Country Child Autumn 15 Hampshire and Wiltshire

COUNTRY CHILD

Wiltshire/Hampshire

Your Local FREE Family Magazine

Autumn 15/Issue 22

HOBBY HORSE Family fun on horseback

WE MEAN BUSINESS

Shining the light on some resourceful and admirable business women

THAT’S A WRAP

Know your baby slings from your wraps

A DAY AT THE MUSEUM From local to London - a slice of culture and history for the children this half term

CHILDREN’S CHARITY FOCUS Miranda Avis meets inspiring philanthropic locals

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: WHAT’S ON ■ SHOPPING ■ PROPERTY ■ SCHOOL NEWS ■ LOCAL EVENTS

ROOKWOOD

Girls & Boys ~ Day & Boarding ~ Nursery-16 Years

OPEN MORNING

Thursday 24th September ~ 9.30am-12.30pm

Andover, Hampshire ~ 01264 325900 ~ www.rookwood.hants.sch.uk 2

Welcome to Autumn

W

ith our summer event marking our 5th birthday behind us, the plans for our Christmas guide ‘Santa’s Little Helper’ well underway and our very own Jo’s maternity leave looming we have a brief moment here to reflect on what has been an excellent summer and indeed a brilliant 2015 thus far. We have to say, that, during this, our 5th year of trading, we are so grateful for the continued support of our readers and advertisers and we hope that our birthday bash was enjoyed by you all and went some way in expressing our gratitude. We would like to thank Clementine Earl and the team at Clem’s shop and Compton Marbling for allowing us to use their wonderful barns to mark the occasion. We’ve had a great period of growth in both of our patches and are thrilled to say that our readership is now over 40,000 (approx) in all four counties, again, we couldn’t be where we are without you, so thanks!

Never ones to rest on our laurels, we have, as ever, had fun compiling this issue and hope that you find our diverse range of topics and features interesting. We strive to be a family magazine with something for everyone so thought that it was high time we

PUBLISHERS Jo Leigh 07794 447105 jo@countrychild.co.uk Sarah Third 07875 555360 sarah@countrychild.co.uk Follow us @ countrychildmag www.facebook.com/ countrychildmagazine

Neither Country Child Limited (trading as Country Child Magazine) nor any of its predecessors, affiliated companies, directors or employees, shall be liable for the accuracy or reliability of any of the content (including advertisements) published in Country Child Magazine or other information accessed directly or indirectly from Country Child Magazine, nor shall they be liable for the quality of any products, information or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained by any consumer, as a result of an advertisement or any other information or offer in connection with the service or products. Country Child Limited shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions contained within any content (including advertisement) published in Country Child Magazine.

included something for those parents that are into horsepower of the four wheeled variety, see page 40 for our motoring expert’s opinion on family cars. The horsepower element doesn’t end there as Miranda has been getting to grips with all things equestrian as a family activity, see her article on page 19.

With Jo expecting her second ‘country child’ this Autumn, you can imagine that the office has been full of all things baby this quarter, from the frivolous to the more serious covering girly bedrooms, baby slings and carriers as well as post natal depression. We hope for those of you expecting or contending with younger children, you find these pages useful.

If your children are older and at school or you are keen to get back into the workplace then you’ll love to read about a selection of local women in business that we are profiling in this issue.

It never ceases to amaze us how resourceful, dedicated and ambitious many working mums are - a big hats off to you all, we know as well as anyone how tough it can be to juggle a family with running your own business. We hope you enjoy hearing about these ladies and are perhaps even inspired to get a project of your own off the ground, Sarah Robinson, our business advice expert on page 45 can probably help.

So whether your Autumn sees you sending off children to school for the first time, relishing the quiet once older ones are back and you can have some time to yourself, welcoming a new arrival or throwing yourself into launching a business - we wish you well and hope that this season allows you to enjoy all that nature and our lovely area has to offer in terms of activities, food and drink and events, so have fun and goodbye....! We’re off to hibernate and start the Christmas guide, the year planner and the Winter issue - no rest for the wicked!

Meet the team...

Sub Editor Alix Austen

Features

Feature Blogger

Cover photography by

Miranda Avis

Rebecca Fletcher

Millie Pilkington

CONTRIBUTORS - Josie Potter & DIY Dad, Orchard Park, Katy Pullinger, Sarah Robinson, Dale Campbell, Julia’s House, Wilton and Barford C.E.V.C Primary School, Ryder Ryan, Kaycee Syan Hill, Sue Holdsworth, Sue Duke, National Farmers Union, Autocar, Land Rover, Breathtakers & Rainbow Trust DISTRIBUTION - Sally and Stan Christopher, Micky and Rick Poyser and John Lailey

Advertising Joni Clowrey 07446 162849 joni@ countrychild .co.uk

Parkour for Mental Health www.freeyourinstinct.org info@freeyourinstinct.org facebook.com/freeyourinstinct @FYIBristol

Free Your Instinct is a registered charity.

Charity number: 1160961

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veryone wants the best for their children and none of us know what the future holds. I believe that with a little forward planning it is possible to give your children the best future and the best education.You might be looking at: • A tax efficient way of building up savings for future school fees • Spreading the cost of current school fees • Protecting the school fees in the event of your death, illness or incapacity

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PETER HARDING WEALTH MANAGEMENT Principal Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management 40 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8JG Tel: 01747 855554 Email: peter.harding@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.peterhardingwm.co.uk Peter Harding Wealth Management has been awarded the prestigious Chartered Financial Planners designation by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

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SADDLE UP Pixie and Fluff Infant

Contents

Rocker, suitable from 9 months £90 littlebirdtoldme.co.uk

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Autumn 2015

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Children’s Charity Focus - Worthy causes at home and abroad

Inside Out Things to do

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Cooking up a Storm - Kids in the Kitchen

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KNOCK KNOCK The miniature

door creates a world of mystery and make believe. Imgainations can run wild! £20 themagicdoorstore.com

TENT Teepee tent, raindrop Interior Ideas - Sugar and design £160 moozlehome.com spice - girly bedrooms

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Country Child Loves Our top seasonal finds

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BLANKET COVERAGE White

IDEAS Here come

painted solid wood blanket box gives a fantastic French look.-£194.95 Motor Mouth We get the inside track melodymaison.co.uk on choosing your next family car

LETS DANCE Simply a

the girls!

girls feature mirror £125. chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk

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That’s a Wrap - A TRUNK 'Kissing Rabbits' look atBritish babymade slings steamer trunks offerand a modern twist carriers on a design classic £225 anorakonline.co.uk

What’s In Store Autumn fun

CART IT OFF Childs- mini 7 Family Matters Mindstorage the gap, a look at sibling age gaps. cart for fun and practical uses. £50 11 A Day at the Museum - From local to London. minieden.co.uk

19 Hobby Horse - Family fun on horseback.

BEDDING Girls reversible bedding in cute 21 A Personal Journey - A mum’s insight Post Natal pinkonflowers with aDepression. striped sheet to match 22 Great Outdoors - An apple a day. perfectly. From £8 secretlinenstore.com 24 Calendar - Pull out events guide.

26 Toddler Timetable - Library times and activities.

27 Inside Out - Things to do and places to go.

31 Food Glorious Food - Local artisan food producers and suppliers.

32 Kidzone - Kid’s activity page.

33 Window Shopping - Simply stunning family homes.

37 - 39 Women in Business - Shining the light on local women.

42, 43 MarksWith - Local education news and Meet the Head.

DRESS UPTop DOLLS these wall stickers can swap 44, by 45Adolie Open Day, For you Business - Advice and news for businesses. their46 legs andDad heads, mix it up.

All in ourframe.

DIY - Builds a climbing favourite characters. £29.95 limelace.co.uk

HORSE BOX Perfect for girls bits and bobs .£12 millygreen.com

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WORD UP Hand carved and

Show and Tell - Live hand painted wooden typography, entertainment for the family ideal for girls bedrooms From £8 poshgraffiti.com

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Valuing individuality

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The Wooden Go Kart Shop

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“Family Matters Mind The Gap - A look at sibling age gaps

Birth order goes hand-inhand with sibling spacing in that the number of years between children, as well as their placing in the sibling line-up, has a lot to do with what sort of temperament that child develops.

this autumn, we thought it would be an opportune moment to look at the topic of family spacing.

Is there an ideal gap between children that will produce the perfect family dynamic…and everyone can live happily ever after?

Trust me, nothing is going to change your life as much as the birth of your first child, however, the arrival of numbers two, three and maybe even four and five will alter your family’s life significantly and bring with it new challenges (as well as delights!). I’ll admit that periods of my children’s toddlerhood are something of a blur these days (so tiring and busy was that time of life) and the ratio of photos/movies/ momentous of child number one compared to the others is a source of much mirth in our household.

Some research suggests that pregnancy within 12 months of giving birth can pose health risks for both the child and mother who, it is thought, may not have had enough time to recover from the physical demands of the previous pregnancy and restore depleted nutrients in her body. In the womb, baby will demand resources from its mother via the placenta, minerals such as calcium and iron as well as essential fats.

While it is a myth that “one tooth is lost with every pregnancy”, in more traditional cultures there are strong beliefs and customs surrounding the rest and recovery needed by women in the postpartum period.

Interestingly, there is also some evidence to suggest that babies whose mothers had their last child more than five years before are also at greater risk of being born prematurely

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ith our very own Jo expecting her second child

or with a low birth weight. A link has also been drawn between closely spaced siblings and autism, particularly for pregnancies spaced less than a year apart.

In terms of the broader effect on children themselves, it may be that spacing siblings more than two years apart results in better reading and maths scores for the older child.

This may well be due to parents having more time to spend with the first child before the arrival of a time-consuming newborn. According to Dr. Kevin Leman, author of The Birth Order, “Birth order goes hand-in-hand with sibling spacing in that the number of years between children, as well as their placing in the sibling line-up, has a lot to do with what sort of temperament that child develops.” When it comes to siblings getting along, those in the spacing closetogether camp, point to the advantages of creating ready-made playmates (although whether children cooperate or compete will depend on personality and parenting style).

While some might advocate getting the hard work of babies and toddlers – all those nappies to change and sleepless nights to endure - over quickly, for others, a more leisurely approach may suit as they enjoy getting to know each child as an individual. The general consensus seems to be that waiting 18-23 months between the delivery of one child and the conception of the next is the best for the health and well-being of mum and baby. However, at the end of the day, there is no perfect time to have another child and the decision will depend very much on factors personal to you and your family…and let’s not forget, it’s not always wholly in our control anyway!

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Emma Farquhar Photography

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What´s in Store Autumnal Antics

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5 3 4 6 1 - Halloween Potion Bottle £4.00 each tch.net 2 - Blood Bath Shower Gel £4.95 prezzybox.com

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3 - Rome’s Marshmallow Tree Fork £8.50 amazon.com 5 - Brandy glass statement fire pit £247.81 ksl-living.fr 6 - Something Went Bump In The Night Mini Halloween Boo Cushions £16.00 swankymaison.com

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4 - Autumn Oak Leaf Wreath £30.00 tch.net 7 - Set of Two Grey Rattan Log Baskets £105 tch.net 8 - Stag Extinguisher from Angel des montagnes £76.52 ksl-living.fr

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9 - Kosta Boda Still Life Skull Votive tea light in green £28.00 scandinavianshop.co.uk

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Gardens & Coffee Grove Café Open Sunday to Thursday 11.00am to 4.30pm www.larmertree.co.uk

A Day At The Museum Alix Austen, revisits an age old pastime for the family, with her pick of the best in museums locally and in London.

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fter a summer of picnics, beach trips and rounders in the garden, the arrival of autumn, with its shorter days and cooler weather, sees families seeking out indoor activities to enjoy. Here in Hampshire and Wiltshire, we are lucky enough to have some fantastic family-friendly museums that go a long way towards dispelling the myth of museums as boring places full of ‘old stuff ’. Today’s museums offer an exciting and interactive experience, often using the latest technologies to entertain and educate young minds.

Many of our towns have excellent museums, offering fascinating insights into the local area and charting changing social and natural histories. They really are great places to spend a few hours on a cold, rainy October day.

For those wishing to explore what life was like for Hampshire people in the past, a visit to Milestones in Basingstoke brings the past to life, literally. The attraction recreates historic cobbled streets, complete with restored vintage vehicles and costumed staff. Children will love spending old pennies in the 1940’s sweet shop. Southampton’s SeaCity Museum uses the city’s unique historic collections to recount the stories of people who have

departed from or arrived in its port over the last 200,000 years, from the earliest settlers to the stories of people living in the city today.

Before you visit, it’s a good idea to do your homework. Mum of two, Lucy, says, “Having a bit of background knowledge makes for a much more rewarding visit. I normally Google bits and pieces before we go, that way I can focus attention and have more chance of answering any questions the children might have.” Older children might also enjoy following-up online after a visit if there was something that really caught their interest as many museums have fantastic websites.

Another good tip is to take advantage of any audio-visual guides available as they can really help bring the exhibits alive.

Some places produce special ones for children - you can join Vid The Alien and his friends for a tour of the highlight objects in the British Museum.

Temporary exhibits will often have an exciting theme or relate to a specific anniversary or well-known public figure and so might be a bit more relevant to youngsters. Most museums also host workshops, hands-on demos and talks for visitors. The Winchester Science Centre has over 100 hands-on science exhibits and features the country’s largest stand-alone planetarium.

While retail therapy may not be top of the list of reasons to visit a museum, it has to be said that museum shops have moved with the times and stock some great merchandise.

What parent does not like the idea of their children buying educational toys (rather than sweets) with their hard-saved pennies? Furthermore, foodies might also appreciate that museum cafes tend to offer tasty, high quality snacks and meals, with some city museums even partnering with trendy celebrity chefs and becoming destination eateries in their own right.

What I love about going to a good museum is that we usually all get something out of it,” says mum of four Claire. “While the little ones enjoy the activities and play areas, the older ones can go off and explore.”

A final word, don’t try and do too much - it isn’t just children who have a limited attention spans. Better to leave wanting more than put everyone off by insisting every exhibit be viewed.

When families visit London, the capital’s wonderful museums are often one of its main attractions.

Do be aware, however, that the most popular ones (see below) get VERY busy during holidays so set-off early and be prepared to queue for some exhibits.

Must-see............

 The Natural History Museum – the iconic Diplodocus skeleton, housed in the building’s enormous Victorian atrium, welcomes you to this fantastic museum and research centre.  S cience Museum – Launchpad, with its 50 hands-on exhibits, is just one of the highlights to be experienced here. B ritish Museum – children will love the Egyptian mummies and opportunities to handle various artifacts.

Something a bit different..........

 The Geffrye – this gem, housed in an 18th century Alms-house, documents the history of our domestic interiors.  The Horniman – one of the most child-friendly museums around and famous for its over-stuffed walrus!  The Wallace Collection – located in an historic London townhouse, the superb armour collection, in particular, will appeal to children.

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Children’s Charity Focus Miranda Avis looks at how some local philanthropic people are really trying to make a difference to the lives of children.

