalet style family home has an 80ft private, south facing rear garden, garage/workshop, car port and front driveway providing generous off-road parking. This family home has a tremendous amount of scope and potential to be enlarged and enhanced (stpp). Approximately 200 metres from the club house of Ferndown’s Championship Golf Course.

BOURNEMOUTH | £650,000

This deceptively spacious and extremely versatile three double bedroom, three reception room, one bathroom, one shower room detached chalet bungalow has a 125ft secluded rear garden. The property has been substantially enlarged to create a one bedroom self-contained annexe. Scope to be enlarged and enhanced (stpp) and occupies a secluded plot measuring 0.22 of an acre.

FERNDOWN | £465,000

A superbly positioned and well presented three bedroom detached bungalow occupying a larger than average secluded corner plot in a popular and convenient location within Ferndown. This deceptively spacious bungalow has had a number of improvements and also has a double glazed conservatory which overlooks an additional area of private side garden which is a superb feature of the property.

FERNDOWN | GUIDE PRICE £325,000

This modernised and superbly positioned three bedroom Georgian style family home has a 13ft conservatory, enclosed private garden and a single garage. Tucked away in a pleasant location in a delightful Mews setting within a highly desirable residential area.

FERNDOWN | GUIDE PRICE £325,000

This superbly positioned and generous sized two double bedroom semi-detached family home has a 35ft enclosed garden, single garage and a driveway. The property is tucked away in a peaceful cul-de-sac location and now comes to the market offered with no onward chain.

FERNDOWN | £265,000

A well-presented and generous sized two double bedroom, one shower room, one bathroom first floor apartment with its own private entrance, a share of the freehold and a single garage. Bramley Court is tucked away in a convenient location within Ferndown. The property now comes to the market offered with no onward chain.

FERNDOWN | £625,000

This superbly positioned and generous sized three double bedroom, two bathroom, one shower room, four reception room detached family home has a private garden which backs onto an area of protected woodland, detached double garage and driveway providing generous off road parking.. The property offers light, spacious and versatile accommodation and now comes to the market offered with no onward chain.

WEST PARLEY | GUIDE PRICE £850,000

This beautifully finished and brand new three double bedroom, one bathroom, two en-suite detached bungalow occupies a good sized secluded corner plot with a single garage and a driveway providing generous off road parking. The property benefits from a 10 year builders warranty and landscaped gardens. We anticipate completion of the bungalow in Spring 2023.

FERNDOWN | GUIDE PRICE £730,000

This immaculately presented and generous sized three double bedroom, one bathroom, one shower room detached bungalow has a 55ft private south facing rear garden, double garage and driveway providing generous off-road parking. The property is tucked away in an extremely sought after and convenient cul-de-sac location approximately 900 metres from Ferndown’s town centre.

FERNDOWN | £525,000

This modernised and extended three bedroom detached bungalow occupying a good size, secluded corner plot with a 50ft west facing rear garden, detached single garage, hard standing for storage of boat or caravan and a front driveway providing additional off road parking. The bungalow has a tremendous amount of scope to be enlarged and enhanced (stpp) and now comes to the market with no onward chain.

WEST MOORS | GUIDE PRICE £450,000

This superbly positioned and well presented three double bedroom link detached family home has a private, south facing rear garden, a single garage and front driveway providing generous off road parking. Tucked away in a peaceful cul-de-sac location whilst conveniently located approximately 200 metres from West Moors Plantation making it ideal for dog walking..

FERNDOWN | GUIDE PRICE £375,000

This immaculately presented and modernised three double bedroom, one bathroom, one shower room ground floor garden apartment has its own private patio and a single garage. This generous sized 1,300 sq ft ground floor garden apartment has been upgraded and improved by the current owners and also had the added benefit of being sold with the Share of Freehold.

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r e e e n t r y , f r e e g o o d y b a g , d e a l s o n t h e d a y !

Y o u A r e I n v i t e d

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Dishonouring sunk costs

Letting go and losing a l tle is mu better than losing a lot later

If you’re a regular reader of this column you may recall me talking about the principle of working out a way of testing ideas cheaply and then putting investment behind them if they are working.

The key to this is to test lots of things, however there are a few things that often derail the strategy: Customer confirmation without action, modest success and honouring sunk costs.

I once worked for a company that made add ons for networked printers in the Jurassic times before broadband or Wifi. Just to explain for those of you under 40, you used to print virtually every communication both with clients and internally and when you wanted to print you had to select which printer to use on the network. The trouble was people would forget which printer they last used and send the print to another location – Senior managers would be seen tearing through the o ice to get a disciplinary letter they had sent to the meeting room printer. On several occasions I printed things out in the Copenhagen head o ice where I’d been the day before and most of all every printer would have piles and piles of uncollected printouts.

the excitement now and our customers shared it. One senior executive defected to a competitor who produced the same thing in record time to compete with us at the launch.

This brings us neatly on to one of the biggest issues in business and in life – honouring sunk costs. Once you have invested some money in something there is an almost overwhelming compulsion not to waste it. We see this in everyday life and our minds simply won’t accept that money spent is gone regardless of what we do next. You’re on a diet but you have a cake that won’t last so you eat it rather than throw it away which costs the same. The value of a share is dropping and you should sell it but you don’t because the price is less than you paid for it, yet if you were in profit you would sell immediately – this makes no sense, either the decision to sell is right or not regardless of what you paid.

EVERYTHING FOR THE HOLIDAY HOME OWNER IN SANDBANKS & SURROUNDING AREAS

Shopfront on the Peninsula | Sophisticated Digital Marketing Cleaning, Linen & Changeovers | Maintenance & Renovations | Concierge Services 24 Hour Emergency Callout | No Restrictions on Owner Bookings

When we finally got the product it was brilliant except for one slight issue – nobody bought it. To this day I still don’t understand why, it wasn’t even that expensive but when it came to parting with the cash it just didn’t happen. You can consult all the focus groups you like and get online votes but a test is only a test if people have to pay. It’s even more important to test an ideal that most people think is rubbish because if it works you’ll get a free run at the market.

Many businesses take advantage of this e ect, even a tiny deposit of £10 will dramatically reduce the number of bookings cancelled at a restaurant and it is a cornerstone of multi level marketing schemes. If you’ve spent money on a course or filled your garage with stock then you keep on trying to sell things long after it’s apparent that the income isn’t there.

Let us take care of all the work so you can enjoy your holiday home and take advantage of the significant tax benefits of running it as a furnished holiday let business.

One day there was a meeting to show us the latest device on the way – a simple plug in with a card reader for each printer so you just pressed print then walked to your nearest printer which would produce the document when you put your card in. You could send everything to print and collect it on arrival in Denmark and if you didn’t collect, it was never printed, saving waste and ensuring confidentiality. I can still feel

As a business owner you have to develop a cast iron will to look forwards not backwards. Will this initiative earn enough money for the e ort and expense in future regardless of what you have spent already? If the answer is no then it is always cheaper to cut your losses and apply the e ort to something more promising regardless of how much you have spent already.

SERVICED LETS FROM RUMSEY OF SANDBANKS

The perfect solution for temporary accommodation from a weekend to 5 months No minimum period rentals | Broadband and maintenance included Regular cleaning and linen change services available | Fully furnished and equipped

Modest success is actually much worse than abject failure – you try something and a few high profile people go for it so you double down on the marketing but after an initial flurry uptake fades but doesn’t die. It’s very hard to decide at what point to give up and if you’re a deluded optimist like most entrepreneurs there’s always something on the horizon that could make a di erence – Christmas, spring, the budget, interest rates, my capacity to think of things is almost as unlimited as number of new ideas I have every day.

Simon Tolson owns Rumsey of Sandbanks, a holiday letting agency. Contact Simon on 01202 707357. simon@rumseyofsandbanks.co.uk

Rumsey of Sandbanks will tailor the experience to suit your exact needs so you can get on with the rest of your life and we can turn an awkward stop gap into a great and memorable experience.

EVERYTHING FOR THE HOLIDAY HOME OWNER IN SANDBANKS & SURROUNDING AREAS www.rumseyofsandbanks.co.uk | 01202 707357

www.rumseyofsandbanks.co.uk 01202 707357 office@rumseyofsandbanks.co.uk

Currently on site, this is one of our most ambitious designs to date. This exceptional house has uninterrupted views over the Solent and was unanimously approved at planning committee. We are delivering this house from inception to completion and are involved in all phases of the construction, from working drawings through to interior architecture.

davidjames architects &partnersltd delivering design perfection.

david james architects & partners ltd 5 wolterton road branksome poole dorset BH12 1LR tel: 01202 755633

1. Control the Light Entering the Room

Window blinds provide you with more control over the amount of light entering the room because you can cover the entire window or just part of the window according to your own needs. For example, the slats on some window blinds are fitted so tightly together that they do not allow any light in at all. This could be ideal for a room where you have a home theatre or in your bedroom where you don’t want any light to wake you up in the morning.

2. Countless Styles, Colours, & Patterns

Window blinds come in an endless variety of styles, colours, and patterns, allowing you to create the perfect look in your kitchen, living room, or bathroom. Choose from mini blinds, vertical blinds, roman blinds, and even cordless blinds, which are safer for children and pets as well as being very elegant.

3. Wide Variety of Materials

The variety of materials that blinds come in allows you to choose the blind that is most suitable for you in terms of both price and style. For example, if your living room contains wooden furniture, you can complement the room by installing wooden blinds. However, if you find wooden blinds too expensive, you can opt for faux wood instead to keep the costs down. You then have plastic blinds, bamboo blinds, aluminium blinds, and other materials to choose from to ensure that you can always find the right blinds for any room in your home.

4.

Enjoy Complete Privacy

Blinds provide you with a level of privacy that you cannot get from many other options such as curtains. For the ultimate in privacy control, consider installing top-down shades. Using these, you can lower the shade from the top so that the natural light can come in, but you can still enjoy as much privacy as you require.

5.

Easy to Maintain

Finally, one of the best things about window blinds is that they are typically very easy to maintain. In fact, many blinds simply require a quick wipe with

a damp cloth from time to time to remove the dust. Compare this to curtains, which need to be washed every once in a while, and blinds start to look like the most convenient option. In addition, they are also long lasting, especially blinds made from wood or aluminium, meaning you won’t have to replace them until you decide you are ready for a change.

Find the Perfect Blinds

for Your Home

Whatever style you have in mind for the rooms in your home, consider installing window blinds. Not only can they become a unique feature of the room, but they also don’t have to cost the earth. In fact, they can often be cheaper to buy and install than curtains, especially if you choose an option like faux wood instead of real wood. So have a look online or in the store next time you go shopping and try to find the perfect window blinds for your home.

We offer a comprehensive made to measure and fitting service for ease of mind or you can choose the self fit option. Whichever service you partake of, you can be assured that your blinds will be custom made to meet your requirements, that you will be kept up to date, and that you will receive an excellent service.

At Ripples, we work slightly differently from others. We don’t do one size fits all solutions, but we do take dreams and ideas and turn them into bespoke designs for your new bathroom. From the moment you step into our showroom to the moment you step into your new bathroom, we make the whole process as smooth and stress-free as it can be. It’s the Ripples effect.

Let’s have a chat about what we can do for you.

CREATING BEAUTIFUL BATHROOMS SINCE 1988

RIPPLES BOURNEMOUTH , 34-36 SEAMOOR ROAD, WESTBOURNE, BOURNEMOUTH, DORSET, BH4 9AS | 01202 766886 ripplesbathrooms.com

Create your own

superior fire space

When you want to refurbish your home where do you start and how do you pull the various elements and people required together?

Partners in Design believe that, rather than being a luxury, an interior designer can add value AND save you money. By understanding clients’ tastes and goals we introduce exciting design ideas to transform homes.

Covering all of Dorset we provide a full interior design, build and project management. Once clients have approved the designs we make these a reality, delivering stunning results on time and within budget. Partners in Design will coordinate and manage all elements from building work to the making of bespoke furniture and seating, soft furnishings and lighting

“The odds were stacked against Partners in Design from the outset. A house to be renovated after 40 years of being ravaged by DIY and neglect; Clients that had little clue about what they wanted and a budget that was both tight and discerning. We were attracted by the idea of working with a company which could do it all: the design work, the build and project management through to completion. Today Barbara and her team have turned our house into a wonderful country home and we could not be more happy with the results.”

- Daren and Gail Kemp, Marnhull See some of our work and other testimonials on www.partners-in-design.co.uk

www.northfieldadaptations.co.uk info@northfieldadaptations.co.uk

We are excited to introduce our new showroom, believed to be unique on the South Coast of England. Showcasing products and designs for bathrooms and kitchens along with accompanying accessories and easy access ramp designs, all associated with assisted easy access living for the home and the workplace.

Northfield have been working in conjunction with local Councils for over 15 years supplying and installing accessible bathrooms, kitchens and ramps under the Disabled Facilities Grant System, as well as undertaking adaptation work for private customers, hence we believed it a natural path to open a showroom offering these products to our customers to view and trial.

