Kudos issue 20 by Kudos Kent

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lifestyle magazine for Kent and East Sussex

Issue 20

Hello Welcome to the January/February issue of Kudos. Let me guess: You want to lose weight in 2017, or maybe just eat more healthily. Perhaps you want to spend less money or spend more time with your friends and family. You’re not alone. According to a survey, 63% of us planned to turn over a new leaf in 2016, with losing weight, getting fitter and eating more healthily topping our wish list. Making New Year resolutions is easy – it’s sticking to them that’s the hard part! So we’ve come up with some resolutions to benefit the whole family and hopefully motivate you into keeping them. We also let you in on the Kudos team’s resolutions – let’s see how long we last! One of mine is to lose the baby weight I put on before the birth of Leo in October. There he is, pictured below – can you see the resemblance? Encouraged by the delicious recipes on page 42, I shall be joining Sliming World for a spot of gourmet dieting. If keeping fit is your goal, then ex-Gladiator James Crossley, better known as Hunter, has tips on fitness at 40. Want to be more ecofriendly in 2017? Then our ideas for going green will get you off to a good start. Once you’re looking trim and fit, Fashion Editor Sally-Ann Carroll previews the new season’s trends for spring and summer. Elsewhere, we meet comedian Rob Brydon, who’s coming to Tunbridge Wells with his first stand-up show since 2009. We also learn the Danish concept of hygge (pronounced “hoo-ga”) – said to make homes nicer and people happier. Sitting by the fire on a cold night, wearing a woolly jumper, while drinking mulled wine and stroking a dog – probably surrounded by candles. That’s definitely “hygge”.

Twitter: kudoskent Facebook: kudoskent www.kudoskent.co.uk Managing Director: Robin Tucek Publishing Director: Hannah Tucek Editorial Director: Ann Wallace Creative Director: Neil Constant Media Sales Manager: Taz Pishbin Fashion Editor: Sally-Ann Carroll Photographer: Matt Harquail

Advertising Sales:

sales@badbettymedia.co.uk

A new kitchen might be on your wish-list for 2017. Well, meet one couple whose kitchen turned out to be an award-winner. And if you’re looking for inspiration for the new year, look no further than Johnny Beer. Paralysed in a trampolining accident at the age of 21, he’s just won a silver medal for Great Britain at the world’s first Cybathlon, an international competition for disabled competitors who are allowed to use bionic technology. Happy new year to all our readers. May it be a joyful and prosperous one for you all.

Hannah Tucek Publishing Director

Contents 8 Kudos loves... 10 News & events 17 Pets corner 19 Love celebrity 22 Love fashion 28 Men only 32 Love health & beauty

Kudos is published

36 Love food and drink

While every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. All rights reserved. Prices and details correct at time of going to press.

58 Love home

bi-monthly by:

No part of this publication may be produced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

WELCOME TO KUDOS

47 Valentine’s Day gift guide

66 Love garden

70 Love education

88 Love business

78 Love family

98 Love heroes

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Ashdown Forest,

LIV E LOC AL

Duddleswell

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

9am

Taken by Matt Harquail

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

LOV E LOC AL

Things we love this issue We turn the spotlight on drink accessories...

Blowing hot and cold

Root7’s Corkcicle Canteen and Tumbler are made from triple-insulated stainless steel. The Canteen will keep your drink ice cold for a staggering 25 hours or hot drinks piping for 12 hours. Ideal for winter and mulled wine, it also features easy-grip flat sides ideal for frosty fingers, a non-slip bottom and comes in three sizes. The Tumbler comes in two sizes and features a clear lid so you can keep track of your consumption and avoid spills. It will keep your drinks chilled for up to nine hours or your coffee hot for up to three hours. Both come in stainless steel and a range of colours including turquoise, white, pink, copper and black. Price: Canteen from £20; Tumbler from £22 www.Root7.com

Hold on!

Set to take the UK and America by storm, CouchCoaster is billed as ‘The ultimate drink holder for your sofa.’ Designed to help you relax on a sofa by providing a convenient resting place for a drink, it saves reaching for your drink on the coffee table, balancing it on the sofa arm or knocking it over on the floor. Made of durable and wipe-clean silicone, its sleek, weighted body wraps securely over different shapes and sizes of sofa arm to support mugs, tumblers, bottles and cans. It’s available in five colours. Price: £19.99 www.couchcoaster.com

KUDOS LOV ES

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Winter warmer

Don’t you just hate it when your hot drink starts to go cold before you’ve had a chance to finish it? We certainly do which is why we love the hot disk USB mug warmer. This quirky little device is available in two retro nostalgic designs – a floppy disc drive or a vintage vinyl record which directly plugs into your USB port providing enough heat at an optimum of 5000C/1220F. Compatible for your laptop, PC or Mac devices, it has never been so easy to keep your cuppa hot. Price: £11.99 www.thefowndry.com

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

KUDOS LOV ES

Upfront What’s new and happening

Spinning around

New vinyl shop launches in Tunbridge Wells Kent’s only record shop dedicated to vinyl launched recently with a fanfare of live music. Musician Simon Parker, co-founder of Vinyl Revolution in Tunbridge Wells, and his Villareal bandmates entertained guests at the opening party with additional live music from Pete Harwood of New State Masses. Thought to be the only vinyl-dedicated store in Kent, Vinyl Revolution offers an extensive range of records from the 1960s to the present day. The shop and online store also have a range of gifts for music lovers, including T-shirts and hoodies, mugs and beer glasses, artwork and kids and baby clothes, designed exclusively for Vinyl Revolution by Tunbridge Wells fashion graduate Beth Fraser. They also stock Which? recommended turntables, for those who need something on which to play their newly-acquired records. “The support from Tunbridge Wells and the wider Kent community has been amazing,” said Simon. “It’s great to be in a town which is so into music. We’ve had great support from the team behind The Forum. We’re stocking vinyl from its record label, Unlabel and will be hosting live acoustic sets from their artists.” “It’s been hard work pulling everything together, but it’s been worth it,” said Simon’s business partner, Rachel Lowe. “People love what we’re offering. They love the funky interior by leading designer Sallyanne McCoy, who has worked with the likes of Liam Gallagher of Oasis and Liam Howlett of Prodigy and whose recent projects include Drama nightclub at the Hilton Park Lane. And they love that we’ve created a really accessible environment, whether you’re looking for a vintage gem to add to your established collection or are discovering vinyl for the first time.” www.vinyl-revolution.co.uk

For the love of Lyddon

Local musician Lenny Bunn has created a version of the classic Blueberry Hill, dedicated to his adopted father Songwriter and composer Lenny Bunn, who is based in Sellindge, Kent, has collaborated with major musicians to create a track in dedication to his adopted father, Lyddon Thompson, who passed away last year. The classic cover of Blueberry Hill was Lyddon’s favourite track. A Jamaican, he opened Lenny’s eyes to another way of life and thinking, hugely inspiring his music. His loss made Lenny want to record Blueberry Hill, with each instrument recorded in different studios around the world. Collated at Lenny’s studio, mixed with the help of Martin Smith and mastered by Jon Astley, the single is “more beautiful than I ever imagined,” says Lenny. It features talented musician Ibo from the Jamaican reggae band Third World and singer-songwriter Melissa James. Says Lenny, “I love to create emotional music, normally with an alternative twist. Music has to move me; whether that’s through just playing for the love of playing or from creating movement within the production of a song, it has to make the hair on my neck stand up.” Lenny has worked in the music industry for 25 years. From sharing a stage with Razorlight, Noah And The Whale and Feeder, to supporting Scouting For Girls and Wilkinson, Lenny has dedicated his life to the industry. www.lennybunn.uk

LOV E NEWS

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Out and about with

Kudos

14th January T. Rextasy, Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells

In 2017, the tribute band returns to venues across the UK to transport audiences back to the 1970s for the Marc Bolan 40th commemorative anniversary tour. T.Rextasy has been performing all over the world for 25 years, a career that ironically outlives Marc’s very own T.Rex. Marc Bolan, with his band T.Rex, was one of the most flamboyant and charismatic stars of the original glam rock era. Bolan’s special ingredient of Rock-a-Boogie songs throughout the 1970s included Telegram Sam and Jeepster, but it was I Love to Boogie in 1976 that has become one of the band’s most memorable and everlasting signature tunes. Accepted as the world’s only official live tribute band dedicated to Marc Bolan & T.Rex, and the only band endorsed and approved by Marc Bolan’s family and original ex-members of T.Rex, T.Rextasy has been described as ‘beyond the boundaries of tribute’. The skilled musicianship of Danielz (vocals and lead guitar), Neil Cross (rhythm guitars and backing vocals), Rob Butterfield (bass guitar and backing vocals) and John Skelton (drums) lets the timeless music and legacy of Marc Bolan and T.Rex live on, performing everything from 20th Century Boy and Children of the Revolution to Telegraph Sam to Hot Love with superb authenticity. This full-on concert showcases all of the hits and more, with both electric and acoustic performances, faithfully recreating the energy and performance of Marc Bolan and T.Rex. Bringing audiences to their feet across the globe, the whole family will enjoy the experience of being transported back to the 70s to re-live the experience of attending a Mark Bolan concert live.

5th February

Consequences, Gulbenkian, Canterbury

Lucy Porter’s UK tour, titled Consequences, is a heart-felt and hilarious show that includes personal revelation, political observation and general reflection. This tour follows a month-long run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last August. Lucy has performed consistently popular solo shows for 15 years now – her first was in 2001 – although she had a quick break in the middle to pop out two children. Lucy is a familiar face from TV (QI, Mock The Week, Never Mind The Buzzcocks) and has a voice that you’ll know if you listen to Radio 4 (The Unbelievable Truth, The Now Show, The News Quiz). Since the 1990s, Lucy has been caught up in the dazzling world of showbiz, rubbing shoulders with big-name stars from both the UK and Hollywood celebrity circuits. In Consequences, she ignores all that and shares her searing insights into life as a suburban mother of two, stalwart of the local pub quiz team, married to a giant with a passion for home-brewing. Lucy had a long list of things she thought she would never be, from monogamous to someone who’s been arrested/dumped/sacked from their dream job. One by one, Lucy has crossed each of the imaginary lines she had drawn in the imaginary sand. In this show, she works out whether there have been any real consequences. www.lucyporter.co.uk

LOV E GOING OUT

Lucy Porter

11th February

Snowdrop Walk at Hever Castle & Gardens

A heavenly carpet of snowdrops will provide a magical trail for visitors to follow at Hever Castle & Gardens during February. Over 60,000 snowdrop bulbs have been planted in the gardens over the past six years, including a mix of single and double snowdrops, interspersed with some unusual varieties such as the yellow-tipped ‘Wendy’s Gold’, a giant galanthus called Colossus, which at nine inches is one of the tallest snowdrops you can find, and Galanthus Green Brus with its unusual green tipped flowers. Visitors to the childhood home of Anne Boleyn are being urged to wrap up warm and enjoy an exhilarating walk through the extensive grounds, which were remodelled by William Waldorf Astor at the turn of the 20th century. Head gardener Neil Miller says: “The Snowdrop trail isn’t to be missed! It meanders along the outer moat bank, up Half Moon Lawn, under Golden Stairs and through Fern Bank to Sunday Walk. These wonderful bulbs really lift the soul and signal to gardeners and nongardeners alike that the long winter will soon be coming to an end.” The more energetic visitor can also take the peaceful, one-hour Hever Lake Walk, which takes visitors around the perimeter of the 38-acre lake. The Winter Garden opposite Half Moon Lawn has been rejuvenated in recent years, with specialist snowdrop bulbs planted among the winter flowering shrubs such as Daphne and Viburnum, Dogwood and orange Witch Hazel. Neil Miller’s team have also planted the Anne Boleyn’s Orchard and castle borders with early-flowering daffodil Narcissus Rijnveld’s Early Sensation, which flowers from November to February. Unlike the small, early-flowering varieties, this daffodil has larger windmill-style flowers and can reach 35cm in height. www.hevercastle.co.uk

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That’s entertainment Latest releases on stage and screen

I’m Sorry I Havent A Clue Assembly Hall Theatre, 26th February at 7:30pm

BBC Radio’s multi award-winning antidote to panel games returns to the stage in 2017 with its sell-out touring show. Join Barry Cryer, Tony Hawks, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Jeremy Hardy and host Jack Dee for an unmissable evening of inspired nonsense. Colin Sell provides piano accompaniment. “Whether the teams are singing the words of one song to the tune of another, making up serial rhymes or entering the mythic maze of Mornington Crescent, they have now become the National Theatre of fun.” Gillian Reynolds, Daily Telegraph. Tickets £26 www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk Box office 01892 530613

Underworld: Blood Wars In cinemas 13th January

The next instalment of the epic franchise Underworld: Blood Wars brings Vampire warrior Selene back as she continues her war against the Lycan clan and the Vampires who betrayed her. The Lycans’ new leader, Marius, needs Selene’s blood for a sinister ritual – and he also needs the blood of her daughter. With the future of Vampires and Lycans alike at stake, Selene must do whatever it takes to end the eternal war, even if it costs her life. Kate Beckinsale returns to her iconic role and fights the battle between Vampires and Lycans once again.

The LEGO Batman Movie In cinemas 10th February

It’s time to experience Batman’s awesome world in The LEGO Batman Movie. He has millions of dollars, all the gadgets money can buy, and a sweet (very dark) costume. Better yet, he gets to spend every night punching evil in the face on the streets of Gotham. But now, to his horror, he has a responsibility – to look after the orphan boy he accidentally adopted. And how better to do that than by taking him on as a sidekick? Darkness! No parents! The breakout character of The LEGO Movie finally gets a film to himself.

LOV E GOING OUT

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Pets corner

It’s time to turn the spotlight on your best friends!

In the house

The ultimate novelty pet houses! Now your pampered kitty can take in the sights with these landmark White House, Eiffel Tower and Kremlin replicas, made from recycled cardboard. Price: £34.99 www.thefowndry.com

Hold on!

Meet Pickle & Lilly

These two gorgeous kitties belong to Alex Britcher. When we asked which one is which, she said, “Pickle is the one with the white face and looks like she’s wearing a Biggles flying hat!” That would be her on the right, then.