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o coin the phrase “charity begins at home” seems rather apt when considering the tremendous work of the Dorset and Wiltshire based children’s hospice charity, Julia’s House. Why? For the simple fact that the ethos behind Julia’s House is to offer families with children suffering from life limiting or life threatening conditions as much home-based help and support as they possibly can. Indeed, parents with children affiliated to Julia’s House can request specialist-nursing care for their child in the comfort of their own home, be it for a day, evening or even a weekend. This invaluable lifeline means parents can take some time out from the exhausting round-the-clock care that they give their child. As the charity’s CEO, Martin Edwards, explains: “Our respite care means so much to parents who are looking after a very sick child 24 hours a day. It gives them time out with their partners, their other children or simply a chance to catch up with some day-today tasks, safe in the knowledge their child is being looked after by people they know and trust.”

As one might imagine, the bond that builds between a family and the care team who home-visit them regularly becomes incredibly strong. Paola Campari-Moss, whose young daughter, Chiara, tragically died from a brain tumour, remains so grateful for the team of Julia’s House nurses who cared for her daughter: “Hannah, Claire and Natalie were so wonderful with Chiara.

They loved her and it showed. I can’t tell you how magical it was to see Chiara so poorly, yet laughing and having such fun.”

Julia’s House was the brainchild of Julia Perks, ‘a talented and dedicated paediatric nurse’, who recognised the need for services for seriously ill children and their families in the South West.

Sadly, Julia died from cancer before the charity came to fruition

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but her name lives on and Julia’s family continues to be heavily involved in the charity’s work, which is going from strength to strength.

Astonishingly, respite care for families of sick children is seemingly not a high priority within the NHS and, as a consequence, Julia’s House receives just 6% of its total annual funding from the government, making it one of the worst-funded hospices in the UK. Costing in excess of £4.6m to run the charity each year, raising the money needed to keep Julia’s House operating is a constant challenge for the fundraising team. As Martin says, “We have to be entrepreneurial in our fundraising efforts and having the backing of high-profile celebrities, with a real passion for our cause, has proven invaluable in our fundraising cause.” Step forward Mr Beckham, Mr Ritchie and Mr Downey Jr, the latter of whom raised more than £1million for Julia’s House by raffling off a date with himself to the world premiere of Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Events like this have enabled Julia’s House to announce that a second hospice will be opening in Wiltshire in the autumn of 2017.

When asked what it’s like to work at Julia’s House, Martin’s answer is heartfelt and unwavering: “Joyful!” he says. “All children want to have fun and the children at Julia’s House are no different. It’s all about life and the living of it.”

Photography Millie Pilkington for Julia’s House

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reathtakers OB Trust support children with the rare and life limiting lung disease, Obliterative Bronchiolitis (OB) Currently there is no cure for OB and many children are misdiagnosed with chronic or difficult asthma. Some children wait as long as ten years for a correct diagnosis which impacts on long term prognosis and quality of life.

Children with OB have vastly reduced lung capacity and suffer from breathlessness, repeated chest infections and exercise intolerance. They often have associated conditions such as bronchiectasis and gastric reflux. Some children are oxygen dependent and can eventually require a lung transplant before the age of twenty. They spend lots of time in hospital and often miss school, so life can be a challenge.

Breathtakers OB Trust is based in Hampshire and was founded in 2008 by a local Mum whose daughter has this debilitating disease. They are the only UK charity specifically supporting these children and their families. CEO Rachel Titchener comments “Our mission is to ‘Simply make life better for children with OB’ and we do that in a variety of ways from practical and emotional support, providing medical equipment, hospital gift boxes, sending families on wish days and respite breaks. We also work hard to raise awareness with medical professionals to encourage early and correct diagnosis along with supporting and promoting research into this devastating and irreversible disease. “ The charity works extremely hard to fund raise and their next event is set on the 19th September in the form of their annual Summer Ball. To book tickets contact: breathtakers.org.uk rachel@breathtakers.org.uk 07546 560803

OB TRUST

F

Registered Charity No. 1070532

or families that are dealing with what some could describe as the worst possible scenario, a child with a life threatening or terminal illness, there is a charity that do all they can to brighten the lives of those contending with horrendous circumstances.

The Rainbow Trust supports over 25% of the 6000 families in England who are in this situation. Their ethos is all about supporting the entire family unit, 24/7, 365 days a year. With nine regional teams; the Swindon unit helping in Wiltshire and the Southampton division covering Dorset and Hampshire and a further seven covering the rest of the country – they aim to do all they can. Their idea of family support includes siblings, whether it be school runs, art and craft activities, cinema trips, visits to the zoo or just having a chat, the carers are there to help in any capacity. Parents and grandparents are also on the receiving end of the charity’s kindness and help, its ‘at home’ style support can include preparing meals, running baths or simply just being there offering respite and help. Of course the ill child benefits from the trust too and when in hospital the carers can help explain diagnosis to siblings, stay with sick children, read stories or assist in organising appointments.

It’s one thing to be dealing with a very sick child, but the complexities and challenges that come with dealing with an ill newborn baby in intensive care can be very demanding. This is why the Rainbow Trust are piloting a neonatal scheme to help families cope with the difficulties this scenario presents.

The Trust are always receptive to new ideas for fundraising and have been involved with many ingenious ways to raise money, from unique books they’ve published, sponsored skydives to more traditional fundraising, they are grateful for all the help received.

Anna Borrini, Major Donor Fundraiser at the Trust comments, ‘as a charity, we rely almost entirely on voluntary donations so events and schemes that are more unusual give us the opportunity to raise awareness of the vital support we offer families when they need it most.’

SHOW YOU CARE Support seriously ill children If you would like to know more about and their families by donating towards a local how you can get involved go to Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker. rainbowtrust.org.uk Visit rainbowtrust.org.uk/donate today.

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Contact Annette Lumley on: T: 07770 398416 ď Ź E: annettelumley@soaringteam.com

We create jewellery for all occasions, from handmade private commissions to re-modelling old pieces. We also have our own d’Arcy Collection and o er a valuation, repair and advice service. Tel: 07887 673799 info@darcyjewels.com www.darcyjewels.com

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That’s A Wrap....

Rebecca Fletcher gets the low down on baby carrying.

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o you know a Baby Bjorn from an Ergo? A ring sling from a wrap? Baby carriers and slings are becoming increasingly popular and with so many advantages to using them, it is easy to see why so many are ditching the prams and pushchairs.

There are a vast number of benefits to using baby carriers. As a baby can be carried upright, they create that all-important closeness as well as helping babies suffering from reflux to remain upright after feeding. Many have breastfeeding positions too. Snuggled up close to the body, small babies often prefer the journey and nod off happily.

Slings are usually made from fabric and can be used in different positions, depending on the age of the child.

As slings and carriers distribute weight evenly, they can be ideal post c-section and cause less strain to backs when used correctly. With babies safely strapped in, you then have your hands free for shopping, running errands or holding hands with an older one, making them a perfect option for saving on the cost of a double buggy when you have more than one child to venture out with.

“The beauty of a sling is that you can use from birth until you’ve had enough. You should, if you choose to, be able to carry your child to 3 years old,” advises Sinead from Hey Baby in Poundbury, Dorset.

Local sling libraries are a great introduction allowing you to borrow a sling to try out but a key element when determining the choice that’s right for you, is having advice on-hand.

“Our top tips are always look at what you need your sling or carrier for. What is your lifestyle? How often do you think you would you use it?”, Sinead advises. “Whenever possible, make sure you have a full demo but bear in mind that a heavily pregnant woman shouldn’t try a carrier on so get your partner or a friend to test it out for you. For a clear idea on weight distribution, ask to use a weighted doll to get an accurate idea of how it feels to carry a baby.”

Dedicated retailers and workshops can be invaluable at helping to choose the perfect sling for you, so find somewhere you can test out a range of options and ask plenty of questions before committing to a purchase.

“Slings are very personal – what suits one person does not suit another so people really do benefit from trying different things out.

You want it to be comfortable and supportive – that’s why is so important to try a variety of options to see which suits your baby, your shape and needs”, self-confessed ‘sling bore’ Sarah from Slingtastic advises. “Don’t be tempted by so-called cheaper slings on Ebay either as often they are fakes and aren’t safety tested. Purchase your sling, wrap or carrier from a reputable company who can offer plenty of advice.”

With baby safely on board, let the world be your oyster!

Try it for yourself.......

Slingtastic has a selection of slings which cater for a variety of body shapes and in the autumn, courses will be available with advice from a trained sling consultant on stretchy wraps for newborns, moving on from newborn wraps and for those looking for something from the toddler age up.

Hey Baby in Poundbury, Dorset run sling workshops every few months and often have a representative from one of the brands available come and do a full demonstration as well as take questions. They also we offer a full demo on every carrier or sling they sell.

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Party fun for everyone!

Childrens Party Packages Bouncy Castles Slides Mascots Face Painting Didi Cars Discos

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07825 578233 www.myjumparoo.co.uk Follow us on Twitter

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Made to carry lifes adventures

DISCOVER WARMINSTER OUR OPEN MORNINGS SENIOR SCHOOL SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2015 SATURDAY 7 MAY 2016 PREP SCHOOL SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER 2015 SATURDAY 14 MAY 2016 Visit Warminster School and discover how our teaching staff can inspire your child and nurture their natural gifts and talents 01985 210160 admissions@warminsterschool.org.uk www.warminsterschool.org.uk

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Country Child loves......

Bag it up.... These vintage deckchair bags from Sarah Petherick are practical and versatile - ideal! £45 sarahpetherick.co.uk

Parties........ As the weather gets cooler and outdoor soirées get usurped for indoor parties, why not get a character to turn up? Provides hours of fun, particularly for little girls and takes the pressure off parents having to entertain inside. We love the glamorous Princess Lavender from Jumperoo. myjumperoo.co.uk

Rocking Out........ Whilst distributing the Summer issue we came across this little gem and were instantly smitten. Entirely hand crafted from sustainable pine and upholstered in natural sheepskin, these rocking sheep make excellent foot rests as well as being fun for little ones.

Available from uksticksandstones.com which is based at Woodborough Garden Centre, Pewsey and also sells a great range of home and kitchen ware as well as being a cafe.

Kart you off......

We’re loving gokartdaddy.com as it’s a one stop shop for the wooden, traditional kart enthusiast stocking wheels, axles, kits and accessories.

Festival finds...... The best thing about attending festivals and exposing

Classic Steampunk Tort £24.95

your children to the diverse and exuberant experiences there, is that you come across people and products that you may not encounter in real life.

At Blissfields festival, Hants, this summer we fell in love with the sunglasses for sale at the Hipster Sunnies stall. Awesome steampunk, retro and vintage styles at fantastic prices. The guys that have set the company up were great, really friendly and were happy to chat, allowing multiple trying on sessions.

The glasses are so unusual, a great way to make a statement and retain some parental cool! hipstersunnies.com Also at Blissfields and again at Larmer Tree in Wilts, we came across the Crafty Rascals, headed up by the enigmatic Henty. Whether it be making slate pendants with children, levitating, cutting silhouettes, masquerading as an Eastern European gypsy or bewitching you with his optical illusion wheel Henty and his team entertain for only donations and were by far my son’s favourite festival activity as they allow for plenty of hands on action and creativity whilst adhering to sensible guidelines. Well worth seeking out at various events through the year. thecraftyrascals.weebly.com Levitating and slate carving - the Country Children getting involved with the Crafty Rascals.

17

Find 'Little Wishford Equestrian' on www.littlewishfordequestrian.co.uk

We welcome new clients to our friendly riding school based in the beautiful Salisbury countryside.

We offer small group lessons for all ages from 4 years upwards at competitive prices in our Olympic sized indoor school.

Outstanding hacking, livery options and school hire are also available. *Pony Activity Days are held every Wednesday during school holidays-book now to guarantee your child's place*

Please call us on 07595629737/01722238758

“Tradition Runs Deep” at Pythouse Tennis Club, Tisbury, Wiltshire. SP3 6PD

Join Pythouse Tennis Club.

Family Membership Package ONLY £95 in 2015.

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Join Our Singles & Doubles Ladders. & much more.

To Join the Club contact: Caroline on 07754 040984 or email caro.davey@tiscali.co.uk For the Tennis Coaching Programme and Summer Holiday Programme contact: Jon at GSMTA on: 07918 617 950 or email gsmta@icloud.com

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Knighton House School and The Orchard Pre-prep

*

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Knighton House Day & Boarding for girls 7-13 and The Orchard Pre-prep for boys & girls 3-7 ] ] ] ] ] ]

100% entry to first choice senior school Small class sizes Flexible wrap around care Full range of extra-curricular activities School transport available Day and full, weekly or flexi boarding

Knighton House School and The Orchard, Durweston, Dorset DT11 0PY Call 01258 452065 or email admissions@knightonhouse.co.uk. www.knightonhouse.co.uk

18

Hobby Horse Miranda looks at all things equestrian

T

he impact and success of the London 2012 Olympics gave many people, both young and old, the incentive to take up a new sport. In the months following the games, tennis racquets flew off the shelves, swimming goggles were snapped up quicker than you can say ‘100 metre free-style’ and Tesco saw the sale of bicycles rise by 130 percent. Perhaps a little more surprising is the fact that thanks to Team GB’s equestrian success, the British public’s interest in horse riding soared - so much so that Sport England considered riding to be one of the country’s 10 most popular participatory sports by the end of 2012.

Whilst riding is currently enjoyed by more than a million children in the UK, Wiltshire-based professional three-day eventer, Vicky Brake, would love to see the number rise: “Riding is a fantastic education for young people, both boys and girls alike,” she explains. “When children start riding, they embark on a wonderful journey. Not only are they taught a very worthwhile life-skill, they also learn what it means to care for their fourlegged friends. And, of course, these pony-riding youngsters are getting good physical exercise whilst having a lot of fun in the great outdoors.”

Whilst owning a pony is a huge commitment and often not a feasible option for many families, the UK boasts hundreds of riding schools up and down the country - a natural and safe environment for a child to learn to ride. Nestled in the stunning Wylye Valley, Little Wishford Equestrian is the perfect place for children to take up the reins. Kerry Harvey, a key member of the Little Wishford team, is committed to getting new riders off to a happy start: “We are licensed to take children from 4 years of age and we have the perfect bombproof ponies here who make a child’s first experience onboard really enjoyable,” she says. It’s Mini Hooves Club, held every Saturday, introduces children aged between 4 and 6 years to all things pony! “Together, we learn everything from how to hold the reins correctly, to grooming techniques and, most importantly, how to keep safe around the ponies. The children play a variety of games and enjoy a potter about on Dinky, our 20 year old resident armchair, all in the safety of the school’s Olympic-sized indoor school.”

The riding school’s Pony Activity Days, which run throughout the school holidays give children of all abilities the chance to get involved in a host of activities, from hacking and tacking up to stable and field management. Kerry has witnessed first-hand just how beneficial riding has been for her two daughters: “My husband suffered significant life-changing injuries whilst serving in Afghanistan and our two daughters were affected dramatically.

The ponies here acted as an outlet for them; whether it was going for a hack into Grovely woods or mucking out, it gave the girls some time out from reality. I feel so grateful for that.”

