Town & Village Life Magazine - September by Jonathon

TOWn & VILLAGE LIFE Magazine

September/October 2015

TOWN & VILLAG E

Win a Sadler’s Brewery tour for two including lunch and real ale Win tickets for Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World at The Grand Theatre Win a meal for two at Bravaccio’s

LIFE MA GA Z INE

September/Oc tober 2015

Delivered to areas of: Hagley, West Hagley, Stourbridge, Pedmore, Oldswinford, Norton, Wollaston, Amblecote, Wordsley, Kingswinford, Lawnswood, Wall Heath, Kinver, Bobbington, Heathton, Stourton, Enville, Swindon, Himley and Sedgley

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Hello Readers, No-one loves a party pooper and traditionally September is just that. Skulking about at the end of summer like an unwanted chaperone on a great night out; kicking its heels and marking time until the clocks go back in October. Our holidays are now behind us; the kids are heading back to school; and the weather is beginning to turn its back on sun. But don’t let September sound the death knell for fun. We’ve got 116 pages full of reasons why this time of year needn’t let you down. Check out Louise Presley-Turner’s tips on how to master your mood. Do your bit for a good cause by taking part in Promise Dreams’ Walk for Dreams. Indulge your home with our local advertisers, they have all sorts in store – everything from soft furnishings and furniture to kitchens and bathrooms to electrical appliances and garden furniture from Hillcrest. We’ve even plunged into giving you the what’s what on hot tubs. Nothing does more for keeping spirits up than good grub, so foodies among you will enjoy our restaurant review at Sir Jack’s, Molineux, as well as our Meet The Boss feature on Wombourne Tandoori kingpin, Rafique Miah. And there are competitions up for grabs at The Windsor Castle, Lye and Bravaccio’s, Tettenhall. Feel the need to pamper yourself? Then read all about newly awarded Clarins’ Salon of the Year, Beauty Rooms in Wall Heath. Or check out Wollaston Beauty Clinic’s finest and nails from Scratch. And then study up on the latest fashion from Diffusion. We have a wedding section too. And now you’re feeling brighter, spare a thought for our four-legged friends as you read up on what’s bugging them at this time of year, according to Blacks Vets. So there you have it: something to cheer all us creatures, great and small. Enjoy your read...

Geoff

TOWN & VILLAGE

LIFE M AGA Z I N E

Contents Malvern – Still sparkling

Louise Presley Turner – Life Coach

New look for Kinver 10k run

Eating out in Grand Central

Author returns to terrify audiences at Kinver Library

Win a meal for 2 at Bravaccio’s

Crosswords & Puzzles

Stourbridge Rugby Club

Recipe of the month

Home interiors

Kinver music festival

Grand Theatre competition

Gardening with Ann Winwood

Walk the walk and make a dream come true

A tale about ale - Sadlers ale competition

56/57

Exciting times ahead at the vineyards

Food review at Sir Jack’s

60/61

Meet the boss

Weddings – getting the show on the road

Beauty – Get gorgeous glowing skin

Women’s fashion

88/89

Education and Schooling

Town & Village Life Magazine Ltd Lytham Rd, Perton, Wolverhampton, WV6 7YY Tel: 01902 744217 www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Social Scene

102 108/109

Volkswagen Golf – simply the best

111

Answers to Crossword & Puzzles

112

Advertising enquiries

Class of one – Jeep Cherokee

114

Editorial/What’s On information

Congratulations to:

Email: sales@townandvillagelifemag.co.uk Gisella Wiley - Sales Director Email: info@townandvillagelifemag.co.uk Geoff Hall - Editor Magazine design: Studio 28 (www.s28.co.uk) We gratefully acknowledge the support of businesses whose adverts appear in Town & Village Life magazine and whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, The Publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or omission caused by error in the printing of an advert or editorial. All artwork is accepted on strict condition that permission has been given for use in this publication. Adverts are accepted on the understanding that descriptions of goods and services are fair and accurate. Town & Village Life magazine does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise without the prior consent of Town & Village Life magazine Ltd.

Winners of the Cosford Food Festival Competition Mrs Jenny Wilkinson, Heathton Mrs Sylvia Butler, Stourbridge Miss Louise Taylor, Brierley Hill Winner of the Royston Blythe Competition Mrs Gillian Moreton, Hagley Winners of West Midlands Safari and Leisure Park Competition Miss Margy Henderson, Stourbridge Mrs Lorraine Williams, Stourton Mr Trevor Jones, Stourbridge

*Total distribution 15,500 copies bi-monthly

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

By Rob Taylor

Still

S pa r k l i n g

I have to smile every time I buy a bottle of water from the shops.

This simple act evokes memories of conversations from long ago with my grandfather, who was always at pains to point out the folly in paying for something that is freely available from the kitchen tap. Assertions such as, “there’s nothing wrong with the council pop” and “buying that is just plain daft – what’s next: bottled air for sale at Tesco’s?” live long in my memory. From time to time I endeavoured to counter his argument, espousing some marketing cobblers from off the side of the bottle, but he was always on to me in seconds:

on flowing. However, the notion of drinking water from the bottle is not a modern fad by any means, and has in fact been going on for hundreds of years. And there is one local hotspot with which bottled mineral water is synonymous: Malvern. And it is of course – to paraphrase Del Boy – one hundred percent pukka! According to the Holywell Malvern Spring website, ‘The Holywell Spring in the Malvern Hills is the original source of bottled water in the UK. In 1622, monks at Great Malvern Priory captured the water for the benefit of the town’s elderly and infirm.’ For years it has been a popular drink within the British Royal family, ever since Queen Victoria came across it at the Royal Exhibition. From then on she refused to travel without it and today Queen Elizabeth II does exactly the same. Even her illustrious namesake, Queen Elizabeth I, enjoyed the wealth of minerals found in Malvern mineral water, which owes itself to the preCambrian granite rock that makes up the Malvern Hills. In fact Malvern was just a little sleepy hollow, until two doctors, James Wilson and James Manby Gully, who, while studying hydrotherapy in 1842, sought out natural pure water sites in England. From then on Great Malvern in Worcestershire grew rapidly as a spa town with therapeutic qualities being attributed to its ‘holy springs’, following the Georgian fancy of “taking the waters” and later the Victorian obsession with “the water cure.”

“The natural underground filtration process ensures a far superior purity”, I’d say. He, the retired hydro geochemist, would retort: “The Drinking Water Inspectorate regulates mains water, while it’s up to local authorities to watch over bottled water plants and I wouldn’t trust them lot as far as I could throw em.” “But”, I’d continue, “this water has been around for thousands of years….” “Then”, he’d interrupt, “why is there an expiration date on the bottle then?” I’ll never forget the day we sat down to watch an episode of Only Fools and Horses, wherein the irrepressibly entrepreneurial Del Boy, in pursuit of his millionaire dreams, came up with the idea of bottling tap water and selling it as the exclusive ‘Peckham Spring’.

In 1756 Dr John Wall tested the water and famously declared that there’s “just nothing in it at all’; he was, of course, referring to the sheer force of the Malvern Hills as a great purifier, able to strip away any and all impurities. No doubt by subverting Wall’s assertion to his pragmatic and cynical ends, my grandfather would agree.

And this is no longer just comedy gold as, in the gold rush to grab a piece of what is today the world’s best selling soft drink – more people buy bottled water than fruit juice or fizzy drinks – some supermarkets are now selling ‘still water’, alongside popular mineral water brands, that actually comes straight from the tap. Last year in the UK we swigged 2.6 billion litres of bottled water and the craze only seems likely to keep 04

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Savers are confused by a new tax rule that came into effect in April. This lets you earn up to £5,000 in savings interest without paying any tax. But how much of this allowance you can claim depends on the source of your income as it is split between your savings and nonsavings income.

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Those whose salary, pension or other non-savings income totals more than £15,600 (£15,660 if you were born April 6th 1938) can’t claim the special tax break. But you can get it if your total income from savings is below this level. Depending on your salary, you can register as a nontaxpayer or claim back some of the tax to be automatically deducted from your savings. Which you do depends on the split between your savings and non-savings income. To work out which category you’re in add up your total non-

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town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

non-taxpayer with your bank or building society. For example, if you earn £3,000 before tax in interest from your savings and £7,000 from your pension, your total income is £10,000 or £600 less than the personal allowance. In this case you are deemed a non-taxpayer. You can also register to have interest paid before tax if your non-savings income breaches the £10,600 (£10,660) limit but after adding in your savings income you don’t go over the £15,600 limit. For example if your salary is £11,000 and your savings £3,000 (a total of £14,000) you are under the limit. To get the interest paid before tax is deducted fill in form R85 which is available from banks or building societies. They will automatically deduct 20% tax if you don’t. Fill in a separate R85 for each of your taxable accounts. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that one form will cover your easy-access account and the fixed-rate bonds you hold with the same bank. If your savings interest is in a joint account the interest is typically split 50/50 by the taxman. If you are both non-taxpayers you both need to fill in a R85. If one of you is a taxpayer but the other is not check to see whether your bank or building society allows you to receive half after tax and half before. If not you will have to reclaim the tax from HM Revenue & Customs. If the sum of your savings and non-savings limit is higher than £15,600 the socalled “starting rate for savings limit” you can’t register as a non-taxpayer. However you can claim back some tax as long as your non-savings income is not higher than £15,600. For example, with £2,000 savings interest plus your £14,000 pension, your total income is £16,000 but you still have £1,600 (£15,600 minus £14,000) to use up in the starting rate for savings limit. So you can claim back the tax paid on £1,600 of your savings income or £320 (20 per cent of £1,600) www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

If your pension is £15,600 and savings interest £400 you can’t reclaim any tax. THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENT AND THE INCOME FROM IT CAN GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP AND YOU MAY NOT GET BACK THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT INVESTED. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT A RELIABLE INDICATOR FOR FUTURE RESULTS. LEVELS, BASES AND RELIEFS FROM TAXATION ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND THEIR VALUE DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE INVESTOR. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT AS TO THE SUITABILITY OF AN INVESTMENT.

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Self care

in a manic world The modern world is a manic place, juggling family life with work, keeping on top of the housework, the endless barrage of paperwork, not to mention keeping up to date with technology! There are so many things that demand our time and attention. And very often it leaves very little time for getting our own needs met. But, putting ourselves second serves no one as it can lead to burnout and ill health. In fact, you could say that not looking after yourself is actually irresponsible. Taking care of yourself benefits not only you, but also everyone around you. You will be a better mother/father, daughter/son, friend or colleague when you make time to get your own needs met on a regular basis.

So ask yourself… ‘How am I neglecting my own needs right now?’

quota and if not, set two evenings a week where you have an early night. It will make all the difference.

Look after your body.

Try these five simple steps to implement a personal self care plan into your life.

Take time alone. Whilst different people have varying degrees of introversion and extroversion, having time alone is so important. It’s your opportunity to retreat from the noisy world, albeit for a few minutes a day. Create just a few moments of silence in your day and you will notice very quickly that you will become a much more peaceful and calm person. Silence is a wonderful healer as it allows our mind the space to reflect, to think and to find solutions to our problems. Creating just a little bit of silence in your day can create miracles in your life. Action: Try listening to a short relaxation or meditation audio for five minutes a day for the next two weeks.

Create an appointment with yourself. Each week make an appointment with yourself. Write it in your diary and give it the same importance you would a dental appointment or a meeting at work. You are just as important! Each week decide what you’d like to do, maybe take yourself out for lunch, take a walk in nature, go shopping or just curl up on the sofa with a good book. Action: Get into the routine of giving yourself this precious time each week and let nothing get in the way. Get your diary out right now and make an appointment with yourself!

The simple fact is this; if you don’t look after your body you will have nowhere to live! Fill up your fuel tank so that you have the energy to live your life to the full. Action: Take time to moisturise your skin, get your hair cut often, eat fresh fruit and veg, take an exercise class or have a regular healing treatment. Keep your body strong and healthy. Remember, a healthy body leads to a healthy mind.

Buy yourself a gift each month. Each month put a little money aside to buy yourself something nice - a bunch of flowers, some new shoes, a new lipstick or a fancy new cushion. Don’t wait for someone else to treat you (you might be waiting a while), make it a priority to treat yourself every month! Retail therapy can be good for us as it releases those mood-lifting endorphins. So don’t deprive yourself, buy yourself something each month guilt free and enjoy it! Action: Set up a savings pot and when you get paid transfer an amount (however big or small) over automatically. Each month you must spend this money on yourself!

The power of sleep. Are you getting enough zeds or are you among the many millions who unwittingly shortchange themselves on sleep each night. Sleep is vital to our wellbeing and not getting enough quickly leads to burnout. It makes us moody, it affects our memory and ability to think straight and it weakens our immune system. Not getting enough sleep is vital to your vitality. Action: Make sure you’re getting your full 10

Louise Presley-Turner is a Personal Growth Expert and Author of two books. Louise’s unique style of coaching has produced some amazing results, helping people to define their goals and turn their lives around with amazing success. Get your FREE life evaluator and life planner now.

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town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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New look for Kinver

10k run The annual 10k run (and its associated 2k fun run) organised by the Rotary Club of Kinver is to have a new look – it is to start and finish in the magnificent grounds of Enville Hall, and it is to include an off-road section through the grounds of the Enville Estate.

The course will therefore remain challenging, including the usual Kinver district hills, which have featured in the previous on-road only events that have raised well over £30,000 for the Action Heart charity, since the first run in 2007.

Pensnett accident repair centre BodyKraft is again the main sponsor of the entire event, but a number of other local businesses are also giving support. For the first time the 2k race is being organised in conjunction with the Kinver Fitness Collective and will be a fun run for all abilities and ages and cover the first section of the senior course.

and granting us access to the grounds and the estate lands will bring an exciting new feel to the run. Furthermore, the fact that the new route includes off road sections will add another dimension which we hope will appeal to additional runners.”

This year’s event is being held on Sunday, 4th October with entry available via the action heart website www.actionheartrunning.com

John Gillett, chairman of the organising committee, is hoping the new look to the races will attract even more runners than in previous years. He says: “We are indebted to Peter and Diana Williams for allowing us to use the grounds of Enville Hall as our base for the event. “They have been constant supporters of the club since it was founded 30 years ago

L/R: Peter Williams, Andy Sheppard, John Gillett, Mike Pugh

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town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Dream. Plan. Create. with

Country Baskets Dream, plan, create with Country Baskets, and be inspired by our fantastic range of products.

Country Baskets are the UK’s largest wholesaler of floristry supplies and artificial flowers and are home to a large range of wedding, craft, home and gardenware. We also specialise in a wide range of Christmas, Halloween and seasonal products. Join for free. We have 8 stores nationwide where everyone is welcome! We also regularly hold fantastic in-store demonstrations

and interactive workshops to help develop your crafting and floristry skills, see below to find out what’s coming up in our Stourbridge store.

Country Baskets’ Events: 12th September Wedding Workshop with Julie Pearson (Booking required) 27th September Craft Sunday 11-2pm (free event, no booking required) 11th October Christmas Demonstration with Heidi Lawley 11-2pm (free event, no booking required) 15th November Christmas Extravaganza with James Billington 11-2pm (free event, no booking required)

Our new trend-led Christmas range will be in all stores from the middle of September, giving you plenty of time to get organised! Revolving around 6 new and exciting trends, the Christmas collection aims to inspire and ensure you are feeling festive. Traditional Christmas colours are a favourite for all, for warm reds and rich golds see our classic range, Treasured Moments. Destined to be a favourite with all who enjoy cosy winter nights; Highland Christmas, including the earthy tones of dark green and brown. An array of crafted Christmas accessories to

perfectly accompany fur throws and log-burning fires. Our most magical theme is Swan Lake. Drawing inspiration from the famous ballet, the image of a winter sunrise over a frozen lake depicts the delicate yet luxurious colour palette of this trend. All of our Christmas 2015 themes are guaranteed to impress, so pop into your local Stourbridge store to take a look. Country Baskets, Gibbs Road, Stourbridge DY9 8SY Tel: 01384 896 888 Tweet us at @countrybaskets Find inspiration on instagram @country_baskets To register for a membership card or to shop online visit: www.countrybaskets.co.uk

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

For advice, ideas and inspiration www.countrybaskets.co.uk

Arificial Flowers Wedding Homeware e n o y r e Ev Craft Welcome! Visit your local store in Stourbridge! Gibbs Road, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY9 8SY Any questions? Call 01384 896 888

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Here’s a taster of what’s to come from six Grand Central eateries: Pho - Pho offers authentic Vietnamese street food restaurant that specialises in the national dish of Vietnam (pho noodle soups). The delicious and nutritious rice noodle soups alongside various Vietnamese street-food inspired dishes and refreshing beverages including their signature ‘Phojito’.

‘ E ating out ’ in

Grand Central In the new Grand Central Birmingham there is no shortage of dining options to satisfy any appetite with twenty restaurants and cafés to choose from.

Situated above the transformed New Street Station, Grand Central offers a premium shopping and dining destination surrounding a stunning atrium interior creating the perfect place to meet with friends and family. As the newest retail development in Birmingham, Grand Central welcomes its first customers with an array of exciting restaurants – many new to the region. Popular outlets such as Pho, Caffe Concerto, Square Pie, Tapas Revolution and Tortilla are opening for the first time in the city, most currently only found in London and the South-east.

These new dining outlets, among others, join regional restaurant chain, Handmade Burger Company to spoil commuters and shoppers with dining choices. These eateries offer cuisine stretching across the globe from Asia to Europe providing a diverse range of food choices for any customer. There are also several local independent eateries joining Grand Central including Cocomacs, a premium bakery selling freshly baked coconut macaroons and, YakiNori providing a contemporary twist on Japanese fast food. Alongside finer dining, Grand Central also offers on the go refreshments from cafes such as Fuel Juice and Crepe Affaire. These quick bite options stem those cravings as you peruse the numerous premium fashion retailers and the new anchor John Lewis department store.

Tapas Revolution - A contemporary Spanish tapas bar inspired by founder Omar’s personal interpretation of the lively and bustling tapas bars from his hometown of Madrid. Tortilla - Tortilla provides eat in or take away fantastic Californiastyle burritos and tacos, providing an exciting dining option that is fresh, authentic and fantastic value for money. Caffé Concerto - At Caffé Concerto we provide our customers with the leisure of enjoying fresh homemade products made from the best ingredients supplied by leading companies in the world. Grand Central Caffe Concerto will be serving items such as Cakes, Pastries, Baguettes, Focaccia, Wraps and homemade Sandwich’s Handmade Burger Company - Handmade Burger Company are famous for their award winning burgers made with great, fresh food and only the finest ingredients. With over 40 varieties made from scratch you can tailor it just the way you want it! Crepe Affaire - Crepe Affaire offers a healthy alternative to traditional fast food through their freshly baked sweet and savoury crepes. Fuel Juice - Fuel Juice provides a selection of healthy, fat free, fruit power smoothies and freshly squeezed super juices. YakiNori - A Japanese noodle & bento bar serving noodles, bento, ramen, sushi, okonamiyaki, teriyaki and Katsu dishes

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Author

A.G. Smith

returns to terrify audiences at Kinver Library

Following two sell-out shows at Kinver library, acclaimed fantasy and horror author A.G.Smith will be performing a terrifying new reading on the 27th October. ‘Kinver library is very special to me as it is my local library. I feel very sad that it will soon lose its dedicated librarians and become community managed. Librarians are skilled professionals and without them the essence of the library is lost. The idea of generations of children growing up without a properly managed library is very sad, and there is a real danger that Kinver library will close completely.’