Your dog will turn heads in the dog park in this stunning new range of Doog step-in harnesses. Made from comfy, quick-dry neoprene and reinforced with nylon, they are strong and durable and best of all, really comfortable for your dog to wear. Adjustable in two places, they are designed for all size dogs and are available in four sizes, including puppy size. These harnesses are also a great option for dogs who have sensitive skin as they are lightweight and don’t rub. Neoprene also contains an antibacterial agent and draws moisture away from the skin. Available from Collared in Tunbridge Wells, Canterbury and Hastings

Email a photograph and details of your pet to editorial@badbettymedia.co.uk

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

LOV E PETS

Stand up for Rob Brydon Comedian Rob Brydon is coming to town, with his first stand-up show for eight years

Rob Brydon arrived on our screens in 2000 in Marion and Geoff, a series of 10-minute comic monologues that on the face of it, didn’t seem particularly promising. Created by Rob Brydon and Hugo Blick, the programme featured Keith Barret (played by Rob), a taxi driver estranged from his wife, Marion, and children, Rhys and Alun. Keith records a monologue on his video camera, which relates the story of his failed marriage after Marion left him for her work colleague, Geoff. Beautifully portrayed by Rob (who’d created the character while working as a DJ with Radio Wales), the series was a huge success. A one-off 50-minute prequel followed in 2001 and the series returned for another run in 2003, now expanded to 30-minute episodes. Although the second series proved to be the last, Keith’s story didn’t end there. Rob spun the character off into The Keith Barret Show, where the former cabbie turned relationship guru, interviewing a range of celebrity couples. Since then, Rob, now 51, has continued to shine in TV shows like Gavin and Stacey, Would I Lie To You? and The Trip, as well as Little Britain, The Rob Brydon Show, Best of Men, Gangster Granny and Q.I. His film work includes The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Cinderella and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He has starred in London’s West End opposite Sir Kenneth Branagh in The Painkiller, Future Conditional at The Old Vic and A Chorus of Disapproval at The Harold Pinter Theatre. He’s come a long way from his home town of Baglan, near Port Talbot, and his training at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. “Sometimes I sit back and think, ‘God, things have really changed... bloody hell’. In 2000, I would never have thought I’d be where I am now,” he has said. After leaving college, he spent six years as a DJ on BBC Radio Wales followed by a spell as a voiceover artist – highlights included Pot Noodle, Fairy Liquid, Toilet Duck and the voice of a whimpering bondage man for Tango. And then Marion and Geoff saw him receive a Best Television Comedy Newcomer award at the British Comedy Awards and his career took off. There was a bittersweet quality to Marion and Geoff, though, as Rob spoke of the anguish he suffered after the breakdown of his first marriage, mirroring the pain of Keith in the series. He is now married to television producer Claire Holland, but

Words: Hannah Tucek / Images: Shutterstock

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

LOV E CELEBRIT Y

I think, if you’ve got children, that’s your life. Your ‘showbiz’ life, if you want to call it that, is a separate thing, and it isn’t everything to me

has rarely discussed the collapse of his first marriage to Martina Fitchie. The pair, who had three children together, remain on good terms, but Rob has admitted that he became depressed and lost weight after the split, which came as the first series of Marion and Geoff aired. Describing how he felt “derailed and lost” by the experience, he told the Sunday Times Magazine: “I’d been married, with three children, then that goes. All the stage posts in your life, the boundaries that there are, they vanish.” Many speculated that his character in Marion and Geoff was based on his real-life experiences, but he insisted his divorce was mutual. “It just came to an end,” he said. “It was just two people who said, right, this isn’t working, so we ended it. “We did it in as civilised a manner as we could. We both wanted it to happen.” Rob married Claire in 2006 after meeting at the South Bank Awards in 2002. They now have two sons – Tom, 8, and George, 5.

LOV E CELEBRIT Y

He’s very much a family man. “There’s something lovely about having five, when they surround you, that’s a nice feeling, you know?”. He finds it hard to understand people who don’t have children: “Some of my contemporaries don’t have children and I just think, what the hell do you do all day? “I am far more fussed about my family life than I am about the work. “When you’re a kid, I think you want to be a film star. And I’m not as enamoured with that any more. The reality of that life is a lot of travel, and a lot of being away, which is impractical because I have children, so I don’t want to be away that much, not the other side of the world away. “I think, if you’ve got children, that’s your life. Your ‘showbiz’ life, if you want to call it that, is a separate thing, and it isn’t everything to me.” He’s also an accomplished impressionist and can take off anyone, from Michael Caine and Anthony Hopkins to Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Johnny Mathis and Ronnie Corbett. On the set of Gavin and Stacey, playing Stacey’s Uncle Bryn, he was well known for livening up the set with hilarious impressions. Joanna Page, who played Stacey, said, “While we were filming series two, he would do impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. It was like having my own personal comedian on set.” Now he’s set to tour with I Am Standing Up, his first stand-up show since 2009. He said: “I’m very excited to announce that after a far too long break, I am returning to my fifth love, stand up. I’m starting with just a handful of dates at venues I can drive home from (no, really, that’s the reason they were chosen) and will add more in the fullness of time. Rather than one humongous Mega Tour, I Am Standing Up will take the form of a few weeks here and a few weeks there over the next couple of years.” “Stand-up is very important to me because it’s very pure and you are in charge,” he told the Daily Record. “It’s a fine and noble tradition standing up and entertaining an audience. It’s a great feeling when you can do it and pull it off and it’s very selfsufficient. You are not going to a TV company and saying what do you think? With stand-up, you book a venue and if people come to see it and like the show you have succeeded. I like the simplicity and purity of that.” Rob Brydon – I Am Standing Up is at the Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, on Thursday 2nd March at 8pm. www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk / Box office: 01892 530613 @ahttw AssemblyHallTheatre

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Style

Fashion health & beauty

Catwalk extravaganza

Two-day fashion event at RVP showcases the latest trends

Royal Victoria Place (RVP) in Tunbridge Wells pulled out all the stops to get shoppers to think about re-styling their wardrobes with The Art of Fashion – a two-day live fashion event showcasing the season’s latest trends, with themed live runway shows including Victoriana, Modern Heritage and 80’s Remix. As part of the two-day fashion event, RVP staged 18 live runway shows featuring more than 35 of the centre’s top fashion, jewellery and accessory brands, including Fenwick, M&S, Next, Topshop, GAP, French Connection, Monsoon, Hobbs, Office, Superdry, Accessorize, Timberland, Pandora and Swarovski.

LOV E FASHION

The shows featured professional models, styled by beauty experts from MAC, Clarins and Bare Minerals at Fenwick, with hairstyling created by Simon Barker, Artistic Director at McQueen Hair Salon in Tunbridge Wells. Each show was specially choreographed to reflect the new season key trends and included stylish footwear, handbags and jewellery. Marketing Manager of Royal Victoria Place, Marc Burchett, said, “The runway shows really brought alive the diverse fashion on offer here at RVP and we hope it helped provide shoppers with some inspiration on how to create the perfect look for the new season ahead.”

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

On trend

As spring and summer is just round the corner, Fashion Editor Sally-Ann Carroll helps you shop the new season in style. A fusion of bright, sassy shades, flamboyant prints and crafted detailing all take centre stage for the warmer months ahead. Happy shopping!

Denim jacket, £49.50, pleated skirt, £49.50, and shoes, £59. www.marksandspencer.com

Embroidered jacket, £99, blouse, £55, and shorts, £59. www.monsoon.co.uk

Mustard jersey printed shirt, £37.50. www.whitestuff.com 24

LOV E FASHION

Crochet stripe dress, £119, and trousers, £39. www.monsoon.co.uk

Pink and grey printed top, £42. www.whitestuff.com KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Stripe trousers, £26, white shirt, £24, and navy jacket, £35. www.mandco.com

Fuchsia pink dress, £65. www.marksandspencer.com

Blue sandals, £20. www.slydes.co.uk

Green and blue bangle, £99. www.lesgeorgettes.com

Khaki sandals, £16. www.slydes.co.uk

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Pink bangle, £69. www.lesgeorgettes.com

LOV E FASHION

Kid’s club

The latest fun, trendy togs for the little tot in your life

Red and white stripe T-shirt, £16. www.polarnopyret.co.uk

White polo body, £12, and dinosaur print dungarees, £20. www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

Car print T-shirt, £20, and denim dungarees, £26. www.polarnopyret.co.uk

London streets shirt, £20. www.cathkidston.com

Grey knitted tank, £26. www.cathkidston.com

LOV E FASHION

Green print shirt, £51, by Diesel. www.childrensalon.com

Grey banana leaf T-shirt, £165, by Dolce & Gabbana. www.chilrensalon.com

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Peach embroidered bomber jacket, from £29. www.next.co.uk

Embroidered denim jacket, £117, by Monnalisa Bimba. www.childrensalon.com

Pink lace dress, from £80. www.angels-face.co.uk

Blue dress with animal motif, £18. www.jojomamaanbebe.co.uk

Pink embroidered dress, £20. www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

Blue embroidered chambray shorts, £160, by Fendi. www.childrensalon.com

Straw hat, from £12. www.next.co.uk Colourful printed cotton dress, £44, by Derhy Kids. www.childrensalon.com

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Denim embroidered cap, from £8. www.next.co.uk

LOV E FASHION

Men only From fashion to accessories...

Super cool looks for super cool dudes. Sally-Ann Carroll helps you nail your edgy new season wardrobe effortlessly

Blue floral print shirt, £22.50. www.marksandspencer.com

Blue shirt, £35, stripe T-shirt, £15, and jeans, £39.50. www.marksandspencer.com

Navy knitted polo, £45, stripe trousers, £55, and sandals, £59.95. www.whitestuff.com

Bird print shirt, £19.50. www.marksandspencer.com

Pink Hawaiian printed shirt, £45. www.whitestuff.com

MEN ONLY

Belt, £17.50. www.marksandspencer.com

Brown geometric print shirt, £17.99. www.newlook.com

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Grey bomber jacket, £100. www.burton.co.uk

Natural linen blazer, £129. www.marksandspencer.com

Watch, £189. www.paulsmith.co.uk

Dark red jacket, £29.99. www.newlook.com

Beige bomber jacket, £55. www.burton.co.uk

Watch, £299. www.paulsmith.co.uk

Tan trainers, £99. www.marksandspencer.com

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Navy trainers, £99. www.marksandspencer.com

MEN ONLY

Fit at 40 Former Gladiator James Crossley’s 10 tips for the working man to get fit 1. Full body workout

Do a full body weight workout 3 times per week, the workout needs to be a mixture of “big bang for your buck” compound exercises split between upper and lower body. More muscle means more calories are burned at rest. Doing weights also creates an “after burn effect”, meaning you also burn calories hours after the workout is finished.

2. Ditch the sugar

Avoid sodas and energy drinks that are packed with sugar and be aware when you buy a “diet” drink that they are also loaded with sweeteners to replace the sugar. Stick to fresh water and teas.

3. Try faster cardio

Get up 20 minutes earlier and throw in some cardio on an empty stomach 2-3 times a week. This can be a speed walk, jog or short burst of HIIT intervals.

4. Look at your diet-

Often people are grabbing at food with no real thought to the macronutrients they are consuming. Have a protein breakfast to set you up for the day, followed by 2-3 meals that have a good source of protein, green vegetables and good carbohydrates. Get yourself a steamer to make things simple and to help keep the calories in check. Get back to the caveman way of eating and try Paleo.

5. Don’t fear the fat

Good fats from foods like nuts, avocados and eggs are not your enemy so bring on the oily fish and pack your diet full of Omega 3. Avoid the nasty trans fats and vegetable oils.

6. Alcohol

A pint of beer has 180 calories and a large glass of wine 160 calories, so it’s pretty easy to see after 2-3 drinks you have built up 500 empty calories. If you’re serious about getting lean, then regulate your drinking and be aware that to see those abs these dead calories need to stop.

7. Sleep

Sleep is often overlooked as a factor for changing your body. But remember when you work out your breaking down your body, when you sleep it repairs. Adequate sleep also helps to regulate hormones such as cortisol and if you don’t sleep enough your insulin sensitivity will decrease.

MEN ONLY

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

8. Green tea

who asked him to join the hit TV show Gladiators as Gladiator “Hunter”. James had a nine-year run in the show and in the final showdown of Gladiator versus Gladiator, James was crowned The Ultimate Gladiator.

9. Yoga

With access to some of the UKs leading coaches, physiotherapists, nutritionists and sport psychologists, James has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and understanding about what it takes to succeed. He brings his in-depth understanding, focus, motivation and self-belief into his work with clients, and can help them achieve their goals, whether they are professionals or complete beginners.

So aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep a night and if you get the chance to nap on top, that is even better.

Green tea is a great drink choice whilst getting lean. It will help to rev up your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories daily. Green tea is also loaded with healthy plant chemicals and free-radical-fighting antioxidants.

Stress is a huge killer and crusher of changing your body composition. You need to find time to relax the mind and the body. This will help your sleep and lengthen tired muscles. It could also help with niggling back pain.

10. Set a goal

You need to set yourself goals to hit any target. Start with simple goals like going to the gym three times a week or cutting out all sugary drinks. It’s important to have one clear, well-defined high stakes long-term goal.

About James Crossley

James Crossley has 15 years experience in educating clients in health and fitness. He was spotted in Junior Mr Britain by ITV producers

James and his team have trained clients from all walks of life, from pop stars to professional rugby players, specialising in body transformations. In an age where being fit and healthy is the biggest trend for 20-somethings, 43-year-old James, still in peak physical condition, wants to target flabby forties and prove that whoever you are and whatever you do, you can fight fat and be fit at forty. James Crossley is working on his ‘Fit at Forty’ Campaign, for more information, visit www.ChelseaFitness.co.uk or @MrJamesCrossley

Beauty notes Latest products and news Glow girl

Bobbi Brown’s Extra Repair Nourishing Milk combines the hydrating benefits of Extra Face Oil with the rejuvenating benefits of a repair treatment. Formulated for all skin types, the lightweight, milky formula can be easily layered with skincare or makeup for a fresh, healthy glow. Price: £54 www.bobbibrown.co.uk

Pear care

Christophe Robin Regenerating Shampoo contains prickly pear seed oil, a rare natural treasure with regenerating, repairing and antioxidant properties to nourish hair and help restore its lustre. Free from parabens, silicones and other nasties, it has a lightweight formula that’s kind to hair. Price: £30 Available from www.spacenk.com, www.neta-porter.com and www.lookfantastic.com

Eyes right

Create dramatic eyes this season with Clinique’s Lash Power Flutter-to-Full Mascara, a custom-fit mascara that delivers a variety of looks, from fluttery, natural lashes to full dramatic lashes and is wearable for 24 hours without smudging or flaking. Add definition with High Impact Custom Black Kajal, an intensely bold kajal-inspired eyeliner in shades of black, brown, green and blue with a smooth, easy-glide texture that makes defining eyes easy and effortless. Price: Mascara, £20; Kajal, £16 www.clinique.co.uk

For the softest hands

skinChemists Advanced Caviar Hand Moisturiser is formulated to treat the skin with a sumptuous blend of sustainably-sourced caviar and naturally-active botanical extracts. The highly nutritious marine complex in this hand cream provides rich hydration for silky-soft, glowing skin. Price: £85 www.skinchemists.com

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KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

The dark side

Sarah thought the dark pigmentation on her face was there forever – until she visited Dr Sophie Shotter Before

When I turned 40, one of my less welcome gifts was the appearance of a large area of pigmentation on my lower cheek, about the size of a 50p coin. I got it checked out and it was benign, but ‘Splodge’, as ‘she’ became known by my nearest and dearest, showed no signs of disappearing and was a visible daily reminder of how this sun lover clearly hadn’t done much covering up in her youth. I had other, less enormous, dark age spots but had resigned myself to either covering up with foundation or just fronting it out. Sometimes that wasn’t easy; my role as Editor of Kent Life means I appear in quite a few pictures at various functions I attend, and I’d often cringe if I was caught on camera with ‘Splodge’-side forward. That is until I had a chat with the lovely Dr Sophie Shotter at Illuminate Skin Clinics, who assured me that yes, there was plenty that could be done without any need for scary injections, Botox et al. She introduced me to the Obagi skincare system, warned me that I wouldn’t get a ‘quick fix’ (I can be very impatient) but needed to devote six months to getting the results I desired. I trust Sophie implicitly – but get rid of ‘Splodge?’ Surely not! But back to the journey. On 1st April last year, I visited the King’s Hill clinic and heard all about the Obagi Medical homeuse system, founded by Dr Zein Obagi in 1988, which promises to give you ‘healthy skin from the inside out.’ It was time to take my skin back into my control. Dr Sophie recommends starting with an Obagi Blue Peel Radiance, a light chemical peel whose combination of alpha and beta hydroxy acids exfoliates the skin, removing the dead layers responsible for dullness. The peel is removed and a Vitamin C serum and sunscreen applied to protect your skin. I was looking healthier already! Then it was off home with my excitingly large box of eight Obagi products and a schedule of which should be used morning and night across a revolving two-week pattern – once a short introductory period has passed. Initially, it looked a little daunting, but once you are in the rhythm and realise which products are used daily and which on alternate nights, it all becomes very familiar. The range includes Tretinoin, a prescription ingredient to increase the rate of turnover of the skin cells and target skin

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

After

health from within the cell. But it is only used sparingly, on alternate nights, mixed with a skin-lightening and blending cream, and is extremely effective. I have naturally very dry skin and at first experienced a great deal of flaking, particularly along my deep nose-to-mouth lines, which I was advised would occur and was all part of the process. I learnt to carry my ‘Hydrate’ moisturiser in my bag at all times and the light-but-rich cream would immediately deal with any rogue flakes. I stopped wearing foundation (never thought that would happen), and diligently applied Obagi high-protection Sun Shield lotion every day (ditto). It’s hard to be objective about yourself, but I did start to get encouraging comments about how ‘well’ I was looking, even the odd ‘positively glowing’ comment, often accompanied by a quizzical look. No, I hadn’t been away; no, there wasn’t a new man in my life; it was this amazing skincare range I’d discovered. Now I am quite the fanatic. And Splodge? She’s gone for good. Never thought it was possible without something extremely invasive taking place, but feel free to peer closely. My skin is much more even toned, the dullness has gone and there’s an increased plumpness and freshness. I can highly recommend discussing any of your skin concerns with Dr Sophie Shotter, whatever age you are, however much damage the years before may have caused. Highly skilled and professional, she is warm and friendly, entirely non-judgmental and she cares, passionately, about her patients. The results speak for themselves.

