House & Lifestyle | 249

Tel: 01202 897474 / 893377

Open Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm

Ringwood Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9AL

sales@davidphipp.co.uk

THE DAVID PHIPP WINTER SALE MUST END SOON!

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Welcome

We are bur ing into February feeling brave and powerful, taking in iration from Pantone’s colour of the year – Viva Magenta, hoping that ju like this unconventional oice we too can read a l tle joy!

To create your own stand-out statement we explore how to style Viva Magenta into your interior! We look ahead at what 2023 could have installed for the travellers amongst you –whatever your budget or interests we bring you a selection of destinations worth exploring. Kwoklyn Wan shares recipes from his new cookbook, One Wok, One Pot, which could be just what you need to whip up a special Valentine’s feast and if the perfect Valentine’s gift is eluding you then turn to our gift guide for a little inspiration. The National Trust share with us details of an exciting new exhibition celebrating the legacy of one of Britain’s best-loved cartoonists and illustrators, Norman Thelwell. Joe Wicks talks to us about the mental benefits of exercise and gives his advice to anyone at the start of their fitness journey.

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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Why do people rent out their second home when they don’t really need the money?

Award-winning, contemporary architects

DAYS OUT

66 NATIONAL TRUST

Mottisfont exhibition launches the centenary of one of Britain’s best-loved illustrators

TRAVEL

86 KENYA

This mysterious corner of Kenya has magical appeal

HOME IMPROVEMENT

101 PARTNERS IN DESIGN Changing with the times

INTERIORS

102 VIVA MAGENTA

How to style Pantone’s 2023 Colour of the Year – Viva Magenta

MOTORING

114 POOLE AUDI

The ultimate experience for you and your Audi

FOOD & DRINK

122 KWOKLYN WAN Recipes

READ ALL ABOUT IT

MONIKA BARNES IS NEW DEPUTY CHAIR AT POOLE ARTS TRUST

Poole Arts Trust Ltd, the charity that runs Lighthouse, has announced the appointment of vastly experienced organisational and culture change expert Monika Barnes as Deputy Chair alongside four new Trustees.

NATIONAL MOTOR MUSEUM CAR PRIZE DRAW

WON BY SOUTHAMPTON UNIVERSITY STUDENT

Lord Montagu has handed the keys for a brand-new Mini Cooper Classic Convertible to the winner of the National Motor Museum Trust 2022 Prize Draw at Beaulieu. Odafe Jagboro from Southampton was presented with the sporty soft-top outside the Montagu ancestral home of Palace House.

Computer games design student Odafe was bought his winning raffle ticket (number 17607) as an early birthday gift during a day out visit to Beaulieu in August: “My girlfriend Anya brought me to Beaulieu as a birthday surprise, and she bought my car raffle ticket as an early birthday gift.”

The annual prize draw offers the chance to win a car for a £2 ticket and raises money for the National Motor Museum Trust, a

BEAULIEU

www.beaulieu.co.uk

charitable organisation which is dedicated to preserving and promoting motoring history.

The money-can’t-buy second prize of a seat on the 2023 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, with the chance to take part in the legendary event as a passenger in one of the National Motor Museum’s treasured historic vehicles (including accommodation in London for one night) has been won by Siqi Han from Southampton (ticket number 14467). The third prize of a trip for three people around the New Forest, in a vehicle from the National Motor Museum collection, including a chocolate treat from the Beaulieu Chocolate Studio (ticket number 06351) was won by Robin Jarvis from Westbury, Wiltshire.

“These appointments ensure that we have a strong, hands-on Board that will ensure Lighthouse continues to be well managed, relevant and a true civic asset for our community,” says Lighthouse Chief Executive Elspeth McBain.

“Monika joined the Board in 2020, just weeks before the pandemic hit us, and since then has played an important role as a Trustee. Our Trustees are our unsung heroes, volunteering their time and expertise for the benefit of the organisation and for the arts and culture in the region.”

LIGHTHOUSE POOLE

www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

late news ories in your area.

INCREASED EFFICIENCIES & SUSTAINABILITY GOALS ACHIEVED AT BARKER LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING

At Dorset based Barker, the largest domestic laundry in the UK and a leading specialists Dry Cleaner, there is optimism in the air. During the latter part of 2022 the business invested nearly £1m in new plant and machinery, with works having recently reached completion.

The investment has led to significantly increased efficiencies & sustainability goals being achieved within the business.

MD Matthew Barker advised, “This is not so much an upgrade of aging plant as an investment in reducing our energy and employment costs: Labour costs accounted for nearly 50% of our total revenue. Energy costs are rising steeply, and we need to extract all the efficiencies we can, not just for the environment but for our survival also.”

CUTENESS OVERLOAD AT MARWELL ZOO!

Marwell Zoo introduce the adorable whitefaced saki baby who took keepers by surprise, arriving on Boxing Day to parents Manja and Twenke.

White-faced saki are native to Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana and Brazil, where they live in a variety of forest habitats. They are currently listed as being of Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened species and the animals at Marwell are part of an international breeding programme.

Although they’re listed as Least Concern, their numbers in the wild are decreasing and as a result, white-faced saki are protected in national parks in Brazil, Guyana and Suriname

The new baby will live with their parents and older sibling Rei alongside our golden lion tamarins in the Life Amongst the Trees section of the park. Manja and Twenke

MARWELL ZOO

www.marwell.org.uk

have had four babies since they were first housed together in 2016. Two of their older offspring, Denny and Diega have since moved to other collections.

Animal Team Leader, Amy Denny, said: “Baby will stay tucked into mum’s thigh for a few weeks then will start moving up onto mum’s back to be carried.

“After this they will start leaving mum occasionally for short periods of time and siblings may help by taking turns carrying the baby.

“It is really important for siblings to experience an infant birth in the family group as this is how they learn to care for their own youngsters.”

Baby saki blend in very well with their mothers when they are being carried so guests might need to be patient when looking for our new arrival - we promise it’s worth the wait!

LOCAL HOUSEBUILDER LAUNCHES INITIATIVE THAT WILL SAVE HOMEBUYERS OVER £20,000

Even with the government’s Energy Price Guarantee (EPG), the average household annual energy bills have risen to £2,500 – a 96% increase on Winter 2021/22.

Not having to pay energy bills or council tax sounds too good to be true – but it will be a reality for house hunters that buy a Pennyfarthing Homes property before 31 March 2023. The Dorset and Hampshire housebuilder is offering to pay its customers’ energy bills and council tax for three years for new homes purchased between January - March 2023.

Pennyfarthing Homes will pay the equivalent of £300 per calendar month in energy bills over three years, totalling £10,800. Furthermore, the housebuilder will also pay an amount equivalent to three years’ council tax for the home purchased – which has the potential to reach £9,438, based on a Band F home, which is the highest council tax band.

Considering the soaring price of energy, and that the EPG is set to finish in April 2024, this initiative from Pennyfarthing Homes is timely and is set to protect customers from increases in energy costs.

Pennyfarthing Homes has a range of homes suitable for anyone, from first-time buyers through to families and downsizers.

To find your new home, visit pennyfarthinghomes.co.uk/developments email sales@pennyfarthinghomes.co.uk, or call 01425 613 958.

To find out more about the energy bills and council tax initiative, please visit pennyfarthinghomes.co.uk/offer.

PENNYFARTHING HOMES

www.pennyfarthinghomes.co.uk

THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN ALL THROUGH SCHOOL

Talbot Heath is an independent day and boarding school which offers a dynamic and holistic education to girls aged 3-18. Community, continuity, and a coherent curriculum are just some of the huge benefits that being a through school gives to every one of its students at Talbot Heath.

Staff get to know each and every pupil as they progress from Kindergarten right through to Sixth Form, forging long-term relationships with students; their broad and innovative curriculum provides cogent consistency and progression across the year groups and key stages, and their dedicated staff build strong, supportive, nurturing relationships, having guided girls through all aspects of their development. The younger members of the school benefit greatly from the support and role modelling that the older girls provide, and equally, the older pupils can develop their empathy, mentoring and leadership skills whilst working alongside younger pupils. Indeed, the latest initiative for students is ‘The Bridge’ – a volunteer mentoring programme where sixth formers support younger Talbot Heathens in mathematics and through the Forest School. While school events such as the Harvest Festival celebrations and School Birthday cement that sense of community through annual shared traditions.

Parents have regularly acknowledged how their daughters have developed a strong sense of security throughout their education as a result of being surrounded by familiar people and places. Indeed, it is this sense of security that enables their pupils to look outwards and take on their future with confidence and conviction.

Pupils attending the Junior School will automatically be offered a place in the Senior School in Year 7 if they have a positive attitude to learning across the curriculum, alongside standardised and teacher-based evidence of progress being made in English, Maths and Science; this immediately eliminates the anxiety and stress of entrance examinations. Pupils will benefit from the comprehensive and consistent approach to learning and the values and ethos of the school’s motto, ‘Honour before Honours’ embodied by each individual. These values include: kindness to others, good behaviour, industry, contribution to school life and being a positive role model.

Book your place now on their Kindergarten, Pre-Prep and Junior School Open Morning, Fri 3rd March, www.talbotheath.org/openday

TALBOT HEATH

www .talbotheath.org

Walk The Walk has generously supported Lewis-Manning Hospice Care in the development of its vital Lymphoedema clinic for cancer patients, two thirds of whom have or are recovering from breast cancer. After the overwhelming success of the charity’s mobile clinical unit, which launched in 2020, Walk the Walk has enabled the charity to establish a more permanent home for the service after gifting £20,000 of funding towards this service.

New premises were found at AECC University College, Boscombe in Bournemouth. AECC is a specialist health sciences university, delivering high quality education, research, clinical and consultancy services radiology and imaging sciences. The college runs an extensive outpatient department and has excellent facilities to accommodate the new Lymphoedema Clinic.

Running two days a week, from two rooms at AECC, the hospice offers two Lymphoedema Clinics simultaneously and seeing up to 12 patients in a day for initial assessment, reviews and therapy sessions.

Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s CEO Clare Gallie advised, “We are very grateful for the kind generosity of Walk the Walk for funding our new ‘closer to home’ Lymphoedema clinics at AECC in Dorset. It was a privilege for me to attend and speak at The Moonwalk

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

London this year, chat to their amazing supporters and to have the opportunity to continue our work together. Treatment and support for breast cancer patients is vital, Walk the Walk play a key part in this across the UK and their support in Dorset means a great deal to Lewis-Manning Hospice Care.”

Senior Lymphoedema Nurse Specialist Linda Sjollema said, “Our Lymphoedema nurses love the new location, we’re so thrilled and very grateful to Walk the Walk for enabling this to happen. It’s spacious and welcoming and provides modern facilities which are convenient and ideal for delivering care to our patients.”

ONBUY HELPS

BRING CHRISTMAS TO CHILDREN AT DIVERSE ABILITIES

OnBuy.com, the UK’s online marketplace, has supported Diverse Abilities’ Christmas grotto for the third year in a row.

The grotto, hosted at Coping with CHAOS in West Moors, saw 71 children attend to meet Father Christmas and receive presents.

Amy Topp, short breaks coordinator at Diverse Abilities, commented: “This is always one of our favourite times of year. It’s great to see to create our own magical Christmas grotto, and invite all the families we support to meet Father Christmas and get their very own present. We received a lot of great feedback from the children and their parents alike.”

Visit diverseabilities.org.uk to find out more about the charity and the services provided for children and adults across Dorset.

www.steeleraymond.co.uk

‘WALK THE WALK’ CHARITY ENABLES NEW BOURNEMOUTH LOCATION FOR LEWISMANNING HOSPICE CARE’S ‘CLOSER TO HOME’ LYMPHOEDEMA CLINIC

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.

A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON BUYING, RENTING AND SELLING HOMES.

BRANKSOME PARK £725,000

A three bedroom two bathroom house situated within a sought after local development within easy reach of Westbourne Village as well as Branksome Beach and Canford Cliffs. The property includes a beautifully fitted kitchen with a breakfast bar, spacious lounge with a feature high ceiling as well as a galleried dining room.

Three Bedrooms | Town House | Quiet Location | Modern Kitchen | Private Terrace | No Chain | Garage

BOURNEMOUTH £300,000

A beautiful two bedroom ground floor private garden apartment situated within close proximity to Bournemouth town centre and Westbourne village. The property backs directly onto Bournemouth gardens itself and has a mixture of character and modern features. In addition there are two bathrooms, modern fitted kitchen and two off road parking spaces, one of which is securely gated.

Two Bedrooms | Two Bathrooms | Private Garden | Character & Modern Features | Vendors Suited | Two Parking Spaces

BRANKSOME PARK £325,000

A bright and spacious two bedroom third floor apartment situated in the heart of Branksome Park which boasts short level walks to the shops bars and restaurants in Westbourne whilst also being close to the beach and good travel connections. The property is well presented throughout and benefits from a large living room, ample storage, balcony and a garage. Offered with no forward chain.

Two Bedrooms | Third Floor | Balcony | Spacious Lounge/Diner | Share of Freehold | Garage & Ample Visitor Parking

WESTBOURNE | 01202 767633

westbourne@winkworth.co.uk

EAST CLIFF £475,000

An exceptionally well presented three double bedroom apartment which is situated in a well managed modern gated development set in prime position on the East cliff in Bournemouth. Access to the award winning beach is a few hundred yards away and travel into Bournemouth is very easy where there are a variety of shops, bars and restaurants. The property offers spacious accommodation throughout presented in a contemporary style.

Three Bedrooms | Spacious Accommodation | Close to Beach & Town Centre | Gated Development | Balcony | Underground Parking

New seafront development with uninterrupted sea views

A brand new seafront development of just 14 character built apartments, all of which enjoy uninterrupted sea views situated on the beautiful West Cliff just minutes walk from Bournemouth town centre. Built by award winning local developers, AJC Group, who are renowned for their build quality, all apartments benefit from stunning interiors with designer kitchen and bathrooms and generously sized accommodation. Due for completion summer 2023. Reservations being taken now.

PRICES FROM £555,000

Winkworth Westbourne 01202 767633

winkworth.co.uk/westbourne | westbourne@winkworth.co.uk

RESERVED

TALBOT WOODS, FREEHOLD | £1,395,000

A stunning detached character home located on a large, private plot within one of Talbot Woods premier locations. Benefitting from five double bedrooms, three bath/ shower rooms, two reception rooms and open plan kitchen/diner. Detached garage with no onward chain.

