KL Magazine March 2018

ISSN 2044–7965

ISSUE 90 MARCH 2018 PRICELESS

magazine

WEST NORFOLK | NORTH NORFOLK | COASTAL

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COVER IMAGE Castle Rising castle by Ian Ward

meet the team MANAGING DIRECTOR Laura Dunn MANAGING EDITOR Eric Secker DESIGN TEAM Amy Phillips Lisa Tonroe PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Ward PROMOTION Nicola Back ADVERTISING Jessica Smith CONTRIBUTORS Clare Bee Abigail Brown Stephanie Lewis Rebecca Rees Sylvia Steele Wendy Warner Sarah Woonton

contact 18 Tuesday Market Place King’s Lynn PE30 1JW 01553 601201 info@klmagazine.co.uk KL magazine is published monthly by KL Publications Ltd. The magazine cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs.

While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and KL magazine takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

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n February 6th 1918 the Representation of the People Act 1918 came into force, giving some women (finally) the right to vote. Although it’s worth pointing out that up to that point over 40% of the adult male population wasn’t allowed to vote either, the law marked a major milestone in the fight for women’s rights – something that’s still very much with us 100 years later. It’s rather fitting then, that inspirational women play a significant role in this month’s magazine.

While Doctor Frankenstein and his eponymous creation usually get all the attention, it should be remembered that the original novel (celebrating its 200th birthday this year) was the work of Mary Shelley, who was only 18 when she wrote it. Her appearance in the magazine (page 28) is due to the fact that she was brought up virtually singled handedly by her Wisbech-born father William Godwin, who passed onto his daughter his talents for using literature for a lot more than simply telling a story.

Another famous woman from history featured this month is Queen Isabella, who left her mark on English history and (it’s argued) still has a ghostly presence in the castle at Castle Rising. Whether she was the manipulative power-hungry tyrant she’s usually portrayed to be or a victim of her male-dominated times is very much open for debate – read the feature on page 96 and see what you think.

But our inspirational women this month aren’t all figures from the distant past. With the imminent arrival of spring, Wendy Warner is offering her expert help in getting your garden looking better than ever, Claudia Baxter (one half of the Enclave Films team) tells us about life as a globe-trotting documentary film maker, while Jane Murray tells us how she realised her dream of putting Norfolk’s cheeses on the map – and it’s entirely appropriate that her most famous creation is the delicious Norfolk White Lady. You’ll also find women taking part in pursuits traditionally thought to be male preserves – such as the talented players of the ladies’ team of the West Norfolk Rugby Club. Even the incredible bird drawings and journals of the late Frank Jarvis (page 50) would never have seen the light of day had it not been for the work of his wife, the artist Jane Ironside.

Girl power indeed. Enjoy the magazine!

KL MAGAZINE KLmagazine March 2018

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Contents

MARCH 2018

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16 42 KLmagazine March 2018

6-12 WHAT’S ON This month’s diary of forthcoming events

58-66 FASHION Inspirational ideas from our local boutiques

8-10 REGENERATING KING’S LYNN A look at the Townscape Heritage Initiative

68-70 NORFOLK WHITE LADY The story of one of our most famous cheeses

14 ALIVE CORN EXCHANGE Fabulous shows and fun-filled activities

72-79 FOOD AND DRINK Reviews, recipes and recommendations

16-18 LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION...

The globe-trotting story of Enclave Films

76 RESTAURANT REVIEW A reader reviews the Crown Hotel in Wells

22-24 A FAMOUS FAIRGROUND LEGEND How the Gallopers at Bressingham came home

80-82 TICK YES FOR TAPPING HOUSE How the local charity is facing a new law

28-30 MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN The Wisbech connection to the classic novel

88-90 A GIANT OF BRITISH POLITICS Rebecca Rees tells the story of Robert Walpole

34-36 PILGRIMS AND PRISONERS A look at Walsingham’s Shirehall Museum

96-98 SHE-WOLF OR ROYAL PAWN? The enduring debate over Queen Isabella

41 YOU AND YOUR PETS With local vet Alex Dallas

102-104 WINNING IT FOR THEMSELVES...

The West Norfolk Rugby Club’s ladies’ team

42-44 MARCH IN THE GARDEN Expert help and advice with Wendy Warner

106 BOOK REVIEWS A choice of recommended reads for March

46 THEN & NOW The changing face of West Norfolk

110-112 CAPTURING THE ART OF NATURE The photogaphy of Martin Wase

50-52 THE FIELDS OF EXPERIENCE The wildlfie art of the late Frank Jarvis

114 MICHAEL MIDDLETON Was this one of the battiest weapons ever?

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walls & Ą ÊÊØÜ

natural stone porcelain mosaics decorative encaustic ceramics Ą ¢ÜãÊà Ü

STONE

royal garden party foras.co.uk/royalgardenpartykl

garden gifts

water features seating bird feeders containers sculptures planters troughs

You are cordially invited...

to celebrate summer in style at West Head Farm, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE34 3NJ Saturday 26th, Sunday 27th & Monday 28th May 2018 | 9am till 5pm

food & drink • live music • classic car show exclusive offers • new water feature collection re-designed flooring showroom

rsvp to unlock exclusive discounts

plus you’ll be entered into our prize draw to win a foras hamper! rsvp at foras.co.uk/royalgardenpartykl natural material • timeless design foras.co.uk foraswallsandfloors.co.uk | 01366 381 069 Stowbridge & Burnham Market showrooms open all year round •

March

Saturday 17th

PICTURE: Marco Borggreve

PSYCHIC SUPPER Clenchwarton Memorial Hall, Black Horse Road, Clenchwarton, King's Lynn PE34 4DN (Doors 6pm, 7pm start) Enjoy an extraordinary psychic supper evening with locally recognised mediums. Do you have a loved one you’ve lost who you’d like to connect with? Do you have any uncertainties about your future? Or perhaps you’re interested in spiritual readings? On the night each person will receive a private reading and a fish and chip supper. There will also be a raffle and refreshments. Tickets are £15 each and funds raised will go to the charity ‘A Local Wish’. For more information and to book a ticket, please phone Sheila on 01553 766284 or 07510142429. There is additional parking on Hall Road.

Sunday 18th March

STILE ANTICO & KING’S LYNN FESTIVAL CHORUS St Nicholas Chapel, St Ann's Street, King's Lynn PE30 1NH (7:30pm) Stile Antico, three times Grammy Award Nominated vocal group are coming to King’s Lynn! Stile Antico are an internationally acclaimed vocal group of young singers who sing without a conductor, performing like chamber instrumentalists. Hosted by King's Lynn Festival Chorus, they will perform music mainly by the great Spanish Renaissance composer, Tomas Luis de Victoria. As well as his Tenabrae Responsories, they will sing another of his motets and Guerrero's Maria Magdalene. Stile Antico will then join the Festival Chorus in Victoria's Officium Defunctorum. A programme wholly appropriate for this season of Lent. Tickets at £25 are available from the Corn Exchange (tel. 01553 764864) or online at www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk. More details of this and other events may be found on the Festival Chorus' website: www.kingslynnfestivalchorus.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

Friday 16th - Sunday 18th March KING’S LYNN FICTION FESTIVAL The Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn PE30 5DQ The Fiction Festival presents some of the best contemporary writers in a congenial and informal setting. This years writers include: Peter Benson, Louis de Bernières, Christopher Bigsby, Rachel Crowther, Sally Emerson, Guinevere Glasfurd, Rachel Hore, Mark Illis, John Lucas and D J Taylor. The authors read and discuss their work and will be available to chat and sign your purchases from the festival’s well-stocked book stall. You are welcome to join them and the festival organisers for lunch at restaurants near the festival venue details given at the morning events. Tickets are £8.50 per session, or £37.50 for a weekend pass. Students are welcome at the concessionary price of £1 per event, or £5 for a weekend pass. Visit the website www.lynnlitfests.com for a full programme and information on how to book tickets.

Fri 30th March – Mon 2nd April

WEST NORFOLK ARTISTS ASSOCIATION: SPRING EXHIBITION Thornham Village Hall, A149 Coast Road between Thornham and Holme (daily from 10.00am– 5pm) This prestigious Art Association is celebrating its 17th year, and once again invites you to join them at their Spring Exhibition at Thornham.

Each year the members are inspired to produce work which is exciting, intricate, unusual and full of surprises. There are both traditional and contemporary works to be admired, including Paintings, textiles, sculptures, ceramics, photographs, glass and mosaics. The Spring Exhibition is only four days long, so make a point of catching it! Admission is free and there is plenty of parking on site. For further information contact Chairman: Esther Boehm on 01485 570506 or visit the website www.westnorfolkartists.org.

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Coming soon...

Wednesday 4th April

PICTURE: www.kingslynn-forums.co.uk

RAYNHAM HALL OPEN DAYS East Raynham, Fakenham NR21 7EP (from 10am) Take a guided tour of this private stately home, one of the oldest in Norfolk. Discover more about the Townshend family who lived in this beautiful 17th/18th century house designed by William Kent. The tour includes the Marble Hall, State Dining Room and King’s Room named after Charles II who visited Raynham following the restoration of the monarchy. You will also hear about the Townshends' crucial role in the social and political history of England. Tickets are £30 per person. Please visit the website www.raynhamrecitals.co.uk/open-days or ring 01328 862133 for further information. Future open day dates include Wednesday 20th June and Wednesday 5th September.

Saturday 21st April

THE RUDHAM CHARITY BALL Tilney St Lawrence Village Hall, Magdalen Road PE34 4RF (7pm-12pm) A fantastic opportunity to dress up and enjoy a night of live music whilst raising money for The Rudham Children’s Ward at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. There will be a hog roast and chocolate fountain, together with a disco, live music, bar and raffle. Tickets are £30 and all proceeds will be donated to this great cause. For more information and to book tickets email charityevents1821@gmail.com.

W! REGISTER NO

Saturday 12th May Saturday 28th April

WEST NORFOLK AND KING'S LYNN HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS: REUNION Springwood High School, Queensway, King's Lynn PE30 4AW Ex-pupils from the former West Norfolk and King’s Lynn High School for Girls are invited to an exciting reunion for all year groups.

A fantastic opportunity for ex-pupils to reminisce and get back in touch with old friends! The school originally opened in 1886 and was situated on King Street, at the junction with Ferry lane and eventually merged with Alderman Catleugh Secondary School to become Springwood High School in 1979. Pupils were distinguished by their green coloured uniforms and beret! To attend the reunion or to find out more information about the event contact the West Norfolk and King’s Lynn High School for Girls Facebook page, email sue.oga@icloud.com or call Sue on 07522783638.

KLmagazine March 2018

STEP CLOSER TO A CURE FOR PARKINSON’S Blickling Estate, Norwich NR11 6NF People in Norfolk are being asked to unite with thousands of others across the UK and step closer to a cure for Parkinson’s. Walk for Parkinson’s at Blickling Estate takes place on Saturday 12 May, and is one of a series of walk events to be held across the UK for Parkinson’s UK during 2018. There are a range of distances on offer to suit everyone, with a two-mile, 3.5-mile and 5.5-mile walk to choose from. So whether you’re up for a challenging walk or a gentle stroll, there is something for everyone. Team entries are welcome, so why not sign up with your friends, family and colleagues!

The registration fee is £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s. Everyone who registers will receive a free Walk for Parkinson’s t-shirt, walk fundraising pack and a finishers medal.

Last year’s Walk for Parkinson’s series had more than 4,300 people sign up to walk and between them they raised £417,700. All money raised by Walk for Parkinson’s will be used to help find better treatments, and ultimately a cure, as well as providing support and information for the 145,000 people affected by Parkinson’s across the UK. To find out more about the walk visit the website: www.parkinsons.org.uk/walkblicklingestate.

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Local Life

ABOVE: At the centre of King’s Lynn’s Saturday Market Place, Goldings is a shining example of how the borough council’s five-year Townscape Heritage Initiative is transforming this historic part of the town

A new lease of life for the centre of King’s Lynn As the five-year Townscape Heritage Initiative project enters its final stages, the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk looks back at the success of a major regeneration programme...

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nyone visiting King’s Lynn’s Saturday Market Place recently can’t fail to have noticed how much work has been done to improve it and the surrounding area, as the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk’s five-year Townscape Heritage Initiative project moves into its later stages.

The Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) aims to conserve, enhance and regenerate the historic shopping streets in the St. Margaret’s Conservation Area

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by making grants to owners and longterm leaseholders of properties in the area – the area encompassing Tower Street, St James’ Street, the Saturday Market Place itself and the southern end of High Street.

The grants are made from a £2million fund, consisting of £1million awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund made possible by National Lottery players, and £1million contributed by the borough council. To date, 12 projects have been given grant funding since the THI project began in June 2014,

with a further eight applications currently under consideration. Grants are awarded based on how well the applications meet the priorities of the THI project – investing in buildings to repair them and bring empty ones back into use, and increase activity, footfall, and vibrancy in the area.

All properties within the conservation area were eligible for grants, but some were identified by the borough council as being critical to the success of the project –and three of these have been notable successes.

KLmagazine March 2018

ABOVE: The Saturday Market Place in King’s Lynn may be the most familiar area in the THI project, but it also encompasses the neighbouring streets. The former Courts store on St. James’ Street (left) is currently being transformed into seven townhouses, as the architectural elevation below shows.

KLmagazine March 2018

The first is Goldings public house and rooms on the Saturday Market Place.

Previously known as The Wenns, this important listed building is one of the landmarks of the marketplace, and is familiar to all residents of King’s Lynn. It has now been redeveloped as a new pub and delicatessen, after the building’s owners Limes House Developments Ltd, together with Richard and Lucy Golding (who run the Market Bistro restaurant next door) worked hard to restore the property.

Eight serviced apartments in the upper floors of the building will open shortly, providing accommodation for tourists right in the heart of the town centre. A THI grant also supported refurbishment of the 19th century sash windows and render repairs.

Close by, the former Courts furniture store (at 9/11 St James’ Street) was highlighted as one of the properties that could most benefit from improvement when the borough council submitted its bid for funding.

The council is currently working closely with the owner to convert the building into seven townhouses, with an appearance that will be sympathetic to the area. The elevation facing into St James’ Street will be reinstated in the style of three 19th century townhouses, and the 1950s extension to the rear has been demolished and replaced with a three-storey structure in keeping with the rest of the area. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year, and then the houses will be available to rent.

Another fascinating project concerns Greyfriars Chambers on St James’ Street – a building with a striking curved façade which is being restored to its 1930s glory.

Comprehensive repairs are currently ongoing after it was discovered that the 1930s elevations hid the structure of a 19th-century hotel, but that alterations made in the 1930s had failed. Plans for the building include completely reroofing it and re-covering the outside walls with a breathable render. A grant from the THI will ensure the elevations will be returned to their original elegance – including restoring Art Deco tiling to the ground floor doorways and replacing the modern windows with steel ones.

“The St Margaret’s THI was an

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Local Life ambitious project to turn a neglected part of the town centre into a showcase for our architectural heritage, and we’ve been delighted by what a success it’s been,” says Steven King, the borough council’s THI Project Officer. “We estimate that around £1,240,000 of private investment has already been unlocked by the THI. The project really needed the owners and tenants of properties in the area to get involved and share our vision of what this area could become, and we’ve been really pleased by the passion and commitment they’ve showed. They care deeply about protecting and caring for these buildings, and preserving the character of the area, and the result is that the transformation we were hoping for is well underway.

We’ve also been very pleased by the level of interest local people have had in the project; attendance at the THI programme of events and learning activities has been high.”

To meet the THI project’s priority of drawing more visitors to the area, public realm investment of £140,000 was made to enhance the Saturday Market Place – an initiative which included creating deeper pavements ideal for outdoor tables and chairs and making the most of the attractive Saturday Market Place and its views of the Minster.

One of the highlights of the THI events programme was the 2015 Beer, Butchers & Barbers event. This two-day event celebrated the trades that were traditionally associated with the Saturday market since it was granted a licence in 1435 – although it probably was in existence before this. Visitors enjoyed live music, watched live barbering demonstrations, and sampled some of Norfolk’s finest sausages, ales and beers.

In February 2016, a film about the THI had its premiere at the Majestic cinema.

The film was made by Ptolemy Dean – an architect, author, TV presenter, and Surveyor of the Fabric at Westminster Abbey who describes King’s Lynn as “a historically important, lovely town”.

Working with students from the College of West Anglia, his film takes the viewer on a visual tour of the most significant buildings in the conservation area, and it can be viewed at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zSTipXn8IOs The events programme also included a series of fascinating talks on the architectural developments that have shaped the conservation area’s long history, and architectural activity days.

Such has been the success of the THI project that the borough council plans

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to carry out a second project, focusing on the Railway Road area of King’s Lynn. An application for funding for this has been submitted, and is currently under consideration.

PICTURES: Greyfriars Chambers on St James’ Street (top) is currently being restored to its 1930s glory as part of the THI project – which has been recorded in a film by Ptolemy Dean (centre, left), which premiered at the Majestic Cinema in February 2016 (centre, right). Above and right are images from the project’s successful Beer, Butchers & Barbers event in 2015.

KLmagazine March 2018

MARCH What’s On Show times all at 7:30pm unless stated

The Ultimate Commitments

Sat and Blues Brothers Experience 3rd Taking the greatest songs from two cult films, put together to

create two fantastic tribute shows in one memorable evening!

The Moonlight Serenade Orchestra

Wed UK with The Andrews Sisters UK • 2pm most successful female vocal harmony group during the 14th America's 1940s. This is a celebration of them backed by a full big band!

Orbison & The Travelling Wilbury’s Sat Roy This is not just a Roy Orbison tribute show! This is 2 x 60 minutes show to 5 great legends Jeff Lyne, George Harrison, 17th tribute Roy Orbison, Tom Petty & Bob Dylan.