For parents with children whose ‘passion for ponies’ knows no bounds, the Pony Club is a fantastic outlet to consider. Founded in England in 1929, the Pony Club is the largest association of young riders in the world and with nearly 400 different branches throughout the UK, is an accessible option for many.

Rallies, summer camps, competitions and social events are held throughout the year and as ability improves, children are given the option to take tests in various disciplines. Hermione Moore, aged 12, is a member of the Wilton Pony Club and says, “Being

Photo courtesy of Richard Budd Photography part of the Pony Club is amazing! I love the teaching I get and taking part in competitions. I’ve made some brilliant friends too. I would really recommend anyone who thinks they might be interested to ring up their local Pony Club and find out more.”

Several schools in the South West offer riding as part of their extra curricular activities. With the ‘pony bell’ ringing at 7.30am at Knighton House School in Blandford, it’s an early start each morning for the pony-loving pupils. “Riding is an option for all pupils at Knighton House and if you bring your pony here you know that he or she will be shared with fellow pupils,” explains Mrs Wicks, the school’s headmistress. “This enables girls who do not have access to ponies and riding at home to learn and experience it whilst at school.”

For families looking to enjoy riding out together, the South West offers a stunning range of scenic landscapes, from forest and heath land to coastal bridle paths and beaches - the temptations are endless! Many riding schools offer Pub hacks, day rides or even weekend camping treks. The Internet is awash with possible options.

For youngsters who enjoy an element of speed, adrenaline and excitement to their sport, the fast-paced game of polo may well be just the ticket. Johnny Wheeler, Founder and Director of the British Beach Polo Championship, suggests introducing newcomers to arena polo initially: “It really is a great starting point,” Johnny says. “The riders and polo ponies are enclosed in a small and safe environment where they can get a feel for the game; the balls are big enough for a beginner to hit and the ponies are tremendously patient. At the end of the day, it’s a lot like ice hockey on horseback!”

Boys with a penchant for all things ‘Cowboy’ can think about taking a Western-style riding lesson. As Michelle Gibbs of Loose Reins in Dorset explains: “We often have fathers and sons coming to learn to ride together; it’s a great way for them to spend a few hours trying out something new. Our Quarter horses are beautifully trained, it literally is a case of picking up the reins and off you go!”

With so much out there for budding young equestrians, maybe the South West is home to some future Team GB Olympians, only time will tell…!

19

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A Personal Journey of Healing Counsellor, Sue Holdsworth, shares her own experience of post-natal depression

I

t was a glorious day when I held my beautiful baby boy in my arms for the first time. He was the longed for first baby, the apple of my eye and he made our family complete. What I didn’t realise at the time was that with this tiny baby came tiredness, anxiety and a sense that I just couldn’t cope.

Many of us experience an emotional roller coaster when we first become parents. While for most, after a few days of high emotion, life settles down again, some new parents struggle to cope. They can feel completely overwhelmed by their new responsibilities.

My experience was very much like this. I felt inadequate as a new mother and terrified at the prospect of my partner going back to work and leaving me alone with my son. I thought I was incapable of caring for my son’s basic needs and was truly frightened that something bad would happen whilst he was left in my care. I remember waking up in the morning with a stomach full of dread and crying my heart out as my partner closed the door and left for work – how lucky he was to be able to escape the incessant crying! I also experienced resentment towards my son who, I felt at the time, had ruined my life. Then I’d feel guilty when I looked at my beautiful sleeping child and beat myself up for feeling like this. I even daydreamed about running away, figuring that my partner was much more capable of caring for my son than I was. I tried very hard to hide these emotions, putting on a brave face, battling to get through the day –totally exhausted!

I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the ‘perfect mother’ and strived to be some paragon of maternal virtue - a self-imposed trap I had unwittingly set for myself. Be it breastfeeding or settling my little boy to sleep, it all had to be ‘just right’. I was going to cope magnificently in my new role, without fail. As the pressure grew, and things inevitably began to slip, I became overwhelmed, angry and more disillusioned as I struggled to live up to the ridiculously high standards I had set. I viewed myself as a complete failure and slowly but surely spiralled down into feelings of helplessness and depression.

It was at this point that help appeared from two different sources. Firstly, a health visitor asked me to fill in a questionnaire about how I was feeling emotionally. This helped me to be truly honest with myself and it was suggested that I might have post-natal depression. I also broke down in front of a close friend and she suggested that counselling might help me to understand and manage all the overwhelming, out-of-control emotions running around in my head.

I went to counselling thinking it wouldn’t help but instead found a safe space in which I could talk about how life had changed for me after I’d given birth. I could talk about my greatest fear of not being a good enough Mother and my guilt over wanting to run away. I found an impartial listener, someone who didn’t judge and who gave me time to explore my inner fears and worries. I found a place in which I could make sense of my dark thoughts, re-connect with myself, improve my relationship with my partner and most importantly, learn to bond with my son. As the counselling continued, I learnt to challenge my beliefs around being a good enough mother and to accept that I was being the best mother that I could to Thomas.

Counselling really transformed my relationship with my son and helped me to love him and love myself.

The author - Sue Holdsworth My positive experience of counselling motivated me to train as a counsellor and inspired me to help others. I have a first class honours degree in person-centred counselling and psychotherapy and am registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. I am based at a clinic in Hampshire and work on a one-to-one basis with people navigating depression, anxiety and work-related stress, family and parenting issues, confidence and self-esteem, loss, grief and bereavement and relationships, separation and divorce.

Counselling can help you make sense of your life and support you to make changes that help your life to work better. sueholdsworth.com

Photography Millie Pilkington

21

The Great Outdoors The Apple of your eye......

A

n apple a day keeps the doctor away…or so they say. But, one thing’s for sure, when it comes to autumn, it’s all about the British apple; crisp, delicious and full of flavour!

Whilst the numbers of privately run apple and pear orchards have massively declined in recent years, community orchards on the other hand are thriving. “What is a community orchard?” I hear you ask. Well, at its core (sorry, couldn’t resist), a community orchard is a council-owned space where varieties of fruit are grown by and for the local people. And during the autumn months, they become a hive of activity with many orchards holding Apple Days for the public to attend. Apple Days are all about celebrating British apples (of which there are more than 3000 varieties!) and are a great way to spend a family day out. Activities such as apple bobbing are high up on the agenda and families are encouraged to get involved in all aspects of the apple harvest from picking the fruit to chopping, pressing and drinking the end result. Many orchards even light campfires and marshmallow-stuffed apples are cooked over the coals, delicious! This is a quintessentially British day out and I can guarantee you’ll taste varieties of apples that you didn’t even know existed. The National Trust includes visiting an apple orchard on it’s 50 Things to Do list (50things.org.uk) and a list of all Apple Day venues and dates throughout the UK can be found by visiting the trust’s website nationaltrust.org.uk. Happy bobbing! Miranda Avis.

Garden Clippings by Josie Potter

September If August is the month for enjoying the garden, September is the time to get going again. Keep deadheading late perennials and they should go on until October: dahlias, cosmos, helenium and late phlox in particular. Time to plant the spring bulbs, everything but tulips, which can be left for a while. Lift your favourite pelargoniums and pot them up to go in the greenhouse for the winter, they will need some heat when it gets really cold but will be fine for now. A good time to divide the hardier perennials: day lilies, geraniums, hostas and alchemilla all benefit from a tidy up and will be all the better next summer. Pick green tomatoes for chutney before any early frosts touch them, lift any remaining potatoes and lift other mature root crops including beetroot and carrots. In the fruit garden complete the planting of the strawberry bed and harvest all apples, pears and plums as they ripen and make sure you only store perfect fruits. Hedges can be trimmed now and it’s a good time to rake, spike and top dress established lawns, renovate if necessary by re-seeding or laying fresh turf.

October The clocks change this month and the winter is on it’s way… Carry on planting the spring bulbs, leave the tulips till next month though. Remove annual bedding plants when flowering is over and while they are still green enough for composting, cut down top growth of herbaceous perennials, and lift gladioli and dahlias before any frost kills the top growth. In the vegetable garden continue to lift root crops but parsnips, salsify, Jerusalem artichokes and celeriac can be left in the ground till required. If you’re growing celery carry on earthing up. Rake up leaves and keep them out of ponds, a good time to remake paths before the weather gets too wet and cold.

November The beginning of the big sleep for the garden. Time finally to plant the tulips!

Hopefully you have some new varieties to try. The big autumn clean up begins, sort out herbaceous borders and burn any diseased growth, take out supports and store them away.

New beds can be dug over and left to weather over the winter, some people like to use a slow acting fertilizer between the plants at this point, a matter of personal preference. In the vegetable garden heavy soils should be dug as soon as possible before the weather makes it unworkable. In the south, as we are, broad beans can be sown in a sheltered sunny position to give them a head start next year. Check the rhubarb, it may need dividing and replanting.

The centre often dies off after a few years and will harbour all kinds of insects and plant disease. When the leaves have all fallen from the fruit trees you can begin winter pruning.

Severe pruning in the winter provokes strong growth; once the framework is good little further pruning in the winter months should be unnecessary.

22

'Chicken Corner' with Jim Vyse

The benefits of keeping poultry for all the family

A

lthough the obvious benefits of keeping poultry are freshly laid eggs, there are many other rewards to be had from having a small flock of chickens, ducks or other hobby birds in your back garden.

Chickens and ducks may not seem like pets in the traditional sense, but if you look a little deeper into the human/poultry relationship there are numerous ways that some feathered friends can enrich your family’s lives.

Remember chickens are linked to dinosaurs and having little dinosaurs (relatives) running around is a fantastic way to get the little ones outdoors and active in this healthy pastime.

A great conversation starter Have you ever found yourself in a social situation having nothing interesting to say? It can be the same for our children. That won’t be the case once you have chickens or ducks!

Farm birds, particularly ducks, are quite a novel addition to the household and tales of your poultry adventures are sure to captivate family and friends of all ages.

Proven to relieve stress Keeping any pet has been scientifically proven to relieve stress, and although the majority of studies have been carried out on cats and dogs, chickens provide a natural way of releasing the “feel good” hormone, Serotonin. Chickens have vibrant personalities and their often eccentric behaviour offers hours of entertainment simply from sitting and watching them. Thanks to The HenPower Project, people across the world are realising the potential of chickens as therapy animals. The project uses chickens to alleviate feelings of loneliness and depression among the elderly with great success. For adults and children alike, having the positive distraction of caring for a pet during times of sadness, trauma, or anxiety (such as parental separation, death, bullying, or the new school term) can alleviate negative emotions and help build confidence and self-esteem.

Free therapists You’ll never need to worry that a chicken will judge, mock, or criticise you and they make surprisingly good listeners! In an increasingly technological world having chickens at home allows you to return to nature and have your own slice of “the good life”.

Back to nature and back to basics.

Your chickens will provide many simple pleasures and help you to reconnect with a time when people grew their own food and “farm to fork” was the norm rather than an innovation There are few greater rewards than being able to produce your own fresh, unadulterated eggs and having chickens, offers you and your family a taste of home farming without the need to purchase a smallholding.

jimvysearks.co.uk

Inside Out Things to do Places to go Waddle this way

F

Full Steam Ahead

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his English Fair, now in its 47th year, held at Tarrant Hinton near Blandford, is a must see fixture in your calendar. Whether you are a music fan, avid camper, steam enthusiast, collector, real ale fanatic or a sucker for good old fashioned entertainment - this is a great family day out or break. With old time fairground organs, masses of stalls, dancing ! ! shows and music festival - this event has a lot to offer, including ! the opportunity to camp for the 4 day period. On a site of over !

600 acres it is one of Europe’s largestWine!Festival!Winchester!launches!to!acclaim! outdoor events! pulling in $December$2014,$for$immediate$release$ others Prayers of the 200,000 visitors. It’s not all about !tradition2 though - modern thrill !

Solace Community Some!1,500!visitors!flocked!to!Winchester!Guildhall!over!the!weekend!of!21=23! seekers will enjoy the various attractions including a 150ft high November!in!an!event!that!one!exhibitor!subsequently!described!as!‘definitely! one!of,!if!not!the!best!consumer!tastings!I’ve!attended.’! are celebrating 20 years of drop tower and shock wave ejection seat reverse bungee. It’s a !

Wine!Festival!Winchester!is!the!brainchild!of!local!Masters!of!Wine!and!BBC1! worship and invite you to box ticker for all ages! gdsf.co.uk 3-6 September. experts!Susie!Barrie!&!Peter!Richards!together!with!co=director!Claire!Quigley!

Ward.!‘We’re!delighted!with!how!it!went,’!comments!Richards.!‘Above!all,!the! their Talk and Open Day at atmosphere!was!brilliant,!different!at!every!session!and!always!buzzy,! enthusiastic!and!interested.!Most!importantly,!lots!of!people!left!asking!when!it! was!happening!next!year.’!

St. John the Baptist Church !

Hall, Andover on 10 Oct. Mothers Prayers is a beautiful way of praying together for ine Festival Winchester, children and grandchildren which launched to and was founded in 1995 widespread acclaim in 2014, by 2 grandmothers Veronica has announced its charity Williams and her sister-in-law partner for this year will be ! ! who were concerned for their Home Start Winchester and Districts.

The festival takes place Exhibitors!reported!good!quality!visitors,!with!strong!sales,!data!capture!and! brand!promotion.!Some!had!to!source!extra!stock!to!cover!shortfalls!while! children and the kind of world popular!lines!sold!strongly,!one!example!being!local!gin!producer!Twisted!Nose,!

27-29 November 2015 in Winchester’s Guildhall and features which!sold!60!bottles,!while!Paul!Mas!saw!a!run!on!their!sparkling!Picpoul.! they were growing up in. There ! hundreds of fine wines from Hampshire vineyards to global More!than!40!individual!exhibitors!took!part!in!the!festival,!ranging!from!local!

Hampshire!sparkling!wine!producers!to!regional!retailers,!larger=scale!suppliers,! are now groups in over 100 brands plus local food, masterclasses, freebies and exclusive global!brands!and!generics.!Local!food!producers!–!charcuterie,!cheese!and! chocolate!–!also!proved!popular.!Demand!is!already!strong!for!the!2015!festival. ! countries. Light refreshments savings. The event is the brainchild of local Masters of Wine and with teas/coffee are provided BBC wine experts, Susie Barrie and Peter Richards, who host but please bring a packed the event in person, together with co-director Claire Quigleylunch. 10.45am until 3.30pm. To Ward. “We’re so proud to be able to support a fantastic cause confirm your place stjtb@ like H-SW&D,” comments Barrie. “All of the core wine festival portsmouthdiocese.org.uk team are local parents and H-SW&D do vital and brilliant work or hcadawson@gmail.com. with young families.”

Further information available at Last year, Wine Festival Winchester donated more mothersprayers.org.uk than £1,000 to Naomi House & Jacksplace. The aim is to nd

M

Wine Anyone?