Our experience in this field means we often work in delicate and sensitive situations and realise that empathy and understanding is required at all times to our clients based on one's own individual needs and requirements aimed to improve their living facilities at home or in the workplace.

Our showroom is open to the Medical Profession, Councils, Occupational Therapists, Care Homes, Housing Associations, Bathroom Fitters and of course Private Customers.

Working alongside AKW Medicare, the UK’s leading manufacturer of accessible bathroom, kitchen and daily living products for the elderly and individuals with reduced mobility, we have a comprehensive range of budget to high-end products displayed within the showroom.

A selection of tiles and safety flooring is also on show and further advise is offered if required to customise the rooms colour scheme and finish

Please call to make an appointment and we look forward to making your living made easy.

BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE … AND EVEN INSIDE!

As the weather gets colder, people start to turn on the heating and we take a lot of calls from Tenants that their boiler isn’t working or some of the radiators are not getting hot.

A common issue is that the condensate pipe from your boiler freezes – which stops the boiler from working. Whilst there are videos online to help, we’ll always try and talk our Tenants through how to get the boiler going to try and save costly call outs for our Landlords. There is nothing worse than being cold if the heating stops working, so Fleur recommends that our Tenants purchase a couple of portable heaters – just in case!

We know that the cost of energy is a real worry for everyone, but it’s really important that properties are kept warm in the winter to avoid allowing the property to become too cold as this could result in the property becoming damp and mouldy, which in turn could impact on Tenants health.  There is lots of advice and handy tips available online to help keep warm this winter.

We also receive lots of reports of mildew from Tenants at this time of year and it’s usually NOT a fault with the property; it is mainly due to a build-up of condensation and lack of ventilation.  All of our Tenants are given a HOW TO GUIDE on how to deal with this

At Fleur Lettings, we believe in helping our Tenants as long term this helps our Landlords.

Small enough to know our Tenants and Landlords – big enough to help. So why not call Fleur Lettings today so see how we can help Landlords!

If you don’t love your Letting Agent, you should be with Fleur Lettings, please contact the friendly and knowledgeable team on 01202 001080.

Fleur Lettings … worth every petal!

T. 01202 001080 E. info@fleurlettings.net W. www.fleurlettings.net

Margaret, 75,

living with cancer

My day didn’t start too well. Everything had got on top of me and I felt really low. When I called the Macmillan Support Line, I didn’t know where to start. But somehow they helped me find the words. Just talking honestly about how I felt was such a relief. Now I don't have to cope with the bad days on my own.

For cancer support at home, over the phone, call the Macmillan Support Line free 0808 808 00 00 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 8pm) macmillan.org.uk

A

d d i n g i s

w o n d e r f u l s t o r y ,

l l h e l p y o u t e l l i t

Perfectly located 2 minutes walk to the pier and central gardens, The Hermitage Hotel offers an elegant venue for your special day!

Our 4 star hotel is ideal for both formal and informal weddings and our friendly team will make it a day to remember You can rest assured the service received will be at the highest level, from your initial enquiry right through to the big day itself.

For bookings, enquiries and to meet with our wedding team and arrange a no obligation viewing, please contacts us on:

www.hermitage-hotel.co.uk

The Hermitage Hotel, Exeter Road, Bournemouth, BH2 5AH

New Year, New Start

A new year often brings a new start to many people and this can mean moving home.

Let’s say that you have found your dream home, your offer has been accepted via the estate agent, your mortgage offer is being issued and your solicitor is busy dealing with the legal side of your purchase.

What can you do to keep things moving in the right direction?

The seller will prepare forms and documents which your solicitor will review alongside searches and other investigations. As you will have visited the property on several occasions, you can check the documents against the property that you have inspected.

Alterations to the property

The seller is obliged to disclose all changes made to the property. Your surveyor will produce a building survey which should also reveal structural alterations to the property. It is essential to establish whether all necessary planning permissions and Building Regulations completion certificates were obtained for those works.

The seller can be asked to provide indemnity insurance for any lack of official documentation, but this will not address whether the works are structurally sound.

Your surveyor should be consulted to assess the building work and reassure you or provide you with the further advice that you may need.

Future changes

If you are purchasing with proposals in mind for development, building work or change of use then you should discuss your plans with your solicitor and your local planning office before contracts are exchanged.

Certain small projects may not require planning permission, but you should always consider that planning permission might be needed.

Converting a garage, installing solar panels, decking and paving or changing boundary features may require planning permission and Building Regulations approval. Consider too that planning permission for change of use could be required if you intend to work or run your business from home.

You should also consult your architect or surveyor for more information.

Pipes and Drains

Water authorities generally advise against building any structure within 3 metres of the centre line of a water or sewage main without a build over agreement or consent.

Any room, conservatory, or other structure built over a main drain or water pipe cannot be routinely replaced, even on a like for like basis. There is no guarantee that applying to do so will result in consent being granted. This could result in the loss of a room, which potentially could devalue the property. You should think carefully if you think that part of the property has been built over a main drain or water pipe and how the loss of such a room may affect your use and enjoyment of the property in future.

Entering into a build over agreement with the water authority can be expensive and time-consuming.

Services and Utilities

You should arrange your own safety checks of gas and electrical installations before contracts are exchanged, rather than relying on any service reports provided by the seller. Any remedial work that may be required can be negotiated before you exchange contracts.

Fittings & Contents

The seller will complete a Fittings & Contents Form which details items to be included or excluded from the sale. Certain items might also be marked as available for sale, subject to agreement over the price. You should review the form and advise your solicitor of any items which you think should be left at or removed from the property upon completion of your purchase.

Any agreement reached with the seller to buy certain items should be documented in the contract. You should check and satisfy yourself that the price you have agreed to pay represents a fair reflection of the market value of those items.

You might want to arrange a viewing just before you complete your purchase to double check that the correct items will be left by the seller. You should also check that the levels of the oil tank or log store (if you are lucky enough to have one!) are as you expect them to be.

If you decide to move, Trethowans wish you the very best!

EMAIL info@trethowans.com WEBSITE www.trethowans.com

PICTURED Lucy Spollin, Partner, Residential Property

Año Nuevo! – A New Year

So why not get a New Build property in the sunshine!

In Spain, the 31st of December is a very special celebration, where the fun and partying go on well into the early hours. If you want to get the year o to a good start, come and celebrate New Year’s Eve in Spain. You will have a great time eating the traditional ‘lucky grapes’ - and celebrate into the early hours!

Would you like to know how we see in the New Year in Spain? Eating twelve grapes. Tradition has it that you have to eat them one by one, in time with the striking of the clock at midnight on the 31st of December. If you manage to eat all the grapes in time, you are in for a year of prosperity and good luck. Whether or not you believe in magic, try the experience – it’s great fun. The grapes are the most anticipated moment of New Year’s Eve. The chiming of the clock is broadcast on TV all over Spain. On this day, family or friends usually get together for a delicious dinner and then have the twelve grapes. In many towns and villages people go to a central square or an iconic place where there is a large clock, to eat the grapes together and share the last minutes of the old year.

If you are looking to escape to the grey and rainy weather of the United Kingdom, what better way then to start your new journey with a sparkling New Build property from

Vistacasas. We o er a great selection of key ready and o -plan developments along the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida. We work with reputable builders, with all developments o ering structural and bank guarantees so you can sleep easy knowing that your investment is secure.

Vistacasas has had an extremely busy 2022, with all the team working tirelessly to find our clients, their piece of the Spanish dream in the sun. We are open throughout the New Year to answer any questions you may have on any of our New Build Developments & Resales, and we will help you ever step of the way to ensure your purchase runs smoothly and stress-free.

Let’s turn that dream into a reality in 2023! We are very optimistic for the coming year. Remember, with every New Build property your purchase with us, you will receive exclusive extras included! We have great relations with the best developers along the Spanish coastline.

¡Hola amigos y Feliz Año Nuevo! We have come to the end of a wonderful year here at Vistacasas, and we are so happy to have helped so many people from all around the world to find their little piece of paradise here in Spain.

Many people ask us which nationalities are buying their holiday or second homes in this part of Spain. Well, we are delighted that we are still helping so many Brits to realise their dreams.

Brexit, and the changes to the rules surrounding visas, initially caused some concern for British people thinking of investing in Spain. However, although a visa is now required for British people wanting to live elsewhere in Europe, the rules regarding buying a property here have not changed at all! It is just as easy now as it has always been, to buy your very own place in the sun.

The Costa Blanca is still one of the most popular destinations in Europe. Why not visit us in our Villamartin o ice, from where we can give you an area tour, arrange all your property viewings, and make sure you have all the information you need!

Let´s make the dream of owning a new home overseas a reality! Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

¡Feliz

SAN PEDRO DEL PINATAR

How to see the northern lights in Scotland

In recent years, Cairngorms has become an aurora hunter’s playground, and now is the best time to go. Here’s how to see the very special light show…

Seeing the northern lights is up there on many people’s bucket lists. In fact, in October 2022 more than 110,000 people searched for ‘Northern Lights’ online. But you don’t have to travel all the way to Scandinavia or the Arctic to witness the Aurora Borealis. At the end of November, strong displays were witnessed across Scotland, and one of the best places to see the spectacle is from the Cairngorms – the UK’s largest national park.

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The aurora in the Cairngorms | PA Photo/ Myrddin Irwin

LEFT

The northern lights in the Cairngorms | PA Photo/ Nancy Chambers

RIGHT

Red squirrel in the Cairngorms | PA Photo/Alamy

Light pollution here is so low, the Tomintoul and Glenlivet area has been awarded Dark Sky Park status by the International Dark Sky Association, making this the most northerly place in the world to secure the title.

When to visit?

The best time to see the auroras is mid-October to midMarch. Your chances of seeing them vastly increase throughout the autumn and winter months, when the nights are longer and darker. You are more likely to get a good sighting in the evening, and it needs to be cold with a clear sky, and ideally increased solar activity. It’s also best to avoid nights when there is a full moon. Check the weather forecast and keep an eye on websites like AuroraWatch UK (aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk) which can help you identify peak times for viewing.

Where to get the best view

It might seem obvious, but remember to look north! The Cairngorm Mountain Car Park is a great spot, as is Feith Musach, north of Tomintoul and also the Glenlivet Estate. Local residents have also reported wonderful sightings on the Dava Way, above Forres, near the Moray Firth.

Make sure you keep an eye out for unusual light patterns in the sky. Sometimes it can look like a slight flicker of colour, other times you will have no doubt it’s the auroras.

Capturing them on camera

You’ll need a tripod and a long exposure to capture the lights in all their glory. Often, they might look like a film of mist to the naked eye, but with the camera, you get some spectacular results when exposing for around 2030 seconds.

Make a trip of it

Spanning 1,748 sq miles, an area bigger than the whole of Luxembourg, and brimming with waterfalls, hills, mountains and ancient forests, the Cairngorms National Park is a paradise for adventurers, especially when it comes to experiencing dark skies. There are three ski centres, along with walking, biking and sledging trails.

Nearby attractions include the Highland Wildlife Park (highlandwildlifepark.org.uk), Cairngorm Reindeer Centre (cairngormreindeer.co.uk), Landmark Forest Adventure Park (landmarkpark.co.uk), Aviemore Ice Rink (aviemoreicerink.com) as well as distilleries galore.

How to plan your trip

For more information on the destination, go to visitcairngorms.com.

ABOVE

Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms | PA Photo/Alamy

RIGHT

Northern lights in the Cairngorms | PA Photo/David Newland

Preserving the legacy of successful business owners

We believe in preserving the legacy and reputation of any successful business owner who wants to sell their business responsibly and enjoy the next chapter of life.

To achieve this, we behave very differently to our competitors. We focus on preserving the name, workforce, culture and locations of every business we buy. And we recruit only the best industry talent to replace the founders.

This focus on the human realities of selling a business – such as pride, honesty, integrity and the desire of many owners to do the right thing for the people they are leaving behind – is what makes K-Zen unique.

In short, we believe there is a right way and a wrong way to exit a business. We’re here to help you find the right way.

We can also help you increase the profitability and value of your business (having added over £100M of increased profitability to a broad spectrum of companies, so far). So, if you think you may need those skills – perhaps as a prelude to making an exit once your business is back on it’s feet – please get in touch.

If you want to find out more about how we can help you contact Robbie Mair, 07900 555217 or you can visit www.K-ZenGroup.com.

What are the most common financial issues for a couple seeking a divorce?

In my experience, there are usually three crucial financial questions to consider when a couple is looking to part ways.

1. What will happen to the family home?

It’s worth seeking professional advice to understand the ramifications of any course of action, before deciding to move out of the family home. The sale of a family home can be immediate or delayed until the children are older, but the capital should be divided fairly, with the main consideration being to ensure each party can meet their housing needs.

2. Is there a need for ongoing financial support?

If for example, one party earns significantly more than the other, there needs to be a discussion about whether there should be spousal maintenance payments, and if so, how much and for how long?