Manfreds Thurs The Some 55 years on, The Manfreds, with original front man, Paul will be performing many of their hits, including ‘Do Wah 22nd Jones, Diddy Diddy’, one of their most popular songs of the 60’.s An Evening Of Burlesque Fri Tassels Prepare for a show that breathes new life (and a touch of fire) into the much-loved genre. Be seduced by glamorous dancers, 23rd contortionists and acrobats! Over 18’s only.

& Odyssey Live In Concert Sat Heatwave Return to the glory days of disco, funk and soul with dance music legends and enjoy a evening of dance floor anthems including 24th Boogie Nights, Going Back to My Roots and Use It Up Wear It Out.

Sun 25th

Tenors Un Limited, The Rat Pack of Opera

Tenors Un Limited’s soaring vocals and lush harmonies combined with fun, personality and a sense of humour is the perfect recipe for a great night out.

Messiah Live Broadcast •7pm Wed Handel’s Inspired by Handel’s profound religious masterpiece, this Bristol Old Vic production provides a rare chance 28th toacclaimed experience a powerfully dramatic account of Messiah.

Thurs 29th

Julius Caesar

(National Theatre Encore Screening) • 7pm

Starring Ben Whishaw (The Danish Girl & Skyfall) and Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones) as Brutus & Cassius

For ticket prices, more info & to book visit the website:

www.princesshunstanton.co.uk

or call the Box Office: 01485

532252

The Princess Theatre, 13 The Green, Hunstanton PE36 5AH KLmagazine March 2018

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Amazing live music this Spring!

As the weather gets warmer Alive Corn Exchange has something for everyone to come out of hibernation for!

LET’S HANG ON Friday 9 March This award-winning production takes you on a musical journey through the prolific career of one of the most successful bands of all time Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

You’ll hear all your favourite hits such as, Grease, December 1963 (Oh What a Night!) and climaxing with a spectacular finale Let’s Hang On! With breath taking vocal performances and outstanding musicianship that includes a live horn section this 10th anniversary show is definitely not a night to be missed.

THE SOUTH Sunday 11 March When great British pop institution, The Beautiful South split in 2007, some members of the band didn’t feel ready to hang up their microphones or instruments just yet. Fast forward to 2017 and its all change, it was time for The South to regroup and have a rethink. With the new reshuffle complete, The South are Alison Wheeler (Vocals), Gaz Birtles (Vocals), Phil Barton (Guitars), Steve Nutter (Bass), Dave Anderson (Drums), Karl Brown (Percussion), Gareth John (Trumpet), Su Robinson (Sax) and Andy Price (Keys).

JACKSON LIVE IN CONCERT

itself and a guaranteed evening of music, humour and ‘craic’.

Saturday 17 March Introducing the All-New Jackson Live in Concert Show for 2018 starring Who’s Bad – direct from the USA. The guys are returning to Britain for the third time after sell-out tours in 2009 and 2010. They have a formidable reputation as the World’s longest running and most popular tribute to the King of Pop! The 2018 show features one of the world’s best Michael Jackson tribute artists performing an uncanny representation of the King of Pop, with incredible vocals and dance moves.

ELKIE BROOKS LIVE IN CONCERT

SEVEN DRUNKEN NIGHTS Thursday 22 March Seven Drunken Nights brings to life the music of Ireland's favourite sons - 'The Dubliners'.

Telling the story of a career spanning 50 years and evoking the spirit of Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, Jim McCann, Ciaran Bourke and John Sheahan, this hugely talented cast of musicians and singers bring the music of this iconic group to life.

This celebration of the music of The Dubliners is a celebration of Irish music

Sunday 25 March Long before the end of a live show and the frequent standing ovations that accompany it, there comes a point where Elkie does something so amazing that it leaves her audience almost spellbound. It could be a particularly emotional rendition of one of her ballads, a powerhouse blues vocal or one of her trademark impossibly long notes that leaves the audience mesmerised.

Elkie will be performing her biggest hits including Pearl’s A Singer, Lilac Wine, Fool (If You think It’s Over), Don’t Cry Out Loud and No More The Fool as well as many more featured on her recent hit album “Elkie Brooks – Pearls – The Very Best Of”.

Tickets for all shows are available from our Box Office on 01553 764864 or book online at: kingslynncornexchange.co.uk @klcornexchange

KLmagazine March 2018

@klcornexchange

Alive Corn Exchange

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PICTURES: ENCLAVE FILMS

Local Life

ABOVE: Tristan Vince and Claudia Baxter with The Gruffalo in Lesotho. The work of the couple’s Enclave Films has seen them travel across Africa. Opposite are Claudia (top) and Tristan (bottom) working in Lesotho, while the screenshot in the centre comes from a film the couple made in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

The amazing adventures of two local film makers A chance meeting at a music festival and the beautiful North Norfolk coast gave two aspiring film makers the chance to fulfil their dreams. Sarah Woonton tells the story of Enclave Films...

T

ristan Vince and Claudia Baxter had always fantasised about becoming film makers, but they could never afford to give up their day jobs in London to chase their dream. However, in 2014 when Tristan was just 21 and Claudia was 24, they entered a competition through Visit Britain – with a brief to make a film about the UK. Tristan is originally from Bawdswell in Norfolk, and the couple decided to make a film about the North Norfolk coast, focusing on the famous Poppy Line railway. Their film came first in the competition, and the £8,000

KLmagazine March 2018

prize money allowed them to leave the security of their jobs and took them on a quite amazing adventure.

Tristan and Claudia, now 25 and 28 respectively, have a company called Enclave Films and they make everything from documentaries and commercials to natural history and music videos.

“When I was growing up I was obsessed with natural history,” says Claudia. “At the age of seven I wanted to take my friends bat watching for my birthday! I wanted to be a wildlife camera woman and I idolised David Attenborough.”

Tristan had similar ambitions.

“The main reason film making is so wonderful,” he says, “is because it allows you to be interested in everything.”

Tristan and Claudia met by chance at a music festival in 2013. At the time Claudia was working as an events manager for the Red Cross and Tristan was making films for a company in London called The Big RD. They realised they shared a passion for film making – and soon afterwards saw their short film on the Poppy Line win the first competition they entered.

To celebrate, they headed to Cape Town to fulfil their dreams.

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Local Life

ABOVE: A ranger from Zambia’s Rhino Monitoring Unit (top left) as featured in an Enclave Film production. Shown at work elsewhere in the country are Claudia (top right) by the River Kafue and Tristan (bottom left) in Liuwa Plain National Park. The couple’s African adventures aren’t always plain sailing, though. Picture bottom left) is their mobile home The Gruffalo – broken down in Zambia

Tristan’s grandmother also played a key role in his and Claudia’s venture, as it was her dying wish for Tristan to go to South Africa.

“Half my family, from a couple of generations back, are from South Africa,” he says. “Before my grandmother died she said one of the last things she wanted was for me to go out there.”

Tristan and Claudia headed out to Zimbabwe and began to make films.

“We started in the most low budget way,” says Tristan.

“We went from lodge to lodge,” adds Claudia.

Tristan had a relative who lived out there, and he introduced the couple to some of his contacts – which saw Tristan and Claudia going to remote safari camps, asking if they could make films.

“We managed to make one film but we didn’t manage to sell it,” says Claudia. “We ended up giving it to them for free!”

Despite not making any money, the film enabled the couple to advertise

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themselves as promotional film makers for the tourist industry. They went on to work on a wildlife reality series called The Lion and The Safari Park, not far from Johannesburg.

Tristan and Claudia managed to save enough money to buy their own Land Rover, which they christened The Gruffalo.

“We actually lived in it for about two years,” says Tristan. “We used to drive around in it and it had a roof top tent.”

Tristan and Claudia travelled around South Africa making films wherever and whenever possible.

“It wasn’t about money,” says Tristan.

“We were very very poor, but it was the best way to be living at the time. The Gruffalo was so crap it had a huge amount of charm!”

Tristan and Claudia were having the time of their lives, but things didn’t always run smoothly. The couple were working on a photographic series in Lesotho when The Gruffalo got stuck in a swamp. The good news was that a couple of shepherds came to help them – but the bad news was that their

dog bit Claudia. With rabies rife in the area it was a terrifying time. Claudia truly feared she would die.

“It was about three days before Christmas and I didn’t tell my parents until I knew I wasn’t going to die,” she says. “I wished them happy Christmas and said we were having a lovely time!”

Luckily she was given injections and lives to tell the tale.

After a number of great experiences and many films later, Enclave Films was born in June 2017. The company set up by Tristan and Claudia goes from strength to strength and they continue to make films with tourism content, and for non-profit organisations, both in the UK and Cape Town.

They are currently working on a documentary about Norfolk’s Josephine Reynolds, who was the UK’s first female firefighter, as well as a short narrative film called Made in Britain which has a unique spin on Brexit.

More information on Enclave Films and the work of Tristan and Claudia can be found at www.enclavefilms.com

KLmagazine March 2018

Amazing Africa

West Norfolk Travel

Kenya Tanzania Rwanda Uganda South Africa Ethiopia Zambia Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia

Call the experts at...

KLmagazine March 2018

Tel: 01553 772910 | Web: www.westnorfolktravel.co.uk 23 Nursery Lane, South Wootton, King’s Lynn PE30 3NG

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KLmagazine March 2018

The average cost of cybercrime to a small business is e stima at over £24,0 ted 00...

Protecting your business from the cost of cybercrime Why cyber liability insurance is about to be more important then ever ou’ll lock your cars, secure your premises and install CCTV cameras without a second thought – but the fact is that in today’s world you’re actually more likely to be the victim of cybercrime than burglary.

The facts are astonishing; recently, cybercriminals (who can and do operate from anywhere in the world) caused Tesco to reimburse 9,000 customers a total of £2.5million; stole the personal details of 30,000 Sports Direct employees; and managed to access 57 million records held by Uber – information the company paid a £80,000 ransom to get back.

And don’t think it only happens to larger businesses and organisations. According to government figures, 74% of UK companies have now suffered some form of digital attack – and worryingly many of them are still unaware of the fact. Although cyber liability insurance cover has been around for almost a

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decade, most businesses have never heard of it or thought about it – but that's now about to change with a new law that comes into force in May. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will apply to all businesses of all sizes – even after the UK leaves the EU – and will make taking out cyber liability insurance cover more important than ever.

“If businesses don’t adequately protect their customers’ data, the GDPR can impose fines of up to €20million or 4% of your annual turnover once the new GDPR regulations come into force,” says Nick Osborne of King’s Lynn based IBA Insurance Services (left). “The new law will also require businesses affected by cybercrime to inform all their customers, suppliers and contractors – and that can be a very time-consuming and costly affair.”

With the average cost of cybercrime to a small business estimated at over £24,000, cyber liability insurance can offer you cover from £100,000 to £10 million, and IBA Insurance Services are already well

prepared to help you face this growing threat.

“We’ve been preparing for the introduction of the GDPR for some time now,” says Nick. “We have access to a number of specialist cyber insurers and can tailor a policy to suit the particular security needs of your business – whether you’re an individual tradesman, a shopkeeper or an international exporter.”

And as a totally independent company, IBA Insurance Services can offer you professional and impartial support to ensure you get the very best cover at the best possible price.

“It’s important to understand this isn’t just an IT issue,” says Nick. “The cause of most data breaches are caused by human errors such as opening malicious e-mails or visiting unsafe websites and it can happen to anyone. I think we can safely say there are now three certain things in life; taxes, death – and cybercrime."

Contact IBA Insurance Services today for a free no-obligation quotation and discover how to protect both your business and your customers from the massive impact cybercrime can have.

Osborne House, 111 High Street, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1DA 01553 770112 www.ibainsurance.co.uk enquiries@ibainsurance.co.uk IBA Insurance Services is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No.311163

KLmagazine March 2017

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Local Life

ABOVE: The lovingly-restored Gallopers at Bressingham Steam Museum and Gardens today – the fairground ride was made in King’s Lynn in the 19th century and was finally returned to Norfolk exactly 50 years ago by the museum’s founder

Happily going round in circles for 150 years...

Made in King’s Lynn, it was an engineering first and a fairground favourite for generations. Sylvia Steele tells the story of the famous Gallopers at Bressingham and how they finally came home

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s you walk from the beautifully peaceful vistas of Bressingham Gardens, the distinctive sound of a fairground can be heard in the distance. And this is a very special sound, for it signals the unmistakable presence of the Bressingham Gallopers.

The Gallopers have been providing the fun of the fair for 150 years, but they only arrived at Bressingham Steam Museum and Gardens in 1968 – when the gardens founder Alan Bloom bought the incredible carousel as a present for his wife Flora.

It was quite a gift, although when

KLmagazine March 2018

they arrived the Gallopers were in a very unloved state and in need of a great deal of restoration work. There were no ‘barley twists’ or brass poles, and the horses and carvings showed the signs of the hard use they’d endured since first appearing in the 1870s catalogue of King’s Lynn’s famous Frederick Savage. That didn’t deter Flora Bloom, however – she soon set about raising the funds needed to bring the Gallopers back to their original condition.

When the 3-abreast Gallopers merrygo-round first appeared it was way ahead of its time in a world where

steam engines of agricultural machinery were being rapidly overtaken by petrol-fuelled engines.

It was Frederick Savage who swiftly became the chief leader in the introduction of steam engines into the construction of fairground rides. He installed gears and multi-cranked drive shafts in the platforms – giving the animals their characteristic up-anddown movement as they travelled around the centre pole. He called this ride the ‘platform gallopers’ – the platform, with its garishly painted horses, brass barley stick poles and wooden carved figures of predominant

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Local Life

ABOVE: Alan Bloom, who founded Bressingham Steam Museum and Gardens – and the man who brought the Gallopers back to Norfolk in 1968. Lovingly restored, the fairground ride is now looking better than ever.

people of the times, serving as a place for people to stand. Added to this movement were the ‘hurdy-gurdy’ fairground organs.

British fairgrounds at this time were a model of progressive engineering; where the talents of artists, carvers and organ builders were increasingly in demand. The modern fairground ride had arrived – with Savage supplying the new market demand at a strategic time when increased prosperity meant more time for leisure.

It would appear the British fairground galloper is the only riding device to have sustained popularity, and is as recognisable today as it was in Victorian times. That the Gallopers merry-goround, having afforded so much amusement to families for nearly 150 years, was to settle again not far from where it was built seems like justice for one of the fairground’s most iconic rides.

The term ‘galloper’ is the English trademark for a roundabout. Although roundabouts carrying horses were popular throughout Europe and America, it never occurred to English showfolk to call them carousels or to

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use standing horses permanently attached to the revolving platform. A tradition developed for horses to be carved in galloping pose similar to those seen in paintings of the day, and a galloping action was considered a necessity.

It took five years to restore the fairground merry-go-round that visitors to Bressingham see today. Prior to its restoration, the Cushing family at Thursford had operated the fairground ride until it moved to Whitley Bay in 1934 – and then on to the Breckon of Fife in Scotland from where it finally returned home to Norfolk.

However, the Gallopers that today’s riders enjoy are not wholly original – with only one of the initial horses, donated to Bressingham a few years ago, making up the full set. Several other carvings completed the ride, but all the working parts are original, with the rebuilt steam engine driving the ride receiving a more powerful tank.

“Built when Victoria was Queen” – it’s a Victorian symbol still drawing visitors of all ages to enjoy a fairground ride that may be slower than its 21st century incarnations but is far more evocative.

First and foremost, it’s perhaps the only riding device that has managed to sustain its popularity throughout last few centuries.

So what was it about the Gallopers that made it such a satisfying gift from Alan Bloom to his wife in 1968? It was certainly a gift of some antiquity, and over the years the demand in general has been for faster more exciting rides, but there’s no hiding the popularity of the rescued galloping horses with the visitors to Bressingham Museum.

The 2018 season at Bressingham starts on March 28th. The gardens and all museum buildings are open from 10.30am-5pm. For more details, please visit www.bressingham.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

Is your conservatory... too HOT in summer & too COLD in winter?

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KLmagazine March 2018

OVER 20 YEARS OF FIRST CLASS MOTOR SERVICING TAMSIN

JACQUIE

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Say hello to the friendly face of car servicing...

Why you and your car are always welcome at K Brown Auto Repairs any people feel anxious or even afraid of taking their car to a garage – whether that’s because they’re unsure of the terminology or because of poor experiences in the past. At K Brown Auto Repairs, Tamsin and Keith Brown eliminate any feelings of uncertainty by creating a friendly, non-judgemental environment.

Upon entering the reception area of both the Hunstanton and King’s Lynn garages, customers are instantly put at ease when welcomed by either Sam, Jacquie, Kelly, Gail or even Tamsin herself.

“We feel a female-run reception makes for a more comfortable setting,” says Tamsin, ”as opposed to the stereotypically daunting one often attached to garages.”

Customer care has always been a top priority at K Brown Auto Repairs, helping people understand exactly what’s being done to their car – and exactly what that will cost. They’ll never do any work to your

M

KLmagazine March 2018

car without your permission and will only recommend extra work if necessary.

All the fully-qualified technicians, including Keith himself, are more than happy to advise you, clear up any confusions or queries and reassure you that your car is in very good hands.

K Brown Auto Repairs has built up a strong reputation as a trustworthy garage, with a team of mechanics and receptionists that consistently go above and beyond for people and their cars – which is why some customers have been happily handing them their car keys for more than 20 years.

“In fact, our relationships with our customers is so strong that some of them often pop in for a coffee and a chat – without bringing their vehicles!” says Tamsin.