A.G.Smith has been writing since his childhood and his work has been praised by bestselling authors Cathy Rentzenbrink, Ian Thornton, Anthony Horowitz, G.P Taylor and Miranda Dickinson. He works with Young Offenders in local prisons to engage them with reading and writing and this aspect of his work has been showcased on BBC Radio 4 and Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire programme. In 2015 he was invited to Buckingham Palace in celebration of his work with the National Literacy Trust and the Man Booker Foundation on the groundbreaking ‘Books Unlocked’ project.

‘I have a passion for Gothic horror stories and for classic horror movies from the 1930s up to the late 1970s. I also love the atmosphere I get from the audience during the show. I have heard people screaming with terror. I think people have forgotten the power of spoken word. This is the oldest form of entertainment, and my stories will try to take you back to memories of sitting around a campfire and someone telling you a spooky story.’ Be warned, A.G.Smith’s stories are not recommended for children or the faint-hearted.

Although better known for his fantasy trilogy ‘Harvester of the Now’ A.G.Smith’s horror stories have become widely popular and his yearly tours sell out very quickly.

A.G. Smith will be reading at Kinver library on Tuesday 27th October from 7pm – 9.30pm. Refreshments will be provided. If you feel brave enough, please reserve a ticket on: 01384 872348 For more information about A.G. Smith please visit: www.harvesterofthenow.com or you can follow him on Twitter: @harvesterOTnow

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Case Study – Colin & Jeanette

A FABULOUS

NEW BATHROOM AND WET ROOM

When Colin and Jeanette decided to update their bathroom, they came directly to Roman Bathrooms, which had been recommended to them on numerous occasions by both friends and tradesmen.

The bathroom at their home in Tettenhall was full of potential, but its fittings were outdated, with an old fashioned chest of drawers shrinking the space, and wallpaper that didn’t fit the aesthetic the couple wanted for their house.

However, the couple’s favourite feature is their wet room, which they say adds an extra touch of luxury.

When they called Caroline and the team, they were hoping for a modern design at a reasonable price, which Jeanette says is exactly what they got.

Caroline also installed recessed mirrors and cupboards to give the couple more space, a welcome change from the cumbersome chest of drawers in the previous bathroom.

“From the first visit, Caroline was fantastic,” enthuses Jeanette. “She knew exactly what we were looking for and was able to give us a timescale and quote so we knew what to expect.” Much to Jeanette’s delight, the first thing to go was the wallpaper, to be replaced with top quality tiling from floor to ceiling. To complement the tiles, Caroline used glass panelling and strategically placed lighting, which kept the modernity of the style soft enough for a bathroom environment. 20

“We love the wetroom!” exclaims Jeanette. “It suits our tastes down to the ground, and really makes the room come together.”

“The team were fabulous, an absolute joy to work with,” says Jeanette. “We are absolutely thrilled with the end result, it’s just lovely, and everyone from Caroline to the fitters were excellent to work with,” she adds. “We have our dream bathroom, and there’s been zero hassle in its creation – I’d recommend Roman to anyone.” Roman Bathrooms 110 - 111 High Street, Blackheath, Rowley Regis, West Midlands B65 0EG Tel: 0121 561 4374 info@romanbathrooms.co.uk

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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110 - 111 High Street, Blackheath B65 0EG Telephone 0121 561 4374 • email info@romanbathrooms.co.uk

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Win a meal for two at This month we have teamed up with Bravaccio’s, Tettenhall, to give one lucky reader the chance to win a meal for two from ‘Bully’s Mid-week Hat trick Special menu’ including a bottle of house wine. Bravaccio's Italian restaurant on Upper Green Tettenhall is scoring with diners. As well as retaining

its core Italian menu, Bravaccio’s (loosely meaning ‘bully’s' in Italian) has diversified into offering more traditional English dishes, including a Sunday Roast starting at only £6.95 and 3 course mid-week specials menu costing just £11.95.

Already such a firm favourite with the restaurant’s regular customers, Sunday lunch is strictly a must-book-in-advance event. There’s also 20% off the a la carte menu on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

For reservations, please call: 01902 756052. 4a Upper Green, Tettenhall. www.bravaccios.co.uk

To enter simply answer the following question:

What does Bravaccio's loosely mean in Italian? Email your answer including your name, address and telephone number to: info@townandvillagelifemag.co.uk or on a postcard to Town & Village Life Magazine, 1 Lytham Road, Perton, Wolverhampton WV6 7YY. Entries to be received by Friday 2nd October 2015 Competition Terms and Conditions Winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries received and informed by telephone. To enter you must be aged 21 years or older. No cash or alternative prize will be given. Prize valid Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings subject to availability. Prize to be redeemed by Thursday 19th November 2015. All entries will be forwarded to Bravaccio’s unless requested otherwise.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Something new

cooking in the kitchen Local entrepreneur Mitchell Smith has invested more than £100,000 into setting up a new kitchen fitting business in Brierley Hill. Mitchell, a former pupil at Ellowes Hall School, has launched Black Country Kitchens to offer customers bespoke design and installation services and access to more than 60 kitchens across its classical, contemporary and painted ranges. The fully qualified carpenter has teamed up with sales manager Bob Peters to equip a 1750 sq. metre showroom on the Delph Road Industrial Estate and has set himself the target to achieve £175,000 turnover in the first year, with a three-year business plan that will see it grow to £500,000 by 2017, with the possibility of a second showroom A host of special offers are in place to celebrate the launch and, as part of its commitment to sourcing locally, each customer will receive a complimentary ‘Black Country Hamper’ of local delicacies including beers from Batham’s and Holden’s breweries, traditional pork scratchings, black pudding and faggots. Mitchell says “We are proud of our Black Country roots so wanted to highlight this with these hampers, which give an insight into some of the finest food and drink from the local area.”

customised to make the most of available space or to add that extra special finishing touch. A virtual gallery is currently being developed for the new website and this will complement the Brierley Hill showroom, which is open six days per week and late evenings by appointment. Bob continued: “We can look after anything from a kitchen for a small flat to a large suite for a country home, we’re looking for the client that wants something a bit special and this will be reflected in the level of customer service we provide. Clients will only be dealing with either Mitchell or myself, and we will be working directly with them on the project, from initial design through to installation and after care support.” He concluded: “There will be no national call centers to tie you in knots, we just want you to love what we do and how you’ve been looked after… that will be our objective”.

“With this local approach we want to give people an alternative to the big companies who often give faceless service and generic ‘off the shelf’ kitchens,” explained Mitchell, who also owns Smith Carpentry Services. “Customers are bored with the same old flat pack ranges and are looking to increasingly add their own touches and have more of an influence over the design. This is where we really come into our own.” He continued: “Our designer – Bob Peters – has more than 20 years experience in producing bespoke fitted kitchens and, using 3D modeling, will work with you to come up with options that match your exact requirements. When the design is completed our experienced fitters will install efficiently at a time that suits you. Black Country Kitchens work closely with a number of leading kitchen manufacturers, including Burbidge, Bella, TKC and others.

Why not give us the opportunity to show you what we could do in your home.

Each partner has been selected to provide product that reflects the contemporary, classic or painted designs we offer and all of the kitchens can be 24

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town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Quick Crossword Down 1 Remove doubt (6) 2 Singing group (5) 3 Sea mammal (7) 5 Surplus (5) 6 Altered (7) 7 Scarce (6) 8 Supporting (11) 14 Not included (7) 15 Butler or maid (7) 16 Remove (6) 17 Scheme (6) 19 Not outer (5) 21 Portion (5)

Across 1 Make a choice (6) 4 Railings (6) 9 Enlarged (7) 10 Headgear (5) 11 Home planet (5) 12 Citrus fruits (7) 13 Rural area (11) 18 Leaving (7) 20 Answer (5) 22 Devoured (5) 23 Closest (7) 24 Withstand (6) 25 Narrow river (6)

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WOMBAT town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Stourbridge

RFC

This season marks the 50th Anniversary of the club’s move from the depths of Wollaston to its home at Bridgnorth Road, Stourton. To mark the opening of the club house a special game was arranged against Moseley. The logo you see here will be prominent throughout the season and a celebratory dinner is to be held in January. In early August we enjoyed a preseason “friendly” commemorative match against Moseley as a taster for the rugby we look forward to seeing this year. In August we also hosted two National One sides, Wharfedale from the depths of Yorkshire and Hartpury College from Gloucestershire. New Chairman Robin Edwards and Director of Rugby Neil Mitchell have their sights set on a return to National One and Neil has spent the summer months consolidating the 1st XV squad, alongside welcome additions from Stourbridge Lions who compete in Midlands2 West (North). Our opening home game is against Macclesfield on September 5th, followed by Caldy on September 19th and Preston Grasshoppers on October 3rd. What with the Rugby World Cup kicking off on September 18th, climaxing with the final on October 31st, there will be plenty of rugby to watch on the field and on the new televisions in the club house over the next two months. Please come and join us and enjoy and

witness our “table d’hote” offerings. Junior Rugby is high on the list of priorities and incoming Mini and Junior Chairman Tom Skinner said “We have held several Rugby Camps during the summer holidays, with help from First XV players and will continue these at half-term.” We encourage people of all ages to come and try rugby as players or spectators and enjoy our facilities. The club house is available to hire for weddings, parties, formal dinners or business meetings. Over the summer we have been actively involved in raising money for charitable causes. The final game of the season saw the start of fund raising for a prosthetic leg for a former player, Paul Barker, climaxing in six club stalwarts led by Neil Mitchell on the 100 mile Surrey bike ride. “Mitch” also cycled from London to Paris to raise funds for Leukaemia UK. The annual Greyhounds v Grasshoppers game in May collected for Cystic Fibrosis. Local solicitors Higgs and Sons and FBC Manby Bowdler raised charitable monies with a six-a-side football day and a funday. Mary Stevens Hospice will increase their local exposure when you all see their logo on the cheek of the First XV shorts. Our Annual Bonfire and Firework night will be on November 7th and all details will be published on the SRFC website.

Robin Edwards

T: 01384 395000 E: rugby@stourbridgerugby.com www.stourbridgerugby.com 28

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Recipe of the month

By Michael Peter Whitehurst Email: mike@takefood.co.uk

Chocolate Orange Tart with Crushed Meringue and Vanilla Cream Ingredients for the pastry • 175g Organic plain flour • 90g icing sugar • 30g raw organic cacao - available online • 140g chilled butter – diced • 2 medium egg yolks • 1 tbsp of ice cold water for the filling • 500g of dark chocolate min. 65% solids • 250g double cream • 2 tsp of orange extract • for the topping • dark chocolate to grate • orange zest • fennel seeds - powdered in the spice grinder • meringues - 2 egg whites and 130g of caster sugar • for the side • 200g of double cream • 50g of caster sugar • 1 tsp of good quality vanilla extract Equipment • spice grinder / pestle and mortar • rolling pin • magimix blade attachment and kitchen aid or similar with whisk attachment • 36x12cm fluted tart tin • baking beans or rice • blow torch • metal bowls • parchment paper • baking trays • 2 dessert spoons (meringue spooning) 32

Method Start by making the pastry. Sift the flour, icing sugar and cacao into a bowl or the bowl of your food processor. Add the butter and pulse or work with your fingers until it resembles sand. Now add in the 2 egg yolks and if needed add the water then pulse until a dough ball forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and bring together, wrap with cling film and leave for at least an hour or up to a day in the fridge. Once ready roll out to the thickness of about 1cm, roll up the pastry over the rolling pin and carefully lay over the tart tin. You may find that you will have to work the dough as though it were play-doh, moulding it into the corners and over the edges as it may break up due to the sugar but pushing it back together will work. Make sure the pastry hangs over the edges to allow for shrinkage. The trick is to cut off excess pastry once the case has dried out in the oven. Cut out parchment paper and push into the corners and fill with baking beans or rice and bake at 170°C / mk 3 for 30 minutes then remove the parchment and beans or rice to allow the base to dry out in the oven and become crisp – about a further 20 minutes. Once your tart case is ready allow to cool and get on with the filling. Melt the cream and chocolate together over a pan of simmering water – make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water in the pan. Stir rapidly once melted to create a smooth shiny ganache, stir in the orange extract and zest and pour into the tart case smoothing the top off with a palette knife. Set in the fridge for about 2/3 hours. While your tart is setting whisk 2 egg whites on high until stiff peaks ( 66g) then microwave 130g of caster sugar on high for 3 minutes or until warm. Continue to beat the egg whites pouring in the warm sugar until a thick glossy meringue has formed – about 5 minutes. Spoon this out onto a parchment lined tray using the 2 spoons to make oval shapes/ quenelles and dry out in the grill part of your oven with the top and bottom heat turned on to 100°C – fan ovens ruin meringues in my experience. Now the tart is set and your meringues have dried out just enough to pick up get a blow torch and burn the tops as though for lemon meringue pie. Crush them over your tart, grate the chocolate and zest the orange. Sprinkle with cocoa powder, powdered fennel and icing sugar. Now whisk 200g of double cream with the sugar and vanilla extract and put in a bowl ready to serve. town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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won’t regret paying some attention to the lighting in your room. Wall coverings these days come in an astonishing array of colours and patterns. They are strong, easy to hang, hard wearing and very user-friendly. Some come ready pasted. The materials and fabrics used in their manufacture can produce a whole range of fascinating effects and as well as paper and vinyl you will find them in other materials such as printed textile, linen, split-cane, cork and jute. Colours and patterns are as varied as the taste of customers and prices are not quite as high as you might imagine - unless of course, you opt for something hand-printed and totally unique. An alternative to the above could be tiles. Tiles come in ceramics, pottery, wood or cork and are made for use on floors and walls, though the floor type are not necessarily heavier duty than those used on the wall. For ceilings there are fireproof polystyrene tiles that are exceptionally easy to hang.

HOME INTERIORS There is absolutely no excuse for living in a dowdy, uninteresting and bad environment.

And in today’s home-owning society it has never been easier to achieve eye-catching and comfortable results. There are user-friendly materials and tools in all the DIY stores and they are more than ready with help and advice. Home style magazines carry features and articles on how to do the necessary jobs. And on television there are programmes almost daily, showing how great changes can be achieved with a little imagination and not a lot more. First of all you need to wander round stores to see exactly what is on offer. Most of the larger stores have exhibition style displays that suggest a variety of colours, textures and materials being used together for a variety of effects. Colour charts show the range of paint and varnish colours available and many stores have paint mixing machines that will produce thousands of subtly different 34

shades - enough to match any soft furnishings or materials you can find. On the subject of soft furnishings, it is important to remember that they are an integral part of the overall design effect. Fabrics soften and enhance the effect of the applied decor and the stores are crammed full of fabrics, designs and pattern books that will show you how to mix and match, enhance and embellish. Curtains add insulation to the room, keeping out the heat and cold as required. They can be bought in fabric lengths to make up at home, ready-made for those standard sized windows or madeto-measure to match your exact ideas. Don’t forget either that blinds, cushions, throws or lampshades can also lift a room from its dowdy doldrums and may be all that you need to make your room look like something from an exhibition.

Lighting is important because it adds that essential emphasis to the decorating plan. Whether you decide to select a new chandelier, a set of wall lights, some table lamps, spot lights or just a dimmer switch, you

Hanging tiles can be a touch problematical especially in those awkward nooks and crannies because they are obviously not nearly so easy to cut and shape as paper, vinyl and the rest. However, buy the right tool from your supplier; practise a couple of times on an old tile and you should soon get the hang of it. When selecting floor tiles, have regard for the area in which they will be laid. On a floor inside a door to the garden, unglazed ceramics or pottery are best because the grit from the garden will soon wear away any glaze. In bedrooms and bathrooms, thick cork is best because it is warm to the touch, quiet to walk upon and relatively happy in the humid environment of the bathroom. For a kitchen, quarry tiles are an excellent choice. For a lounge or dining room, beautifully decorated continental glazed ceramics are probably the tiles of choice. Applying wall coverings and tiles is no longer the hard job that should only be tackled by a professional. With the latest adhesives, even the most ham-fisted DIY practitioner can manage successfully. So if your home does need that facelift, what are you waiting for? Get down to the DIY and furnishings stores now, before you change your mind!

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Local Choir set to sing at

Symphony Hall Singing on stage at Birmingham’s prestigious Symphony Hall is the kind of thing dreams are made of. So imagine the delight of local Got 2 Sing® choir members from Wolverhampton when their leader told them it was booked for Sunday 20th September 2015. With a seating capacity of over 2200, Beth Dunn, founder and director, knew the Symphony Hall concert also presented an extremely promising fundraising opportunity for a local charity too: a telephone call to Mary Stevens Hospice, Stourbridge - Beth’s home town, to discuss how they could leverage their fundraising added a

WE SE SOCIALI

PER WE FOR M

WE SING

WE GH U LA

...much more than a choir!

Singing and Performance in Pop, Classics & Musical Theatre Mary Stevens’ Hospice Lottery and Special Events Manager, Charlotte Schofield (front) with Founder and Director of Got 2 Sing®, Beth Dunn (back).

new dimension to what is promising to be a truly spectacular event. Tickets for the concert cost £20 (adults) and £16 (under 16s) * and can be purchased directly from the Symphony Hall, visit www.thsh.co.uk. Further details can also be found at www.got2sing.co.uk

ER TAST FREE SSIONrts SE rm Sta r

be Te Newt Septem 164 21s 330 146 o.uk 3 0 g.c Call: .got2sin www

Got2SingUK

Adult Contemporary Choirs in this area! Wolverhampton, Stourbridge, Bewdley / Kidderminster, Telford and Shrewsbury. Plus Youth Choir in Stourbridge (9-16 year olds). Check website for Dates/Times.

@Got2Sing

Got2SingUK

sing@got2sing.co.uk 03330 146164

For a full list of our contemporary choir venues... visit www.got2sing.co.uk

* Plus booking fee.

Kinver Music Festival

More than 1,000 people visited Kinver to enjoy a weekend’s miscellany of music, at the village’s first three day Music Festival. Free live music combined with excellent weather on Friday and Sunday ensured a full house at all of the pubs and the Dunsley Hall Hotel. Artists including Beth Sherburn, Dan Greenaway, the Rock Choir and harpist Helen Barley wowed the crowds until late when all could relax on a lovely summer evening.

Saturday’s concerts moved to a church, church halls and schools, where audiences enjoyed performances including The West Midlands Fire Service Band, Wild Irish, the Gentlemen Songsters and the amazing sounds of KYIV, the accordion 36

duo from Ukraine; however we would have liked to see larger audiences at these ticketed events. Kinver Music and Kinver Rotary who jointly organised the Festival were pleased that it turned out to be a fantastic event and at the same time raised funds for three local charities – Mary Stevens Hospice, Acorns Children’s Hospice and the village’s Chernobyl Children’s Charity.