3. How will any pensions be divided? Pensions accrued during the marriage are matrimonial assets, so it’s important to understand what provision each party has and how they could be shared.

What is a fair financial settlement in a divorce?

This varies from couple to couple and depends on their circumstances, which is why it’s best to seek legal advice to help recognise what is a just financial settlement.

After a thorough evaluation of all the couple’s financial resources and gathering relevant evidence to make a financial resolution as smooth as possible, guided negotiations can be effective in keeping relations amicable and minimising the disruption to a family.

Q: How are financial settlements reached when getting a divorce?

A: Wherever possible, couples are encouraged to seek settlement outside of the Court. Court proceedings can entail a higher level of risk, as the verdict is open to a judge’s discretion. They are also costly and time-consuming. Instead, couples can choose to act through their solicitors or try mediation.

As a Collaborative Lawyer, I’m also able to hold open-table discussions, to help reach an agreement quickly.

No matter the resolution method chosen, it’s best to seek advice from a family law specialist as soon as possible to fully understand the implications of any decisions and avoid complications.

Gilak, Senior Associate Solicitor

Do you need a solicitor for a “No Fault Divorce?”

While you can apply for No Fault Divorce without the help of a solicitor, there are still important decisions to make regarding childcare, property and finances.

Few people realise that if a Consent Order is not prepared and approved by the Court, then financial claims can remain open even after the divorce is completed. In this situation, an individual could attempt to claim the financial gains of a former spouse in the future.

Once a Consent Order is made, there are only very limited circumstances where it can be changed. For this reason, and to ensure long-term financial security for your family, it’s best to seek legal advice even when applying for a No Fault Divorce.

The sooner you consult a solicitor, the better the chances are of settling your finances fairly and avoiding any complications, and it means that your family can focus on the future.

For more information about handling your finances

Sara

The Coastal Specialists

Taking a fresh view of the coastal property market

E stablished property experts Spencers have a brand new division, Spencers Coastal, with the Christchurch Bay department covering the stunning coastal area including Christchurch, Hengistbury Head, Mudeford, Friars Cliff, Highcliffe and Barton on Sea.

With a senior management team boasting decades of local experience in Coastal properties, Spencers Coastal are the sole agent covering this entire coastal region from West of Christchurch to East of Lymington.

From Forest to Coast Spencers Coastal builds on Spencers New Forest’s established reputation for attracting the best buyers to prime properties throughout its network of offices, consistently retaining its dominant position with the strongest market share in the New Forest.

Email: christchurchbay@spencerscoastal.com Tel: 01425 205000

SPENCERS COASTAL – CHRISTCHURCH BAY

Rothesay Drive, Highcliffe

Milford on Sea

Lymington

These clever hacks will help keep you warm and cosy

Cost-friendly tips to keep the chill at bay.

As the conversation heats up around the cost-of-living crisis, many of us are looking for the easiest ways to stay warm at home – without running up the bills.

If you wanted to keep household costs down and your home nice and cosy, there are a few simple steps you can take to make a difference…

Bleed the radiators

First up, ensure your heating system is working efficiently, with the boiler pressure set between one and two bars. Any DIY shop will have a radiator key if you’ve mislaid yours. It’s important to bleed the radiators to get rid of any trapped air, making sure they’re working to full capacity. Just don’t forget an old tea towel to catch excess water that might leak out in the process.

Rearrange the furniture

It’s understandable to want your sofa or WFH desk near the radiator – but make sure they’re not positioned so close that heat can’t circulate around the room.

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Woman lying on sofa, wearing a cosy jumper and staying warm under a blanket | Alamy/PA BELOW Dunelm soft furnishings, from a selection, Dunelm | PA Photo/Dunelm

Likewise, you might want to move your bed or favourite accent chair away from the window so you’re not sitting or sleeping in a draught. This is also a good opportunity to bring in bright colour schemes and soft furnishings to visually ‘warm up’ the room.

Keep the doors closed

No matter how small or big your space, a door left ajar is an invitation for heat to escape – so keep doors firmly closed to make the most of the warmth.

Fit self-adhesive foam strips

One of the easiest DIY tricks is to apply self-adhesive foam strips to windows and doors. Place the strips along window joints and door jams – wherever you might feel a draught – and it will help keep the cold at bay.

Sites such as Amazon have a variety of options in different thicknesses and lengths, some for less than £10.

Draw the curtains and blinds

Closing the curtains and blinds will help keep the warmth in – and one of the bonuses of the clocks going back is you won’t feel like you’re shutting out daylight when it starts to get dark around 4pm.

And if possible, now is probably a good time to remove any radiator covers (lovely as they look), to maximise hot air circulating around the room.

Go small

If you’re determined to really cut down on central heating costs, you could consider using small, portable heaters – such as oil-filled radiators or smart fan heaters.

An oil-filled radiator (Warmlite 650W Oil Filled Radiator, £29.99, Ryman) can be switched on wherever you are, and are brilliant at retaining heat. With an adjustable thermostat you can choose the temperature you want, and it’s easy to carry between rooms.

Alternatively, smart fan heaters are a super stylish option.

Think thermal curtains

Thermal curtain linings can be a lifesaver, with various options out there. Designed to block out light (making them excellent in the summer), they are also specially coated to reduce loss of heat and regulate room temperature throughout the year.

You can buy them ready-made, with eyelet and pencil pleat options, or opt for lining kits – which are designed to hang behind your existing curtains, so they’re hidden from view.

Check out Dunelm, which stocks Keep The Heat In Pencil Pleat Thermal Curtain Linings, priced from £10.

Hot botties aren’t just for bedtime

Hot water bottles have always been popular this time of year, and are a cheap and cheerful way to keep cosy. Right now, faux fur versions with pom poms are trending big time.

Layer up

Whether it’s a shaggy rug, fluffy blankets, woolly jumpers or cosy socks – layers can help keep you warm inside. Hats are also a brilliant way to preserve body heat.

Words by Sam Wylie-Harris, PA

Our expert team have been building excellent websites for almost a quarter of a century, across every conceivable style, scope and format for brands and businesses of every shape and size.

take great pride in creating beautifully designed, fully optimised websites that not only look great, but also convert visitors into customers.

A stunning and very leafy park on the outskirts of Ferndown in Dorset, close to popular seaside resorts such as Bournemouth

As its name suggests, Lone Pine Park occupies a lovely woodland spot, with mature, evergreen pine trees providing a stunning backdrop to the residential homes. It can trace its history back over 100 years’. and has now evolved to be an exclusive bungalow style senior living park on the south coast.

These days the park currently has just over 110 homes sited, and there is a choice of additional plots and show homes that are available immediately. In fact, there are three brand new stock homes in place for those who are keen to move straight onto the park, with prices starting from £275,000.

Of the five available plots, buyers can choose a new build model that they like from a range of manufacturers, and can have a say in the design of the home to suit their exact requirements to maximise the location of their new home on the plot.

The park boasts a wonderful 14.5 acre sylvan setting and once fully developed will have in the region of 175 homes, all carefully sited on bespoke plots nestled within landscaped gardens and providing a secure communal environment.

Seeing is Believing…

All you need to know...

LIVING COSTS

• Pitch Fees: From £256 pcm

• Council Tax Band A: Paid directly to the Council.

• LPG Gas: Own tank, metered via the park.

• Electricity: Own mains electricity metered via the park.

• Water & Sewerage: Costs divided between residents on the park.

HOMES FOR SALE

There are currently three brand new homes for sale and we also sell OFF PLAN.

You can design your very own new home to your exact requirements on your chosen plot to maximise it’s location.

We currently have about 5 new plots available, of which three of them already have new homes on them and they are:

• The first and second are top of the range 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom Lissett Echappe/Alaska models, that overlook Heathland with amazing uninterrupted views and a raised decking area - POA

The third is a lovely 2 bedroom Stately Albion Goodwood located in a Cul de Sac, on a South Facing plot, priced at £325,000

To arrange a viewing by appointment only, please contact: 01202 894438

Dame Prue Leith talks ageism, cultural appropriation, and disappointing the Queen

The TV and cooking legend chats to Lauren Taylor as she publishes her latest cookbook, Bliss On Toast.

Dame Prue Leith may be TV royalty now, but one thing she says she’ll “take to her grave” is the shame of making the late Queen Elizabeth II a bad cup of tea.

“I couldn’t get out of the Palace how she liked her tea, so I ended up with a tray with all these options on it: silver teapots, a jug, bowls of lemon and different sugars, milk and cream – the Palace told me to just bring everything,” says the Great British Bake Off star.

It was 1975 at the opening of the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in London. The Queen finally reached Leith, who was carrying a rather heavy tray, after greeting a long line of dignitaries.

“I said, ‘Black or white Ma’am?’ She said black, so I put a piece of lemon in. She said, ‘No lemon’, so I had to fish the lemon out as I hadn’t got another cup – I didn’t know what to do with the bloody lemon!” the 82-year-old recalls. “Then I topped up her tea with water because most people who have black tea like it quite weak, and she said, ‘I like it strong’.

“So the poor woman got weak lemony tea when she likes strong black tea. I’ll go to my grave ashamed of it!”

These days of course, South African-born Leith jst done her sixth series of Channel Four’s Great British Bake Off – “the best job

in the world” – alongside Paul Hollywood, Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding, and has just published her latest cookbook, Bliss On Toast.

But the controversy garnered by some of the Bake Off episodes centring on cuisines of other countries, like the recent ‘Mexico week’, has taken her by surprise. “What we’re trying to do is celebrate other people’s cuisines, but we’ve only got three challenges, so obviously we’re not going to cover all the things that any country would want you to cover,” she says.

Describing the popular baking show as “tolerant, inclusive, encouraging and kind”,

Leith adds: “I’m just sorry anyone was offended, because that’s not in the spirit of Bake Off.

“It does make you think, if [we cook] any foreign food and it’s not regarded as as a sign of appreciation and celebration, and imitation being flattery, then we’re in trouble, because British cooking has always been about taking other countries’ ideas.”

“Curry is supposed to be the most popular dish in Britain, it didn’t originate here. Most of our cooking techniques are French. Our supermarkets are packed with foreign ingredients. It would be the death of British cooking if we couldn’t help ourselves to other countries’ food.”

On a lighter note, the funniest part of being on the show, she says, is that she never understands the innuendos. “I’m just too old and my companions are like 15-year-old school children. They go into hysterics of laughter – you say the word sausage and they think it’s rude and I start like looking like a complete nana because I didn’t get the joke.”

It was a surprise to Leith – who married her second husband, retired fashion designer John Playfair, in 2006 – to even be considered for the job replacing Mary Berry back in 2017. “I thought, going to Channel Four, they’d want to change everything, but guess what? They found another old lady.”

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Prue Leith and husband John Playfair | Tristan Fewings/PA

She’d just finished 11 years as a judge on BBC Two’s Great British Menu and at 75 thought perhaps it was time to retire, but she couldn’t resist. Representation of older women on TV is improving, she agrees: “The ageism message must have got through.”

When it comes to British food though, nothing quite encapsulates it like a good old plate of toast (and maybe a correctly made cup of tea). For Leith, Sunday night is the best time to enjoy it. “We’ve always had something on a Sunday night because Sunday night is like going back to school, isn’t it? You need comfort because you’re facing the week. So we’ve always had scrambled eggs and crisp bacon on Sunday nights, or mushrooms on toast, always something on toast – it’s comforting.

“If you’re feeling ill and you can’t eat anything, you can always eat a piece of dry toast,” she adds. “And then you get a bit better and you want some butter on it. The next morning it’s got marmalade on it.”

During lockdown, she’d find leftovers of her big chicken casseroles ended up on toast. “I began to realise that everything tastes better on toast.” So, in the book, readers can expect the likes of figs, blue cheese, thyme

Crucially, many are cheap to make. “We’re all very busy and we’re all worried about money and worried about time. Assembling something on toast is easy, stress-free and doesn’t have to be expensive,” Leith says. Her favourite – scallop Caesar on fried bread – is a little more special though.

“I never thought salad on top of bread would be good, but it is. For lunch, it’s just delightful. When you think of Caesar salad, it usually has croutons in it, so instead of having a fried croutons, I put a big fried piece of bread underneath.”

Many home-cooks won’t necessarily need a recipe for some of the combinations, and unlike baking, there’s no science to making great toast. “When I usually write cookbooks, I say to the readers, ‘Just trust the cookery writer and do exactly what it says’. Because many cooks make the mistake of thinking, ‘Oh well, if one tablespoon of sherry is good, three will be three times better’. But with this book, it’s more about ideas.”

After all, bread is having a moment. “The book opened my eyes to how many artisan bakeries there are now, and how even in supermarkets there’s a mass of different, really good breads,” she says.