Whether your car needs a simple repair, a full service, an MOT, a four wheel alignment, engine diagnostics – or if you simply want to know what that ‘strange

noise’ is! – K Brown Auto Repairs can put your mind to rest with a friendly welcome, a professional approach and a level of customer service that’s second to none.

Isn’t it time you and your car were treated to K Brown Auto Repairs?

information

K Brown Auto Repairs Simon Scotland Road, Hardwick Industrial Estate, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4JF tel: 01553 763763 web: www.kbrownautoskingslynn.co.uk

27

“Government can have no more than two legitimate purposes – the suppression of injustice against individuals within the community, and the common defence against external invasion...”

WILLIAM GODWIN (1756-1836)

History

ABOVE: Elsa Lanchester and Boris Karloff in the classic 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein, which opens with a scene featuring Lanchester as the novelist Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley – who wrote Frankenstein exactly 200 years ago, and whose father was the Wisbech-born writer and political philosopher William Godwin (opposite)

The local connection to the story of Frankenstein One of the most famous horror stories in literature celebrates its 200th birthday this year, but as Abigail Brown discovers, it may never have been written had it not been for William Godwin of Wisbech...

T

he English journalist, political philosopher and novelist William Godwin was born in Wisbech to John and Anne Godwin in 1756 and died aged 80 in 1836. He’s mostly known today for only two of his many books; An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice (an attack on political institutions) and Things As They Are; or The Adventures of Caleb Williams (his first mystery novel, focusing on aristocratic privilege) – although Godwin was actually somewhat of a celebrity.

KLmagazine March 2018

In his early years he attended school at Hindolveston near Guestwick, where his father was a Calvinist minister. In 1767, an 11-year -old William began three years of private education, tutored by the Calvinist preacher Samuel Newton in Norwich. Godwin continued his education at Hoxton Academy in London where he trained as a minister, and the family moved to the capital following John Godwin’s death in 1772.

Although regarded as sensitive and respectful, William was known amongst his classmates at Hoxton for his passion

and obsession for winning arguments.

Upon leaving education, he followed in his father’s foosteps and became a minister in East Anglia from 1778 to 1783, before embarking on a career as a novelist. He went on to be a controversial figure, using literature to discuss his unorthodox opinions. In fact, these opinions were so strongly stated they almost saw Godwin prosecuted for treason – it was only because Prime Minister William Pitt refused to believe a cheaply-produced book could incite so much public attention that he wasn’t.

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History

ABOVE: Richard Rothwell’s 1840 portrait of Mary Shelley, who wrote the classic gothic novel Frankenstein when she was only 18 – and was the daughter of Wisbech-born William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft (pictured below in a 1790 painting by John Opie)

It’s fair to say that William Godwin would have made a name for himself regardless, but his enduring fame is due primarily to the achievements of his immediate family.

For it wasn’t just his contrary beliefs that made him so unpopular – Godwin also caused a stir when he married the controversial Mary Wollstonecraft, one of the very first feminists. Like Godwin, she too used writing to spread her views – her most renowned work being A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), in which she argues that women are not inferior to men. She was a brave lady who, regardless of the gender roles at the time, suggested that both men and women should be equal – and imagined a future when this was possible.

However, in contrast to her seemingly resolute character, she attempted suicide three times after she was rejected by Gilbert Imlay, a man with whom she’d fallen in love and had a child with –out of wedlock. Following this experience, Wollstonecraft gradually eased herself back into a

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normal life and in returning to literature, became involved with William Godwin – and their love blossomed. By then, Mary had earned a reputation almost as widespread as Godwin’s and together they became the epitome of London’s radical society.

Mary and Williams’ love affair resulted in the birth of their daughter Mary on 30th August 1797 – but the pregnancy left Wollstonecraft in agony, and after several days she died of septicaemia, leaving behind a legacy that was respected by women of the feminist movement to follow. In 1929, Virginia Woolf described her as immortal: “We hear her voice,” she wrote, “and trace her influence even now among the living.”

Wollstonecraft’s death left Godwin with an 11-day-old daughter to raise and educate, and almost inevitably (given her parents’ writing abilities) Mary became a gifted novelist. She eventually went on to edit and promote the works of her husband, the poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley. The romance had begun between them in

1814, and despite being shunned by her father (mostly because Shelley was already married) and having overcome the death of a prematurely-born daughter, the pair married in 1816 – following the rather convenient death of Shelley’s first wife. Although never proved, a number of rumours spread accusing William Godwin of murdering her to save the family’s reputation.

In the same year, the couple holidayed near Geneva in Switzerland with Lord Byron – and when the three agreed to each write a ghost story to accompany the gloomy weather, Mary started the story that would eventually be published (in 1818) as Frankenstein.

Thanks largely to Hollywood and the early horror films of the 1930s, the central themes of Mary’s original story are actually misunderstood. Rather than being the tale of a ‘monster’, her book is more concerned with the creation of life – a theme that may well have been influenced by her mother’s death at childbirth, and her memories of her own daughter’s premature death.

Mary was only 18 when she started writing Frankenstein, and the first edition of the novel was published anonymously two years later.

Over the next three decades, Mary Shelley wrote six more novels, a handful of travel narratives and a large amount of short stories – but none of them achieved the popularity of Frankenstein, which is now regarded as one of the greatest-ever works of gothic literature.

Unfortunately, Mary Shelley died of a brain tumour at the age of 53 after devoting herself to the upbringing of her only child (Percy Florence Shelley) and her career as a professional author.

William Godwin was 62 when Frankenstein was published – but the thoughts of the Wisbech-born man on his daughter’s immortal work of fiction is lost to time.

KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

Safeguarding the Bank of Mum & Dad It’s now one of the country’s top lenders, but how do you make it work to everyone’s benefit? Ring Associates have all the answers ust a couple of week ago, the Institute for Fiscal Studies announced that the biggest decline in home ownership over the last 20 years has been among people aged 25-34. Back in 1995 you’d find 65% of this age group owning a home – today that figure has dropped to only 27%.

It’s something most of us can identify with – many of us will either have someone close to us or know someone currently trying to take their first step in getting onto the property ladder.

If that individual is lucky, the famous Bank of Mum & Dad could be the answer. However, an important question remains – with so many options to consider, what’s the best way to go about this for all parties?

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There are lots of questions that Ring Associates can help you answer and there’ll be different solutions for almost every case.

Should the help of the Bank of Mum & Dad be considered a ‘gift’ or a ‘loan’?

Which Help-to-Buy scheme is the best one for you? Are the parents acting as guarantors – or even partners in a joint mortgage? Is it worth offsetting your savings? Considering these issues (and the various other options available to you) and the financial

implications they entail is vitally important.

Having these conversations at home is a great place to start, but it’s always best to meet with one of our qualified advisers – who are trained to analyse and work out the very best options for all concerned parties.

For parents wanting to help their children financially, the very first thing they need to consider is whether they can afford it. Whilst an additional sum of money towards your children’s deposit may seem like an obvious step to take, it’s certainly not worth compromising your own financial security.

But if you do wish to go down that route, it’s important to identify the most efficient way to make those extra funds available. It might be that equity release is the solution for you, or re-mortgaging your home the conventional way – or even releasing a lump sum from existing investments or pensions.

Our mortgage specialists work hand in hand with our independent financial advisers to examine all the factors involved and will advise on the best solution for your individual circumstances.

Having plenty of options is a great situation to be in, but they all have their challenges. Issues such as Inheritance Tax concerns could appear, alongside potential Stamp Duty implications.

Whilst these would be considered more significant issues, joint ownership between parents and children could bring confusion around smaller issues.

After all, who’s going to decide what colour the spare bedroom should be?

Our specialist advisers are always on hand to make the process as simple as it should be. If having read this article you would like to find out more, please contact us for a free no obligation consultation with one of our professionally qualified advisers.

11-12 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1JN TEL: 01553 777600 WEB: www.ringassociates.co.uk E-MAIL: enquiries@ringassociates.co.uk Ring Associates Ltd is registered in England No. 04569784 Ring Associates Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No. 418829

KLmagazine March 2018

33

PICTURES: WALSINGHAM ESTATE

Local Life

Pilgrims and prisoners at Little Walsingham...

It’s been a destination for pilgrims for hundreds of years, but the heritage of Walsingham also extends to more down-to-earth matters, as Sylvia Steele discovers on a trip to the Shirehall Museum

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ilgrims have travelled these narrow country roads for centuries to visit the shrines of Little Walsingham. The Anglican Shrine – a replica of the Holy House at Nazareth which houses the image of Our Lady of Walsingham – was created from derelict farm buildings and cottages in 1931 close to the ruins of the original medieval Priory. However, the Roman Catholic shrine of Our Lady, also known as the Slipper Chapel, dates from the 14th century and is situated at

KLmagazine March 2018

Houghton St. Giles a mile south of the village.

At the height of medieval times, Little Walsingham rivalled Canterbury and some of the major shrines of Europe as a destination for pilgrims. Today, there are still three organised pilgrimages to the two shrines; at other times visitors arrive on their own personal pilgrimage.

But Little Walsingham is remarkable too for its cohesive blending of architectural periods and its aura of tranquillity despite its many visitors.

Time has marked the history of this little

town, and you can wander through the centuries in these narrow streets and alleys.

Ruins of the 14th century Franciscan Friary are but a short stroll from the Abbey grounds. Sadly, the monastic church founded by Elizabeth de Burgh in 1347 is almost gone but the ruins are still a dramatic sight. The Porter’s Lodge and 15th century Gatehouse, and the slightly later Pump House standing in the centre of Common Place (it was once the public water supply) are but two of the remaining monuments of

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Local Life

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spans the River Stiffkey, the grounds cover some 18 acres of woodland; an area to which visitors are drawn every year to view the carpets of snowdrops and aconites – a fabulous display of tiny white bells that provides a lovely prelude to spring. It has to be said, however, that the grounds provide a tranquil sense of peace at any time of year.

For more details and information about Little Walsingham and the Shirehall Museum, please visit the website at www.walsingham.org.uk

PICTURES: WALSINGHAM ESTATE

the town’s history.

The timbered Bull public house, a unique meeting place, once formed part of the outer precinct of the Abbey alongside the Shirehall Museum – tucked away in a corner of Common Place with the Abbey grounds running behind.

Significant among the ancient buildings of Little Walsingham, the Shirehall Museum houses the former courthouse – where the Quarter Sessions were held during the 18th and 19th centuries and the Petty Sessions until 1974. The museum holds a comprehensive display of village life and times through the centuries, and the courthouse remains intact within.

It’s a typical Georgian courtroom, with its justice’s seat facing the accused, the jury bench overlooked by a public gallery, and a lock-up cell which now forms a hands-on part of the museum where you’re invited to take a seat in the justice’s chair –or in the dock!

Convicted prisoners would be marched from the courthouse across Common Place to a lane off the High Street that leads to the Bridewell. This Georgian House of Correction was rebuilt in 1787 by prison reformer John Howard on the site of a former 16th century leper hospital that housed vagrants and beggars.

Based on plans to provide eight cells, a chapel and common room, the building was further extended in 1822 to accommodate more prisoners, and treadmills were installed the following year to form the dual purpose of providing prisoners with exercise – whilst making them pay towards their imprisonment at the same time.

The timbered Black Lion, a 17th century coaching inn on Friday Market, is one of the oldest houses in the town.

In the 18th century, the Petty Sessions were held there until they moved to the Shirehall in 1861.

As can be seen, there’s so much to enjoy in this town that it would be an opportunity missed to concentrate only on the area around the shrines – and in order to derive the greatest benefit from a visit, joining a guided tour is a definite advantage. This also gives the added opportunity of a visit to the prison, where no pretence has been made to dramatise the scene - there are no theatrical lights or effigies. As your eyes become accustomed to the dark interior, only the stark empty unlit cells with their heavy metal doors are apparent. It’s not a place you’ll want to linger and when you return to the Abbey grounds, they offer a welcome breath of fresh air.

Here, where the Packhorse Bridge

KLmagazine March 2018

HOMEhints

in association with FRIMSTONE LTD

It’s time to get to work – with Frimstone on your side! he imminent arrival of Spring means it’s time to get to work on all those outdoor projects you’ve been looking forward to all winter – from putting up that new shed to building a new patio. And the good news for homeowners and builders working on small-size projects is that no matter how daunting the job may be at first sight, you’ve got all the experience and quality materials of FRIMSTONE on your side.

For modest-sized building and gardening projects, you’ll find our recently-opened ‘FRIMSTONE Light’ operation at Crimplesham is exactly the helping hand you’ve been looking for.

Here, you’ll find an extensive variety of sands including sharp, building, plastering and soft – and we can recommend the right one for you, whether you’re mixing concrete, bedding down slabs or

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cushioning a play area.

For landscaping, driveways and drainage projects you can choose from a wide range of gravel in a number of different sizes – and for solid base layers you can decide between our well-graded granular Type 1 aggregate (which is made to national standards) or our local crushed recycled concrete for a more cost-effective solution.

Your garden will certainly appreciate our high quality screened topsoil, and the perfect finishing touch can be achieved with either our decorative slate or carrstone – a beautiful material packed with local character.

The operation also been cleverly designed for smaller trucks and trailers, with conveniently-sized bays, a

HEAD OFFICE Ashcraft Farm, Main Road, Crimplesham Norfolk PE33 9EB Tel: 01366 388900 Web: www.frimstone.co.uk

smaller loading shovel for lighter loads, and all materials are available in either jumbo (850kg) or half-size (450kg) bags – together with handy 25kg bags of cement. We even stock a carefullyselected range of high-quality PPE to ensure you’ll always be working safely!

Whatever your next building or gardening project, the time’s arrived to get started on it – and you’ll find FRIMSTONE has everything you need for a job well done!

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KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

A world of vintage style Welcome to Norfolk Reclaim – and three acres of inspiration! f you’re looking for something vintage, pre-owned or reclaimed for your home or garden, look no further than Norfolk Reclaim.

Owned by Roy & Emma Baker, the company specialises in reclaimed bricks and pantiles, doors & fireplaces, ironmongery, garden statuary – and much more besides.

Norfolk Reclaim has been running alongside Bakers Timber Reclaim, which Roy has built up over the past 15 years and has now merged to provide a bigger and better choice of reclaimed materials under one name.

With a background in reclaimed timber, Roy decided to branch out into other areas, and now has a huge threeacre site dedicated to a vast array of stock.

“We buy from auctions, fairs, demolition jobs and people who approach us for house clearances or just the odd item,” says Roy. “We’re here for builders, developers, the general public – everyone’s welcome. We’re making it more public friendly.”

I

KLmagazine March 2018

There are different areas for customers to browse, including a huge selection of floor tiles, garden furniture, doors and interior furnishings. In addition, the company also supplies fittings for retail outlets, including Sea Life Centres, and the Mr Barbers chain of barber shops, for whom Norfolk Reclaim provided the reclaimed timber flooring and industrial furniture for a vintage look and feel.

The company has also supplied several local pubs such as the Brisley Bell, the George & Dragon at Castle Acre, and the Gin Trap Inn at Ringstead.

“We also build timber frames and were featured in the television programme The House That 100k Built”, says Roy. “We supplied and built the frame for a couple who were building a house in Manea.”

For the future, Norfolk Reclaim are planning to supply more timber frames and smaller buildings such as garages, porches and cart sheds. All the timber used is locally grown from the West Acre Estate, which is all sustainably and

responsibly managed before being sawn and processed on site. They also make furniture, which can be seen in the Norfolk Reclaim showroom.

Other plans for the future include a new range of timber cladding, reclaimed oak to line walls – an innovative and attractive alternative to brick and stone that several local pubs have already expressed an interest in. Norfolk Reclaim also sell used and cut scaffold boards, which can be used for flooring and shelving and are popular with commercial builders as they’re a very economic and visually aesthetic choice.

“At the moment, people are really interested in the old distressed look”, says Roy, “and we’re more than happy to supply it!”

information

Norfolk Reclaim Helhoughton Road, Hempton, Fakenham Norfolk NR21 7DY Tel: 01328 864743 Web: www.norfolkreclaim.co.uk Email: sales@norfolkreclaim.co.uk

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JOBS FOR THE GARDEN in March

Brighten up pots and borders with pansies and primroses

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Sow early lettuces, carrots and other vegetable seeds outside but they may require protection with cloches or tunnels Early planting of onion sets & shallots will lengthen the growing season resulting in larger individual bulbs. Garlic & rhubarb can also be planted now Start planting shrubs & cottage garden plants as the weather warms up Dig plenty of organic farmyard manure into your soil ready for planting vegetables Top-dress pots & containers of established shrubs & perennials with fresh compost & slow release fertiliser.

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01553 771422 / 07769688635 KLmagazine March 2018

Pets

AnimalMatters Our monthly look at the issues concerning you and your pets with Alex Dallas of the London Road Veterinary Centre...

SPRING OFFER! Time for a Spring Clean!

This month London Road and Hollies Vets are offering

20% OFF DENTALS

Make your pet smile!

D

id you know that dental disease affects over 87% of dogs and 70% of cats over three years of age?

Why should you pay attention? It’s simple really: because if your pet’s breath smells bad, they could have dental disease.

What is Dental Disease?

Dental disease begins with a small amount of plaque (made up of salivary deposits, bacteria and food particles) forming on the tooth’s surface. If ignored, this can build up to form dental tartar (calculus), which in turn can cause marked gum disease and inflammation, leading to an array of unpleasant conditions including gum recession, tooth root exposure and decay of the periodontal ligament.

Once severe dental disease manifests itself, your pet will require a scale and polish, but this will be the least of your worries as multiple tooth extractions can often be necessary.

Dental disease causes localised pain in the oral cavity and can affect the rest of your pet’s body too. The inflamed, damaged gums absorb the bacteriaridden tartar and from there, it accesses the bloodstream and spreads

throughout the body, affecting the heart and kidneys in particular.