Following on from the success of this year’s event and a similar event last year the organisers expect to make this an annual festival, albeit with some changes to the format.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Competition Two lucky winners can each win two tickets to see BRAVE NEW WORLD on Tuesday 3rd November at 7.30pm at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Aldous Huxley’s ingenious fantasy of the future, written in 1932, is given extraordinary life in this world premiere adaptation by award-winning playwright Dawn King with original score by These New Puritans, starring SOPHIE WARD. Join us on an emotional rollercoaster journey into a future which sheds a blazing light on the present. Witness the horrors of a genetically engineered class system, A World State where People are always happy; where they get what they want, and they never want what they can’t have. Discover the consequence of living in a world where love and empathy have given way to lust and pleasure. A world without religion or war. A world where Community, Identity, Stability is the world state motto And find out what happens when this stability is threatened

To be in with a chance of winning simply answer the following question correctly and send it on a postcard with your name, address and telephone number to Town & Village Life magazine or email info@townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

As the beautiful young Lenina learns the pain of love And the handsome young John gives in to the love of pain Does the World Controller lose control?

In what year was the original novel, Brave New World, written?

Or does Lenina finally find her voice?

Call the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Box Office for more information on 01902 42 92 12 or please visit www.grandtheatre.co.uk

A) 1923 B) 1932 C) 1947 D) 1984 Competition Terms and Conditions Please post all entries to Town & Village Life Magazine, 1 Lytham Road, Perton, Wolverhampton WV6 7YY or email info@townandvillagelifemag.co.uk. To be received no later than Thursday 15th October 2015. Winners to collect tickets from the box office on the evening of the performance. Tickets cannot be exchanged and no cash or alternative prize nights available. Winners may be required to partake in relevant publicity.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Castle Street, Dudley Centre, DY1 1LA Tel: 01384 234620 Unit, 26, Vanguard Way, Shrewsbury, SY1 3TG Tel: 01743 463261 3 Riverside, Stafford, ST16 3PT Tel: 01785 223338 Macrome Road, Claregate, Wolverhampton, WV6 9HD Tel: 01902 752764 Townsend Place, Kingswinford Centre, DY6 9JA Tel: 01384 271812 Salop Street, Wolverhampton, WV3 0RX Tel: 01902 429060 Castle Street, Hadley, Telford TF1 6GJ Tel: 01952 257007 www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Total Sewing Service Curtains, soft furnishings, haberdashery, alterations “We can provide a makingup service for customers who already have a fabric they’d like us to work with.” And, the company take care of all of aspects of fitting and hanging your curtains: “Our team of qualified fitters can install any curtain or blind, tracks, poles, pelmet boards and even tricky bay windows. Those all-important finishing touches are provided for too: “We make and supply those items that are essential for completing the new look, such as scatter cushions, bolsters, arm throws, table runners, bed throws, headboards and all aspects of upholstery.” Owner Natalie Hemming and Senior sales assistant Sue Preston

Curtains and Soft Furnishings The team at Total Sewing Service have many years of experience in creating wonderful curtains and soft furnishings for their clients. Their made-to-measure service has been designed to make life as easy as possible for those wanting to update their home interior. Owner Natalie Hemming explains: “We have a vast range of fabrics on offer, from all the leading suppliers which can be used to create curtains, blinds and all soft furnishings.” If clients prefer though, they’re welcome to supply their own fabric:

And, it’s not just homeowners that benefit, as Total Sewing Service take care of commercial customers as well: “We work with many different organisations, including hotels, pubs and schools,” adds Natalie.

are struggling with a project or need some help or inspiration, we’re always happy to offer our advice - we all have knowledge of knitting and dressmaking.” There are plenty of patterns in stock at the shop, as well as a wool department, that’s complete with knitting pins and plenty of samples of work to inspire you.

Alterations and Repairs If you prefer to leave alterations to the professionals, then Total Sewing Service’s alteration and repair service will be perfect for you. “We’re experts in clothing alterations and repairs. We’ve got experienced and skilled tailoresses in store that are always available to offer advice and assistance.”

Total Sewing Service has got everything you need to get started on a dressmaking, quilting or knitting project.

Trouser shortening, zip replacement and even bridal gown alterations are just some of the services carried out on the premises: “We have a changing room so that customers can try on their garment, ready for our seamstress to pin and fit it to suit their requirements.

“We’ve got a fully-stocked haberdashery department, that’s complete with threads, zips, buttons, needles, pins and mending patches. We’re always happy to order-in items for our customers though.”

“Prom dress and bridal gown alterations are our speciality. We also undertake small dressmaking jobs, like cravats, ties and waistcoats for weddings and special occasions.”

And, the friendly team at the shop are always on-hand to offer help and advice: “If customers

Whatever the sewing project, Total Sewing Service is sure to be able to take care of it.

Haberdashery and Wool

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Soft furnishings ~ Haberdashery ~ Alterations

Advice, Measure, Make, Fit

• Bespoke custom made Curtains • 100’s of fabrics and wallcoverings • Roman blinds made to measure • Pole and Tracks • Haberdashery • Wool • Scarf Yarns • Dress Fabrics • Knitting and Dress Patterns • Clothing Alterations with Tailoress on site • Phaff Sewing Machines now in stock

MANY YARNS FROM ONLY £1 PER BALL READY FOR OUR NEW WINTER STOCK TO ARRIVE! 10% OFF ALL WOOLS – MORE OFFERS IN STORE – WHILE STOCKS LAST O p e n : 9 a m - 5 p m M o n d a y t o F riday. 9am-4pm Saturday. Tel: 01384 295960

7 The Cross, Kingswinford, DY6 9JA

www.totalsewing.co.uk

Kitchens with style – modern – contemporary – traditional Our Extensive range of kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms will enable us to create the room of your dreams. For a free no obligation quote please call in at:

20 Finchfield Rd West, Finchfield, WV3 8AZ or telephone:

01902 761600

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Our Computer Aided Designs will give you the opportunity to experience your new room prior to installation. www.eatonkitchendesigns.co.uk

WOLVERHAMPTON FIREPLACES & STOVES LTD 01902 422111

Are proud to announce that we are now the areas only Woodwarm Stove Specialist Experience True British Quality Craftsmanship at its Finest!

Woodwarm have been producing Wood Burning and Multi Fuel Stoves for over 30 years and are still infused with the same passion for creating one of the most important heating decisions a home owner will need to make. They are unrivalled with there Clean Glass and British Steel and simply one of the best stoves on the market.

Handmade, hand designed, reliability assured www.wolverhamptonfireplaces.com 15 MERRIDALE RD, CHAPEL ASH, WV3 9RX OPEN MON-SAT 9.30-5.00 SUNDAY 11.00-3,00

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town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

The A r t o f

Inspiration

This fine Victorian house is the home of a truly 21st century shopping experience.

Inside Stourbridge Galleries you will find an eclectic mix of designled gifts, jewellery and scarves, greetings cards, artwork and home accessories. Design, quality and value for money are paramount when selecting the stylish and unusual collections for the store, giving a choice of products not readily available on the high street. Expect a warm welcome and something new and different to see each time you visit. For this Autumn season the galleries are showing exciting collections from many makers , including

fused glass by Jo Downs, raku glazed ceramics of hares, cats and other animals from, Stourbridge artist, Paul Jenkins, the famous Terramundi money pots, irresistible soft toys by Jellycat, and stunning new ranges of contemporary jewellery from One Button, Carrie Elspeth and Treaty. New to the galleries this year, Treaty Jewellery offers beautiful hand-made products that use art and nature in harmony to produce stunning, organic and abstract pieces. The burnished silver finish emanates from age-old traditions of artisan jewellery production. Hem & Edge have a lovely new collection of scarves, designed exclusively, and destined, again, to be wonderfully wearable. Sumptuous silks and cotton prints bring colour and pattern, and when the days begin to

Stourbridge Gift Shop

Gallery

get colder, reach for the cosy wrap of jacquard weaves and the softest faux fur youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever laid fingers on! Stourbridge Galleries exhibit a great selection of limited edition prints by many leading artists. New work has recently arrived from Iain Faulkner, Bob Rudd, James Bartholomew and Anna Wright, and currently featured are original watercolours and limited editions by Michael Wood, whose depictions of Venice receive much critical acclaim. Bespoke picture framing is one of the cornerstones of the business, with a comprehensive service being offered from their own workshops.

Galleries Picture Framers

Two floors of eye catching giftware, jewellery and home accessories provides a visual treat that makes shopping here such a pleasure. To complete that perfect gift, select from a range of beautifully designed contemporary gift wrap and bags.

Open: 9.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Saturday 58 Worcester Street, Stourbridge, DY8 1AS Tel: 01384 390170 www.stourbridgegalleries.co.uk

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Blacks Vets welcomes autumn

but not quite All Creatures Great and Small... By John O’Flynn MRCVS MVB Cert AVP

(Dermatology)

www.lungworm.co.uk/ lungworm-map/ with your postcode - it’s travelling fast. Preventative treatment can only be prescribed by a vet.

Harvesting of the wrong sort... Most of us welcome crisp autumn mornings in September and October but none of us, least of all our dogs and cats, welcome Harvest mites. Harvest mites look like small flecks of red orange dust on the skin, causing itching more than is usual. This is quite common and can be really irritating for your pet causing discomfort they cannot tell you about, we have already treated a few cases here at Blacks across our branches. Fleas - For every flea on your cat or dog there could be 99 more on your carpet from eggs laid. Contrary to popular belief fleas can be problematic all year round not just during summer; fleas can also cause allergic reactions in our pets. Flea treatment for dogs can be lethal to cats, so make sure you get the right flea treatment advice from your vet. Ticks - There are many different species of ticks in Britain, each preferring the blood of differing animal hosts, check your pet daily as some like the taste of humans too! Ticks can carry infection and disease, the most commonly known one being Lyme disease. The bite 46

is usually painless but the risk of infection increases the longer it is attached, so do remove them swiftly using a tick remover or ask your vet to do so if you are not sure how to do this safely without leaving the head in the skin.

Lungworm - Angiostrongylus vasorum - it’s here, it’s in the Midlands and it kills. So very sad as there are very effective treatments to prevent it. Slugs and snails carry larvae which can be ingested by either eating the slug or snail itself or ingested through contact with their slime on grass, in puddles, outdoor water bowls and toys. Larvae subsequently grow inside your pet. Prevention for lungworm is possible but it must be administered every month (and can be done at home) to maintain protection. It’s a serious problem - 198 cases in dogs within a 50 mile radius of us here, 76 of which were in the Birmingham / Wolverhampton area. Check out http://

Frosty morning? - Be aware of antifreeze - it is highly toxic to cats causing painful acute kidney failure which is almost impossible to treat, so keep it well out of reach. Remember rabbits and guinea pigs get chilly too... As autumn temperatures drop, remember to bring hutches and cages indoors or ensure they are insulated and warm enough to keep our small furry’s comfortable throughout the night. Always check water for freezing too. Many of our clients come to Blacks to get the right advice, the right treatment and save money too on flea, worming and mite protection as we subsidise routine care for those in our Healthy Pet Club. There will always be a warm welcome waiting for you and your pet, remember you do not have to be a client of ours to come in for an opinion or advice. John O’Flynn MRCVS MVB Cert AVP (Dermatology) is an Advanced Veterinary Practitioner in Dermatology with 15 years’ experience as a vet. As well as routine practice John also gives second opinions as part of Blacks’s Referral Service.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Love your pet

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Tel: 01902 755615

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town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

By Steve Tonks, General Manager at Boningale Garden Creations

TRADITIONAL VS CONTEMPORARY GARDENS When you think about how your perfect garden should look, is it a traditional garden, packed with flowers? Or do you favour the clean lines of a contemporary space?

Can you achieve those styles in your outdoor space? When thinking about good garden design, it’s less about what’s in fashion and more about what would look best in your surroundings and making the most of the aspect and

soil conditions. Importantly – it’s also about what fits into your lifestyle.

Traditional garden Whether you have a large garden that can accommodate formal styling, elaborate statues and water features or a small space that would suit a cottage or country garden style, choosing a traditional style garden provides timeless appeal. For the more formal approach, maintaining a classical style is key. That means pristine manicured lawns, formal arrangements of planting, clustered in colour blocks, geometric shapes, and distinctive focal points. A cottage garden, however, is a departure from the refinement of a formal garden and is an abundance of colour and planting. The borders are far less contrived and stylised – think instead annuals and old

fashioned perennials cascading over paths, filling every inch of space with scented flowers is the look you are after. Complement the planting with birdbaths, tubs and charming furniture.

Contemporary Calming and uncluttered – the contemporary garden is a highly structured and carefully managed space that provides a sense of order through its extensive use of hard landscaping materials – including gravel, stones, and hard wood – to attain a clean look. Use minimum planting and select specimens that are architectural: grasses, bamboos and plants such as mountain flax. Good use of lighting is also crucial for the minimalist contemporary garden.

For design inspiration call our team on 01902 376500 or visit www.boningale-garden-creations.co.uk

garden creations

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Our award – winning designers offer imaginative designs to suit your personality and life style, traditional or contemporary, large or small. Our experienced landscape team offer a complete planting and landscaping service which will bring your garden design to life.

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So why not contact Steve for a free consultation to discuss your dream garden further.

Guaranteed

inspiration@boningale.co.uk

01902 376500

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: WWW.BONINGALE-GARDEN-CREATIONS.CO.UK Facebook.com/BoningaleGardenCreations

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

@boningalegarden

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01384 482922 Heath Mill Industrial Est, Heath Mill Road, Wombourne WV5 8AP

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For a free quote please call

01902 687818 or 07710 485036 Woodbank Road, Sedgley, DY3 3NW

01384 930930 wilkinschimneysweep.co.uk/ halesowen-kidderminster

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Autumn in the g a r d e n Tips ar e provided b y A n n W i n w o o d , L e a l a n s G a r d e n C e n t r e , Wo l v e r h a m p t o n make a cost effective alternative to summer bedding. Buying perennials from spring through to autumn will give colour for many months of the year.

If we get a nice spell of weather through August and into the beginning of September the flowering season of summer bedding and perennials will continue into early autumn. The range of new varieties of tried and tested herbaceous perennials has expanded quickly over the last few years with the introduction of new foxgloves, delphiniums and Lupins alongside the newer plants of perennial Salvia, Gaura and Heuchera - they

Once borders have been cleared of summer bedding, you can replant with winter pansies, violas, sweet williams and wallflowers. Hopefully if the weather has been moist we’ll have some of our own field grown wallflowers available from the end of September – they give excellent value for money- flowering in the spring with the bulbs.

later use. Cover autumn fruiting raspberries against birds. The old fruiting canes can be pruned out during the winter months as the autumn varieties fruit on new season’s growth each year. Buy prepared hyacinth bulbs for Christmas flowering and plant them in bowls with Bulb Compost by mid-September. Give them a drink and put in a cool, dark place, bringing gradually into the light and warmth once the shoots are approx 3cm high.

Harvest onions and potatoes now – lift up onions and allow to dry out where they’ve been growing if the weather is fine, before storing. Potatoes should be stored in a cool but frost free environment. Hessian sacks that are available from garden centres are ideal for this purpose.

It’s worth mentioning that by the end of this year there will be quite a few garden weed killers, insecticides and fungicides no longer available in garden centres. At the moment it seems that there will be no products available for any diseases of fruit trees.

Pick early apples and pears as they become ripe. Eat the earlier varieties straight away, storing later ripening ones for

It therefore makes it all the more important to use a winter wash on fruit trees once foliage has dropped.

OPEN DAILY

Tel 01902 700209 All Garden Furniture now reduced Wide range of shrubs, trees and herbaceous plants available Spring flowering bulbs and autumn/ winter bedding plants now available. Lealans Garden Centre Bridgnorth Road, Shipley, Pattingham, Wolverhampton WV6 7EZ www.lealansgardencentre.co.uk

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Independently Better

LANDSCAPE AND BUILDING MERCHANT Hinksford Lane, Kingswinford, West Midlands, DY6 0BH

• Sheet Materials, Various types of Cement, Lintels, Insulation, Joinery Timber, Standard Timber, Drainage, Fencing, Paving Slabs, Block Paving, Turf, Decking, Top Soil and Bark • Decorative Aggregates, Building Supplies, Bricks & Blocks, Timber Supplies, Astro-Turf, Sheds and Gas • Display Area • Delivery service available

Tel 01384 401789 (5 lines) Fax 01384 401793

w w w . o c l - k i n g s w i n f o r d . c o . u k Opening Times : Mon - Fri 8.00 - 18.00 | Sat 8.00 - 16.00 52

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

S o a k u p t h e b e n e f its of

hydrotherapy

Water is a fundamental element of wellbeing and has been used for centuries to remedy a wide variety of conditions and improve health. Hydrotherapy in particular is an age-old method that is popular today to effectively soothe the body and mind.

A family’s legacy The original hydrotherapy pump was invented by the Jacuzzi® brothers in 1956 to help a family member’s health condition, and became a small niche business selling the portable pump to hospitals and schools. As larger units were designed to accommodate more people, Jacuzzi® incorporated heating

and filtration systems to keep the water warm and clean, leading to the creation of the first hot tub in 1970. Unlike the whirlpool baths, hot tubs could be used outdoors with this new heating system.

Jacuzzi today The Jacuzzi® PowerPro jets installed on Jacuzzi® hot tubs emit the perfect mixture of air and water that work in synergy with the hydro massage pump at specially studied positions to achieve the best possible results for massaging the muscles in a deep, yet gentle way. The water flow pressure can be transferred from one seat to another and the hydro massage jets can be turned on or off independently. During hydrotherapy, it is vital that the temperature of the water is controlled to maintain a calming environment for the body.

Benefits for everybody Hydrotherapy can assist in the treatment of many ailments. From physiological conditions linked to problems with blood circulation, muscle or skeletal pain and outcomes of trauma or surgery to improving wellbeing and managing stress, hydrotherapy can help to benefit everybody. Your local Jacuzzi® Hot Tub Centre, based at Webbs Garden Centre in Wychbold, is open seven days a week and staff are on hand to help you find the perfect Jacuzzi® hot tub for your needs. Come down and visit the store today and see the wide range of Jacuzzi® hot tubs on display.

Your Local Jacuzzi store is closer than you think…. ®

Come and visit us at Webbs to see the latest range of premium Jacuzzi hot tubs on offer ®

We have a wide range of finance options available starting from just * £125 per month Jacuzzi Hot Tub Centre, Webbs Garden Centre, Wychbold Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, WR9 0DG. ®

w: www.jacuzziworcestershire.co.uk t: 01527 869378

Example based on J210 £5500, less £1000 deposit 36 payments of £125 at 0% APR, total amount payable £5500. finance subject to status, terms and conditions apply.