“I don’t really expect the reader to have 20 different breads, but I do think it would be good if it encouraged them to buy ciabatta one week, focaccia the next week, a seeded brown…”

And in her early Eighties, Leith isn’t slowing down. She’s currently on one-woman tour around the US (coming to the UK next year), sharing her experiences. “People think of me as the woman on telly who eats cake for a living, which is true, but I’ve had a very adventurous life,” she says. When she opened her first restaurant, Leith’s, in 1969, she “was a woman doing stuff that was usually done by men” – earning a Michelin star in the process.

“People often say to me, ‘You’re amazing for 82’, and the truth is, I’m quite healthy, I eat well, I sleep well, I have quite a lot of energy. I think I’m just lucky,” says Leith. And she’ll never tire of being called a a fashion icon, thanks to her colourful wardrobe and signature spectacles. “I love it,” she says, laughing. “I’ve always been a bit vain and very egotistical. ”

and honey on bloomer, Japanese chicken with katsu curry sauce on white toast and peppered steak and sala verde on sourdough.

Words by Lauren Taylor, PA

ABOVE

Prue Leith | Geoff Pugh/PA

ABOVE

Bliss On Toast by Prue Leith | Bloomsbury/PA

Haarala Hamilton/PA

INGREDIENTS

2 large apricots, or 3 small ones

40g butter, half of it melted

2tsp caster sugar

1 English muffin, split and toasted

2tbsp apricot jam

1tbsp flaked almonds, toasted

1 small pot of clotted cream

Apricots, almonds and clotted cream on English muffin

SERVES 1

1. Get the grill as hot as possible. Halve the apricots, remove the stones and put the halves, stoned side up, on a grill tray. Brush them with the melted butter and sprinkle with the sugar.

2. Grill the apricots, not too close to the elements or gas flame, for eight to 10 minutes until brown round the edges.

3. Meanwhile, butter the toasted muffin halves and put them on warm plates. Spread them with apricot jam and share the apricot halves between them.

4. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve with clotted cream.

TIP

You can toast the flaked almonds in the oven under the grill tray at the same time as roasting the apricots, but they burn in a flash, so be careful. Safer, probably, to stand over them while you gently turn them in a frying pan, or toast for three minutes in the microwave, giving them a stir halfway.

Tomatoes with English pesto on toasted focaccia

SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

2 squares of focaccia

4–6 big slices of ripe tomato

For the pesto:

20g walnuts

30g bunch of parsley

1 garlic clove, crushed

30g Cheddar cheese, finely grated

75ml rapeseed oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas Mark 6. Put the walnuts on a baking tray and into the hot oven for five minutes to toast. Or toast them in the microwave for five minutes, giving them a stir halfway through.

2. Chop the stalks of the parsley, which have a lot of flavour you don’t want to waste, with a sharp knife. (Chopping in the machine can result in stringy bits – better to start by hand.) Put them, the parsley leaves and garlic into a blender and chop briefly.

3. Then add the Cheddar and walnuts and blend again. At this point, you will need to add the oil to loosen the paste. When everything is in, blitz to a smooth-ish sauce and season with salt and pepper.

4. Toast or grill the focaccia pieces to warm them through, then spread with the pesto and overlap the tomato slices on top.

INGREDIENTS

100ml plain yogurt

Juice of ½ lemon

1tbsp tikka paste

4 raw skinless and boneless chicken thighs

Oil for the tray

2 small naans, or chapatis

Butter for spreading

½ mild red chilli, finely chopped

A few mint or coriander leaves (or both)

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Chicken tikka with yoghurt on naan

1. Preheat the oven to 240°C/fan 220°C/Gas Mark 9.

2. Mix the yogurt, lemon juice and tikka paste together and reserve half of it for later. Turn the chicken thighs in the rest and spread them out on an oiled baking tray. Roast for about 35 minutes until brown and cooked through (a skewer should glide through the flesh easily). Slice each thigh into three.

3. Warm the naans or chapatis briefly in the microwave or toaster and spread with butter.

4. Pile the chicken on to the breads, seasoning with a little salt and pepper. Top with a dollop of the reserved yogurt, the chilli and herbs.

Bliss On Toast by Prue Leith is published by Bloomsbury, £14.99, photography by Haarala Hamilton. Available now.

Haarala Hamilton/PA

SANDY

FERRY

Wash your hands, you detty pig… And other rules to not be the guest from hell

The New York Times recently stated that ‘Dinner parties with nightmare guests can make for delicious art’; however, at some point, at least one of us will be a guest at someone else’s house, so why not understand how not to be a total nightmare and instead be the guest of dreams.

So to be sure you’re invited back for the New Year, Victorian Plumbing, the UK’s largest bathroom retailer and overall home experts, has got Brits covered with a simple guide to house guest etiquette this festive season. The guide includes a few widely undisclosed but popularly gossiped-about guest house rules that are bound to go down a treat, even with the mother-in-law.

This is not a hotel

Just because you’re a guest, it doesn’t mean you get to always use what you want, with over half of Brits admitting they take the posh shampoos and toiletries from hotels, don’t start to think the same applies to the host’s house. Bring your own, or simply accept that they might not want you using the good stuff, and if they do let you, then leave it where you found it.

No one likes a last-minute fussy eater Yes, Sally, we’re talking about your vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, cooked for two hours turkey alternative that you only decided you wanted the night before. With

over a third of Brits saying they would happily eat a vegan or vegetarian Christmas dinner, we’re in a time of trying new things, but piling on last-minute dietary requirements that you’ve never spoken about before is the worst for hosts. If alternatives are needed, be sure to let the host know in plenty of time, and if need be, maybe bringing your own is the safest option.

Don’t take board games too seriously

With over a quarter of Brits admitting that Snakes and Ladders was the game most likely to cause arguments this Christmas*, a quick reminder that whilst it’s great to follow the rules, remember it’s just a game. Be sure not to be the board game police and spoil the fun by taking any game too seriously; you can let your winning streak go for one night.

No snooping

As a generation raised on ‘Come Dine with Me’ it’s no surprise we like to snoop when visiting a friend’s home, and according to a recent survey, Londoners are the most likely to, with almost half confessing to a secret snoop around, compared to the national average of 34%. But try to avoid a

riffle through the draws because if the host finds even a pair of socks out of place, their paranoia could last until Easter - and we all know if the host thinks you snoop, it may lead to being left off the guest list in future.

For the full list of tips, from Victorian Plumbing’s Interiors and Home Expert, please see the blog post on www. victorianplumbing.co.uk.

And if we’ve reached any first-time hosts who might be worried about being less than perfect themselves, there is time to make your home as welcoming. As the bathroom is wildly considered the room where you start and finish your day, making it perfect for guests is essential. (Even for the guests from hell.) Victorian Plumbing has a wide range of perfect accessories to add style and hostability (yes, it’s a word) to one of the most used rooms in the house. They also have the perfect storage for hiding the posh soap away.

Brenna Ryan, Interiors and Home Expert at Victorian Plumbing, said: “Hosting can be scary for anyone, so making the experience as smooth as possible is where the guests come in. There is no hosting without them, but a bad guest can ruin the night. Following these rules can make you the ideal guest and in turn add to the overall experience of the night to help aid in an ideal dinner party. Because at Victorian Plumbing, we’re more than just bathroom experts.”

*Data taken from an article within the Sunday Mail 27th November

Reasons why the Swedish city Lulea is a top winter break 7

A new direct flight from London opens up Swedish Lapland for a winter break, says Sarah Marshall.

Although far off in the wilds of northern Sweden, Lulea is one of the most rapidly developing cities in Scandinavia – dozens of families are setting up new homes and countless tech companies (including Facebook) have set up their servers in the cool environment.

It’s set to become even more connected when a new direct SAS winter seasonal flight launches from London, making it possible to reach the snowy landscapes of Lapland, where northern lights dance across the night sky, in less than three hours.

Here are a few reasons why you should visit the region…

RIGHT

A reindeer at Cape Wild | PA Photo/Sarah Marshall FAR RIGHT

Northern lights on the frozen sea near Lulea Lapland Sweden Scandinavia |

PA Photo/Alamy

Ride horses through fairy-tale forests Mad about horses since childhood, Roger Laestadius begged his parents for lessons. When they refused, he took the second best option of learning to ride a cow. Now, his family’s 19th century dairy farm in Boden has been transformed into the Ranisgarden stables, where guests of all levels can take guided rides through forests of crystal-tipped trees and snow-covered farmlands.

Roger takes pride in teaching his students how to ride ‘western style’, with tips on how to hold reigns and control the horse with your hips. Afterwards, warm up with coffee and cinnamon buns in his cosy saloon. Pop your head into the quirky Wild West theme park next door, where Christmas dinners take place in winter.

HOW: A 2.5 hour ride costs from 1,990 SEK/£157pp (based on two); ranisgarden.se.

See the northern lights in a hot air balloon Being (almost) at eye-level with the northern lights is a novel experience. Float up to the heavens in a hot air balloon tethered to the ground for a 15-minute observation of the night sky. The new experience is offered by Lapland Ballooning, who have a winter base at Brandon Lodge from February 9.

From March onwards, when conditions allow, guests staying at the new Aurora Safari Camp also join a daytime expedition, travelling above the frozen forests of the Rane River Valley, searching for reindeer and moose. Help plan the navigation, according to the wind, and see where you end up.

HOW: A Ballooning, Dinner and Auroras experience costs from 3,150 SEK/£249pp; brandonlodgelapland. com. For prices of daytime trips, visit aurorasafaricamp. com and contact booking@aurorasafaris.com.

Meet some moose

Taking a screen break is always entertaining for Thomas Dahlquist. Moose regularly wander past his office window in a wooden cabin at Cape Wild. Visitors can also meet, greet and feed bananas to the nine habituated animals living in his wildlife park, a 10-minute drive from Lulea airport.

Standing close to the creatures, who typically live in this region but are hard to see, is a chance to appreciate their goliath size – particularly male Zebbe, one of the first arrivals, who responds to his name.

Other attractions include wild pigs and a herd of reindeer, who come galloping to a trough when bags of tasty lichens are produced. A selection of moose memorabilia – including branded beer bottles and tea towels – is on sale in a souvenir shop.

HOW: Tours from 350 SEK/£27pp (minimum two); capewild.se.

Learn how to master ice bathing

Even before Wim Hof championed ice bathing, the Swedes were masters at diving into cold waters. Anyone new to the wellness craze can break the ice with a dip in Arctic Bath’s luxurious ice spa. Frozen into the Lulea River in Harads, an hour drive north of Lulea, the highend hotel features a spa with several saunas built in a ring around a central pool filled with river water and kept ice-free year round.

Take part in a guided spa ritual, enhanced by essential oils and the encouragement to dip toes then quickly progress to half-body dunks and even full immersion.

The hotel restaurant is also gaining a reputation for its gourmet dishes made with local ingredients: try handpushed caviar from vendace fish caught in northern coastal waters, and fried reindeer moss sprinkled with blueberry dust.

HOW: Water rooms from 7,788 SEK/£616pp including breakfast and a spa kit; culinary experience from 1,295 SEK/£102pp. Visit arcticbath.se.

Embrace the wilderness

A wilderness hideaway with roaring fires and fine food is the perfect setting for a Lapland winter break. There are only three cabins available at this intimate eco-camp, hidden in the boreal forests on a river bend of the Råne River, close to the tiny village of Gunnarsbyn. Each one has a Jacuzzi, for keeping warm while gazing up and the northern lights, and there’s access to a shared sauna.

An iPad in each cabin has a chat service linked directly to staff, meaning there’s no need to step outside if you have queries about itineraries, or want to order a locally distilled forest G&T (with frozen berries in place of ice).

Although a raft of activities are available to book, it’s tempting to spend some time sitting still, enjoying the scenery and savouring the Arctic silence.

HOW: Full-board stays from 10,000 SEK/£791 per night (two sharing); arcticretreat.se.

FAR LEFT (BOTTOM)

Arctic

LEFT & ABOVE

Arctic

FAR LEFT (TOP) Thomas Dalquist feeding the moose at Cape Wild | PA Photo/Sarah Marshall

Bath hotel | PA Photo/ Sarh Marshall

Retreat | PA Photo/ Graeme

Walk on (frozen) water

The ability to walk on water is a godly power – unless, of course, it’s frozen. Whether on a lake or the sea, Lulea’s residents skate, hike and even drive across these solid expanses. But there’s always an opportunity to fish for creatures still swimming below.

Dragging a sled filled with firewood and a portable grate, the team at Brandon Lodge have created one of the north’s most comfortable ice fishing experiences. Drill holes with giant corkscrews and sit on reindeer skins while dangling bait from a toy-sized fishing line. The idea is to shift position every 30 minutes if nothing bites – even if the place ends up looking a bit like a mass of Arctic mole hills.

HOW: From 1,300 SEK/£102pp; brandonlodgelapland. com.

Sleep in a giant bird’s nest

Even in mid-winter, Sweden’s forests are full of life –especially in the Treehotel’s new Biosphere cabin. Famous for their arboreal accommodation, the property in Harads (down the road from the Arctic Bath) already has a mirror cube, nest and UFO suspended from the forest canopy.