Injectables are available at Illuminate Skin Clinics, along with other treatments including Coolsculpting, vein treatments, skin rejuvination, non-surgical facelifts, chemical peels, threadlifting, microdermabrasion, clinical facials and treatments for men. There are Illuminate clinics in Kings Hill, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks.

T: 01732 647007 www.illuminateskinclinic.co.uk

LOV E ADV ERTORI ALS

Happy hygge Banish those winter blues and embrace your inner Scandinavian hygge with these simple lifestyle tips

Whether you’re looking to boost your overall well being, or changing your mind-set to enjoy those simple pleasures, hygge, pronounced “hue-gah”, is a lifestyle trend that the Scandinavians swear by. And what could be better than the feeling of living well without cutting out the things you love? Could the fact that Denmark is officially the world’s happiest country, according to the 2016 World Happiness Report, be down to the Danes hygge lifestyle? We talk to nutritionist Cassandra Barns about making simple changes to adapt to the hygge lifestyle.

Eat comfort foods

Yes – we said it. Hygge is all about comfort, so what could be better than a big, warm, bowl of porridge, topped with your favourite berries? Cassandra says: “Porridge is not only warming and comforting: it’s also a good source of slow-releasing energy, Nairn’s

LOV E HEALTH & BEAUT Y

porridge oats (£1,99, www.nairns-oatcakes.com) are high in fibre and support healthy digestion. What’s more, the beta glucan fibre in oats can help keep cholesterol in check, too. It’s the perfect wholesome comfort food.”

Get outdoors

Fresh air and long walks are always encouraged for a healthy lifestyle. This is something that is really important to the Danes, and key to keeping fit and youthful. The Nordic temperatures mean it is colder than it is in the UK, so like them, embrace the outside world and wrap up warm in your favourite coat, hat, scarf and gloves!

Mood boosting

As well as comfort, hygge encompasses the ideas of happiness and nourishing the mind and body. So raw chocolate is another great ‘hygge food’. According to Cassandra, “As well as being a comforting

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

indulgence, raw chocolate, such as Ombar Chocolate (£1.99, www. ombar.co.uk) contains natural substances that may boost mood, including one called phenylethylamine (PEA), which is said to be released in higher amounts in the brain when we’re in love. It’s also rich in magnesium, which is associated with relaxation.”

Take a break from life and enjoy the moment

Plan a date with family and friends

‘Hygge togetherness’ is hugely important to the Danes. It is very easy to let days go by without spending quality time with family or friends. So with that in mind, get the diary out and plan a few dates with the people closest to you. Hygge is all about enjoying those little things in life, and stopping to make memories.

Bake your own bread – simple as that

It’s so easy to forget to take a break from the office, or to visit your favourite coffee shop and just watch the world go by. Hygge is all about those simple moments that you don’t always appreciate or make the most of. So why not try making a simple week-night dinner into more of a memorable occasion by laying the table with your favourite crockery, lighting a few candles and turning off any background noise, such as the TV or radio, in order to really enjoy the moment.

Baking is a productive yet relaxing activity that the Danes enjoy. To nourish your mind and body, look for recipes that use buckwheat flour. According to Cassandra, “Clearspring Organic Buckwheat flour (£2.59, www.clearspring.co.uk) is naturally gluten-free and very nutritious. Like dark chocolate, it’s rich in magnesium, known as ‘nature’s tranquiliser’. And it’s also a great source of iron, zinc and B vitamins to support energy and your immune system.”

Hue – gah the night away

One of the first things Danes associate with hygge is candles. Whether it’s tea-lights on a table or lanterns by an open fireplace, candles can add to the enjoyment of snuggling up in the evening. Invest in natural scents such as fresh pine, fir cones and orange for an organic aroma that brings the magic of the outdoors into your home.

The word “hue-gah” translates literally as “cosiness”, so what better way to spend the evening than sitting by the fire on a cold night. Embrace dark nights with things that make you happy, such as fluffy socks, incense and warm blankets. Happiness is key to embracing the hygge lifestyle.

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Light those candles

Food notes

Catch up with the latest restaurant news, produce and foodie events

Spirit world

New sustainable distillery launches in the Weald to create fine spirits from native Wealden crops and food waste

Bobby Brown

Love is in the air

An update from Melvyn Funnell-Strange, General Manager at The Kentish Hare We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our Head Chef, Bobby Brown, who was selected to take part in BBC2’s MasterChef the Professionals. We are very proud of him and know he enjoyed the challenge of competing on live television. Well done, Bobby! Events for January and February are still being planned but will include our popular Kentish Hare Tasting Evening, date to be confirmed, and our Valentine’s Day dinner on February 14th, which gets booked very quickly. Full details of all events will be on our website www.thekentishhare.com After a very busy Christmas and New Year, please note we will be closed for essential maintenance from Monday 2nd January and will re-open on Friday evening 6th January at 5pm for bar and 6-9:30pm for food, with some new dishes on the menu. I would like to thank all our customers for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you soon.

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Recently-launched Wealden distiller Greensand Ridge Distillery aims to put a new twist on fine spirits by using traditional Wealden crops, such as cobnuts, and surplus produce to make a range of premium alcoholic drinks. The distillery launched with its first bottling of premium London Dry Gin, which includes eight botanicals that grow within a mile of the distillery, including cobnuts, gorse flowers and oak moss. They also released a limited edition, and the UK’s only raspberry eau-de-vie; a delicate, clear, raspberry-flavoured spirit made from surplus, quality berries grown by local farmer Giles Cannon. Ridge Distillery started in July 2015 with the mission to reduce food waste at the farm gate by fermenting and distilling quality fruit that supermarkets won’t take, and combining these with local botanicals to make a range of unique spirits. Powered by 100% renewable electricity and with a zero target for chemical use and non-recyclable waste, it is a truly sustainable business. Gin lovers will also be able to visit the distillery, located just outside Shipbourne, as part of Greensand Ridge Distillery’s Gin Experience, where visitors can create their own full bottle of gin in an individual copper still to take away with them. The business is the brainchild of Sevenoaks-born entrepreneur Will Edge who has worked in a range of jobs including IT, marketing and finance before he undertook a Masters Degree in Brewing & Distilling in order to return home to Kent and set about turning his love of spirits and craft cidermaking into a livelihood. Will says: “After so many years of practising my craft on a small scale, it’s an emotional day for me when I can bring these ideas to drinks enthusiasts in premium, locally-inspired products, and do so in a sustainable way.” www.greensanddistillery.com

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

England’s finest

The nation’s first independent English wine competition is born Raise your glasses as Independent English Wine Awards’ (IEWA) Gold, Silver and Bronze medals adorn the necks of 2017’s finest English bottles. Surprisingly, given its quality, English wine remains relatively low profile; in the media, on retail shelves and on tables. Talk of beating high-end Champagne at blind-tasting events and a £100-million-a-year industry is, of course, fantastic, but unless they read the wine press, or specifically seek it out, the average consumer still doesn’t hear much about English wine. The Independent English Wine Awards is a new worldclass, independent wine competition created to reward, and celebrate the best of English wine. In a hyper-competitive global marketplace, the emergent story of English wine and its significant export potential blends sustainability, ethical production, culture, tradition, heritage and quality. Through its medals and media activity, the IEWA is excited to help tell that story. IEWA founder Alexander Taylor explains: “English wine has a fantastic opportunity. It’s enjoying more interest and revenue than ever before but its quality, diversity and potential should put it on an even more exciting upward trajectory. As a new, independent voice, the IEWA is committed to adding volume to the conversation. After all, English wine is worth shouting about.” www.iewa.uk

Ice, ice, baby

Kent’s own luxury ice-cream produce , Simply Ice Cream, is planning to expand From humble beginnings when Simply Ice Cream was available from one local farm shop, the range is now available nationwide in over 500 outlets, including Waitrose, Ocado and Co-op stores around the country. The range is produced using locally-sourced ingredients, in the old-fashioned way – by hand in small batches. The superior quality and flavour of Simply Ice Cream has been officially recognized. It’s now a multi-award-winning range, its latest being a highly-coveted three-star GTA award for its new coffee flavour. “We’re now planning to expand the company at our current location near Ashford,” says Simply Ice Cream’s Managing Director, Sally Newall. “We are increasing storage capabilities, and in the spring will look at staffing as we will then be in a position to double our production. We have manoeuvred the company into this position due to the increased demand nationwide, as well as own label and export. However, we won’t be jeopardising the genuine, hand-made integrity of our artisanal product range.” www.simplyicecream.co.uk

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

LOV E FOOD AND DRINK

Tea time

Chocoholic? Hardened tea drinker? Keen to kick both habits in 2017? Then try the new Chocolate Cocoa Tea from Paxton Chocolate, the perfect drink to help you stick to your new year’s resolutions! It’s a fragrant tea made from roasted cocoa nibs, which has a delicious, chocolatey aroma and floral, refreshing taste. Rich in anti-oxidants, cacoa tea is all the good things about chocolate with none of the naughtiness! It’s available in Raspberry, Mango and Fennel Seed – all of which complement the complex cocoa flavour. Price: £8.50 for a 120g tin www.paxtonchocolate.com

Pasta with a twist

I Sea Pasta from Seamore offers a twist to your regular pasta dishes, swapping carbs for a seaweed. It may seem like an unusual option for pasta, but seaweed is great for both you and the planet – plus there are 288 calories in 100 grams of regular tagliatelle, and just 178 calories in I Sea tagliatelle! This super-healthy alternative is also low in carbs but high in nutrition, providing iodine, sodium, antioxidants, proteins, calcium, iron and omega-3. Price: £5.99 www.planetorganic.com

Tastes like the real thing

Planning to give up the booze for Dry January? Or just trying to cut down on alcohol and be a bit more healthy? Then choose St Peter’s Without, an alcoholfree beer that you can truly raise a glass to. It’s a totally natural, alcohol-free beer that’s brewed in the same way as a normal beer and tastes just as good as the real thing. Containing less than 0.05% alcohol and at least 25% fewer calories than standard beer, it provides a real alternative for non-drinkers, or those looking to cut back on booze. St Peter’s Without is available nationwide in supermarkets and pubs. www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk

Citrus burst

The Citrus Zinger offers the health benefits of water, but with the great taste of juice fresh in one handy sports bottle. This on-the-go bottle infuses your water with any citrus flavour of your choice, for the ultimate fruit-filled hydration. To infuse, simply untwist the bottom section, turn your bottle upside down and place your chosen fruit onto the press. Add the bottom back onto the bottle, fill up with water and enjoy your refreshing and flavour-filled drink. The Citrus Zinger is a healthy alternative to sugary drinks, offering a low-calorie pickme-up while helping you get your five a day. If you’re not keen on citrus, but still like to enjoy fruity water, the Citrus Zinger Gift Pack contains a 795ml bottle along with three attachments for different fruit combinations, including the classic citrus press, cucumber slicer and kiwi reamer, so you can add any flavour that tempts you. The attachments ensure the fruit infuses your water, but the pulp, seeds and skin stay in the bottom section of your bottle. Price: The Citrus Zinger Sport, £16; and Citrus Zinger Gift Pack, £20 www.root7.com

LOV E FOOD AND DRINK

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

The no-diet diet

Think losing weight means boring meals? Think again! These scrummy recipes from Slimming World are part of an eating plan that will help you lose the pounds deliciously!