BOURNEMOUTH, FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £850,000

A substantial five bedroom detached character residence situated in a popular residential location within easy reach of Bournemouth town centre and beaches. The property benefits from two reception rooms, impressive open plan kitchen/living/dining room with vaulted ceiling, master ensuite and character features throughout.

QUEENS PARK, FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £695,000

A beautifully presented detached character home situated within an enviable location. Offering 3/4 bedrooms, luxury bath/shower room, open plan kitchen/breakfast room, separate living and dining rooms, conservatory and a generous rear garden.

MUSCLIFF, FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £290,000

A superbly presented end of terrace two bedroom house located in a sought after residential and school catchment location and within easy reach of Castlepoint shopping centre and Bournemouth hospital. Featuring a open plan kitchen/living room, modern bathroom, landscaped rear garden and garage. No onward chain.

TALBOT VILLAGE, FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £480,000

A spacious three bedroom detached house located in the premier Talbot Village location within easy reach of Bournemouth and Poole town centres. Three reception rooms, two bathrooms. Opportunity for further updating. Garage. No forward chain.

BOURNEMOUTH, FREEHOLD | OIEO £400,000

Exciting opportunity - a detached character home located within easy reach of Bournemouth town centre and transport links. Offering the opportunity for further updating. Benefits include two reception rooms, three double bedrooms and spacious plot. Detached garage.

BOURNEMOUTH, FREEHOLD |

OIEO £625,000

A beautifully presented extended detached character home situated on West Way. Offering three bedrooms, bath/shower room, kitchen/breakfast room into dining room, separate living room, generous rear garden and garage. Offered with no forward chain.

TALBOT VILLAGE, FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE - £599,950

A spacious four double bedroom detached house located within the premier Talbot Village. Featuring two shower rooms, conservatory and spacious living/dining room. Private corner plot, double garage and ample off road parking. No forward chain.

BOURNEMOUTH, FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £625,000

A high specification new build home situated in a sought after residential location within easy reach of Bournemouth town centre. Featuring five double bedrooms, master ensuite, spacious living room and impressive kitchen/living/dining area. New build warranty. Ample off road parking.

THE AVENUE, SHARE OF FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £425,000

A spacious three bedroom first floor apartment situated in easy reach of Westbourne and the sandy beaches at Branksome Chine. Featuring a ample living accommodation, large terrace overlooking the superbly maintained communal gardens and double garage. Now offering the opportunity for further updating and modernisation. No forward chain. Share of freehold.

WEST CLIFF, SHARE OF FREEHOLD | GUIDE PRICE £360,000

Immaculate two bedroom, two bathroom ground floor apartment in this popular development on West Cliff Road. The property is situated a short walk from Westbourne and benefits from a southerly facing terrace and garage in block. Share of freehold. No forward chain.

DURLEY CHINE, LEASEHOLD |

OIEO £250,000

Beautifully refurbished ground floor apartment located within an enviable location just 0.5 mile walk from Westbourne. Boasting modern kitchen with Bosch appliances, separate living room with access to sun patio, two double bedrooms, high spec bathroom with separate WC and en-suite. Offer with no forward chain

WEST MOORS | GUIDE PRICE £825,000

This impeccably presented and modernised 2,100 sq ft four double bedroom, two bathroom, three reception room detached family home has a 95’ private south facing rear garden and front driveway providing generous off road parking whilst sitting proudly on a plot measuring 0.21 of an acre. Located approximately 600 metres from West Moors village centre.

FERNDOWN | GUIDE PRICE £780,000

This recently modernised, extremely spacious and versatile 2,500 sq ft four bedroom, one bathroom, one shower room, two reception room detached family home has an 80ft private south facing rear garden with various outbuildings, integral single garage and driveway. Falling within the Hampreston School catchment.

WEST MOORS | GUIDE PRICE £700,000

This extended and extremely versatile2,100 sq ft four double bedroom, two bathroom, one shower room, two reception room detached family home has a double glazed conservatory overlooking a 100ft private rear garden, with a single garage, adjoining car port. Close to West Moors & Ferndown town centres.

FERNDOWN | GUIDE PRICE £600,000

This superbly positioned and well presented three double bedroom, two reception room detached bungalow has a double glazed conservatory, a 75’ private rear garden, 22’ detached garage and a driveway providing generous off road parking. Sought after location. No onward chain.

BOURNEMOUTH | GUIDE PRICE £410,000

This immaculately presented and modernised three double bedroom detached bungalow has a private, west facing garden, car port, single garage and front driveway whilst situated in a popular and convenient location. Offered with no onward chain.

WEST PARLEY | GUIDE PRICE £360,000

This superbly positioned and extremely spacious 1,400 sq ft three double bedroom, two bathroom, two reception room ground floor apartment has its own private patio area, a single garage and is also being sold with a Share of the Freehold. No onward chain.

FERNDOWN | £680,000

This immaculately presented and extended 1,600 sq ft three double bedroom, one shower room, two en-suite, three reception room detached bungalow has private enclosed gardens and a single garage. Conveniently located on a plot measuring approximately 0.20 of an acre and conveniently located for all the local amenities.

WEST MOORS | GUIDE PRICE £700,000

This rarely available and extremely spacious 1920’s detached family home is currently arranged as a two bedroom and a three bedroom apartment. Both apartments have their own private entrance and the three bedroom apartment is arranged over the first and second floor on a plot 0.31 of an acre. 600 metres from West Moors village centre.

BOURNEMOUTH | GUIDE PRICE £570,000

A beautifully kept, double fronted 1,588 sq ft three bedroom, one bathroom, one shower room, two reception room 1930’s detached cottage with a 120ft south facing rear garden, large driveway and double garage. Plot measures approx. 0.2 of an acre

WEST PARLEY | GUIDE PRICE £500,000

This superbly positioned two double bedroom, one bathroom, one shower room, two reception room detached bungalow has a double glazed conservatory overlooking a 55ft private garden, 19’ single garage. The property offers a tremendous amount of scope & potential to be enlarged & enhanced (stpp). Sought after location. No onward chain.

GOLF LINKS ROAD | £475,000

An extremely spacious and rarely available 1,600 sq ft three double bedroom, two bathroom, one shower room top floor penthouse apartment with a private balcony. There is a lift rising to a private landing and two generous size secure underground parking spaces. Positioned opposite Ferndown’s Championship golf course.

FERNDOWN | £375,000

This attractive and conveniently located Georgian style three bedroom detached family home is positioned on a good size corner plot with a south facing rear garden and single garage. The property is situated in a convenient location close to local shops and just a short distance to Ferndown town centre and local schools and offers ample opportunity to improve and enhance.

Welcome to The Warren

Hearnes Ferndown are delighted to offer for sale these outstanding luxury homes set in a convenient location.

Established in 1995 Stanborough Construction Ltd is a family owned development company specialising in the construction of new homes across the south coast. The company employs a small and highly experienced team and has built up an outstanding reputation over the years for providing exceptional, quality houses in desirable location with an impressive finish.

Stanborough Construction have built a prestigious development set in a convenient location less than a mile away from Ferndown town centre. Each individual dwelling is of similar stature with a variety of quality architecture designed to complement the surrounding area in a mix of brick, timber and render finish with sash style windows.

The development combines traditional construction values to the highest of standards with luxurious and carefully designed interiors to suite modern lifestyles and maximise space.

Each spacious home is arranged over two floors and has four double bedrooms, French or bi-folding doors offer rear access to patios and substantial landscaped gardens to make the most of the outside space. Each property also boasts a covered porch, double garage and block paved driveway.

Each home is meticulously designed to maximise space and comfort. The result can be seen in the light and airy interiors that embrace modern style whilst meeting the requirements of everyday living. The high specification and carefully selected quality materials provide a luxurious finish and combined with subtle colours create a décor that is both soothing and refined.

HEARNES 01202 890890 | hearnes.com

FERNDOWN PRICES FROM £1,200,000 - £1,275,000

Why do people rent out their second home when they don’t really need the money?

It’s a question I’m frequently asked at social occasions when I explain my business – ‘You manage all those multi million pound homes, surely the owners don’t need the money so why would they bother having guests in?’

I spent more than a decade building up a holiday home agency in Cornwall before I sold it to buy Rumsey of Sandbanks. I’d assumed it was the same sort of business and it does follow exactly the same structure and revenue model yet it has taken a few years for me to really understand my clients’ motivation.

In Cornwall with hindsight it seemed very straightforward – people had stretched themselves to buy the second home they had always dreamed of, or sometimes inherited it and the property had to pay its own way and often pay a mortgage too. Here in Sandbanks things are a bit more nuanced so here are my thoughts

They still know the value of money

You might think that we are dealing with young footballers or trust fund kids but that’s not the case at all. Almost without exception the owners of our premium properties are self made entrepreneurs, executives or professionals who remember just how hard they had to work for every £100 in their early life. It just doesn’t sit well with them to have an asset that runs up costs rather than deliver a return, particularly when they inevitably are too busy to use the place as much as they would like.

There’s a long string of people queuing up to charge you for something to do with your second home and running it as a business provides income to cover expenses, makes them tax deductible and crucially produce a change in the mindset of suppliers who will understand they need to be competitive.

The incalculable value of taking the hassle away

Picture the scene – you’re getting ready for a black tie dinner, it’s the end of a gruelling

few weeks of work, perhaps you’ve put in 50 hours of Zoom meetings before closing a big deal or won a case you’ve been working on for months. It’s a big night out and you deserve it. Perhaps you might be up for an award, maybe you’re sharing a table with a really big fish from your industry that you’ve been wanting to meet for years. Your spouse’s phone rings and it’s their sister who is at your second home celebrating a big birthday. Yes the place is fabulous but there’s a bit of an issue, the oven doesn’t seem to be working and they have 12 people coming for dinner in 3 hours, also whilst they are on the kids can’t get the sound on in the cinema room. Frantic phone calls ensue – you have a cleaner but she’s never used the oven, your maintenance man can go round and have a look but not sure if he can do anything. You can get an emergency electrician out but he doesn’t really do appliances or know his way around the complex house control system.

It’s impossible to put a price on avoiding this sort of situation and you can’t fix it in the moment by throwing money at it. Whatever the outcome the result is stress and maybe a ruined evening – you only have to look at the premium paid for first class air travel to see how much value a cash rich time poor person puts on a smooth experience.

Free concierge services

Of course they are not really free but renting means you have a service in place to ensure the property is ready for guests, linen and cleaning is sorted and there’s a 24 hour callout service. This means that the owner is also treated like a premium guest

and can enjoy their stay without worrying about meeting tradesmen or anything else – you arrive late (inevitably) and everything is perfect, enjoy the property and stay as late as you can leaving us to clear up behind you. As the costs come out of rent received it feels like it’s not coming out of your pocket.

Extensive tax benefits

Finally it may be a secondary benefit but just for good measure there are very significant tax benefits to take advantage of:

• No council tax to pay as the property will be business rated and if it’s your only one you’ll get small business rate relief at 100% and pay nothing.

• Tax relief on pretty much everything. You can claim full tax relief on things you buy for the home and if you don’t have the income to claim against it’s carried forward indefinitely until you do so that fantastic kitchen or designer sofa just got much cheaper.

• Capital gains tax reduction. This can be worth many times more than the rent, when you sell that second home you’ll pay just 10% tax on the gain instead of the usual 28%

• Tax free income for years. Capital allowance rules allow a write down typically 20-30% of purchase value which can mean no tax to pay on profits for 5-10 years.

Many of our owners have joined us when they were on the point of selling their place because in their mind it had turned into something like a boat that costs a lot to keep and you hardly use it. Helping to turn it into an asset that you can also enjoy has become the core of our business and takes us away from competing with the Airbnb type DIY platforms.

Simon Tolson owns Rumsey of Sandbanks. Contact Simon on 01202 707357. simon@rumseyofsandbanks.co.uk

www.rumseyofsandbanks.co.uk

2km & 4km obstacle course for all abilities!

Sunday 26th March 2023 10am - 4.30pm Upton Country Park, Poole

However, why should you choose blinds over other options like curtains? Whether you want to install

1.

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.

Plantation Shutters

Whether you’re renovating, building new, or just wanting to add some flavour to a room, Superior Fires has plenty of options to help you turn your house into a home.

When you come to Ripples Bournemouth, our talented bathroom designers will work with you to create your dream bathroom right down to the smallest details. You just tell us what makes you happy and what turns you off. Show us your ideas, your colour palettes, your Pinterest boards, and your favourite ‘likes’ on Instagram. We’ll then blend all of our thoughts and ideas to deliver something truly exceptional.

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 stressfree as possible. It’s as easy as that. It’s the Ripples effect.

Get in touch. Let’s get the ideas flowing.

It’s not just a bathroom, it’s a sanctuary.

Welcome to the beautiful Santa Rosalia Lake Resort

Santa Rosalia Lake & Life Resort is conveniently nestled between the lovely Mar Menor coastal resort of Los Alcazares and the Spanish town of Torre Pacheco, a few minutes’ drive to the glorious sandy beaches and warm waters of the Mar Menor sea. Only a 25-minute drive to Corvera (Murcia) airport and just over an hour from Alicante airport, which o ers regular flights to Bournemouth airport.

Santa Rosalia Resort will be an amazing place to call home for a permanent move, or holiday home in Spain.

The resort will consist of several di erent property styles, from luxury apartments to highly a ordable detached villas, set on a 700,000m² site, with a 16,000m² man-made lake at the heart of the resort… The largest in Europe, and one of the biggest in the world!

This resort is already looking amazing and has won the European Property Award for Best Mixed-Use Development in Spain 2021-2022.

Reasons to buy in Santa Rosalia

Lake & Life Resort

• 24 Hour Security

• Exclusive use of Lagoon for residents only

These properties are selling very quickly with many properties being sold within days of being released onto the market. Whether it’s a holiday home, a permanent residence or an investment property, Santa Rosalia Lake Resort ticks all the boxes.

About Santa Rosalia Lake & Life Resort Santa Rosalia Lake & Life Resort is a new and unique residential and leisure complex for all the family that redefines the concept of resort in the Mediterranean coast. A project covering an area of over 700,000 m2, fully developed, gated community with access control and 24-hour security. It is a one-of-a-kind project, with nurtured landscaping, green areas, children’s playgrounds and a wide range of services designed for enjoying your property all year round or during holiday periods. The homes are set around a spectacular central park, exclusively for owners, laid out around a breath-taking lake with crystal clear waters. A 124,000-square-metre landscaped area with a host of 11 sports and leisure areas to delight and entertain the whole family. It is located on a strategic site on the Costa Calida coastline, just 4 kilometres from the sea and very close to Costa Blanca. A place to enjoy the two seas, local cuisine and an array of activities and amenities, including 17 golf courses in the nearby area.