Designed by the Danish Bjarke Ingels Group, the new addition features 350 bird boxes attached to a floating glass globe. Each hole has been drilled to a different size, to attract a variety of species, although feeding trays are the cause of most commotion from woodpeckers, owls, great tits and red squirrels.

Creature comforts inside include a shower with a sauna and a ladder leading to a roof terrace, and a table set between the bird boxes – including one designed to hold wine bottles and glasses.

HOW: From 13,000 SEK/£1,027 per night; treehotel.se.

How to plan your trip

SAS (flysas.com) offers flights from London Heathrow to Lulea from £190 return, starting from December 9.

For more information on the destination, go to visitsweden.com.

LEFT

The new Biosphere room at Treehotel | PA Photo/Sarah Marshall

RIGHT Ice fishing | PA Photo/Alamy

FERNDOWN £625,000

This three double bedroom, four reception room detached family home has a garden which backs onto a protected woodland.

HEARNES www.hearnes.com 01202 890890

Properties of the month

TALBOT WOODS GP £1,595,000

A detached character home on a large corner plot with seven bedrooms, annexe, swimming pool and south facing garden.

HEARNES www.hearnes.com 01202 317317

BURLEY OIEO £1,795,000

This character family home has four double bedrooms, three reception rooms and garden room set on over half an acre plot.

ST QUINTIN PROPERTY GROUP www.stqpropertygroup.co.uk 01202 877123

TALBOT WOODS GP £1,275,000

A detached character home with four bedrooms, three bath/shower rooms, two reception rooms and tandem garage.

HEARNES www.hearnes.com 01202 317317

FERNDOWN £850,000

Detached family home with outdoor heated swimming pool, large kitchen/breakfast room, five double bedrooms and garden.

ST QUINTIN PROPERTY GROUP www.stqpropertygroup.co.uk 01202 877123

QUEENS PARK £850,000

An impressive four double bedroom detached character house with two reception rooms, parking and private garden.

HEARNES www.hearnes.com 01202 317317

BRANKSOME PARK £420,000

This incredibly spacious two double bedroom ground floor apartment wit a private terrace and allocated garage

WINKWORTH WESTBOURNE www.winkworth.co.uk 01202 767633

FERNDOWN Guide Price £675,000

This three double bedroom detached chalet style family home has an 80ft south facing rear garden, garage/workshop and car port

HEARNES

www.hearnes.com 01202 890890

PROPERTIES OF THE MONTH

BRANKSOME PARK £925,000

An exceptionally spacious four bedroom town house has a large double garage, parking and extensive mature gardens.

WINKWORTH WESTBOURNE

www.winkworth.co.uk 01202 767633

TALBOT WOODS GP £950,000

A spacious four bedroom, two bathroom detached home, private rear garden, heated swimming pool, garage and parking.

HEARNES

www.hearnes.com 01202 317317

WEST PARLEY Guide Price £850,000

This brand new three double bedroom, one bathroom, two en-suite detached bungalow occupies a good sized secluded corner plot.

HEARNES www.hearnes.com 01202 890890

WEST PARLEY £1,350,000

Stunning five bedrooms chalet bungalow with high spec kitchen/dining room, separate utility, large garden, numerous outbuildings.

ST QUINTIN PROPERTY GROUP www.stqpropertygroup.co.uk 01202 877123

THROOP £3,999,950

This home has 6 bedrooms between main residence and cottage set in a stunning location with beautiful grounds.

ST QUINTIN PROPERTY GROUP www.stqpropertygroup.co.uk 01202 877123

TALBOT WOODS £850,000

A unique two bedroom character cottage with two reception rooms and enormous potential subject to planning permission.

WINKWORTH WESTBOURNE www.winkworth.co.uk 01202 767633

highly skilled, creative and professional team of interior designers will work with you to create the home you have always wanted. Whether you want an extension, refurbishment, new kitchen or garden studio we will produce innovative practical designs to breathe new life into your property. Your designer will be with you throughout the transformation. Having agreed the brief we will produce 3D designs to excite and inspire you and project manage everything through to completion for you within agreed time frames and budgets.

These are the hottest interior design trends for 2023

Sam Wylie-Harris finds out which home design trends are set to be big in the coming year.

Designers are already forecasting the trends set to influence our homes and decor in 2023 – and playful colour, warm comfort and jazzed-up walls are all in the mix.

Curious about the interiors trends in store? We asked the experts at leading home design platform Houzz. co.uk to share their insights…

Playful design

Houzz UK editor, Victoria Harrison says designers are moving away from the safety of neutrals and instead “having fun with colour and texture – and being creative when it comes to designing spaces for clients.”

Searches for terms like ‘colourful living room’, ‘colourful bedroom’ and ‘colourful bathroom’ have all increased (up by 197%, 192% and 42% respectively), while ‘painted ceiling’ saw an increase of 112%.

Bhavin Taylor, owner of Bhavin Taylor Design, says clients want to be braver when it comes to injecting colour and pattern, but generally don’t have the confidence to take the step.

RIGHT Playful design trend | PA Photo/Bhavin Taylor

“When designing a space that has traditional features, take inspiration from how the home may have been decorated when it was first built – and then choose fun, modern and colourful finishes to bring this look up to date,” suggests Taylor.

He says colourful and fun pattern can be used on both walls and curtain fabric, creating a seamless look around the room. “The look is then tied together with paint and furniture that pick up the same colour tones within the pattern. If you struggle with choosing colours that go together, let a pattern do all the work for you,” Taylor adds. “It’s that simple!”

Nostalgia

“From the resurgence of ‘modern farmhouse’ style –which is up by 135% in searches on Houzz year-over-year – to the recent interest in cottagecore, homeowners are looking to the familiarity and comfort of the past, and bringing elements of this into their modern living spaces,” says Harrison.

Within the most-saved photos on the website, she says they’re increasingly seeing warm wood, rich colours and carefully chosen vintage pieces being featured, along with heirloom textiles such as patchwork blankets, tapestries and antique rugs. Nature is a strong theme here, too.

“Nature is our go-to when it comes to sourcing inspiration for our interiors,” says Emma Sims-Hilditch, founder and creative director for Sims Hilditch.

“Our clients have come to expect a homely and welcoming aesthetic inspired by English country style, that is uniquely tailored to meet the needs of their contemporary lifestyles.”

Repurposed antiques, natural textures and plenty of layers provide comfort, character and depth. “And playful colours, patterns and artwork bring a sense of fun to the design,” Sims-Hilditch adds.

Warm colours

At the beginning of 2022, designers predicted a move away from cooler tones to a warmer palette. Now we’re seeing shades of terracotta, pink and mustard creeping into room schemes, with searches for ‘dusky pink’, ‘brown’ and ‘mustard’ increasing (up 81%, 25% and 24% respectively), notes Harrison.

“These colours are warm and relaxing and, along with the trend for nostalgia, could also be a result of homeowners looking for rooms that offer comfort and reassurance,” she says – adding that Pantone’s newly announced 2023 Colour of the Year, Viva Magenta, a vibrant pinky red, certainly ties in with the trend.

“It’s definitely a bold shade but for the brave, all-over magenta can really energise a room,” she notes. “It also works equally well as an accent colour.”

FAR LEFT

Nostalgia trend | PA Photo/Sims Hilditch

ABOVE

Pantone 2023 Colourof the Year, Viva Magenta | PA Photo/Burbeck Interiors/Chris Snook

LEFT

Warm colours trend | PA Photo/Sascal Studio and Angus Williams

Temperature-regulating design

Climate control inside the home seems increasingly popular right now. “With greater extremes in weather and rising energy bills comes a need to rethink the way we regulate the temperature in our homes,” explains Harrison.

In the past year, she says they’ve seen an uptick in searches for ‘external shutters’ – with heat-reducing window treatments set to play a much bigger part in keeping homes cool in the summer months.

“Overheating is a common problem exacerbated by the modern trend for large areas of glazing without consideration of solar control,” says Sam Cooper, director for E2 Architecture + Interiors. “Passive solar control can be incorporated into the glazing, but will often cut out some of the light and colour.

“East and west-facing glazing will suffer the most from solar gain, so it’s best to consider shading it with deciduous trees or shutters, so you can benefit from the winter sun, and control the summer sun,” Cooper adds.

Harrison thinks effective insulation will become a more pressing concern as homeowners seek out ways to improve the thermal efficiency of their homes.

Cooper says: “Careful consideration needs to be given when specifying insulation to a wall, particularly solid masonry. These more traditional structures ‘breathe’, to allow moisture to travel in and out of the construction.” For this reason, he suggests it’s best to use complementary natural materials like wood fibre or cork in conjunction with lime plasters, and not too much insulation.

Biodynamic lighting

Interiors have increasingly been inspired by nature in recent years – a trend that keeps evolving. “The latest iteration is biodynamic lighting, where artificial lighting is designed to replicate daylight as much as possible,” says Harrison. Searches for ‘lighting design’ are up by 73%, according to Houzz.

BELOW Biodynamic lighting | PA Photo/Anastasia Heywood

Interesting wall coverings

It looks like wallcoverings are set to play a big part in 2023 home decor, with murals, bold papers and interesting textures all emerging as growing trends. Searches for ‘decorative wall panels’ and ‘modern wall panelling’ are already up by 132% and by 116% respectively.

“Nowadays, our clients are more open to bolder suggestions than they have ever been before,” says Omar Bhatti, CEO of Space Shack – and wall coverings are becoming a big part of their interior design projects.

“Clients want to liven up bare walls and give them some life,” Bhatti adds. “Previously, we may have achieved this by hanging artwork or creating gallery walls.”

With so many different options – from micro cement, raw plaster and limewash paint, which can give walls texture, as well as textured wallpapers and wall panelling – Bhatti says the common theme between all of these options is they give the space much more character.

Words by Sam Wylie-Harris, PA

ABOVE & RIGHT

Interesting wall coverings trend | PA Photo/Space Shack

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Our friendly and experienced project managers deliver specialised solutions tailored exactly to each and every clients’ requirements.

With a wealth of over 30 years of experience in the roofing industry, we have fine-tuned every aspect of the job, from customer service to product install ensuring the customer has the PERFECT experience without breaking the bank.

How to create a vertical allotment in a small space

Save on space and cost by growing your vegetable patch vertically, with expert help.

Short of space but want to grow your own edibles? The answer may be to grow your own vertical allotment filled with salad leaves, herbs and tumbling tomatoes and strawberries. Planting your fruits, herbs and vegetables strategically can give you a year-round harvest, without having to join the waiting list for your local community allotment.

Keep it simple “Create tiered shelving, in which case the easiest things to grow are microgreens and pea shoots and rocket,” says Mark Ridsdill Smith, author of The Vertical Veg Guide To Container Gardening (Chelsea Green). “All the salads, plus herbs, would grow on shelves or on the rungs of an old ladder. That could be very productive in a small space.

“Microgreens need to go in a tray at least an inch deep with holes in the bottom. You can use mushroom trays with holes in them, lined with newspaper, for growing microgreens.”

Try inbuilt watering systems

If watering is too time consuming, an inbuilt watering system within your container may be the answer, says Matt Lindsay, general manager at green infrastructure specialists Growing Revolution (growingrevolution.com). “PlantBox, for example, has an inbuilt watering system making it effortless to keep your plants happy and healthy and can be fixed to an external wall, balcony, or even indoors. It’s ideal for growing strawberries, lemon balm, mint, thyme, basil, and sage and many more herbs, fruits, and vegetables.”

You can buy planting troughs with water reservoirs which once filled can last a couple of weeks depending on location, weather and how thirsty the plants are. Incorporated wicking felt means that plants take up water as they need it, so you don’t need to worry about over-watering either.

Create a salad bar

“I’d raise a large trough – say 30cm deep and half a metre wide – up on bricks to create a salad bar,” says Chris Collins, head of horticulture at Garden Organic (gardenorganic.org.uk).

“It needs to be south-facing or east-facing. Sow in drills very quick crops such as microgreens or rocket, pea shoots, so you have a fast turnaround. Then put an obelisk in the centre of the trough and grow dwarf runner beans up that.”

Make use of the wall space behind the trough by putting some hanging basket brackets above it and planting trailing tomatoes or strawberries in the baskets, he suggests.

Re-use plant pots

Use existing plant pots to grow your favourite fruits and vegetables to save space and money on your vertical allotment, Lindsay says. “There are many vegetable varieties that can grow well in containers, including beetroot, herbs, runner beans and salad leaves.”

Make sure your pots are deep enough for your chosen plant and make a note of the specific care needed for each variety to give them the best possible chance of thriving, Lindsay suggests.

Ridsdill Smith adds: “If you want to grow larger salads, use bucket-sized, larger containers. The more soil you grow them in, the easier they are to look after. People do grow lettuces in guttering but it won’t hold much soil so plants will need a lot of watering because they will dry out quickly.”