If your pet has dental disease, the first symptom will more than likely be bad breath (halitosis). They could appear uncomfortable when they eat – often chewing with one side of their mouth or regularly dropping food.

Signs of Dental Problems Despite its prevalence, dental disease is often hard to identify, and subtle signs such as loss of appetite or smelly breath may be the only signs noticeable to owners, even in pets with advanced disease. Be aware of the following: • Bad breath (halitosis) • Loss of appetite • Bleeding gums • Inflamed gums • Drooling • Pawing at the mouth (or any other indication of the mouth being sensitive) Preventing Dental Problems As with most pet ailments, prevention is far better than cure. There are numerous ways to prevent dental disease: • Dental hygiene – Tooth brushing is the gold standard of dental care for pets and, as with humans, it should be done every day. Use an appropriate

Free Dental Check-Up with a Vet. Discount applies to all fees associated with anaesthesia, dental procedures and medication Call us on: 01553 773168 or 01366 386655 to book an appointment! Visit us at: www.makeyourpetsmile.co.uk

animal toothbrush and paste. Restrain your pet firmly but kindly, go from back to front in a gentle, circular motion. If they don’t like the toothbrush, let them get used to the process – and having their teeth touched – by putting a dab of toothpaste on your finger and cleaning that way.

• Dental diets – Several pet food companies now offer dental diets, designed to combat dental disease.

Dental kibbles of a particular shape, size and texture have a mild abrasive effect and are formulated to clean your pet’s teeth as they chew.

• Dental chews/treats – They work in much the same way as diets. Be wary, however, as some of them contain a high quantity of fat.

Remember, if you’re concerned about your pet’s dental health, seek veterinary attention. Here’s to a happy March, and to your pets’ teeth sparkling for Spring!

Visit our website... makeyourpetsmile.co.uk London Road Vets @London Road Vets

LONDON ROAD 25 London Road, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 773168 | Email: info@lrvc.co.uk HOLLIES Paradise Road, Downham Market | Tel: 01366 386655 | Email: info@holliesvetclinic.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

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Gardening

ABOVE: Ceanothus is a great example of a ground cover plant, ideal for a large or rough area of your garden – and using a heather such as Callunas (opposite) can add a contrasting touch of vibrant colour

Making an impression with ground cover plants They can suppress weeds, prevent soil erosion, reduce your garden’s moisture loss – and they look beautiful. Wendy Warner of Thaxters Garden Centre explains how to make the most of ground cover plants

A

t this time of the year, especially if we’ve had a cold start, one of the first things to catch the eye when we look out into the garden is bare soil – and it’s not very attractive! There may be a few spring bulbs breaking through, but most deciduous shrubs and herbaceous perennials won’t be leafing up just yet.

The good news is that this can be remedied with the addition of the often forgotten group of ground cover plants.

Further into the spring, in the height of summer and even through autumn (unless you’re a very tidy gardener!) the

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eye is drawn higher to the abundance of flower and lush leaf growth – but ground cover plants can be very useful in the garden. Not just aesthetically, but by earning their keep in reducing moisture loss, suppressing weeds and preventing soil erosion.

The majority of ground cover plants (as the name suggests) are spreading and low-growing – and the most useful ones are evergreen or semi-evergreen.

If you look carefully, there are ground cover plants in most plant groups including prostrate and moundforming shrubs and conifers, heathers, herbs, perennials, bulbs, ferns, grasses,

alpines – and even climbers that have been allowed to sprawl and spread.

Before planting ground cover plants, it’s important to remove weeds thoroughly, particularly perennial weeds such as dandelions, ground elder and couch grass, as they’ll be very difficult to remove once your plants start growing and matting. For most plants you’ll want to improve the soil too, by adding organic matter or compost and possibly a general fertiliser such as Growmore.

Some of the areas you are likely to be using ground cover plants will be particularly challenging; if you’re

KLmagazine March 2018

planting around the base of a tree or in a woodland area, you’ll be competing with the roots of established trees which have become matted and risen to the surface over the years. In these cases, it’s often best to create individual pockets of soil in which to start your chosen plants – and remember to water them in very well until established, as the tree roots will try to take any moisture from the soil.

As I’ve said, this group of plants works well to infill between deciduous shrubs and perennials, and they’ll add great texture and colour at the front of borders if you prefer not to use bedding plants. They also work well on slopes or banks, and in narrow or inaccessible strips alongside paths or driveways where other plants would cause obstructions – or, as traditionally used, in rockeries.

If you have a large or rough area to cover, consider shrubby plants such as Cotoneaster with its evergreen leaves and small white flowers followed by berries in autumn; mound-forming Hebes with its great choice of leaf colour; Ceanothus or Californian Lilac with its blue flowers and small, evergreen leaves; or heathers such as Callunas and Ericas – although they’ll require the addition of ericaceous compost if your soil isn’t acidic.

If you choose low-growing conifers, look for those with ‘prostrata’ or ‘horizontalis’ in the name. If you fancy something very colourful throughout the summer (note there’ll be bare stems during the winter) choose any of the ‘Flower Carpet’ series of roses. Vincas (or periwinkle) will provide both flower and evergreen leaf, but beware; they’re quite vigorous and will root as they spread, creating a dense mat. Due to that, they’re ideal for growing on a bank as they’ll hold the soil together and are a very low-maintenance plant.

Under trees, or through shrubby borders, early spring flowering bulbs such as snowdrops, aconites, anemone blanda, crocuses and cyclamen can make a lovely ground cover show before the leaves of the trees break through.

Alpine or rockery plants are predominantly ground cover in their habit. In their natural surroundings many live on the sides of mountains where they’re subjected to harsh weather conditions, cold temperatures, wind and dryness – and they’ve adapted accordingly, creating mounds or mats and a strong root system. Their major dislike is winter wet, so always give them good drainage by adding grit to the soil. Some very colourful alpine

KLmagazine March 2018

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Gardening

plants are available, and with careful choice you could have continuous colour from early spring through to late summer.

Start the season with Aubrieta, which creates a carpet of colour ranging from the deepest vibrant shades to the palest hues through reds, purples, blues and pinks to white – some even have a variegated leaf. Next month, moundforming and the more spreading Saxifrages will come into flower with their dainty flowers on stems above mossy hummocks of foliage. Dwarf and creeping Phlox will also flower from April to June, creating carpets of colour. A particular favourite is Phlox subulata ‘Candy Stripe’ with delicate, fragrant soft pink flowers edged in white.

When we get to May, Campanulas come into their own with vibrant blue (though sometimes white or bicolour) bellflowers. But beware of Campanula poscharskyana – if you have lots of space it’s perfect, but if not then it can be very invasive and become a bit of a thug, smothering other plants!

Helianthemums or Sun roses will make a wonderful show in summer with their delicate flowers opening and looking up to the sun – they come in a huge range of colours including white, yellow, pink, orange and red. Another sun lover is Delosperma with its bright

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neon daisy-like flowers above mats of fleshy, succulent leaves which will flower through to late summer.

And please don’t forget that it’s not all about the flowers! Many ground cover plants have spectacular foliage – including Heucheras, with which you can create a patchwork carpet if you plant them together. Their leaves vary in colour from deepest burgundy, through bronzes and reds to the brightest of lime green and yellow.

Herbs such as Camomile and Thyme will also make excellent ground cover and reward you with their aromatic foliage too.

With so much choice out there, there’s no excuse for you admiring a barren, bare and brown expanse of soil this time next year – all you need is a few, carefully-selected ground cover plants!

ABOVE: Phlox subulata ‘Candy Stripe’ will create a carpet of colour in your garden from April to June – while Delosperma (below) will give you a covering of neonbright flowers until late summer

Wendy Warner is Manager of Thaxters Garden Centre at 49 Hunstanton Road, Dersingham PE31 6NA. Visit the website at www.thaxters.co.uk or telephone 01485 541514 YOU AND YOUR GARDEN If you’d like some inspiration for your garden – no matter how large or small – or have a particular issue or variety of plant you’d like Wendy to look at, please contact us at info@klmagazine.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

Inspiring and distinctive outdoor furniture and accessories Exciting new products for 2018 now available

Visit our showroom Open 7 days a week 10am - 4pm Norfolk Leisure, Garage Lane, Setchey, King’s Lynn PE33 0AX Tel: 01553 811717 | Email: sales@norfolkleisure.co.uk | Web: www.norfolkleisure.com

West Norfolk: Then and Now

1957

2018 CHANGES AT THE QUAYSIDE...

Thanks to BOB BOOTH this month for this 1950s view of the South Quay in King’s Lynn – taken at a time when it was still dominated by merchants and haulage contractors (rather than some fantastic restaurants and bars) and you didn’t have to look too far to find a place to park!

The most obvious difference between then and the revitalised quayside we enjoy today is the overhanging gantry of corn merchants Gregorys & Hampson and the cranes on the Boal Quay. You can enjoy thousands of more images showing Norfolk’s history and the changing face of the county on the website at

www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk or by visiting the Norfolk Heritage Centre at the Millennium Library, The Forum, Norwich or your local studies library.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Enjoy thousands of images of Norfolk’s unique history at www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk 46

KLmagazine March 2018

ONE CARAVAN – A WHOLE WORLD TO DISCOVER

ABOVE: Neil Greentree on his Scottish adventure in a Swift Basecamp (below and left)

The biggest adventures all start at Greentrees...

Discover the modern face of caravanning at Greentrees – designed for activity-led people who prefer basecamps to campsites! s you might expect from one of the very best caravan and motorhome centres in the entire country, there’s a lot more to Greentrees than over 100 new and used vehicles on one site from the top manufacturers in the UK – along with every accessory you could wish for.

For starters, there’s a whole new world of adventure to discover – and no one better placed to open that world up to you than Neil Greentree himself, recognised nationally as one of the industry’s leading experts, with a real passion for promoting the modern face of caravanning.

Last year, for example, Neil and his son were invited by Swift Leisure to take the company’s stunning Swift Basecamp caravan on a hardcore adventure in the depths of Scotland – and found an angle to caravanning you’d never imagine existed.

A

KLmagazine March 2018

The coldest weather in the UK for 10 years, winds of 40mph and temperatures of -16o sounds more like the perfect conditions for skiers rather than caravanners – but that’s the whole point. Your caravan is just the start of your adventure.

“Even though it contained all our skis, bikes and walking boots the Swift Basecamp turned from sports equipment storage container to luxuriously warm home within minutes,” says Neil. “At one point we had to camp overnight on a snowbound road in the middle of a blizzard – but were still able to enjoy hot showers, hot coffees and warm and cozy beds!”

While the traditional purpose of caravans was (and still can be) the sheer enjoyment

of caravanning itself, more and more people are now using them to enhance a lifestyle, appreciating the increased levels of functionality and adaptability.

“For activity-led people who really want to enjoy the great outdoors, it’s fantastic,” says Neil. “One moment it’s a comfortable living space and dining area, the next it’s a workshop and storage area – but best of all, it’s with you all the way!”

Welcome to Greentrees – where you’ll find all the help and advice you need together with the start of your next big adventure!

For more information and videos see: www.challengeneilgreentree.com www.swiftbasecamp.co.uk

Adventure House, Hurn Road, Dereham Business Park, Dereham, Norfolk NR19 1WD t: 01362 696434 e: sales@greentrees-caravanstore.co.uk w: www.greentrees-caravanstore.co.uk 47

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KLmagazine March 2017

Get your garden ready for the growing season...

Why March is the perfect time to call on Heritage Tree Specialists

S

pring is almost upon us and our gardens are about to start coming to life again – which means it’s time to use the professional services of King’s Lynn based Heritage Tree Specialists to get your garden ready for coming months.

“We’re called on throughout the year for everything from fallen trees and conifer reductions to tree surveys and reports,” says Director Dan Ashton, “but March is really your last opportunity to complete less urgent jobs – before everything starts growing again.”

For instance, although reshaping, reducing and pruning trees and hedges can be carried out at any time, it’s certainly easier to do and less damaging to the tree when done before it reaches full leaf – and before all the birds start nesting.

It’s also the ideal time for unsightly old stumps and surface roots to be ground out of your lawned areas – just in time for seeding or turfing in mid-spring. Using specialist equipment that can access the trickiest of spaces, Heritage Tree Specialists KLmagazine March 2018

can quickly make light work of the toughest stumps.

And as your trees are currently in the last stages of dormancy, the next few weeks are the perfect opportunity to move shrubs and young trees or plant new ones – especially while more cost-effective bare-root specimens are still available. Heritage Tree Specialists can supply and establish a wide variety of trees in a range of sizes from 1m to semi-mature trees over 4m in height.

“Although we take an enormous amount of care on every project, this kind of work can be disruptive to shooting bulbs and young bedding plants,” says Dan. “It’s far better to get it done now rather than leave it too late – and I’m sure you don’t want us in the way when you start being able to enjoy your garden!”

Finally, even though we’ll shortly be saying goodbye to colder nights, now’s the best time of the year to take advantage of Heritage Tree Specialists’ stock of high quality part-seasoned firewood. Available now at reduced cost, it will help you avoid

shortages of seasoned logs next winter – and could save you a considerable amount of money!

As your local tree professionals with a friendly, committed and fully-qualified team, and a proven track record of successful large and small-scale projects, Heritage Tree Specialists are available to provide free written quotations and recommendations to homeowners throughout West Norfolk. Contact us now – and get your garden in shape for spring!

information

Heritage Tree Specialists Willow Farm Industrial Units, Lynn Road, Saddlebow, King’s Lynn PE34 3AR Tel: 01553 617008 Web: www.heritagetreespecialists.co.uk E-mail: info@heritagetreespecialists.co.uk

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XXXXXXXXX

ABOVE: The childhood notebooks of Frank Jarvis show a natural talent for recording the wildilfe surrounding him – wherever he was

Frank’s legacy from the fields of experience When Jane Ironside’s husband died, she thought the most appropriate tribute would be to bring his lifelong love of the natural world to a wider audience, as Sylvia Steele discovers...

T

hat the late Frank Jarvis was a recognised ornithologist, illustrator and artist of some significance is more than evident from the bird portraits that adorn the walls of his home. It is, however, his legacy of diaries, sketches and life portraiture that best portrays the hidden talents of this man so respected in the field of natural history, for he was more than an artist – he had an intrinsic understanding of nature.

Watching birds gave him a sense of peace – sometimes no more than a split-second sighting of something of beauty. He never owned a camera but

KLmagazine March 2018

had developed his own internal camera through watching and observing. After a day of field studies he’d return to a cafe or bar to record his observations and transpose these into sketches; such was his talent. This skill also became apparent in his comic sketches of human everyday life; he never tired of the commonplace.

In a studio surrounded by her late husband’s work, Jane Ironside (a recognised artist in her own right) is compiling the second volume of A Bird Guide to a Field of Experience. It’s a mammoth task, for her husband was passionate about his art and meticulous in recording everything he’d seen.

Having discovered so many field studies in his portfolios and diaries, Jane decided his work needed to be brought out into the world for study purposes.

“There was so much data of ecological value taken over many decades of field studies,” she says.

“Frank’s illustrations weren’t intended as bird portraits but as attempts to catch his impression of a specific experience under varied conditions and in different seasons.”

The first volume of A Bird Guide to a Field of Experience covered the years 1985-1993 and was published by Chatterpie last year. The second volume goes a step further, taking in the years

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Local Life

1993-2000 with more rare birds. These books are a biography of Frank Jarvis’s life, using data he’d recorded over the years in his many sketchbooks and diaries, also depicting his cartoons and comic strips – for he had a keen sense of humour and perception in recording everyday occurrences.

Frank was born in 1939 into a loving family home in Enfield, Middlesex – and his interest in wildlife began when he was evacuated at the age of five from his two up/two down terrace to Yorkshire.

Few people would have seen any beauty in the bomb craters, broken houses and scrapyards of the post-war North London suburb he returned to, but – with a stub of pencil and scrap of paper, he’d set about exploring, not for shrapnel and other wartime memorabilia but insects, birds and wildlife in general. He was joined on these forays by his best friend at Primary

52

School Roy Thatcher, who similarly became interested in wildlife study.

From a young age, Frank was alert to the importance of maintaining field notes and sketches of every discovery, and created his own index system that he maintained throughout his life; and at the age of ten he produced his own book.

He bought his first binoculars with money he earned from helping his father in his decorating and painting business, but his first telescope came much later.

“Even then,” Jane laughs, “he built the case for it himself from a number of baked bean tins glued together.”

The couple met at Norwich Art School, and it was clear from the outset that Frank was looking further afield than the canvas.

“Despite his obvious talent and passionate interest in art,” says Jane, “he

chose to abandon his studies before reaching his finals and took off hitchhiking across Europe to explore the birdlife there.”

Upon their marriage, and with four children, the family moved to Scotland and worked with disabled people teaching art. Their own children would accompany Frank on his field trips and enjoy the freedom of the open air on camping weekends in the islands.

The family eventually returned to London, where Frank took jobs where he could – working at Electrolux as a door-to-door salesman selling pink vacuum cleaners, before moving on to Esso to work as an Accounts Manager.

But the open countryside was beckoning, and in 1986 they moved to Norfolk to set up the Old Barn Studios in Kettlestone to run courses in painting and life drawing.

“Frank taught with great patience and humour,” says Jane. “His instruction to students was always that drawing is only a matter of seeing – to draw what you actually see, not what you think you see.”

As the family grew, Frank was able to devote more time to what became his full-time occupation; birding and drawing, often working abroad, and mostly in the Far East. Here he illustrated Birds of Singapore for author Chris Hails – which led to the founding of the Kranji Reservoir in Singapore.