• Several beautiful beaches near the resort

• Ideal for families

• Excellent rental potential

• Under 10 minutes’ drive to Los Alcazares

• Great investment

• Close to amenities

• There will be on site clubhouse with bar and restaurant

• Choice of International Schools close by

• Only 15 minutes’ drive to the historical city of Cartagena

• Train station in Torre Pacheco under 10 minute drive with links to Cartagena, Murcia and Madrid

• 30 minutes’ drive to Murcia Airport and 1 hours’ drive to Alicante Airport

E. info@vistacasas.com

T. +34 966 764 114 | +34 603 310 605

www.vistacasas.com

The beautiful crystal-clear lake will have an assortment of bars, a beach club along with water sports and recreational areas.

SANTA ROSALIA LAKE RESORT FROM €235,000 REF: V2981

New build 2 bedroom apartments on Santa Rosalia Lake Resort, with 2 bathrooms, communal pool and gardens, parking and store room. Only 3 kms to the beautiful beaches of Los Alcazares.

SOUGHT AFTER LOCATION

SOUGHT AFTER LOCATION

SANTA ROSALIA LAKE RESORT FROM €1,210,000 REF: V3101

14 exclusive detached 4 bedroom villas on a prime plot overlooking the lake. Benefits from a private pool and garden in a gated community just 10 minutes from beach and golf course.

SANTA ROSALIA LAKE RESORT FROM €231,900 REF: V3046

New build 2 or 3 bedroom apartments with a communal pool and parking. Close to golf course and only 3 kms from the town of Los Alcazares on the Mar Menor where there a fine, sandy beaches.

Starting in mid February, he’ll be covering BH5, BH6, BH7 & BH23 so if you’re interested in knowing the value of your home in the area, give him a call on 07875 194230!

With vast local knowledge and experience in the area, now could be the perfect opportunity to work with him to sell your home!

MEES Regulations

A guide to the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for Commercial Landlords

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Regulations require all let properties (both commercial and residential) in England and Wales to have a minimum energy efficiency rating. Since 1 April 2018, the regulations have provided that no new lettings of properties with an EPC rating under “E” are prohibited.

However, from 1 April 2023, the regulations are being widened to include all existing lettings. This means that any Landlord who has a tenanted property with an EPC rating of less than an “E” will be in breach of the regulations and (unless an exemption applies) they will need to take steps to upgrade the energy efficiency of a property to bring it up to an “E” standard or higher. In addition, there are proposed changes to increase the minimum standard further; to “C” in 2027 and “B” in 2030.

Any Landlord continuing to let a Property runs the risk of enforcement action, which includes financial fines and publishing of the Landlord’s details on a public register. In terms of the fines applicable, they are based on the length of the breach. For breaches continuing for 3 months or less, the fine will be between £5,000 and 10% of the rateable value of the property (subject to a maximum of £50,000). If the breach has been subsisting for longer than 3 months, the fine will be between £10,000 and 20% of the rateable value of the property (subject to a maximum of £150,000). The costs to a Landlord of not being abreast of the energy efficiency of their building could

therefore be significantly higher than the costs of undertaking works to increase the energy efficiency.

Whilst the regulations affect all lettings, there are certain exemptions which Landlord’s can rely on, provided that they have registered the exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register. The two main exemptions are as follows:-

Consent Exemption:

This exemption will apply in the event that a Landlord has applied but has been unable to obtain consent from a necessary third party (for example a superior landlord or planning authority) or consent has been obtained but it is on terms that a Landlord cannot reasonably be expected to comply with. This exemption will last for 5 years.

Devaluation Exemption:

This exemption will apply if undertaking the works required in order to bring the energy

efficiency standard to “E” or above will cause a reduction in value of the property of more than 5%. A valid independent surveyors report will be required to support this exemption. Again, this exemption lasts for 5 years.

There are also temporary exemptions which may apply in certain circumstances and Landlord’s may also be exempt from enforcement action if they have undertaken all possible improvement works to the property have been undertaken but the property remains sub-standard.

In order to mitigate their risk, Landlord’s should consider obtaining new EPCs in respect of their properties, so as to ensure that they meet the minimum standard, or that they have enough time to commence improvement works or claim an exemption.

To speak to our property team contact us today on 01202 338585.

01202 338585

Where to go on holiday in 2023...

Whatever your budget or interests, there are exciting opportunities for travel in the year ahead, says Sarah Marshall.

Turning a fresh page on the calendar, it’s time to look ahead at adventures for the year to come.

From short, flight-free breaks to longer haul endeavours, there are plenty of destinations deserving our attention over the next year.

And whatever your budget, there are options – so get some dates in the diary to put a positive spin on 2023.

ABOVE

Morskie Oko lake, Tatra Mountains, Poland | PA Photo/Alamy

LEFT Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol | PA Photo/Alamy

RIGHT Clayton Hotel, Bristol | PA Photo/Clayton Hotel

Bristol, UK

Starting life as a town called Brigg stow, bohemian, offbeat Bristol was granted its city and county status by King Edward III in 1373. A programme of events and festivals will be held to celebrate its 650th anniversary next year, including the summer’s Unicorn Fest (theunicornfest.co.uk) – a public art trail of unicorn sculptures, painted by Bristol artists and on display at famous landmarks, from Clifton Suspension Bridge to Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier.

Additional new attractions include new BOXHALL waterfront food hall (opening in the summer) and the re-opening of the We The Curious Science museum.

HOW: Doubles at the new Clayton Hotel Bristol City (claytonhotelbristolcity.com) start from £110 per night B&B (two sharing). For more information on the destination, go to visitbristol.co.uk.

Malopolska region, Poland

Even if you’re not a fan of athletics, televised sporting events are a good source of travel inspiration, with the backdrops often as inspiring as the sporting performances.

Next June, the European Games will take place in Poland’s Malopolska region and capital city Krakow, with athletes competing in 24 disciplines.

From the snowy peaks of the Tatra Mountains to the limestone cliffs of Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, the scenery of this area is superb.

Unesco World Heritage sites include the underworld of the salt mine in Wieliczka and the Bernardine Monastery in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska with its churches and chapels found scattered throughout the nearby hills.

HOW: The Baltic Travel Company (baltictravelcompany. com) offer an eight-day Krakow and Tatra Mountains trip from £695pp (two sharing), including flights, car hire and B&B accommodation. Available April to October.

Utah, USA

Perhaps even more dramatic than a total eclipse, an annular solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, creating a ring of fire effect.

Next year, the phenomenon will be visible in North America, and Utah – which has the most International Dark Sky Parks in the world – is the number one choice for viewings.

The narrow path of the annular eclipse passes through Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon, Glen Canyon and the world’s first-ever Dark Sky Park, Natural Bridges national monument, on October 14.

Bryce Canyon, famous for its red rock hoodoos, spires and sandstone fins, will also be celebrating it centenary.

HOW: America As You Like It (americaasyoulikeit. com) offers a 12-night Dark Skies and Red Rocks by RV tour from £1712pp (two sharing), including flights, accommodation and car hire.

Los Angeles, USA

Most of us will never see our handprints cemented into the paving stones of the Walk Of Fame. But we all have a chance to pose for a selfie with the iconic Hollywood sign in the background.

The 100-metre-long set of capital letters was created in 1923 as a temporary advertisement for a real estate development, but a century later its still standing (although it was replaced in 1978 with a sturdier steel structure).

An additional reason to visit the sunshine state is the opening of the new Super Nintendo World on February 17, at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Rides will include Mario Kart™ and Bowser’s Challenge, along with a Mushroom Kingdom and Toadstool café.

HOW: Thomas Cook (thomascook.com) offer a sevennight holiday to LA at the Best Western Plus South bay hotel from £999pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation and flights.

Coast To Coast England

It’s too easy to forget Britain has some outstanding stretches of coastline, providing the perfect bookends to a cross-country hike.

It’s 50 years since Alfred Wainwright devised his classic ‘A Coast To Coast Walk’, which passes through the the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors national parks, starting at St Bees in Cumbria on the Irish Sea and finishing at Robin Hood’s Bay and the North Sea. If you fancy a challenge, it takes around 14 days to do the full 190 mile route.

HOW: Macs Adventure (macsadventure.com) offer a 14-night Coast To Coast walk from £1,265pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation, baggage transfer and maps.

A hoodoo with small windows and Thor’s Hammer against a night sky with clouds and the Milky Way below Sunset Point in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah | PA Photo/Alamy

ABOVE

Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire | PA Photo/Alamy

LEFT

The Hollywood sign in LA | PA Photo/Alamy

FAR LEFT

Shimokitazawa district, Japan

Demand for holidays to Japan has soared since the destination re-opened after the pandemic. Although it’s always been a pricey place to visit, the Yen has dropped by 25%, making now one of the most affordable times to book a trip.

Specialists InsideJapan are excited about Tokyo’s emerging Shimokitazawa district, packed with independent shops and cafes. A new Shinkansen service to the bay side city of Nagasaki, launched in September 2022, will also see the southern island of Kyushu grow in popularity in months to come. Visit active volcanoes, fertile hot springs and emerald gorges.

HOW: InsideJapan (insidejapantours.com) offer the 13-night self-guided Kyushu Adventure from £4,325pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation. Flights extra.

Normandy, France

Set on a picturesque tidal island in Normandy, Unesco-protected Mont Saint Michel Abbey has been photographed millions of times – yet nothing beats seeing it for real.

Construction of the Benedictine abbey, which is dedicated to the archangel St Michael, started in 1023 and took almost 500 years to complete.

Access the island either by foot or shuttle bus from the nearby car park, but purchase tickets for the abbey in advance (£10; tiqets.com). But some of the best views are from hiking around the mudflats with a guide or from a distance when the tide comes in.

HOW: Brittany Ferries (brittany-ferries.co.uk) offer three nights’ B&B at Le Moulin de Ducey from £250pp (two sharing), including ferry crossings with a standard car.

Words by Sarah Marshall, PA

Kagoshima, Japan city skyline with Sakurajima Volcano | PA Photo/Alamy

LEFT Mont Saint Michel in France | PA Photo/Alamy

Now the sole agent covering the entire coastal region from East of Lymington through Milford on Sea, Barton on Sea, Highcliffe, Friars Cliff, Mudeford, Hengistbury Head, Christchurch and its coastline to the West.

Be part of our coastal success story...

Coastal Specialists

a quiet tree

Burton £500,000 Contemporary three/ four bedroom detached house, situated in the popular village of Burton, close to the New Forest and coastal town of Christchurch. EPR- C

three/ four bedroom detached house, situated in the popular village of Burton, close to the New Forest and coastal town of Christchurch. EPR- C

Friars Cliff £1,300,000

Hengistbury Head £1,100,000

Please contact

and

locations.

A detached residence of character which has been modernised and occupies a private position in one of the areas most sought after locations. EPR- D

4 2 2 Please

contact the Christchurch Bay office

the

Bay office

Please contact the Christchurch Bay office £875,000

Bay office Barton on Sea £875,000

Bay: t. 01425 205 000

W W W . S P E N C E R S C O A S T A L . C O M Christchurch

Please contact the Christchurch Bay office

£595,000

A charming chocolate box thatched cottage in the heart of the pretty New Forest village of East Boldre. This three bedroom detached cottage is full of original features and boasts ample parking and a secure large rear garden. EPR- E

Norleywood

A wonderful opportunity to acquire a characterful detached three bedroom forest cottage with garage and south facing garden. Nestled in the semi rural hamlet of Norleywood and surrounded by open Forest with Lymington only a short drive away. EPR- E

3 2 2

Lymington

£1,100,000

Hengistbury Head

A superb three-bedroom, two-bathroom detached family home which is situated in an attractive area, moments from popular sandy Southbourne beach. EPRD

This attractive new build detached house has been finished to an impeccable standard and is conveniently located within close proximity to Lymington town centre, comprising three bedrooms, two bathrooms and featuring a stunning kitchen/family room. EPR- TBC o arrange a viewing contact the Lymington office 3 2 2 Brockenhurst: t. 01590 622 551 Burley: t. 01425 404 088 Lymington: t. 01590 674 222 www.spencersnewforest.com

Contemporary three/ four bedroom detached house, situated in the popular village of Burton, close to the New Forest and coastal town of Christchurch. EPRC

Please contact the Christchurch Bay office

1

Please contact the Christchurch Bay office Burton

East Boldre

Contemporary three/ four bedroom detached house, situated in the popular village of Burton, close to the New Forest and coastal town of Christchurch. EPR- C

Frogham

One of the most outstanding locations in the North Forest. Boasting panoramic views over open forest and situated in complete privacy is this exceptional Victorian four bedroom, three bathroom detached house thought to be dated back to 1904. Having been completely renovated by the current owners, the property has a wonderful feel throughout and offers exceptional south westerly views towards the open forest from every room.

Outside, there is a glorious south west facing garden with a patio area between the conservatory and lounge. To the left hand side of the property is a westerly facing enclosed seating area, snug/room and shed behind. The remainder of the garden benefits from sweeping lawns surrounded by attractive bedding and planting that focuses in on a decked area to the rear. There is also a large double garage to the left hand side of the property.

Energy Performance Rating: E

Please contact the Ringwood office to arrange a viewing

Hengistbury Head £1,100,000

A detached residence of character which has been modernised and occupies a private position in one of the areas most sought after locations. EPR- D Please contact the Christchurch Bay office

A superb three-bedroom, two-bathroom detached family home which is situated in an attractive area, moments from popular sandy Southbourne beach. EPR- D

Blissford

A stunning New Forest location for this four bedroom country home, which is set in approximately 2.21 acres of landscaped gardens and holding paddock with direct forest access.

Situated in the New Forest Hamlet of Blissford, this desirable home of late nineteenth century origins has been significantly extended to provide comfortable living accommodation and more recently this home has had recent refurbishment carried out both inside the property and also outside.

Further comprising private gardens, swimming pool, stable yard and numerous outbuildings, including a large two storey barn and a stunning summer house which is currently being used as ancillary accommodation.