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Walk the walk

and help make a dream come true Wolverhampton based children’s charity Promise Dreams are absolutely delighted to be announcing the return of their biggest single fundraising event - Walk for Dreams 2015! You may well have heard the team on Signal’s 107 talking about this year’s event and seen the banner going up around the city! Sunday 13th September will see walkers, family and friends return to the grounds of Himley Hall in Dudley in their thousands to set off on a 9 mile walk to Wolverhampton Racecourse. The start time has been moved back just an hour to 11am and on arrival, after registration, walkers will be given a warm up to ensure they’re

ready for the off and a full-on party atmosphere awaits them at the Racecourse with music, bouncy castles, face painting, refreshments and, most importantly, somewhere to rest your weary feet. As in previous years entry to Walk for Dreams is totally free but walkers are encouraged to get sponsored or fundraise in whatever way they can as this will enable Promise Dreams to raise even more special smiles. There will also be “I walked the walk” t-shirts on sale at both the start and finish venues for participants of the event. The team at Promise Dreams are hugely grateful to their key partners in this project who, through their generosity, will ensure that every penny raised from the walk will go directly to the families that the charity works to support. This

money will make a real difference to some very special children and help to create memories that will be treasured for a lifetime. To sign up or find out more about Walk for Dreams simply visit www. walkfordreams.co.uk and complete the online registration page. You can sign up individually or as a team so why not recruit as many of your friends and colleagues as you can and then see who can raise the most sponsorship. The website shows the different amounts in relation to different dream requests so you could even set yourselves a group target and know that you’ll be fulfilling a dream through all your hard work. For a small charity like Promise Dreams volunteer support at a big event like this is crucial so if you would like to help out on the day then you can also register on the same website to volunteer at this event. Promise Dreams are committed to helping seriously and terminally ill children and their families see their precious dreams become reality. Whether that dream is the chance to meet a celebrity, go to the theatre or simply to have access to medical equipment that will enhance each and every day of their life. To find out more please visit www.promisedreams.co.uk

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

A Tale about Rob Taylor gives you the low-down on the brewery behind this month’s competition extravaganza. Regular readers of restaurant reviews in Town and Village Life will be familiar with The Windsor Castle Inn, Lye; just outside Stourbridge. You will know it as a diamond in the rough; a citadel, standing strong against the corporate pub chains. Resisting the foolish gimmickry of so much of the pub industry, The Windsor simply serves stunning food at reasonable money, in surrounds so charming you’d almost forget you weren’t at home. It is home to everything that is great and good about a local pub – especially when it comes to ales: their home-brewed ales, more specifically Sadler’s Ales – and herein lies a fascinating tale. 56

Ale

You see, The Windsor Castle is first and foremost renowned for being the Tap House to Windsor Castle Brewery’s Sadler’s Ales; the proverbial spout to the brewery’s sizeable bottle. All of the many custom and quirkily monikered ales – names like Sherlock Bones and Worcester Sorcerer abound – are brewed on-site at the rear of the

pub and it’s been this way now for five generations in the Sadler family. But don’t just take my word for it, enter this month’s competition and you could see first hand the craftsmanship behind the fabled craft brewery – a site so significant in fact that in 2009 it merited a stop off on James May and Oz Clarke’s BBC documentary

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

‘Drink for Britain’ and was in its very first year voted Campaign for Real Ale’s Regional Pub of the Year – if you win a Brewery Tour for Two, with a Ploughman’s Lunch and two pints of Sadler’s Ales each thrown in as well. For craft brewers, mastery of the brewing process takes years and is often a lifelong passion, so even though your tour will not turn you into a master brewer, it will instil a greater appreciation for the art, as well as provide a little peek into a working day at the brewery. Each style of beer demands different ingredients and subtle changes in the brewing process in order to craft the perfect pint. And it’s always been this way, right from the beginning. Founded in 1900 by Nathaniel Sadler, the brewery supplied twelve tied public houses, the most famous being the Windsor Castle Inn, Oldbury; the original brewery tap house. The brewery was then taken over by Nathaniel’s Son, Thomas. There he raised his son John (known as Jack), who later bequeathed the business – as well as his consummate knowledge – to his son, John and grandson, Chris Sadler, now fourth and fifth generation brewers. In 2004, 77

years after Nathaniel brewed his last pint, the brewery was re-opened. But the site has not for over a hundred years always been about ale. In fact before the reopening in 2004 the site was a print works. It took the acumen and courage of John to seize upon the idea of reviving an old family tradition, enter the pub trade – when so many at the time were trying to bailout – start brewing a few old family recipes and then ultimately turn his print works into a pub and restaurant. These days the set-up is very much still a family affair: brewery business is managed by Chris, while John’s daughter, Emily and her husband Gareth Bedford take care of the pub and restaurant. There are also bedrooms and a delightful B&B aspect to the premises as well, for anyone who is keen to extend their stay. The popularity of Sadler’s “incomparable” ale affords the brewery the opportunity to supply numerous public houses and shops throughout the Midlands and the rest of the country. The brewery now produces a selection of full time ales and a series of distinctive specials in both cask and bottle, which attract a strong following of loyal Sadler’s devotees.

So enter our competition; taste said famous ale and you may yourself become a convert. And now a toast: here’s to Sadler’s Ales, long may its success continue.

Competition To enter the competition to win a brewery tour for two including a Ploughman’s Lunch and 2 pints of Sadler’s Ales each, simply answer the following question:

Where was the original Windsor Castle Inn situated? Email your answer including your name, address and telephone number to: info@townandvillagelifemag.co.uk or on a postcard to 1 Lytham Road, Perton, Wolverhampton WV6 7YY.

All entries to be received by Friday 2nd October 2015. Competition Terms and Conditions: Winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries received and informed by telephone. To enter you must be aged 18 years or older. No cash or alternative prize will be given and booking date will be subject to availability. Prize valid until Friday 20th November 2015. All entries will be forward to The Windsor Castle unless requested otherwise.

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Exciting times ahead at

The Vineyards Autumn 2015 marks the beginning of exciting times at Halfpenny Green Vineyards.

As mentioned in our last issue, the shop is currently being extended and is due to be open to the public during the season. In the meantime, why not pop along and take a look at the shop in its current format and sample our delicious range of cheeses, wines and preserves as part of the large variety of foods available.

Clive and Winery Manager Ben, travelled to London to collect the awards and celebrate the significant achievements of The Vineyards. If you are looking for the perfect place to hold an event, why not consider the Wine House Function Room. Proving very popular for birthdays, group meetings, as well as corporate events the site

has dates available for booking. From 2016, the function room will be hosting wedding receptions, providing the perfect setting for your special day. Visit www. halfpenny-green-vineyards.co.uk for details of how to book. If you want to celebrate in style but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to hold a large gathering, book one of the Vineyards vintage high teas. This is the perfect way to spend a birthday, enjoying fine food in beautiful surroundings. Booking is essential, see the website or phone 01384 221122. So head down to the Vineyards and see all that is on offer this season.

One item you might like to purchase is the 2014 Mercia which has been released to the public and is becoming a very popular buy thanks to it winning a silver medal at the United Kingdom Vineyard Association Wine of the Year Competition. On top of this, the Vineyards won an additional five awards including two more silver medals (for Long Acre 2014 and Sparkling White 2013) and a bronze for their Sparkling Pink 2013. Owner

www.halfpenny-green-vineyards.co.uk Halfpenny Green Vineyards, Tom Lane, Bobbington, South Staffordshire DY7 5EP Special Gourmet dinner events monthly, Friday 11th September, Friday 9th October and Friday 6th November

Enjoy traditional High Tea in style Perfect as a gift or to enjoy yourself

Superb restaurant offering an exquisite selection of food and drink including daily specials

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 9.30AM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5.00PM Tel: 01384 221122 Email: sales@halfpenny-green-vineyards.co.uk 58

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Join us for some of our popular December and January Events… Party Nights

Take your pick from one of our fabulous party nights available on a range of dates. Whether there is a small group or you are organising a large affair, Patshull Park Hotel is the perfect place for you to celebrate 2015 in style. The night includes a three course meal and disco until early hours of the morning.

from £21.00 per person

80s Disco Party Night Thursday 10th December

Why not bring your party to our party? Prepare to be taken back to classic timeless magic and relive the sounds of the 80s, as you step out in style for a sensational night at Patshull Park Hotel. Dance the night away and enjoy a blast from the past with a festive three course meal and disco until late.

£23.00 per person

Take That Tribute Night Thursday 17th December

Relighting your fire once again, it’s our amazing Take That Tribute Act. The fantastic evening includes a delicious three course meal, live entertainment and disco until 1am.

£25.00 per person Great location, convenient to J3 M54 and only 20 minutes from the centre of Wolverhampton and Telford.

Look us up on Trip Advisor

Patshull Park Golf and Resort Hotel

P a t t i n g h a m , N r Wo l v e r h a m p t o n W V 6 7 H R T: 01902 700100 E: sales@patshull-park.co.uk www.patshull-park.co.uk www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Sir Jack’s

Restaurant

Molineux

By Rob Taylor

The expression “best seat in the house” has never been more apt. It evokes thoughts of VIPs in Wimbledon’s Royal Box, the expressionless monarchic incumbents in the Queen’s Box at the Royal Albert Hall or celebrities, like Beyonce and Jay Z, ringside at the recent Mayweather/Pacquiao fight. These seats are almost exclusively occupied by the great and the good; the glitterati; the corporate cognoscenti, aren’t they? Except right now, nothing could be further from the truth, because it is I, your humble Wolverhampton West foodie, who tonight occupies the chair of choice. It is I who is situated in the heart of Molineux Stadium, occupying a central pitch-facing position in the Billy Wright Stand. And you could be sitting here as well.

For tonight I am dining in Sir Jack’s Restaurant: a restaurant that enjoys an enviable reputation for fine dining and excellent service, complete with awardwinning chefs, along with one hell of a view. And it’s one amazing seat that is for sale at a price that doesn’t require you to re-mortgage your house. In fact anyone can sit anywhere within this fabulous restaurant and enjoy just the same view, because owing to its unique configuration, there is no real “best seat”; such is the panoramic splendour across the immaculately-kept acreage of turf. Now maybe it’s the Wolves’ fan in me, but dining on hallowed ground such as this is an almost religious experience. Like Catholic pilgrims ascending the

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

steps into St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, I am spellbound; head perma-turned pitch-side; mind agog, endlessly replaying Wolves’ greatest hits from the annals of my “Molineux memory”. Legends like Steve Bull in all his early nineties pomp – even when only envisaged in my mind’s eye – is enough to ordinarily command my full attention, however, since I am here wearing my restaurant reviewers’ – not football fanatics’ – hat, I’ll get straight to business. Sir Jack’s is described on its website as being “the ideal place to celebrate any event, whether a small family gathering, a romantic meal for two or a lavish feast for up to 70.” So far I have to agree: the restaurant is modern and spacious, yet paradoxically intimate when in situ and aware of all the fine and delicate touches which enliven the dining tables and brighten the walls. Of course if you prefer a level of intimacy beyond this, Sir Jack’s also has many pitch-facing suites available for just you and your party to dine in complete privacy. Plus, as an added bonus for Wolves fans, club season ticket holders can enjoy a 10% discount on food. “Diners”, it continues, “enjoy an unforgettable evening with a selection of delectable dishes prepared by our chefs, led by Executive Chef John Zammit.” “With a sumptuous selection of starters, an incredible variety of main courses and delicious desserts available, the menu is sure to get your mouth watering. Made with only the finest freshlyprepared ingredients and served with pride, there is a setting and menu to meet every need, whether business or pleasure, intimate or extravagant.” So let’s see. First things first: starters, from the newly launched Autumn/Winter menu, which consist of ‘Hot Smoked Salmon Risotto, with Goats Curd BonBon’ (£7) and ‘Pressed Salt Beef, with Pickled Wild Mushrooms, Crisp bread, Wasabi’ (£6). My girlfriend Nicola’s salmon risotto, I am told, is stuffed to the gills with character. My beef is succulent and not overly salty; the pickled mushrooms are an expertly judged and fitting complement. Now to the mains: ‘Panchetta Rolled Pork, with Garlic and Thyme Butter Bean Casoulet, Parmentier, Mustard Frills’ (£13) for me; ‘Teriyaki and Sesame Tuna Loin, with Beetroot, Pineapple and Lemongrass; Cashews and Rice Noodles’ (£18) for Nicola. Both dishes arrive quickly and are piping hot, having been delivered by the friendly waiting staff. Special mention goes to the fine quality of the pork, which is both tender and tasty, but each dish is very well received. Attention to detail when presenting food is clearly a high priority here. The vegetables are cooked to perfection: zingy, fresh and crunchy. The tuna is, I’m told, “well-cooked and expertly juxtaposed with a fine array of interestinglyflavoured friends.” Both dishes are telltale of a capable and well-oiled kitchen staff. We both enjoy every morsel and now eagerly await the next course. Dessert is homemade ‘Iced White Chocolate Parfait, with Strawberry and a Beignet’ (£6) and a ‘Ginger Cake, with Rhubarb Textures’ (£5). The dishes call full-time on our visit. It’s a sweet and successful way with which to bring our dining to an end and leaves me in no doubt that tonight has been a resounding victory for the home team.

Open Thursday to Saturday evenings 6pm until 9.30pm last orders (flexible). Monday to Wednesday evenings for large parties. www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

For further details or to book a table please call 08712 222225 or mobile 07866 764192 www.sirjacksrestaurant.co.uk www.corporatewolves.co.uk Sir Jacks Restaurant, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, WV1 4QR. 61

Christmas at Molineux Party packages now available for November and December 2015 Please call our Christmas Party bookings team on: 0871 222 2220 (Option 5) or email: christmas@wolves.co.uk

Fully Licensed

Air Conditioned

Car Park at rear of Restaurant

Contemporary Modern Dining at Sedgley’s Premier Indian Restaurant

Saffron Pink’s RestauRant

Sayed Miah along with his expert team of knowledgeable chefs and waiting staff welcome you to Saffron Pink. We pride ourselves on our high standard of service and authentic Bangladeshi cuisine.

Take Away Service Available FREE Home Delivery within a 3 mile radius, minimum order £15 Orders between £10 to £15 within a 3 mile radius, only £1.50

mas Christ kings boo party being now ! taken

To book a table please call

01902 671759 / 673665 Open 7 Days including Bank Holidays, Sunday to Thursday 5.30pm to 11.30pm, Friday and Saturday 5.30pm to 12 Midnight 2 Bull Ring, Dudley Street, Sedgley, DY3 1RU

 FOOD HYGIENE RATING SCHEME 2011

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

• Sadler’s Tap House • Craft beer & cider • Fresh delicious home-made food - locally sourced produce • Bed & breakfast available • Tuesday night’s gourmet burger night - £6.95 • Sunday lunch – roasts of the day £8.95 • Fish night Friday’s • Live music Sunday evenings • Saturday morning breakfast at the brewery for only £5. Served 8am - 11am

Windsor CasTle inn Stourbridge Road, Lye, Stourbridge West Midlands, DY9 7DG Tel: 01384 897 809 www.windsorcastleinn.co.uk

Serving Fine Italian and English Cuisine including Traditional Black Country favourites

with master chef Mario and his enthusiastic team

BULLy’S MidWEEk hAT-TRick! 3 course meal for only £11.95 per person Choice menu of both Italian and English food or

20% OFF A La Carte menu

“Steve Bull invites you to come along and sample the delights of his delightful restaurant overlooking the Green in Tettenhall”

Now available Tuesday to Thursday evenings

OUR EVER POPULAR SUndAy LUnch

still from only £6.95 Bookings essential

To avoid disappointment please book:

Situated at:

T. 01902 756052 E. reservations@bravaccios.co.uk www.bravaccios.co.uk

4a Upper Green, Tettenhall WV6 8QQ Ample Free Parking

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

standards – it’s all family – and I’m assured their contributions will serve to improve on my own high ideals and customers’ experience. “Most of our customers we know by name and we also know just how they like their dishes served and we can tailor our recipes to suit. “We also have up to 70 recipes that are not listed on our menu, if we listed them, others would try to copy them, but they must remain as ours. “I regularly go home to Bangladesh and visit the outlying towns like Jaflonge and Sylhet to pick new recipes and ideas that inspire. “It’s important to remain fresh in our approach, it gives us the edge and helps to keep customers coming back.” says Rafique.

Restaurateur Rafique – traditional recipes handed down through his family

Meet the boss:

Rafique is happy to let the food do the taking by John Nash

Before the open sign has been hung in the window, a small group of customers on a Thursday teatime are eagerly waiting to place orders at Wombourne Tandoori. Owner, Rafique Miah, greets each one by name and it’s clearly an indisputable fact that he’s the boss. The public face of a restaurant that regularly draws customers from 34 miles away in Shrewsbury and also has families visit from Cornwall and Port Talbot in south Wales, Rafique is the very public face of this extraordinarily good eatery. But the co-owner – he is one of four brothers involved in the business – is quick to point out that the only real celebrity of this top curry house serving authentic Bangladeshi dishes is the food. “Many of the recipes have been handed down to our family and are unique to us. My mother’s dishes 64

are served here and the recipes are a guarded secret,” he says. With a keen eye for detail and a fastidiousness about the customer experience, Rafique is fiercely proud of what his family have achieved in Wombourne. Celebrating its 25th year in the village square, the business has undergone some major changes over the years. “In 1989 the premises were used as a coffee shop and I bought it to open a restaurant. But I soon discovered there was no planning permission for what I wanted to do and I started with a takeaway, “The restaurant was soon opened and eight years ago extended,” he adds. “My brother Makham is the chef and my son and nephews, who have worked with me part-time for several years while completing their education, are now full-time here and central to maintaining quality and developing the restaurant. “They have exceeded my expectations on training and

And the methodology works. Distracted by kitchen duties, Rafique leaves me sitting at the bar for a few minutes. It’s an opportunity to chat to one customer, a window fitter and builder, waiting for a takeaway order. “This is the best. You have to wait a while for food to be cooked, but it’s always fresh, always consistent. “I’ve been coming here for 25 years; since the place opened and I’ve not tired of the excellent curries. All the staff know you – they know loads of people who come here to dine. It’s the best curry place I’ve ever visited,” he says. Near to the bar is a collection of mounted newspaper cutting hailing the success of the restaurant and the quality of its food. It’s an interesting read, but the positive reviews are readily eclipsed by a single glance at meals being served. Rafique is big on the no-gimmick virtues of his restaurant. “I will never compromise on quality or quantity. Everybody here knows that those things can never change. Regularly packed to the rafters, with diners willing to wait at the bar for tables, Wombourne Tandoori offers an impressive selection of gastronomic delights. From simple traditional masalas and dhansaks to the more obscure dishes for foodie adventurers, Rafique believes he has a winning recipe in the village battle for the curry king’s crown. Clearly a cut above from some competitors, it’s a place that won’t break the bank and is guaranteed to satisfy the taste buds of even the most discerning palate.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Wombourne Tandoori Restaurant Established 1989

Air conditioned

Cuisine of Bengal

Fully licensed



FOOD HYGIENE RATING SCHEME 2011

Celebrate your Christmas Party in Style at the Perfect Venue to Dine! 5 course Festive Christmas Menu Available from 1st – 24th December for groups of 10 people or more

Papadums with relish Choice starter Chicken Tikka Onion Bhajee Samosas Chicken Chat Choice main course Chicken Tikka Masala Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi Lamb Bhuna Prawn Sagwaller Balti Vegetable Balti Rice or Nan Pilau Rice Fried Rice Mushroom Pilau Rice Plain Nan Peshwari Nan Keema Nan Tea or Coffee

only £12.95 per person

Bookings Only

Christmas Day Menu now available... Bookings now being taken for Christmas Day Lunch, Christmas Office Parties and Christmas Family and Friends Get-togethers. Rafique Miah welcomes you to the longest established Indian and Bangladeshi Restaurant in Wombourne Village, serving sumptuous Bangladeshi Cuisine for over 25 years.