W

comfortably exceed this total for 2015. Gill Longman of H-SW&D said, “We are delighted to be this year’s Charity Partner for Wine Festival Winchester. The festival has quickly become established as a key fixture in Winchester’s social calendar and this year our local Home-Start celebrates ten years of supporting vulnerable young families in the city and surrounding villages. We know parents are the best people to look after their children but sometimes poor health, financial worries, or loneliness can get in the way. Parents helping parents’ is a simple formula – but it can produce remarkable results.” Tickets are £25 or £35 for the VIP night on 27th Nov. thewinefestival.co.uk

ans of the seafront attraction, Oceanarium, The Bournemouth Aquarium, are in for a treat with the long-awaited arrival of some very special feathered friends.

Ten playful Humboldt penguins, have moved into their brand new custom-built exhibit ‘Penguin Beach Encounter’, which has been specifically designed to replicate the birds’ natural habitat with a deep pool, beach and rockery. Visitors will also be able to mingle amongst the penguins in a special interactive walkway.

The Oceanarium built its penguin beach with the breeding programme in mind and it includes 12 breeding boxes with the space to house up to 24 penguins. Oliver Buttling, Oceanarium Curator, said: “As Humboldts are one of the world’s most threatened species of penguin, zoos and aquariums aim to help sustain their populations as part of an international captive breeding programme.”

The Oceanarium expansion project has been in planning for five years and the extension costing £1.5 million, is the biggest addition since 1998.

Discounted tickets are availableoceanarium.co.uk

Land Art Days

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ake part in a free, community project creating a large-scale piece of ‘land art’ at Mottisfont Abbey this Autumn, using natural materials to make patterns around one of the trees. Suitable for all the family. 10 and 11 October. nationaltrust.org.uk/ mottisfont

23

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 24

MONDAY

PULL OUT EVENT GUIDE TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Summer Holiday Nature Detectives at Lepe Country Park to 1st sept

1 Summer Holiday Workshop: Paper Marbling & Notebook Making, Portsmouth

2 A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Spring.

Havant until the 5th Great Dorset Steam Fair @ Tarrant Hinton nr Blandford.

Creative Play at Portsmouth Museum

3 Journey to the Stones.

Guided Day Walk, Salisbury.

Children’s Poetry Adventure, Havant

4 The adventures of Charlie and Lola, Mottisfont Abbey to 6th Jane Austen Tour and Cream Tea, Winchester Cathedral Dockyard at Dusk, Portsmouth Dockyard

5 Salisbury Contemporary Craft & Heritage Festival National Water Sports Festival, Hayling Island til 5th Poole Thai Festival: Baiter Harbourside Park, Poole Bridport Hat Festival Weekend Writer's Workshop, Sue Hubbard, Salisbury Museum Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom, Live on stage!

Wyvern Theatre, Swindon

6 Poole Thai Festival: Baiter Harbourside Park, Poole Weekend Writer's Workshop Sue Hubbard, Salisbury Museum Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom, Live on stage! Wyvern Theatre, Swindon

7 Wine Club at The Kings Arms, Christchurch, Bournemouth

8 Romsey Food Fest, to 9th Tots in the Woods, Deadwater Valley, Borden

9 The Royal Youth Ballet, Wyvern Theatre, Swindon Wine School , Vineyard, Newbury

10 Behind The Scenes at The Mary Rose, Portsmouth

11 Southampton Boat Show, Southsea Castle Champagne Bar

12 Longstock Village Fete, Minstead Open Afternoon and Apple Day Butserfest, Music Fest, Queens Elizabeth C Pk Romsey Show

13 Drawn to Dinosaurs, Eastleigh Museum Winchester farmer’s market

14 Boat Show, Southampton Drawn to Dinosaurs, Eastleigh Museum

15 Boat Show, Southampton Drawn to Dinosaurs, Eastleigh Museum

16 Boat Show, Southampton How to Train Your Dragon, Nuffield, Southampton

17 Boat Show, Southampton Drawn to Dinosaurs, Eastleigh Museum

18 Explorers Trail, Marwell Zoo Evening Walk in the Woods, Deadwater Valley, Borden

19 Breathtakers Annual Ball Oliver! The Watermill Playhouse, West Berkshire.

Children’s Trail: Fossils Rock!

Winchester Cathedral til Nov Talk like a Pirate Day, Navel Ctr, Gosport

20 RSPCA Big Walkies, Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Horndean Whitchurch Country Show, Silk Mill Larmer Tree Opens

21

22 Sexey’s Open Eve Drawn to Dinosaurs, Eastleigh Museum Early Early Christmas Fair Tidworth

23 Beadles Prep School, Dunhurst, Open Morning.

Early Early Christmas Fair Tidworth

24 Rookwood Open Day Horrible History, Groovy Geeks, Mayflower, Soton

25 Horrible Histories Incredible Invaders, Mayflower, Soton Stompin' Dave & his Bluegrass Band, Hanger Farm Arts Centre, Soton

26 Magna Carta in Hampshire, Winchester, to 30th Sept Record and CD fair, The Lights, Andover Ringwood Farmer’s Market

27 Hampshire Hog Day, Winchester Charcuterie workshop, Parsonage Farm, Andover

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

28 Sept Drawn to Dinosaurs, Eastleigh Museum

29 Sept Drawn to Dinosaurs, Eastleigh Museum

30 Sept Drawn 1 WemsFest to Dinosaurs, Cultural Eastleigh Museum Festival, Emsworth to 18th

2 Marwell Halloween festival to 4th Wine Dinner, Burgundy Grand Cru, Vineyard, Newbury Talbot Heath Open Day

3 Hampshire Harvest Weekend, Winchester Cathedral Mediterranean Raw Food, Radiant on Raw Mister Maker and the Shapes Live, Plaza Theatre, Romsey Cranborne Chase Wood Fair Knighton House Open Days Warminster School Senior Open Day

4 Hampshire Harvest Weekend, Winchester Cathedral Comedy Club 4 Kids, Winch Disc Ctr Cranborne Chase Wood Fair

5 WemsFest Cultural Festival, Emsworth to 18th

6

7

9 Portsmouth Beer Festival Godolphin Snapshot Morning

10 Autumn Pumpkin Festival and Scarecrow Avenue, Royal Victoria C Pk. Vegfest UK, Olympia, London St Nicholas School Open Morning, My Pet Monster and Me, Hanger Arts Ctr, West Totton Thumbelina, Salisbury Arts Ctr Hanford Open Morning Port Regis Open Day Warminster Prep Open day Hazlegrove Open Day

11 Blackmore Apple Tasting, Dinosaur Show, Mayflower, Southampton Land Art Days, Mottisfont Abbey Winchester Farmer’s Market

8 Scarecrows Wedding, Theatre Royal, Winchester

12 Toddler 13 Godolphin 14 Tours National Snapshot Museum of The Morning Royal Navy, Portsmouth

15 Petersfield 16 Autumn Steam Beer and Cider Gala, Swanage festival Petersfield Beer and Cider festival

17 Bows and Braces Vintage Fair, Lymington Theo the Mouse, Queens Mary College Petersfield Beer and Cider festival Winchester Book fair

18 Sleeping Beauty, Princes Hall, Aldershot Autumn Steam Gala, Swanage

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20

21

22

23 Pumpkin Trail, Dead Water Valley

24 Hallo'welly'ween, Wellington Country Park ‘Tree-mendous Trail’ Mottisfont Abbey

25 Halloween activities at Marwell Zoo

26 Halloween activities at Marwell Zoo‘Treemendous Trail’ Mottisfont Abbey

27 Snow White Theatre Royal, Winchester Halloween activities at Marwell Zoo

28 Snow White Theatre Royal, Winchester Ghost tour, American Museum, Bath

29 RNLI

30 Wizard Weekend, Alresford Watercress Line, RNLI Michaelmas Fair Port Regis‘Treemendous Trail’ Mottisfont Abbey Longleat Fireworks

31 Halloween Wizard Weekend, Alresford Watercress Line ‘Tree-mendous Trail’ Mottisfont Abbey Longleat Fireworks Firework

Michaelmas Fair Port Regis Halloween activities at Marwell Zoo Longleat Fireworks

Spectacular, Beaulieu

MONDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

1‘Tree-mendous Trail’ Mottisfont Abbey Antique, collectibles, vintage and retro market, Winchester 2

5 Firework display at Poole Quay

6 Fawley Display,

11 Family Night Cycle at Moors Valley Country Park, Ringwood

12 Petersfield Save the Children Gift Fair What the Ladybird heard, Theatre Royal, Winchester

13 What the Ladybird heard, Theatre Royal, Winchester

17

18 Family Night Cycle at Moors Valley Country Park, Ringwood

19 Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market to 20th December

21 Compton Marbling 20 Winchester Cathedral Ice Rink Christmas Fair to 3rd January Compton Marbling Xmas Fair

24 Christmas at Marwell

25 Christmas at Marwell Family Night Cycle at Moors Valley Country Park, Ringwood

26 Christmas at 27 Wine Festival, Marwell Winchester Guildhall Alton Xmas lights on Compton Marbling Xmas Fair

3 Ministry of Science, Live, Theatre Royal, Winchester

4

9 Winchester Short Film Festival to 14th

10 Winchester Short Film Festival to 14th

16 Mini Maritime Movers, National Royal Navy Museum 23 Christmas at Marwell

Gang Warily Rec Calne Bonfire & Fireworks

7 Bonfire Night and Camp fire, Bransgore Winchester Bonfire & Fireworks Alton craft and famer’s market

8 Winchester Farmer’s Market

14 Family Open Day, Lyndhurst NCT Sale, Windsor Leisure Centre Making raw breads, crackers & snacks, Radiant on Raw

15

28 Wine Festival, Winchester Guildhall Compton Marbling Xmas Fair Magical Christmas at Finkley Down Farm, Andover

NOVEMBER

CALENDAR AUTUMN 2015

22 Lymington Farmer’s Market Marwell Antiques Fair

29 Wine Festival, Winchester Guildhall Christmas at Marwell Winchester Farmer’s Market

www.brockenhurst.info

Location, Location, Location Brockenhurst Estate Agents feature on Channel 4’s highly popular Location, Location, Location show.

Location, Location, Location recently featured one the many properties being marketed by Brockenhurst Estate Agents, which we are delighted to announce has resulted in a sale being agreed for the property. The show is due to be broadcast in January and shows how our local area came top of the list for the featured couple. Pictured left are presenter Kirstie Allsopp, along with Elaine Radford and branch manager Clare Bladen.

Our Village Homes marketing proposition combines high-end presentation with national coverage and focused regional advertising. All properties benefit from professionally printed brochures, professional photography, floorplans, premium display web marketing with Rightmove, advert feature in Hampshire Life and Country Child Magazine and promotion via Relocation Agent Network.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Andover Office Ludgershall Office Overton Office Whitchurch Office Lettings Office 1 London Street 17-19 Tidworth Rd 25b High Street 3 Winchester Street 3 London Street Andover Ludgershall Overton Whitchurch Andover Hampshire Wiltshire Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire SP10 2NU SP11 9QD RG25 3HB RG28 7AH SP10 2NU 01264 350 350 01264 791 944 01256 773 677 01256 892 222 01264 350 434 andover@brockenhurst.info ludgershall@brockenhurst.info overton@brockenhurst.info whitchurch@brockenhurst.info lettings@brockenhurst.info

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Toddler Timetable Monday

Tuesday

9-11 Baydon Baby and Toddler Grp, Marlborough

9.30-11 Tummies, Tiddlers and 9.30-12 Bumps and Babes, Toddlers, St George’s Primary Tisbury Children’s Centre School, Bourton 9.45-11.45 Chilbolton P&T Grp, Wherwell Village hall 9.30-11 Jumperoo Bounce

9,30-11.30 Wellow Jellytots, Village Hall 9.30-11 Tiddlers Messy play, Liphook Infant School

n Play, St Gregory’s Sch, Salisbury

10.15-11.30 P&T Grp, Hampshire Collegiate Prep School

9.30-11.00 Stay & Play, Tisbury Children’s Centre

9.45-11.45 Little Acorns Woodland Grp, Groves Fm, Mildenhall, Marlborough

9.45-11.30 Tiddlers & Toddlers, Lecture Hall, Mere

10-11 Music Bugs, Amesbury Baptist Ctr

10-11.30 Breastfeeding Drop In, Overton Library

10.30-11.30 Baby and Toddler 10-12 Mother & Toddler Grp, Rhyme and Story Time, Itchen Abbas Village Hall Wincanton Library 10-12 Caterpillars Parent 9.3-11.45 Fluffy Chicks P&T & Toddler Group, Fovant Grp, Damerham Village Hall Rainbow Centre

10-11.30 Monkey Doodle, Wylye Village Hall, Wylye 10.30-12 Wild Things Hillworth Park Devizes 2pm-3.30 Broughton Under 5's, Village hall TT only 2.15-2.45 Rhyme Time, Warminster Library 1-3pm Mothers and Others Toddler Grp, Four Marks Gospel Hall (term-time)

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Wednesday

9.30-11.00 Stay and Play at Ludwell Primary School

9.30-11.45 Potterne B&T Five Lanes Primary (termtime)

9.45-11.00 Baby Rhymetime, Winch Disc Ctr

9.30-11.30 Play n Stay, Norman Court, West Tytherley (term time)

9.45-11.30 Tiddlers & Toddlers,

10-12 Woodland Imps, Highclere Woods

9.30-11.30 Jumping Beans Toddler Grp, Roundhill Scout Hut, Fordingbridge

10-11.30 Little Cuckoos P&T Grp, Lyes Green, Warminster

10-12 Stockbridge P&T Grp, Town Hall

2-3.30 United Church Grp, Winchester

Friday

9.30-11.30 Music and More, 9.30-11.30 Over Wallop Hawk Conservancy (term time) Under 5's Church Hall

10-11.45 Longparish P&T Grp, Lecture Hall, Mere Village Hall

10-11.30 Breastfeeding Drop In, Whitchurch, Gill Nethercott

1.15-2.45 Busy Bees PreSchool, Ringwood

Thursday

1-3.30 Semley Montessori B&T Grp, Semley Primary School

9.30-11.30 Weyhill P&T Grp, Weyhill Fairground

9.30-11.30 Little Sparks, Winnall 9.45-12 Bramshaw Bunnies Centre, Winchester B&T Grp, Bramshaw Vill Hall 9.30-11 Grateley P&T Grp, 10-11.30 Clatford P&T Grp, Village Hall King Edward Hall 10-11.45 Goodworth Clatford 10.15-11 Emma & The P&T Grp, Village Hall Magic Bag, St Andrew’s Primary School, Fontmell 10-11.30 St Mary Bourne P&T Group, Village Hall 11-12 Mini Movers at Tisbury Sports Centre 1.30-3 Badgers Farm P&T Grp, 10-11.30 Colden Common Winchester Tots, Community Centre 3.30-4.30 Magic Tower 10.15-11.45 Ark P&T Montessori Clanville Grp, St Paul’s Church Ctr, Salisbury

10-12 Broad Hinton Kids Club, Marlborough

2.30-3pm Rhymetime 0-2's Petersfield Library (TT only)

Library Times

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Salisbury

10am-7pm

9am-7pm

9am-5pm

9am-7pm

9am-7pm

9am-5pm

Market Lavington

Andover

Closed

2pm-7pm

Closed

Closed

10pm- 5pm

Closed

9am-5pm

9am- 5pm

9am-5pm

9am-7pm

9am-5pm

9am- 4pm

Mere

10am-7pm

9.30am-5pm

9.30am-1pm

9.30am-5pm

9.30am-5pm

9.30am-1pm

Wilton Closed

Alresford 10am-1pm

10am-2pm & 2am-7pm 2pm-5pm

10am-1pm & 1pm- Closed 5pm Closed 10am-1pm

10am-2pm & 2pm-5pm 10am-7pm

10am-1pm

Devizes

10am-7pm

9.30am-5pm

9.30am-12.30pm

9.30am-7pm

9.30am-5pm

9.30am-4pm

Kingsclere

Closed

1pm-5.30pm

Closed

1pm-5.30pm

Closed

10.30am-3pm

Marlborough

2pm-7pm

Closed

9.30am-5pm

9.30am-7pm

9.30am-5pm

9.30am-1pm

Tisbury

Closed

10am-1pm

Closed

2pm-7pm

10am-5pm

Closed

2-5pm 5.30-7.30pm 10am-5pm

Closed

Bishops Waltham

2-5pm 5.30-7.30pm Closed

Fordingbridge

Closed

9.30am-5pm

9.30am-5pm

Closed

9.30am-5pm

9.30am-1pm

Overton Ringwood

Romsey

Closed Closed

2pm-7pm 9am-7pm

Closed 9am-5pm

2pm-7pm 9am-5pm

Closed 9am-5pm

9am-1pm 9am-1pm

9am-5pm

9am-5pm

Closed

9am-7pm

9am-5pm

9am-4pm

Whitchurch

1am-5pm

Closed

1am-7pm

Closed

10am-5pm

10am-1pm

Winchester Odiham

9am-7pm 2pm-5pm

9am-7pm 2pm-5pm

9am-7pm 9.30am-12.30pm

9am-7pm 2pm-5pm

Warminster

10am-7pm

9.30am-5pm

9am-12.30pm

9.30am-7pm

9am-7pm 9.30am12.30pm 9.30am-5pm

9am-5pm 9.30am12.30pm 9.30am-4pm

10am-1pm

9.30am-1pm

Inside Out

Photography Millie Pilkington

Things to do Places to go Pre Christmas health kick?