Energy Performance Rating: E

£1,300,000 £2,000,000

An impressive 2400 sq. ft chalet bungalow, located along a quiet tree lined avenue, situated within a private corner plot amassing to 0.25 acres. EPR- C

£1,100,000

Rockbourne

Marsh Farm is located in a tranquil position, set in beautiful grounds of approx. 2 acres. This late 19th century immaculate farmhouse is impressive both in its sheer size as well as the high specification and attention to detail.

Offering picturesque formal gardens and grounds which are enclosed and private due to mature hedging. Furthermore, the property has an all-weather tennis court, Alitex greenhouse and several garden and machinery stores. An approx. 1.25 acre paddock, with separate vehicular access, a field shelter and store.

Adjoining the house is an ‘L’ shaped array of outbuildings, comprising a double garage, car port, self-contained annexe and further triple garage. The triple garage is high specification with an epoxy resin floor and would be ideal for car enthusiasts.

Energy Performance Rating: E

Please contact the Ringwood office to arrange a viewing

£1,425,000

North Gorley

Offering simply magnificent views across the northern parts of the New Forest and as far reaching as Breamore House, this delightful 5-bedroom cottage of nearly 300 years old positions itself within 2.61 acres of impressive grounds and benefits from additional outbuildings such as a large studio and a storage barn.

Internally, the property is very well presented and there is a sublime blend of character and modern features. There is also great potential to further improve the property STPP.

Energy Performance Rating: E

Please contact the Ringwood office to arrange a viewing

£1,650,000

A superb three-bedroom, two-bathroom detached family home which is situated in an attractive area, moments from popular sandy Southbourne beach.

£500,000

Please contact the Christchurch Bay office

2

Burton

Contemporary three/ four bedroom detached house, situated in the popular village of Burton, close to the New Forest and coastal town of Christchurch. EPRC

Please contact the Christchurch Bay office

1

quiet tree lined

£1,995,000

Burton £500,000 Contemporary three/ four bedroom detached house, situated in the popular village of Burton, close to the New Forest and coastal town of Christchurch. EPR- C

Hengistbury Head £1,100,000

Minstead £1,725,000

Please

Christchurch

contact the Burley office

Friars Cliff £1,300,000

£1,095,000

A detached residence of character which has been modernised and occupies a private position in one of the areas most sought after locations. EPR- D

Please contact the Brockenhurst office

modernised

contact the

W

W W

Brockenhurst £1,495,000

Please contact the Christchurch Bay office £875,000

5 2 3

4 2 3 Please

Please contact the Christchurch Bay office

contact the Brockenhurst

Sustainable resolutions to make at home – to save money and the environment

Going green is a goal you can achieve, says Sam Wylie-Harris.

Traditional new year’s resolutions can be hard to stick to – so what about trying something different in 2023?

If you’re used to setting yourself worthy goals such as exercising more or getting organised, but find they get forgotten by the end of January – you might want to try a green resolution instead.

New research by home builder Redrow reveals sustainably focused resolutions – like mindful spending and reducing energy consumption – are overtaking traditional self-improvement ambitions.

“Over the past 12 months we’ve seen more people than ever asking for ways to reduce their household energy consumption – and leave a smaller environmental footprint,” says James Holmear, director at Redrow (redrow.co.uk).

As well as giving more scrutiny to energy efficiency ratings of appliances, he says customers are installing items like EV (electric vehicle) charging points, eco waste bins and solar panels to improve their energy efficiency.

Want to make sustainable resolutions around the home but don’t know where to start? This is what Holmear recommends…

Reduce your energy consumption

“You can save around £40 a year simply by turning your appliances off at the mains, rather than just leaving them in standby mode,” suggests Holmear. “Think televisions, computers and game consoles – especially large households with multiple devices.”

Similarly, he says turning off lights when you leave a room and installing LED bulbs around the home can help you save even more.

“Everyday tasks such as washing your clothes and cooking meals can all be reassessed to lower your energy consumption,” Holmear adds. “Look to wash your regular clothes on a 30-degree cycle, and keep the higher temperatures for household linen and soiled items.

“Only do this once you have a full load to avoid running a full cycle unnecessarily. When cooking, put lids on your pans to speed up cooking time, and ensure you only boil as much water in the kettle as you need.”

Be more mindful of your spending

Being mindful of spending doesn’t have to mean not spending at all, with Holmear saying it’s more about having a purpose. As the January sales approach, looking at factors beyond price and appearance can help save money in the long-term.

Redrow’s research shows energy efficiency and being a lower cost to run, alongside price and quality, is one of the biggest influences on white goods and electrical purchases in the coming January sales.

Reduce food waste

Storing your food properly can significantly reduce your food waste, says Holmear. “Keeping foods such as salads and herbs away from the back of the fridge in containers stops these delicate foods from freezer burn and going off quickly.”

He recommends storing fresh dairy products on the middle shelf – as it’s the coolest part – then moving them to the fridge door once opened.

Keeping food that’s close to its sell-by date and leftovers visible in your fridge is an easy way to make sure no food is wasted, stresses Holmear. “And make sure the fridge and cupboards are organised ahead of your next food shop to avoid overbuying.”

Recycle more

“It’s important to understand what is recyclable and what isn’t,” Holmear encourages. “Get to know what the symbols on packaging mean, check with your local council’s recycling offering – and where possible, choose products that are widely recyclable with a strong environmental stance.”

If you can, investigate options like eco waste bins, which might help increase recycling habits. For bigger items, Holmear recommends upcycling them or passing them on via marketplace platforms like Nextdoor.

“Nextdoor has a feature on the app called ‘For Sale and Free’ – where members can sell their unwanted items, with 25% typically being listed as free,” he says. “While you may have fallen out of love with something in your home, it could make a huge difference to someone else’s.”

As Holmear points out: “The average person throws away around 400kg of waste each year, and many are still unaware of the items eligible to be recycled.”

Invest in energy efficient items

Smart power strips automatically turn off electricity to all the things you don’t need. These can also be controlled remotely through an app, so you’re able to switch them off even once you’ve left the house, explains Holmear.

It’s not just electricity that can be managed. Elsewhere, app-based heating controls such as Hive mean you never have to heat your home when it’s empty, says Holmear.

Research by Redrow found nearly two-fifths (37%) of UK adults have installed or are looking to install LED lighting around their home, alongside solar panels (13%) and smart tech (12%).

Words by Sam Wylie-Harris, PA Photos credit: Alamy/PA

THE RISE OF THE ‘PUP-NUP’ WHAT

WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR PET?

For most pet owners, their companions are part of the family, so if a couple separates, what happens to them?

According to a survey undertaken last year by Statista, 62% of households (approximately 17.8 million homes) own a pet, and with an average of two pets per household, that’s over 35½ million domestic animals homed across the UK. Dogs proved the most popular pet (13 million), with cats coming in a close second (12 million) and just under 60% of pet owners were aged between 16 and 34 years old.

In law, pets are viewed as ‘chattels’ or property, and treated the same as the family car, furniture or artwork. Unlike children, there is no specific guidance in law or criteria on what the Court will consider when determining ownership of a pet.

A Court has the power to make a ‘Property Adjustment Order’ and even an ‘Order for Sale’, but these only apply if the parties are married. If a couple is in a relationship and/ or living together, the issue of pet ownership is likely to be dealt with under Small Claims Court.

When determining which Order to make in relation to a pet, a Court may look at;

• Who bought the pet? Is there a name on any purchase documentation?

• Who is the registered owner? Who is listed on any microchip?

• At what point in the relationship was the pet purchased?

• Whose name is registered on any insurance or at any veterinary practice?

• Who looks after the pet on a day to day basis?

• Who pays for the pet’s costs?

• Was the pet a gift from one party to the other, or from a friend or family member?

In the event of a dispute, parties may wish to consider ‘mediation’, where a third party, preferably with experience in pet disputes. can help the parties reach an agreement. There is also ‘arbitration’ where it is agreed to give the third party the power to make a legally binding decision. Both methods often prove quicker and cheaper than a Court Application.

The best way to prevent this situation is for a couple to enter into a PreNuptial or Cohabitation Agreement.

‘Pet-Nups’ or ‘Pup-Nups’ as they have become known, can set out not just who owns a pet, but also payments towards the costs of care, contact and effectively allow pets to have similar arrangements to children in the event of separation.

Although not automatically legally binding of enforcement, recent case law suggests that the Court are attaching more weighting to agreements between the parties where these are entered in to freely and willingly.As with any agreement, parties should obtain bespoke legal advice.

Disputes are demanding of time and finance, so parties should ensure they have in place a clear written agreement about arrangements for their pets when looking to get a new furry or feathered family member. For legal advice on any relationship of family matter, visit www.duttongregory.co.uk or call 01202 315005

Jonathan Whettingsteel, Partner

“ We have used Brown and Kay as our managing agent on a rental property for 5 years now and the service received has been fantastic. ”

“ Friendly and professional!! Thank you Brown and Kay for you welcome as a new tenant and also for the gift. It was a surprise for us and much appreciated! ”

“ Having used Brown and Kay for both lettings and sales, I can wholeheartedly recommend them. Their service is professional, thorough and they were very patient and kind. A huge thank you to all the team. ”

“ Excellent service, professional and good negotiators, handover your investment to Mandy, Kim and Rachel for super landlord support. ”

Brunstead Road, BH12, £1,500,000

A truly IMPRESSIVE detached ARTS & CRAFTS family home having been LOVINGLY REFURBISHED by the current owners. The interior has been UPGRADED with NO EXPENSE SPARED to ENSURE the home has the perfect blend of CHARACTER combined with MODERN LIVING, with EMPHASIS on SYMPATHETIC and HIGH END finishes.

Distinctive arts & crafts property | Charming features throughout | Three reception rooms | Top floor master suite, bathroom & balcony | Four further bedrooms | Mature established grounds | Double garage | Highly favoured location close to Westbourne

Award-winning, contemporary architects

Established in 2009, DJA are renowned for designing unique, bespoke, one-off houses for private clients, in addition to feasibility studies, apartments and master planning.

Since their inception, they have been at the forefront of Architectural design in the South of England, having won numerous national and international awards for their designs over the past 14 years.

DJA have extensive experience in negotiating planning approvals - working on Brownfield sites, the Greenbelt, ecologically sensitive areas and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. They have a reputation for thoughtful, high-calibre concept designs, always thinking of practical design solutions to achieve a site’s potential, whilst never compromising on aesthetics or build quality. The experienced team of architects have the ability to unlock the value of any site, with each

project treated as an individual design solution – designed specifically to meet the client’s needs and site conditions. DJA have an excellent reputation for their high standards and bespoke detailing for both contemporary and traditional buildings.

Looking forward to 2023, DJA have several exciting projects in the pipeline, and are looking forward to the imminent completion

of one of their most ambitious residential designs to date. Located in an envious location overlooking the Solent, their groundbreaking design pushes the boundaries of residential architecture, featuring a wall of glass allowing uninterrupted views over the water, intersected by the sculptural organic forms of the first and second floor terraces. DJA are delivering this house from concept to completion and have been involved in all phases of the construction, from working drawings through to interior architecture.

As a practice DJA are proud to have an experienced and knowledgeable team of Architects and Designers, and have Chartered Practice RIBA status in addition to being affiliated with the Architects Registration Board (ARB). They enjoy creating a happy and long-lasting relationship with their clients and always aspire to achieve the highest standards in all spheres.

CONTACT

01202 755633

Lone Pine Park, Ferndown Retirement Living at it’s very best... Reasons

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

LOCATION...

Reduced Living Costs

Friendly Community

Close To Local Amenities

Regular Local Bus Service

Outbuilding Included

Detached Bungalows

PARK RULES

The park is for residents over 55 years of age. Two small pets per home are allowed.

Mottisfont exhibition launches the centenary of one of Britain’s best-loved illustrators

National Trust showcases work of Hampshire-based artist Norman Thelwell, 21 January – 7 May 2023

The National Trust’s Mottisfont in Hampshire is celebrating the legacy of one of Britain’s best-loved cartoonists and illustrators, Norman Thelwell, with a major new exhibition in his centenary year. 100 Years of Norman Thelwell (21 January to 7 May) features over 150 works, including his trademark ponies and other illustrations full of comedy and sharp satire, alongside glorious watercolours of local landscapes and landmarks in southern Hampshire where Thelwell lived.

Illustrations from student days, sketchbooks, diaries and letters are displayed for the first time, alongside Thelwell’s paintbrushes, easel, and the desk he drew at for over 40 years. A rare surviving Thelwell pony rocking horse is one of several items of merchandise on show.

Thelwell

Anthia ©Norman Thelwell

Drawing on Thelwell’s autobiography, Wrestling with a Pencil, the exhibition provides an intimate look at his artistic life. Early drawings including a self-portrait aged ten and a pencil sketch of a much-loved family cat reveal a young talent, and a fondness for animals that was to display itself in his work throughout the decades.

From early adulthood Thelwell travelled with a sketchbook, even when on active service during World War Two. Serving in the East Yorkshire Regiment of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers whilst in India he captured scenes of daily domestic life, on show in the exhibition.

Thelwell also documented life in personal diaries he kept from teenage years onwards. Early entries reveal the anticipation of a local dance, and the boredom of waiting to be billeted during the war.

After the war, followed by several years of studying then teaching art, Thelwell had his first cartoon published by Punch in 1952, leading to a relationship which lasted for 25 years and over 1,500 cartoons. He became known for his talent for quick-witted commentary accompanying astute observational cartoons and social satire inspired by country life.

However, he is probably best known for illustrating the hilarious antics of comic characters Penelope and her mischievous hair-brained pony, Kipper – stars of a cartoon strip in the Sunday Express from the 1960s.

Alongside a number of pony cartoons on show at Mottisfont is the original preliminary pencil spread of ‘Thelwell pony’ sketches commissioned by Punch magazine, and which later inspired the Penelope and Kipper partnership. According to son David, this insight into a world where small girls battled with tubby, badlybehaved ponies came about from watching similar, real-life scenes acted out in the field that lay beyond his house in Wolverhampton.

The pony illustrations attracted a world-wide following. Fan letters from across the globe display the immense affection people had for these characters. Children in particular wrote in regularly, begging for their own pony drawing, or delightedly sharing with Thelwell stories of their own ponies’ exploits.

Throughout his work, Thelwell showed meticulous attention to detail. A series of illustrated notebooks reveal the techniques he employed to perfect a particular scene or character, with specific books dedicated to the drawing of hilarious pony and rider situations.