Use climbers

Climbing French beans and runner beans are ideal for growing in a vertical space, either in a pot up a bamboo wigwam or in the ground secured with ties against a fence or trellis, says Ridsdill Smith. Other tall plants such as vine tomatoes with one main stem can be secured to a wall with string, if you screw small eyes into the wall above an old nail.

“Squash grow on a vine so don’t take up as much vertical space. ‘Tromboncino’ squash is a good one because it tastes quite like courgettes. You can eat the fruits small or let them grow to a metre long,” he says.

Make the most of windowsills

Many herbs flourish when positioned on the windowsill. All you need is a spot that receives a good amount of sunlight, and you’ll be able to cultivate your own windowsill veg plot, says Lindsay. Have a go with herbs such as basil, thyme, or oregano.

Keep your vertical allotment going all year

Make the most of your vertical allotment all season by growing other leaves such as spinach, microgreens and salads, Ridsdill Smith advises.

“The key to having salad in winter is that most of them need sowing around September, to enable crops like rocket, winter purslane, lamb’s lettuce and mustards to last through the winter. They grow slowly in winter, but will put on a burst of growth come spring.”

Chard and kale will also grow in winter, preferably in bucket-sized containers, and ideally need to be sown earlier in the summer for harvesting in winter, he adds.

PA

Words by Hannah Stephenson,

PlantBox by Growing Revolution/PA

Alamy/PA

MOTORING NEWS

Mark Slack tells us the latest news on all things motoring.

ROAD TEST: HYUNDAI BAYON

Every so often you get behind the wheel of a car, usually a cheaper model, and are surprised in the sense that you could happily drive one every day. What’s even more surprising on Hyundai’s Bayon, and unusual in this class, is that it is incredibly comfortable and capable on long journeys. It also comes with enough standard equipment to put more expensive models to shame.

gearbox and unless you need an automatic is the better choice in my view. Cross country it’s surprisingly good fun despite being aimed at urban commuting.

Hyundai describe the Bayon as a crossover SUV, not sure I’d agree with that, but you get lots of space inside, although thanks to that hybrid gear the boot is a tad limited. It’ll fit most people’s requirements fine and you can always lower the rear seat in whole or part. Inside the cabin the seats are comfortable, front are heated, and there’s decent space even in the rear, although a fifth passenger might prefer short journeys.

As one might expect of Hyundai the assembly quality is excellent but you can tell it’s built to a price with hard plastics evident, but they have made the effort of contrast by different textures on some of the surfaces. This gives the interior a more quality look and a allied to neat and very clear instrumentation it makes the Bayon a nice place to be seated.

Priced from £20,350 there are three trim levels, one engine with two power outputs along with either 6-speed manual gears or a dual clutch automatic. The turbocharged, 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder engine is assisted by 48v hybrid power. Performance is capable, but nowhere near warm hatch territory, yet feels quicker and has the far from unpleasant characteristic thrum of the 3-cylinder. My test car was mated to the manual 6-speed

This is a very appealing car, it simply does what it’s meant to do and does it well. It has a nice driving feel with clear and simple controls, plenty of buttons rather than an overly digital experience. The climate control offers individual settings rather than as with so many cars multiple options, i.e. face and feet whereas in the Bayon you can have them separately.

The style will not be to everyone’s taste but it’s certainly different and is quite colour sensitive as to looks in my view. I really enjoyed the Bayon and was genuinely sorry to see it depart.

ROAD TEST: SKODA SCALA MONTE CARLO - ONE I’D BE HAPPY TO KEEP IN MY GARAGE

When you find the flagship model of a range is priced from just under £25k you’re looking at a manufacturer who knows how to package cars. When you find out we’re talking Skoda it comes as no surprise. The Scala sits between the Fabia and Octavia in terms of size and is a five door hatchback that looks a little bit more like an estate than traditional hatch.

My test model was the Monte Carlo finished in optional, and rather smart, Race Blue Metallic. Add the standard panoramic glass roof and extended glass of the tailgate and this is an unusual and rather stylish bargain.

The range starts at £20,120 and comes with a good range of standard equipment, although not navigation but you can link your smart phone. The Monte Carlo comes very well equipped including 18-inch black alloys, powered, heated and folding door mirrors, privacy glass, navigation, air conditioning, rear view camera and very

comfortable sports seats that look the part for a car bearing a Monte Carlo badge. It’s a very nice place to be seated.

Power comes from a choice of 1.0-itre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine or, as in my test car, a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol.

Mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, with nicely slick gearchange, it’s a pleasant drive that rides well with rather decent handling too. Despite the Monte Carlo badge it’s no racer but can certainly pick its feet up when required yet returns around 50 mpg.

The interior, unlike so many VAG cars, has a pleasing number of buttons and sensible digitisation. One minor issue with the instrument panel, which has a multitude of optional views, is the speedometer and rev counter are almost identical so a quick glance can be confusing. Thankfully there is a digital speedometer and you can remove the rev counter with one of the view changes.

The build quality on the Scala is excellent and it feels and drives like a more expensive car. With superbly comfortable seats and a spacious interior for both passengers and luggage, it makes the Scala a bit of a bargain. If you don’t need the slightly larger frame of the Octavia then the Scala fits the bill perfectly.

I’m lucky to be able to drive a different car every week, and some very nice cars, but the Scala Monte Carlo is definitely one I’d be happy to keep in my garage.

LOW CARBON FOOTPRINT OF CLASSICS

A new report quantifying the carbon footprint of all classic cars registered in the UK has revealed that an average classic car’s annual emissions are comparable to a single roundtrip flight from London to New York, a typical three-day Christmas for one person or equivalent to drinking three lattes a day.

The report, by automotive PR and communications agency, loop, also shows that the total CO2 emissions for all classic cars in the UK represents just 0.22% of the emissions from the entire UK transport sector.

Drawing on years of data from official sources such as the DVLA and Department for Transport, the detailed report also offers insights on the make-up of the country’s classic car sector, how fuel efficiency and car use have changed over time, and the part global events have played in shaping the motoring landscape.

Alex Kefford, loop’s Technical Writer and author of the report, said: “Assigning a figure to the carbon footprint of the UK’s classic cars has long been a challenge. By taking a data-first approach that included developing our own software, delving into decades of dusty archives, and crunching our way through millions of datapoints, we’ve been able to shed some light on this particularly tricky topic.”

“Along the way we’ve discovered that the humble MGB is the most popular classic with Brits, that there are more classic Ford Escorts and Volkswagen Golfs declared as SORN as there are registered on our roads, and that average passenger car fuel economy has doubled since 1956.”

LONDON CLASSIC CAR SHOW 2023 TICKETS NOW ON SALE

A collection of ‘Tax Dodgers’ will be on special display at next February’s London Classic Car Show at Olympia, tickets for which are now on sale.

Government legislation exempts historic cars built, or first registered, more than 40 years ago from vehicle tax, as well as an annual MOT test and, of particular relevance for those living in London, the charges for driving in the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

By the time the doors open at Olympia on Friday 24 February, a new raft of icons built between 1 January 1982 and 1 January 1983 will be exempt of vehicle tax from 1 April 2023. This list will include early examples of BMW’s second generation 3 Series (E30) and the cavernous Volvo 760.

Fuelling awareness for the sizable savings on offer, many of these will be on show stirring memories and inspiring opportunities. Moreover, for those planning their purchases ahead, these confirmed Tax Dodgers will be joined by a number of other classics including the VW Golf MkII, Nissan 300ZX and Peugeot’s 205.

Adult admission in advance is priced at £25 (plus booking fees) and a Limited Early Bird Offer gives those registering online and buying before midnight on 27 November a significant £5 discount. A limited number of exclusive Premium Experience tickets are also available for those seeking to enjoy The London Classic Car Show in style.

Full details of all ticket buying options – as well as the latest show news – can be found on the official theclassiccarshowuk.com

ROAD TEST: MERCEDES BENZ C-CLASS AMG LINE -

AN ALTOGETHER MORE SUBTLE APPROACH

Mercedes Benz has long been at the forefront of premium motoring and its latest range is no exception. My concentration here is the C-Class in saloon form. The range includes saloon, estate, coupe and cabriolet models with mild hybrid petrol and diesel along with plug-in hybrid options. Prices start from £39,860 for the Sport model which comes with standard features such as LED lights with adaptive high beam assist, keyless start, navigation with smartphone integration, cruise control, automatic wipers, climate control and heated front seats.

My test model was at the higher end of the range, the AMG Line Premium Plus with diesel power under the bonnet. While it may carry the AMG name the AMG Line versions have all the styling cues, but the mechanical side of things remains unmolested in terms of power. The 1.9-litre diesel in the test car produces 265 hp and being diesel maximum torque is low

most often black or grey. Lightening up my test car’s interior, and adding a dash of additional class, were tobacco coloured centre seat panels and matching door cards. With the rest of the interior in darker colours matched to the external grey paintwork it made for a nice contrast.

down from just 1800-2200rpm. Inside the C-Class you would be hard pressed to tell it’s a diesel providing the not inconsiderable accelerative capacity. Also the mid 50s fuel economy is impressive for a car of this class.

Inside it makes a pleasant change to find a car, especially a German model, that isn’t graced with a surfeit of sombre tones,

On the road the C-Class is a refined and smooth drive with plenty of power in reserve should you require it. A sleek style, despite being a saloon, makes for a striking look and doesn’t really compromise headroom access to the rear as is the case with many rakish saloons. The suspension draws a nice line between being compliant enough to soak up the bumps but with enough control to deal with twisty tarmac. Add driving modes of Comfort, ECO, Sport, Sport+ and Individual and you can see why it makes for an exemplary sports saloon.

Mercedes has had a reputation of being slightly more sedate than some rival German competitors but has more than levelled the field with the C-Class AMG Line models. It’s also a somewhat more individual choice with less aggressive styling, an altogether more subtle approach.

ROAD TEST: SUZUKI VITARA – LOTS TO LIKE!

The colour palette of cars seems to consist of largely black, grey or silver with little variation unless you start ticking the extra cost option boxes. With all the differing colours available you might wonder why a potential buyer would pick Suzuki’s solar yellow and pay an additional £835 for the privilege. It’s very bright! Thankfully for those without the need for a look at me car there’s a range of less vibrant paint finishes.

Luminescent paint apart the Vitara is a delight and comes with lots of standard equipment, even on the lead-in version, and offers an admirable absence of digitisation except for the sensible things you might expect to be placed on a touchscreen. Buttons are easier to use than having to dive into numerous sub menus on a screen, which is all too often the case these days.

Power comes from 1.4 or 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engines, manual or automatic gears, 2 or 4-wheel-drive, mild or full hybrid power and two trim levels, with prices starting at

a very competitive £20,999. That entrylevel version comes with adaptive cruise, smart phone integration, automatic air conditioning, auto lights and wipers,

My test model was the SZ5 full hybrid priced at £24,749 and adds a superb panoramic opening roof as standard along with keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors and a rear parking camera to name but a few of the standard features.

The SZ5 test model also came with allwheel-drive and Suzuki’s automatic

gearbox, which is actually an automated manual transmission. Rather like the CVT automatic gearboxes this system is fine unless you are under hard acceleration when the engine revs rise, with a delay before the transmission effectively catches up and changes the gear. Your ears end up being desperate for the next ratio.

The other issue is that were you to buy the mild hybrid Vitara in the same trim level, still with all-wheel-drive but a 6-speed manual gearbox, the comparison is interesting. Instead of the 1.5-litre engine you get the 1.4-litre Boosterjet unit. It provides 62 mph some 3 seconds faster, the same level of Co2 emissions and 0.3 mpg less. In my view it’s also a nicer drive.

All told the Vitara is an immensely likeable SUV, practical, plenty of equipment and nicely bolted together, along with sensible and competitive pricing. My advice would be to opt for the manual version unless you need an automatic. It’s a nicer engine, nicer drive and handles surprisingly well.

ROAD TEST: TOYOTA YARIS GR SPORT - SPORTING LOOKS WITH ECONOMIC AND COMFORT BONUSSES

There was a time when if presented with a small car and an automatic gearbox you would probably opt for a taxi. They were pretty terrible, a few still are today, but many small automatics have moved on much more than people realise. One of most fun and best small automatics is Toyota’s Yaris GR Sport.

Priced from £21,460 there is a single powertrain across the line-up, except for the rally inspired GR, a 1.5 litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and drives through an e-CVT automatic transmission. There is the Yaris Hybrid 5-door hatch range, the Yaris Cross pseudo SUV and a rally inspired GR.

The focus of my attention is the Yaris GR Sport, which has the standard powertrain but a more sporting look inspired by the rally bred GR. Three other trim levels are on offer and the GR Sport shares top billing in the range at £24,420, and comes with an enviously generous range of standard equipment.