ALL ABOARD

S

ee Santa on a steam train - the perfect way to start Christmas! Join Santa as you steam on a magical one hour round trip through the scenic Hampshire countryside as he visits you in your seat! Santa gives every child a gift in a special souvenir sack with soft drinks for children and wine and mince pies for the grown-ups.

Santa Specials are by advance booking only and are only on 5, 6, 12, 13, 1924 Dec watercressline.co.uk

G

abriela Lerner from Radiant on Raw is running two workshops this Autumn. She is passionate about educating people on how raw plant based products can support your family’s vitality and health. Raw Mediterranean Veg 3 Oct. Raw breads, crackers & snacks 14 Nov radiantonraw.co.uk

Gunpowder, Treason and plot!

Catch all the ooos and ahhhs at these displays this year.

Firework Spectacular, Beaulieu - 31 Oct Fawley Display, Gang Warily Rec - 6 Nov Firework Display, Poole Quay - 5 Nov Bonfire & Campfire, Bransgore - 7 Nov Calne Bonfire & Fireworks - 6 Nov Longleat Fireworks - 29-31 Oct Winchester Bonfire & Fireworks - 7 Nov

If you like your wood and traditional crafts then the Cranborne Chase Woodfair will be right up your street. With a variety of exhibitors and demonstrations from the world of wood as well as locally sourced food and drink this is a great day out. Set on an AONB the woodfair aims to show you why wood is as relevant today as it’s always been. Also celebrating the region’s traditional industries such as cider and willow.

Family fun and learning in a beautiful location! woodfair.org.uk

Get ready to be spooked…

Y

ou don’t have to wait for Halloween to uncover the spooky treats on offer.

Between the times of 10am and 4pm at Marwell Zoological Park you can have fun designing a pumpkin for carving, then watch the animals such as penguins, chipmunks, giraffes, gibbons and tigers, tuck into their own spooktacular pumpkin treats.

Enter (if you dare) the eerie woodland and enjoy listening to some spellbindingly creepy fairytales and meet the resident witch herself. You could even uncover the mysteries of Marwell and even have time to have bundles of fun on their ‘scarecrow selfie’.

They have also upped the scare-tastic fun by introducing ghost train to the park. Adorned with creepy decorations keep an eye out for ghosts and ghouls hidden along the train route (usual train fee applies).

The children can visit the wonderful world of insects in Cold Blooded Corner and you can even get up close and personal with the creepy crawlies at Encounter Village.

Be sure the entire family dresses in their best Halloween costumes on October 31st for Marwell’s first Kiddies Catwalk. Strut your stuff along the runway and your family could be going home with a brand new digital camera! Family ticket: £44.50, 2 adults & 2 children (under 16 years).

Beaulieu is supposed to be one of Britain’s most haunted places and ghosts have often been seen and heard in the 13th century Abbey and at Palace House. So, if you’re looking for something spooky to do this half-term, look no further. There will be lots of strange goings-on for you to get involved with including the Halloween quiz trail with a lucky dip in the witch’s cauldron. You can also listen to spooky stories from the costumed guides in Palace House and the monk in the Abbey. Or have your face painted as a witch, skeleton or something equally as scary. Open daily from 10.00am - 5.00pm.

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autumn leaves Mottisfont Make some Land Art Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 October Take part in a free, community project creating a piece of ‘land art’ using natural materials.

Spooky Tree-mendous Trail Saturday 24 October – Sunday 1 November Pick up a Hallowe’en trail this half term and spot our spookiest trees!

01794 340757 nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont Mottisfont, Nr Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 0LP

@MottisfontNT

Santa Specials

See Santa on a steam train!

Advance booking only!

Enjoy the magic of a one hour steam train ride as Santa visits you at your seat with a gift for every child.

5th, 6th,12th,13th, 19th - 24th December BOOK NOW ON WWW.WATERCRESSLINE.CO.UK

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The stagecoach ethos is to enable children to grow gradually, at their own speed and to accomplish their personal full potential.

Often copied, but never equalled. Stagecoach remains the market leader for children's performing arts.

Every Saturday at Anton Junior School, Barlow's Lane, Andover SP10 2HA

Let Little Ones Loose!

Z

umba Kids Dance Classes are great fun for kids aged 4 to 11 combining cool courses with great dancing games! As an added bonus the classes contain elements of yoga and mindfulness too which is so important for children these days, ensuring they have the right balance of excitement & being able to calm down again! Zumba Kids Junior and Zumba Kids Classes with Taster Sessions start on Mon 7 Sep at 4.30pm for the Autumn and will continue until the first week in December. Drop in cost is £5 per child, sibling rate £2.50 each. Organisers Salsa Y Sol can also host Zumba Kids Parties. For information on classes and parties visit: zumbakids-winchester.co.uk

Show and Tell A guide to local live On Your Toes Regional Youth Ballet will be pirouetting their way entertainment he across Wyvern Theatre on Saturday the 9 of September

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th

and plan to bring a touch of magic to the stage. The talented cast ranging from ages eight to eighteen have worked as one over the summer in order to bring you a dazzling display of graceful beauty, impeccable technique and dazzling costumes.

Regional Youth Ballet is now an established dance company and well sought after as it allows budding students who are local to the area a chance to perform under the expertise of fully qualified professionals. The dancers in every cast are carefully he 26 yr old Warwickshire selected by audition based on their ability to dance and their born singer song writer passion for it. These dancers may look delicate, but don’t be Lucy Rose is performing at the fooled, they undergo weeks of extensive coaching in order to Komedia in Bath this Autumn. perform to the best of their ability and create an outstanding You may recognise her soulful yet folky sound and may have performance that the whole family can enjoy. heard ‘Like An Arrow’ Certainly a The first half of this performance is Les Sylphides, a ballet talent to keep an eye on! which is infamous for its stunning stage presence as the entire Tickets from £16.50 cast is on stage. The second half of the performance changes komedia.co.uk - 20th Oct in tone and pace, as classical pieces such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. The complexity of the performance is impressive, with a blending of dance styles (even heatre Royal Winchester looks the can can!) so there is something for all the family to enjoy. ahead to a varied and jamJoin the company as they retell some of our most beloved packed autumn season. For young tales with amazing dancing and ethereal music composed by children aged 3+ and their families Chopin – a universal favourite for ballet audiences. You could this season’s highlights include Here be witness to the ballet stars of tomorrow! Tickets: £12.00* Be Monsters (19 & 20 Sep), featuring Concessions: £10.00 *A 50 pence per ticket booking fee applies, the villainous Captain Cut-Throat capped at six per order. Fee-free booking for Wyvern Friends; and his fearsome crew as they set Groups of 10+ please call 01793 524481 to buy fee-free. sail through monster-infested waters. swindontheatres.co.uk The Scarecrows’ Wedding (8 Oct) and What the Ladybird Heard (12 & 13 Nov), based on the books by Julia Donaldson, author of ne of the world’s most popular cats has finally made it to The Gruffalo and The Stick Man will be hits with all the family. the stage! Hello Kitty Live – Fashion & Friends is the first Rounding off with an offering for older children is Snow White chapter of a series of live shows starring Hello Kitty, her family (27 & 28 Oct), created for family audiences by award-winning and her favourite friends. The performance gives fans of all dance company balletLORENT. Ministry of Science Live (3 Nov), ages the opportunity to enter Hello Kitty’s World in a fun and is a highly explosive science show that comes with a bang to interactive way. The performance also includes a soundtrack entertain and educate 6-12 year olds. With Christmas looming from star singers such as Bruno Mars, Kylie Minogue and Flo audiences should prepare for Fe ‘One of the most inventive companies Rida. A sure bet to get the whole family up on their feet. presenting theatre for children’ Fi Fo Fun! This year’s panto is the See Hello Kitty like you’ve never udder-ly hilarious Jack and the seen her before as this fashion icon Beanstalk (8 Dec - 3 Jan). Theatre welcomes audiences into her world Royal Winchester’s traditional family in a story that highlights the value panto is a winner with everyone From the book by of friendship, creativity, respect for Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler, aged 3 to 103. After Jack Trott creators of THE GRUFFALO nature and a love of learning. accidentally sells Daisy the cow for The show is coming to a worthless bag of beans, he sets Bournemouth Pavilion on the 10 off on a daring adventure to get her Oct so don’t miss out! Appropriate back. Chaos and comedy ensue for all ages, and is approximately 85 in this HUGE family pantomime. minutes with 15 minute interval. theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk bournemouthpavilion.co.uk

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AUTUMN ANTICS

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Hello Kitty Live

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The Scarecrows’ Wedding © 2014 Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, published by Alison Green Books, an imprint of Scholastic Children’s Books

WhatsOnStage

29

Cooking up a Storm TV Presenter and vlogger, Katy Pullinger and her daughter Tilda get down to some culinary creativity in the kitchen.

W

hen it comes to cooking with kids there are three things that will happen: 1. Your kitchen will be annihilated. 2. You will discover how much of a control freak you are. 3. You will teach your kids a lot about food and hopefully encourage them to eat new things.

I find that if my daughter, Tilda, has made something with me then she is far more likely to want to try it. To be honest, that is really the only ‘food rule’ in our house; you can’t say you don’t like something until you’ve tasted it. I also find cooking with my three year old a really great activity to connect with her. It means I have to put my phone down for a while (we are all guilty of that) and give her my full attention.

I think it’s safe to say that getting our little ones to eat vegetables is one of the biggest food challenges for parents. With that in mind, I decided to do a savoury carrot and courgette muffin recipe to get some extra goodness into my little veggie dodger. These are great for picnics, school lunch boxes and general snacking. For more from Katy follow her on twitter @heymummytv

Carrot & Courgette Savoury Muffins

Makes 12 muffins - Ingredients are: 250g self-raising flour - 175ml milk - 1 egg - 55ml oil - I use corn oil - 150g grated cheddar cheese - 1 large carrot finely grated - 1 large courgette grated - 1 tsp paprika - 1 tsp thyme pine nuts - salt & pepper to taste Preheat the oven to 200°C After you and the kids have washed your hands, grease or spray your muffin tin with oil or butter. Then grate your cheese, carrots and courgette.

In a large bowl, combine the flour with the milk, oil, and egg and mix well. Next, add in the grated veg and cheese and sprinkle in the paprika and thyme and give it another good mix. You will end up with a thick, quite gloopy mixture. Take your muffin tin and scoop a large spoonful of mixture into each segment.

Finally, sprinkle some pine nuts onto each muffin pushing them into the mixture slightly. Pop into the oven for 20 minutes (this is where the kids need to take a step back), after which your muffins should be lovely and golden. Take out of the oven and leave on the side to cool, out of the way of little hands. Once cooled, remove from the muffin tin and eat as many as you like!

To watch a video of Katy and Tilda making these muffins go to countrychild.co.uk

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Food

EAT ME, TOAST ME, DUNK ME

GLORIOUS Food

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hen Country Child discovered the amazing taste and range of marshmallows from Copper and Cane, we were immediately put in mind to ‘Alice in Wonderland’, with Alice finding the ‘Eat Me’ cake and the ‘Drink Me’ bottle. It is his is the advice Nick Spaven of Gastro exactly these nostalgic memories of our childhood that inspired mum and founder Nicks Ltd in Collingborne Ducis, Hazel Wright to create the Eat, Toast, Dunk Me range made at the headquarters in Wiltshire, along with business partner Jane Nether Wallop, Hampshire.

Kempsey are championing this season.

‘The old school flavours are my favourite and ones I remember from my young This wonderful Delicatessen and Wine days cooking with my Grandma in her kitchen. Rhubarb and Custard is a definite Merchants, tucked away in the Hampshire/ nod to her with other traditional and more adventurous pairings such as Rosewater Wiltshire border, is a ‘foodie’s’ mecca, full to and Cardamon, being discovered through my father’s love of spices.’ bursting with hand selected produce picked Hazel’s passion for food, driven by her upbringing, led her to a dedicated career in from small independents from the UK and the industry working for the likes of Nestle and Mars, to even running her own tea Europe. All products have the taste test school in Japan.

With this vast experience, it makes total sense for her to have created approval from Nick and Jane, which means a concept that she found hard to find herself. they can advise customers to give the best ‘I loved marshmallows as a child but found other ranges not exciting enough in total satisfaction and ensure the quality is for me, so in just under six weeks my idea came to life in the form of a range of guaranteed. marshmallows that can be flavoursome, fun and versatile. My range allows the Jane is the company’s wine connoisseur consumer to enjoy either simply on its own, dunked into a cup of hot chocolate or and encourages you to sample before you coffee and even toasted for a more traditional experience.’ buy (always in favour of that!) and together The success of the range due to its creativity, Fair Trade sugar, natural ingredients with the artisan foods including infused oils, and no artificial flavourings, has seen the likes of Selfridges jump on the product and vinegars, pastas, pestos, cheese, fresh meat we urge you to do the same. and south coast fish, Jane can match the wine Once you discover the flavours and the to accompany the food perfectly. Growing different ways to enjoy a bag you’ll be favourites are from Mediterranean countries hooked to many varying ideas in which to such as, Sicily, Italy and now Spain. indulge.