Minted aubergine, courgette and couscous salad Serves 4 Ready in about 25 minutes Ingredients

• Low-calorie cooking spray • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper • 1 thin aubergine, sliced into 1cm rounds • 1 courgette, sliced into 1cm rounds • 150g dried couscous • 300ml hot vegetable stock • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved • 25g bottled roasted red peppers in brine, roughly chopped • Large handful of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped • Juice of 1 lemon • Juice of 1 orange

Method

1. S pray a griddle with low-calorie cooking spray, season

the aubergine and courgette slices and fry over a high heat for 5 minutes on each side or until browned and softened. Alternatively, season the aubergine and courgette, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and cook on a baking sheet under a hot grill for 12-15 minutes, turning and spraying with more low calorie cooking spray halfway through. 2. M eanwhile, put the couscous in a large bowl. Pour in the hot stock, cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Fluff up the couscous with a fork. Stir in the aubergine, courgette, cherry tomatoes, peppers and mint. 3. D rizzle over the lemon and orange juice and season to taste. Cool, cover and chill until you’re ready to eat. 42

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Beef and creamy beetroot coleslaw sandwich Makes 1 Ready in 10 minutes Ingredients

• ½ small cooked beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated • 4 tbsp fat free natural Greek yogurt • 1 tbsp very finely-chopped red onion • ½ small apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • Small handful of rocket leaves • 2 slices of wholemeal bread (from a small 400g loaf) • 2 thick slices of lean roast beef, all visible fat removed

Method

1. P ut the beetroot, yogurt, onion and apple in a bowl. Season and mix well.

2. P lace the rocket leaves on one slice of bread and top with the beef.

3. S pread the beetroot coleslaw over the beef and sandwich with another slice of bread.

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Chicken dhansak Serves 4 Ready in 1 hour 10 minutes Ingredients

• 1 large onion, finely chopped • ½ large butternut squash or pumpkin, deseeded and cut into bite-size chunks • 100g dried red split lentils, washed and drained • 6 ripe tomatoes, chopped • 1 tsp turmeric • Juice of 1 lime • Low-calorie cooking spray • 2 garlic cloves, grated • 2cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated • 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped • 3 tsp ground coriander • 2 tsp cumin seeds • 1 tsp ground black pepper • 1 tsp ground fenugreek seeds • 1 tsp mild chilli powder • 2 tsp cardamom seeds, crushed • 8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs, quartered • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper • Finely-chopped fresh coriander, to serve

Method

1. P ut the onion, squash or pumpkin, lentils and tomatoes

into a wide heavy-based saucepan and pour over enough cold water to just cover everything. Bring to the boil over a high heat then add the turmeric, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Tip half of the mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth. Return the blended mixture to the vegetables and lentils in the saucepan and stir in the lime juice. 2. M eanwhile, spray a non-stick frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, then add all the spices and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes to seal in the lovely flavours, then stir everything into the lentils. 3. B ring the chicken and lentils to the boil over a high heat, cover tightly and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Season to taste and scatter over some fresh coriander to serve. KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Baked prawn parcels Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes Ingredients

• 2 baby leeks, shredded • 1 carrot, peeled and shredded • 2 celery sticks, shredded • 6 baby courgettes or 1 small courgette, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler • 4 thick asparagus spears, trimmed and shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler • 600g raw peeled king or tiger prawns • 2 tsp garlic salt • 100ml boiling vegetable stock • 1 heaped tbsp finely-chopped fresh dill • 4 lemon slices • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper • Boiled dried rice, to serve

Method

1. P reheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. 2. C ut out four pieces of tin foil, each about 25 x 25cm, and

top each one with a slightly smaller piece of non-stick baking parchment. Bring up the edges a little and pinch the corners so that each parcel will hold its filling. 3. D ivide the vegetables between the parcels and top with the prawns. Mix the garlic, salt and stock, and spoon this mixture over the prawns and vegetables. Sprinkle over the dill, top each parcel with a lemon slice and season to taste. Seal the parcels to enclose the filling and arrange on a large baking tray (you might need two trays). 4. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the prawns are cooked and pink and the vegetables are just tender (open one to check and return to the oven for another 2-3 minutes if necessary). 5. D iscard the foil and serve hot with boiled rice, inviting everyone to open the parcels at the table so they can enjoy the aroma. LOV E FOOD AND DRINK

Apple betty Best-ever Bolognese Serves 4 Ready in 45 minutes Ingredients

• Low-calorie cooking spray • 1 large onion, roughly chopped • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes • ½ tsp ground cinnamon • 1 heaped tsp dried basil • 1 large carrot, peeled and finely grated • 500g lean beef mince (5% fat or less) • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes • 200g passata • 1 tsp sweetener • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper • Cooked dried pasta, to serve

Method

1. Spray a large frying pan with low-calorie cooking

spray and add the onion, garlic and chilli flakes. Cook gently for 4 minutes or until the onion is softened, stirring occasionally. 2. A dd the cinnamon, basil, carrot and beef and fry for 3-4 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, passata and sweetener. 3. S eason, stir well to combine and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes or until thickened. 4. Serve with your favourite pasta shapes. 44

LOV E FOOD AND DRINK

Serves 6 Ready in 40 minutes Ingredients

• 2 large eating apples, peeled, cored and sliced • 50g sultanas (or use raisins) • 8 eggs • 4 tbsp sweetener • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 175g pot Muller Light vanilla yogurt • Pinch of cinnamon, to dust • Fat-free natural fromage frais, sweetened to taste, to serve

Method

1. P reheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5. 2. A rrange the apple slices in a 20cm flan dish and sprinkle over most of the sultanas.

3. B eat the eggs with the sweetener and vanilla extract,

then add the yogurt and beat again. Pour the eggs over the apples and sultanas and let them sink in to the fruit. 4. Scatter over the remaining sultanas, dust with cinnamon and bake for 30 minutes or until set. 5. Serve warm with fromage frais. Recipes taken from Slimming World’s collection. To find your nearest Slimming World group visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000. Image credits: Slimming World/Gareth Morgans, Karen Thomas

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Guift Guide

For her... These glamorous backpacks from Manhattan Portage come in a variety of colours. The Manhattan Midnight collection shines with its textured exterior interlaced with beautiful glitter threaded accents. Price: £85 www.manhattanportage.co.uk

Add a splash of colour with the Lipault Lady Plume Tote Bag, £65, Plume Vinyle Satchel Bag, £79, and Plume Vinyle Cosmetic Pouch, £15. www.lipault.co.uk

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

What could be more romantic than this Ted Baker Crystal Heart Spinning Pendant, £59, and Bijou Pave Ballerina Pendant, £79. www.jewellery4.co.uk

Handmade in the UK, this sweet little wooden bird pendant features a little sterling silver heart which creates wonderful movement when worn. Price: £40 www.historicroyalpalaces.com

Jewellery display board. Price: £26.95 www.rigbyandmac.com

Bunny rabbit earrings, £9.95, and Eye Love You necklace, £16.95. www.acornandwill.co.uk

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Tatty Devine Barn Owl earrings. Price: £32 www.rockmyvintage.co.uk

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Colourful hand-painted wooden chest. Price: £56.50 www.iansnow.com

Love Hearts tealights. Price: £6.99 www.GettingPersonal.co.uk

Umbra Toto storage box. Price: £30 www.black-by-design.co.uk

‘I Love You To The Moon And Back’ and ‘I Pine For You’ cards. Price: £3.95 www.papermash.co.uk

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Create your very own brand of tea and personalise the stylish silver tin with your love’s name and your personal message. The Personalised Tea features a full-colour label and 40 Twining’s English Breakfast teabags. The perfect gift for anyone that loves a good cuppa. Price: £9.99 www.GettingPersonal.co.uk

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

For him...

Treat him to Danish company B&O’s Play H9 headphones. The design incorporates wireless connectivity, active noise cancellation, over-ear fit for supreme comfort and acoustic isolation, as well as the finest sound B&O Play has to offer. Price: £449 www.beoplay.com

If he’s into fitness, the Archon Move Heart Rate Fitness Tracker is a smart wristband that tracks steps, distance, calories burnt and heart rate. It also acts as a sleep monitor, by tracking deep and light sleep durations, too. With it’s easy-to-use swipe OLED touchscreen, it’s designed to help encourage and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Not only that but it keeps you connected as it alerts you to calls, messages, social media and your calendar. Supported by Android 4.0 and IOS 5.0 or above, it works with all major mobile phone brands and is available in a choice of colours. Introductory price (limited time only): £49.99 www.idealworld.tv

Snakehive has a range of premium protective phone cases made of high-quality natural materials at affordable prices. The range is suitable for Apple, HTC, Huawei, Microsoft/Nokia, Samsung and Sony handsets. Price: £18.95 for the vintage wallet collection and £21.95 for the slimline wallet collection www.snakehive.co.uk

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Kickstart his morning with the world’s first alarm clock that wakes you up with some of your favorite everyday scents fragrancing the bedroom. To create the perfect aromas, simply load the tiny, recyclable capsules into your alarm clock just like those from your favorite coffee machines, using the most modern and innovative dry-air infused technology. The sensor wake alarm clock is the perfect wake-up call, fragrancing your room in under two minutes. Start your mornings with one of seven iconic scents, whether that’s coffee, chocolate, peppermint, grass, toast, the seaside or croissants. The alarm clock also comes with a backup melody after three minutes of emission. Price: £99.99; fragances, £4.99 each www.thefowndry.com

Stag decanter, £140, and shot glass, £23.95. www.athomeinthecountry.co.uk

‘You’re A Fox’ card. Price: £3.95 www.papermash.co.uk

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Crab multi tool. Price: £17.50 www.kikkerlandeu.com

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Clockwise from top left: Abahna soaps, hand wash, body lotion, bath foam and gift sets, from £10; Edwin Jagger luxury leather travel shave kit, £114, three-piece imitation ivory and nickel shave set, from £79, and porcelain shave bowl, £20 – all brushes are pure badger hair; Tyler and Tyler belts, £30 each; Abahna Vetiver & Cedarwood range; Tyler and Tyler socks, £12, cufflinks, £30, and knitted ties, £34. All from Tinker & Toad in Heathfield. www.tinkerandtoad.com

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

For the home...

Double-sided hanging picture frame. Price: from £12.95 www.decoratorsnotebook.co.uk

‘Butterfly Love’ pink canvas. Price: £22 www.arthouse.com

‘Wild Love’ black & white giraffe print. Price: £195 www.alexanderandpearl.co.uk

‘Bacon to My Eggs’ sign. Price: £15 www.tch.net

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

‘All You Need is Love’ framed print. Price: £47 www.redcandy.co.uk

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Love blocks. Price: £8.95 www.livelaughlove.co.uk

Light-up vintage ‘Love’ sign. Price: £290 www.in-spaces.com

‘Love’ door mat. Price: £39.99 www.modern-rugs.co.uk

‘Love Shack’ cushion. Price: £34.95 www.thenauticalcompany.com

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Love coat rack. Price: £38 www.redcandy.co.uk

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Lovebird triple hook. Price: £3.95 www.livelaughlove.co.uk

‘I Love You’ hanging plaque. Price: £2.50 www.MelodyMaison.co.uk ‘Love You Forever’ Bambi tins. Price: £9.50 www.sistersguild.co.uk

Hanging double heart. Price: £3.95 www.livelaughlove.co.uk

Love heart white picture multi-frame. Price: £9.95 www.livelaughlove.co.uk

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

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A touch of class Skinners of Tunbridge Wells has some lovely accessories for your home

These luxurious faux fur throws are perfect for draping over the sofa or adding a softness to the bedroom. Prices from £186

Scent your home Faux fur cushions, £48 a pair

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All About Eve candles and diffusers, available from Skinners of Tunbridge Wells. They come in a range of fragrances Price: candles, £21; diffusers, £25 www.skinnersoftunbridgewells.co.uk

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Property portfolio Home & garden

A winning team

When Sarah and John Baker wanted a new kitchen, little did they realise the result would be an award winner

Sarah and John Baker wanted to redesign the kitchen of their busy Kent home and approached Rencraft to do the job for them, having been very pleased with the kitchen update the company had carried out for them previously. The resulting kitchen was so stunning, it won the award for British Design & Manufacturing at the 2016 Designer Kitchen and Bathroom Awards, honouring not only the efforts of Rencraft’s design team, but also the skills and expertise of their dedicated craftsmen who work away behind the scenes in their Sevenoaks workshop turning their designer’s drawings (and, of course, their clients’ kitchen dreams) into reality. But back to the beginning. The Bakers wanted to update their existing kitchen and had only a couple of stipulations. They loved their Aga and reusing this appliance was a must in the design brief. They also wanted a wine store. “We were delighted to get involved,” said Jonathan Reynolds, Rencraft’s Designer. “However, the property had many structural issues from previous builds, including supporting piers and walls which I could see needed to be altered. A separate lobby area gave access to the garage and utility room, and I could see this wall could be removed and the garage doorway blocked in, giving two distinct advantages to the redesign: flooding the kitchen with light cascading from both sides of the room, and extending the cabinetry run to facilitate much-needed storage. “We soon set about making a focal point of the Aga, which needed to remain where it was, meaning it was vital that the rest of the design worked around it. With this in mind, we aligned an island and pendant lighting with the Aga and then installed traditional cabinetry around it. The design of the cabinets includes a central line which continues the

LOV E YOUR HOME

whole way around the kitchen, creating a classical, yet contemporary look. This works beautifully, tying the whole scheme together.” The central line is a reinvention of an old Rencraft classic. Says Jonathan: “We have always offered twin door panels split vertically but have recently installed a new display at Tunbridge Wells splitting the door horizontally. The idea behind this is to break up the look of the larger-width doors and give interest where you would usually see a completely flat centre panel.” Continuing with the idea of a clean, contemporary style, cabinetry was kept light, with Frosty Carrina quartz for the worktops. To cater for the family’s busy lifestyle, it was crucial that lots of storage was built into the design, which would also help to maintain the clean look of the kitchen. The breakfast bar therefore includes a cupboard for storing worktop appliances such as toasters and mixers, ensuring the worktops can be kept clear of clutter. The sliding doors are close to the seating and breakfast bar, making it simple for everything to be taken out and placed on the island for a family breakfast. Zones such as this were crucial to ensure that the family could use the kitchen from a practical point of view. Other areas include the pantry and fridge freezer, which are placed close together for the easy organisation and unpacking of food. In addition, the sink area has been zoned to include the dishwasher and bin, allowing for easy cleaning at the end of a meal. The couple’s requested wine store was inbuilt into the alcove by the wood burner. This not only provides useful storage but brings the scheme to the other side of the room

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and harmonises the space. A bronze mirror behind the walnut wine cabinet adds a hint of glamour to the room. Additional storage is provided by the wine chiller in the island, which also frees up space in the fridge. “The result is a sleek, contemporary kitchen which will stand the test of time,” says Jonathan. “Despite its seamless appearance, it is also a hugely practical space with a great deal of storage and carefully zoned areas, and it’s filled with small details tailored exactly to the couple’s needs. “The Bakers were a joy to work with. Sarah has a very good eye for design and she intuitively knew the issues with the existing space. I was able to make several suggestions which she came on board with, giving me the freedom to reinvent her space. “They loved their Aga and reusing this appliance was a must in the design brief. However, it was a classic red finish which didn’t fit in with the more updated look to the kitchen. The solution was to change the red fascia for a more subdued colour to reflect the mood of the new kitchen. “Sarah is a very keen cook and there were several worktop appliances which are constantly in use, cutting down on valuable preparation space. I was able to design a much-needed appliance garage with slide-away door systems to store these appliances, freeing up the workspace and leaving the kitchen looking less cluttered.” So, did Jonathan have any idea when he designed the kitchen that it would be an award winner? Did he feel it was extra special? “Many of the key features that we look to design into any space were implemented into this design, for instance, the pantry, chimney breast, island, appliance garage and display cabinetry would all be high on any client’s wish list. When it can all be accommodated into one room without compromise then, yes, it

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creates a very special room to be enjoyed for many years to come.” Sarah says: “We decided to go to Rencraft for our kitchen as we had been very happy with some work they’d done for us previously and we love their traditional, handmade style. We knew we would get a beautifully-made kitchen, and that our needs would be central to the design. “With three teenage children and two dogs, plus my husband and I who both work, our kitchen is always busy. Jonathan listened to our brief for a family-style room with plenty of space for people to sit and have coffee, grab breakfast and so on, as well as loads of storage so it can easily be kept looking smart and uncluttered. We also had the added challenge of an Aga to work around and, of course, we wanted the whole thing to look lovely, too. “Jonathan more than met our brief. He was full of ideas for clever ways to do things and little finishing touches, plus he was always a pleasure to work with. The attention to detail shown by Jonathan and the Rencraft team throughout the process was second to none and we now have a kitchen that will be the centre of our home for many, many years to come. “We knew the design was being put forward for an award, but when Jonathan texted us from the ceremony to say it had won we couldn’t quite believe it! Of course it’s nice to think of our kitchen as being ‘award-winning’, but mostly we’re just really pleased for Jonathan and all the craftsmen, fitters and painters who were involved with the design, manufacture and installation of our kitchen. To have their work recognised in this way is absolutely fantastic and thoroughly well-deserved.” www.rencraft.co.uk

LOV E YOUR HOME

Home notes

Fresh ideas and style tips on the home front

Dressed for best

The solid oak frame of this bespoke freestanding dresser from Chamber Furniture is finished with an opulent dark grey Farrow & Ball paint which perfectly complements the variegated Arabascato marble. In-built LED lighting provides a subtle effect, and soft-close doors and drawers are finished with handcrafted copper-effect handles. Bespoke freestanding dressers are priced from £15,000. www.chamberfurniture.co.uk; tel 01959 532553

Bang on!