Thelwell was also a keen landscape painter, and his enduring love of the countryside is evident in the exquisite watercolours he painted of landscapes and landmarks close to his home in southern Hampshire, including Mottisfont itself, which Thelwell knew well.

Norman Thelwell’s son, David Thelwell: “My father lived to draw and paint, and when I was very young, about seven or eight, I would go into the studio to see what Dad was working on. I loved watching him create the small strip cartoon he did for the Eagle comic; it was fascinating to watch as a pencil drawing was inked and sometimes painted in. I thought, what a wonderful way to earn a living, but later on I realised how difficult it is to do that successfully.

Romsey Abbey, Hampshire | ©Norman Thelwell

“I love all of Dad’s illustrations and paintings but my favourites are the scenes full of kids messing about and getting up to mischief. I think they reflected his upbringing in Birkenhead when terraced houses that had no gardens meant children played on the streets, which felt safe then because there were hardly any cars.”

Helen Potts, Visitor Experience Manager at Mottisfont: We’re really excited to be given this opportunity to share with our visitors this celebration of one of Britain’s most iconic illustrators and artists. It’s been a great privilege to work closely with the family; discovering many illustrations and sketches from a vast family archive that have never been exhibited before. Norman Thelwell was no stranger to Mottisfont; several of his images on show capture bygone village life here as well as the mansion itself. The exhibition covers his life work, and we hope many people will have the opportunity to enjoy it.”

100 years of Norman Thelwell runs until Sunday 7 May 2023. The art gallery opens 11am-4pm (closing at 4.30pm from 11 February) daily. Normal property admission price applies (free for National Trust and Art Fund members).

Families visiting at half-term can enjoy a Thelwellthemed ‘Giddy Gallops’ activity trail (11 to 19 February, trail £2). There will be Thelwell merchandise available in Mottisfont’s on-site shop.

For more information about Mottisfont visit www. nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/hampshire/mottisfont or call 01794 340757.

Words courtesy of the National Trust

PIctures ©Norman Thelwell

West Parley, Ferndown £1,350,000

Ferndown

Verwood £670,000

Detached family home | Five double bedrooms | Three bathrooms (two en-suites) | Three reception rooms | South facing garden | Integral double garage | Superbly landscaped rear garden | Quiet cul-de-sac location

St Leonards OIEO £600,000

Superbly presented throughout | Modern kitchen/ breakfast room | Triple aspect conservatory | Four double bedrooms | Two bathrooms | In ‘n’ out driveway | Single garage | Private rear garden

Ferndown £825,000

| Westerly facing garden | Off road parking | Shed, summerhouse & workshop/garage

Throop, Bournemouth £3,999,950

Ferndown £315,000

Well-presented semi-detached bungalow | Private rear garden | Detached garage | Quiet location | Two bedrooms | One bathroom | One reception room | Off road parking

Lytchett Matravers £1,500,000

Remarkable detached home | Expansive grounds | Rural views | Balcony from master bedroom | Potential separate annexe Private rear courtyard | Rolling lawn | Views of countryside & woodland

Broadstone OIRO £1,075,000

Exceptionally well presented | Five bedrooms | Two balconies | Lower ground floor accommodation | Quiet cul-de-sac location | Spacious lounge | Substantial southerly aspect private rear garden | Stunning kitchen/breakfast room

Bournemouth £975,000

Refurbishment potential STPP | Sought after location | Four reception rooms | Kitchen/breakfast room with separate utility | Seven bedrooms | Three bathrooms (two en-suites) | Secluded plot with off road parking

West Parley, Ferndown £725,000

Vacant possession | Potential AirBnb/holiday let | Seven bedrooms | Five bathrooms (three en-suites) | Triple garage | Annexe potential above garages | Ample off-road parking

Ferndown £629,950

Spacious, character property | Detached chalet bungalow | Kitchen with separate utility | Four double bedrooms | Three bathrooms (en-suite to master) | Study | Fully enclosed rear garden | Detached tandem garage | Off road parking | Convenient location

Sway, Lymington £380,000

Vacant possession | Stunning location | Off road parking | New Forest location | Close to village centre

Ferndown £275,000

Stunning views | Large two double bedrooms | Modernised throughout | Balcony overlooking golf course | Garage & off road parking | Cul-de-sac location | Modern fitted kitchen | Substantial well maintained grounds

SANDY FEET

HAVEN COURT

BROAD REACH

FERRY WALK

NUMBER TWELVE SALTERNS REST HARBOUR VIEW NAUTILUS HARBOUR LOOKOUT

RED SAILS

MANSARD COURT

BOATHOUSE ROSE COTTAGE ECHO BEACH

SANDACRES

TIDES VIEW

DEJA BLUE

WAVES

SUNDOWNER SANDARA

SHORE LODGE

THE UPSIDE DOWN HOUSE

SHERWOOD

OVGAR BEACH HAVEN

SEASIDE SIZZLE

HEMING WAYS VILLA

HOOK SANDS

BEACH WALK

HIDEAWAY

BAY HARBOUR VIEW RONA BEACH

SANDBANKS COURT SANTOY UTOPIA

BREAKERS HOLWELL

SUNSET

SANDHILLS PENINSULA COURT SANDCASTLES

SEAHAVEN

• 9 miles of golden sand

•

TIMBERCROFT

COMPASS POINT

SEAS THE DAY

PINES VIEW

• Chain ferry connecting the Purbecks

•

• Best dog-friendly beach in the UK

•

SUNSHINE BEACH THE VISTAS DENE CLIFF CHINE WALK

MAXWELL LODGE

HEPWORTH HOUSE

PINEWOOD

• Watersports - from sailing to kitesurfing to paddleboarding

•

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Joe Wicks on how to make moving your body a non-negotiable

Prudence Wade chats to the Body Coach about the mental benefits of exercise – why this is more important than ever right now.

Fitness might be Joe Wicks’ job, but even he’s not always ready and raring to work-out.

“I definitely have days where I feel flat and I feel stressed, or I can’t be bothered today,” admits the father-of-three. However, the difference for Wicks, 37, is that moving his body has become a non-negotiable.

“If I don’t wake up and exercise, I hold that tension and that stress in my body,” he explains. “So I always see exercise as like a stress relief valve, like a pressure cooker. So when I move my body, I know I’m going to feel so much better at the end of it.

“It’s habit and discipline, as opposed to being genuinely lit up with motivation every day. I know how much my life improves –my relationships, my friendships, my kids and everyone around me benefit when I’m keeping active.

Don’t do too much, too soon

If your New Year’s resolution is to adopt the training plan of a professional athlete, you could be setting yourself up for failure. “Ultimately, the first and most important thing is you don’t do too much at once,” Wicks advises. “Don’t try and go to the gym five days a week from zero, or put pressure on yourself to build a certain diet, or a lowcalorie restrictive diet.

Remove the friction

Does life constantly seem to be getting in the way of your exercise goals? You might want to rethink how you’re doing things.

If you’re at the start of your fitness journey or out of the swing of things, making exercise a priority can seem like an uphill battle. Here’s how Wicks suggests going about it…

“I know this is so cliché and it’s easier said than done – it’s just doing things you can actually sustain, that isn’t overwhelming, that isn’t stressful, that is enjoyable.”

“I’m a big fan of home workouts,” says Wicks. “Remove the friction of getting childcare, or getting to the gym and finding that hour where you commute. Imagine if your living room was your gym, and you had a pair of dumbbells and a kettlebell – you can have a great workout in 25 minutes, and actually get it done.

“You’ve got to make your life easy – set yourself up for success,” Wicks adds.

“It’s non-negotiable. It’s a priority for me.”

Focus on the mental benefits Wicks knows exercise is a game-changer for his mental health – and if you start experiencing the same benefits, you might find yourself even more committed to moving your body.

“The Body Coach was originally about HIIT training, about body image and losing weight. Over the years, I’ve really shifted my belief and narrative around it, because I realised that people often start to lose weight – but what keeps them coming back really is the mental health benefits of exercise and how their life improves, their relationships improve.”

And with the cost-of-living crisis making things seem pretty bleak this January, Wicks believes movement is more important than ever. “Last year, people were thinking about [exercise] a bit – it was optional. This year it’s essential, because life’s overwhelming, life feels really stressful,” he reflects.

“And if you don’t take care of yourself physically and you don’t lift your mood mentally, you’re going to be overwhelmed and things can really get on top of you.

“So see exercise as an essential part of your happiness and make it a priority.”

Prioritise sleep

Wicks is currently finding this one tricky – his youngest child, Leni, is four months old, and her tired dad says: “She’s doing this sleep regression thing, where she’s awake for like half an hour, every night, all through the night.

“Your eyes are stinging, you wake up really thirsty, you’ve got a headache – it really makes you realise how sleep is everything, it’s the foundation,” he adds. “I’m making not great food choices, I’m not really exercising – so it definitely affects me.”

When Leni isn’t waking him up throughout the night, Wicks calls sleep “the number one priority for me, over anything”. He continues: “Certain things knock you back, and I realised just how important sleep is –if there’s one message I’d like to share with people it’s this year, really prioritise sleep.

“When you’re well slept, everything else can fall into place a lot easier. I really think we’re under slept, we sleep-deprive ourselves. We sit up on our phones, we watch Netflix until 3am – we’re doing it to ourselves. So try to focus on sleep, and eating and exercise will come a lot easier.”

Find your tribe

If you have the time and resources, training with a group of like-minded people might be the extra boost of motivation you need.

“I started as a personal trainer and I used to do boot camps, and I always got much more of a buzz from group fitness,” explains Wicks. “Training with people and as a group, it’s more of an energy and you push a bit harder. You feel like you’re not on your own when you’re struggling and people are cheering you on – it feels nice to be part of a little community.”

That’s why Wicks set up The Body Coach Studios – a pop-up space for a few days in January where Wicks and trainers from his app taught in-person classes.

“Rather than it being about a ‘before and after’ transformation on Instagram, imagine meeting someone who’s come back from depression, or who’s come back from an injury… and now they’re this really fit, motivating human being. I think that rubs off on people.”

The Body Coach Studios’ was the first ever fitness studio from Joe Wicks’ The Body Coach app. To find out more head to thebodycoach.com/studios

Photos credit PA Photo/Des Iles

“...if there’s one message I’d like to share with people it’s this year, really prioritise sleep.”

ROOMS AVAILABLE TO RENT

Rooms available to rent in the award winning celebrity favourite Elegant Clinic in the heart of Canford Cliffs.

For more information please email teagan@elegantclinic.co.uk

7 Castle Street, Christchurch Dorset BH23

A characterful and picturesque detached cottage, with associated outbuildings, presented to a beautiful standard and situated on a mature park-like setting spanning approximately two acres.

EPC Exempt | Council Tax: F | Tenure: Freehold

Y o u a r e i n v i t e d

W E D D I N G O P E N D A Y S

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This mysterious corner of Kenya has magical appeal...

Lesser known than than Mara but equally brilliant for safari, the volcanically-formed Chyulu Hills sizzles with a special energy, says Sarah Marshall.

Stood atop a stack of ancient balancing rocks, the sight below me is extraordinary. Large herds of oryx shift across open grasslands as clouds lift to reveal the curves of grassy mounds. Glinting in the distance, the snow-capped tip of Kilimanjaro soars upwards in a perfect cone.

Today, the only rumblings I hear are from lions and elephants, but this undulating landscape was once a hothouse of volcanic activity. Part of a range that formed 1.4 million years ago, the Chyulu Hills are relatively young in geological terms, with the last recorded eruptions occurring in 1855. And although blankets of grass have since softened any angry tectonic upheavals, energy from fiery lava flows still runs through hilltops and stimulates life from the fertile soils below my feet.

“There’s something very special about this place,” whispers my safari guide, Jackson, as we watch a hazy dawn sun emerge from the mist. “Some people even say it sits on ley lines.”

Regardless of whether supernatural pathways pass through the Chyulus or not, this national park in southeast Kenya certainly has the power to captivate imaginations, supposedly providing the inspiration for Ernest Hemingway’s book Green Hills Of Africa.

Ol Donyo lodge | PA Photo/Alex Walters

Although it receives far less visitors than flagship wildlife destinations, such as the Maasai Mara and Lewa, it’s an equally important ecosystem. Sandwiched between the red earth soils of Tsavo and the swamps and marshlands of Amboseli on the border with Tanzania, it’s an important migration corridor for elephants.

I meet some of the region’s male bull residents later that morning, when I visit a hide built next to a man-made watering hole. Some have tusks so long they spa like fencers as they battle greedily for the water source. At a time when most big tuskers have been almost genetically wiped out by decades of ivory poaching, they are a reminder of how magnificent this species once looked.

A particularly striking example is an elephant affectionately known as One Ton.

BELOW

Resident elephant at Ol Donyo lodge | PA Photo/Great Plains

“He’s one of our regulars,” explains Graham Mckittrick, host manager at Ol Donyo Lodge, one of the few places to stay in the area.

Set at the foothills of the Chyulu Hills National Park, 11 thatched cottages are spread across a gentle slope on the 111,000-hectare Mbirikani Group Ranch –community land owned by 4,000 Maasai. Built with ancient lava rock which once flowed from Kilimanjaro, the space radiates a warm and earthly glow.

Between game drives, I sit in my private plunge pool, watching giraffes glide across the horizon, their tall frames dwarfed by the epic scenery. During the day, klipspringers bolt through bushes, bright hornbills flash between treetops, and langur monkeys bathe boldly on terraces – making themselves just as much at home as paying guests.

Even after dark, nature continues her display. One night, I crawl into a star bed on the rooftop of my suite, listening to lions roar somewhere below the burning bright constellations, until I drift off to sleep.

Filmmakers and photographers with an eye for beauty, Dereck and Beverly Joubert were so captivated by the Chyulu Hills, they chose to bring Ol Donyo Lodge under their Great Plains Conservation umbrella 15 years ago. The couple quickly recognised its ecological importance.

A Maasai guide at Ol Donyo lodge | PA Photo/Alex Walters

LEFT

A riding safari in the Chyulu Hills | PA Photo/Andrew Howard

“We have one of the only continuous unfenced populations of black rhino in Kenya,” explains Graham, when we head out early one morning on a walking safari. In so many places, populations have been poached to extinction, with animals reintroduced at a later date. But here, lava flows have created a fortress, providing a natural refuge.