For example Hazel advices ‘Pop a With the festive season just around couple into a pancake for a new experience the corner, try to take advantage of their on Shrove Tuesday, treat yourself at speciality Artisan hampers such as French breakfast with one or two in your porridge, Seafood, Mediterranean and English toast them on the fire pit this Bonfire night, Cheeseboard baskets and the new ‘Pamper perhaps even freeze them before, giving a Hamper’. Both Nick and Jane are also happy baked Alaska feel.

Just delicious and such to tailor a hamper to suit your needs and we fun for children too!’ have to agree, a bunch of flowers is always a To find out more on these cubes of great gift but a hamper of crafted ingredients delight, recipes and more ways to enjoy lasts a lot longer. them, visit:eattoastdunkme.com or visit Visit their website atgastronicks.co.uk the delightful coffee house, Caracoli in Alresford.

Say it with Food!

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Say Cheese!

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e recently met the Vowles family whom since 1945 have been purveyors of fine dairy products, now with Chris Vowles at the helm, the third generation cheese maker with over 25 years’ experience in the profession. Artisan Dairy Ltd is set in the heart of the Test Valley in Stockbridge where Chris also offers his services as a dairy consultant, overseeing the development of the cheese room at Goodwood and creating the formula for 3 types of cheeses. Setting up and making a range of dairy products at Plumpton College in Sussex and working with Powdera Ice Cream in Nigeria. Artisan Dairy source milk locally which is used to create a sophisticated range of cheeses, butter, milk, yogurts and ice-cream. Check out there ranges and the cheesemaking kits, which are ideal gifts here: artisandairy.co.uk

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D I K

Q: What did the tree say to Autumn?

A: Leaf me alone.

Q: What did one tree say to the other ?

A: I’m falling for you.

Q: How do you fix a broken pumpkin?

A: With a pumpkin patch.

Why not paint leaves with paint, pen or even nail varnish to get this effect?

Make Your Own Autumn Wreath and Tree Make this pretty autumn wreath and tree using simple craft cupboard supplies. Use real leaves as templates, or design your own.

Autumn Wreath and tree

You will need: ■ A cardboard cone - for the tree (we had a ready made one but can roll your own) ■ Red, yellow and orange card ■ Gold pen ■ PVA glue (white glue) Instructions: Cut out a stack of leaf shapes from the coloured card. You can use our design your own leaves, or trace around real leaves which you have collected from outside. Use the gold pen to draw veins on the leaves.

Glue one side of the leaf onto another and overlap them, bending them around to form a circle.

For the Tree:

Bend the leaves and glue them in a spiral around the cone starting from the base of the cone.

TURNPIKE KENNELS & CATTERY

2 MILES FROM SHAFTESBURY & GILLINGHAM ON THE B3081 (MOTCOMBE TURNING)

Felix

REX

Four secure grass exercise areas for dogs, Highest standards of hygiene maintained Prices inclusive of pet’s bed, bedding, food, heating, insurance & VAT Special diets catered for on request Viewing always encouraged A safe, happy environment to your boardDogs your pet!

Now offering daycare for TEL: 01747 854768 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 8.30-11.00AM/3.00-6.00PM

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Do you have any jokes, tips or fun ideas? Share them with us! Email: info@countrychild.co.uk

E N ZO

JOKE CORNER

WINDOW SHOPPING Country Child hand picks a selection of family homes on the market, in and around the area.

Savills 01722 426800 savills.co.uk

Evans & Partridge 01264 810702 evansandpartridge.co.uk

Hatch, Tisbury, Wiltshire £1,295,000

Upper Clatford, Hampshire £785,000

A pretty period house with outstanding views over the renowned Nadder valley an area of outstanding natural beauty. The property provides views over the valley towards Wardour and the Cranborne Chase and with its recent extension improved the layout for modern family living. Now spread over three floors the cottage circa 1730 has a master bedroom with en-suite, another bedroom with en-suite, and two further bedrooms one of which is in the statement beamed attic space. Tisbury is about 2.5 miles away offering excellent every day facilities including a co-op, deli, post office, boots, doctor and dentist and a mainline railway station to London Waterloo.

The Clatfords in Hampshire are a very sought after area around the market town of Andover, as they allow a family the beauty of a village setting with the town being only a few miles away. This gives a commuter fantastic links to London via A303 and mainline train station. The house itself also gives plenty in the form of over 2500 sq ft of accommodation, five bedrooms and the added benefit of a self contained annexe, great for grandparents, guests or au pair/staff. Schooling is also well regarded in the area with the popular Goodworth Clatford Primary School, also Farleigh and Rookwood private schools - all within a 5 mile drive.

Brockenhurst EA 01264 350350 brockenhurst.info

David L Fells 01425 489333 davidlfells.co.uk

Ringwood, New Forest £625,000

Andover, Hampshire £579,950

This Grade II listed character thatched four bedroomed cottage within the New Forest occupies a generous plot adjacent to a woodland setting.

More generosity with space continues in this roomy semi-detached family home with large sitting /dining room with inglenook fireplace, bread oven and stove pot. All of which were rediscovered in a recent renovation, believed to date back to the 1500's. In addition to this there is a double garage and several outside storage sheds, mature well manicured hedging and picket style fencing forming the front boundary.

Set on the river Anton, this part thatch cottage has been extended to offer an annexe for large families whilst still retaining all the joys of a character property from wooden beams and wood burning stove with bread oven. With various living rooms for the family to spread out, the five further bedrooms, two with en-suite will accommodate all ages of the family, not forgetting the annexe which again for guests or the children’s nanny is ideal! A beautifully maintained riverside garden completes the picture.

THATCH

Made in Heaven

NFU's top tips on how to maintain your thatched roof.

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aintenance and fire of thatched properties can often deter buyers, truth be told, thatched roofs are no more likely to catch fire than a conventional roof. NFU Mutual say that a new thatched roof should last between 15-35 years, depending on the type and quality of materials used, whilst maintenance on a typical three to four bedroomed home will usually include replacing the ridge every 10-15 years. Nicky Whittaker an NFU advisor said: “As 90 per cent of thatch fires relate to chimneys and the use of wood-burning stoves, making sure your chimney is swept and inspected on a regular basis and being appropriately lined will reduce the fire risk.” Top tips: - Take time to look at the condition of the thatch. - If fixings are exposed it could indicate it is nearing the end of its life. - If gullies are appearing (vertical deep patches of rot) attention from an experienced thatcher is required - Wet patches on the eaves could indicate the thatch is leaking. - If the roof is covered in heavy moss, the thatch may be unable to breath and is therefore unable to dry out properly. Homeowners or potential buyers can check out the National Society of Master Thatchers for their nearest registered member or speak to Thatching Advisory Services or visit nfumutual.co.uk for how to protect a thatched property.

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SADDLE UP Pixie and Fluff Infant Rocker, suitable from 9 months £90 littlebirdtoldme.co.uk

SO ‘IN-TENTS’ Tepee

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Interior

IDEAS Here come the girls!

LET’S DANCE Lovely girl’s feature mirror £125. chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk

TRUNK AND DISORDERLY 'Kissing Rabbits' British made steamer trunks offer a modern twist on a design classic £225 anorakonline.co.uk

CART IT OFF Child’s mini storage cart for fun and practical uses. £50 minieden.co.uk

SO LIE IN IT Girl’s reversible bedding

HORSE BOX Perfect for girl’s bits and bobs £12 millygreen.com

in cute pink flowers with a striped sheet to match perfectly from £8 secretlinenstore.com

DRESS UP DOLLS With these wall stickers by Adolie Day, you can swap their legs and heads, mix it up. £29.95 limelace.co.uk

WORD UP Hand carved and hand painted wooden typography, ideal for girl’s bedrooms from £8 poshgraffiti.com

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Women in Business Country Child are fortunate enough to meet some amazing, extraordinary and inspiring women on our travels so we thought you would like to meet some of them too. They may inspire you to step into business yourself and get that work/life balance just right!

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orthe Thomas, who runs the successful Dorthe Thomas Spa in Andover, Hampshire always set her sights on a skincare range . She first launched a range called ‘Lily Tallulah’ back in 2007, however due to changes in industry rules and regulations and the cost implications to this, she had to cease the line - until now that is.

Having sensitive skin herself, Dorthe struggled to find a natural product she was happy with and for use in the salon, so set about creating her own and recently launched the stylish range simply entitled Dorthe Thomas Skincare with an additional range for men too, ‘Thom’. She prides herself on the fact the products can perform as well as high end brands for a fraction of the price.

The packaging is stylish giving the user that touch of luxury without the luxury price tag.

Dorthe is a huge fan and ambassador of Crystal Clear products and was inspired by their concept so created a fragrance free product with natural CO2 Extracts which are pure supercritical carbon dioxide extractions from plants and botanicals.

The new range from a reasonable £18, adds to Dorthe’s already successful spa/treatment rooms and her plans for the future are just as bright as she wants to expand her premises. She also wants to launch one of the South West’s only skincare academies where other therapists can obtain further qualifications, expand their knowledge and become medispa professionals for Dorthe’s products.

Find out more and try dorthethomas. com Products available to buy from the spa in Andover town centre. 01264 726431.

reams do come true! At the tender age of three, Silvia already showed an enormous passion for dancing! Yet life first took her into the air followed by the deep fulfillment of motherhood to three children.

Her passion to be true to herself grew and eventually took her out of wedlock onto the dance floor –and she romantically fell in love with her Salsa Teacher! Together they brought some hot Salsa to their quiet village. Some seven years later they now have Salsa y Sol Dance & Yoga School for children aged four to those young at heart. Silvia says: "Dancing & Yoga are the perfect Balance! However life is pretty full as a single mother to three youngsters and whenever possible kids come first! I love children and so I particularly enjoy our Zumba Kids Junior (4-6yrs) and Zumba Kids (711yrs) Dance Classes, laughter all around!" For more on the classes visit: salsaysol.co.uk zumbakids-winchester.co.uk

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fter spending a fortune on LEGO to satisfy her son’s craving for new models to build, Salisbury mum Lucilla Carr has created a LEGO rental club which aims to give children easier access to great new LEGO sets, without breaking the bank. Lucilla thought - Why not rent LEGO instead of buying it and help children to learn about sharing at the same time? And so WeLoveBricks was born.

The concept is a bit like LoveFilm for LEGO: for a monthly subscription of £7.99 you can choose a Wish list of sets you’d like to build; the set arrives in the post, and when you’ve finished playing with it you just send it on. With a catalogue of more than 100 LEGO sets to choose from, there's surely something to interest everyone.

Club members can build with as many sets as they like each month, with no time restrictions: play with a set for as long as you like, or build as fast as you can. And if you lose a few pieces they’ll replace them free of charge. There is even an option to upgrade to a bigger LEGO set –- ideal for keeping busy children occupied during half terms and long school holidays.

Having created the club with children in mind, WeLoveBricks also has adults, schools, teachers and speech therapists signed up, all enjoying the variety of LEGO sets on offer and the flexibility to build at their own pace. There has also been interest from libraries, museums and special schools. And a subscription to WeLoveBricks makes a truly original birthday or Christmas present. Everyone has a LEGO story to tell so the possibilities are endless! lucillacarr@welovebricks.com welovebricks.com Facebook - WeLoveBricks Twitter @welovebricks 07740 287483

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haron is a National Stylist Director for MyShowcase and has an expanding team of 60 Stylist's in the country. She says: 'MyShowcase is the new way to shop and try beauty products, my clients often describe the experience as having SpaceNK come to your house! The brands are handpicked by Kate Shapland, beauty editor at the Telegraph and one of the MyShowcase founders, and can be discovered at a Showcase with a group of friends, at an individual consultation, via social media or the beauticians in my team offer to existing customers at their treatments.

My boys are 5 and 7, and I work during the school day and a couple of evenings a week.

During the school holidays I do what I can to fit in some work but avoid childcare costs. My work is flexible, my earnings are generous and I even get a travel and business allowance at my level to help run my business. I don't have any experience in the beauty industry, but have received fantastic training from MyShowcase.’ To find out more about trying the products, hosting a Showcase or joining as a Stylist, please contact Sharon.07972 187431 sharon_buxton@hotmail.co.uk myshowcase.com/stylist/sharon_buxton facebook.com/SharonBuxtonMyShowcase

ittle Hampshire is a family run business offering both preloved and new children’s clothing, shoes and accessories. It was started by two mums in 2012 and taken on by mother and daughter team Lynne and Rachael in 2014.

The core of the business is preloved clothing, passing on beautiful outgrown outfits for someone else to enjoy and the proceeds are split 50:50 with the clients. This was well received by the local customers and has now grown in size to include a large selection of shoes as well as school uniforms, ballet wear and party wear.

The owners are keen to grow the new clothing lines, which compliment the preloved range, offering local families a varied and interesting collection of beautiful clothing to choose from. They have introduced Piccalilly, a fabulous range of 100% fair trade Organic Cotton clothing, as well as some other well known brands such as Hatley, Lazy Jacks and Mini Melissa. They are also very keen to work with local suppliers and have a range of handmade pieces from small businesses within Hampshire.

As well as opening the shop they have established an online presence with the addition of an e-commerce website. This has allowed the business to attract customers from much further afield, even as far as Australia!

Little Hampshire offers customers the opportunity to purchase new clothing and once outgrown, to bring it to the shop to sell on making some money for them, which they can then choose to spend in store buying the next sizes for their little ones. All clothing is from designer brands or high-end high street and covers ages 0- 15 yrs.

The owners currently juggle Little Hampshire with family life and other work commitments. Rachael has three children, two girls and most recently a boy, who keep her busy. They have all featured as models in Little Hampshire’s advertising and her husband has been the photographer so it’s a real family affair. Lynne has three (grown up) children and working with her daughter has increased the amount of time spent with the grandchildren.

As well as the two days the shop opens (Fridays and Saturdays) there are a lot of conversations taking place between Rachael and Lynne during the week, whether its sourcing new suppliers, attending trade events or dealing with customer enquiries. Lynne says: "We are still both employed by other companies, and so it is especially satisfying to own and run our own company in a close family partnership. Due to the age difference and working environment we both bring different strengths and experiences to Little Hampshire."

Having recently moved premises to Kenyons Yard, Andover, the future plans for Little Hampshire are to continue providing quality preloved clothing/ shoes/accessories at affordable prices, increase the clothing ranges and also expanded the opening hours too! littlehampshire.co.uk 07920 121312

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ouise Ellison, aged 34, mother to three year old Tom and wife to Matt spent ten years in corporate marketing before deciding to set up her own business.

Lulu's boutique has now been open for almost a year and sells ladies clothing and accessories with a relaxed, casual style inspired by country and coastal living. Quality and attention to detail at an affordable price is the mainstay of Lulu's, official stockists of well-known lifestyle brands such as White Stuff, Brakeburn, Nomads and Braintree. With this relaxed style comes a relaxed shopping experience that includes a toybox to occupy children so mums can browse! Louise says: 'Being my own boss allows me flexibility as Tom comes to work with me two days a week and if I need to attend anything at his nursery or we want to go away at short notice, we can!"