The Rhino hammer has been designed as a witty piece of home décor as well as a practical workshop tool. The body/storage dock and handle are made of rust-resistant, lightweight aluminium, and its hammering head from stainless steel. When removed from the stand, the handle extends and rotates to snap in place, revealing a carbon steel neck. Solid enough to double as a paperweight or even a bookend, the tougher-than-it-looks Rhino is the perfectly-formed mini mallet for all those little jobs around the house. Price: £39.99. www.thefowndry.com

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Wash-day magic

Fresh laundry is one of life’s simple pleasures. Fresh sheets, delicatelyscented linen, soft and fluffy towels are all things that put a spring in our step. Neptune believes in making the entire laundry process a happy one, from start to finish. Cue their Chichester laundry collection. Comprised of full-height, wall and base cabinets, each design was created with both laundry and general household cleaning tasks in mind and is based on the aesthetic from their first-ever product family – the classic English Chichester. Whether you have space for just one cabinet within a kitchen area, a few in a utility room, or a bigger assortment in an entire laundry room, this is a collection that helps you to keep your household in order in the most beautiful of ways. Our top three picks, clockwise from above: • The clever clogs: the broom cupboard has a space for everything, quite literally. The Neptune design team tried combinations of bulky vacuum cleaner, mop and bucket, and ironing board to be sure they all fit in at the same time, as well as adding a rack for storing cleaning essentials. • The small space saviour: this wall cabinet is just perfect for homes with limited floor space. The shelf section provides storage and the solid oak pullout rack tucks away discreetly when laundry day has been and gone. • The two-in-one: it can be frustrating taking up double the floor space with washing machine and tumble dryer, so this cabinet lets one stand on the other’s shoulders. Discover the entire collection in the Neptune Laundry Room at neptune.com

Style your home The latest trends for stylish living Get back to nature with rustic charm, natural shades and a touch of animal magic

Stag head. Price: £50 each www.arthouse.com

Silver sheepskin rug. Price: £59 www.modern-rugs.co.uk

Clockwise from top left: Headboard in Stanley Sage; cushions in Rippon Sage, Sutton Grey, Malham Sage, and Gisburn Grey. All fabrics by Ian Mankin and available from www.bellhousefabrics.co.uk

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Set of three tealight candle holders. Price: £16 www.in-spaces.com

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Anti Clockwise from left: Curtains in Malham Grey; tablecloth in Stanley Grey; tablecloth border in Witton Grey; chair cushions in Ripon Grey. All fabrics by Ian Mankin and available from www.bellhousefabrics.co.uk

Blue bird tealight holders. Price: from £6 www.tch.net

Blue and green bird house vases. Price: £16 each www.tch.net

Clockwise from left: Curtain in Linton Dark Navy; sofa in Beverley Dark Navy; cushions on sofa in Witton Dark Navy and Stanley Dark Navy; armchair in Carlton Dark Navy; cushions on chair in Witton Dark Navy and Witton Grey; footstool in Stanley Dark Navy. All fabrics by Ian Mankin and available from www.bellhousefabrics.co.uk

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Blue vintage-style kitchen collection. Prices: from £4 www.tch.net

Pheasant tableware collection. Price: from £10 www.sophieallport.com

LOV E YOUR HOME

Garden notes All you need for your outside space

Put the boot in!

The Muck Boot Company is proud to be the only gardening footwear endorsed by the Royal Horticulture Society. The RHS is a UK-based charity established to share the best in gardening. It has created a variety of stylish, durable boots in beautiful botanical prints from the RHS Lindley Library, to ensure you’ve got your feet covered – whatever the weather! Price: £100 www.muckbootcompany.co.uk

On the mat

Everyone knows that stylish wellies need a smart doormat to wipe mud off before entering the house. This small doormat is durable and boasts a quirky wellington-boot design – perfect for reminding visitors outside the back door, boot or utility room to clean those muddy shoes before entering the house. Price: small, £10; large, £22 www.gardentrading.co.uk

Fill your home with our top four Valentine’s Day flowers

1. Red rose – Love and desire

2. Orchid – A symbol of love

3. Forget-me-not – True love

4. Tulip – Enduring love

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Kudos in the garden with Tim Sykes of Gardenproud

I was recently thinking about the garden and kudos, and what this conjures up. If I was a Chelsea award winner, I’d feel pretty special about that gold or silver gong sitting on my mantlepiece. So that would be kudos. But lesser gardening mortals like me get plenty of kudos, most importantly from the pleasure our gardens and garden designs give to our customers. In the last year alone, we have built and enhanced seven gardens and put forward designs for improving many more. 2016 kicked off with the completion of a new garden in Huntingdon Avenue, the new Berkley Homes development in Tunbridge Wells. This was a contemporary solution, incorporating a summer house, raised pond, obelisks, a terrace and planting, which I’m pleased to say our client was delighted with. Our next project was to landscape the area and driveway leading to a new oak garage and store area in Groombridge. This was completed on time and greatly enhanced the customer’s entrance. Word had got around at Huntingdon Avenue and we were invited back by another resident to design and build a new garden. This time, the challenge involved taking the blockiness out of a small, walled space and creating a more interesting shape that incorporated seating areas, raised beds and lawns. The client, who is a keen gardener, wanted to plant up the garden herself. She was very pleased with her new vista, and I’m looking forward to seeing the fruits of her labours in 2017. Strange as it may seem, our next challenge involved a lot of research and conversing with bowling-green and golf-course professionals to devise a putting green scheme for one of our customers. We ended up following the guidelines laid down by the US GA. This involved creating a number of sub layers, including a lower drainage network leading to a soakaway, a layer of crushed stone, a layer of inert sand and a top layer of loam. Each layer was compacted and featured a terram membrane to reduce weed infestation and retain the drainage properties. We then sewed an ultra-fine grade of bowling/

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putting green grass and set up the watering system to help the germination process. To complete the scheme, we sourced a special mower for the customer that is capable of cutting the grass to a very fine level. Back to planet Earth and we next found ourselves working in an exclusive new development, building another contemporary garden in the Kent countryside. This was a complete redesign of a medium-sized garden. It featured mature specimen trees, topiary, shrubs to create screening, perennials, lawned areas, a greatly-enhanced rear terrace, painted cladding to mirror the design of the house, an irrigation and lighting scheme and a number of other design features. Key to building the garden was access and the need to lift and plant two enormous and rather precious trees. This was completed early in the process with the help of heavy-lifting gear. The end result looked stunning and the client was delighted with their new garden. Most recently, we have completed a garden near Sevenoaks. This involved a major replanting of the front and rear gardens, relaying of lawned areas and pathways, and incorporating focal-point features including mirrored oak obelisks. We also carried out some significant hard landscaping alterations, creating raised brick beds to the front garden, and a natural pond, bridge and floating deck area in the rear garden. A lighting scheme helped enhance the new features. The overall scheme was carefully designed and built to blend into the existing garden environment. The result looks fabulous, providing the client with an interesting focal point and additional entertainment area. So you are beginning to see why we gain a great sense of achievement from every garden we complete. That’s enough kudos for us. For further information about how Gardenproud can help you enhance your garden in 2017, call Tim Sykes on 07725 173820, or see more at their website, just Google Gardenproud.

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Family

Heads up!

Top local headteachers answer your questions

My son has recently become friends with a child at school who is not as academically motivated as he is and who often gets into trouble. This has started to have a really negative effect on his grades and overall behavior. How can we handle the situation? Should we involve the school? Kate Rogers, Tonbridge

Angela Culley, Headmistress

The Mead School, Tunbridge Wells Co-educational preparatory school for boys and girls aged 3-11 If your son’s friendship is having a growing and persistently negative effect on your son’s academic and personal progress and development, you must inform the school. The chances are they, too, will have noticed what is going on within the school environment and may already have put some strategies in place. One of the great joys of life is our friendships and it is at school that we all learn the ‘art of friendship’ and the personal freedom we have in choosing our friends. Your son will learn much through this experience, whether it be that this particular close friendship is shortlived, or whether it is managed so that the positive elements can be nurtured and enjoyed whilst the negatives are ignored. Talk to your son but do not ‘ban’ this friendship, for tempting though that would be, the chances are the children will still be attracted to each other and a ban would actually be impossible to implement. Instead, give him strategies to empower him to understand, appreciate and cope with the negative effects; ie walk away from situations you know are wrong, listen to your conscience, don’t sit

next to each other in class. There will be many more which are pertinent to your son, his age and character. Share these with the school so that all parties can work together to support and, hopefully, result in a positive outcome for both children.

Craig McCarthy, Headmaster

Russell House School, Otford Independent prep school for girls and boys aged 2-11 Once you have decided to actively get involved, it is always difficult ground to cover trying to influence your child’s friendships. Like so much of what I would recommend here, tackling it successfully head on with your child depends on their age, maturity and whether they are in preparatory or secondary school. But there are a few general points to make. If there is a measurable impact evident on learning, or perhaps even a negative effect on grades, then I think involving the school has to be your first step. At Russell House, if the boys are in the same class then Form Teachers can readily bring up the topic indirectly by discussion in group sessions or Circle Time. Another way to help is to shape his friendships that have a positive impact. Organising playdates or sleepovers (again it depends on their age!) with positive role models will help reinforce those strands of behaviour and education that will help get your son back on track. Beware of preaching! This can only ever have a detrimental effect and the opposite to that for which you are looking. However, be honest. If you are worried about their grades, you would be wise to raise that as an issue in itself, regardless of the cause.

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Julie Lodrick, Headmistress

Kent College, Pembury Independent boarding and day prep and senior school for girls aged 3-11 and 11-18 Friendship cases need to be sensitively and subtly handled; therefore, communication between parents and the school is key. Here at Kent College, if this were the case for one of our girls, we would ask parents to have a conversation with the Head of Year or myself, as Headmistress, about their concerns. Talking to people outside the family will offer a different perspective and will help to provide a wellbalanced approach. At Kent College, we would spend time with them to see how they feel they are progressing in school and whether there were any problems they were facing. Often, pupils may use this opportunity to open up about any peer pressures. We would encourage both children to attend new clubs so that they can broaden their friendship groups and build new interests. In some cases, we might talk to the parents about whether the other pupil was in the same form group and if it might be beneficial for a form move. At home, consistently instilling the importance of education may help to point your son in the right direction. Explain the effect that a network of people can have on us and how it is important to sometimes make changes for the better. Encourage him to invite another friend for a meal one evening, cheer the interactions and promote the importance for him to spend time with these other friends.

Kate Elliott, Head Teacher

Bricklehurst Manor School, Stonegate Mainstream independent school for pupils aged 3-11 It is important to allow your child to make friends of his own choosing, but you can help him to make positive friendship choices by talking and encouraging him to recognise how he behaves around certain children. He may notice that he plays better with some than others. It’s unadvisable to prohibit your child from who they can and can’t befriend, as it’s saying that you do not trust your child to make good decisions. This will most likely cause your child to do the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve. It’s important to understand that your child is making a choice to play with this child and must be held responsible for their own behaviour. You could try talking to the other child’s parents, being careful not to judge their parenting but instead sharing your parenting experiences. Most likely, they’ll reciprocate which will give you another perspective. Assume that the parents are as well-meaning as you are and aim to build a relationship with them. Do talk to the school and ask them to encourage mobility amongst the class, and to look out for, and provide support for, poor behaviour. The school will be able to continue the guidance that you will be giving your child at home.

Do you have a question for our Heads? Email: editorial@badbettymedia.co.uk

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School report

From two Olympic visits and an equestrian success to an architectural award

Inspiring the future

Olympic gold medallist Susannah Townsend – and ex-pupil – thrilled the children at Russell House in Sevenoaks Fresh from her team’s stunning gold-medal winning success at the Rio Olympics, GB hockey player and Olympic gold medallist Susannah Townsend returned to her prep school, Russell House, recently to talk to the pupils, answer their questions and provide a skills masterclass in hockey. Susannah told the children that when she was their age, she too had sat where they were in the school hall and that she had been taught by some of their teachers. She told them that there are days when she doesn’t feel like going out to train, but that it’s always important to persevere. If you don’t try, she said, you will never know if you are good or not. She explained how the whole GB hockey team was committed to providing positive role models for girls and to promote the sport they love. They wanted to inspire the future and sustain the heightened interest in hockey that their success has generated. For her, the pleasure of the sport is not just in the winning, it is the shared memories and experiences that she has with the team – many of whom she has known and played alongside since she was 16. Russell House headmaster, Craig McCarthy, said: “Susannah Townsend was such an inspiring figure for our pupils and our staff! The fact that she started her sporting career on the pitches that they are playing on today shows them that, with determination and self-belief, they really can realise their dreams.” After having answered the children’s questions – and in spite of the fact that she was walking with crutches following an operation on her knee – Susannah, together with South African women’s hockey team member and London Olympian, Dirkie Chamberlain, joined the children outside to direct a hockey skills masterclass. The children ended the session bursting with excitement and keen to put their coaching tips into action in their next match. They also had the opportunity to ask Susannah some questions.

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What was your favourite subject at school? Not maths! I liked music and I thought of myself as a good singer. Did you think you would be a professional sports player? It was the only path I was ever going to go down. Every break at school I would be out playing sport. Why do you play midfield? I started as a forward as I wanted the glory of scoring goals. But I wasn’t good at scoring goals and I’m a runner so midfield suited my game. Now I set up goals – although I have been told I need to score more myself. Did you think you could go to the Olympics? My dream was to go there. Were there times I thought I wouldn’t? Yes – for example when I wasn’t picked for London 2012. I was first picked for England in 2008 but after that there was a three-year period when I didn’t play for the team. Now I have 160 caps. Was it scary playing at the Olympics? I thought I’d be nervous but in fact I was more excited than nervous. Did you think you could win the Olympics? The first game was very important. We played Australia in our first match and had a history of not doing well against that team. However, once we won that, it felt right and I thought we could win. Momentum is a big thing in these events and that started our momentum which continued to build through the tournament. I thought we could win it. When you went to Rio what did you do? Hockey at the Olympics lasts the full two weeks so you have to ensure you concentrate all that time. It’s not easy when there are lots of famous faces around that you see on TV and people like Usain Bolt are hanging out of their balconies. You have to make sure you don’t get distracted. The dining room was another temptation – especially since all the food was free! When we arrived we had three practice games and then during the tournament we also had lots of meetings and recovery time. What was it like when you won the gold medal? It’s a dream come true, although I don’t think it will completely sink in for a while. I can’t put into words what it felt like.

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Riding to success

Mayfield girls win titles at equestrian championships Mayfield School Equestrian Squad was riding high after once again winning a number of titles at the National Schools Championships at Addington Manor. A weekend of Championship team successes saw Mayfield take the National Schools Dressage Team Champions title, become the National 1.10m Team Show Jumping Champions and the National Open Arena Eventing Team Champions, where the team was over 12 marks ahead of any other school. The girls also swept the board individually. Year 10 pupil Molly Faulkner was crowned the National Special Jumping with Style 1.10m champion, with Mayfield girls also taking second and third places and Year 9 pupil Anna Martin became the BE series National Champion, with Mayfield again taking another three section titles in this category. As a result of the weekend’s success, four of the Mayfield girls – Kitty Ashby, Catherine Haurie-Moss, Molly Faulkner and Amy Whiffen – were invited to compete for England in the Schools Nations Show Jumping Cup, again winning their section! Year 13 pupil, Immie Long, was also invited to compete in the Nations Cup Dressage Section, providing Mayfield with their final success to round off a triumphant weekend. Director of Riding, Jill Barker, said: “Our tremendous success was the culmination of plenty of hard work but also the most fantastic team spirit, which was the envy of many of our fellow competitors.”