Frank went on to follow this by illustrating Birds of Bali – a poetic book written by Bali resident Victor Mason, a book aimed at encouraging interest in preserving local habitats. Travel to the United Arab Emirates led to Frank’s illustrations for their children’s dictionary of birds and wildlife.

In one diarised revelation, Frank comments: “It’s been 26 years since I started being interested in the wild birds of filthy canals, sewerage farms, refuse dumps, reservoirs and the bomb sites of North London.”

More than 30 diaries featuring fine British bird drawings are the works that symbolize Jane Ironside’s book as unique – and the extracts she’s selected record her husband’s thoughts and illustrations from his meticulous records. It’s a fitting biography of an extraordinary man.

A Bird Guide to a Field of Experience can be bought direct from Jane Ironside at Chatterpie at sales@chatterpie.net and is available at all good bookshops.

Volume 2 is planned to be published in May.

KLmagazine March 2018

www.doubledaygroup.co.uk

It’s time for Spring, time for Doubleday!

Ideas that bring your garden to life

I

t’s the perfect time to start having a good look at your garden, which means it’s also the perfect time to look at the Doubleday range of garden machinery. For every type of job, for every style of garden and for every size of lawn, Doubleday has a consistently high quality choice of (new and used) products and machines from leading manufacturers together will all the help and advice you need. And don’t forget we also offer a complete and professional maintenance and repair service.

It’s certainly time for Spring, and it’s definitely time for Doubleday!

DOUBLEDAY PART OF THE LANDSCAPE FOR GENERATIONS

book your Call one of the team and y! lawnmower service toda YOUR LOCAL BRANCH IS LOCATED AT: Lynn Road, Wiggenhall St Germans PE34 3EU KING’S LYNN 01553 617666 | HOLBEACH 01406 540261 | SWINESHEAD 01205 822440

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Call us today!

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Email: dmgtimber@fsmail.net | Address: Merries Farm, Pullover Road, West Lynn, King’s Lynn, PE34 3LS KLmagazine March 2018

“Cut your costs, tap into an unlimited source of energy and solar power your life – it’s so easy to turn daylight into money!”

KEVIN HOLLAND The Solar Shed

We can solar power your life! t’s only ten years since Kevin Holland started on his quest to persuade people to use solar power to heat their homes and water, but how things have changed in that time.

“Who’d have thought we’d have come so far in solar energy?” he asks with his infectious enthusiasm. “Ten years ago we were only using it for our hot water systems, but now we’re storing it and using it to power our vehicles.”

After many years as a police officer, where he gained countless awards for recognition, Kevin worked in the world of home improvements and renewable energy design, but was always determined to set up his own solar business.

He now works tirelessly to promote what he sees as the way forward towards everyone using renewable energy.

“Everyone should be doing it as a genuine home improvement, and there’s so much more we can do nowadays,” he says. “A few years ago, we just had

I

panels on top of the roof – but now they can be inset, so they’re not so obvious.”

Of course, some householders may not be keen on having panels on their roof or the house may be listed or in a conservation area, but Kevin has the answer. Panels can be placed on garden buildings, carports, sheds or fuel stores, where they aren’t so noticeable, and more recently roof tiles and slates have been developed which are individual solar panels.

Kevin’s now concentrating on the domestic market and his strength is in consulting, designing, selling – and of course aftersales service. He has many satisfied customers in the area, including Mike and Sue Matthews who run a bed and breakfast in Hillington.

“We read about the Solar Shed and asked Kevin to look at our situation,” they say. “As a result we went ahead with recessed panels on the front elevation, which are aesthetically pleasing whilst achieving the electricity savings we were hoping for. We can

monitor their performance online and see how much saving has been produced. Even in this short time, our monthly electricity bill has gone down as a result.”

Similarly, Nigel Wagg from Elecsoft in Downham Market is also amazed at what a difference solar power has made to him.

“What impressed us most about Kevin and his Solar Shed was his enthusiasm and expertise,” he says. “He installed solar panels with optimisers to the roof of our garage facing east and west – giving us the benefit from solar all day.

We’re currently planning to self-build a much more efficient house to further minimise our carbon usage, and we’ll certainly be using Kevin again.”

These days, when other sources of energy are costly and limited, Kevin has one message – cut your costs, tap into an unlimited source of energy, and solar power your life. Contact the Solar Shed today and discover how easy it is to turn daylight into money!

67 Stow Road, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, Norfolk PE34 3DJ tel: 08081 261289 / 07737 457208 web: www.thesolarshed.co.uk Turning daylight e-mail: info@thesolarshed.co.uk into money!

KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

INDIVIDUAL HANDCRAFTLY DESIGNED & ED FURNITU RE

If you can draw it, we can make it for you – right here!

Bespoke Pine n Oak can handcraft distinctive furniture for any room in your home – in any shape, any size and any style... hether you’re looking for a new Shaker style kitchen, an 8ft tall wardrobe or a unique display unit that fits an unusual alcove, you need look no further than the expert design and exceptional craftsmanship of Bespoke Pine n Oak. At the company’s huge showroom just outside King’s Lynn, Kevin Berry and Carl Ingram are taking furniture to another level entirely; creating outstanding tailor-made furniture from responsiblysourced solid oak and pine in Bespoke Pine n Oak’s fully-equipped on-site workshop. And it’s all made to the most exacting standards using the very finest traditions of craftsmanship – such as dovetail joints.

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IF YOU CAN DRAW IT, WE CAN MAKE IT!

“Genuinely bespoke furniture is perfectly suited to older properties and modern room designs that can both present problems for off-the-shelf furniture,” says Kevin Berry. “Even if you’ve got sloped ceilings, odd angles, quirky alcoves and uneven walls you can still have the furniture you’ve been looking for – because we’ll literally make it fit perfectly!”

And although this furniture is made in the traditional way, it can be as contemporary as you want, and can easily accommodate the very latest technology – from removable back panels for accessing power outlets to cleverly-placed cutouts for hiding cables.

But there’s a lot more to Bespoke Pine n Oak than the made-to-measure workshop, however. In the showroom itself you’ll find a vast range of highquality furniture with more than 30 different collections featuring over 1,000 individual pieces – from dining tables to desks, and from bookcases to chairs – and they’re all ready to take home today.

With plenty of parking right outside the door, an unrivalled choice of high quality furniture, a true commitment to customer care and a truly bespoke service that’s second to none, there’s simply never been a better time to discover the unique experience of Bespoke Pine n Oak. If you can draw it, we can make it!

Bespoke Pine n Oak www.bespokepinenoakltd.com

KLmagazine March 2018

Unit 1, Hamlin Way Hardwick Narrows Estate King’s Lynn PE30 4NG Telephone: 01553 277515

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fashion Our local boutiques are bursting with gorgeous pieces for Spring! It’s time to put our scarves and gloves away and put a literal spring in our steps!

With bold prints, fresh styles and a dash of colour, it’s time to look forward to a change in our wardrobe as the days get warmer and the nights pull out!

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The Riviera Dress by Joules (£34) THE HAYLOFT at BEARTS | Stowbridge 01366 388151 KLmagazine March 2018

Fashion

Outfit by Doris Streich CINDYS | Sutton Bridge 01406 350961 KLmagazine March 2018

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Fashion

Outfit by Marble ALLEZ CHIC | Castle Rising 01553 631915 60

KLmagazine March 2018

TEL: 01366 388151 | WEB: www.bearts.co.uk

Sheila Tiller

| Brighton Mill, Stow Bridge, King’s Lynn PE34 3PD

Pl ent y o f St yles fo r

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KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

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Food & Drink

ABOVE: Hand-made from sheep’s milk by Jane Murray (opposite) for the last 18 years, Norfolk White Lady is a soft, slightly sharp Brie-style cheese that’s enjoyed around the county – and even further afield

Norfolk White Lady puts local cheeses on the map Today, Norfolk has a reputation for producing quality cheeses, but that wasn’t always the case. Sylvia Steele talks to Jane Murray, who became the county’s first commercial cheesemaker for 300 years

I

n the mid-1980s, when smallscale sheep farming took off in the UK, it opened up a whole new world for Norfolk cheesemaker Jane Murray of Willow Farm, located in Deopham near the town of Wymondham. However, the path to succeeding in her ambition was’t entirely straightforward.

“For starters, I didn’t come from a farming background,” says Jane, “but after working on a dairy farm for a year before going to college, I knew that

KLmagazine March 2018

was what I wanted to do. I learned about sheep dairying at Shuttleworth Agricultural College, and after gaining my HND in General Agriculture, I was ready to start realising my dream.”

Jane had to start from the beginning – and that meant choosing her livestock.

“As much as I’d have liked to milk cows, my limited capital meant that wasn’t possible,” she says. “Besides, I knew that by working with sheep I could do all the work by myself.”

She initially bought eight dairy ewes, and over the next five years found herself with a flock of over 60 animals.

In 1999, Jane decided the time was right to be more self-sufficient, and venture into cheese making. Initially she made a soft, flavoured cheese and yoghurt – but soon decided to develop new cheeses.

After purchasing a ewes’ milk Brie from a cheese shop in Cambridge she decided that – in spite of the smell! – it actually tasted rather good. Then

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Food & Drink

ABOVE: Even with annual production approaching six tonnes, Jane Murray still makes all her cheeses by hand

followed a few months of experimentation, until her Norfolk White Lady Brie-style cheese was successfully in production. This was shortly followed by her hard cheese called Wissington, which is of the Manchego style.

From the start, Jane’s cheeses were received with enthusisam and earned glowing reviews – but she’s most proud of the fact she became the first commercial cheesemaker in Norfolk for 300 years.

Although entirely self-taught, Jane eventually went on a blue cheesemaking course after seven years to help in the development of a new cheese to add to the range. This ultimately resulted in the production of Deopham Blewe, which is steadily gaining in popularity with her customers. Unlike most blue cheeses, it’s slightly salted and is wonderfully creamy, a texture characteristic of cheeses made from ewes’ milk.

In 2008, having been milking her sheep for some 20 years, Jane decided to sell them and concentrate fully on

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cheese making. However, her love for sheep continues to this day and she currently has twelve ewes on her smallholding along with a few pigs, a horse and three dogs.

The size of Jane’s cheesemaking is hugely impressive. She now buys in nearly 30,000 litres of ewe’s milk every year for her cheese production which is approaching six tonnes annually.

But although both her son and daughter are involved in agriculture, they’ve chosen a different path and have preferred arable farming.

“It may be that the physical tie of having livestock has affected their decisions,” she says, “but for me that’s the best part of farming. A life without sheep isn’t an option! The advantages of livestock far outweighs any drawbacks.”

The day-to-day work is still very much hands-on and is largely carried out by Jane herself – with some regular part-time help each week. She sells mostly to wholesalers who then distribute her cheeses throughout the country, although she still supplies a

handful of her original customers directly – people who have been enjoying her fabulous cheeses for the last eighteen years.

Jane Murray is clearly contented in her life, and when asked how she sees her business progressing in the future, happily admits she is doing what she has always wanted to do.

“Norfolk White Lady seems to get most of the attention,” she says, “so I’d like to increase the awareness of the Deopham Blewe – because even people who say they don’t like blue cheese love it!”

KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

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Food & Drink

Monkfish “At Turner’s Restaurant we serve it with pork tenderloin, pancetta, potato puffs and a warm pea & baby onion tartar” INGREDIENTS 1 monkfish tail

starting at the top end carefully run the knife down along the backbone until the fillet separates from the bone. Repeat on the other side. Tidy up the fish by cutting off any remaining membrane. (You can keep all the off-cuts to make a fish stock, then reduce with white wine for a delicious fish sauce.)

Your monkfish is now ready to cook.

Monkfish is renowned for its fine texture and sweet flavour, it’s a gem of the ocean, as indulgent as lobster. Its mild white flesh is perfect for taking on strong flavours and its meaty texture lends versatility to this elegant ingredient.

METHOD 1 Perhaps the trickiest part to monkfish is preparing it. Make sure you have a sturdy chopping board with a damp cloth underneath so it doesn’t slip on the kitchen counter top, and a very sharp knife with a flexible blade.

5 I have coated mine in fresh breadcrumbs mixed with herbs such as chives, parsley and a touch of tarragon. Just chop them finely and add them to your breadcrumbs.

2 Starting at the top end of the fish, insert the knife blade between the skin and the flesh and carefully remove enough of the skin so that you can get a good grip.

3 Then with one hand holding the monkfish, use your other hand to pull off the skin.

6 Cut the monkfish into small pieces weighing about 80g, toss in seasoned flour and then dip in whisked eggs. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fish from the egg mix and then toss in a bowl filled with the herbed breadcrumbs. Deep fry in hot oil at 170°C for about 2 minutes or until golden. Remove from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place on a tray with kitchen paper before serving.

4 Remove the two fillets from the backbone:

Recipe by Trevor Clark Head Chef at Duke’s Head Hotel 5-6 Tuesday Market Place, King's Lynn PE30 1JS Tel: 01553 774996 Web: www.dukesheadhotel.com KLmagazine March 2018

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Food & Drink

Roast Duck Breast with Salt Baked Turnip, Pistachio & Damson INGREDIENTS 1 whole duck- medium 1 large turnip 100g egg whites 100g table salt Pistachios Damson Duck fat Flour Eggs Dried breadcrumbs

METHOD 1 Remove the duck legs from the duck, and cover in duck fat. Slowly confit these legs for a few hours until soft and tender. Leave to cool slightly.

2 Once cooled, remove the legs from the fat (keep this as it can be used again). Carefully pick out the meat, season to taste and shape into a 30g ball. Chill.

3 Once fully chilled, lightly flour, add to the egg mix and then into the dried breadcrumbs. Set this aside to be deep fried later.

4 For the salt baked turnip, whisk egg white, until stiff peak, then slowly sift in table salt.

Cover the turnip in this mixture and bake until a core temperature of 85°c. Leave to cool. Once cooled, remove the cooked egg white and gently peel off the skin of the turnip. Trim the turnip into a well-presented shape of your choice, and aside.

5 For the Damson puree – we forage for ours, but find them at your local grocer or

supermarket. Blitz to a puree, adding a little water to help with the consistency. Season with lemon juice and salt. Pass through a sieve to complete a smooth puree.

6 Keeping the duck breasts on the bone, season with salt all over, and roast in a 180°c oven for 17-20 minutes, varying from medium rare to medium. Longer if you require a more cooked breast. Remove and allow to rest.

7 Coarsely chop the peeled pistachios.

To Serve Reheat the salt baked turnip gently either until the grill or in a warm oven. Apply a small amount of the damson puree to the plate. Deep fry the duck leg ball until golden brown, season and place on top of the damson puree. Carve the warm duck breast from the duck, trim the excess fat and season the skin with Maldon salt.

Apply the chopped pistachios to the warm turnip, and place this above the duck leg ball on the plate. Finally, finish with the duck breast to the side. Enjoy.

Recipe by Titchwell Manor Titchwell, Nr Brancaster PE31 8BB Tel: 01485 472027 Web: www.titchwellmanor.com KLmagazine March 2018

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Food & Drink

RestaurantReview

A reader reviews the Crown Hotel in Wells...

L

ast summer we popped into The Crown Hotel in Wells-Next-theSea for a quick drink before we set off home following a beautiful day on one of the best beaches in Norfolk. We soon regretted our ‘quick’ drink decision,

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however; finding an atmosphere so welcoming and a menu so tempting that we didn’t really want to leave – and we decided to return as soon as we could.

As we live to the south of King’s Lynn, it’s quite a journey to Wells – and since neither of us particularly fancied the drive back (we’d already had a look at the wine menu!) we agreed to stay at The Crown overnight. Not only did this make for a more relaxing and enjoyable meal, it also enabled us to discover one of the most amazing hotels we’ve ever stayed at – anywhere in the world.

From the outside, the origins of The Crown are obvious. Tucked away on the edge of the tranquil and tree-lined green known as Buttlands Park, it was an old coaching inn; and though it still has that character as you approach it, you’ll find a completely different world once you step through the door.

The hotel’s proprietor is the famous New Zealand-born chef Chris Coubrough, and since he took over the

hotel in 2003 it’s been completely refurbished from top to bottom.

The most impressive thing about The Crown is that it manages to balance the modern and the traditional almost perfectly. Everywhere you look there are quirky touches that work together to create a fabulous setting; floor to ceiling bookcases, modern art, Mexican rugs on the walls – even a deck head joint from HMS Victory!

On arrival, we were given a tour of the various dining areas, and from then until we left the following morning, the service we received from every member of the hotel’s staff was absolutely impeccable. There are plenty of places to eat here, and we still hadn’t decided between the lovely Chancery Room and the spacious Gun and Library Room before we were shown to our room.

I’d be tempted to say that we were lucky enough to stay in the hotel’s best room, but at The Crown everyone has the chance to say that. Each one of the

KLmagazine March 2018

20 bedrooms is completely different, but they’re all completely luxurious.

Ours featured a large four-poster bed that we later agreed was the most comfortable and cosiest we’d ever slept in, and French doors that opened onto an incredible sight – a secluded and private outdoor area complete with copper bath! Even the tea/coffee making facilities were exceptional, featuring little touches such as homemade biscuits and miniature milk bottles.

Sadly, we did have to leave our room for dinner – but I’m glad we made the effort, because the food was equally as impressive. We even asked for the head chef’s name so we could mention her!

There were some fabulous dishes to choose from, but for the best taste of Nikki Merchant’s food, ask for the Tasting Menu; a six-course feast of treats (plus canapes) that’s full of local flavours. On our visit, we enjoyed oysters from Brancaster, vegetables from Stiffkey, mussels from just up the road in Wells, and cheese from Binham.

But the highlight was the Holkham venison, accompanied by a roast shallot puree, wild mushroom arancini and a delightful redcurrant jus. Amazing.