Louise believes she would find it hard to go back to a corporate job now as she loves the work/life balance her business enables her to have, however she says: "My husband owns his own business so if things did not work out I could perhaps work for him!"

With no intention of slowing down, Louise is currently working with her business coach on a 5 year plan that is set to introduce a menswear range and also an expansion to new and larger premises in a high street location. lulus-boutique.co.uk 01264 335463

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lizabeth Bayliss, M.D, of The Rose Clinic in Whitchurch, Hampshire is a Chiropractic Practitioner and Clinical Thermographer who believes in detecting illnesses before they strike.

At the clinic, Liz focuses on preventative and corrective healthcare, Chiropractic, thermal imaging and artery stiffness checks to name but a few. Liz says: "Chiropractic patients love the new IQ, an electronic adjusting instrument that measures resistance whilst it adjusts. Clients to my clinic have travelled from over two hours away for chiropractic and over six hours away for thermal imaging!"

Both children and adults can benefit from chiropractic treatments and the thermal camera uses infrared to image pain, inflammation and nerve damage and used together the tools can be very revealing. This private and discreet clinic has even attracted the occasional celebrity for imaging - it really is for everyone!

Liz remarks on how great she finds it when she sees the public taking health more seriously and being preventative. Afterall thermography is radiation free, needs no GP referral and suits all ages. When a young child is unable to verbalise the pain they are in, thermography may see it and often some simple adjustments are all that is needed. The before and after images below are a perfect example, in this case Liz states that there was a trapped nerve at the elbow (cubital tunnel). The cause: poor posture resting head on hand at the desk! For more information: theroseclinic.co.uk

BEFORE

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AFTER ADJUSTING THE ELBOW

30 SECONDS LATER

fter a successful career in marketing in London, Ashley Sandy wanted to spend more time with her family (two boys, husband & two dogs) near Marlborough in the beautiful countryside in Wiltshire.

Still needing to be busy she threw herself into village life, committees and raising money for their local school.

Expatriating then to Zürich in 2005, she spent lots of time skiing, hiking and cycling as a family. This is where Ashley learnt to Nordic Walk spending time up mountains and alongside lakes. Still volunteering abroad, she ran a successful business selling English cards & stationary and found a passion for direct sales, which particularly worked around the family, making money while still enjoying the important family moments.

On her return to the UK she joined Jamie at Home And continued the direct sales she loved so much.

Fast forward several years with working late nights and a heavy social calendar, her busy lifestyle took a toll on her health! Gaining 40lbs from being less active, she became depressed, tired and generally out of sorts. That’s when she joined Body by Vi. Six months after joining Body by Vi, with the health and fitness challenge company she lost the weight gained! The programme encourages you to eat better, be more active and help others do the same. With this she has built up a great team again in direct sales too!

This year she decided to retrain and teach Nordic Walking as it complements her existing business, promotes healthy living and enables her to share her passion for being fit, active and healthy whatever your age!

To find out more on how to join Ashley in her healthy outlook check out: challenge90days.co.uk

Detection, Correction Prevention and Education

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arah and Jo who run Country Child magazine, are celebrating their fifth year of trading this year. During this period, the magazine has almost doubled its circulation from 7,000 to 13,000, with an estimated readership of 40,000 and branchedout into producing stand-alone guides and events.

Publisher, Jo Leigh, explains how the magazine has expanded since she and Editor, Sarah Third, bought the business in 2013. “As soon as we took over the helm, we launched a sister magazine to the original Dorset and Somerset edition in Hampshire and Wiltshire which has proved to be extremely popular and embraced whole heartedly” Sarah Third says, “Here at Country Child we are passionate about supporting and informing families. The feedback we have had from our readers and advertisers over the past few years has been amazing.”

Although at times juggling work and family can be challenging, Sarah and Jo really appreciate and value the fabulous team that they have on board. In fact due to their success and expansion they are looking for more inspirational people to work with them. If you would like to be part of Country Child magazine please get in touch.

COUNTRY CHILD Your Local FREE Family Magazine

countrychild.co.uk 39

Motor Mouth

Ryder Ryan, an experienced car purchase consultant tells us why it might be an idea to compromise.

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ccording to the Oxford English dictionary, in verb form, the word Compromise has the following meaning: “Expediently accept standards that are lower than is desirable”. As far as I know, this is not something we humans, especially in the 21st century where choice is at the forefront of whatever we ‘desire’, find particularly palatable! However, in my line of work and particularly when discussing what might be the best vehicle for an individual’s needs, I often find myself using this word. I try not to use it too often as I’m worried it might annoy the person I’m talking to so much, they suddenly start thinking about buying a bicycle or some other mode of transport instead!

When deciding on one’s next form of family transport, we naturally find ourselves trying to tick as many of the ‘wanted’ boxes as possible. It must be cheap to run, have seven ‘proper’ seats, be safe, diesel/petrol, automatic/manual, two wheel drive/ four wheel drive, have leather seats (preferably heated in the front) a sunroof (preferably a panoramic one… that opens) DAB radio, Satellite Navigation (complete with both male and female voices) parking sensors (front and rear… with a reversing camera) oh and a cup holder (preferably two so that there’s one spare for when the previous day’s school run coffee cup that has yet to be removed!). The list is almost endless and unfortunately, there isn’t a car currently on sale that ticks every single box; it is for this reason why I find the word compromise being used all too often!

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ne of the main reasons for the growing seven seat, 4x4 market and often the default choice for many years now, has been Land Rover’s Discovery. In its latest Discovery 4 guise, it has such an exceptional spread of abilities be it on-road, up to its axles in mud, carrying a family of seven or providing a soothing ride home from work on a wet winter’s evening. SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicle) (the new take on MPVs) simply don’t get more useful than this. I admit it isn’t that fast and is pretty big for our sometimes ridiculously small roads and even smaller car park spaces (although the ever increasing size of the average car might have something to do with this), has fairly high running costs (although residual values are still strong even for the first Discovery 4’s launched in Sept 2009), but if you can get passed these ‘negatives’ you have a car that ticks more wanted boxes than most (bar maybe the new Volvo XC90 which runs the Discovery very close indeed if not beats it in certain areas). All Discoveries are well equipped, with even the entry-level SE getting DAB, Bluetooth and climate control. The SE TECH brings satellite navigation,

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Credit: Land Rover

In 1984 Renault launched a model that would change our lives forever (albeit at the time, I suspect none of us had any idea that this would be the case, especially given how the car looked!). It was called, the Espace and was the first MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle). OK so things have moved on a bit since 1984 but the principle is still the same namely; how to transport as many people as possible, without the need for one to have a bus licence. In an instant, Renault had offered parents an alternative to the Volvo or Mercedes Estate. Although both Volvo and Mercedes (and then Audi with their A6) eventually started offering their cars with the ‘make funny faces at the car behind you’ rewarded facing boot seats. The writing was on the wall and we now have so many MPV’s to choose from it’s almost impossible to get it wrong! Unbelievably, in the face of dwindling MPV sales, largely as a result of the seven seat 4x4/ SUV market, Renault haven’t imported the Espace since 2011 which is a shame as if you are in the MPV camp (you’re generally either a MPV or 4x4 person) then the latest Espace is quirky enough to make being in an MPV almost interesting.

xenon headlights, front parking sensors and heated seats amongst other options, while the HSE will deliver just about all the lavish comfort you could want. If the Discovery doesn’t offer enough space, quality, comfort and things for children to twiddle (try to break) then nothing will. The three individual seats in the second row are excellent, and the foldaway third row is brilliantly well executed, simple to erect and big enough for adults. What more could one ask for?

Well, not everyone wants to drive around in a big 4x4 and indeed, are very happy (well, maybe not happy, but prepared to be in something that has a similar amount of space but without the running costs associated with a big 4x4). Leaving aside midsized, 4x4 SUVs for now like Land Rover’s new Discovery Sport, Mitsubishi’s Outlander, Hyundai’s Santa Fe and Kia’s Sorento (all still available with the ‘must have’ seven seat option). There is an abundance of MPVs also available from the likes of Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota, Seat, Mazda, Peugeot and Renault to name but a few.

There is also BMW’s new to the market, first ever front wheel drive vehicle called the 2 series Tourer. The 2 series is an important car in this segment as it offers a premium option combined with excellent drivetrains and in the case of the recently released Grand Tourer variant, seven seats. However, unlike all other traditional MPVs sold in the UK, it is also

available with four wheel drive (although it only sends power to the rear when the fronts start to slip so it is not ‘full time’ four wheel drive but at least one has the option to have it and importantly, keeps the running costs down).

So, it seems you can have your half eaten sandwiches, sticky sweets plus a bit of cake and eat it! However, the 2 series does suffer from what I call the middle seat syndrome where the middle seat in the second row is not an individual seat and usually ‘includes’ an armrest which can result in even more stressful negotiations of who sits where prior to every family outing! It’s also a bit dull to look at (but arguably what MPV isn’t?) and it is expensive versus its rivals. Four trims, SE, Sport, Luxury and M Sport comprise the range at the moment, with the majority no doubt being specified in the popular Sport and M Sport guises (which doesn’t make a huge amount of sense really given the type of car we’re talking about here but such is the English desire to look good in the shop window even if you are driving an MPV!) The SE has a digital radio and Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, sliding and reclining middle-row seats, an electronically powered tailgate, auto lights and wipers, rear parking sensors and roof rails as standard. Sport trim adds larger, 17” alloys, front sports seats, gloss black interior trim and

upgraded cloth upholstery. Luxury trim adds leather upholstery and wood trim. Range-topping M Sport brings 18” alloys, aluminum interior trim, M Sport suspension, run-flat tyres (two things you definitely don’t need on our poor quality roads!) and the all-important M Sport body styling.

Its relatively compact dimensions don’t make the Gran Tourer the most spacious seven-seater in the world and as I’ve already mentioned, it’s expensive. A well specified, admittedly range topping, 220d xDrive M Sport, can be as much as £40,000! This is absurd money for an MPV, whichever way you slice it. But the perceived quality is very good and it does handle better than almost any other seven-seater. It may be a car that will be bought by some, purely for the badge but I guess its one good enough for people to convincingly pretend otherwise.

However, even if you spend the best part of £40,000 on a four wheel drive MPV it will still fill up with half eaten sandwiches, sticky sweets and have seat belts covered in cake! You may still be accused of driving a dull car and potentially suffer from the middle seat syndrome. Bottom line is, you will still have had to compromise!

Advice, Source, Supply and Exchange rydercar.com

Credit: Autocar

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TOP

Marks

Outdoor Yurt Learning

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t seems the outdoor learning theme for young education is still rising in popularity as one Nursery School in Hampshire goes one further in opening the first of its kind to fully care for children in purpose built yurts.

Farley Nursery School, Sparsholt, prides their yurts (one is 30ft in diameter) for not just retreating to on a cold day, but are the only structures that the children have access to, warmed in the winter by log burning stoves.

Since opening the nursery school in two acres a year ago the nursery already has a waiting list of eager parents wanting their child to experience the joys of learning in nature. The nursery has also scooped numerous awards, including Green Business of the year and Innovative Business of the year. Sue Palmer, Principal says: 'We are very proud of our beautiful nursery, and we believe there is not another nursery school like this anywhere in the country. To find out more visit: farleynurseryschool.com

Village, primary, pre prep, private or state we want to know your school news, email: info@countrychild.co.uk

News In Brief  Warminster School is to feature in an ITV documentary to be broadcast in this autumn. Entitled 'A Very Public Education', the two-part series aims "to look beyond the headlines that bluntly compare the academic performance and future prospects of children in the private and public sectors." The U13 cricket team from St Swithun’s School, Winchester have remained undefeated in this season’s Hampshire Schools Girls’ League (Winchester Area). 14 year old gymnast Aimee Antonius from Rookwood School, seizes silver medal for Great Britain. Rookwood Open Day Andover, Hampshire - 24th September Godolphin School, Salisbury, Snapshot Mornings - 9th and 13th October

MEET THE HEAD Jan Nock

Wilton & Barford C.E. V.C. Primary School, Wilton, Salisbury, Wiltshire How long have you been at the school?

I have been at the school since April 2008.

What is the ethos of your school?

We are very inclusive and welcoming school. We believe that every child has a right to succeed in a happy and nurturing school environment. Our mission statement is: Wilton and Barford CE VC Primary School is a welcoming, inclusive community, where everyone is inspired to learn from each other and from the world we share, supported to work through life’s challenges and to grow spiritually and Encouraged to achieve and celebrate the joys of success. Guided by the Christian values of care, respect and trust we recognise and celebrate each other’s unique gifts and strive to ensure that every member of our school reaches their full potential. Supported to Succeed - Encouraged to Excel.

How do you help ensure that every child meets their full potential?

We strive to be an outstanding school that enables children to become independent and successful learners, who enjoy learning, make outstanding progress and fulfill their potential.

Confident individuals that are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives, and are responsible citizens who make positive contributions to society successful and happy and proud to be

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themselves. We achieve this by providing High quality teaching, An engaging, exciting and enriching curriculum A high-achieving, challenging and safe learning environment Opportunities for all children to thrive, succeed and expand their horizons. By promoting the school’ statement I can be upholding the school’s mission statement and core values of care, respect and trust.

What do you find most rewarding about teaching?

It is hard to pick one thing that is the most rewarding thing about my job as such much of it is. I love seeing children learn, whether it be academic, sporting or in the arts. It is a pleasure to see children grow from the very youngest when they first start school to the confident Year 6 students that will be leaving us at the end of the academic year.

What are your own hobbies and interests?

School takes a lot of my free time - it certainly isn’t a 9-3 job! I have 2 children who are now young adults so I like to visit them whenever I can. When I do have free time I love gardening and cooking or reading a good book!

What does the future hold for you and your school?

I am currently studying for a Master’s in Education which I hope to complete in the not too distant future. The school continues to grow and we continue to work hard to ensure that we provide the best primary educational experience for all our current and future children.

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“Student Viewpoint - Trip to Oxford University his Summer, Year 6 went on an exhilarating trip to Oxford University. I learned many things. We started the trip on a 35 seater bus, it took a good 2 hours and I expected the view of Oxford to be interesting. But no, it looked more like London.

Once the bus parked we clambered off and stood in twos, waiting for the professor from the university. When she came, she was riding on a bicycle. She introduced herself she said that her name was Credisa. She then took us to Merton College, while walking to the college she shared some of the interesting history of Oxford. One of them was a cross that was made in the middle of the road. A sign a couple of metres away explained that it was a place where people were burned at the stake for their religion.

This was because a long time ago Oxford couldn’t decide on which religion they wanted to be it kept changing from protestant and catholic.

Once we arrived, I saw a sign saying MERTON COLLEGE. I was a bit confused as we were supposed to go to Oxford University. We got in and it was majestic, the cobbles and walls with moss showed that it was old.

We then went under a bridge, Credisa said to guess what it was, I took a while but was the first to find out, horoscopes! She then stood under our horoscopes. Credisa also said that the archway was built about the same time as the cross. It was also hard to find Scorpio as the stone work was not exactly like a scorpion. She said that the stone mason who made it had no resources to look at.

The only people to know what scorpions look like were people who lived in places which had scorpions. So it didn’t look right.