Building history

Mead School wins Civic Award for new extension The Mead School has won a Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society Award for its beautiful new extension, which has been built to house a large new reception area and two new classrooms. The Society, which was founded in 1959, campaigns for the conservation and improvement of the town and its quality of life and The Mead School was one of 10 local developments and restorations listed for an award this year. The Society found that The Mead’s extension, designed by architect Robert Shreeve and built by Jonathan Tomlin of Anglefield Construction, looked as if it had always been part of the Victorian House. The project was led by Headmistress Mrs Angela Culley, who felt strongly that the extension should be in keeping with the original building. She said: “The aim of the new building was to enhance the front of the house by bringing it into better proportion, and to construct an entrance worthy of the house’s original 1900s stature. At all times the design was to be in keeping with the original architecture, celebrating Tunbridge Wells style and plasterwork. We are absolutely thrilled with the result. The house looks wonderfully at peace with itself, welcoming all to its doors. “The front door is magnificent and leads into a wonderfully light and welcoming reception area. The two rooms above the entrance complete the build. These have meant the roof structure seamlessly blends with the original house again, ensuring 16 Frant Road retains its credibility and integrity whilst keeping abreast with 21st-century living, working requirements and expectations. “It was a huge pleasure working with Robert Shreeve and Anglefield Construction and I’d have no hesitation working with them again in the future. Enormous thanks must also go to The Mead’s Office Manager Rebecca Hall for overseeing the project and bringing everything in on time.”

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Jolly hockey sticks

Hockey Olympic medallist Crista Cullen opens new pitch at Kent College Crista Cullen, Team GB double Hockey Olympic medallist, recently visited Kent College Pembury to celebrate the opening of their new Astro pitch. Crista led a session on the pitch for the school’s senior players before meeting parents, governors, alumni and staff during an afternoon reception, where she spoke about her journey to the London and Rio Olympics. The Astro pitch is the latest addition to an already impressive portfolio of sporting facilities at the school. In addition to the secondary Sports Hall, which opened in October 2015, and state-of-the-art Fitness Suite, which was built in 2014, the new pitch positions the school as the destination for girls who want to excel in hockey. Current Year 11 pupil Georgia Whitaker has been recently selected for the England Hockey U16 Training Squad, and Kent College’s XI team have started the season with an impressive match record. Headmistress Julie Lodrick said, “I am delighted that our girls have had the opportunity to train with one of the country’s leading sportswomen. At Kent College, we provide our girls with personalised training and development to help them become the best sportswomen they can be.” Director of Sport Sam Clark said, “The new pitch and the recent appointment of Ben Allberry as Head of Hockey is a very clear indication that signals our intent to become a leading hockey school. We now have the facility to allow all our girls to experience hockey as it should be played and I am confident that we will see more girls following in the footsteps of Georgia Whitaker and her England achievements.”

100 not out

Scout group celebrates centenary at new trampoline park One of the county’s oldest scout groups enjoyed an exclusive visit recently to Kent’s newest trampoline park to celebrate its centenary year. The 5th Dartford Scout Group, founded on 4th December 1916, is the longest continuous running scout group in the Dartford district. It’s also one of the largest, supporting three Beaver colonies, three Cub packs, three Scout troops and a thriving Explorer Scout Unit, who were all guests at Flip Out Chatham. Thousands of people have already visited the £1m trampoline park at Dockside in Chatham, which was opened last year by the Sports Minister and Kent MP Tracey Crouch. www.flipout.co.uk/chatham

Open all hours

Community shop gets a royal visitor Benenden residents were delighted to welcome the Countess of Wessex to their community-run shop and post office. The enterprise was conceived over two years ago when residents feared that this vital neighbourhood feature might be lost. A small group of locals realised that Benenden School’s need for extra staff accommodation complemented their desire for the shop to continue. They joined forces in an arrangement which saw the school acquire and renovate the premises. They use the living areas for employees and lease the commercial premises to the community. Together with a newly-created café, it is run by volunteers and professional, paid managers. Girls from the school also help by volunteering. Over tea and cake, the Countess heard about the enthusiasm and hard work which has made the project happen. The Countess unveiled a plaque to commemorate her visit and the celebration of the official opening. Martin Pexton, who chairs the Benenden Community Shop Committee, said, “The visit of Her Royal Highness was a very special way to celebrate the success of our community shop, which has been achieved through the hard work and enthusiasm of many members of our community.”

Virtual lessons

Sevenoaks School introduces Virtual Reality in the classroom Sevenoaks School has now started using Virtual Reality (VR) in the classroom. Last year, the school purchased a number of virtual-reality headsets and associated equipment, and students have enjoyed everything from Art to Philosophy from a very different perspective! The innovation team at the school has actively been following developments in VR, and invested in an Oculus Rift Developers’ Kit a few years ago. The school then purchased a set of Google Glass, and students and staff alike have been waiting for a more financially-attainable option to come to the market. With the launch of the Samsung Gear VR, Director of Innovation, Graeme Lawrie, felt that VR was starting to become affordable and realistic for schools to invest in. “This is a very exciting initiative for our students and staff,” said Graeme. “We are enjoying using the technology to allow students to experiment with painting in 3D, and then walk through their artwork, exploring the undersea world in Geography, learning a modern language, and walking through the human brain. For students, this is by far the most engaging and potentially enjoyable way to learn! Virtual Reality will become an integral part of the future classroom, future workplace, and inevitably our future lifestyle, and we are very excited to be part of this innovation in its earliest form.” 76

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Top of the class

New Headmaster to join The Mead in September Andrew Webster has been appointed as the new Headmaster at The Mead, Tunbridge Wells. The Mead is a very popular and high-achieving school, and the quality of the applicants for the position reflected this. Throughout the search process, the focus was on finding someone who could not only build on The Mead’s many successes, but also safeguard its unique ethos. Andrew was the stand-out candidate in a very strong field. An experienced teacher and leader, Andrew is currently Deputy Head at Daneshill, a successful co-educational prep school in Hampshire. His focus on supporting and challenging every child to be the best that they can be is a perfect fit with the spirit of The Mead. Andrew is married to Jo, a teacher, and they have two children who will join the school in September. They are very much looking forward to the move to Tunbridge Wells, particularly as Jo’s family lives locally. Andrew will join the school in September 2017. He said: “I feel privileged to become only the second Head Teacher of such a reputable and thriving prep school. Within moments of my first visit, I sensed the unique warmth and comradery built into the fabric of The Mead and I was hooked. My family and I are very much looking

forward to joining such a wonderful community and I’m thrilled to be at the helm as The Mead moves into an exciting new era.” Angela Culley, Founder and Head of The Mead, said: “We had a brilliant field of candidates, but in Andrew we have found someone who really understands the school’s ethos and I feel absolutely confident entrusting him with the future of The Mead.”

Making a difference

Skinners’ pupils elected to Kent Youth Coucil For the second year running, students from The Skinners’ Kent Academy have been elected to the Kent Youth Council where they will voice the views and opinions of young people throughout the County. Gabriel Baker, 13, and Aidan Mars, 13, are both in Year 9 at the Academy and have a passion for politics. They will both choose three issues to campaign on for the next year. Speaking of his incentives, Aidan said: “Listening to the voices of young people in Kent is what we are here for. Any queries or worries people have is an opportunity for us to tackle them, making a difference during the next year and in the future.” This year, over 24,000 young people across Kent voted for the candidates they wanted to win. Four people are elected every year to represent Kent, with four deputy members and 12 being elected to community seats. The Kent Youth Council offers teenagers the opportunity to voice issues they feel strongly about to the County Council throughout the next year. As the students prepare for their year ahead, Gabriel said: “I have a dream of helping younger people, especially those who live in Tunbridge Wells. If people are affected by anything, we can do more to assist this now that we have been elected.”

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Yummy mummy corner Whether you’re a yummy mummy, a loving partner or a doting grandparent, this is for you...

Smile, you’re on camera The Journey 1 by Hyndsight Vision Systems is a lightweight, fully-wirefree camera and monitor unit that can be used to help keep an eye on your children anywhere in the home or in the garden. Hyndsight cameras can be mounted easily on any surface in seconds, no wiring is needed and a clear image with true depth of field is transmitted instantly making this system perfect for parents that wish to see what their children are up to whilst carrying on with everyday tasks. Supplied as a complete kit, the Journey 1 includes a wireless, sunlightreadable monitor, a wide-angle camera with a non-fish-eye view, two flush mounts, an antenna set and two chargers, all in a protective case. The monitor will work up to 100 yards away from the camera, making this system suitable for use in most homes and gardens. Up to four cameras can be paired to one monitor, and it can also be easily fitted in the family car to keep an eye on little rear seat passengers. Price: $499 – units are shipped direct from the United States. www.hyndsightvision.com

Wrap-a-bye baby The Nido car seat baby wrap by 7am Enfant protects little ones from the cold and replaces the need for a winter coat when they’re in the car. It’s designed to go over the child when they are strapped correctly into their car seat, and has a unique and innovative back oval cutout, eliminating the need for any extra layers between the car seat and the baby’s back, while allowing full access to the five-point harness. Price: from £50 www.7amenfant.co.uk

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Portion perfect Nibbling’s silicone placemat helps promote healthy eating and portion-size guidance for babies and toddlers. The placemat is designed to help give parents guidance when it comes to the size of portions they should be feeding their children, as well as encouraging children to eat all the different food groups which helps instil healthy eating habits from a young age. The placemat sticks to surfaces such as highchairs and tables and won’t slide around, and is compact enough to fold up and put in your bag for meals out. Price: £28 www.nibbling.co.uk

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Portable booster In the UK, it’s a legal requirement to have a child car seat or booster seat for any child travelling in a car under the age of 12. That’s fine in your own car, but what about the 30% of journeys that children take that include taxi rides, transport on holidays, outings with grandparents or school friends and those unexpected trips when there is a need to take an additional child in a car? The solution is mifold – the most advanced, compact and portable booster seat in the world. More than 10 times smaller than a regular booster seat and taking less than 30 seconds to fit per child, it has revolutionised the way that a traditional booster seat works. Regular booster seats lift a child to be in the position of an adult, whereas mifold does the exact opposite by holding the seatbelt down. It’s that simple! With three belt guides, mifold adjusts the lap belt and shoulder strap to fit the child and accurately holds the seat belt on the hip bones and shoulder, offering the correct amount of restraint in case of impact. Smaller than an iPad, it is so compact you can store it almost anywhere, from a car door pocket to a child’s school bag. Price: £49.95 www.johnlewis.com

Look what’s in store

Great Little Trading Co (GLTC) is bringing its unique collection of award-winning children’s furniture, toys and interior decor to the Intu Shopping Centre in Bromley with the opening of a new retail store. GLTC will be offering a shop-and-collect service, so customers will be able to feel the high quality of the products, try out the range of toys and furniture, and take them home on the same day. GLTC is passionate about the quality of its products. ‘‘Our new store puts our award-winning range in a prestigious shopping centre for the first time,” says CEO, father of three and ‘proud parent’ of GLTC, Jamie Reeve. “Children and families are at the heart of everything we design and we’re proud to promise that everything we make, makes a happy home. Alongside our Wandsworth flagship, this is the second store we opened in 2016 and we hope for many more in 2017 and beyond.”

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Make it a happy family new year Plan some resolutions that will make a difference to your family life

The end of an old year and the start of a new one is a time when we make those New Year resolutions to lose weight/spend less/drink less/exercise more. But this year, why not make some resolutions to benefit the whole family?

Have more family meals together

Family meals have become disjointed affairs, with everyone on different schedules or preferring to eat in front of the TV. But even if it only happens once a week, make time for a family meal when you all sit round the table together with no distractions. Studies have shown that there are many benefits to preparing and eating meals as a family. When you involve your children in preparing meals, you are helping them to build essential life skills and teaching them about nutrition. Children who help prepare family meals have been shown to eat more nutritious food. Family meals promote a feeling of closeness and more open communication among family members, as well as encouraging healthier eating habits.

Exercise together

You don’t have to drag the family to the gym and force them onto the cross trainer. Make an effort to take a regular walk together, go for a cycle ride or enjoy a family swim at the local

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pool at the weekend. You could even train as a family for a fun run or 5K charity run. And remember that the more active you are, the more likely it is that your children will be active, too.

Reduce screen time

Difficult though it may be as our lives become more dependent on technology, cutting down on time spent on a smart phone, at the computer or games console or in front of the TV as a family is increasingly important. Schedule technology-free family time – even if it’s just an hour a week to start with – and use the time for activities as a family, like playing board games.

Let’s talk

Research shows that open family communication from a young age can have major benefits. For instance, teenagers who communicate well with their parents are less likely to rebel. So take time to talk as a family. Along with regular meals together as a family, regular family leisure time can also lead to better communication.

Prioritise

Be willing to challenge everything about your family life. Nothing is sacred. You may have to change your lifestyle, rearrange your

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schedule or drop some of your commitments in order to fully benefit your family. Are your children involved in too many activities? Are you so busy you never have time alone with your spouse? Ask yourself what’s really important to you and your family.

Learn to delegate

Mums tend to take everything on themselves, and still do even when their children are old enough to help out. You can’t do everything. Divide up the work and responsibilities so you’re not so worn out all the time. Give your children specific tasks that they can each be responsible for. They will appreciate feeling helpful, and you’ll have more to give them in return.

Create family rituals

Plan something fun for everyone to look forward to, like game night once a week. It can be a time to de-stress, decompress, relax and have fun together without the TV on or the phone ringing. Do your children like to bake? You could have a weekly baking night. Make time for special time together.

Make time for each child

Make a commitment to have “dates” with each of your children. Find one thing you can do that’s unique to each child that you don’t do with the other children. While family time is critical, the time you spend with each child individually is also vital to who they become as adults.

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New year, new start What will your resolutions be for 2017? Team Kudos and friends get the ball rolling

Lose the baby weight!

“I gave birth to a lovely baby boy, called Leo, on 10th October last year. I always said that I wouldn’t be one of those mum’s who ate for two, that I would exercise throughout my pregnancy and wouldn’t put on too much weight. How wrong was I! “I was horrified to discover that I had put on two stone after Leo was born and it is not dropping off like some people promised, even though I am breastfeeding. “So, spurred on by the recipes on page 42, I shall be joining Slimming World in the New Year. Hopefully I’ll get my pre-baby figure back in no time. Wish me luck!” Hannah Tucek Kudos Publishing Director

Out and about

“To get out on my bike more often. It’s such a great way to exercise and keep fit, plus you get to see some amazing views. Neil Constant Kudos Creative Director

Family time

“To spend lots of time with my grandson!” Robin Tucek Kudos Managing Director

Splash of colour

“Fashion Editors are renowned for wearing black and I am certainly no exception. My New Year’s resolution, however, is to add a splash of colour to my wardrobe. I’m looking forward to stepping out in style wearing shades of perky pink, brilliant blue and gorgeous green. Can’t wait!” Sally-Ann Carroll Kudos Fashion Editor

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No resolutions!