Climbing over sharp, rough parapets and a moat of whistling thorns, it’s no surprise to learn the rhinos are rarely seen. But its still reassuring to know they are tucked safely somewhere inside.

Along with geological fortifications, non-profit organisation Big Life has played a key role in securing the survival of these animals, employing community scouts and establishing a security monitoring programme at the peak of the poaching crisis.

The son of a well-known Kenyan game warden, conservationist Richard Bonham was one of the first people to negotiate a tourism land lease from communities when he started building Ol Donyo in the 1980s. He later sold the property to Great Plains but continues to live nearby in a bohemian open-air house with his wife Tara.

Co-founded with photographer Nick Brandt and entrepreneur Tom Hill, Big Life has successfully coordinated cross-border anti-poaching operations between Kenya and Tanzania, protecting more than 1.6 million acres by employing hundreds of local rangers.

But the biggest threat, Richard tells me when we meet at his home, is ongoing conflict between communities and wildlife, made worse by the sub-division of farmlands which block elephant corridors.

Like so many conservationists, he faces ongoing challenges and frustrations, with no easy solutions readily available. His ongoing commitment is testimony to how special this place is.

Late in the afternoon, I hike to one of the Chyulu’s many viewpoints. Perhaps it’s the fronds of red oat grass tickling at my skin, but the sensation of standing here is electrifying.

Whether mapped by lava flows, ley lines or ancient migratory paths, Chyulu’s hills have a magnetism that will continually draw you back.

How to plan your trip

Rooms at Ol Donyo Lodge start from $1,045USD/£872 per person per night (two sharing) full board, including Big Life conservation fees. Visit greatplainsconservation. com.

Exceptional Travel can arrange packages with flights. Visit exceptional-travel.com.

For more information on Big Life Foundation, visit biglife.org.

Words by Sarah Marshall, PA

Ol Donyo Lodge | PA

Photo/Andrew Howard LEFT

A star bed at Ol Donyo Lodge | PA Photo/Andrew Howard BELOW

Ol Donyo lodge | PA Photo/Great Plains

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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.

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.

Tel. 01202 068010

99 Commercial Rd, Poole, BH14 0JD www.zim-braai.co.uk

YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM HMRC BIG BROTHER

I have often stated in previous blogs and at various speaking events, that it would only be a matter of time before the government would dot the dots!

It was recently reported in the Daily Mail, of a landlord who had received a letter from HMRC stating the following.

‘Our information shows that you have put a deposit in a ‘Tenancy Deposit Scheme’. We have compared this information with what you have told us on your SelfAssessment (SA) tax return for the year ending 5 April 2021… and suggests you may not have told us about all of your rental income.’

It really was only a matter of time, since they introduced the law in 2007 that all deposits must be protected or be fined 3 times the deposit given.

Interestingly enough, I was speaking to another landlord just before Christmas who genuinely thought she only had declare the rental income if she earned more than her annual tax free income!

Don’t get frazzled by all the red tape!

Ring me or email me sharon@moveon.biz with your phone number.

Let’s make 2023 a better year together.

Sharon

BOURNEMOUTH Guide price £850,000

A substantial five bedroom detached character home with two reception rooms and open plan kitchen/living/dining room.

HEARNES

www.hearnes.com 01202 317317

Properties of the month

LYTCHETT MATRAVERS £1,500,000

Remarkable detached home with expansive grounds, rural views, private rear courtyard and potential separate annexe.

ST QUINTIN PROPERTY GROUP

www.stqpropertygroup.co.uk 01202 877123

BRANKSOME PARK £325,000

A bright and spacious two bedroom third floor apartment with a large living room, ample storage, balcony and a garage.

WINKWORTH WESTBOURNE

www.winkworth.co.uk 01202 767633

WEST MOORS Guide price £825,000

A modernised 2,100 sq ft four double bedroom, two bathroom, three reception room detached family home

HEARNES

www.hearnes.com 01202 890890

EAST CLIFF £475,000

An exceptionally well presented three double bedroom apartment in gated development with a balcony and parking.

WINKWORTH WESTBOURNE

www.winkworth.co.uk 01202 767633

FERNDOWN Guide price £780,000

This modernised four bedroom, two reception room detached family home with south facing garden and outbuildings.

HEARNES

www.hearnes.com 01202 890890

BOURNEMOUTH £975,000

Seven bedroom home with refurbishment potential STPP on a secluded plot, with four reception rooms and off road parking.

ST QUINTIN PROPERTY GROUP

www.stqpropertygroup.co.uk 01202 877123

WEST PARLEY £1,350,000

Stunning five bedroom chalet bungalow in a semi-rural location with a large garden and numerous outbuildings.

ST QUINTIN PROPERTY GROUP

www.stqpropertygroup.co.uk 01202 877123

TALBOT WOODS £1,395,000

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

HEARNES

www.hearnes.com 01202 317317

BRANKSOME PARK £725,000

A three bedroom two bathroom house with a beautifully fitted kitchen, spacious lounge galleried dining room and private terrace.

WINKWORTH WESTBOURNE

www.winkworth.co.uk 01202 767633

VILLAMARTIN €179,000

2 bedroom, 2 bathroom second floor apartment in the Vista Azul XXIX spa resort with communal pool in gated community.

VISTACASAS

www.vistacasas.com +34 966 764 114

BOURNEMOUTH OIEO £625,000

A beautifully presented extended detached character home offering three bedrooms, generous rear garden and garage.

HEARNES

www.hearnes.com 01202 317317

BROADSTONE OIRO £1,075,000

Exceptionally well presented five bedroom home with two balconies and a substantial southerly aspect private rear garden.

ST QUINTIN PROPERTY GROUP

www.stqpropertygroup.co.uk 01202 877123

FERNDOWN £680,000

This three double bedroom, three reception room detached bungalow has private enclosed gardens and a single garage.

HEARNES

www.hearnes.com 01202 890890

PARTNERS IN DESIGN DORSET

DORSET’S PREMIER INTERIOR DESIGN, BUILD AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICE. Our 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.

Total Interior Solutions

Interior design and project management service

Design led extensions and refurbishments

Bespoke built-in and free-standing cabinetry

Design, build and install of kitchens and bathrooms

Lighting design

Hand made curtains, blinds and upholstery

Huge library of fabrics and wallpapers

Have a look at our website to see some examples of our work and what our clients say: www.partners-in-design.co.uk

Changing with the times

Partners in Design are often approached by homeowners looking to downsize. One of the first questions is whether their current furniture would be suitable for their new home both in terms of proportion and style. Furniture which looks fabulous in a London townhouse or Georgian rectory may be out of place in a country cottage or new build apartment. It can also be daunting, having lived somewhere for a long time, to face a

blank canvas in terms of colour, lighting, out of date bathrooms and kitchens etc.

Partners in Design work with clients moving to Dorset from the very beginning of the process. They show on scaled floor plans where larger furniture could be accommodated in the new home, leading to a smoother moving in day and streamlining decisions as to what should be sold or given

away before the move. They can give a new lease of life to upholstered furniture and window dressings and design new furniture, soft furnishings and lighting to complement what is being kept. They design, make and fit built-in furniture and kitchens as well as updating tired bathrooms.

If a house would benefit from remodelling - for example to create more open plan living- they use 3D Cad design to show what can be achieved.

If clients are unfamiliar with the area they will not know trustworthy trades or suppliers on whom they can call. Partners in Design have a wonderful in-house team of trades and craftsmen with whom they have worked for many years and whose workmanship they guarantee.

Moving can be a stressful process but Partners in Design minimise that by working hand in hand with clients through every step of the move; from initial consultation to final accessories

For work and testimonials: partners-indesign.co.uk

“Since we are well into the 3 rd age as we planned our new house we realised we needed help. This we found in Partners in Design who gave us the experience and creativity we needed. Fun, challenging and enjoyable. We would do it again.” - THE GARVEYS, CERNE ABBAS

How to style Pantone’s 2023 Colour of the Year – Viva Magenta

Viva Magenta is all about jewel tone accents and inventiveness, says Sam Wylie-Harris.

The Pantone Colour Institute experts have chosen ‘an unconventional shade for an unconventional time’ for 2023’s Colour of the Year – and Viva Magenta is certainly far from muted.

In fact, ‘brave, fearless, powerful and empowering’ is how this nuanced crimson-blended shade is described – ‘an animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint’.

According to the Pantone pros, this ‘electrifying’ and ‘boundless’ shade manifests as a ‘stand-out statement’ – and we’ve no doubt it’ll do the same for your interiors.

“Vibrant and energising, Viva Magenta is the perfect accent colour to liven up a room,” says Chelsea Clark, head of brand at Lust Home.

“If you’re looking to make a statement, pair the warm red hue with neutral or complementary colours that have the same undertone – and add some contrasting accessories for an extra touch.”

As Clark points out, the thought of using a bright or vibrant shade when decorating can be quite daunting at first, especially if it’s a break from the norm for you. After all, big aspirations call for confidence – but you can skip the expected curtains and scatter cushions pairing (depending on your budget) by switching up your wall treatments.

RIGHT

Vixen Paint, from £46 per can (2.5 litres), Graham and Brown | PA Photo/Graham and Brown

“Wallpaper is a great starting point when looking to dip your toes into the world of bright interiors,” says Clark. “Add a pop of Viva Magenta to your walls in the form of a patterned wallpaper and embrace the bold trend.”

Elsewhere, colourful paint effects can help you pull off a major wall statement and take your blank canvas to the next level.

“Vixen is Graham & Brown’s take on Viva Magenta,” says James Greenwood, interior expert at Graham & Brown. A bold pink perfect for those who love playful colour, he acknowledges this vibrant hue can often seem quite overwhelming when introducing it to the home – but you don’t have to go all in at once.

As Greenwood says: “For a more easily translatable look into an interior scheme, colour blocking is a great way to incorporate a hot pink into your interior without being overpowering.”

ABOVE

Vixen Paint, from £46 per can (2.5 litres), Graham and Brown | PA Photo/Graham and Brown

LEFT

Animal

Instinct Wallpaper in Candy Pink and Red, £45 per roll, Lust Home | PA

Photo/Lust Home

Think about pairing with cooler pink and purple shades, underpinned by a warm neutral like a putty beige, he suggests, which keeps the brighter pops of colour grounded.

Emma Bestley, co-founder of YesColours, agrees –especially if you’re feeling more timid than fearless: “Viva Magenta is a classic hot pink and in colour terms, a pinkish, purplish red. This exact colour may be too intense for your walls, but we don’t have to take Pantone’s colour of the year so literally,” she says.

Indeed, Pantone cite Viva Magenta as ‘a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family – and expressive of a new signal of strength’. How you choose to channel this in your own home is open to interpretation.

Bestley suggests looking at varying tones of pink-purple to suit your needs: “It will still maintain that fearless assertiveness.”

Play around with different depths of saturation and tones to see what works for your space. With a deep pinky-mauve sophistication, Bestley says these shades can wrap you in warmth and comfort, like cashmere.

“Some may see it as lusty, but we just see it as loving and kind,” she adds.

LEFT

Sahara Rugs 56105 by Ted Baker in Burgundy, from £529 (140 x 200cm), The Rug Seller | PA Photo/The Rug Seller RIGHT

Annie Sloan Capri Pink Chalk Paint, £23.95 (1 litre), Annie Sloan | PA Photo/Annie Sloan

Another way to get the look is by focusing on upholstery and soft furnishings and having some fun with fabrics.

“Be brave with a rich magenta sofa and matching feature wall, guaranteed to create a statement in your living room,” suggests Francesca Hadland from Bridgman.

“Echo the colour around the space with your accessories, from your throw cushions to your rug,” she adds.

“And, don’t forget to look to house plants and foliage to offset this bold colour palette with complimentary greens, bringing the bold shades of nature into your home.”

Best of all – with Pantone describing Viva Magenta as a ‘pulsating red shade whose exuberance promotes optimism and joy’ – think of all the spectacular ways you can work this joyous shade into your scheme when spring flowers start to bloom.

With peony flowered tulips turning heads, this red-pink hue will be cropping up everywhere.

Words by Sam Wylie-Harris, PA

LEFT

Set of 2 Stella Dining Chairs, £270, Emporium Oriental Rug, from £90 (80 x 150cm), other items from a selection, Next | PA

Photo/Next BELOW

Mulberry Tigress Fringe Velvet Cushion Cover, £95, Alvana | PA Photo/Alvana

Looking for just one technology or a combination of systems, our team are on hand to tailor the perfect system for you

With our unbiased approach we are able to incorporate several technologies into your property allowing you to benefit from the lowest carbon energy option, whilst still maintaining the levels of convenience required

The Government has introduced cash incentives to encourage homeowners to invest in renewable energy technologies

This is done through the boiler upgrade scheme and done as payment of £5,000, on top of this the the goverment announced earlier in the year that all energy saving solutions are eligable for zero rate VAT

MOTORING NEWS

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

A CLASSIC START TO THE YEAR

With so many car makers sharing platforms and engines, mergers and amalgamations of brands, it’s perhaps no surprise that many cars feel rather similar. Arguably in many cases look similar too. For example one company is now in control of Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Vauxhall/Opel, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati, Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Ram and Abarth.

Unless you pay a lot of money for your car, and even then there are companies sharing parts and technology, individuality is becoming a rare commodity. Cars seem to have become the automotive equivalent of white goods, we buy them when needed and change them for a newer, more efficient model in a few years.

However it doesn’t have to be this way. Many modern classics are perfectly useable day-to-day and can be subtly tweaked to provide a more modern driver experience. Cars like Renault’s once ubiquitous 5 can be had for very little money, in good condition and provide a characterful and economic daily commute.

Even newer companies like SEAT have a back catalogue providing far more character and interest than a modern equivalent. More luxurious modern day classics such as Mercedes Benz models from the 1980s/90s are incredibly useable and surprisingly economical in daily use. Another benefit is that many countries and cities give exemptions to classic vehicles in terms of road tax and charging schemes.

If you like your cars then driving a modern classic can draw far more attention than some

uber-posh modern car, and it’s not the kind of negative attention that modern super cars can sometimes draw. It’s also a way to drive a car that you would never have been able to afford in the day, and certainly wouldn’t be able to afford its modern equivalent. So on both economic and style grounds modern day classics seem to be a winning choice for classy and unusual transport.