“We pride ourselves on our Quality of Food, Excellent Customer Service and Customer Satisfaction.” Recently refurbished in contemporary surroundings, air conditioned and fully licensed. Our popular Take-away Service is still the best in Wombourne offering 10% off our Menu price.

Tel:

01902 324148 01902 324437 Open 7 days including Bank Holidays - 5.30pm until 11.30pm

High Street, Wombourne WV5 9DN www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

facebook.com/wombourne.tandoori

www.wombournetandoori.com 65

Himley Hall A local treasure

Himley Hall is a commanding 18th Century stately home set amongst 180 acres of ‘Capability Brown’ landscaped parkland and situated just 6 miles north of Stourbridge and 4 miles west of Dudley. Once the family home to the Earls of Dudley and host to royalty and high society, today it offers a glamorous setting for civil wedding ceremonies and receptions, elegant afternoon teas, special occasion celebrations and parties, art and craft exhibitions as well as prestigious conference facilities and guided tours. Enjoy one of the true traditions of our culinary heritage in a venue where royal newlyweds spent their honeymoon and princes and earls once strolled. The classic combination of ribbon

sandwiches, scones with fruit conserve and cream, sweet pastries and tea in the superb setting of Himley Hall is an afternoon of luxury that cannot be missed.

are invited to view the ceremony and reception rooms at Himley Hall set out ready for their special day, at the Hall’s Wedding Open Evenings from 5.00pm – 9.00pm.

Arrival at Himley Hall is at 2.00 pm with guests seated in one of our beautifully refurbished ground floor rooms by 2.30pm ready to enjoy an afternoon of indulgence.

Wedding co-ordinators and catering managers will be available to discuss options available to couples who will also be able to meet Himley’s resident DJ and view the art-deco style function room operating with music and lighting effects.

Guests may also ‘top up’ their afternoon tea with a glass of prosecco or a ‘G & T’ for a small extra charge. Afternoon Tea in Himley Hall must be pre-booked and is offered on individual weekday dates each month. Individual, small party or large group bookings are available up to a maximum of 100 persons On Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th September couples looking for their perfect wedding venue

If you would like more details on Himley Hall as a civil wedding ceremony and reception venue or for an Indulgent Afternoon Tea please call 01384 817817. 66

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

G E TTING TH E S HOW

ON THE ROAD the pressure will be on ‘to get the show on the road’.

Organising a wedding is, on the face of it, a happy affair or it should be. The trouble is, so many apparently conflicting interests need to be balanced, so many people need to be reconciled and of course, so much money has to be budgeted, that it can almost seem too much bother. But a wedding after all, should be a traditional family and social occasion to be enjoyed by all concerned. And it can be if everyone keeps their head, observes the smallest details and the event is planned carefully, meticulously and well in advance. From the moment the couple decide to marry, they have an obligation to their family, friends and themselves, to make sure everyone knows what is going on. So it is sensible to announce the engagement in some way. It isn’t necessary at this stage to name the day but, as soon as the engagement has been made public, unless there is some pressing reason why the couple intend to wait for a year or more, 68

Setting the date is the first priority because church or other venues for the ceremony and reception, will need to be booked well in advance if they are at all popular places for such occasions. It’s probably best to get a series of dates at which the chosen reception venue will be available, at least six months ahead, so the ceremony venue can be booked accordingly. These days of course, it is possible to book the ceremony and reception at a registered wedding venue which can make those arrangements less of a problem. When booking the reception, some decision will have had to be made regarding the number of guests. Exact numbers are not required at this stage but some rough estimate will he needed by the reception organisers. This is the time however, when the respective families should sit down together and decide on the amount they are prepared to pay for the event. This is not being mercenary, just sensible. When the budget has been set, everyone must agree who will pay or provide for what. Now the other details have to be decided upon and planned. There will be a need for ’stills’ photos and possibly also a ‘reportage’ record of the event - your local photographer will explain the details of this fairly recent innovation. Now is the time to do this before the best get booked up. Likewise with the transport arrangements. If a special conveyance is required it must be booked well in advance to prevent disappointment. The gift list should be organised now. Many guests like to have time

to seek out or save up for the gifts they choose to present. Have only one list and have it lodged and controlled by one person only. It’s the only way to prevent duplications and misunderstandings. A wedding diary is an excellent way of keeping abreast of the arrangements, ensuring everything goes smoothly and nothing gets left out. It is no bad idea to appoint one person from the family as wedding co-ordinator, go-between, pacifier and general diplomatic dog’s-body. He or she can then hold all the strings together, keep track of all the arrangements, order the stationery, check its progress, take charge of the guest list, send out the invitations, check the acceptances, arrange family conferences, sort out the problems and generally control the affair. It is probably best that this person is not an immediate family member; it should certainly not be the bride. The bride’s gown and the degree of formality of dress for the rest of the wedding party ought to be decided upon at least five months in advance. Clothes that are to be hired need to he hired well in advance - to be really sure. Tailor-made clothes need time to be made, and the bride’s gown and the rest of her trousseau, wherever she decides to get it, will take time to organise. The rings too will need to be bought, again if they are to be specially made, time will have to be given. The florist may be booked around four months in advance, and if his or her services are required on the day for other than mere delivery of the bouquets, this too should be booked. The cake must be ordered well in advance and it is essential to arrange for the bakers to deliver it to the reception venue in good time. Don’t forget a cake stand might have also to be hired. Most bakers provide this service but it isn’t automatically provided. When written down, the sheer logistics of organising a wedding can look horrendous. With careful planning and plenty of time however, there should be no problems that cannot be resolved, ensuring this to be the happy, memorable day it really deserves to be!

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Wedding

For the perfect

Winter Wedding Offer 2016

Patshull Park Hotel Pattingham WV6 7HR www.patshull-park.co.uk email: sales@patshull-park.co.uk For a personal visit please call 01902 700 100 and ask for the sales team.

January, February, November & December 2016

£3,500.00 package including 50 lunch guests, 100 evening buffet guests plus, disco and room hire until 1.00am. Contact Jo Guest for available dates.

Experience the Scenery Breathtaking scenery and professional staff. Excellent food and friendly service. Packages for most budgets including ‘off peak’ offers. A perfect day tailored to your specific requirements.

Wedding Fairs

Sunday September 20th 2015 & Sunday 21st February 2016, Free Entry, 11.00am - 3.00pm Special offers for guests booking their wedding on the day.

Steve Fisher Professional Photographer It's your Special Day at an Extra Special Price Traditional all in Wedding Package

£399 Includes a complete set of 7x5 prints Plus a CD of all photos Tel: 0121 550 8880 Mobile: 07725 026728 Church, Registry Office or Private Venue www.stevefisherphotographer.co.uk (personal service) www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

commemorating Wolves legends Billy Wright and Stan Cullis. As an extra incentive to celebrate your special day with us we are offering one lucky couple the chance to win our wedding prize draw.

Book your wedding to win Molineux Stadium is no ordinary venue, home to one of the founder members of the Football League, Wolverhampton Wanderers, for 125 years. The stadium has 11 licenced rooms that can host civil ceremonies for 10-275 people, some with stunning views over the pitch where history has been made. Your wedding breakfast and evening receptions can follow, with us able

to accommodate parties of up to 275 with a three course sit down meal followed by an evening buffet. We offer a number of packages to suit budgets and guest lists, as well as personal tastes and our dedicated events team will work with you to make your day as perfect as the vision you have of it. As part of your package we can allow access to pitch side for photographs, as well as the iconic backdrop of the exterior of the Stadium and statues

Would you like free chair covers for your reception, a Wolves legend to pop along on the day to say hello and help you toast your special day and to top it all off a trip to our directors box on the nearest match-day to your first anniversary – a dream come true for any Wolves fan.

All you need to do to qualify is book your wedding before 31st December 2015 and you will be entered into the draw. Weddings must be booked before 31st December 2015 but can take place after the date. We would love to invite you to come and view our facilities, meet our Events Team and discuss how we can help you plan your perfect day. Call 0871 222 2220 (option 5) or email weddings@wolves.co.uk

Weddings @ Molineux Book your wedding between now and 31st December 2015 to enter a draw to win: • Free chair covers for your reception. • A visit from a Wolves legend to congratulate the happy couple and pose for photos. • A visit to Directors Box for the Bride and Groom at the nearest game to your first wedding anniversary. Quote Reference WWTVL2015 when booking to enter the draw.

weddings@wolves.co.uk corporatewolves.co.uk 0871 222 2220 option 5

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Magical party planning from

Prince & Princess

Want to plan a spectacular party that everyone will be talking about for years but don’t know where to start? Then let Prince and Princess take away the hassle and leave you with a room full of happy guests, eager to share their experiences with their friends.

With products costing as little as £1, Prince and Princess are able to turn your party from good to great! So why not get in touch and see what they can add to your event. For more information call 07887 053054 or email princeandprincess12@gmail.com or find them on Facebook by searching for ‘Prince and Princess’.

With a passion for creating not only magical events but also magical memories, the West Midlands-based company promises to bring a special flair to your party, no matter what size budget you are working with. Events catered for include christenings, birthdays, baby showers, communions, anniversaries, children’s parties… the list goes on. Be it a small private party in your home or a large extravagant gathering at a striking venue, Prince and Princess is on hand to offer you an exceptional, professional standard of service. They are able to work with you through the whole planning process from finding a location, venue, caterers, and entertainment or you can simply ask them to provide one of their fabulous balloon creations or party bags. In partnership with a range of outstanding local businesses, Prince and Princess take pride in providing a first class service and make sure that no desire is left unfulfilled and that every little detail is taken care of. A wide variety of themes can be catered for by Prince and Princess. Children can have a traditional fairy tale theme, or a Disney theme such as The Little Mermaid or Frozen. They can even arrange for the princesses to attend your party should you so wish. Imagine the faces of your amazed young guests! Prince and Princess are balloon specialists and can create fantastic beautiful bouquets for all occasions. Be it an opening of a business, an important life event or just because you want to show someone that you care, the company are on hand to make a creation to your own theme and specifications. www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

GET PAID TO EXERCISE

TOWN & VILLAGE

LIFE M AGA Z I N E

Beautiful Flowers for All Occasions!

Can you help to distribute the Town & Village Life Magazine? • Ideal for mature, semi-retired or mums at home • Route available for Wollaston area • Excellent Rates of pay

• Wedding flowers • Funeral and sympathy designs LETTERS

• Chair cover hire and table centrepieces

Specialising in Bridal Bouquets, Buttonholes, Corsages & more Personal Design Service for Funeral Arrangements at very competitive prices

If you are interested in distributing the magazine in your area please let us know and we will put you on our waiting list.

Flowers available to order online at

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Please call Mike or Irene on:

01952 261267 Welcome to my

Forever Living business

by Nicola Mansfield

Forever Living is still very new to me as I started in May this year. When my daughter was born I was fortunate enough not to have to return to work which was fantastic, however two and a half years passed and all my confidence had gone and I would very much keep myself to myself.

• Gift bouquets to order and local delivery

170 Lower High Street Stourbridge DY8 1TG FREE 1 Hour Parking directly outside

achieve great success with her own Forever business. I listened and learnt about the business and made the decision to jump in with both feet. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made, my confidence has returned, I am always talking to people telling them how good Forever products are and what an amazing business opportunity it is. Best of all I am back helping people and doing it from the comfort of my own home, working hours that fit around my family life.

In April this year a friend of mine introduced me to Forever Living having watched her own sister 72

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Elegant outfits at affordable prices Looking for that special outfit for an upcoming event? Then look no further than Classy Rags. Based in Bearwood, Birmingham , Classy Rags specialises in Mother of the Bride outfits and evening wear. Classy Rags is a clothes lover’s dream with a showroom full of quality casual and designer wear and a fabulous range of accessories to compliment your outfit. Trading for over 26 years, Classy Rags, owned by Helen Hambi is a favourite with locals as well as attracting visitors from further afield, who want that amazing outfit that you won’t find on the high street.

The Aladdin’s cave of fashion includes many designer labels such as Gina Bacconi, b.young and Michaela Louisa. You also never need to worry about bumping into someone wearing the same outfit to your special occasion as only one of each size is sold. Selected ranges are available in sizes 8 to 22. Twice a year, Classy Rags hosts the Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer fashion show. The event raises money for breast cancer and has been hugely successful with an impressive £10,000 raised so far. The company offers a friendly and helpful service and is happy to give advice on choosing a special outfit.

You may even be surprised to find that your perfect outfit is something that you would never have considered without the assistance of Helen and her team! With such an exciting range to choose from, you are certain to find that outstanding ensemble to wow your friends. Classy Rags are open six days a week: Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5.30pm on Bearwood Road, Bearwood, Birmingham. For more information search ‘Classy Rags’ on Facebook or visit: www.classyragsbirmingham.co.uk

Classy Rags are offering Town & Village Life Magazine readers an Introductory Offer of 15% OFF* Clothing and 10% OFF* Accessories purchased when you present this coupon. *Not valid against sale items, no photocopies and not in conjunction with any other offer.

Classy Rags

627 Bearwood Road, Smethwick, Birmingham B66 4BL

Casual & Designer Wear

Mother of the Bride • Hats • Jewellery • French & Italian Casual Designer Wear Shoes • Evening Wear • Fascinators • Bags • Accessories

Tel: 0121 434 3727

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

www.classyragsbirmingham.co.uk

IPL Hair Removal and much more at

Wollaston

Beauty Clinic “We offer great discounts on courses of VPL treatments.” And, it’s easy to get started with the treatment: “Before booking a VPL treatment we just ask that our clients arrange a consultation and a patch test, once that’s out of the way, treatment can commence.” It’s not just hair removal that the salon take care of though, there’s an extensive menu of essential and indulgent beauty treatments on offer too: “We offer a full range of beauty services and products, including: HD Brows, Dermalogica facials, Shellac manicures, Minx nails and St Tropez spray tans.” There’s also relaxing ESPA aromatherapy facials, luxurious body scrubs and wraps - including mud, skin-hydrator and detoxifying algae varieties:

Battling unwanted hair is time consuming, frustrating and often painful.

“Our ESPA facials and body wraps will leave your skin looking radiant, nourished and moisturised, and you’ll feel utterly relaxed.”

That’s why it’s good to know that’s there’s an effective alternative to waxing, shaving, epilating and removal creams that could allow you to say goodbye to unwanted hair for good. Variable Pulsed Light, or VPL, offers a safe and effective way to remove unwanted body hair and the treatment is available at Wollaston Beauty Clinic. Salon owner, Rachel Ward, explains: “VPL is a unique and comfortable method of hair removal using laser. It’s similar to IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) as the light travels down the hair shaft to destroy the hair follicle and eliminate new hair growth.”

Every single member of Wollaston Beauty Clinic’s team has undergone extensive training and completed specific courses in the services they offer. And that’s reassuring to know, especially if you want to try out one of their specialist treatments: “We do collagen stimulation therapy, dermal fillers, frown-freezing as well as semi-permanent make-up applications,” adds Rachel. So, there’s no doubt that the salon has got everything you need to look gorgeous and feel amazing. Why not book in today?

VPL offers clients a much more bespoke treatment when compared with IPL: “VPL is much easier to control than IPL and can be tailored to each clients’ needs and skin types. It treats all skin colours and many hair colours too.” Unlike electrolysis, hundreds of hair follicles can be dealt with at one time, allowing for effective and quick hair removal. The salon uses the latest Energist Ultra Plus system to ensure that their customers receive the best results: “You will see results after just one treatment, although it’s most beneficial to undertake several sessions if you want to attain permanently reduced hair-free skin.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

e c i r p 1/2 R E S A L hair Leg val remo r* offe Full or half leg area. Consultation required. Single sessions only. Offer ends 31st Oct.

153 Bridgnorth Road, Wollaston, Stourbridge DY8 3NU 01384 393305

www.wollastonbeautyclinic.co.uk *Terms & conditions apply. Offer not available in conjunction with any other offer, voucher loyalty scheme or course of treatments. No refunds on cancelations or unused bookings. All offer bookings must be paid in advance at time of booking. Managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision in all matters is final. 75 www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Sophisticated Style at

Aristocats Autumn fashion is all about sophisticated style and there is no better place to find your new season’s look than at the ladies fashion boutique, Aristocats.

Rabe – a quality knitwear collection designed in a wide range of beautiful colours. Aristocats has carefully chosen items that will co-ordinate with the many other designer collections that are stocked throughout the store.

This Autumn/Winter (2015) Aristocats are introducing two new exciting German labels:

Aristocats staff offer a friendly, professional yet personal service. The team strive to ensure that clients are assisted, if required, in order to make an informed choice.

Betty Barclay – a colour co-ordinated range of dresses and separates. The mix and match collection can be adapted to suit individual taste and requirements.

Owner, Carol Billingsley, states, “Great customer service is

our number one priority and we aim to provide a relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable shopping experience.” Whatever the occasion, you are sure to find the perfect outfit at Aristocats. The clothes will take you effortlessly to any function whether casual or formal in the daytime, after six or late evening. Fabulous quality, effortlessly stylish and easy to wear. Call in at Aristocats today to update your fashion look this season.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

• Aldo Martins • Basler • Betty Barclay • Eugen Klein • Faber • Frank Walder • Gelco • Joseph Ribkoff • Just White • Olsen • Rabe

Open Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm, Saturday 10am - 4pm Ample parking behind the premises in New Street or on the road opposite the Esso petrol station.