The wine recommendations accompanying the individual courses were spot-on as well, and our favourite was a beautiful Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc that came from (no surprises given the origins of the hotel’s owner!)

New Zealand.

Needless to say, we were very reluctant to say goodbye to The Crown, but before we’d even finished our breakfast (which was as perfect as we’d expected) we had already decided to make the return journey very soon.

There is no jewel in the crown here – The Crown is the jewel. In fact, the only complaint you’ll find in this review is that KL magazine doesn’t invite a score for ‘rooms’ – because that would have given us another opportunity to give The Crown another well-earned and well-deserved 10/10!

FOOD

10

SERVICE

10

VALUE

10

“e Crown is one of the most amazing hotels we’ve ever stayed at – anywhere in the world...”

The Crown Hotel The Buttlands, Wells-next-the-Sea Norfolk NR23 1EX Tel: 01328 710209 Web: www.crownhotelnorfolk.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

77

Knights Hill Hotel & Spa Treat yourself and friends to

Afternoon Tea Monday – Saturday 12 noon - 5.30pm Sunday 3.00pm - 5.30pm

MUM’S THE WORD

£14.95 per person

‘Say it with tea’

Served in the lounge or on our patio in fine weather Gift vouchers available

either with a gift from the tea caddy online store full of folly favourites and parahernalia or aN extra special treat to the tearoom and garden.

{ the

}

All homemade with a large measure of love and a sprinkle of magic,from breakfast through to early evening bites.

South Wootton, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 3HQ T: 01553 675566 E: reception@knightshill.co.uk

Please visit our website www.knightshill.co.uk

Folly Tearoom, Hoppers Yard, Bull Street, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6LN Tel - 01263 713569 WWW.FOLLYTEAROOM.CO.UK

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Chalk Farm, Druids Lane, Litcham, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE32 2YA

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Mother’s Day Lunch Sunday 11th March Limited availability.

Cocktail Bar open Friday’s & Saturday’s KingsArmsCopperHorse@gmail.com www.kingsarmscoachinginn.co.uk 21 Market Place, Swaffham PE37 7LA

KLmagazine March 2018

Food & Drink

l i a t k c o C of the h t n o M

Chambord Easter Egg Cocktail INGREDIENTS 25ml Chambord 15ml coffee liqueur 25ml cream 1 scoop chocolate ice cream 1 scoop vanilla ice cream A fabulous creation from Chambord, appearing at the Kings’ Arms Coaching Inn Cocktail Bar in Swaffham around Easter!

It’s rich with dairy decadence from the ice cream, with a kick off coffee liqueur and finished off with a refreshing twist of raspberry from the Chambord - it’s the ultimate Easter indulgence!

METHOD 1 Pour all of the ingredients into the blender, then whizz for around 20 seconds or until smooth.

2 We added a chocolate straw for an extra Easter treat.

Recipe by The Kings Arms Coaching Inn 21 Market Street, Swaffham PE37 7LA Tel: 01760 723244 Web: www.kingsarmscoachinginn.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

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Local Life

Just tick ‘yes’ to continue supporting Tapping House Changes to data protection laws are about to impact every organisation in the country – including charities – but the Norfolk Hospice won’t let that affect its many supporters...

O

n 14th April 2016, the EU Parliament approved the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This new law took four years to prepare and debate, and comes into force on the 25th May. It’s been designed to standardise data privacy laws across Europe, to protect EU citizens’ data privacy, and to reform the way organisations across the EU manage that information. It also brings the law up to date with technological advancements. Penalties for noncompliance are severe and can be as

80

high as €20 million or 4% of an organisation’s annual turnover – whichever is higher.

Currently making its journey through Parliament, the new law will remain in effect in the UK despite Brexit, as it includes clauses that allow the UK to maintain the GDPR even after it leaves the EU. Once passed into law, the new data protection bill will replace the Data Protection Act 1998.

These enormous changes to the existing data protection laws are already having a profound impact on organisations in the local area,

including charities. One charity, the Hillington-based Norfolk Hospice, has already carried out a lot of work preparing for the changes as it affects all areas of the hospice’s work – from the care it provides to patients to the way it communicates with volunteers, and from contracts with suppliers to the information the charity holds about supporters – and everything in between.

As part of the preparations, the Hospice is launching a ‘Tick Yes’ campaign, encouraging supporters to pledge their support and give their

KLmagazine March 2018

KLmagazine March 2018

PICTURES: THE NORFOLK HOSPICE

consent to be communicated with by the Norfolk Hospice in the future.

“These changes in regulation will have a huge impact, particularly on smaller charities that rely heavily on local support,” says John Garrett, the charity’s Director responsible for data security. “Our supporters are very important to us and we’re extremely lucky to have such a fantastic relationship with our community. We want to be able to stay in contact with them to tell them about the important care we’re providing to people in the local community – and how they can help to continue supporting us. The law requires us to ensure the personal data we hold about our supporters is up to date and accurate. Having the correct information also means we don’t waste valuable money and time sending communications to the wrong people or places.”

The Norfolk Hospice understands that receiving unsolicited post, e-mails and calls is annoying, so it’s important it knows how supporters want to be communicated with – whether via e-mail, post, or by phone.

A simple tick for the Norfolk Hospice means it can continue keeping supporters updated about the difference the hospice makes to local families, and inform them about the many new and exciting ways they can help support the hospice – things like how to take part in one of the hospice’s many local events such as the Ladies’

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Local Life

Day; remembering their loved ones by making a dedication to the Light Up a Life appeal, joining up to play the weekly Lottery; or hearing about how their support makes a difference through a monthly newsletter.

As part of the campaign, the hospice will be writing to all of its existing supporters, asking them to tick ‘yes’.

Although the new law is not completely clear, it’s anticipated the charity will not be able to make contact with supporters who do not respond to the campaign and tick ‘yes’ to give their consent for future communications.

Supporters will be able to tick ‘yes’ on the Norfolk Hospice website or by sending the reply form back to the Hospice.

The campaign will also provide supporters with detailed information about how the hospice keeps supporters’ data secure, what the data is used for, and why. This information is also published on its website and will be updated regularly to detail any changes.

“As an organisation we pride ourselves on being transparent in the way we operate,” says Chief Executive Lyndsay Carter. “We want all our supporters to be assured we take great care in keeping their personal

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information safe and secure. We don’t share or sell their data to other organisations – and we only use it in the way it was intended.”

Although the introduction of the GDPR has meant a large amount of work for the hospice, it’s seen as a positive change within the charity.

“We’ve been busy reviewing contracts and evaluating the ways in which we store and process data so we’re now managing it more efficiently and effectively,” says Lyndsay. “Our plan is that by the 25th of May our supporter database will be full of lots of local people who’ve pledged their support

for years to come.”

Many people have chosen the Norfolk Hospice as their favourite charity, knowing they serve the local community – whatever your incentive is, please tick ‘yes’ today.

To continue supporting the Norfolk Hospice after the introduction of the GDPR, please visit the website at www.norfolkhospice.org.uk/tickyes

KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

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Equity Release made simple James Batchelor, Principal of Evergreen Equity Release Solutions, based in the historic Tuesday Market Place of King’s Lynn, on making Equity Release simple hen my business partner Nigel Barrett and I first formed Barrett Batchelor Mortgage Services LLP in King’s Lynn, our aim was to not only be professional and efficient, but also ensure the service offered was personal and friendly. We firmly believed this was essential to make our company successful – and was also what the people of West Norfolk required.

We were (and remain) determined to treat our clients with the respect they deserve and ensure they don’t feel as if they’re just a number, as can be the case when dealing directly with the big banks.

When we made the decision to extend our range of services a number of years ago by forming Evergreen Equity Release Solutions, it soon became apparent to us that this personal approach was probably even more important when dealing with people who were considering Equity Release.

Important decisions have to be made when people are approaching retirement – and using your property to raise funds could be the most important one of all. It’s fair to say that Equity Release isn’t for everyone, and part of the process I guide people through is explaining the other options available to them.

In addition to this, future plans and state benefits could be affected – it’s not a decision that should be rushed into,

W

and it all depends on your individual needs and personal circumstances.

Having said that, more and more people are recognising the benefits of raising money this way, and it can be a very efficient way of doing so.

Many of you will still be very active in retirement, and still have plenty of plans ahead of you. If you no longer have a wage coming in, and your private pension may not have performed as you’d hoped for, the question that could be asked is – how can you fund your future plans?

For many, it could be a case of having the majority of your wealth locked up in your home. Where some will look to downsize their property to release some money (not a cheap option in itself when you take into account the fees from Estate Agents, Solicitors and potential stamp duty on the new purchase), more and more people are looking at the option of staying in their current property, and raising funds via

Equity Release to enable them to do so. One thing I’m very keen to do is explain to people how the Equity Release market has evolved over the last 25 years.

You no longer have to sell your property to the Bank, so you still retain ownership of the property. Another important point is the ‘No Negative Equity Guarantee’ – which ensures the amount you borrow will never exceed the debt on your property.

Examples of how I’ve assisted people with their Equity Release requirements are: l Purchasing a new home l Property improvements l Raising funds to boost their income in retirement l Clearing an outstanding mortgage on a property l Assisting family members financially l Funding new or existing hobbies, such as caravanning There are of course numerous other reasons you may be looking to raise money, and the importance of discussing such matters in detail with a fully qualified Equity Release Adviser can’t be stressed enough.

A big concern I have is that many people decide Equity Release isn’t an option for them without being in possession of the full facts. They could be missing out on a great opportunity because of this, and that’s why I offer a completely free consultation without obligation. I’d even suggest you bring a family member or a trusted friend with you to the meeting.

If you’re fast approaching retirement (Equity Release is available to over 55’s only) or have already reached this milestone in your life and would like to explore the options available to you, I’m here to offer an expert helping and guiding hand.

To understand all the features and risks, please ask for a personalised illustration. If our service is of any interest to you, I’ll be only too pleased to visit you in the comfort of your own home if you’d prefer.

JAMES BATCHELOR

Principal

27-28 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn PE30 1JJ t: 01553 692800 w: www.evergreenequity.co.uk e: info@evergreenequity.co.uk

Evergreen Equity Release Solutions is a trading style of Barrett Batchelor Mortgage Services LLP, and is a Limited Liability Partnership.

Registered in England and Wales number: OC36701. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

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Decorating your room always makes a statement, but the flooring is the real foundation of any room – enhancing all your personal touches and making your room complete.

Because the flooring in any room is such a dominant feature, it’s vital to take your time in choosing the correct flooring for your needs and consider all possibilities available to you.

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KLmagazine March 2018

you. By spending time listening to your requirements, we can show you the vast range of products currently available that are suitable for your needs.

If you require a bold and colourful carpet to beat the grey days, or a soft colour to create a calm environment, Metric Carpets can supply the perfect colour for your room – along with a variety of textures for additional interest. Together with a comprehensive selection of luxury vinyl tiles, Metric Carpets can supply and fit all floor finishes.

Service starts a with free estimation and advice on the work required from preparation to installation – and we will bring samples to your so the true colours can be seen in your home.

All our fitters are employed by Metric

Carpets, and are all fully qualified with the correct supplier certifications. All of them share a belief in providing a service that matches the quality of the carpets we supply, and your complete satisfaction in our main concern.

If you need some inspiration this Spring, call into the Metric Carpets showroom in the centre of King’s Lynn and let us help you select the flooring which will give your room the perfect finish for many years to come.

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History

ABOVE: Placed on the site of earlier Walpole family houses, and taking 13 years to complete, Houghton Hall was built to reflect the power and status of the man who became Britain’s first Prime Minister.

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Shortly afterwards he married his first wife, Catherine Shorter, with whom he had five children – Robert, Catherine, Mary, Edward and Horace.

It was a busy time for Walpole. The following year he was elected MP for Castle Rising and the year after that became MP for King’s Lynn, a position he would hold for the next 40 years, with only a brief intermission in 1712. Sir Robert was an articulate speaker for the Whig party in the House of Commons – although his Norfolk accent initially led to many of his political opponents

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orn on 26th August 1676 at Houghton, Sir Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, was the second son of a prominent Norfolk landowner of the same name – and one of 19 children. In the same year he was made a Freeman of the Borough of King’s Lynn (1698) Robert’s elder brother died – which unexpectedly made him the principal heir. He duly left Cambridge University to learn how to run the family estate, which he inherited when his father died two years later.

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Rebecca Rees of King’s Lynn Town Guides looks at the life of the man who built Houghton Hall, was MP for King’s Lynn for 40 years, and became the country’s first and longest-serving Prime Minister

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A giant of British politics: from a corner of Norfolk underestimating his abilities.

Despite his successful political career and rapid rise to power, Walpole was a controversial character. In 1712, he was accused of venality (being open to bribes) and corruption and was pronounced “guilty of a high breach of trust and notorious corruption.” Walpole was subsequently held prisoner in the Tower of London for six months, before being released – and was immediately re-elected MP for King’s Lynn in 1713.

Sir Robert held the position of First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of KLmagazine March 2018

the Exchequer from 1715-1717, and then again from 1721-1742, which has resulted in him being remembered as Britain’s first (and longest-serving) Prime Minister. On 16th June 1726, Robert was installed as a member of the Knights of the Order of the Garter – and nine years later moved to 10 Downing Street, which had been presented to him by George II as the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury.

He never forgot about his home county, though. When in King’s Lynn, Walpole would spend time drinking with friends at The Duke’s Head Hotel in the town’s Tuesday Market Place, which served as his headquarters during election campaigns. No doubt he’d have also visited the Custom House to sample wine imported into Lynn.

Walpole had family connections to the builder of the iconic structure, and was no stranger to the town’s wine merchants thanks to a healthy appetite for claret, burgundy and Lisbon white wine – his love of the latter often saw him ordering around 1,000 bottles at a time!

In 1722, work started on building Houghton Hall in Norfolk – and when finished it housed Sir Robert’s priceless collection of European art, including works by Rembrandt, Van Dyck and Rubens. Much of the collection was later sold to the Russian empress Catherine KLmagazine March 2018

ABOVE: This masterful portrait of Robert Walpole at the height of his political power by Jean-Baptiste van Loo is in the National Portrait Gallery – and it’s in stark contrast to John Wootton’s painting of Walpole as the typical Norfolk landowner with his dogs and riding crop.

the Great for £40,555 by the 3rd Earl of Orford as a way of clearing the family’s debts – although 70 pieces made a short return to Houghton some 200 years later as part of the Houghton Revisited exhibition in 2013.

The magnificent hall itself was designed by British architects Colen Campbell and James Gibbs, and is a key building in the history of Palladian architecture in England, a rigidly symmetrical style influenced by classical architecture and featuring details such as columns and pediments.

Houghton’s breathtaking interiors were designed by William Kent, who was also inspired by classical architecture – but whose attention to detail extended to picture frames, door surrounds, fireplaces and furnishings.

The result was a mansion which

reflected Walpole’s growing wealth and power – and it’s one that’s stayed in the family ever since. Houghton Hall is now the home of David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley and Lord Great Chamberlain, a direct descendant of Robert Walpole through his daughter Mary.

A year after Walpole’s wife Catherine died in 1737, he married his longstanding mistress Maria Skerret – with whom he already had an illegitimate daughter (also called Maria). Sadly, she died in childbirth later that same year.

In 1741, a gale caused the church spire of St. Margaret’s Church (now King’s Lynn Minster) to fall onto the church, destroying most of the medieval nave.

Writing to the Royal Society in London, Martin Foulkes of Hillington Hall described the destruction as follows;

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Finding Robert Walpole in King’s Lynn today...

King’s Lynn Town Hall (left) has a magnificent portrait by Jonathan Richardson the elder, that depicts Walpole as a Knight of the Garter.

Clifton House was a regular location for house parties hosted by the Taylor family and attended by Walpole.

The Custom House was built by the Turner family – and Sir Robert’s sister Mary had married Charles Turner in 1689.

The Duke’s Head Hotel was Walpole’s political headquarters and has a portrait of Walpole in the lounge.

King’s Lynn Minster was rebuilt after the 1741 storm from a repair fund to which Walpole donated £1,000.

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A step-by-step way to explore the heritage of King’s Lynn...

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outbreak of war with Spain (a conflict known as the ‘War of Jenkins’ Ear) Walpole was forced to resign.

As part of his resignation, he was awarded an annual pension of £4,000 and elevated to the House of Lords as the Earl of Orford – thereafter always being referred to as Lord Orford, a title which passed to his eldest son and grandson. However, when the third Earl died childless, the title passed to another of Lord Orford’s sons, Horace Walpole.

Robert Walpole died aged 68 in London on 18th March 1745, and was buried in the parish church of his estate

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“[the spire] fell its whole length upon the body and made a deep hole in the pavement – and forced the corpses out of their graves.”

Walpole had been close to Queen Caroline, and following her death in 1737 maintained his close ties to the royal family. He persuaded George II to match a donation of £1,000 towards the rebuilding of St Margaret’s – although the total £6,000 raised proved insufficient to rebuild the church to its original (and much larger) size.

In 1742, following opposition from Frederick Prince of Wales, and the

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ABOVE: Robert Walpole (right) with Henry Bilson-Legge in a portrait by Stephen Slaughter – Bilson-Legge became Walpole’s private secretary and served no less than three times as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1750s and 1760s. Above right is an engraving of Walpole (right) by the engraver Anthony Fogg showing the statesman in the House of Commons.

at Houghton Hall – which had provided him with an annual income of £2,000 but didn’t prevent him leaving some £50,000 worth of debt.

In 2003, the historian HP Dickinson summed up Robert Walpole’s legacy as follows: “Walpole was one of the greatest politicians in British history,” he wrote.