My New Year resolutions have been the same for years – and so predictable. Lose weight, exercise more, spend less and so on. Oh, and finish that novel that’s been languishing in a drawer forever. Somehow I never stick to any of them. So this year, I’m not going to make any resolutions in the hope that I actually achieve some of them spontaneously! Ann Wallace Kudos Editorial Director

Be positive

“To be more positive! Good things happen.” Taz Pishbin Kudos Media Sales Manager

Get away

“To have six mini holidays instead of one big one!” Matt Harquail Kudos Photographer

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Walk the walk

“My New Year’s resolution is to take my miniature Pinscher, Rocky, on lots of different walks rather than sticking to the same old routes we are used to – it will make it more fun for both of us. There he is on the left, helping me with deliveries.” Kerri at Collared HQ in Hastings

Me time

“I don’t really do resolutions – I try to live well all year. But I guess my big thing that I always struggle with is to have more time for myself. In the middle of all the busyness, to create more pockets of me time.” Dr Sophie Shotter Illuminate Skin Clinic

Less stress

“To be light hearted, positive and, above all, kind in 2017 and not to stress the small stuff!” Kerry Gibb Causeway Joinery

Work it out

“Work to live, not live to work!” Miles Ingram Tinker & Toad

Little things

“My New Year’s resolution is actually a re-hash of one I made last year, and that is to appreciate the little things in life – to try and have a more positive outlook and not to sweat the small stuff. It’s easier said than done, but this year I’ve made a real effort to note the small moments of joy in life by writing them down on a post-it and sticking them in a memory jar. I’m talking about tiny, everyday things like snuggling up and having a cuddle with the kids, spotting a rainbow after a rain storm, or my husband bringing me home a cheeky chocolate bar as a treat. As New Year’s resolutions go, this simple effort to find the good in life has proved to be one of the best I have ever made and so I will be unashamedly repeating it again this New Year’s Eve.” Karen Cowell Marketing Manager, Rencraft Ltd

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Easy ways to go green in 2017 To celebrate Go Green Week from 13th-18th February, here are some eco ideas to help save money and the planet

Make the most of your freezer

Keeping your freezer fully stocked is the most eco-friendly use of the space. That’s because it takes a lot more energy to chill an empty space, according to America’s Natural Resources Defense Council.

Dish it out

Dishwashers use half the energy, one-sixth of the water and less soap than hand-washing dishes, reports a German study. But make sure it’s full before you turn it on.

Tumble take out

Cut tumble dryer energy by up to 40% by taking out items as soon as they are dry. Your clothes will dry faster with more room in the dryer and lighter fabrics will be less wrinkled.

Eco driving

Drive smoothly, accelerate gently and read the road ahead to avoid unnecessary braking. The faster you go, the greater the fuel consumption and pollution. Driving at 70mph uses up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more than at 50mph. Cruising at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70mph.

Keep the cup

If you have a water cooler at work, hang on to your plastic cup and re-use it. Taking a fresh cup every time is a huge waste.

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Alternative Energy

Ecotricity (www.ecotricity.co.uk) was the first energy company in Britain, indeed, the world, to offer green electricity, way back in 1995. The electricity and gas they provide is made from renewable sources: green electricity from the wind, the sun and the sea, and green gas made from organic material and soon, grass.

Ditch the junk

Over 50 lbs of junk mail is sent to the UK home on average each year. With 25 million homes in the UK, this equates to over 568,000 tonnes a year! Where possible, opt out of receiving mail from companies you deal with and join the Mail Preference Service (www.mpsonline.org.uk) to reduce junk mail.

Switch off

Always switch off electrical equipment at the socket. LED electrical equipment in particular continuously drains electricity when it is on and not being used. You can save around £30 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode. You may want to think about getting a standby saver which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go.

Be smart

Smart meters are a new technology that the UK government is hoping to have installed at every property in the UK by the end of 2020. A smart meter displays your electricity and gas usage and cost

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in real time so you can see how much you are using and when, and what it’s costing you.

Shower…

If you’ve got a shower that takes hot water straight from your boiler or hot water tank (rather than an electric shower), fit a water-efficient shower head. This will reduce your hot water usage while retaining the sensation of a powerful shower. A water-efficient shower head could save a four-person household around £80 a year on gas for water heating, as well as a further £120 on water bills if they have a water meter.

… power

Spending one minute less in the shower each day will save around £8 off your energy bills each year, per person. With a water meter, this could save a further £12 off annual water and sewerage bills. Turn your lights off when you’re not using them. If you switch a light off for just a few seconds, you will save more energy than it takes for the light to start up again, regardless of the type of light. This will save you around £13 on your annual energy bills.

Boiling point

More than nine in 10 people boil a kettle every day and 40% boil water five times a day or more. However, three-quarters of households boil more water than they need, costing households £68m a year in energy bills, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Push Power

One petrol lawnmower generates as much pollution in an hour as driving a car for 100 miles. Get a manual mower instead. It may take a bit more elbow grease but mowing the lawn is a great form of exercise.

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On your bike

Two wheels are a great way to save the planet and get regular exercise. Check these out…

No more soggy bottoms! The transportable and stylish Dry Patch Seat Covers are designed to ergonomically fit any shape or style of bicycle seat, and fold up into a small waterproof bag with a carabiner clip ensuring ultimate ease in transportation. The base layer of the seat covers is made from chamois, which soaks up water providing suction and grips to the saddle. The middle layer is made up of medical grade silicone, creating an impenetrable barrier between your rear and the water, whilst the top layer is finished with leather, providing a comfortable feel and fashionable look. Chris Gomez, CEO and founder of Dry Patch, says: “Like most two-wheel commuters, I hate the idea of lugging around reams and reams of ‘functional’ kit and wanted to jump on my bike and go. I noticed there was a gap in the market upon seeing rows of bike seats wrapped in cheap plastic bags and people mopping them with filthy rags. I realised more and more people were looking for functional and stylish commuter accessories allowing the freedom to jump on and go – and Dry Patch was born.” Price: The Moto Seat Cover is £34.99 and The Velo is £24.99 For further information, email Chris Gomez: Chris.gomez@dry-patch.com

Innovative folding scooter Designed for urban leisure and commuting, SwiftyONE MK3 is the ultimate foldable adult scooter. Combining large pneumatic wheels with innovative foldable design, it will transform your commute. Complete with a new, lightweight, aluminium frame set and front fork design, the improved geometry gives comfort and stability at higher speeds. The folding mechanism allows you to fold and unfold your scooter in less than five seconds. You can roll it on its front wheel, and the slim profile (158mm) allows for storage in narrow hallways, luggage compartments or under your desk. Price: £599 Swiftyscooters.com

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Business notes A round-up of local business news

Two’s company Poignant wedding gift for networking couple Love was in the air at a leading breakfast networking group when two members who were getting married were presented with a wedding present of a cheque for the neo-natal unit that saved their grandson’s life. President of the Royal Spa BNI Chapter, Debbie Harris of Chosen with Care and fellow member, cameraman and editor Rob King, went on to marry on 24th November. Rather than receive gifts, they had requested donations to the Oliver Fischer Neo-Natal Ward at Medway Hospital, where Debbie’s grandson, Harry, was cared for after he was born last August. Harry’s mother Emma Harris, of Harris Gardens, is also a member of BNI Royal Spa, so it was an easy decision for the rest of the chapter to support these three members. Chapter Vice-President, Julian Weekes, presented them with a cheque for £270, in front of representatives from more than 80 local businesses. “We were taken aback by the generosity of our fellow BNI members – and delighted to be able to support the fantastic work of the neo-natal ward at Medway Hospital with their donation,” said Debbie Harris. “The week following Harry’s birth was very

Driving the future New online car dealership launches in East Sussex Numbers reveal an increasing number of people in Hastings are choosing to buy their next car online. And, with the recent launch of online car dealership, Carspring, in the Hastings area, it could be part of an on-going trend. Their launch is the latest indication of a marked shift in the automotive sector. To date, 154 customers in the Hastings area have submitted an application to buy from the company. And, with

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Debbie Harris of Chosen With Care, Rob King, Emma Harris of Harris Gardens holding three-month-old Harry. Photo by Emily Brown Photography.

difficult, so we have seen first-hand just how amazing the staff are and how important it is to make sure the necessary support is available for sick babies and their families.” www.bnikent.co.uk/kent-the-royal-spa-bni/

entrants in the new car sector also entering the market, that’s just a small indication of the shift towards the e-commerce dealership. The company’s launch in Hastings reflects Carspring’s exponential development from a disruptive startup to a growth stage company in just a year, despite primarily focusing on the London region. The online dealership is currently on track to sell 3,000 cars per year with that number doubling every few months. Through buying a used car with Carspring, each car buyer saves on average £1,000 versus buying their used car elsewhere. Carspring co-founder Maximilian Vollenbroich sees the Hastings launch as an integral part of the company’s drive to bridge an e-commerce gap, yet to be dominated by a universallyknown player. He says: “If I want a book delivered, I go on Amazon. If I want to get my groceries delivered, I go to Ocado. With the popularity we’ve already seen in the Hastings area, we’re pretty sure we’re going to be the go-to site for used cars. “Right across the board, every sector is going online. Old conversion barriers relating to issues around trust are being broken down, as e-commerce proves its salt as a convenient and trustworthy alternative. “So far, we’ve seen great success in London. Now, by launching in Hastings, we’re offering the people of East Sussex and Kent a genuine, online alternative when they’re looking to buy their next car. We’ve seen great results around the Hastings area and we’re really excited to see what happens next.” www.carspring.co.uk/hastings

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Doggone! Super sales for dog accessory shop Collared Dog accessory and gift shop Collared is delighted with the success of their newest store in Canterbury after its first full Christmas trading period. Located next door to the Cathedral’s gift shop on Burgate, the branch launched the Christmas before, which meant that they didn’t have much time to maximise on the festive period, but 2016’s sales were booming. The most popular products were their range of ‘sticks’ and their soft toys. Collared also has branches in Tunbridge Wells and Hastings, where these products are equally popular, although Tunbridge Wells sells more of their larger items, like dog beds, while Canterbury sees a lot of visitors who are keen to purchase smaller gift items that they can easily take home with them. Says Collared owner Catherine Parr, “We were really pleased at how popular our Canterbury store was at Christmas. Having launched only just before Christmas in 2015, we didn’t know what to expect but we were thrilled at the popularity of our new store. We look forward to seeing sales grow even more in 2017!”

All that glitters New venture for local jeweller Gabriella Fine Jewellery and Watches at 9, Chapel Place in Tunbridge Wells is the latest venture for Richard Burrell, who has been in the jewellery trade for over 50 years. After a two-year hiatus from the trade, Richard sold his eponymous business in 2014 and is keen to impress that Gabriella is not related to Burrells. The team has over 100 years of experience in the jewellery trade, with 35 of these coming from Sales Director, Matt Delves. Matt has worked with Richard for over 23 years, starting in the Tonbridge store then moving with the business to Croydon, Bromley and eventually to Burrells Tunbridge Wells until that business was sold in 2014. Matt says, “I’ve had a passion for jewellery from a young age. I’ve always enjoyed working with Richard and we’ve seen some changes in the industry during the last 23 years. Personally, I think what we offer here at Gabriella is unrivalled. We focus on the customer experience and share our knowledge and expertise to ensure the customer gets exactly what they want.” Matt works closely with Gabby Burrell (Richard’s daughter), who is the Operations Director and manages the day-to-day running of the store. Gabby has worked with Richard since the age of 12 and previously managed the Canary Wharf shop in London. Gabriella Fine Jewellery and Watches is open every day except Sunday and has something for all budgets and tastes. They also

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Richard Burrell

have a 48-hour jewellery service from their onsite jeweller, David Markey. Why not come in and say hello to the team? info@gabriellajewellery.co.uk Tel. 01892 540216

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Fitness accolade Tonbridge gym voted runner-up in top regional awards The Strength and Conditioning Institute (The SCI) in Tonbridge bagged a trio of certificates at the National Fitness Awards in Leicester recently, to add to their impressive award collection. The business was named runner-up in the Regional Gym of the Year category, meaning the world-class facility is officially ranked the number two gym in the South of England – a huge region, which includes London. The gym was also named runner-up for the prestigious Customer Service Award, and took second place in the hotly-contested Gym Team of the Year category. The awards, organised by Script Events and leading industry publication Workout, are now in their seventh year and recognise excellence and achievement in all aspects of the fitness industry across the country. The SCI went through a rigorous assessment process, which involved being visited by a member of the Workout team who explored the facility, chatted to members and staff and examined all areas of the business, from member retention to customer service. Reports were then passed on to an expert judging panel, which decided the winners in each category from a shortlist of six finalists. The independent panel of judges said: “A gym that can move to new premises and not lose a single member in the process must be doing pretty much everything right.”

Director and Head Coach at The SCI, Alex Shoebridge, said: “There are hundreds of gyms in our county alone, and thousands across the South of England, and that number only climbs when you factor in London. So to be ranked in second place in this massive category is absolutely amazing news. We are incredibly proud to see The SCI reach these heights on a national scale, especially as we are still a relatively young business.” Fellow Director and Head Coach Martin Shyvers said: “We pride ourselves on the professionalism and passion of our coaches, and the friendly atmosphere at The SCI. To see both of these aspects recognised in the nationwide Gym Team of the Year and Customer Service categories affirms that our approach is spot-on, and that we are realising our mission of being No Ordinary Gym.”

Fair

split

Pensions play a vital part in the settlement of divorcing couples, says Sarah Haywood of solicitors ThomasHaywood More people than ever are divorcing in later life. This means that often, a pension can be the biggest asset of the marriage as a result of falling property prices and a reduction in available cash. Pensions can therefore be a crucial factor in reaching a fair settlement in divorce proceedings and should never be overlooked. During divorce proceedings, you should consider not only your immediate needs, but how you will manage your finances in retirement. With the recent change in legislation, the new â&#x20AC;&#x153;pension freedomâ&#x20AC;? provides more options as people with personal pensions and members of occupational defined contribution schemes can access the whole of their pension pot, although tax is payable on all but the tax-free lump sum. For a long time now, the Court has been able to deal with pensions. The most usual route is via a pensionsharing order. This creates two pensions from the existing one, which are entirely independent of each other. The least popular route is an attachment order. This results in the pension holder remaining in control of their pension and they cannot be made to retire at a certain age but when they do retire, a proportion of the pension is paid to the other party. The disadvantage of this is that if the pension holder dies, the pension benefit is lost and if the party who is to receive the pension remarries, then payments, which are similar to maintenance, will cease. The third option is offsetting, where the nonpension-holding party takes a greater share of the other matrimonial assets to compensate for their loss of a share of their spouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pension. The disadvantage of this is that a pension is not a liquid asset in the same way as a bank account and therefore there is no set formula to value the pension asset to formulate a fair outcome on an offset. It is not uncommon for wives to want to stay in the matrimonial home with the children and the husband to retain their pension. This is on the basis that in retirement, the wife can sell the house and downsize. However, by that time there may be grandchildren and the wife may

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not wish to downsize to somewhere there is insufficient room for the grandchildren to stay. If the parties remain married, one might legitimately expect that when the other retires, they will benefit from the pension, and in the event of death, they might expect to receive a surviving spouses pension. On divorce, these benefits are lost. If a party has given up work to bring up the children of the family, they may not be in a position to build their own pension pot. It is therefore important that the pensions are properly investigated. Pensions are not an exciting subject and can be difficult to understand, which means it is important that advice is taken at an early stage both from a pensions expert and a solicitor to ensure this significant asset is not overlooked. www.thomashaywoodsolicitors.com

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January sales – and the scammers are out Don’t be caught by spam in your rush to bag an online bargain

Since 2010, AppRiver’s security research team has noticed a spike in spam and malware traffic, often in the tens of millions, during the Christmas shopping season and into January in the UK. The messages are almost always related to the festive period, trying to trick consumers into opening their ‘enticing offers’ claiming they’re the latest and greatest deals and steals. In November 2016, and following Amazon’s Black Friday promotions, scammers were quick to capitalise on the legitimate activity by sending emails pretending to come from the online giant calling for ‘urgent action.’ However, instead of updating customer details (as the message claimed,) the Cyber Grinch behind the campaign wanted to glean those all-important card details. Of course, it’s not just Amazon messages that you need to be wary off. Often spammers will use photos of legitimate products and services to trick users into going to a fake website that is either infected with malware or phishing for creditcard numbers. For cybercriminals, personal information and credit card details are the best way to start the New Year, as they can quickly turn this into cash. They either use the card details to buy purchases themselves, or sell the ‘customer record’ on the black market. So why the spike at this time of year? Scammers will look to slip their messages into mailboxes at a time when email traffic is already on the rise, hiding amongst offers from retailers offering deals and trying to secure the money that will be spent in this important retail period. The best place to hide is in a crowd so it makes sense that cybercriminals try to imitate legitimate emails. The issue for many is that, under this deluge of ‘sale mail’, its a lot harder to weed out the good from the bad. But it’s not impossible. Here are some tips to help:

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1. I f the message sounds too good to be true, or if it looks fake, it probably is. Just junk it.

