Kudos 31 by Kudos Kent

Your free lifestyle magazine for Kent and East Sussex

Issue 31

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WELCOME TO KUDOS

Hello

Welcome to the November/December issue of Kudos

I always love the run-up to Christmas, particularly now that I have children. My son, Leo, is two and I am looking forward to decorating the tree with him this year (even though he will probably want to undecorate it afterwards!) and, of course, helping him open his presents on Christmas morning. And I am sure he will enjoy helping me to unwrap mine. It wouldn’t be a Christmas issue without a festive cover! Our beautiful wreath picture comes courtesy of Justine Randall for Nicky Gaffney Floral Design. Turn to page 27 for details on some fantastic creative courses, including how to make a wreath just like the one on our cover. So, what do we have for you in this issue of Kudos? For a start, there’s a fantastic gift guide to help ease your present-buying dilemmas, from pretty pieces of jewellery (hint, hint, nudge, nudge husband!) to the most amazing wine connoisseur’s cabinet. And if you don’t want to cook on Christmas Day, or you have a company party to organise, our Festive Food Guide will whet your appetite and give you some ideas. We also meet some of the people who help make Christmas locally, plus we have an exclusive interview with Claire Sweeney, who is playing the Wicked Fairy in Sleeping Beauty at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells. I interviewed Claire and she’s such a lovely, down-to-earth person. Do try and catch her in the pantomime. Our editor also had the absolute pleasure (much to my annoyance) of interviewing Jack Ashton who plays the Reverend Tom Hereward in Call the Midwife. He has just become the ambassador for QVH, the charitable arm of the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead. Jack didn’t reveal

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whether he will continue in the series so we have to wait and watch! He, too, was a lovely, sweet and genuine guy, so we hope to see a lot more of him on screen in the future. It just remains for me to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hannah Tucek Publishing Director

Contents

kudoskent Web: www.kudoskent.co.uk

8 Kudos loves...

Managing Director: Robin Tucek Publishing Director: Hannah Tucek Editorial Director: Ann Wallace Creative Director: Neil Constant Sales Director: Meral Griffith Fashion Editor: Sally-Ann Carroll Photographer: Matt Harquail

19 News & events

Advertising Sales:

sales@badbettymedia.co.uk

31 Love competitions 34 Love celebrity 40 Men only 43 Love Christmas 63 Love food and drink 68 Love home

Kudos is published bi-monthly by:

76 Love garden 82 Love education

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. 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.

90 Love family 92 Love business 94 Love charity 98 Love heroes

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Hawkhurst Green

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3pm

Taken by Matt Harquail

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K U DOS LOV E S

Things we love this issue

Hold this

Drink this

The 3-in-1 daily Pink Lemonade Beauty Supplement drink from Pink Cloud Beauty is an easy way to enjoy skin and hair boosting nutrients that can be difficult to consume regularly. The pink lemonade-flavoured drink is a blend of active ingredients including collagen, vitamins C and E, selenium, biotin and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) to nourish the body from within, promoting hair, skin and nail health. The supplement helps reduce the cost of a typical beauty regime by combining several products into one essential buy. Each sachet is vitamin-packed, sugar- and fat-free, and contains only seven calories. Its vibrant pink colour comes from beetroot extract and its delicious flavour from natural lemon extract. From £29.99 for 30 sachets www.pinkcloudbeauty.co 8

If coming home to grey skies after a holiday gives you the blues, you need this new, high-tech umbrella. Called the Holi-Brolly, the special-edition umbrella gives off a glow and scent to make you feel as if you’re still on holiday. It’s infused with a moodboosting scent scientifically designed to help tackle Britain’s gloomy autumn and winter weather. Every time its canopy is opened, micro-encapsulation technology releases a memory-triggering scent called ‘Balance’. The umbrella was created after UK research found that three-quarters of holidaymakers admitted to experiencing some form of post-holiday blues upon arrival home. One in four said that leaving the sunshine behind was the hardest adjustment to make. To counteract this, the Holi-Brolly contains a light-therapy bulb that’s designed to give you an uplifting glow every time you open it. Sensory fragrance expert Dawn Goldworm developed the brolly’s unique scent at holiday company TUI’s Sensatori Resort in Negril, Jamaica. She said: “The senses play a crucial part in storing and reliving holiday memories. Olfactory bulbs are part of our limbic system transmitting smell information from the nose to the brain, and directly connect to areas of the brain that process emotion and memory. “The TUI Sensatori ‘Balance’ scent has also been customised to instil feelings of contentment. It’s blended from juicy fresh citrus, white jasmine and delicate soft musk, also known for their calming and stress-busting properties.” A limited number of Holi-Brollies are available to trial from TUI stores in some of the wettest cities around the country, including Bluewater Shopping Centre. K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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K U DOS LOV E S

Jangle this

British jewellery designer Annie Haak has launched the limited-edition ‘Joyous’ stack, just in time for Christmas. This exquisite bracelet features Annie’s signature guardian angel charm, with gold-tipped wings and Swarovski crystal detail. £425 www.anniehaakdesigns.co.uk

Time this

Paying homage to Charles Schulz’s much-loved creation, the Snoopy watch features a minimalistic watch face with a Snoopy illustration in a stainless-steel case on a classic, brown leather strap. The watch has a quartz movement and is water resistant up to 30 metres. £134.99 www.timex.co.uk