Co-ordinated Day Wear • Coats • Cocktail & Evening Wear Lingerie • Accessories • Belts • Bags • Jewellery • Hosiery 234www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk Coalway Road, Penn,Wolverhampton WV3 7NN Tel: 01902 344003

B e au t y R o o m s

Wall Heath wins prestigious Clarins Gold Salon Award

When asked about how it feels to have won such a prestigious award, Julie said, “We are delighted to have won the Clarins Gold Salon of the Year Award! Running your own business can bring some real challenges along the way so winning such a high profile award has made all the hard work worthwhile. Our team of therapists are amazing, dedicated, professional ladies and it is their hard work that has made this all possible, in particular our salon manageresses; Vikki Turner who helps us to maintain our high standards and Danielle McGinn who performed the treatment on which we scored 96%.”

left Managing Director Debbie Lewis, Owners of Beauty Rooms Linda Emmerson and Julie Pearce

Julie Pearce and Linda Emmerson, owners of Beauty Rooms, Wall Heath, have been awarded the Clarins Gold Salon of the Year Award – one of the highest national accolades in the beauty salon business. The Beauty Rooms was established in 1997 by the mother and daughter duo, who vowed to only use products and treatments that they truly believed in and trusted, and so began their partnership with Clarins. Situated in the heart of the village, they pride themselves on their professional yet friendly approach, regularly hosting Clarins Beauty Parties and workshops, making them widely recognised as “Clarins Experts”. Clarins introduced the concept of Gold Salons nearly 20 years ago. As part of any relationship with

a feeling of heart and warmth and she says she could not have done this without them. Julie’s husband Andy decorated both salons himself and Julie’s mum Linda, has been a huge support in keeping the business going whilst Julie had her three children, Bradley 15, Darcey 11 and Finley 9. As the business has grown Julie also has the flexibility of help from her sister Jayne Mills and niece Libby Mills when it is needed.

a beauty salon, Clarins provides beauty products and trains its staff to advise on Clarins treatments and home care. However, it recognised that some salons give an exemplary level of Clarins service and as such awarded them Gold Salon Status. When judged against other leading Clarins Gold Salons, Beauty Rooms stood out for its exceptional standard of practical treatment, friendly yet professional manner, salon ambience and overall business development, scoring 96% in their Test Shop. There are currently 21 salons which have been awarded the highly-prized Clarins Gold Salon acknowledgement for outstanding performance and Beauty Rooms has become the 22nd Gold Salon to join that elite group.

To celebrate this award, Clarins have created a luxury facial exclusively for Beauty Rooms, Wall Heath. This highly personalised, results-driven facial is suitable for all skin types and incorporates a deeply relaxing hot stone décolleté massage to gently release tension and calm mind and body. This limited edition facial is available for just £40 plus, you will receive a pampering Clarins kit worth £25 at the end of your treatment.* This offer is available from 1st September to 30th November 2015. For further details please call The Beauty Rooms, Wall Heath on 01384 353735. *whilst stocks last

This family-run salon aims to bridge the gap between local salon and spa, combining friendliness with professionalism and superior quality in every way. Julie’s family’s involvement really does give the salon

TO CELEBRATE THEIR NATIONAL AWARD

‘CLARINS GOLD SALON WINNER’

20% off*

Beauty Rooms are offering any one beauty treatment throughout September, October and November 2015 when this coupon is presented. Terms & Conditions:*Valid for one treatment only during the offer period at both Wall Heath and Penn salons, one coupon per person, no photocopies, not to be used in conjunction with any other offers. Appointments subject to availability.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Clarins Gold Salon of the Year 2014. GOL D

ER TN

Exclusive Oﬀer

ON PA SAL R

Restore your skin’s perfect balance with a Clarins luxury facial created exclusively for The Beauty Rooms Spa, Wall Heath. Don’t miss out, book this limited edition facial today for just £40. Plus, receive a pampering kit worth £29* at the end of your treatment. Available from September - November 2015. The Beauty Rooms, Wall Heath 7A High Street, Wall Heath West Midlands DY6 OHA Tel: 01384 353 735.

The Beauty Rooms, Penn 246A Warstones Rd, Penn Wolverhampton WV4 4LB Tel: 01902 620 000

Appointments subject to availability. All appointments to be booked and redeemed by 30 November 2015. One gift per customer while stocks last. *Based on ml value of standard size products.

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

More lines available now at 4

1: Stone Island Sweater £45 - 2: Stone Island Shirt £80 - 3: Hugo Boss Tee £35 - 4: Ralph Lauren Knit Dress £120 5: Ralph Lauren Gilet £120 - 6: Ted Baker Bag £29 - 7: Stone Island Padded Jacket from £230 8: Converse from £26 - 9: Ted Baker Jelly Pump £50 - 10: Timberland Boots £80

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

NOW AVAILABLE AT

Our 0-16 year old girls and boys collections are now available at: Diffusion Merry Hill Unit 47, Merry Hill Centre 01384 480504

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Diffusion Wolverhampton 9 Lichfield Street 01902 716762

Looking For The Perfect Body Without Surgery? Imagine a non-surgical fat reduction procedure that costs a fraction of what most treatments cost, is permanent, and tackles those tough spots like ‘love handles’ and belly fat. UltraSlim LipoFreeze Cryolipolysis and Ultrasound Cavitation Lipo are the most effective non surgical body sculpting treatments available on the market today. Inches can be lost off any given area of the body with a short, simple treatment administered in a comfortable, relaxed environment. Cryolipolysis LipoFreeze (Fat Freezing) delivers controlled cooling to reduce fat by up to 40% during a single treatment, while Ultrasound Cavitation Lipo & RF delivers instant results for fat reduction, in addition to targeting cellulite, reducing stretch marks and tightening loose skin after child birth. We are shaped by what we love, but you’ll love the shape you can achieve at UltraSlim Clinics. 82

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

ULTRASLIM LIPOFREEZE™ CRYOLIPOLYSIS

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UltraSlim Clinics 36-38 Berry Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1HA T: 0844 288 7297 E: info@ultraslimclinics.com

www.ultraslimclinics.com www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Get gorgeous, glowing skin in time for your

Image courtesy of BHS

by Helen Taylor

big day

toxins, so it’s great for your skin. Aim to do a little exercise outside in the fresh air each day for an unmistakable healthy glow.

Stick to a skincare routine Cleansing and moisturising your skin everyday will keep it in tip-top condition, as well as keeping blemishes and wrinkles at bay. Don’t forget to moisturise your delicate eye area too by using an eye cream each night. Use products that are tailored to your skin type, whether it’s dry, oily, combination or blemish prone. Exfoliate regularly to slough of dead cells on the surface of your skin and encourage the rejuvenation of the skin underneath. Gentle exfoliators can be used everyday, others are best used only once a week.

Don’t stress and sleep well Planning a wedding is stressful, but try to keep worrying to a minimum because it has a negative effect on your skin. Relax and unwind with some dedicated ‘me time’ each day and ensure that you get plenty of sleep every night - aim for at least 8 hours.

Treat yourself to a facial

A flawless, radiant complexion is essential for your wedding day, so it’s important to start a dedicated skincare routine months in advance.

foods, dairy products and alcohol are just some of the items we consume that can have a negative effect, causing problems like acne and premature ageing.

Here’s our essential guide for glowing skin:

Watermelon, broccoli and brazil nuts all contain skin-boosting properties.

Eat healthy, look gorgeous

Exercise for a healthy glow

When it comes to improving your skin it really is important to look at your diet first of all. Processed

Exercise aids circulation, increasing oxygen levels in the blood which speeds up the elimination of

So, it’s time to ditch processed, high fat foods - as well as your favourite tipple - in favour of fruit, vegetables and plenty of mineral water.

Regular facials are essential for beautiful skin and offer you the perfect excuse to book in at the salon and enjoy some pampering. Your beauty therapist will be able to properly assess your skin’s needs and advise on which products to use at home. When you leave the salon you’ll feel great and your skin will look amazing.

Fake it with make-up Well applied make-up is guaranteed to give you a healthy glow. Whether you’re having your make-up professionally applied or you’re doing it yourself, a skin illuminating primer, carefully applied highlighter and of course, a great foundation will be essential.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Sensational Nails from Scratch, Oldswinford

This year marks the eleventh anniversary of Scratch Nail Studio, Oldswinford. Since opening in 2004, Scratch Nail Studio has been at the forefront of nail services within the local areaÂ with a loyal client base and long-standing reliable staff.

Chantal Welvaert, owner of the Hagley Road business, first joined the team eight years ago before becoming the proud owner in 2013, where she undertook a full revamp of the studio to create modern, stylish surroundings for your treatment. Along with her fully qualified, experienced team of staff including beauty therapist Jennie Field and nail technicians Elise Percival and Kate Tromans, Chantal promises an exceptional level of service and nails you will be proud to show off.

L-R: Chantal Welvaert, Elise Percival, Jennie Field

Scratch use only the highest quality nail products including OPI, Bio Sculpture Nails, Jessica Generation and Essie. Toes are

not forgotten either and you can even enjoy a luxurious pedicure in one of their fabulous massage chairs. Enjoy a foot soak, followed by a leg and foot exfoliation a relaxing foot mast followed by a full pedicure which will leave your feet ready for those stunning shoes for that special occasion. As well as manicures and pedicures, Scratch also offers a full range of beauty treatments such as facials (Pure-Swiss certified vegan products can be used for this), facial LED Blue Light Therapy, waxing, tinting, and massage. They are also on hand to provide St. Tropez tanning products to give you that year round glow. Men donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel left out, Scratch also caters for male beauty to make sure you keep your skin in tip-top condition. A Scratch gift voucher is the ideal present for any occasion and the recipient will love a bit of pampering. Nail and beauty products including jewellery and nail polishes are also available. So why not pop down to Scratch and give yourself the treatment you deserve.

Call into our friendly modern salon for a Chat and adviCe on all beauty treatments we offer

Celebrating 11 years

Tel: 01384 444704 www.scraTchnailsTudio.com

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

114 hagley road, oldswinford, sTourbridge, dy8 1Qu

Possibly the most

significant advance in sculpting the perfect ‘Me’ Secretly we all want to be different to what Mother Nature dispensed – maybe younger, taller, shorter or with less excess in the places we cleverly try to disguise. But perhaps most of all, we desire to be as near to the perfect “Me” we could envisage. Much of what our DNA dictates we cannot change. And for the

majority, we are just not ready for what full-blown, clever plastic surgery procedures can achieve. For years, those who required body contouring bought into the liposuction dream, parting with millions of pounds for liposculpture or suction-assisted lipectomy procedures. The surgery permanently removed fat cells, allowing people to be thin without tortuous exercise regimes and low-fat, low taste diets. But what if the same results could be achieved without such an invasive procedure and at a fraction of the cost of a full surgical operation? Year on year medical science has invaded the beauty market, but a recent development is setting the bar for body contouring at a new level – without the painful discomfort of traditional lipo treatments. This innovation – 3D-lipo – offers a revolutionary fat reduction treatment and it’s available at Medi Visage, basted in Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton. Articles in The Daily Express, The Express online and OK! Magazine have ensured that the message about this treatment is ‘out there’ and the response for treatment has been staggering. Medi Visage business partner, Bibi Dodd, says: “Since we have had this revolutionary piece of equipment we have seen staggering results in skin tone and fat reduction and it doesn’t involve the normal rigour of exercise.” High profile fans of 3D-lipo have included Coleen Rooney, Liverpudlian wife of Wayne Rooney. Following the birth of her second child she

Medi Visage Bibi Dodd – I’ve seen staggering results in skin tone and fat reduction and it doesn’t involve the normal rigour of exercise

decided on a helping hand from a beauty clinic to get back into shape. The therapy combines Cavitation (the use of ultrasound) which converts fat cells into liquid that is then naturally drained by the body’s own filtration system, as well as a body sculpting treatment called Cryolipolysis, where fat cells are literally frozen away. Unlike other lipo offerings that utilise Diode Laser (I-Lipo, Strawberry and Laser Lipo) this new technology “physically destroys the fat cells.” The advantage of this is that the client is not required to exercise post treatment in order to metabolise the released fat. “Added to this, with the combination of radio frequency and 3D-dermology, clients are able to combine an effective skin tightening application for both face and body and also target the dreaded cellulite,” says Bibi. Partnering Bibi in the Medi Visage venture are established Wolverhampton implant dentist Jonathon Pugh BDS MSc (Implant Dentistry), Maxillofacial surgeon Mr Khaleeq-Ur-Rehman BDS, FDSRCPS, MBChB, MRCS (Gen Surg), FRCS (OMFS) and consultant dermatologist Dr Hamdi Hamad. The surgical team will offer a full body dermatological approach to patients and will, among other procedures, address anti-wrinkle facial aesthetics, skin cancer screening (including tissue biopsies), and the removal of moles, skin tags and basal-cell carcinoma (BCC). Internationally acclaimed Deborah Mitchell’s Heaven products are being used for skin care pampering and are on sale at the clinic.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

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Colour Block Sweater £32 Jeans £26 Bag £90 All Next

Amazing Autumn New Season Style By Helen Taylor Say ‘goodbye’ to summer and ‘hello’ to autumn with a fabulous new fashion look. There’s never been a better time to hit the shops and stock-up on those new season essentials that’ll keep you looking chic - and feeling snug - on the cool days ahead. Choose from cosy coats, statement knits and awesome accessories and have fun styling your signature look this autumn. Here are our favourite new season finds:

Reefer Coat £55 Lace Top £24 Bangles £14 Ring £5 All Next

Mac £55 Saddle Bag £54 Denim Shirt Dress £28 Boots £120 All Next

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Jumper £35 Per Una at M&S

Blazer £269 Biba at House of Fraser

Top £35 Principles at Debenhams

Trousers £45 Edition Preen at Debenhams

Classic Coat £255 Betty Barclay at Aristocats, Wolverhampton Small Multi Function Tote Navy £220 Michael Kors at Diffusion

Batwing Dress £79 Phase Eight Ankle Boots £89 Dune

Necklaces from £119 Bracelets from £59 Earrings from £39

Stud Heart Barrel Bag Red £185 Love Moschino at Diffusion

Watch £179 Bering exclusively at T.A. Henn, Wolverhampton

Coeur de Lion exclusively at T.A. Henn, Wolverhampton The images used in this article are readily available in various places on the internet and are believed to be in the public domain. Town & Village Life magazine claims no credit for them unless otherwise noted. If you own the rights to any of the images, or if any content appearing in Town & Village Life magazine infringes on your copyright, please notify us and they will be promptly removed.

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Jon Pugh marque is on the march

former senior hospital house officer and Birmingham Dental School clinical lecturer. Total Implant Solutions business development manager Bibi Dodd is taking an additional role as general manager to oversee the changes and extra patient-focussed improvements that are being introduced at Jon’s sister practice, Parkside Dental, in Park Road West. Said Bibi: “We have consolidated our position here in Wolverhampton and the time is right to expand the Jon Pugh brand. “We are well-known and respected for our clinical excellence and from that point of strength are currently in negotiations to transplant our successful business model into other areas.” Total Implant Solutions is partnering Birmingham’s Smile by Smile, the Smileworks brand and a number of other top-end aesthetic dentistry practices in the West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire and the Wyre Forest areas. As part of the restructuring Bibi will be working closely with Parkside practice manager Vanessa Wilding. In combining the strengths of both managers, the aim is to bring the two practices into a closer working relationship and “to expand patient options.”

Jon Pugh BDS MSc (implant dentistry)

Leading implant dental practice expands.

Wolverhampton, Jon took the plunge in the summer of 2011 to set up a dedicated implant referral practice – a move he described as fulfilling his dream.

Wolverhampton implant dentist Jon Pugh BDS MSc (implant dentistry) is expanding his business in a drive to establish his marque in neighbouring counties and beyond.

Since then, Total Implant Solutions at the Parkdale Clinic on Wolverhampton’s Tettenhall Road has established itself as a platinum standard dental implants centre of excellence with principal Jon taking on extra clinicians and appointing fellow implantologist, Carl Horton BDS MSc (periodontology), a

After more than 20 years building his Parkside Dental Practice on Park Road West, 90

Vanessa said: “We have an excellent skills base with the dentists who work with us and can comfortably address the majority of dental issues presented. “Obviously, implants will remain the major focus of Jon’s referral practice at the Parkdale clinic and our special interest in orthodontics work will remain with Parkside. “We believe the patient experience at both practices is excellent and we continually audit the feedback in our drive to always deliver our very best. What we really want to do is share our great ‘going to the dentist’ experience with a wider audience.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Added Vanessa: “Our practice is relaxed, friendly and has properly defined skills in dealing with nervous patients.

Closer working relationships – practice manager at Parkside, Vanessa Wilding with Bibi Dodd, who is taking a general manager's role to oversee new developments with Total Implant Solutions and changes at the sister practice in Park Road West, Wolverhampton

“The joining of both practices is a great opportunity for us to grow and offer a wider range of services to the general public under the Jonathon Pugh Dental care umbrella. “We believe former patients, existing patients and new clients will all benefit from the fresh interaction between the two practices.” Parkside’s knowledge of orthodontics (teeth straightening) is well respected throughout the Midlands and the practice currently enjoys one of the largest NHS ortho contracts in the region dealing primarily with children. But a growing trend of young adults seeking this form of dentistry is seeing more private ortho opportunities emerge within the practice. In an interview when Parkside Orthodontic Service dentist, Dr Elizabeth Roberts BDS MFGDP(UK) DipPCOrth RCS(Eng), was awarded the annual Practitioner Group Cases Prize for 2013 at the British Orthodontic Conference in September, she said: “Growing up as a teenager is hard enough these days without dealing with the issues of crooked or misaligned teeth. “In an image-conscious world transformations achieved by orthodontics along with other aesthetic procedures are proving popular with the mid-20s to 40s. www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

“At a younger age, many patients are not suitable for implants, but want aesthetic dentistry to improve their smiles. Ortho treatment is just one of many options that can be employed.”

“Caring for the smiles of these people is very rewarding and also families as we see children become young adults with great smiles. “There’s really no pressure, but I love sharing with potential new patients just what makes us different from many NHS practices.” Bibi added: “In just over three years the Total Implant Solutions’ growth has been excellent as we have put our message ‘out there’ with both business to business and direct marketing. I am now focussed on a robust campaign for Parkside so that people can get to know just how good the dental experience is there.”

How a single kiss sums up Jon’s

career dream

The creative power of implant dentistry has, quite literally, the potential to change lives.

“After replacing her lost teeth with implants, she returned to the surgery to tell us she’d enjoyed her first kiss and was claiming back her lost years as a confident, happy woman.

Recalling the launch of Total Implant Solutions, Jon Pugh BDS MSc (implant dentistry) said nothing summed up better his career dream of running an implants referral practice than the clinical outcome of a 21-year-old woman whose life had been “put on hold” after losing three front teeth, aged nine.

“The use of implants and their accessibility to ordinary people facilitates not only dentistry with very predictable outcomes, but offers real potential to improve looks and lives,” added Jon.

“She was injured in a road accident and for 12 years had worn a denture. For many that’s not a problem, but for her it seriously impacted on the quality of her life. “Her youth had been stolen, she’d never had the confidence to date and never had a first kiss. We were all affected by her story. Her life had been put on hold.

After treating the woman back in 2011, Jon took Total Implant Solutions to the Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, where the practice has enjoyed unprecedented success, winning status as a Centre of Excellence and securing the rarely-awarded Straumann Dental Implant System Platinum status, an acknowledgement of clinical excellence and practitioner knowledge.

Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital

Helping you make the most of life responsibility for your nursing care and works around the clock to ensure your comfort and safety.

Physiotherapists

Our physiotherapists can help restore your movement and function if you’ve been affected by an injury, illness or are recovering from an operation. They can also provide you with advice in pain relief and rehabilitation to get you back on your feet and help you to lead a happy and healthy life.

Private GPs Your health is at the centre of everything we do. Whether you need prevention or cure, we want to work with you to ensure your health allows you to lead the life you want. As a not-for-profit business we reinvest all profit in our hospitals, gyms, medical centres, and our expert staff. We have the highest standards of clinical care, with Consultantled treatment, spotlessly clean rooms, and a team of dedicated and experienced nurses.