Privacy glass, dual zone air conditioning, smart entry and start, auto lights and wipers, powered and heated door mirrors, adaptive cruise control, LED lights including high beam assist and particularly comfortable front sports seats. Fitted with 18-inch alloys wheels and in my test car’s case extra cost, but looked wonderful, pearlescent Scarlet Flare maroon/red paintwork.

The new Yaris has a presence! It doesn’t look like your average small urban hatch but on the other hand hasn’t adopted that overly aggressive look which, in many

people’s eyes blights so many otherwise good cars. With GR badging and a sporting stance the GR Sport rides on 40 profile tyres, so although the ride is firm it’s not uncomfortably firm. There is a higher than expected level of road noise but it’s not such that it would impede your aural comfort on longer journeys.

It may not be a hot hatch but it is dynamically well sorted and great fun on twisty roads. The CVT transmission is actually very good, not always the case with e-CVTs, and even under enthusiastic acceleration makes tidy progress. Super comfortable seats make this a really good long distance car if needed, and returning an average 59 mpg it’s not going to cost either.

This is a terrific little car and combines the best of sporting looks with economic and comfort bonusses. Perhaps surprisingly, as a fan of large engine luxury barges, this Yaris is one I would be very, very happy to have gracing my driveway.

ROAD

TEST: ORA FUNKY CAT – IMPRESSIVE, PREMIUM AND LOADED

It’s rare these days to have a completely new marque launch, let alone one that isn’t part of an existing car company. Not too long ago we saw Ineos and their Grenadier and now we have ORA, or to be more precise the ORA Funky Cat First Edition. I know! Move on from the name though and this Chinese built all-electric car might be about to make inroads into the EV market here in the UK. It’s not a price sharpened budget conscious model either, it’s very much aimed at those looking for something a cut above and competes with the likes of VW’s ID3 and Hyundai’s Kona EV.

ORA are not new to the car game, being part of Great Wall Motors that used to sell pickup trucks here in the UK, having five brands under their corporate umbrella. Apart from the ORA Cat the company is already showing concepts for its second car, the Next Cat, which looks very sophisticated with Alfa echoes in the frontal styling and panamarian rear flanks.

The First Edition model is, as the name suggests, the first of a planned line of models and prices for the launch car start from £31,995 which includes a profusion of standard equipment and a distinctly premium feel throughout the interior.

It is very tech orientated, some of it too much when the navigation system gives you about eight directions just to negotiate a roundabout. However, engineers were still tweaking the systems on the press launch cars.

The drive is smooth and quiet with a decent amount of power when required, although the one-foot driving/regeneration doesn’t offer quite as much braking as one might have thought so two foot driving is sometimes needed. Rough roads don’t phase the Cat and although the steering is a little lifeless there’s enough to safely quicken the pace on cross country roads.

Based on 15% to 80%, a 6.6kW home charge will take 5 to 6 hours. This time reduces when moving up to 11kW charging to around 3 to 4 hours. Additionally, 80kW rapid charging will take around 40 minutes. The Cat First Edition has a range of 193 miles.

Although subjective the Cat looks different without being odd, has a premium feel, lots of standard equipment and, despite a small boot, is a bigger car than you might think. Good value for its admittedly not cheap price, it nonetheless makes a most impressive start.

New Year, New You...

First of all everyone is different so I would recommend booking in for a free weight loss consultation and we can discuss the different options for you. The slimming treatments we offer include:

APPETITE SUPPRESSANTS

We offer two types of appetite suppressant pills at Elegant Clinic: Phentermine and Diethylpropion. These are tablet medications that alter the release of chemical messengers within the hypothalamus, which is the appetite control centre of the brain. This causes appetite suppression and reduced hunger perception, giving you more control over your hunger and cravings. In turn, this helps to prevent over-eating, falling back into bad habits, all whilst adapting to a healthier way of living.

WEIGHT LOSS INJECTIONS

Our prescription weight loss injections contain the active drug Liraglutide, which is similar to a naturally occurring hormone (GLP-1) that is released by the digestive system after consuming food.

This weight loss medication comes in injection form and works in a very similar way to our tablets. It safely controls your hunger through acting on receptors in the appetite control centre of the brain. As well as this, weight loss injections also postpone the emptying of your stomach, causing you to feel fuller quicker and for a longer period of time.

By reducing your appetite, weight loss injections will help you maintain a calorie-controlled diet in the long run and achieve your lifelong weight loss goals. Medical studies have shown patients treated with weight loss injections achieve significantly more weight loss and maintain that loss compared to patients who undertake dieting alone.

XENICAL

Xenical is a safe and effective prescription weight loss pill that works by blocking the uptake of up to 30% of dietary fat in each meal. Fat has the highest calories per gram of any of the major food groups with 9 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram in protein and carbohydrates.

By reducing the amount of fat absorbed within the body, Xenical reduces the number of calories consumed that meal. This helps you to achieve your required calorie deficit to effectively aid your weight loss.

When taking Xenical, you should aim to eat three main meals each day. Our friendly team of medical professionals at our clinics will help you to develop a diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables, with your daily intake of fat, carbohydrates and protein distributed over these three main meals. Xenical weight loss medication should be taken before, during or within one hour of these meals.

FAT DISSOLVING INJECTION

Our fat dissolving treatment is for localised removal from areas such as the chin, knees, hips, thighs or under the buttocks. These revolutionary fat dissolving injections are dramatically effective at targeting stubborn areas. Non-surgical and non-invasive, with long-term, healthy results.

ELEGANT SCULPT

This treatment uses HI-EMT (High-Intensity Focused Electro-Magnetic Technology) technology that can continuously expand and contract your own muscles, which is equivalently to extreme training, which can deeply reshape the internal structure of the muscles, thereby increasing muscle density and volume.

ELEGANT SCULPT CAN...

• Burn fat Tone and build muscle

• Shape, sculpt, lift and tighten

Owning The Travel Pharmacy we have access to all vaccinations / travel medication you may need. These include:

Diphtheria/ Tetanus/ Polio Typhoid, Meningitis ACWY, Cholera Vaccination, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis B (3 doses), Hepatitis A (2 doses), Chicken Pox (2 doses), Tick Borne Enchephalitis (2 doses) Shingles, Rabies (3 doses), Japanese Enchephalitis (2 doses), Meningitis B Vaccine (2 doses). Again, all travel vaccination appointments start with a FREE travel consultation with myself so we can make sure you have every vaccination needed for your trip of a lifetime.

We actually can tailor a skincare plan ready for your big day which will use the latest treatments on the market alongside medical award winning products. We start this process with a skin scan to analyse your skin and then would recommend what treatments and products to put you on. We have laser skin treatments, facial peels, RF skin treatments and much more. We will tailor your programme to your skin needs and your budget.

I need to lose weight and am determined to in 2023. What would you suggest?

So this year we will be taking a gap year and travelling the world. Do you offer travel vaccinations?

My acne has bothered me in forever and I really want to sort out my skin ready for my wedding. What treatment or product should I have/use?

Ella Mills on finding her purpose, feeling like a ‘complete weirdo’ and demystifying plant-based diets

The Deliciously Ella founder has teamed up with health experts on her latest book. Katie Wright finds out more.

Ella Mills celebrated a major milestone last year, marking 10 years since she posted the first recipe (spiced sweet potatoes with an avocado cream) on the blog she titled Deliciously Ella.

Now a multi-million pound company with a staff of 50 run by the food writer and her husband and business partner Matthew, the brand was born out of a “horrendous situation”, when Mills, now 31, was forced to drop out of university due to ill health.

“I had lots of digestive issues, I had chronic fatigue, chronic pain, I had a consistent UTI for four years,” she says on a Zoom call from Deliciously Ella HQ. “I was on antibiotics, I went into hospital for antibiotic drips, I was on steroids, I tried beta blockers…”

Eventually diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome and prescribed drugs that still weren’t working a year later, the then 21-year-old was running out of options. “I just hit an absolute rock bottom with my physical health, but also with my mental health,” she recalls.

Taking matters into her own hands, Mills – who was born in Warwickshire, and is the daughter of former Labour MP Shaun Woodward –decided to overhaul her diet, cutting out meat and processed foods, which she found worked wonders for her health, and gradually she came off all medication.

Teaching herself to cook from scratch and sharing her experiments online, the culinary seeds were sown and the novice cook’s following began to grow – today Deiciously Ella has 2.1m followers on Instagram.

Today, plant-based cookery has well and truly hit the mainstream, but back then it was a different story.

“Ten years ago, you felt really lonely and like you’re a complete weirdo,” Mills says. “Going out for dinner, I’d be like, ‘Do you have anything that’s plant-based?’ They’d be like, ‘Oh, you can have a green salad’.

That’s not dinner! Now you find amazing options everywhere, which is completely new and so exciting.”

Six cookbooks, an app, a restaurant and a supermarket product range later, the mum of two daughters (Skye, three, and May, two) is as surprised as anyone about her phenomenal success.

“My mum’s the first person to say, ‘No one expected this of Ella’,” she says with a laugh. “It’s said with love, but it’s completely true. I was really not someone who had big plans in life.”

So, what changed?

“I think I’ve realised the power of finding a purpose,” she reflects. “That has totally transformed everything I do – that sense of excitement around a meaning. I’ve been really surprised by how much that’s changed me.”

While the business has mushroomed, that purpose has remained the same, Mills insists: “I obviously started Deliciously Ella for my own needs, but I’ve always been really passionate about being useful for people. It’s all about trying to genuinely give goods and services that are helpful.”

That’s why the bestselling author’s latest title is something of a departure from the standard

ABOVE Ella Mills | PA Photo/Clare Winfield

cookbook format. How To Go Plant-Based: A Definitive Guide For You And Your Family features advice from a range of doctors, nutrition experts, and a psychologist.

“I think what we’ve really seen over the last few years is you’ve now got this huge swathe of the population who identify as flexitarian, or are trying to be more plantbased,” Mills explains. Yet a lot of people are are still confused when it comes to swapping meat for veg-focused meals, she believes.

“There obviously are so many myths out there and so many concerns, you know, do you need to take supplements? How do

you get protein? How do you get calcium? Is it safe for me to do when I’m pregnant? Can my children do it? What about my teenagers?”

Along with answers to those questions, the seventh Deliciously Ella book is packed with easy, one-pan dinners like roasted squash and dhal tray bake, and family favourites regularly wolfed down by Mills’ own little ones, such as 10-minute pea and pesto orzo.

Time, the working mum knows, is of the essence, as is proving that embracing a plant-focused diet doesn’t necessarily have to be at odds with the cost of living crisis.

“You can’t hide from that,” Mills says. “But equally, lots of recipes you can make at home, like lentil-based bologneses, they can be pretty inexpensive and arguably a lot cheaper than lots of meat-based meals.”

And while a fully plant-based diet works for Mills, she stresses that munching a burger or bowl of mac and cheese – even after you’ve vowed to quit your carnivorous diet – doesn’t mean you’ve fallen off the wagon.

“There is no wagon!” she says. “I am very passionate about the fact that a dogmatic approach to anything in life just doesn’t work.”

Instead, she hopes readers discover the health-giving power of plant-based meals, whether they’re vegan, veggie, flexitarian or anywhere in-between.

“It’s about trying to look after yourself for decades, not days,” says Mills. “You’re not being ‘good’ or ‘bad’, you’re just trying to genuinely nourish your body.”

How To Go Plant-Based: A Definitive Guide for You and Your Family by Ella Mills | PA Photo/Clare Winfield

How To Go Plant-Based: A Definitive Guide For You And Your Family by Ella Mills is published by Yellow Kite, priced £26. Photography by Clare Winfield. Available August 18.

Words by Katie Wright, PA

ABOVE

Ella Mills, husband Matthew, and daughters Skye and May | PA

Photo/Clare Winfield

ABOVE

PA Photo/Clare Winfield

INGREDIENTS

100g walnuts

50g pine nuts

300g cooked beetroot, drained, peeled and roughly chopped

25g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

3tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, finely sliced

1 garlic clove, finely sliced

1 × 400g tin of small white beans (cannellini or haricot), drained

200ml tinned coconut milk, shaken well to disperse the cream Lemon juice, to taste

4 servings of spaghetti or other long pasta (75g per person)

Sea salt and black pepper

INGREDIENTS

200g self-raising flour, sifted

1tsp baking powder

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

4tbsp coconut yoghurt

75ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing

1tsp vanilla bean paste

100g prunes or medjool dates, chopped

1tbsp ground flaxseed

75g sultanas or raisins

Creamy beetroot and walnut spaghetti

SERVES 4

“The mix of walnuts, pine nuts and white beans gives it a lovely texture, the coconut milk makes it beautifully creamy. The beets bring the colour, and the garlic and parsley really add to the flavour. The result is sweet and mild, almost like a korma sauce.”

1. Toast the walnuts and pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a high heat until the pine nuts are golden, then transfer to a food processor along with the beetroot, parsley, two tablespoons of the olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Blitz until you have a thick purée.

2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large casserole and fry the onion for five to seven minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic and fry for another minute.