There are downsides though. No matter how much you improve the driving experience, a modern classic will never, in this writer’s view, drive as well, or as easy, as a modern car. Although many modern day classics have a great parts network, increasingly via the manufacturer but also specialists, depending on your choice some parts can take a while to track down.

So take a look at the classic car press and online presence, do your research and you may just find the most interesting and stylish car you’ve ever owned.

ROAD TEST: JAGUAR XF – COMMENDABLY REFINED WITH A SPORTING STANCE

As marques go few can match Sir William Lyon’s Jaguar, especially when you consider he began building sidecars in Blackpool. In its modern incarnation Jaguar is now one of the companies that’s leading the charge to electrification. Their range already encompasses pure electric, plug in hybrid and mild hybrid models, including a mild hybrid diesel power unit.

The lead-in XF is the R-Dynamic S which is priced from £35,100 with a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, mild hybrid diesel power unit. Even in this entry-level model Jaguar don’t stint on the standard equipment with

adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking and rear camera, LED lights, auto lights and wipers, auto dimming rear view mirror, powered front seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated and powered door mirrors and more. Of course consult the options list – to say it’s big is somewhat of an understatement – and the price can escalate dramatically.

I’m a fan of more traditional, lighter and arguably more British interior style rather than the dark hues of many modern cars. Much to their credit Jaguar offer a range of both light and dark interiors at no extra cost.

I criticised the original XE and XF for what I saw as a drop in quality. That has certainly been rectified and the XF feels like it is back where it belongs on that side of the quality equation. There’s also a lesson for digitisation obsessives in car design, it doesn’t have to be complicated and can be intuitive, as the XF demonstrates perfectly.

Although only a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder mild hybrid diesel propels the XF past the benchmark 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and returns very decent fuel economy. The XF can also be specified with all-wheeldrive rather than the standard rearwheel-drive along with a range of petrol engines. All the XF range has an 8-speed automatic transmission.

On the road the XF doesn’t disappoint and despite a mere 4-cylinders retains a commendably refined air. With ride options ranging from sport to waft mode it’s a delight and still retains a special feel that some German marques lack..

On the debit side the XF isn’t that spacious considering its size. There are also still traces of cheaper plastics that should never be allowed inside a Jaguar! Overall though this is a car that acquits itself with considerable aplomb and which can happily park on my drive anytime.

The ultimate experience for you and your Audi

When it comes to taking care of your car, having a full dealer service history can help to protect its value, as well as ensuring its looked after by the experts.

Poole Audi offers a range of services to ensure that you and your Audi receive the ultimate experience. Their Audi trained technicians use the latest diagnostic tools, equipment, and genuine parts, and are also fully electric vehicle accredited. If your Audi is in need of some extra care, minor repairs can be undertaken using the on-site cosmetic repair service. Your car will even get a complimentary wash and vacuum before being returned to you.

For your convenience, complimentary Audi courtesy cars are available, and a drive-in servicing lane allows you to drop off and pick

up your car away from the rain and wind. A collection and delivery service means you don’t even need to leave the house to have your Audi looked after at Poole Audi!

If you do choose to visit the showroom, Poole Audi will offer you the ultimate experience too. You can enjoy a complimentary treatment at Schön Beauty & Relaxation, as well as free Wi-Fi and refreshments. Comfortable lounges and working spaces are available, as well as a gym if you want to stay active while you wait.

When it comes to paying, you may be pleasantly surprised at how competitive the prices are. You can even choose to split

the cost of your servicing with a monthly payment service plan, or take advantage of 0% finance for a range of work.

Ultimately, when it comes to looking after your Audi, look no further than Poole Audi.

To find out more, visit pooleaudi.co.uk

New Audi models ordered and delivered before the end of March 2023 will include a free of charge Audi Service Plan. Order your new Audi now and receive...

Choice of new models coming into stock for delivery in the next three months

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Poole Audi

QASHQAI OFFICIALLY THE UK’S FAVOURITE CAR OF 2022

The Nissan Qashqai is officially the UK’s favourite car of 2022, and the first Britishbuilt model to top the annual sales charts for 24 years.

Figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders confirm that the home-grown Qashqai – which was designed in Paddington, engineered in Cranfield and is built in Sunderland – was the nation’s best-selling car of the last 12 months.

A total of 42,704 new Qashqais were driven off dealership forecourts across the UK in 2022 and the figure for December alone stood at an impressive 3,506, reported the SMMT.

To celebrate the achievement, an exclusive gold-wrapped Qashqai was created in honour of the 7,000 Nissan employees from around the UK that have contributed to its success.

Andrew Humberstone, managing director of Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd, said: ‘‘This is a landmark moment for a landmark car and it’s great to see how the latest generation Qashqai has struck a chord with car buyers here in the UK.

Three generations of Qashqai have been on sale in the UK since it was first launched in 2007, all of which have regularly appeared among individual month’s best-seller lists, however this is the first time it’s been the year’s best-selling car overall, and the first time a Nissan has topped the annual sales charts.

ROAD TEST: VOLVO V60 RECHARGE PLUG-IN HYBRID - IN DEMAND, AND FOR GOOD REASON

Volvo’s high-tech march towards electrification includes mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid that offer a more practical solution to those who currently find pure electric isn’t for them. For those that want it there are also an increasing number of allelectric Volvos.

The V60 is Volvo’s mid-size estate and despite the popularity of SUVs Volvo estates are still in demand, and for good reason. Forget any sign of utility because although these are load carriers (not in the same league as the square box Volvos of old but still pretty good) they are also packed with luxurious touches.

Standard fare across all models are such things as auto-dimming mirrors, auto lights, high beam assist, auto wipers, keyless start, cruise, electric and power-folding door mirrors, leather, heated front seats with electric adjustment and lumbar support, heated wiper blades, dual-zone climate control and as you would expect from Volvo there is a plethora of standard safety kit.

Prices start from £41,330 and my test model was the T6 AWD Plus £50,935. Power comes from a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder unit mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel-

drive for any kind of weather. With added electric power the V60 propels its rather large frame to the benchmark 62 mph in just 5.2 seconds and a maximum of 112 mph.

Gear changes are smooth, the refinement is excellent and the V60 has an air of unruffled calm even when doing 70 mph on a motorway. It’s one of those cars that you feel could take you from one end of the country to the other and you would emerge with no aches or feeling in any way jaded.

In pure electric mode, the Volvo can take you 54 miles so enough for a commute, but whether you’re running a pure EV or a hybrid you really do need a home charging point to make EVs a practical proposition. If you opt for a plug-in version of the V60 then you can charge it from 0 to 100% off a home charger in 5 hours, less if you find a fast charger.

The interior is modern and minimalist but at the same time has a look and feel of a luxury car rather than a premium one. It’s an object lesson in how to light interiors can look so classy yet remain practical.

In case you haven’t already gathered, I liked the V60, I liked it a lot!

ROAD TEST: GENESIS GV80 - STYLE, PRESENCE AND CONTINENT CROSSING COMFORT

Earlier this year I sampled the then new Genesis G70 saloon, closely followed by the GV80 SUV. The GV80 has the same styling cues as the sleek saloon models but just in larger, bolder form. Genesis is the luxury arm of Hyundai which in turn, of course, owns Kia. Hyundai has managed to successfully build separation between Hyundai and Kia but with Genesis it’s a luxury brand and is a distinctly separate brand.

With more than a touch of the Bentleyesque about Genesis styling they have the ability to immediately make you feel that you are in something rather upmarket and special. There is a real feeling of quality in everything you can see and touch with some splendid detail touches from quilted stitched seating to slim linear air vents.

The GV80 range is priced from £58,320 and there are four trim levels and power from a 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol 4-cylinder that develops 300 bhp and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-

wheel-drive. Multi-seat options are available between five and seven seats. On the road it’s a quiet and refined performer with more than sufficient pull when required. It’s no Range Rover Sport so don’t expect agile handling, that said for such a large machine it is surprisingly accomplished.

Standard equipment levels are good with a basic spread that encompasses such items as LED lighting, intelligent cruise control, power adjustable steering wheel, navigation with premium sound system and connection for Apple Car Play and Android Auto, auto dimming mirrors and host of

other items including comprehensive safety technology. As you might expect with such a large vehicle there is plenty of leg and headroom in both front and rear with extremely comfortable, multiadjustable seats.

Depending on what you’re driving it’s not unusual for people to engage you in conversation, but it’s rare when you’re asked what the car is because it’s so new. It also draws the eye because it has an impressive look and stance and as mentioned earlier some people did mistake it for a Bentley. Praise indeed!

For a manufacturer to establish itself in the premium sector, when they are known for vehicles of a lower price point, is far from easy as history has shown. I think Genesis stands a real chance of being with us for the long term. The GV80 may not rewrite the automotive rule book but it’s got style, presence and enough creature comforts for continent crossing relaxation.

DACIA GOES HYBRID

Dacia has opened orders and confirmed full UK pricing and specifications for its seven-seat Jogger HYBRID 140. The model becomes the brand’s first ever Hybrid Electric Vehicle and is set to build on Jogger’s success story, having already received more than 83,000 orders worldwide, with 51,000 registrations, in under a year.

Utilising an advanced petrol/electric drivetrain, the new Jogger HYBRID 140 starts from £22,595 on-the-road, orders are expected to commence in the second quarter of the year.

The Jogger HYBRID 140 features a normally aspirated 90hp 1.6-litre petrol engine, twin electric motors and a multi-mode automatic transmission, combined with a 1.2kWh (230V) battery. These components work together to deliver full electric start and instantaneous torque, smooth electriconly driving, and a choice of driving modes to suit different conditions.

Regenerative braking, combined with the high energy recovery of the 1.2 kWh (230V) battery allow the Jogger HYBRID 140 to spend up to 80 per cent of its time on urban roads in full-electric mode, thereby saving up to 40 per cent on fuel compared to an equivalent petrol-only model.

The Jogger HYBRID 140 is available in two trims – Expression and Extreme SE – the entry level version includes front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, blind spot warning, keyless entry, heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors, automatic wipers and automatic air conditioning as standard. Its infotainment system is based around an 8-inch media display, with the benefits of DAB radio, smartphone replication, Bluetooth, four speakers, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

ROAD TEST: KIA SPORTAGE – HEAD TURNING DESIGN

There was a time when driving a Korean car meant most drivers would look at you with either pity or the view that you don’t have much money or taste in cars. Move forward and today Kia’s are trendy, cutting edge with hybrid and electric vehicles and a well-deserved reputation for reliability and build quality.

The Kia look has evolved into one which is striking and head turning with many less informed drivers thinking they are far more expensive than is actually the case. Kia’s range is a wide one with everything from a small city car in the Picanto through to a large SUV in the Sorento.

In the latest Sportage Kia’s mid-size SUV strikes a head turning pose and offers a myriad of power options which encompass petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid along with manual and automatic gears plus two and four-wheel-drive. Prices start from a modest £27,800 and in lead-in form comes with LED lighting, front and rear parking sensors, auto lights and wipers and more.

My mid-range ‘3” with manual gears and 2-wheel-drive doesn’t benefit from hybrid power but does have an impressive array of standard equipment that includes heated

front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, multi-zone climate control, cruise control and neat little touches like hooks on the back of the front seats. Priced at £32,000 this version offers enough equipment to make you feel comforted but at a price that doesn’t break the bank.

On the road the Sportage’s 1.6-litre petrol engine offers useable performance and mpg with a nicely slick 6-speed manual gearbox. Soaking up the worst of the bumps the Sportage is never going to live up to its sport moniker, but nonetheless it’s far from disappointing on cross country roads.

The car comes with auto hold, a useful feature that requires one press of the footbrake to hold the car stationary without applying the handbrake. Which is a good job as the handbrake is operated via a button on the right hand side of the dashboard. It’s the one thing that feels awkward and unnecessarily fussy.

The Kia is a delight to live with and very easy and unfussed to drive. It also turns heads as one of the more striking cars you’re likely to see on our roads, and wonderfully doesn’t conform to the norm where all cars tend to look the same.

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ROAD TEST: LAND

listed at £35,500.

The other thing that surprises with the Discovery Sport is a lead-in model with twowheel-drive. More SUVs come in two-wheeldrive than four nowadays but a two-wheeldrive Land Rover still comes as surprise.

CANNOT GET A GP APPOINTMENT? DON’T WORRY HERE AT ELEGANT

The lead-in Discovery Sport may come at a surprisingly affordable price but of course, by the time you’ve ticked some option boxes the price can climb quicker than a Land Rover up a mountain. It’s far from difficult to add well into four figures purely on optional extras..

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more than that, specification is pretty decent with heated front seats, auto lights and wipers, heated and powered door mirrors, auto dimming rear view mirrors, dual zone climate control, cruise control, front and rear parking aids, tyre pressure monitoring system and Android Auto and Apple Car Play. As one would expect there’s also a panoply of safety kit and a myriad of other standard features.

Reliability has to be mentioned as there’s much talk about the lack of it with Land Rovers. While I know people who have had issues, equally I know many that have experienced no issues whatsoever.

Despite my Discovery on having power to the front wheels it felt highly effective and confidence inspiring. Inside the Land Rover it’s a very nice place to be, a mix of modern tech and quality materials. Good power delivery, smooth gear changes and decent handling are the hallmarks of what is an impressive machine.

Canford Cliffs | Queens Park, Bournemouth | Totton

Quit talking, start doing!

A very belated happy New Year to you all. As always there is none of this ‘new year, new me’ malarkey from us – it’s new year same us… just even better!

We have a great new deal for any ladies out there considering starting with us the amazing Wassmuffin Mixed Martial Arts Academy have teamed up with the equally amazing FUC Clothing to bring you ladies a fantastic offer not to be missed.

You can buy any of the FUC leggings and a FUC T-shirt for £25 (this is a bargain as normally the clothing would be £55 on its own). Once purchased this enables you to book 12 sessions within 30 days. These sessions include all of the lady classes we run per week; Wednesday at 6pm, Friday at 5:30pm and Sunday at 10am.

It also includes access to Wednesday and Friday Mixed Thai Boxing classes at 9:30am and our Wednesday morning Bootcamp at 6:30am and Saturday at 12pm (which is an hour and a half class – both mixed).

At Wassmuffin we are lucky enough to be running three ladies classes a week which are incredibly popular with our members. Two are run by the incredible Isa who joined us six years ago to ‘become fitter’ but has since not only become part of our fight team but is also a knowledgeable and invaluable coach. Her classes are energetic and technical but also basic enough for beginners to join, even if you don’t have any previous experience in Thai boxing. Then we have Alex and Gemma teaching our bootcamp classes. Alex with a wealth of experience and Gemma, having joined us

six years ago mainly wanting to lose some baby weight, is now teaching for us. Both are invaluable members of our team.