Our Health Experts Consultants

All our consultants are highly experienced and are here to listen to you. During your consultation they will answer any questions you have and tell you all about your diagnosis and any treatment or procedure. They are all registered with the appropriate professional organisation for their specialty and hold General Medical Council registration. Having medical treatment can be an anxious time, that is why we think it’s important that you have the same consultant looking after you throughout your time with us. Your consultant will also continue to look after you when you return home, and during any aftercare.

Matron-led care

Everyone knows that matrons make hospitals run efficiently and, above all, hygienically. Nuffield Health has never lost sight of this. Our dedicated Matron takes

You can see our private GPs at a time that suits you with minimal waiting and plenty of time for your appointment so you don’t feel rushed. They can also refer you to hospital consultants if necessary.

A guide to accessing private healthcare Paying For Yourself

If you don’t have health insurance, it doesn’t mean you can’t have swift access to private hospital treatment. At Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital private treatment can be just as accessible by paying for yourself. Our treatment costs are transparent and covered by a one-off-payment – and are more affordable than you might think. • Enquiry You have a medical problem and DON’T have health insurance. Contact us for more information or to book an appointment. • Your initial consultation This will take place at your local Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital. There is a one off payment for this appointment. • Tests and investigations You may need further tests or investigations as recommended by your consultant. These are paid for as and when required. • Treatment If you need surgical or nonsurgical treatment, this will be arranged at a time to suit you. You will be given a guaranteed all-inclusive procedure price.

• Aftercare All aftercare is included within your treatment. The Nuffield Health Promise means there are no time limits on your aftercare.*

Private Medical Health Insurance • Enquiry You have a medical problem and you DO have private medical health insurance. Contact us to guide you through the process or to book an initial consultation appointment. Check with your insurer that your policy covers you for treatment with us. • Your initial consultation This will take place at your local Nuffield Health Hospital. You will need your insurance policy number and preauthorisation code and a referral letter from your GP • Tests and investigations You may need further tests or investigations as recommended by your consultant. • Treatment If you need surgical or nonsurgical treatment, this will be arranged at a time to suit you. We will arrange payment directly with your insurance company. • Aftercare All aftercare is included within your treatment.

In our hospital you can expect: • Rapid access to consultations, x-rays and treatment • Matron-led care with a dedicated, friendly nursing team • First class treatment and clinical standards • Guidance and support throughout every stage of your treatment • Private, en-suite rooms with excellent facilities Don’t wait, get back to the life you love - Contact us Now! For further information on any of the above please call us today on 01902 275211 or visit our website: www.nuffieldhealth. com/hospitals/wolverhampton

*Where possible, we promise to assist you to receive any follow up advice, treatment or care that is clinically required from your Consultant for as long as you may require it. If a prosthesis is used as part of your treatment this is guaranteed for the manufacturer’s official lifetime of that prosthesis. “Clinically required” indicates where further intervention and/or monitoring of a patient’s condition is deemed necessary as a direct result of surgical intervention.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

• No waiting lists • Dedicated private facilities • Imaging results in days not weeks • Choose your Consultant • Free parking • Post Discharge Recovery Programme • Interest free medical loans

Why choose Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital? Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital offers the highest standards of clinical care, with Consultant-led treatment, spotlessly clean rooms, and a team of dedicated and experienced nurses. You don’t need private medical insurance to get private healthcare at Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital, you can pay for yourself. What’s more, if you pay for yourself you are covered by our exclusive Promise. The Nuffield Health Promise is our pledge to our patients, where we ensure that you receive a clear and transparent price for your treatment, the very best in clinical care, and with no limits on your care***.

Specialities covered at Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital include: • • • • • •

Cardiology Dermatology Endocrinology Ear, Nose & Throat Gastroenterology General medicine

• • • • • •

General surgery Gynaecology Neurology Ophthalmology Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Orthopaedics

• • • • • •

Paediatrics Physiotherapy Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Rheumatology Radiology Urology

For more information or to book, contact

01902 275 211 wolverhampton.enquiries@nuffieldhealth.com Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital, Wood Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton WV6 8LE

*** Where necessary, we promise to assist you to receive any follow up advice, treatment or care that is clinically required. Where a prosthesis is required for your procedure, this is guaranteed for the manufacturer’s expected prosthesis lifetime. Clinically required indicates where further intervention and/or monitoring of your condition is deemed necessary as a direct result of your procedure. The Nuffield Health Promise applies for patients paying for themselves and excludes fertility services.

NHOD-15-152 Wolverhampton 218mm x 140mm Portrait .indd 1

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

15/06/2015 11:32

5 TOP TIPS

for glowing skin this autumn

We are waving goodbye to summer and saying hello to autumn. The early mornings are much darker and that glorious evening sun doesn’t last as long as it did. Believe it or not the change from summer to autumn can play havoc on your skin, so we thought we would share some of our favourite autumn skin care tips with you. There are so many factors that affect skin health and seasonal changes are one of those that shouldn’t be ignored. Of course, most of us are familiar with the usual factors that can contribute to your skin looking tired such as stress, dehydration, diet and harsh weather that cause all sorts of problems to our skin. So without further ado here are our 5 top autumn skin care tips:

you used in the summer may not be suitable for the rapid change in temperatures. Try using a good, rich and nourishing moisturiser packed full of natural goodness to help keep your skin looking vibrant. This will also prevent your skin from drying out and becoming flaky.

1. Wrap Up Warm This one may seem obvious but keeping as much of your body wrapped up away from the autumnal elements can be a key factor in keeping your skin in great condition. Hats and scarves are a great way to keep you facial skin wrapped up and protected and gloves will protect your hands from drying and cracking.

3. Avoid Hot Showers or Baths As tempting and as enjoyable as it is to jump into a hot shower on a cold autumn day, don’t. Bathing in hot water breaks down the lipid barriers in your skin, which can cause a loss in moisture. Instead, try having warmer showers or baths and why not add some essential oils to help you relax and leave your skin feeling soft.

2. Change Your Skin Care routine Your daily skin care routine should change slightly for the autumn. Using the same light natural beauty products

4. Stay Hydrated We tend to drink less water in the winter because we turn to hot drinks like cocoa and tea, but don’t forget that your skin needs hydration

from the inside, out. A little warm water with lemon can be very refreshing and hydrating at the same time. 5. Don’t Hibernate A beautiful skin is a healthy skin. It is easy to opt for slumping in front of the TV with snacks in the colder months but don’t forget to eat the right foods and get your daily work-out in too. Eat nutritious healthy seasonal food and enjoy the great outdoors or a trip to the gym with friends. These activities will boost your endorphins, lift your spirits and ensure you will feel great. For further information on how you can stay on top of your health please visit www.paycare.org or call 01902 252 265.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

A Paycare plan helps you to reclaim money spent on health care. Cover starts from as little as £6.25 per month with your first premium FREE!

Easy healthcare cash plans to Recover the cost of healthcare A Paycare cash plan makes every day healthcare affordable; so you can focus on getting the treatment when you need it and not when you can afford it. For a small monthly premium you are protected against the cost of Dental, Optical, Chiropody, Specialist Consultation and Tests, professional Therapies, Hospital Cover and much more. All plans include a 24 hour counselling and help line service for when that extra support or advice is needed.

FREE

Under 25s Paycare Go is a healthcare cashplan designed specifically for young adults aged 18 to 24. Whether at home, away at college, or just enjoying independent living for the first time healthcare is easy to overlook.

From £5.00 per month Call 01902 252 265

A Paycare plan is useful for both day to day healthcare and those unexpected emergencies that crop up from time to time.

Individuals Paycare direct is aimed at individuals aged between 18 & 64. No medical is required to join. With the choice of four premium levels you can choose just how much cost protection you would like to receive.

Refunds are prompt, usually within 48 hours of receipt, directly into your bank or building society account - so you are never left out of pocket for long.

Need help?

From £6.25 per month Call 01902 252 265

Mon to Fri 8.30 to 4.30pm or email us.

Tel: 01902 252 265 enquiries@paycare.org

F monirst prem ths ium

Over 64s Paycare Gold is aimed specifically at the over 64s. There are extra benefits where seniors have an increased need: for things like hearing aids and home care assessment and support.

From £21.00 per month Call 01902 252 265

Families Aimed specifically at Parents and their children, this comprehensive policy ensures that your whole family can receive necessary medical care, without worrying about making tough decisions as claims are generally settled within 48 hours.

From £30.00 per month Call 01902 252 265

www.paycare.org *First months premium free offer ends 31st Dec 2015.

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

Simply Dentures:

creating beauty in every smile

Mr Peter Brookes DipCDT. GDC No.124429

Have you lost confidence in your smile? Have you ever tripped over an invisible brick in the street or found your skirt tucked-in after a quick toilet stop? No one likes embarrassing situations and we know they always happen when we least expect it. Having dentures that may embarrass you by dropping out during an important family meal or that are just plain worn out is something no one wants. Perhaps this hasn’t happened to you yet, but you know that your dentures just don’t feel right? If so, here’s what you can do about it. One option is to apply loads of fixative and hope for the best and never seek professional help. This never gets to the root of the problem and won’t improve your situation in the long term. Alternatively, you could choose to join the growing number of people who seek help at Simply Dentures. We enjoy the challenge of improving the appearance, fit and function of our client’s dentures. It may mean that new dentures are required. If so, we are able to provide this for anyone requiring either partial or complete prosthesis. Sometimes it may only require a reline of a denture; a look into other stabilisation options - such as implants - or possibly just an aesthetic makeover option. One client had recently been given new dentures elsewhere, but was upset by the final appearance 96

provided. She felt the upper teeth were way too long and when she came to us we had to agree. It took just a couple of hours at Simply Dentures to adapt her denture to disguise her teeth, making them look smaller. When finished the patient was delighted and commented on how happy she was. In this case, all that was required was a little thought and a few hours work with the existing denture and the result was one smiling patient. To trust someone with your smile is a big undertaking and we understand this. In order to give you confidence in what we do, we offer you a free consultation. If you would like more information before an appointment then please check out our website or call and we can send you our latest information pack. Mr Peter Brookes is our lead Clinical Dental Technician. He has over 15 years’ experience as a technician. His last 6 years have been spent within a private denture clinic, which has given him great insight into the manufacture of high quality dentures. His firm belief that you should be involved and informed throughout every stage of construction will assure you that you will get the smile you deserve. With years of training and experience our team aims to provide you with dentures that help you overcome the challenging problems you face. Our clinic offers warm, welcoming facilities for all; easy ground floor access; three ground floor surgeries; a car park to the rear and friendly staff. There is even a Patient Lounge where you can wait while we repair your dentures; designed specifically so that you won’t be seen out and about without your teeth! We will do what we can to help overcome any issues you may face to make your journey to your new smile as smooth as possible.

Should you require a denture repair, reline or cleaning service then this is available too. See our website for more information: www.simplydentures.net or call for a free information pack on 01902 420654.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Simply Confident, Simply Natural...

Simply Dentures

Telephone 01902 420654

Working with

Total Implant Solutions

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

for a complimentary consultation 82 Tettenhall Road Wolverhampton WV1 4TF www.simplydentures.net

The Rotary Club of Kinver

New President For Kinver Rotary Club Former chief executive Roy Sanders has become only the second member to be President of the Rotary Club of Kinver for a second term. Mr Sanders, of Troutbeck Drive, Lakeside, is one of just six remaining founder members of the club, which was formed 30 years ago. He was president in 1994 and has also undertaken the roles of secretary and treasurer a number of times over the three decades.

Manufacturing in Birmingham he worked in financial management at Ratcliffs of Great Bridge and Round Oak Steel in Brierley Hill – in fact he still organises reunions of colleagues who worked together before the closure of the firm.

Kathryn and Laurence Dalton:

a local tuition partnership judged to be ‘Outstanding’ according to Ofsted criteria Please call us to discuss: 11+ tuition English GCSE tuition Our experience: Heads of Departments, exam markers, rated as ‘Outstanding’ teachers and proven track record of success with 22 years of teaching experience For further details call 07525 206 388 or email learnmore4a@hotmail.co.uk

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town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Rosamond Lloyd Hypnotherapy Hi, my name is Ros and I am a qualified and accredited Professional Clinical Hypnotherapist. I came to hypnotherapy following a 25+ year career working with children, teenagers and families. I am also more than proud to tell you that I am a mum to two wonderful grown-up daughters.

Dip hyp, Dip NLP

This has been a lifetime passion, but it was when I experienced a personal crisis and sought the advice of a hypnotherapist to help me with severe stress and anxiety that I realised the wonderful possibilities this therapy provided. The change that I was empowered to make through hypnotherapy inspired me to completely re-evaluate my personal and professional life.

During my career I worked in schools directly with children, teenagers and families to overcome a vast range of life issues.

You could say I had a ‘wakeup’, moment and realised that hypnotherapy would be an amazing therapy with which to work through those very issues that I had been supporting people to resolve throughout my career.

I then moved into a management position, co-ordinating a multiagency team within ‘Children’s Services’ to empower professionals from education, health, social care, drug and alcohol services, to name just a few, to work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for children and families.

I now work as a Clinical Hypnotherapist empowering adults, teenagers and children to implement change achieve goals and restore health, happiness and control to their lives.

I value the opportunity to provide a personal, caring and confidential environment, where every treatment is unique. I work in a private therapy setting in Kingswinford but also see clients from Stourbridge, Hagley, Dudley, Kinver Wolverhampton and elsewhere in the West Midlands. I provide a comfortable, calm and relaxed environment where you can be assured of a safe, caring and confidential experience. I will be focusing on your success and supporting you every step of the way.

Do you want to enjoy a full and rewarding life? What is holding you back from the life you deserve? • Unwanted Habits and Addictions

• Lack of Confidence • Low Self Esteem • Anxiety and Depression • Anxiety and Depression in Children and Teenagers • Fears and Phobias • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• Pain Management • And many more...

Using proven hypnotherapy techniques I can help you through deep relaxation to reprogram your subconscious mind and guide you gently beyond your limiting beliefs.

Tel: 07758 609491

I can Empower you to Create Positive Change. www.rosamondlloydhypnotherapy.co.uk www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

A local firm with a regional presence Who would you trust to look after your children? Many fascinating stories have evolved as a result of someone dying without a will but despite many of these stories ending in broken lives and financial tragedy, there is still a reluctance by many to face up to making a will. But surely if this impacts on your children you would feel differently wouldn’t you? Making a will can be beneficial to your children in many ways, such as to provide protection of finances and financial support whilst your children are young, by using trust funds. What about who the children will live with if you are not around to care for them anymore, what happens then? When making a will you can appoint guardians stating who you would want to look after your children upon your death. If you are living with the father or mother of your children then it is likely to be the case that you would want the children to continue to reside with them. However, if that parent were to die at the same time as you then provisions should also be in place stating with whom the children shall live in the absence of both parents. If it is the case that you do not live with the children’s father or mother because your relationship has broken down, there may be good reason as to why you do not wish for the children to live with that parent if something happened to you. It is likely that the other parent will 100

have parental responsibility for the children and therefore would have the right to request that the children reside with them. However, the Court of Appeal has recently dealt with an appeal against an arrangement where the child was ordered to live with her father following her mother’s death. The appeal was allowed on the basis that the child had been cared for by mother’s friend whilst mother was suffering prior to her death. The Court of Appeal made it clear that there is no presumption in law in favour of the natural parent and it is the child’s welfare that is paramount. It was clear from the facts that the child’s needs would have been best met by the friend. The decision of the Court of Appeal is particularly significant to those where step-parents may be involved with the day to day care of the children as it could be that it would be in the best interests of the children for them to remain in the care of their step-parent as opposed to going to live with the surviving biological parent. By appointing guardians within your will, you make your wishes clear as to who should care for your children upon your death. Whilst your wishes will not be binding on the Court if an application was made by the surviving biological parent, it would certainly assist either the step parent or other nominated person in making it clear to the courts what you would want to happen for the benefit of your children. Michelle Hetheridge, leading private client solicitor and Head of Department at Thursfields Solicitors, commented “I have worked in legal practice over

Michelle Hetheridge, Director, Thursfields Solicitors

sixteen years and most of those years have been spent dealing with bereaved families. Whilst it is reassuring to know that I have helped with the legal burden, it is equally unsatisfying knowing that having a suitable will drawn up could have saved the family a lot of time, money and emotional turmoil. Making a will is the only way to ensure that your loved ones are taken care of in the way that you wish following your death and my team of specialist solicitors are committed to advising clients on all of their legal matters during their lifetime and beyond”. If you are unsure whether someone has parental responsibility or what this means, contact Sarah Mason. If you would like to make a will or amend an existing will, would like to discuss inheritance tax planning, long term care or lasting powers of attorney, contact Michelle Hetheridge at Thursfields Kinver office on 01384 883415.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Integrity & Expertise Everything as it should be Respected for our insight and knowledge

Halesowen 0121 227 3850 Stourport 01299 827 517

Kidderminster 01562 820 575 Worcester 01905 730 450

Integrity & Expertise

www.thursfields.co.uk

Reassuringly friendly and down to earth Kinver 01384 883 415

IS I

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Seen as fair yet formidable opponents

M INU S•F RU

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al ision P ro v OOL H E SC 016 FRE G 2 NIN e rOPE -Sep

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w w w. t h e r o y a l s c h o o l . c o . u k Penn Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV3 0EG Admissions: mo@royal.wolverhampton.sch.uk Telephone: 01902 341230

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

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Education

and Schooling

by David Williams – Headmaster of Tettenhall College Tettenhall College sees German, Spanish, Italian and French children as young as 10 coming here for periods of a term to a year to enhance their education in a boarding school, living in a foreign country whilst studying in a language other than their own. I am pleased that they bring so much to our UK classrooms but ultimately worry that this would currently be a rarity at secondary age for English pupils and yet these Europeans will ultimately compete with our children in a global job market.

My summer holiday took me to the Northern coast of France in Brittany which, whilst the rest of France was basking in tropical heat, managed to stubbornly reproduce a climate not dissimilar to that of the West Midlands. This did not detract from the pleasures of the magnificent coastline nor its restaurants, all of which seem to offer up great value and quality as a norm rather than an exception. Another benefit was the opportunity to chat and communicate in French with local people which, as a languages teacher, is something I naturally seek out when crossing the channel if indeed you are able to get to the other side! 102

The last point is notable for a number of reasons as recent trips to France have resulted in strange conversations where waitresses or car hire staff stubbornly refuse to communicate in any other language other than English despite my (admittedly ordinary) command of their language. There surely ought to be an unwritten rule whereby any attempt by a foreigner to speak in a language in another country ought to be encouraged, praised and, at the very least, tolerated. After all, we Brits need every bit of help in this department where the easy fall back of “everyone speaks English” deprives us of a great skill and damages our reputation abroad. Of course, the perception of the importance of English outside these shores means that other countries are placing greater emphasis on language acquisition and developing their skills accordingly. A recent trend at

All this is happening with a backdrop of declining numbers studying languages at A-level and beyond, the closure of university departments, the optional study of languages at GCSE and the “dispensability” of languages for those who encounter difficulty elsewhere in the curriculum. A long forgotten proposal-and one I support-from an enquiry led by Sir Trevor McDonald was that a GCSE language ought to be required for university entrance. On a more encouraging note, when meeting parents the will and desire are there for children to be given the opportunity to enjoy and develop their skills as people see the many benefits of learning a language. The independent school sector, including Tettenhall College, has rightly stood against the trend of devaluing modern foreign languages in the curriculum and depriving pupils of this reward and challenge. From a personal point of view I can only vouch for the kick I still get 30 years later of actually using a subject I learnt at school when conversing with a French couple about the latest farmers’ strikes while enjoying a delicious menu du jour for 13 euros.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Molly, Year 4 Forest School

take a closer look...