We then went inside and Credisa properly introduced herself she was an education officer. The first thing she said was that Oxford University does not exist, it’s actually just a group of universities and other academic buildings.

We then learned a bit of Greek, it was quite difficult, but before that we had to guess different things about a student who came to help. There were two students in two groups.

After we had lunch in a hall that looked like Hogwarts, there was a secret door which the people who had done their exams would come through to eat, but a fire door exit sign above it.

After that we continued on with the tour, we saw a large garden that had a few people enjoying the fact that they finished their exams. Once that was done we went outside and went into the library, there is so many books that they had eight floors of shelving underneath. There were doors that had names above them that showed what types of books they are.

We then went to the computer science place, we went up 2 flights of stairs to get to our section. Professor Peter who created a type of ‘game’ that let you type in code. Known as turtle. It was quite fun, the next destination was to the museum, it has many amazing things like dinosaurs that were amazing to the eye.

Unfortunately that was the last stop, we went back to the bus and then it was another 2 hour trip back. I would say it was a day I would remember. Bishal Rai, Salisbury, Year 6

TIME FOR TEA?

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t Swithun’s Junior School pupil Amelia Winward, aged seven from Preston Candover, won a recent competition in aid of the Wessex Haven Breast Cancer Support Centre at Titchfield.

Amelia’s eye-catching ladybird design was the winning teapot design for the charity’s Million Pound Tea Party Campaign to raise money for the Haven’s new Breast Cancer Support Centre. Mrs Jo Longden, the organiser of the Tea Party Campaign came to the school to present Amelia with a gift voucher. St Swithun’s Junior School was also presented with a selection of insect hotels for the new Junior School garden as part of the award. A teapot featuring Amelia’s design will be created and positioned in the new support centre at Titchfield where it will be used to collect donations for the charity when the centre opens in autumn 2015.

Salisbury school wins National 2015 Good Schools Guide Award

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t was announced recently that Leehurst Swan, Salisbury has won two Good Schools Guide Award for girls taking Photography GCSE and ICT GCSE. Leehurst Swan has been presented with these awards by the Good Schools Guide for out-performing all other English schools in its category or displaying excellent performance. The prestigious annual awards, which are in their 8th year, are based on a detailed analysis of the most recent examination results, and are designed to highlight consistently good teaching.

Mr Leake said, 'We are absolutely delighted to be acknowledged in this way for our excellence in photography and ICT two very strong departments in the school. This is a very proud moment for Leehurst Swan pupils and we are sure it will inspire and encourage all pupils who are working towards their GCSE’S.' Ralph Lucas, Editor of The Good Schools Guide, comments, 'Our annual awards scheme is designed to recognise and reward excellence in teaching in every subject area at both GCSE and ALevel or equivalent. Our awards give individual teachers and departments where teaching is at its very best the recognition they deserve'.

The Good Schools Guide Awards are based on a series of calculations which take into account relative popularity and performance of the subject, absolute performance, and percentage of pupils taking the subject. The Good Schools Guide is the largest independent guide to UK schools. The celebratory hard-back 20th Edition is available and contains 1100 good schools across both the independent and state sectors. It is available from good book shops or online at goodschoolsguide.co.uk

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NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS

OPEN for Business A real family affair...

Tracey Mepham Photography launches new portraits photography company in Andover, Hampshire - Paloma Lily florist from Wilton, Wiltshire, launches another shop in Salisbury - Brockenhurst Estate Agents in Wiltshire get a visit from craft queen Kirsty Allsop! - Little Hampshire move premise to Kenyons Yard, Andover - Dorthe Thomas launches new stunning skincare range - Slingtastic opens new store in Wilton Shopping Village - Builders PF Parsons Ltd of Hindon celebrate 30 years in business! - New owners Sally and Lucy take over the popular and hugely successful clothing brand BonnieUk, manufacturers of pure British lambswool jumpers and cardigan - ECM Joinery of Whitchurch expand to provide new bespoke furniture sourcing service and vintage shabby chic homewares

Award Winning La Jolie Ronde

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ichard and Zoe Hawkins run one of Overton’s busiest independent premises in the bustling village and have done so for a respectful 20 years! Moving to Overton in 1994, only a year later they were launching a picture framing business, Overton Gallery, guided by Richard’s skilful hand, to then add on the tea rooms and gift shop a short time later.

The mix of businesses works well to display Richard’s range of frames and pictures for sale (no better than the eclectic w.c), along with other gifts and houseware such as Emma Bridgewater pottery.

As much of the served produce as possible is grown on site in their pretty cottage garden that frames a beautiful courtyard seating area in Summer and for the Winter months there is a cosy and warm fire lit tearoom. Both seating areas allow you to browse the gifts from afar meaning you can rarely leave just having had a coffee (always in favour of an impromptu purchase!).

To celebrate the success of the firm family favourite, Richard and Zoe are offering the opportunity for one lucky reader to win a pair of vouchers for their highly acclaimed paint courses (value £90.00).

All you have to do is visit the shop to pick up your raffle ticket. The winner will be announced at the shop’s famous evening Christmas Party on 11 Nov where the winning ticket will be drawn by a local celebrity. Complimentary bubbles will be served and the chance to browse some early Christmas gifts, decorations and bargains. To find out more visit: overtongallery.co.uk

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arlier in the year the 'What's on for Juniors' Award Programme asked parents and children across the UK to nominate their favourite after-school and weekend activities. The Awards are now into their 9th year and saw La Jolie Ronde beat 3 other activities to scoop the award!

La Jolie Ronde has taught early language learning offering both French and Spanish classes to nursery and primary aged children, throughout the UK and Ireland, for over 30 years. The La Jolie Ronde methodology of language teaching includes immersion in French and Spanish from the very beginning, lots of repetition from week to week introducing the target language through fun games, songs and activities.

Louise Banbury, a fluent French and Italian speaker with a degree in French, Italian and European Studies from Edinburgh runs French classes at Lingo Wings for 5-12 year olds in the Andover area said "We are absolutely delighted to win this Award for the 2nd year running. It makes it even more special as it’s the parents and children who have voted for us. Learning a second language comes easily to very young children therefore it is the ideal time to familiarise them with the sounds and patterns of a new language and culture.

My classes, which will start again from September, are designed to encourage a positive approach to language learning and the emphasis isn’t on reading and writing the language but on speaking, repetition and simply having fun therefore the children are much more happy, relaxed and better at imitating sounds and pronunciation.” she added.

Louise Banbury left her job as a lobbyist in London and Brussels last year after having her first baby and decided to pass on her passion for languages to the next generation which led her to set up Lingo Wings last autumn. Classes available in Hampshire, check out: lajolieronde.co.uk

LA DI DA, Shabby Chic Store - UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

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he popular shop stocking, homeware, gifts, treats, garden ornaments and the brilliant Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, has been bought by Andover resident and corporate businesswoman, Stephanie Briggs.

Nicola Pumfrey opened the shop four years ago but has decided to spend more time with her young family selling on the shop to Stephanie who has a handy design degree, Stephanie said: “I am looking forward to combining my passion for design with business and continuing to grow the ‘La di da’ brand in Andover and online. The shop is a little gem, full of gorgeous things for home and garden. My husband and I are passionate about Andover and developing the presence of the store even further. We’re very excited about the future – Andover has a very traditional retail feel, and we want to help and develop that even further. We’re so grateful for the customers who love what we do, and plan to bring even more fabulous items to the store.”

As the exclusive Annie Chalk Paint™ stockist for the area, the store also runs paint technique workshops and now offer a furniture sourcing service too. ladida-andover.com

Have I done enough to prepare her?

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s this a question about your daughter you can relate to?

Claire Cairns is a personal development specialist who believes that an academic education alone is no guarantee of a fulfilled and emotionally resilient child. Claire says: "I want to live in a world where mums are empowered to teach their daughters the skills needed to cope in times of adversity. A world where girls grow up feeling comfortable in their own skin and with a true understanding of who they really are, with a healthy self esteem. I don’t believe there’s enough of ‘the right kind of support’ out there for us mums."

That’s why Claire has started a new business called Personalessence. Through workshops and 1:1 programmes, Personalessence aims to help mums prepare her daughter emotionally for her teens. Personalessence also works in schools delivering workshops and 1:1 coaching programmes for young girls. Chat to Claire at personalessence.co.uk

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ason Crew, of Crews car Sales, formerly in Blandford is now based at Five Square Motors on the A30 from Salisbury just outside Shaftesbury. He has a great selection of cars to suit any budget and with the knowledgeable and reliable team at Five Square on hand this is a one stop shop for all your motoring needs whether it be servicing, MOTs, repairs or just advice, you can’t fault Steve, Barry and now Jason for their expertise and customer service. crews-ford.co.uk fivesquaremotors.boschauto.co.uk

All great brands need to have a registered trade mark!

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brand is more than the name or its logo, it is about the quality of service and how it makes your customers feel. A great brand sets you apart from your competitors and generates money for your business.

To protect the goodwill in your brand name and business you can register the name, logo or slogan as a trade mark. Here are three good reasons why you should secure a trade mark:  It proves your ownership: A trade mark is an intellectual property right and registration grants the exclusive right to you to use the mark for the goods and/or services that it is registered for. Brands that are recognised increase in value and are an increasingly valuable asset.  It saves you money and gives you legal protection: The ® symbol next to your brand name will put others off using your name. If it does not put them off you can take legal action against them. By not registering your mark you may have an expensive legal battle ahead of you if someone else uses your brand. You may even lose customers to the copycat brand.  It gives you peace of mind: Knowing that you own your brand name makes it easier to sleep at night. As long as your trade mark registration is valid, you will not be forced to rebrand.

Dale Campbell is a European trade mark attorney and the founder of TrademarkTribe.com a trade mark advice and registration company that helps companies to protect their brand.

A GUIDE TO: Tax & Property

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ising property values, combined with rents at a record high and low mortgage rates, have made property an appealing investment option. Buy-to-let property can provide you with an income and possible capital growth in the long term.

HMRC views letting out a property as a business like any other, which means all landlords must pay tax on the profits they make – after costs. Called “allowable expenses” and they cover a broad range of items.

Here is a guide to the expenses you can claim for your buy-to-let property.

Mortgage interest - You can use the interest you pay on your mortgage each year to offset your tax bill.

Currently landlords can claim relief at their personal tax rate.

Mortgage fees - Broker and arrangement fees are tax deductible and can be claimed back in the year you arranged a mortgage. However this is also likely to be restricted to the basic tax rate when the changes to mortgage interest relief come into effect.

Letting agent fees - If you choose to employ an agent to find a tenant or manage your property, you’ll probably pay a percentage of rental income in fees.

Securing a tenant - You can claim back the cost of advertising for tenants, purchasing a tenancy agreement, credit checking, referencing, deposit protection and professional inventory costs.

Buildings and contents insurance premiums - Specialist landlord insurance will cover the building, your liability as a landlord and loss of rent Maintenance and repairs - Any money you spend keeping the property in a good state of repair is tax deductible. While you cannot claim for renovations, extensions or improvements that add value to the property, you can offset expenses to correct wear and tear.

Furniture - You can claim the exact cost of replacing furniture in the property. This only applies to existing furniture – not furnishing it in the first place.

Ground rent and service - Service charges are common in blocks of flats. You can also claim back any on-site services such as gardening and electrical costs.

Council tax and utility bills - You can claim council tax or utility bills. You can also claim these costs when there is no tenant living in the property.

Others - Other direct costs of letting the property such as accountancy fees, printing and stationery, phone calls and the costs of travelling between different properties for the purposes of the rental business can also be claimed.

As a landlord you must submit a self-assessment tax return each year. Always keep receipts and other proof of payments. If HMRC decides to raise an inquiry it will want to see written proof of all the costs you have claimed.

If you would like any more information on the accounting and tax implications relating to property matters please feel free to get in touch.

Best Wishes, Sarah Robinson

38 Bridge Street, Andover SP10 1BW 01264 324103 sarah@oaktreebm.co.uk

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DIY Dad Builds a climbing frame

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he climbing frame was born out of a desire to provide more outside play opportunities for our three year old son. The original plan was to build two wooden towers with a bridge between.

This grand structure would have provided excellent play opportunities, but rather unfortunately, would have required potentially expensive planning permission. The main issue being the height of the raised platforms.

Working within permitted development, the revised plan still provides lots of play opportunities and can be adapted to grow with our son as his play styles and physical capabilities develop.

The structure was built from simple, standard sized timber, purchased from a local FSC & PEFC accredited supplier, ATF Supplies in Hampshire. The A-frame legs and top rails are 75mm x 75mm x 2.4m fence posts. The rest of the structure including the supports, ladder and climbing wall are made from lengths cut from 87mm x 38mm x 3.0m rails.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to remember that wood is natural and thus, a very variable material. Perfectly straight and square timber comes at a price. I therefore over ordered allowing for selection and the possibility of a few mistakes along the way. Rejects can always be used in other projects.

The plan called for the A-frames to be based upon an equilateral triangle as this would be the strongest for the design. Equilateral triangles have sides of equal length and the internal angles are all 60 degrees.

Building the A-frames was the most complicated and time consuming part of the build. After selecting the straightest timber with the fewest knots, the A-frames were first laid out on the ground after cutting the tops of the legs at 30 degrees. This cut provides the correct angle for the triangle and provides a good surface to grip the top rail. The two supports were then screwed into place. The

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height of the bottom support was set to allow our son to move freely under the structure without fear of hitting his head for a few years. The top support was positioned to support the top rail from underneath. This was all held by screws initially. Then after the structure had been built and checked for level and square, the screws in the structural joints between the top rails and the apex of the A-frame; and the A-frame supports, were all replaced using threaded bar nuts and nuts recessed for finish. Additional support and bracing was added where necessary. Also, the bottoms of the A-frame legs where not cut to be flush to the ground. They were left as is, so they dig into the ground providing additional strength.

Whilst all of the cuts could have been made using a hand saw, a sliding compound mitre saw made short work of cutting duties and allowed the project to be finished in just a couple of days. Purchasing a new mitre saw could be seen as extravagant, but it is an investment in a tool that will provide a lifetime of service.

The monkey bars were built from lengths of broom handle, secured in holes cut into rails with a hole saw.

The climbing net was supplied by South West Play of Penzance, Cornwall. The rope ladder and swing are from Tesco. The climbing wall holds are off-cuts and the rope is an old tow rope that was donated by grandparents (as was some very welcome assistance).

Fun, enjoyment and satisfying evidence of a job well done are provided by our son.

P.F. Parsons - Logo Sample Sheet 8

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Renowned for Building Quality

YEARS OF BUSINESS

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info@pfparsons.co.uk

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Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th October 2015 Breamore House Nr Fordingbridge SP6 2DF

...in our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Celebrating traditional and contemporary rural life with woodcrafts, woodland produce and all kinds of entertainment in a magical Elizabethan setting; and you are invited!

A full day out for the whole family: great fun, great food, masses to do and discover. £10 per adult, £2 per child and just £22 for a family of five (2 adults and 3 kids)

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20% discount for pre-event tickets call: 01749 814088 or email: woodfair@bradsons.co.uk @CranborneChaseAONB

48Organised by the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

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