“He played a significant role in sustaining the Whig party, safeguarded the Hanoverian succession, and defended the principles of the Glorious Revolution of 1688. He established a stable political supremacy for the Whig party and taught succeeding ministers how best to establish an effective working relationship between Crown and Parliament.”

PRIVATE BOOKINGS There are no regular walks in March, but the Town Guides are available for private bookings at any time or day (with reasonable notice) for groups of six or more. Simply contact the Tourist Information Centre in the Custom House on 01553 763044 to book your tour. All proceeds from the walks and the lecture will go towards the Town Guides’ fundraising in support of heritage and conservation organisations in the town.

DIANA BULLOCK LECTURE 2018 The Diana Bullock Lecture is held every year in memory of the founder of the King’s Lynn Town Guides. This year’s subject is ‘Sir Robert Walpole and Houghton Hall’ which will be presented by Chris Boxall. The lecture will be held at King’s Lynn Town Hall on Wednesday 28th March at 7.30pm. Tickets are £7.50 each and include a glass of wine – and are available now from the King’s Lynn Tourist Information Centre in the Custom House. Telephone 01553 763044.

KLmagazine March 2018

“

” Start your Spring cleaning Thanks Martin for a truly faultless service: for your care and attention, for your hardworking, courteous and meticulous staff, and for making our floors look every bit as good as the day they were first laid. Amazing!

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With over 20 years experience and the most advanced cleaning system in the UK, no one can clean your floors like XtraClean... lthough it seems the year has only just started, we’ll be celebrating Easter at the end of this month, which means it’s the perfect time to treat your stone floors to the professional cleaning services of Martin King and his Swaffham-based team at Xtraclean.

Slate, limestone and natural stone floors look fantastic and they’re a considerable investment, but they do tend to lose their good looks over time (especially over winter) – eventually your floors will need a lot more than a mop and some elbow grease to bring them back to its best.

“As deposits and dirt gradually build up on your floors, traditional cleaning methods and chemicals will become increasingly ineffective,” says Martin.

“That’s why we use a revolutionary floor

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cleaning system to restore heavilysoiled stone floors, tiles and grout to ‘as-new’ brilliance – and we can do it in a single visit too!”

For more than 20 years, XtraClean has been offering a professional, friendly and fully-insured service that covers the whole of Norfolk (and even beyond) with a team of highly skilled, highly trained and highly knowledgeable technicians dedicated to keeping your floors looking as bright as the day they were laid.

Following an initial survey and test, Martin and his team will get to work (even moving the furniture for you!) breaking down ingrained dirt and loosening surface soiling.

Then XtraClean’s amazing turbocleaning capture system will thoroughly pressure clean the floor, using its own

water supply and capturing all the waste in the process. The results are spectacular, and are achieved without invasive procedures such as grinding and resurfacing.

“Once the floor’s been cleaned we’ll professionally seal it for added protection which will help retain its looks for longer,” says Martin. ”We can even re-polish and buff highly-honed stone floors if required!”

So what’s the secret to offering such a high quality service?

“We use the most advanced technology and the most professional products on the market today,” says Martin, “and the results really do speak for themselves.”

Discover the difference – and contact Martin and his locally-based team today!

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KLmagazine March 2018

Letting Better Our monthly round up of the latest news and legislation concerning Landlords and Tenants in the private rented sector with Edmonton Estates Director Damien Simone

Independent Lettings & Property Management Specialists

QUI CK FAC TS It is estimated that over 20% of domestic and commercial properties in England & Wales will require improvement to meet the standards of the MEES legislation.

What’s in it for MEES? I n our January article we touched on several new and significant items of legislation affecting the Private Rental Sector which are scheduled to be introduced throughout 2018. We are going to start expanding more on these changes and this month our focus is going to be on the MEES legislation which comes into force from 1st April this year.

WHAT EXACTLY IS MEES? MEES is the abbreviation of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards and is part of the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Sector) England & Wales Regulations 2015 which from the start of next month introduces a minimum standard of Energy Efficiency to permit the landlord to legally rent the property.

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM STANDARD REQUIRED? With a few exceptions (which must be proven to be allowed) all rental properties must attain an energy rating of E or above to be legally rented.

Those falling into categories F and G will have to undergo improvements and be reassessed before they can be let.

ARE ACTIVE TENANCIES AFFECTED? No, not yet. The legislation is initially aimed at newly created tenancies from April 2018 onwards. However, from 1st April 2023 the legislation will encompass all privately rented properties regardless of the original tenancy predating April 2018.

WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES IF MY RENTAL PROPERTY DOESN’T COMPLY? The regulations will be enforced by Trading Standards Officers and the penalties will be based on the rateable value of the property, up to a maximum of £150,000 per occasion!

YOU MENTIONED SOME EXEMPTIONS? If it is not possible to upgrade the property sufficiently due to it being a listed building, affected by restrictions imposed in a conservation area, or following the denial of planning

permission by the Local Authority, the landlord will be exempt from the consequences of failing to meet the legislative requirements.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY PROPERTY IS AFFECTED? If you use a letting agent they should be in contact with you regarding any properties that you have which fall below the minimum standard to discuss a strategy plan for improving your property in time for respective dates above. However, if you haven’t been contacted or you self-manage your rental properties and are unsure what the Energy Ratings are then you can contact us at Edmonton Estates and we will provide you details of how to obtain a free copy of your property’s Energy Report as well as advising on local contractors that can help you with raising the standard of your property to assist with compliance.

Please call our office on 01553 660615 for more details.

Edmonton Estates Ltd, St Ann’s House, 18 St Ann’s Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1LT 01553 660615 | www.edmontonestates.co.uk | info@edmontonestates.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

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T.M. Browne’s replacement kitchen and bathroom service is great news for housing associations, private landlords and for the tenants themselves or over 30 years, T.M. Browne has built a well-respected reputation across the region based on caring for people and their property – whether that’s a new-build development, a pub renovation or a commercial repair and maintenance contract. The company works with some of East Anglia’s most prestigious private and public sector organisations in addition to hundreds of individual householders.

But it’s not always about building or restoring complete properties – T.M. Browne has a huge amount of experience in replacing and fitting kitchens and bathrooms, acting as topup contractors for direct labour organisations and working directly with clients such as local housing associations and private landlords.

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In fact it’s not unusual to find the company working on over 30 kitchens and bathrooms for a number of customers at the same time.

For the clients themselves, T.M. Browne offers a service that’s as reliable as it is professional – achieving key performance indicators, always keeping to service level agreements, and always keeping within budgets and timescales.

And the company takes just as much care with the residents and tenants of the properties.

Causing the minimum of disruption, ensuring essential utilities are always available and leaving the home as clean as they found it, T.M. Browne will remove the old kitchens and/or

bathrooms – and after offering the residents a choice of styles and colours will complete every element of the installation, including pumbing and electrical work; from the tiling and taps to the worktops and cupboards.

For housing associations and private landlords, T.M. Browne’s replacement kitchens and bathrooms service meet their three most important needs – high quality and high professional standards delivered in a short timescale.

For more information and details, and to discover how T.M. Browne can help you, your properties and your tenants, please contact us using the details below or visit our website at www.tmbrowne-ltd.co.uk.

Unit 3, The Mill, Market Lane, Terrington St Clement King’s Lynn PE34 4HR Tel: 01553 828050 Email: admin@tmbrowneltd.co.uk Web: www.tmbrowne-ltd.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

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History

ABOVE: The White Room of the castle at Castle Rising – inset is the photograph taken in 2015 by Andy Radley that purportedly shows the ghost of Queen Isabella and the wolf included in her nickname of the ‘She Wolf of France’

Castle Rising Castle’s real Game of Thrones...

It’s a story of imposing monuments, royal murder, intrigue, madness and ghostly apparitions. Abigail Brown looks at the life and legend of Queen Isabella, the supposed ‘She Wolf of France’

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oday, the castle of Castle Rising is a major attraction for tourists and locals alike, but few know of its fascinating but rather eerie history – which stretches back almost 900 years.

It all started in 1138, when the Earl of Arundel William d’Aubigny II used his fortune to build himself a castle that acted as both fortress and lavish hunting lodge. Located in the small village of Castle Rising, the building was mostly used for leisure and had little

KLmagazine March 2018

use for much else — it appears to have defended nothing, and would have originally been built with religion in mind.

In the years following the Earl’s death, the castle had many owners – including the fascinating historical figure of Queen Isabella, who resided there in the 14th century. There is, however, much speculation surrounding how exactly Isabella managed to acquire the land.

The daughter of King Philip of France, Isabella married Edward II and duly

became Queen of England when she was only 12 years old.

She was known for her beauty, diplomatic skills and intelligence, but was also portrayed as a ‘femme fatale’ – a beautiful but dangerous and deceitful figure, which is probably a more fitting description. For after years of feeling second-best and competing for her husband’s affection, Isabella decided to take things into her own hands.

She travelled to France pretending to be on a diplomatic mission, and had an

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PICTURES: The myth of Queen Isabella has developed over the centuries, from early engravings supposedly showing her on diplomatic missions (above) to the 1995 film Braveheart, which features a romance between her and the Scottish rebel William Wallace – which could never have happened.

affair with the 1st Earl of March Roger Mortimer – and the couple decided to invade England with a small group of mercenaries and depose Edward.

They probably did more than depose him. Following the English king’s suspiciously timely death, Isabella put her son Edward III on the throne and acted as regent, during which time she implemented several unpopular policies.

In a real-life Game of Thrones plot, Isabella’s son revenged himself on the death of his father – removing her and Roger Mortimer from power, executing the latter and exiling the former. Several historians believe it was the Queen’s role in the murder of Edward II that saw her son banishing Isabella to the castle at Castle Rising.

Although a compelling and gripping story, the ‘imprisonment’ of the SheWolf of France could simply be a myth based on the evidence that Isabella eventually died at Hereford Castle; moved freely between her residences; and seemed to live in the lap of considerable luxury at Castle Rising.

In the years before her death, however, legend has it that Queen Isabella was racked with violent dementia, and most of her last years were suffered in the upper rooms of Castle Rising Castle – and even though she died in Hertfordshire and was buried in London, it’s in Norfolk you may be able to find her presence today.

In the many years since her death,

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residents of Castle Rising have reported hearing anguished screams and hysterical laughter coming from the castle, and this has been confirmed by visitors to the site – who’ve been startled by the same noises on the top floor of the building.

It’s said these noises are the echoes of Isabella’s last troubled years in the castle, a place where she endured the most pain. A rather convenient explanation for why Isabella’s spirit can’t be heard in either her place of death or burial is that she was such a tyrant she was unable to find peace in the afterlife.

However, other than comments and anecdotes made by villagers and tourists, there does now appear to be evidence that something remaining of Isabella does remain within the castle’s walls.

In early 2015, 54-year-old Andy Radley brought his Essex Ghosthunting Team to Castle Rising, and within minutes claimed he and his seven associates could hear something quite distinct when they were in the castle’s White Room.

“It sounded just like a long dress swishing over the stones,” he said, “and coming up the stairway outside!”

Andy grabbed the opportunity along with his camera and managed to take a remarkable picture that appears to show the image of a woman moving in a long, medieval dress with another figure at her feet.

This dog-like figure fascinated the team, and after sharing the photograph (and seeing it appear in several national newspapers), a general consensus was formed that the photograph showed the ghost of Queen Isabella along with the wolf that gave rise to her fearsome nickname – despite the fact there’s no record of her ever owning one. And

conveniently ignoring the fact Isabella’s nickname first appeared in the 18th century – being ‘borrowed’ from Shakespeare’s description of Henry VI’s wife Margaret of Anjou.

Interestingly, Andy Radley’s photograph was closely examined closely by former head custodian of Castle Rising Norman Fahy – who found no sign of tampering and confirmed its authenticity.

Like much of Isabella’s life, the truth is rather inconclusive, although the publicity has resulted in Castle Rising’s beautiful castle being described as one of the most haunted castles in England.

Today you can tour the castle for a small fee with the option of hiring an audio guide or simply exploring in your own time. But remember to be cautious – you may not be alone in there!

For more information on the castle at Castle Rising, opening times and admission prices, please see the website at www.castlerising.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

Start your building project the right way – the 4 Way! Why local builders are choosing air source heating from the 4 Way Group... he beginning of the year is when the majority of self-build projects start getting off the ground, which means it’s the ideal time to contact the 4 Way Group about air source heating – as the best way of getting the maximum benefits from the technology is to get it right from the start.

Starting with the architect’s drawings and plans, the 4 Way Group can design, install and commission a system that makes the most of your layout, maximises performance, meets all current building regulations and legislation, and offers considerable savings on future fuel costs.

“It’s easy to understand why air source heating ticks so many boxes for local self-builders,” says the 4 Way Group’s Steve Simpson. “When choosing which heating system to opt for in a building project, SAP ratings, financial implications, high quality products, professional installation standards and future running costs are essential

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KLmagazine March 2018

considerations – and our high quality air source heating systems more than meet all of those needs.”

In fact, air source heat pumps are typically between 30-50% more costeffective to run than traditional heating systems –capable of outputting more than three times as much heat energy as the electricity they take to run. Air source heating fulfills today’s demand for energy efficiencies, and offering a renewable heating alternative that provides an element of future-proofing to a project.

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Local Life

ABOVE: Georgie Lingham is one of the rising stars of West Norfolk Rugby Club – having been voted the Eastern Counties Players’ Player of the Year last season and now regularly appearing in the starting line-up for Saracens Ladies’ Premiership team

Winning it for the girls in West Norfolk...

Until a few years ago rugby would have been called a man’s game – but as Clare Bee discovers, the ladies of West Norfolk Rugby Club really are as good – if not better – than the men

E

ver since 16-year-old William Webb Ellis “with a fine disregard for the rules of football took the ball in his arms and ran with it” at his Warwickshire school in 1823, the game of rugby (which took its name from Ellis’ school) has been seen as a predominantly male sport. However, times have changed, in West Norfolk as much as anywhere else.

Mostly thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of head coach Teresa Dunn, West Norfolk now has a thriving women’s and girl’s rugby club.

KLmagazine March 2018

Originally from New Zealand, Teresa and her family came to West Norfolk via Cumbria and Ireland in 2009. Hailing from a family with a long sporting tradition (and rugby in particular) she wanted her children to join local sports clubs – and the first thing they did was join West Norfolk Rugby Club, based in North Wootton.

Teresa had coached in Ireland, as had her husband, who’d also played professional rugby league, and was keen to continue.

“I’d coached a team in county Donegal with a friend, and when we

moved here it was always my goal to start a girls’ or ladies’ team,” says Teresa.

“It had been such a success there. I’ve watched girls play and I know they can be tougher mentally and physically than boys.”

Teresa started coaching at King Edward VII School with a number of Year 12 and 13 girls who wanted to play rugby. From there she decided to start girls’ rugby at the West Norfolk Rugby Club.

“It was a struggle at first because the girls’ section is spread over three different grades, so getting a team of 15

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girls together was pretty hard,” she says.

“We started training at the club and then moved to Springwood High School, but the level of interest was very hard to predict – sometimes only one girl turned up! Sadly, I eventually had to stop running the sessions.”

But then things changed. In October 2015, the Ladies team started their first training sessions once a week. Word began to spread that ladies of any level, fitness or size were welcome – and although most of the women who came along had never played the game before, they found it had a genuinely family-friendly atmosphere.

In only a relatively short space of time, Teresa now has more than 40 women registered as members as well as 12 registered girls, and after struggling at first to enlist younger players, numbers have grown across all ages.

“Initially it was only open for ladies, but a lot of girls started to attend training sessions and we all started training together,” says Teresa. “With the girls’ team we’ve been lucky in that the majority are all of one age group, so we’ve been able to play in a couple of Developmental Festivals, which are mostly local to East Anglia.”

The festivals encourage teams from across the area, and if there aren’t enough players in one club team, they’ll combine players from several clubs so that everyone gets a game. This season Teresa’s club had four players selected for the Eastern Counties under-15’s squad – a big achievement for players who’ve only just started playing the game.

“They’ve learned a lot from this experience,” says Teresa, “and they continue to excel in training.”

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The ladies team has grown in numbers since October 2015, but in order to progress to playing in a league, the ladies had to compete in eight friendlies. These took place from September 2016 to March 2017, which meant last season was the first time the the team was eligible to play in a league. They now play in the National Cup 2 Midlands North League, which involves travelling to places such as Buxton, Scunthorpe or Peterborough for away games.

“I expect a lot from these ladies, and it’s only our first season,” says Teresa, “but they’re so committed and they try so hard – and they really enjoy it, which is what it’s all about.”

Teresa’s keen to explain that the women play with the same number of players and according to the same rules as men – apart from one variation in the scrum rules, which is necessary for safety.

She also stresses that none of this could have happened without the huge support of West Norfolk Rugby Club (including her fellow coaches Rob Watson and Marc Foreman) and the continued support of the players’ families. The club does receive a travel subsidy for the ladies’ game from the RFU due to the distance the team have to travel, and the team does several fundraising activities in order to cover travel to away games and buy the kit they need. This can be time consuming but it’s worth it, as the ladies’ club

continues to flourish. At the end of the season, the club has a Ladies 10’s tournament – with teams from all over the country coming to play and enjoy a social get-together after the games.

As well as the success the club is having in the league, it’s got good reason to be proud of several of its players. Georgie Lingham is one of the club’s standout players – she’s been in the team since the beginning and was one of the team’s top try scorers. Last summer she joined a social media page looking for teams needing players to play in 7’s tournaments.

In one of the tournaments in London she was spotted by the Saracens Ladies’ coach and was asked if she’d like to attend their training sessions. Georgie started training with Saracens Premiership team in August 2017, and now travels twice a week to Allianz Park in northwest London for training sessions – and plays games at the weekend. She’s a regular starter for the Saracens 2nd XV team, but more recently has either been on the bench or in the starting line-up for the Saracens Ladies’ Premiership team.