Open Morning Saturday 26th September 2015 10.00am - 1.00pm

A unique atmosphere with remarkable opportunities, where every pupil achieves their personal best. To reserve your place please contact admissions@tettcoll.co.uk or telephone 01902 751119.

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

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the more you save the more you earn

Those of you looking for a savings option that will enable you to make the most out of your investment without tying your money down for too long, may be interested in Dudley Building Society’s Saver 75 account. With only 75 days’ notice for withdrawals, this account requires less notice than many other investment options.

For further details on how the rates are tiered, please see our website or contact one of our branches. The maximum investment is £500,000 representing the overall limit for savings with the society for each individual. The interest rate is variable for this account and is paid annually on 31st March. If the account balance falls below £1,000 the account will automatically revert to the Dudley Building Society Instant Tracker account. For any withdrawals, 75 days’ notice required or 75

days’ interest will be forfeited on amount withdrawn. For full terms and conditions of the account please visit www.dudleybuildingsociety.co.uk or for more information call 01384 231414. Alternatively you can visit any Dudley Building Society branch to speak with a member of the Customer Services Team. *‘Gross’ is the interest paid before the deduction of income tax at the rate specified by law. ‘AER’ stands for the Annual Equivalent Rate and illustrates what the interest rate would be if interest was paid and added each year.

With a tiered interest rate, this account allows members to benefit from a higher interest rate the more that they save. With a minimum opening balance of £1,000 and interest rates ranging from 0.15% Gross/AER* to 1.4% Gross/ AER, rates are tiered dependent on how much is invested. 104

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Saver

earn u o y e r o m e h t e v a The more you s Saver 75

Annual Variable Interest % Gross/AER

Net

£50,000+ 1.40% 1.12% £25,000+ 1.25% 1.00% £10,000+ 0.75% 0.60%

• The minimum opening amount is £1,000. If the balance falls below £1,000 the account will automatically revert to the Instant Tracker Account. • The maximum amount is £500,000 (representing the overall limit of savings with the Society for each individual). • 75 days notice required for withdrawals or • 75 days interest will be forfeited on amount withdrawn. • Interest is paid Net of tax.

£5,000+

0.25% 0.20%

• The interest rate on this account is variable.

£1,000+

0.15% 0.12%

• You may open your account at any of our branches or via post.

• Interest is paid annually on the 31st March.

We also offer a range of other savings accounts including Bonds, ISAs, Regular Savers and more. For more information or to apply, visit our website or call us on 01384 231414 Alternatively pop in to one of our branches

Stourbridge | Brierley Hill | Kingswinford Dudley | Gornal Wood | Perton ‘Gross’ is the interest paid before the deduction of income tax at the rate specified by law. AER stands for the Annual Equivalent Rate and illustrates what the interest rate would be if interest was paid and added each year. ‘Net’ is the interest paid after the deduction of income tax at the rate specified by law and is dependent on individual circumstances. Rates of tax may be subject to change in the future. This account is available to existing and new customers over the age of 16 who are personal savers resident in the UK.

www.dudleybuildingsociety.co.uk @DudleyBS

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

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The Hungry Games Zombie Apocalypse Experience Compton Hospice

Do you have what it takes to survive?

Caring Together

Charity Reg No: 512387

Join us on our extreme horror zombie survival experience on October 3rd 2015 in partnership with Skirmish Wolverhampton and Mystical Productions and help save the world as it teeters on the edge of a devastating zombie apocalypse.

clues to find the antidote, save the world and come out alive! A fantastic team building experience! Tickets ÂŁ25 per person (over 16 years only â&#x20AC;&#x201C; those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). Book a team of 8 adults in now and receive 20% off the total price. All proceeds go to Compton Hospice.

Deep in the heart of the West Midlands the DCPOD (Department for the Cure and Prevention of Obscure Diseases) have been testing cures for obscure diseases (funnily enough!). When one scientist accidentally discovers and injects the rage virus into his test subjects, the DCPOD and all inside are destroyed by the zombies that he has created. Now they roam freely around the grounds of the facility and it is only a matter of time before evil escapes and the world as we know it comes to a dramatic end.

Book your tickets now. Saturday October 3rd 3-10pm. Contact Vicki Wootton on 01902 774532 or email vickiwootton@compton-hospice.org.uk for bookings or more information.

Only you can contain the incident by finding the antidote to the virus. Can you stop the beginning of the end of mankind? Ideal for couples, groups of friends, work colleagues or individuals. All participants will receive survival training and kits, intelligence updates, free transport to the DCPOD unit and free entry to our PostApocalyptic drinks and BBQ celebration. Battle against other teams (and the zombies) to solve the 106

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Registered Charity No. 512387

The hungry games Zombie Apocalypse Experience Explore .Discover .Run .Survive Saturday October 3rd 2015 3-10pm Survival Training â&#x20AC;˘ Secret Compound Live Actors â&#x20AC;˘ Post-Apocalyptic Drinks and BBQ Enter as individuals or a Team of up to 8 People

Book your tickets today Proceeds go to Compton Hospice In association with

www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

107

Social Scene

Royston Blythe 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 108

Nick Malenko, Lisa Friend, Royston Blythe Carla Todd, Carol Friend, Jill Vasey, Vivienne Vasey Jan Humphries, Joanne Bridgwood, Chris Bennasciutti Caroline Bestwick, Lisa Friend, Yvonne O’Grady, Lisa Ogston Vicky Bowers, Emma Jeffs, Jodie Eagleton RB Shrewsbury Team Tracy Doughty, Chrystal, Angie Brookes Henry Doughty, Dave Brown, Tom Smith Jackie Taylor, Rita Mason Carla Todd, Nick Malenko, Sara Tunnicliff Kevin James, James Lloyd RB Wolverhampton Team Aaron Turner, Sarah Lloyd, Matt Swann, Kane Platt

More fun and frolics from the celebrity hairdresser, current Midland Hairdresser of the year. This time a St Trinian’sthemed party to celebrate founding staff member and top colour technician Lisa Friend’s upcoming wedding. Never to be accused of allowing a party to drag, Royston himself dazzled as the Headmistress, while the rest of the staff – along with Butlers in the Buff, a drag queen and exotic dancers – dressed as the schoolchildren; playing team games, eating school dinners and partying long into the night.

Looking for advice on cosmetic surger y?

Book a FREE 10 minute one-to-one chat with a consultant at our next cosmetic event on Tuesday 13th October 2015. Please call 01902 275211 to book your place.

town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Social Scene

11 www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

13 109

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TRENDS Like so much of mens fashion, when it comes to trainers anything goes from leather high-tops to retro tennis plimsolls. There is so much to choose from and certainly the offer goes a lot further than Adidas and Puma. So if you are looking for something different then look out for: Android Homme, Creative Recreation and Filling Pieces. So forget reaching for the same old sneakers, it’s time to try something new. With an expanding footwear portfolio visit Diffusion in Wolverhampton, Merry Hill Centre, Telford or Walsall, or online at diffusiononline.co.uk

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town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

Simply the Best

By Rob Taylor

Whenever anyone engages me in conversation long enough for the subject of my motoring journalism to come up, I’m routinely plagued with the question: what car should I buy? To which I reply, with sagged shoulders and a sad and weary countenance, always and profoundly: “a Volkswagen Golf.” Admittedly there may be the odd occasion when I must recommend another entirely different vehicle if said person is in need of carting around a brood of six children on a regular basis, or if they expressly want a car that can plunder off-road tracks and negotiate difficult terrain; but rarely does this happen, because the Golf range has such depth and breadth that it’s hard to find a reason why anyone shouldn’t buy one. Or why I shouldn’t recommend one. Except, of course, if I loathe the person and wish to be mischievous, in which case I point them towards a… [You can’t print that - Ed]. A Golf can be compellingly fast in ‘R’ form; practically perfect in its ‘GTI’ iteration; frugal and forceful as a ‘GTD’; topless in cabrio guise; practical as a ‘SV’ or estate; economical, with BlueMotion engines; and ecofriendly in the case of the ‘GTE’, without ever compromising the core, iconic values that make this car something special. Despite myriad variations, this version of the seventh generation model – the Golf GT 2.0-litre TDI 150 PS 5dr DSG – does arguably represent a sweet spot in the range. In a day and age when celebrity looks matter more than ever, this Golf is beautifully on-trend, effortlessly walking a fine line between sophistication and swagger. Its styling speaks of upmarket pretensions, with its stubby nose emphasising a long bonnet, chiselled Euro cheekbones and rakish lines. www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk

And with a price tag of £26,190, you won’t need to belong to the landed gentry to own one. Despite being larger than its predecessor, this Golf is now 100 kg lighter and yet safer than ever before, courtesy of many acronymic safety nets. By moving the front wheels forward fractionally, Volkswagen has eked out extra interior space too, which can be felt most noticeably in rear legroom. Boot capacity has increased also to 380 litres. Inside there’s the usual high-quality Volkswagen cabin-craft, with soft-touch switchgear; ergonomic excellence and delicate plastics. Everything is run from a large central touch-screen, which is quick and easy to use intuitively, and functions exactly as your smartphone does, giving access to lots of toys including DAB digital radio and Bluetooth. It is precisely the quality of the Golf’s interior that sells it to so many people. This engine features ‘Start/Stop’ and starts unceremoniously enough, but quickly piques your interest when up and running, as it can be both docile and dumbfounding if the situation presents. Now with the option of multiple driving modes - Eco, Sport, Normal and, with ‘Adaptive Chassis Control’ optioned, another choice: Comfort – the GT performs well in every setting and is never wearing, no matter

how long you happen to be behind the wheel, chiefly thanks to the delightful DSG gearbox. Always a capable performer whenever it’s possible to string a few corners together, the GT is quick - 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds; top speed, 131 mph - but economical too: 62.8 mpg on the combined cycle and responsible for just 119 g/km of Co2. It rides incredibly well also, cocooning driver and passenger alike from the harsh realities of today’s tarmac. Road and wind noise intrude only minimally into the cabin. The Golf is easy to point and park, especially thanks to the parking sensors and optional reversing camera, and it’s more than happy to tootle slowly through city streets or to cruise on faster stretches. In short, it does it all, and always does it better than all others. The Volkswagen Golf has been a beloved staple in the UK since the early seventies, during which time it has been honed and refined to within an inch of perfection. Today’s Golf is every car for every occasion. Devoid of image problems, classless and timeless, it is maturing like the very best wines, seeing off all of the very many upstart pretenders to its throne. It’s simply the best. And, yes, I do recommend that you should buy one. 111

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Appliances Electrical - Gas Capital Appliances Geoff Hill Awnings Castle Blinds Love Your Blinds Bathrooms Brierley Hill Bathrooms Eaton Kitchens Roman Bathrooms Wall Heath Bathrooms Beds & Bedroom Furniture Cousins Interiors Italia Sofa Factory Outlet Woodrobes Beauticians Beauty Rooms Scratch Wollaston Beauty Clinic Beauty Clinics - Cosmetic Medi Visage Ultra Slim Blinds - Curtains Castle Blinds Love your Blinds Total Sewing Val Hever Blinds Building & Maintenance Contractors Three Pines Builders Merchants OCL Building Societies Dudley Building Society Carpets – Supply & Fit ND Walters Car Sales & Service ETB Guest Motors Children’s Charity Promise Dreams Chimney Sweeps Wilkins Chimney Sweep Clinical Hypnotherapy Rosamond Lloyd Composite Doors Doorsmart

41 33 23 27 19 43 21 17 6/7 30/31 29 17 79 85 75 87 83 23 27 43 44 5 52 105 13 113 115 55 50 99 38

Dentistry Simply Dentures 97 Total Implant Solutions 2 Education Royal School 101 Tettenhall College 103 Fashion - Retail Aristocats 77 Classy Rags 73 Diffusion - Childrens 80/81 Diffusion – Mens 110 Fencing & Gates Profence 50 Fireplaces & Stoves Flaming Fires 13 Wolverhampton Fireplaces 44 Firewood Black Country Firewood 12 Floral Design & Venue Styling Every Occasion 72 Floristry Supplies & Craft Products Country Baskets 15 Furniture & Furnishings Blyth Group 35 Cousins 6/7 Interiors Italia 30/31 Sofa Factory Outlet 29 Galleries & Gift Shops Stourbridge Galleries 45 Garage Services ETB 113 Garden Design Boningale Garden Creations 49 Garden Furniture Hillcrest Leisure Products 48 Gardening & Landscaping Lealans Garden Centre 51 Glass & Hardware Specialists Tech Alum System 39 Haberdashery & Wool Total Sewing 43 Health Care Cover Paycare 95 Health & Wellbeing Products Forever Living 72 Hospices Compton Hospice 107 Hospitals (Private) Nuffield 93

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113

Class One

Rob Taylor visits Guest Motors in Willenhall to get the scoop on the latest Jeep Cherokee. Do you ever crave an alternative to the homogenised motoring landscape? Do you want to drive something like your neighbour’s SUV that is – perversely – entirely different to it, but are unsure about where to turn? If so, allow me to steer you gently along the Black Country route in the direction of Guest Motors in Willenhall and straight into the driver’s seat of the new Jeep Cherokee. Any of you who dismissively perceive it to be as American as apple pie better get ready to eat humble pie, since today’s big, bold, brash Jeep now boasts thoroughly European sensibilities. And yet it still represents a fun and faintly left-field choice that delivers considerably more bang for your buck. In a world of monochrome, pseudo-sophisticated German - and German-lite - crossover vehicles, the latest iteration of the Cherokee is a proper 4x4 that stands out on UK roads like a multi-coloured Mohawk in a job interview. Rich in transatlantic swagger, the Jeep looks like it’s full of the kind of braggadocio that makes for great American stereotyping, but don’t think that just because the Cherokee’s exterior still retains touches of its spiritual homeland – as in the case of its chromed alloys and gurning front grille – that it’s a car ill-suited to modern Britain, because it’s not. There’s no stonking great V8 napping under the hood. Nor is there any ensuing heinous thirst for the black stuff that runs through JR Ewing’s veins. The Limited 114

model that I’m driving is actually a diesel: and it’s a very refined, modern and European (the Jeep brand is today owned by Fiat) diesel engine to boot. This newly launched 2.2 litre 197 bhp four-pot is mated to a savvy and quick-thinking 9-speed automatic gearbox that is good for a very respectable 49.6 mpg; and it spews out just 150 g/km of Co2. Beyond the numbers, however, you’ll find a car which protects, flatters and coddles its driver to the nth degree: with a permanent four-wheel drive system, this Cherokee is sure-footed in all weather like a mountain goat; a five-star Euro NCAP rating makes it among the safest in its class too; it features Adaptive Cruise Control Plus, which helps monitor and maintain and safe distance between you and the vehicle in front, and it’ll even auto-apply the brakes if you like to ignore parking sensor beeps and play chicken with the lamppost you are parking beside. I like to do this a lot. From atop a high-driving position there is exceptional visibility and a real sense of interior space, especially when the optional ‘Commandview’ dual-pane panoramic sunroof is deployed. Furthermore there’s myriad kit to keep you comfy and entertained, including: heated – and vented – Nappa leather seats; a premium Alpine sound system; reversing camera; auto rain-sensing wipers; bi-Xenon headlights; a power tailgate and – most useful of all nowadays – a wireless charging pod for your mobile phone. The cabin is stylish and plush; everything is wellmade and satisfying to touch and

the infotainment system, which includes Bluetooth and Sat-Nav, is intuitively designed and easy to use. As a driver’s tool the Jeep has much to recommend it as well: it will cruise effortlessly along motorways and fast stretches of A-road, surfing an immediate wave of 440 Nm torque; it has a relaxed and comfy ride quality; and only minimal road and wind noise creeps into the cabin. 0-60 mph comes up in a creditable 8.7 seconds and top speed is 126 mph. This ample power makes for an engine that never seems taxed or underwhelming; gear changes are smooth, barely noticeable and designed with economy in mind. Prices start from just under £26,000 for a front-wheel drive version (model tested: £36,795) and that’s outstanding value, given what little is on offer from the competition at that price-point. Buy an equivalent German marque and for that I doubt it’d contain seats. Or doors. Or even a steering wheel. Like the dealer experience I received at Guest Motors, the big Jeep is in a class of its own. And I heartily suggest that you let your desire to be different take you nowhere else.

To book a test drive or for further information please contact Guest Wolverhampton on 01902 544200. Armstrong Way, Willenhall, West Midlands WV13 2QU. town & village life magazine | september/october 2015

YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COMMUTE. Just because you know where you’re going, doesn’t mean you can’t take the scenic route. So, wherever your journey takes you, it’s built to get you there. Buy a new Jeep Cherokee from now until 30th September and get a £2,000 Jeep Deposit Contribution^. Just £299 a month† at 0% APR Representative. The New Jeep Cherokee.

Call us today to arrange a Test Drive: Guest Wolverhampton, Armstrong Way, Willenhall, West Midlands WV13 2QU. Tel: 01902 544 200 www.guests.co.uk

Model shown New Jeep Cherokee 2.2 Longitude Plus 185hp 4WD 9 Speed Automatic at £33,045 OTR. OFFICIAL FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR THE NEW JEEP® CHEROKEE DIESEL RANGE IN MPG (L/100KM): EXTRA URBAN 53.3 (5.3) - 61.4 (4.6), URBAN 37.7 (7.5) - 44.1 (6.4), COMBINED 46.3 (6.1) - 53.3 (5.3), CO2 EMISSIONS: 160 TO 139 G/KM. Fuel consumption

and CO2 figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC directives/regulations and may not be representative of real-life driving conditions. Factors such as driving style, weather and road conditions may also have a significant effect on fuel consumption. †Customer deposit is £4,999. Optional Final Payment is £11,993. Contract Term is 48 months. Promotion available on new Cherokee 2.2 Longitude Plus 185hp 4WD 9 Speed Automatic registered by 30th September 2015. ^Jeep Deposit Contribution only available in conjunction with Jeep Horizon PCP. With Jeep Horizon you have the option to return the vehicle and not pay the final payment, subject to the vehicle not having exceeded an agreed annual mileage (a charge of 12p per mile for exceeding 10,000 miles per annum in this example) and being in good condition. Finance subject to status. Guarantees may be required. Terms and Conditions apply. At participating Dealers only. Jeep Financial Services, PO BOX 4465, Slough, SL1 0RW. We work with a number of creditors including Jeep Financial Services. Prices and specifications correct at time of going to print (07/15). To find out more please visit jeep. www.townandvillagelifemag.co.uk 115 co.uk. Jeep® is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC.

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