3. Transfer the beetroot purée to the pan along with the beans and coconut milk and mix everything together. Bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes to heat everything through.

4. Check the seasoning then stir in lemon juice to taste.

5. Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the pack, then drain well and return to the pan.

6. Stir the sauce through the pasta and serve immediately.

Banana and olive oil loaf recipe

MAKES 1 LOAF

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Grease a 900g loaf tin and line with baking parchment.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the banana, coconut yoghurt, olive oil, vanilla, prunes and flaxseed. Stir in the sultanas.

4. Add the banana mixture to the flour and mix well – it will seem dry at first but it will come together.

5. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin, level out the top and bake for 50–60 minutes, until risen and golden. Test with a skewer – if it comes out clean the loaf is ready.

6. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out.

INGREDIENTS

1 onion, finely sliced

1 cauliflower, tough outer leaves discarded, cut into florets

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled & finely grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1½ tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1tsp cumin seeds

½tsp turmeric

1tsp ground coriander

50g cashews, roughly chopped

40g sultanas

250g white basmati rice, rinsed & drained

200g green beans, trimmed and cut into 4–5cm lengths

500ml hot vegetable stock

1 lemon, halved

Small handful of coriander, roughly chopped Harissa, to serve (optional)

Lemon juice, to taste Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Cauliflower and cashew pilaf tray bake

SERVES 4

“The ginger, garlic, bay leaves and spices give this cauliflower and cashew pilaf loads of depth, with a nice pop of colour from the green beans,” says Ella Mills, of Deliciously Ella fame.

She advises one slight change for kids: “If you’re cooking for very young children, omit the cashews from the roasting tin and sprinkle over the adults’ portions when serving.”

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

2. Put the onion, cauliflower, ginger and garlic into a large roasting tin. Add the coconut oil, cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin, turmeric, coriander and cashews. Mix everything until well combined and spread out in a single, even layer.

3. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the onion and cauliflower have taken on a little colour.

4. Take the tray out and add the sultanas, rice and green beans. Stir them through the veg, then spread everything out in an even layer. Pour over the hot stock.

5. Cover the tray with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cauliflower and rice are tender. Season and add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste, then serve with a generous sprinkling of coriander, and a drizzle of harissa, if you like.

How To Go Plant-Based: A Definitive Guide For You And Your Family by Ella Mills is published by Yellow Kite, priced £26. Photography by Clare Winfield. Available now.

PA Photo/Clare Winfield

FUC Clothing; look great, feel great, donate!

There is a lot going on down at FUC Head Quarters – if you hadn’t heard already they are having a huge stock clearance! Everything is up to 70% off, from leggings, t-shirts, vests, hoodies to water bottles and mugs.

As always profits will be going towards an amazing cancer charity. This time they have chosen the Teenage Cancer Trust to take home the win. It is such a great cause, they provide help, support and information for all young people facing cancer.

FUC founder Lottie, was diagnosed with breast cancer back in July 2017 and again with a different type in the December of the same year. Since then she’s faced a roller coaster ride of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, nine surgeries including a double mastectomy and a full reconstruction with the last surgery to date being another reconstruction (after the previous went wrong) making boobs from her legs. She has also had two strokes and been put in a chemical menopause – so her right to have any more children has been taken away and left with a memory that’s not great.

However, it’s not all bad, in 2018 FUC Clothing was born out of a desire to help and support those diagnosed with cancer and those around them. Since then thousands of pounds have been donated to charities such as the Wessex Cancer Trust and Shine. There have been auctions, fundraisers and even a calendar to raise funds. Lottie knows first hand the pain and

devastation cancer can cause to not just those diagnosed but to their families and friends – so she made it her mission to do something to help.

The profit from every single purchase goes towards helping others, that is why shopping with FUC is virtually guilt free!

At the moment they are very lucky that their wonderful friends at Ink From Within, based on Boscombe high street, are selling a wide range of their stock – so you can pop in and have a look. While you’re there you can look at the amazing artwork they sell (also available for commissions).

FUC Clothing can’t thank everyone enough for the constant support over the years. If you haven’t heard of FUC here is a little back story to help you understand what they are all about.

SHOP www.fucclothing.com

FOLLOW US @fucclothingbournemouth

CHARITY WEBSITE www.teenagecancertrust.org

There is a lot coming up for FUC Clothing and they are all very excited about where it’s heading, but in the meantime head over to the website www.fucclothing.com or check out the Instagram and Facebook pages @fucclothingbournemouth or pop into Ink From Within on Boscombe high street to grab yourself a bargain (limited sizes available in some styles so be quick).

FLEXITARIAN; OR JUST A NORMAL DIET?

Flexitarian is a word which has only recently appeared in our day-to-day vocabulary but one which seems to be trending in the ever-developing world of people’s dietary needs…

But what does it really mean?

The Oxford dictionary definition is “A person who has a primarily vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat and fish”. I don’t know about you but this to me appears to be describing what we would call a good old fashioned “balanced diet”, but we have somehow warranted the need to coin a title for it. Why so?

In a market where the extreme is becoming more popular, and restaurants are becoming more and more niche in their menus, it’s hard to keep up with what, how much and how far operators should be going to cater for all everyone’s requirements. It’s a veritable minefield of can and can’t eat, and the worry is that too little or too much might alienate or offend certain foodie types. Which of course no restauranteur wants to do.

I like the idea of this Flexitarian creature, a casual vegetarian who looks for the benefits of a sustainable yet well rounded diet where nothing it off limits but everything is viewed in moderation. It feels inclusive and surely a win win for all those involved?

Why not look to become inclusive all year round, and this Flexitarian ethos is what we’re going to focus on in 2022. Living life in balance sounds like a mantra that we could happily stick to.

Helen Skelton: Why dancing is so good for your mental health

Following her divorce, Helen Skelton has found that doing Strictly has boosted her confidence.

Strictly star and Blue Peter legend Helen Skelton has said she “found her confidence on the dancefloor”.

The TV and radio presenter, 39, and her professional partner Gorka Marquez, 32, was among one of the four couples who competed in the final to win the glitterball trophy. However, Skelton has been public about her struggles as a new mum going through a divorce this year.

Speaking ahead of the final, she reflected on her personal growth throughout the competition, saying: “Confidence is all relative, isn’t it? And challenges are all relative. But yes, I’ve definitely found my confidence on that dancefloor. I enjoy it and that’s what it’s about.”

Skelton has been open about how she has felt as a new mum, facing a divorce and the impact that has had on her mental wellbeing. Her husband reportedly moved out of the family home following the birth of their third child, Elsie Kate.

In a statement posted on Instagram, she wrote: ‘Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to coparent our small children.’

So, what are the impacts of dance on our mental wellbeing, and how can we get a bit of the good stuff that Skelton seems to be so enjoying?

“Dance is a hugely beneficial activity for mental and physical wellbeing – a great workout for the mind and the body,” says Dr Tom MacLaren, consultant psychiatrist at Re:Cognition Health (recognitionhealth.com).

And what we dance to, be it the radio or a specially chosen track, will impact this wellbeing boost. “Dancing along to your favourite music brings joy, lifts the mood and eases some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety, as certain chemicals are released from the brain,” says MacLaren.

Similarly, when we are dancing, we may get that ‘lost in the music’ feeling.

“Dance affords a sense of escapism,” MacLaren explains, “where we can forget about the day-to-day worries that may cause distress – the music can also transport us back in time and evoke fond memories.”

From nostalgic tracks to personal favourites, Skelton and the cast of Strictly Come Dancing get opportunities to lose themselves in different times, places, or characters week after week, perhaps helping them find a new happy place.

It can even improve your memory and social life. “Taking a dance class not only enables us to make new friends and social connections, but as we learn and remember new steps and routines, we are strengthening our memory,” MacLaren explains.

28% of people, according to Mind, report feeling depressed after a divorce and a huge 51% of people report feeling lonely after their divorce, so being able to meet people and immerse yourself in learning new steps and routines could be a helpful tool in tackling this.

“Dancing can also be a great cardiovascular workout,” says MacLaren, “which plenty of research suggests has a positive impact on our body and brain.”

Words by Imy Brighty-Potts, PA

LEFT Heken Skelton and Gorka Marquez | PA Photo/BBC ABOVE Helen Skelton | PA Photo/BBC

What’s on IN JANUARY

With a vibrant mix of countryside, beaches and attractions, there is always plenty to do in Dorset & Hampshire. Here is a selection of events happening across the counties over the coming weeks.

SEND SESSION AT ROCKREEF

THURSDAYS

RockReef on Bournemouth Pier has introduced a new SEND session on Thursday afternoons, from 4pm-5:30pm.

Some children and young people may require more help to learn and develop than other children and young people of the same age. If this is the case they may be classed as having special educational needs or disability (SEND) so they can get extra support.RockReef has introduced this new session to offer a safe environment for these individuals to express themselves during a closed/ protected session, enjoying the quieter and less hectic environment as experienced during a typical busy trading day.

RockReef SEND sessions will start on Thursday 5th January and run every Thursday 16:00pm – 17:30pm during term time.

ROCKREEF www.rockreef.co.uk

BUFFY REVAMPED

28 JANUARY

After a critically acclaimed season at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, the highly anticipated UK & Ireland Tour of Brendan Murphy’s brand new show BUFFY REVAMPED is headed for Lighthouse Poole.

In this fast-paced new production the entire 144 episodes of the hit 90s TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer are told through the eyes of the one person who knows it inside out…Spike.

Funny, satirical and bursting with 90s popculture references, it’s the perfect parody for Buffy aficionados and those who never enrolled at Sunnydale High alike.

LIGHTHOUSE, POOLE’S CENTRE FOR THE ARTS www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE: CHRISTMAS AT MOTTISFONT

UNTIL 08 JANUARY

Step into a Narnia-inspired world at Mottisfont this winter, with scenes and a family trail inspired by C. S. Lewis’s much-loved story, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. An enchanted woodland scene introduces more famous characters - look out for Lucy having tea with Mr Tumnus the fawn – and a display of exquisite Narnia illustrations by Pauline Baynes, the original artist of C.S. Lewis’s children’s books. There are plenty of ‘wow’ moments, from walking through the wardrobe into Narnia, and seeing the White Witch in her sleigh, to sitting on a throne with Aslan at the crowning of the young kings and queens.

MOTTISFONT www.nationaltrust.org.uk

THE DOLLY SHOW

21 JANUARY

West End star Kelly O’Brien is undeniably one of the best Dolly impersonators you’re ever likely to see. Now, she’s bringing The Dolly Show to Portsmouth’s New Theatre Royal, for you to enjoy the beloved hits of the true country legend, brilliantly recreating the vitality and voice of the little lady from Tennessee.

NEW THEATRE ROYAL www.newtheatreroyal.com

WEDDING OPEN DAY

15 & 21 JANUARY

Come and see their truly unique stunning venue and venue styling specialists.

Enjoy a complimentary glass of fizz or a bottle of lager. All weddings offer incredible food, unrivalled service and tailor-made packages to suit all budgets. Meet their friendly wedding planners and discuss your dream day.

Free entry, free goody bag, deals on the day!

Sunday 15th January, 12 noon-4pm at The Suncliff and Saturday 21st January 11.30am-3.30pm at The Cumberland.

Any enquiries please call them on 01202 298350 or email sales@oceanahotels.co.uk

COOL COAST ICE RINK

UNTIL 19 DEBRUARY

Cool Coast Ice Rink is the largest indoor ice skating rink on the South Coast, located seasonally in Bournemouth International Centre. Thousands of you enjoy our ice rink every year, as it’s the perfect day out with your friends and family. It’s even a great way to stay fit and active over the wintery months.

At Cool Coast Ice Rink, you can enjoy a funfilled ice skating experience regardless of the weather outside. With our indoor ice rink, they’ve always got you covered, literally!

Dates for your diary

SOUTHAMPTON ICE RINK

UNTIL 08 JANUARY WEST QUAY www.westquayonice.co.uk

ILLUMINATE 19 JANUARY05 MARCH

THE BLUE POOL www.bluepooltearooms.co.uk

THE ROLLING STONES STORY 21 JANUARY BOURNEMOUTH PAVILION THEATRE www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk

FRIENDS EVENING: STEPH JEAVONS RETURNS

21 JANUARY BEAULIEU www.beaulieu.co.uk

LIVING WILLOW GARDEN SCULPTURE COURSE

28 JANUARY CRANBORNE www.ancienttechnologycentre.com

THE SUNCLIFF | THE CUMBERLAND suncliff.oceana-collection.com | cumberlandbournemouth.co.uk

PURBECK HALL, BIC www.bic.co.uk

TRACY, BOURNEMOUTH

Whether

Their bespoke and professional service offers same day removal and replacements, ensuring your project is completely hassle free. All plumbing, gas, and any other issues are taken care of. With over 1000 slabs in stock, you will find the perfect quartz worktop surface for your replacement worktops.

Their professional and friendly team are there to help you at every step of your exciting new stone surface.