Georgie also represented the Eastern Counties Ladies’ team last year (along with fellow West Norfolk player Mary Hegarty) and was delighted to be named as Eastern Counties Players’ Player of the Year last season.

Now, when not playing with the Saracens at the weekend, Georgie can often be found on the sidelines helping with the West Norfolk Ladies’ team and regularly coaches the under 15’s team with Ladies’ Team Captain Sarah Hodgson, assisted by Kathryn Sharp.

West Norfolk Rugby Club welcomes any women and girls from 12 years upwards who might like to have a try (if you’ll excuse the pun!) at the game.

Weekly training continues throughout the year, and Teresa is keen to hear from anyone who might be interested.

More details can be found on the club’s website at www.westnorfolkrugby.com

KLmagazine March 2018

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Book Reviews

Books for March – quite literally...

MARCH VIOLETS Philip Kerr The first book of the ‘Berlin Noir’ trilogy, March Violets introduces readers to Bernie Gunther, an ex-policeman who thinks he’s seen everything on the streets of 1930s Berlin – until he turns freelance and finds himself sucked into the grisly excesses of Nazi subculture. Summoned by a wealthy industrialist to find the murderer of his daughter and son-in-law (killed during the robbery of a priceless diamond necklace), Gunther is catapulted into a major political scandal involving Hitler’s two main henchmen, Goering and Himmler. Fast-paced and richly detailed, this is noir writing at its best.

THE MARCH OF FOLLY Barbara Tuchman Across the march of thirty centuries, Tuchman brings to life the dramatic events which constitute folly’s hallmark in government; from the fall of Troy to 600 years of corrupt papacy; from the British forfeiture of the American colonies to the USA’s catastrophic 30-year involvement with Vietnam. This is a work of profound relevance today, and is just as breathtaking and original now as it was when first published.

MARCH: A LOVE STORY IN A TIME OF WAR Geraldine Brooks This unconventional and brilliantly-written love story explores the passions between a man and a women, the tenderness of parents and children, and the life-changing power of an ardently-held belief. Set during the American Civil War, it recounts the story of John March, who’s known to us as the absent father in Louisa May Alcott’s classic Little Women. As he recovers from a nearfatal illness in hospital, he tries to find a way to reconnect with a wife and daughters who have no idea of the ordeals he has been through.

SURVIVOR OF THE LONG MARCH Charles Waite When the convoy of young Charles Waite took a wrong turn in northern France and found itself in front of 400 German soldiers, he lost his freedom – and didn’t regain it for five years, by which time he’d been forced to walk over 1,000 miles.

Silent for 70 years, Charles writes about his lost years: the things he saw and suffered, his forced work, and his time in solitary confinement.

But this is also a story about friendship, of physical and mental resilience, and of compassion for everyone who suffered.

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THE ADVENTURES OF AUGIE MARCH Saul Bellow A penniless and parentless Chicago boy growing up in the Great Depression, Augie March drifts through life latching on to a wild succession of occupations, including butler, thief, dog-washer, sailor and salesman. He is a ‘born recruit’ – a person easily influenced by others who try to mould his destiny. Not until he encounters the glamorous Thea (a huntress with a trained eagle) can he attempt to break free and discover who he really is. A modern day everyman on an odyssey in search of reality and identity, Augie March is the star of star performers in this richly-observed human variety show – a modern-day Columbus in search of reality and fulfilment.

KLmagazine March 2018

Welcome to the Dragons’ Den...

But how will you make your big idea work? any contestants on BBC2’s popular Dragons’ Den reduce me to shouting at the television – “Have you registered a patent?” “Have you protected your ideas?” “Who owns the design?” The programme has been informative, amusing and infuriating for an unbelievable 13 years, and every week the ‘dragons’ will be irritated or dumbfounded by budding entrepreneurs who don’t know or understand what sort of business they have; whether they own or have protected their products; or whether they have a contract in place with a customer. Worst of all, contestants are convinced their businesses are worth a fortune – despite this lack of knowledge.

Whatever your big idea (an invention, a work of art, a machine, tools or even medicines for example…) protecting your intellectual property makes it easier to take legal action against anyone who steals or copies it. It’s your responsibility to defend your intellectual property including

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registering designs, patents and trademarks (IP) and to take action if someone uses it without permission (known as infringement). Before you make an approach to a manufacturer or a distributer, make sure you use a non-disclosure agreement.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK Sometimes you wonder if contestants have ever watched an episode of Dragons’ Den before applying. Turning an idea into reality involves more than just handing your design over to a manufacturer or developer and waiting for the cash to flood in.

MARKET RESEARCH Work out who your customers are. How do you know anyone wants your product? If you don’t know there’s a market, you’re likely to fail.

Who’s the competition? Are there similar products out there? Who’s buying them?

What do they cost?

WHAT’S YOUR USP? What unique selling point (USP) makes your product more attractive than what’s already available? Where’s the gap in the market you intend to fill?

IP RESEARCH How do you know your design doesn’t already exist? Make sure

your idea doesn’t infringe on someone else’s intellectual property – you can search for trademarks and registered patents using the Intellectual Property Office’s search service or by hiring a patent attorney or advisor.

CREATE A PROTOTYPE Once you’ve established there’s a market for your idea that hasn’t already been thought of and protected legally elsewhere, you’ll need to put a prototype together. Work towards making your idea as close to the finished product as possible.

WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN Make sure your business plan has substance. It needs to be backed up by research, realistic statistics and facts.

SLICING THE ACTION Inventors usually capitalise on their ideas in two ways – by licensing the invention to an existing business or by coordinating the manufacturing and marketing of the idea themselves. If you decide to go down the former route, start approaching companies one at a time. And remember to use a nondisclosure agreement to protect your position.

WHAT’S IT WORTH? What the ‘dragons’ try to explain is that in order to encourage investment, entrepreneurs must show an idea will generate commercial return. If you don’t have ownership of your product and haven’t achieved any turnover and sales it’s almost impossible to come up with a value for the business. If you’ve been working alone and have no business experience, your best strategy is to license your idea to a company with proven business expertise.

The cash may flow in one day in the form of royalty payments – but don’t expect an instant return.

This article aims to supply general information, but it is not intended to constitute advice. Every effort is made to ensure that the law referred to is correct at the date of publication and to avoid any statement which may mislead. However no duty of care is assumed to any person and no liability is accepted for any omission or inaccuracy. Always seek our specific advice.

If you’d like more information on any of the issues detailed in this article, please contact Hayes + Storr on 01553 778900 or visit any of our local offices (see below).

ANDREA CRAIG Director

Hayes + Storr Solicitors The Old County Court, County Court Road, King’s Lynn PE30 5EJ Web: www.hayesandstorr.co.uk E-mail: law.kingslynn@hayes-storr.com Offices at: King’s Lynn | Hunstanton | Fakenham | Swaffham | Holt | Wells | Sheringham

KLmagazine March 2018

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KLmagazine March 2018

l PRICE MATCHING Price matching involves setting prices to mirror those offered by your competitors without seeking to undermine the ‘going rate.’

The price is right – but are you sure?

Knowing how much to charge for your products or services can have a major impact on your success. Chris Goad BSc ACA of Stephenson Smart looks at how different pricing strategies can help your business etting the right price for products and services can be a challenge. You’ll naturally want to maximise the profit from each sale, and set prices at the highest possible point before demand begins to wane. However, there are many things to consider when deciding on the most appropriate pricing structure for your business.

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CONSIDER THE ‘BIGGER PICTURE’ Setting prices is usually driven by profitability, but many other factors can impact your pricing decisions – you may also wish to increase market share or grow sales. A relatively simple method of pricing is to calculate the costs involved and add a profit margin. However, it’s essential include all your costs, whether direct or indirect. You should also consider your competitors, current market trends and the needs of your customers. Here are some of the most common approaches to creating a pricing structure: l TARGET COSTING This approach involves deciding on an optimum selling price from the outset, and subtracting your desired profit. This generates a ‘target cost’ that can be communicated to employees, who can then be tasked with meeting this cost. This

KLmagazine March 2018

approach may work where production costs are relatively fixed. l PRICE SKIMMING This method can be used when a business is the first to bring a new product or service to the market. It allows a business to capitalise on this fact by setting a higher price (with a greater profit margin) than normal, thereby making as much profit as possible before competitors develop similar products. l PREDATORY PRICING Under this strategy (which is generally considered rather high-risk), prices are set so low that competitors are unable to match them, which results in them losing business. l PENETRATION PRICING Conversely, penetration pricing involves initially setting a lower price in an attempt to incentivise customers and boost market share – before subsequently raising prices.

OUR BRANCHES

FACTOR IN THE COMPETITION It always pays to keep an eye on your pricing in relation to your competitors. Consumers searching for a product or service will naturally seek out the ‘best’ or lowest price available to them. This can make it difficult for smaller businesses to compete with larger firms, who can mass-produce items with ease. Small businesses may instead wish to concentrate on other areas such as perceived quality, customer service, or the uniqueness of their offering. If you decide to market your products or services as ‘premium’ or ‘luxury’, clients will expect to pay more – and a relatively cheap price may do more to harm sales than improve them.

You may also want to set different prices for the same products or services based on different customer groups, geographical location or seasonal factors.

It’s generally not advisable to enter into a direct ‘price war’ with your competitors.

Doing so without adjusting the value of your product or service will only erode your margins.

ADAPT TO CHANGING CLIENT NEEDS Successful companies continually assess how economic trends and market changes are affecting their clients. It’s advisable to carry out thorough market research before setting a price for your product, including contacting customers directly and seeking their feedback.

When it comes to setting the right price, it’s essential to consider your main business objectives – and to be responsive to the changing needs of the marketplace and your clients.

If you would like to talk about any aspect of growing your business or tax saving opportunities, please contact us at Stephenson Smart for a free consultation.

KING’S LYNN 01553 774104

GREAT YARMOUTH 01493 382500

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MARCH 01354 653026

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PICTURES: MARTIN WASE

Local Arts

ABOVE: Norfolk-born Martin Wase has spent his life photographing the wildlife of his home county and various countries around the world – and this one of the few occasions he’s the subject rather than the photographer

The art of capturing the natural world’s beauty...

Since winning the Junior Amateur Naturalist of Great Britain Award at 13, Martin Wase has dedicated himself to patiently photographing the wilder side of life, as Sylvia Steele discovers...

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t’s called Country Cabin, a name which conjures up images of cottage style interiors and antiques and it happily lives up to its name. But step inside this small detached building on the road to Old Hunstanton and you’ll be overwhelmed by the sudden impact of the stunning wildlife images that adorn the walls. For this is also one of the most unusual photographic galleries you’ll probably ever visit, The reaction becomes less extraordinary, however, when you realise that all the photographs in Country Cabin are the work of Norfolkborn Martin Wase – who had two selected images featured in the book KLmagazine March 2018

celebrating the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2012.

Martin’s lifelong interest in wildlife and the natural world began in 1983, when at 13 years of age his school project about promoting the conservation of frogs and toads won him the title of Junior Amateur Naturalist of Great Britain. The prize was a week filming with the late Gerald and Lee Durrell at their famous zoo in Jersey – to be screened later on Channel 4 as part of their Amateur Naturalist series.

“I feel really lucky to be living here because it’s the perfect habitat for wildlife, particularly water birds,” says Martin. “This beautiful coastline where I

grew up is surrounded by a wildlife-rich environment, and it’s always been the inspiration for my work.”

Once the home of his father’s business, Martin opened his country cottage gallery in 2005 to display and sell his photographic work.

“Norfolk has given me the opportunity to photograph some of the most amazing wildlife and landscape found anywhere in the UK,” he says.

“From mudflats and shingle-banked shores, sand dunes and marshland.

These different habitats, that change so much with the seasons, provide the home for such an incredible variety of animals and birds.”

The question most people ask Martin

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is what it takes to take a particularly amazing photograph of nature.

“It’s difficult, because what one image does for one person may make little impression on another,” he says. “For me the key word is ‘simplicity’ – which is another way of saying ‘natural’ I suppose!”

Martin prefers to work in the early morning or evenings, when his subjects are lit by warm oranges and yellows in summer and whites and pinks in winter.

But he admits that the light is just one of the challenges facing a wildlife photographer.

“The camera won’t do everything for you – it’s just a means to an end,” he says. “The most important things you need are good light, great timing, an eye for composition, a keen sense of observation and a lot of patience. A little luck doesn’t go amiss either!”

Martin certainly doesn’t lack in the patience department. He once spent more than three days waiting for the perfect shot of a family of stoats he spotted in an out-of-the-way corner of some local woodland. It was worth it – the resulting photograph is one admired by almost every visitor to his gallery.

Much of Martin’s inspiration has also come from trips to Africa, India, USA and Australia to photograph the varied wildlife from around the world. One particular photograph that always appeals to his gallery’s visitors was

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taken in a barn at his sister’s home in California.

It appears to be simply of a field mouse nosing around on a shelf where Martin had strategically placed a candlestick and a pipe. Nevertheless, the infinite patience it took to get the shot of the mischievous mouse can’t be underestimated.

In 2017 Martin produced his own

book Norfolk Horizons and has since reproduced his wildlife images on everything from boxes to fridge magnets. And although his Country Cabin does offer a number of small gifts, cottage-style antiques and decorative interior items, most visitors leave with one of Martin’s photographs.

He’s frequently surprised by people’s reactions when they discover some seemingly exotic bird was actually photographed in England.

“Many of our native birds are really colourful and extremely beautiful,” he says, “but few people ever get to see them this close – especially as some them, bullfinches for example, are very shy.”

In travelling across Norfolk and around the world in the search of wildlife to photograph, Martin estimates he’s built up a huge library of around 12,000 images – but he’s not planning on stopping any time soon.

“Photography is all about watching and waiting and enjoying what you’re doing – and I still love it!” he says. “My biggest hope is that my work inspires other people to observe the world around them and help preserve the important habitats of the Norfolk coastline.”

For more examples of Martin’s work you can visit the Country Cabin in Hunstanton or see his website at www.mjwasephotography.co.uk

KLmagazine March 2018

The Last Word

WildWestNorfolk Michael Middleton’s

A

lthough our village is generally a happy little place, some of our neighbours have been a bit grumpy of late. They’ve spent most of the winter planning on turning an old brick-built garage at the bottom of their garden into a summerhouse, but you know what they said about the best-laid plans of mice and men. In this case, the problem isn't rodents – it’s a small colony of bats.

As a protected species, their breeding sites and resting places are fully protected by law; and if you deliberately injure one, obstruct access to its shelter or even “recklessly disturb” one while it’s in a structure, you could face an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison.

So, while our neighbours aren’t too pleased about having to drink their Pimms and lemonade in a cold and oilstained old garage, the future of their bats is safe and secure, and no one can touch them. Literally.

These little creatures have come a long way indeed. Especially since the days when they were going to be sacrificed on a secret mission to win the Second World War. And before you ask, I haven’t got my months mixed up.

The story starts with a Lytle S. Adams, a dentist from Pennsylvania. Dr. Adams was on holiday in December 1941 visiting the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, which are believed to house the world’s largest bat colonies.

Suddenly interrupting his vacation was the shocking news that Japan had just bombed Pearl Harbour and the USA had entered the war – and though the dentist immediately set off for home, the sight of the thousands of bats never left his mind.

But it wasn’t the animals’ natural 114

beauty that fascinated him – he was more interested in their military potential. Knowing that many Japanese structures were made of paper, bamboo, and other highly-flammable materials, the dentist from Pennsylvania came up with the bizarre idea of fitting incendiary bombs to millions of bats and then dropping them from planes.

His thinking was that on the way down, the bats would naturally spread far and wide in their search for somewhere to hide; and when built-in timers ignited the bombs, the unfortunate bats would cause widespread fires and chaos.

More amazing than the idea itself is the fact that anyone took it seriously.

Dr. Adams was a friend of the President’s wife Eleanor Roosevelt, and he sent his idea to the White House in January 1942, where it was subsequently given the green light by President Roosevelt.

The military thought it was a good idea too – especially since bats can carry much more than their own weight in flight and don’t need any food or maintenance while dormant.

They duly enlisted Louis Fieser (the man who invented napalm) to design tiny 28g incendiary devices that could be attached to the bats, and built a bomb-shaped carrier that featured 26 stacked trays – each one able to contain 40 bats. So far, so good – but you know what they say about working with animals.

During a test of the ‘bat bomb’ on May 15th 1943 at an army base in New Mexico, a number of fully-loaded bats were accidentally released and naturally made straight for the nearest shelter – which happened to be under a fuel tank.

I’d like to think they chose it on purpose.

The resulting fire destroyed the test range and the army handed the whole thing over to the Navy, who called it Project X-Ray and set about building an imitation Japanese village (without any fuel tanks) in Utah for more tests.

They were impressed with the results.

Whereas a normal bomb load could be expected to cause around 300 fires, the ‘bat bomb’ could start over 4,000.

Things weren’t looking too good for the bats, but by then it was 1944 and the project had already cost over $2million.

It wasn’t likely to be ready for at least another year, and by now another bigger and better idea had come along anyway – the atomic bomb.

Project X-Ray was discontinued, but the dentist from Pennsylvania who’d come up with the idea in the first place never lost faith in his idea.

“Think of thousands of fires breaking out simultaneously over a circle of 40 miles in diameter for every bomb dropped,” Dr. Adams said later. “Japan could have been devastated, yet with very small loss of life.”

Mmm. Try telling that to the bats.

KLmagazine March 2018

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Mercedes-Benz of Kings Lynn Beveridge Way, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 4NB 01553 777 307 www.mercedes-benzofkingslynn.co.uk