You will have me, Lottie, for the Sunday ladies class and the two morning mixed classes. I have been teaching for over 10 years and love it. The classes are high energy fun with basics but also technical too, so a real mixed bag!

You will have 30 days to pick which classes suit your lifestyle. So that’s 28 sessions per month that we run for you to pick your 12 sessions from. We are flexible so you can be!

The feed back at Wassmuffin’s is always incredible and we have amazing members and clients who are supportive and fun. The main comment we hear is; “we are like one big family”, and one you will love being part of. Make the move today – you won’t regret it! And you’ll even have some new gym kit to start your sessions in. FUC is a 5 star clothing brand with a big story behind it. It’s a win win situation.

www.fucclothing.com

SERVE

Enjoy a and relaxing delicious environment, woodland West Parley welcoming beautiful nestled in selection of dishes in a

Kwoklyn Wan on writing 12 recipes a day: I’m always hungry

Prudence Wade talks to the chef about writer’s block and getting creative in a campervan

Chef Kwoklyn Wan bought a campervan two years ago, and you can be sure he hasn’t been cooking up basic fare on the road.

“We were eating so well – it was quite funny, actually. We’d look over to the people next door, and they were having their typical beans, bangers and bacon and stuff like that – and we were having squids and Macanese curry, and all these other bits and bobs,” Wan remembers with palpable glee.

Wok cooking is a big part of Chinese cuisine, and that requires a fierce heat –something that’s tricky to replicate out the back of a campervan. “We solved that problem by having an electric hook-up and taking an induction cooker with us,” the chef reveals – keen to give his cooking “a bit more oomph”.

Even so, cooking out of a campervan isn’t quite the same as being in a professional kitchen – and it required Wan, 49, to think a bit differently about his normal recipes.

“I thought, how could we simplify these dishes to make it really easy for cooking in a campervan and caravan?” – and so he began developing more one-pot or wok meals, which is the basis for his latest book.

One Wok, One Pot is Wan’s sixth cookbook – and he’s written them at a remarkable rate, having released his first in 2019. While Wan admits “I do get writer’s block”, a love of food spurs him on.

“I’m a big guy. I’ve enjoyed food my entire life – I grew up around food, in restaurants and takeaways. When there’s a special occasion, we eat, when there’s not a special occasion, we eat,” he reflects. “So, it made it [writing the books] very simple in a sense that we were always hungry – I was always hungry.

“I try to pen between 10 and 12 recipes a day when I’m writing. It sounds crazy. What I do, I write the recipe – I might see something, whether that is on social media or on TV, and then I think, ‘How would I do that? How would I change it?’ And I write a recipe.

“Once I’ve written the recipes, I then go into the kitchen and test them. I say, ‘OK, this didn’t work, or that flavour didn’t work, or you’ve got to add this at a certain time’.”

Now he’s onto book six, Wan has to think a bit more creatively. “The first couple of books, I was writing Chinese takeaway dishes – things you can pretty much have regardless of whether you’re sitting in the middle of London, Manchester, or even if you’re in New York – you’ll get similar dishes.

“But as the books have progressed, I’ve obviously had to start thinking outside of the box – especially with One Wok, One Pot, because I was thinking, ‘How can we create these dishes that are going to be substantial enough to class them as a onepot dish?’ We can always do a chicken stirfry in a wok, but that’s been written 1,000 times. So, how can we do a chicken stir-fry that’s actually got some body to it?”

While Wan might be best known for his cookbooks and TV appearances nowadays, he’s been working in Chinese restaurants and takeaways for more than 30 years – and he’s picked up useful tips and tricks along the way for home cooks.

“Preparation” is his top piece of advice. “When you work in any commercial kitchen, you’ll find everything’s out and ready for you – you’re not having to worry about whether the onions are chopped, or the meat’s been sliced into pieces, or even if it’s been velveted – a Chinese technique we

One Wok, One Pot by Kwoklyn Wan by Kwoklyn Wan (Quadrille, £16.99) | PA Photo/Quadrille.

use, where we tenderise the meat first, so everything’s been pre-done.

“When you’re cooking at home, especially if you’re thinking, ‘We’ve got an hour, I want to try to get dinner on the table’ – you’re going to try to fit all of that into your cooking time. Wok cooking is pretty minimal anyway –we’re talking a couple of minutes – but the prep will sometimes take you 45 minutes.”

Wan spent his childhood in takeaways (the family ran takeaways and a Cantonese Restaurant in Leicester), and some of his

fondest memories are around Chinese New Year. He remembers a “party atmosphere” that was “very chaotic” in the restaurant in the weeks building up to the big event, saying: “And then at the end of it all, on Chinese New Year’s Day, my dad would invite his entire family – and there’s a lot, eight of them, I think, and they’ve all got children.

“The restaurant would be filled with all of my extended family, and my dad – well, the chefs – would create this amazing banquet for us all to sit down and eat.”

Chinese New Year fell on January 22 this year, and now Wan’s parents are older, his cousin has taken the reins. “He organises a

big Chinese New Year party, he hires a small village hall and invites the family,” Wan says. “He’s an amazing chef – he cooks all the food, but this year they asked me to create two or three dishes for them.”

So, what did Wan plan to cook up for his fortunate family members? “I’ll probably do it more in line with a Western taste bud, because my cousins have had children now and they’re very much immersed within the British culture.

“I might do something simple, such as spring rolls… I’ll try to wing it where I’m not in the kitchen for 14 hours cooking up dishes. I try to keep it as simple as possible.”

One Wok, One Pot by Kwoklyn Wan is published by Quadrille, priced £16.99. Photography by Sam Folan. Available now.

Words by Katie Wright, PA

ABOVE

Kwoklyn Wan | PA Photo/Sam Folan

ABOVE

drunken chicken noodles from One Wok, One Pot by Kwoklyn Wan (turn to page 126 for the recipe) | PA Photo/Sam Folan

PA Photo/Sam Folan

RECIPES BY KWOKLYN WAN | FOOD & DRINK

Drunken chicken noodles

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

400g fresh flat rice noodles (ho fun)

2tbsp vegetable oil

350g boneless skin-on chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

3 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths, whites and greens separated

300g choy sum, cut into 5cm lengths, stalks and leaves separated

3tbsp oyster sauce

2tbsp light soy sauce

1tbsp dark soy sauce

2tsp chicken powder

125ml red wine

1tbsp cornflour mixed with 2tbsp water

1tsp sesame oil

“Contrary to what the name would suggest, the chicken in this noodle dish is not drenched in alcohol,” says Kwoklyn Wan. “A common theory behind the Thai name (Pad Kee Mao) is that they are simply a perfect recovery dish for the day after the night before.”

1. Place the noodles in a colander or sieve (strainer) and loosen under hot water, drain and set to one side.

2. Heat a wok with the oil over a medium-high heat, then add the chicken thighs and cook for about 12–18 minutes, turning occasionally until golden brown and cooked through.

3. Now add the garlic and ginger and fry until fragrant, then add the spring onion whites and choy sum stalks along with the oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauces, chicken powder and red wine.

4. Bring to the boil, then add the softened noodles, spring onion greens and choy sum leaves and combine.

5. Give the cornflour mixture a stir and pour into the noodle sauce, mixing continuously until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

6. Turn off the heat and drizzle with the sesame oil.

Fried bananas

INGREDIENTS

4 ripe bananas

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Maple syrup, honey or golden syrup

Icing sugar

For the batter:

95g self-raising flour

25g cornflour

1 egg

1tbsp vegetable oil

½tsp baking powder

250ml cold water

SERVES 4

A simple and delicious dessert you’ll want to slather in golden syrup.

1. Cut the bananas into 2.5cm chunks.

2. Place all the batter ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth.

3. Heat the oil in a deep-sided saucepan or wok to 170°C (340°F).

4. Dip the chopped bananas into the batter and then carefully fry them in batches in the oil until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.

5. Arrange on your serving plate, pour over your syrup and dust with icing sugar to serve.

WARNING! Allow to cool slightly before eating as the bananas will be extremely hot when they first come out of the pan.

PA Photo/Sam Folan

INGREDIENTS

2tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 red bird’s-eye chillies, roughly chopped

500g cooked long-grain or basmati rice

150g frozen mixed baby vegetables, defrosted

2tbsp Chinese curry powder, or use your favourite

1tbsp light soy sauce

1tsp dark soy sauce

Pinch of white pepper

Salt, to taste

Spicy Singapore vegetable rice

SERVES 2-3

A quick weeknight meal you can whip up with frozen veg.

1. Place a wok over a medium-high heat, add the oil and, once smoking, add the onion and garlic and fry until golden brown, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

2. Add the chopped chillies and fry for a further 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the cooked rice and continue to fry for two to three minutes; you want the rice grains to toast slightly, which will give your dish a slightly nutty flavour, so don’t stir the ingredients constantly.

3. Now add the thawed frozen vegetables along with the curry powder, light and dark soy sauces and white pepper and toss gently to combine with the rice. Once the ingredients are fully heated through, taste the rice and adjust the seasoning with salt if required. Serve piping hot.

What’s on IN FEBRUARY

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.

A NIGHT OF COMEDY

16 FEBRUARY

A night of comedy is being held at The Black Cherry in Bournemouth in aid of Dorset’s Disability Charity, Diverse Abilities. The new event will be hosted by resident Master of Ceremonies, Andrew White, as he guides you through a night of awesome stand-up with McClaine Beirne, Graham Whistler and Steve Day (pictured below) as the headliner.

Tickets are £15 per person, or £25 to include a pizza and drink. Find out more and get your tickets at diverseabilities. org.uk/comedy.

HEY DUGGEE THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW

25 & 26 FEBRUARY

Smash hit children’s show Hey Duggee is to tour the UK for the first time ever in a vibrant and interactive stage show.

Brought to life through innovative puppetry and storytelling, Duggee, The Squirrels and some of their friends will come together for HEY DUGGEE THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW in a brand-new play packed with non-stop fun, laughs, singing, dancing and even more fun!

LIGHTHOUSE, POOLE’S CENTRE FOR

www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

BEACHHEAD 2023

11 & 12 FEBRUARY

The Main event hall has over 50 Tabletop, RPG, Collectable, TCG and Miniature game traders as well as many Display and Participation games to get stuck in to! As always Beachhead will be home to over 600 tournament players competing over the weekend alongside Superhero and Sci-Fi Cosplay, RPG sessions and seminars. The annual painting competition will run alongside the show with various attractions TBA. It’s a great weekend for the family in one of the South Coast’s top convention centres.

For more and updated information, go to beachheadshow.co.uk or head over to our Facebook page Beachhead Show 2023

BIC

www.beachheadshow.co.uk

COME AND SEE BLUEY AT THE EMIRATES SPINNAKER TOWER

15 & 16 FEBRUARY

Come and meet Bluey! She’ll be appearing at Spinnaker Tower on the 15th & 16th February at various times throughout the day from 10am. Booking is essential! Don’t forget to bring your camera!

EMIRATES SPINNAKER TOWER www.spinnakertower.co.uk

THE BLACK CHERRY www.diverseabilities.org.uk/comedy

THE ARTS

100 YEARS OF NORMAN THELWELL

21 JANUARY – 07 MAY

The National Trust’s Mottisfont in Hampshire is celebrating the legacy of one of Britain’s best-loved cartoonists and illustrators, Norman Thelwell, with a major new exhibition in his centenary year. 100 Years of Norman Thelwell (21 January to 7 May) features over 150 works, including his trademark ponies and other illustrations full of comedy and sharp satire, alongside glorious watercolours of local landscapes and landmarks in southern Hampshire where Thelwell lived.

The art gallery opens 11am-4pm (closing at 4.30pm from 11 February) daily. Normal property admission price applies (free for National Trust and Art Fund members).

Families visiting at half-term can enjoy a Thelwellthemed ‘Giddy Gallops’ activity trail (11 to 19 February, trail £2). There will be Thelwell merchandise available in Mottisfont’s on-site shop.

COOL COAST ICE RINK

UNTIL 19 FEBRUARY

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

ILLUMINATE

19 JANUARY -

05 MARCH

THE BLUE POOL www.bluepooltearooms.co.uk

SCHOOL OF ROCK

16 – 19 FEBRUARY

BOURNEMOUTH

PAVILION THEATRE www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk

40 YEARS OF FORMULA 1 WITH MAURICE HAMILTON

18 FEBRUARY BEAULIEU www.beaulieu.co.uk

THE COASTAL COMEDY SHOW WITH STUART GOLDSMITH

24 FEBRUARY CANVAS, BOURNEMOUTH www.coastalcomedy.com

MOTTISFONT

www.nationaltrust.org.uk

PURBECK HALL, BIC www.bic.co.uk

Mottisfont National Trust Images, Robert Morris

© Norman Thelwell

It is time to TAKE A BREAK

Pop the kettle on, put your feet up and take 10 minutes to engage your brain and solve these simple puzzles.

ACROSS CRYPTIC CLUES

1. Showiness (11)

9. Perplex (7)

10. Extravagant (5)

11. Stratum (5)

12. Lassitude (7)

13. Figure (6)

15. Grand (6)

18. Prevail (7)

20. Trickster (5)

22. External (5)

23. Sideboard (7)

24. In ignorance (11)

DOWN CRYPTIC CLUES

2. Genial (5)

3. Magnify (7)

4. Struggle (6)

5. Prickle (5)

6. Push forward (7)

7. Leaning (11)

8. Vengeful (11)

14. Dampen (7)

16. Dirty (7)

17. Obscurity (6)

19. Imbecile (5)

21. Artist’s stand (5)

LAST ISSUES SUDOKU SOLUTION

LAST ISSUES CRYPTIC SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1 Cast; 3 Studious; 9 Arrange; 10 Sisal; 11 Preposterous; 13 Occupy; 15 Amoeba; 17 Pestilential; 20 Throb; 21 Artisan; 22 Rendered; 23 Fete | DOWN: 1 Champion; 2 Surge; 4 Treaty; 5 Discriminate; 6 Obscure; 7 Sulk; 8 Incompatible; 12 Parlance; 14 Chevron; 16 Cleave; 18 Issue; 19 Star.

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