2. A sk yourself if you’ve ever received an email from that

particular store before. If you’ve not signed up for an email list or shopped there, you should be wary of how it got into your inbox.

3. A common email campaign we see involves “shipping

confirmations” from Hermes, DHL, Parcelforce, DPD, UPS, FedEx and TNT that must be opened via a zip attachment. DO NOT OPEN THIS ATTACHMENT. Big postal and package delivery services will never send you a postal confirmation in a zip attachment. They will send it in the body of an email, or ask you to log in to your account to view it.

4. Toggle over all of the URL links within the email. If Amazon

sends you a sale alert, and there’s a link to a gadget, take two seconds to hold your mouse over the link before clicking. If it shows amazon.co.uk or smile.amazon.co.uk, feel free to click on it. If it shows akljfaasedaf.com, Amazon didn’t send you that email. Don’t click on it.

5. U se good judgement. It can be easy to get wrapped up in all

of the excitement of sale shopping. Don’t let that put blinders on you when you’re being prompted to enter your credit card number or open email attachments. When you’re trying to bag a bargain, don’t allow criminals to up the price.

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Helping hand A round-up of local charity news Changing lives

Fundraising provides children’s treatment room in memory of two-year-old Evie The memory of a little girl who died when she was only two is to live on after a specialist treatment room that she never had the opportunity to use was named after her at a pioneering centre made possible by Kent charity, Tree of Hope. Evelyn Shears was being supported by the Tunbridge Wellsbased charity when she died in 2014. The light and spacious room, in the beautiful surroundings of premises owned by the charity in Crowborough, East Sussex, will be used by other children across the south east who have similar needs to Evelyn and who are receiving treatments and therapies through the pioneering holistic service, Starjumpz. Evie had multiple health needs, including brain damage and cerebral palsy. Her parents, Aimey and James, fundraised through Tree of Hope to pay privately for specialist therapies for their little girl. Sadly, in August 2014, Evie was diagnosed with Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a terminal cancer of the brain and died in November, just two months short of her third birthday. Generous donors, friends and family had raised thousands of pounds to help pay for Evie’s treatments and, following her death, the money reverted to the charity to be used generally to support other children. Tree of Hope’s chief executive officer, Gill Gibb, said that the Evelyn Shears Room will be a fitting memorial to a brave little girl. “Our tenants, Starjumpz, are pioneers in the treatment of children with learning, developmental, motor and behavioural challenges and this is a perfect location. Tree of Hope refurbished this property with the general funds that Evie’s fundraised money contributed to, with a view to letting it to an organisation that works with the type of families we support. “Had Evie lived, she would have benefitted from the work Starjumpz does here and may well have received therapy in the room that is now named after her. “We wanted Aimey and James to know that the money they worked so hard to raise for Evie is now of benefit to numerous other children whose lives will be changed by the therapy, treatment and support they receive here.” At the naming in Crowborough, Evie’s mum, Aimey said: “We are so proud that this centre will offer a place for so many families to find sanctuary, hope and support.” The Evelyn Shears Room will be used for paediatric consultation, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy. In addition, educational talks are held every month to help parents and teachers understand different childhood conditions and how best to help children fulfil their potential. Jo Brett, chief executive officer of Starjumpz added: “Our team are honoured to be able to dedicate this beautiful room to the memory of Evie Shears and support a Tree of Hope family.”

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Left to right: Jo Brett, Aimey Shears, James Shears and Gill Gibb

Make your voice count

Community choir plans to raise £5,000 by encouraging everyone to join a one-song event Tenterden’s community choir, The Tuesdays, are launching a challenge called ‘Make Your Voice Count’ to raise £5,000 for the Pilgrim’s Hospice, Ashford. They are aiming to recruit 500 people, each contributing £10, to form the biggest choir that Tenterden has ever seen, performing just one song on a never-to-be-forgotten occasion on 28th January. Says Max Wilson, musical director for The Tuesdays: “It’s a unique idea which we hope will bring the whole community together to raise funds for a wonderful cause – and have a great time doing it!” Max stresses that singers of all ages and abilities (and no ability!) are invited to take part. There are no auditions or rehearsals and everyone who participates will receive a CD of the song, or can download it from the unique event website. Once they’ve paid, participants just need to turn up at St Mildred’s Church, Tenterden at 7.30pm on Saturday, 28th January. Every penny raised will go to the hospice.

www.makeyourvoicecount.club

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

The colour’s orange Ball raises record amount for hospice charity ellenor Hospice charity ellenor’s Orange Ball has raised a record £77,000 – funds which will help it in its work with families facing terminal illness across Kent and South East London and could fund one of the charity’s specialist children’s nurses for 18 months. Held at The Grange, St Paul’s, and attended by more than 200 people, the Orange Ball was compered by ellenor Patrons, Charlotte Hawkins from Good Morning Britain and Phil Spencer from Location Location Location. “How fortunate Kent is to have a charity such as ellenor, which takes end-of-life care into children’s homes,” said Phil Spencer. “It’s a service we all hope we’ll never need – but the fact that ellenor provides it is incredible.” Added Charlotte Hawkins: “I am very honoured to be a Patron of this really special charity. I was inspired to get involved when I met the Read family – who ellenor supported when both of their young sons were ill and very sadly died. ellenor helped to keep the family together at this really difficult time; everyone involved does an absolutely fantastic job.” The star-studded evening included a fact or fiction game, with the chance to win a luxury break in Cornwall, and a live auction, hosted by ex-England cricketer Chris Cowdrey. Lots included a morning with Charlotte Hawkins on the set of Good Morning Britain and lunch with Phil Spencer on the set of Location Location Location.

Following dinner, guests watched a film about one of ellenor’s young patients, Finley Jones. His parents, Sarah and Mike – who were special guests at the Ball – explained how, as a tiny baby, doctors said Finley was unlikely to survive, having contracted Group B streptococcal Meningitis. His ventilator was turned off and his parents said their goodbyes. Finley, however, had different ideas. ellenor nurses supported the family to bring him home and, at nearly three years old, they continue to provide medical care and respite in the family’s own home. Moved by what Sarah and Mike had to say, a number of guests very generously pledged to pay for hours and days of care with £24 paying for an hour of care provided by one of the specialist children’s nurses at ellenor.

Play time

Toy Trust gives hospice charity ellenor generous donation ellenor’s Children’s Hospice Care team recently received a cheque for £10,862 to fund some vital sensory equipment which can be taken into children’s homes. The money was donated by the Toy Trust – the charitable trust of The British Toy and Hobby Association – and delivered by Neil Marchant from Mattel UK, one of the members of the Association. Neil Marchant is a finance manager at Mattel and chairman of the company’s charity committee.

As well as handing over the cheque, Neil spent time at the charity’s Friday Fun Club – a respite service provided by ellenor in Dartford. He met a number of the children which ellenor supports and chatted with respite carers, hearing about how ellenor supports children in their own homes 24/7. “It’s been amazing to meet the children and so lovely to be part of this and to learn about the great work ellenor does in Kent,” says Neil. “Everyone here is so warm, welcoming and friendly and it’s so apparent that they have the children’s welfare at the centre of their hearts.” Many of the children ellenor cares for have severe physical and mental disabilities, with limitations of movement, hearing, vision, behavioural difficulties and/or pain, which affect their quality of life and their right to play. Specialist sensory play equipment and environments offer the opportunity for them to enjoy play and help them developmentally and socially. However, this equipment is expensive and not always portable. ellenor’s nursery nurses currently have one set of sensory equipment to share between them; they must take individual pieces of equipment to the child’s house and often this equipment is required by more than one child. The Toy Trust donation will help to fund six ‘Sensory-in-a-Suitcase’ kits and six ‘Pop-up Pods’ – which can be easily transported and taken to children’s homes, as well as being utilised at Friday Fun Club. “We are incredibly grateful to the Toy Trust and its members, including Mattel, for its very generous donation,” says Hazel South, ellenor Head of Information and Development. “The new toys will be such a great asset for the development, stimulation and fun for the children.”

Lights, camera, action... Caitlin stars in Demelza Hospice Care TV campaign A schoolgirl from Kent is fronting a unique TV campaign to raise awareness of Demelza Hospice Care for Children in the south east. Caitlin Goodsell, 11, from Kingswood, Maidstone, who is herself helped by the children’s charity, recites a poem which accompanies a 30-second commercial going out in the Meridian and London region from February. The commercial has been made possible thanks to Kent-based Swale Heating generously donating £26,000-worth of their own air-time to the charity, which provides vital care to seriously ill babies, children, young people and their families across Kent, South East London and East Sussex. Caitlin, who attends Cornwallis Academy, Maidstone, was born with so many holes in her heart that doctors were amazed she survived birth. By the age of four, she had endured six major bouts of heart surgery and several other lesser heart operations. The family’s introduction to Demelza came when Caitlin was a year old and being fed via a gastric tube. A visiting nurse suggested the family could borrow a feed machine from the hospice which would prevent Ingrid and husband Barry having to get up every three hours during the night to feed her manually. Ingrid said: “It was life changing for us. We were on our knees. As well as Caitlin, we had Sam, a lively toddler two years older than Caitlin, and we were both trying to hold down our jobs.

Although we had heard of Demelza, we thought it was for end-oflife care. We never envisaged we would need their help.” The family suffered a second devastating blow when, aged four, Caitlin had a stroke. Today, she has reduced mobility in her right arm and leg but her condition is currently stable. She has an electric wheelchair to help her in school and a normal wheelchair to assist on family days out. She remains determined to lead a normal life, however, and enjoys riding, swimming, drama, singing and spending time at one of the charity’s two children’s hospices: Demelza Kent, based in Bobbing, Sittingbourne, and Eltham, south-east London. Following the commercial recording at the Sunlight Centre, Gillingham, Caitlin said: “It was brilliant to be asked to be the voice for Demelza, even though I was really nervous. I felt like I was speaking out on behalf of all the other children who use Demelza, which was a real privilege.”

Pedal power When Johnny Beer was paralysed at the age of 21, taking part in a cycling competition seemed an impossible dream. But it’s a dream that became reality, thanks to his determination, and charity Tree of Hope

A disabled man supported by Tunbridge Wells charity Tree of Hope has returned from the world’s first Cybathlon in Zurich with a silver medal for Great Britain. The Cybathlon is an international competition for disabled competitors who are allowed to use bionic technology, such as robotic prostheses, brain-computer interfaces and powered exoskeletons Using technology that enables him to pedal despite being paralysed, Johnny Beer, from Aylesbury, saw off competition from nine different countries in the qualifying rounds of the FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) bike race. In a head-to-head final against Mark Muhn, for America’s Team Cleveland, Johnny smashed his personal best to complete 10 laps in 4.08 minutes for Great Britain on a BerkelBike. Johnny, 21, was paralysed in a trampolining accident in 2011. “I attempted a back flip and unfortunately broke my neck, resulting in tetraplegia, which is also known as quadriplegia, and is paralysis caused by illness or injury that results in the partial or total loss of use of all four limbs and torso,” he explains. Before his accident, Johnny enjoyed keeping fit, so how did he cope mentally with the challenges of being paralysed, especially at such a young age? “To begin with, I wasn’t really sure what had happened but then I began to realise the extent of it,” he says. “However, I was certain that over time I would be able to improve, although I didn’t know by how much. I wasn’t too worried, though, because I was more focused on my rehab, and I still am to this day. The rehab has become part of my life. “Because I was so interested in keeping fit and rehabilitating, I got into using a Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) bike in the hospital. When I got out of there after nine months, I bought a FES BerkelBike which I could also take outdoors, which was great – it kept me really active and got me out in the fresh air. “I then talked to paralympian Paul Moore and kept on at him that there must be something that I could race my BerkelBike in because I really wanted to compete. Sure enough, about a year later he told me about the Cybathlon and said that I would be a suitable candidate. “Before competing, I would ride my bike every other day, so I continued to do that until a couple of months before the event

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where I upped it to every single day. That was a bit of a killer and I had to tone down the rest of the exercise I was doing and just focus on the riding because that alone would just knock me out.” Despite his eventual success, Johnny says the first few hours in Zurich were a nightmare. “There were so many problems after arriving it looked like it was going to be a complete disaster. Luckily, the BerkelBike team persevered, resulting in me smashing my personal best and winning a silver medal.” Johnny’s extraordinary commitment to staying fit and active is supported by fundraising through Tree of Hope that helps him pay for pioneering training sessions at Neurokinex, based in Watford. “Neurokinex specialises in spinal cord rehabilitation and the training has helped me become more independent,” explains Johnny. “I’m now able to do things, such as get into a chair with minimal assistance, that are normally impossible for people with my level of injury. “Fundraising through Tree of Hope allows me to keep paying for sessions that could help me achieve even more independence in the future. I want to get a lot fitter and I want to focus on the next Cybathlon. I think I can improve on some areas because this was the first Cybathlon – I know what to expect now. I was against an American who had FES implants which is different to what I was using – surface electrodes that are placed on muscle groups on the legs to enable me to pedal round. He was a lot faster than I was and I feel that I could improve on my regime and preparation because now I have a longer time to prepare.” Emma Bourne, fundraising manager for Tree of Hope, says pioneering therapies such as those Johnny uses can be life-changing. “People with complex needs can’t always get the level of support they need through the UK public health system, and Tree of Hope makes it possible for them to fundraise to get therapies and treatments they wouldn’t otherwise be able to access,” she says. “Johnny trains so hard and we’re really proud to be part of the support that has helped him make history by coming home with a silver medal from the first-ever Cybathlon.” For further information about Tree of Hope, visit www.treeofhope.org.uk If you’d like to support Johnny, his fundraising page is www.justgiving.com/fundraising/funds4JBT

KUDOS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017