Display this

This fun Cloud shelf was cleverly designed to showcase toilet rolls in a creative, inventive way. Crafted from a unique concrete formula, this piece is lightweight yet sturdy, and the perfect perch for your rolls. The Cloud is not only an unusual storage piece, it’s a great way of creating a unique industrial chic look in your bathroom. £115 www.trouva.com K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

Rock this

Need a special perch for your music merch? Rock On is an over-sized gold hand effigy, designed to support and display your headphones or earbuds. Based on the classic sign of the horns hand gesture, it’s a great gift for any music fan and a must-have centrepiece for any vinyl shrine looking to worship the gods of rock! £13.99 www.thefowndry.com 11

K U DOS LOV E S

Recycle with these

Steamer Trading has had a big push this year on innovative products that reduce our single-use plastic. They have everything from reusable silicone bags to replace freezer bags, beeswax wraps to replace cling film, reusable coffee cups and refillable bottles (where practical their stores are signed up to the Refill.org water bottle scheme). They even have fruit and veg reusable bags so you don’t have to use plastic bags when buying loose. They also have recycled glassware and more exciting lines coming in for Christmas. We love their Bee’s Wrap Beeswax Reusable Food Wrap, from £10, and pack of five Carrinet Veggio Reusable Fruit & Veg Bags, £7 www.steamer.co.uk/reuse-and-reduce

Nourish with this

Use Nakin’s Natural Anti-Ageing Lip Treatment Balm to enhance, restore and protect lips. Created with an active complex of shea, mint, argan and baobab oil to flood lips with nutrients and hydration, it’s superb lip care for winter-dry lips. Winner of the Beauty Shortlist 2018 Awards Best Therapeutic Healing Lip Balm. £10 www.nakinskincare.com

Repair with this

Unlike other repair shampoos and conditioners, which coat hair fibres and give the illusion of repaired strands, the latest innovative product from the Grow Gorgeous R&R Rescue and Repair Range helps to strengthen, hydrate and repair hair from the inside out. Ingredients include Sea Satin, which helps to strengthen hair weakened by chemical processes and heat styling, Bamboo Extract, which is a natural source of silica and helps to strengthen hair fibres, and a powerful blend of amino acids which work to repair the hair’s surface damage. From £14 www.GrowGorgeous.com

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K U DOS LOV E S

Dry with this

Scruffs Noodle Dry Mat is extremely absorbent, easily soaking up excess moisture, enabling your dogs’ coat to dry quickly after a wet and muddy walk. Micro-fibre chenille is used to produce the dry mats’ ‘noodles’. The micro-fibre material is made from millions of textured, ultrafine strands woven together to achieve a surface area that is much greater than the actual size of the dry mat. This vast surface area gives the dry mat its super-absorbent properties, soaking up water like a sponge, as well as improving airflow, which means drying time is greatly reduced. The same 25mm long chenille noodles also provide a comfortable surface for your dog and has a non-skid surface applied to the underside of the mat making it ideal for use in cars, dog crates or around the home. £26.99 www.petslovescruffs.com

Scrub with this

Brand new skincare company Delhicious Body has launched the UK’s first Black Tea Body Scrub, a multi-action exfoliator that buffs, tones and brightens dull skin with immediate results. A perfect mix of black tea combined with 100% natural ingredients, it will leave you glowing from head to toe. Oh, and 10% of profits are donated to help stop human trafficking in the Indian tea industry, so you can feel good inside and out. £11.99 www.delhiciousbody.com K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

Soak in this

Moksha Beauty’s new bath salts, based on tea tree and eucalyptus and inspired by the Dead Sea, contains essential oils that are known to provide relief from cold and flu symptoms. It can also help relieve fungal issues including athlete’s food and other nail infections. £9.99 www.amazon.co.uk

K U DOS LOV E S

Suck on this

Yes. Real wine gums! Mix the grape and the cane and enjoy the rich, complex and downright deliciously-boozy flavour of luxury sweets made from wine. Invented in the UK in 1909 by Charles Gordon Maynard – the son of a teetotal Methodist sweet-maker – the original pastilles merely name-checked fermented grape juice. It took another 100 years and a clutch of clever Dutch confectioners before Real Wine Gums became a thing. And since these considerate candies are alcohol-, gluten-, fat-, nut-, gelatine-, and lactose-free, they can be enjoyed by absolutely everyone. Available in Merlot, Chardonnay, Rosé and Riesling flavours. £7.49 www.thefowndry.com

Carry this

Although the Cher Mini tote bag may look like leather, Angela Roi promises to only use vegan materials. The structured design features two top grab-handles, a detachable cross-body bag and branding at the front for a signature finish. Named after the protagonist in Clueless, it is just as chic and timeless as both the film and main character. Wear yours with pretty much everything. £170 www.voodism.co.uk

Listen with this

Wear this

You can’t beat a lovely, soft cashmere jumper for your winter wardrobe staple and we just love these designs from Cocoa Cashmere. From £185 www.cocoacashmere.com 16

Check out Bang & Olufsen’s Autumn/Winter collection of premium headphones, speakers, and the latest wireless earphones, inspired by the global fashion and interior colour trends of the season. We paticularly like the Beoplay H9i luxurious, wireless headphones with an over-ear wearing style, £449, and the Beoplay P6 powerful and portable Bluetooth speaker designed by award-winning designer Cecilie Manz, £349. www.beoplay.com

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LOV E N EWS

Upfront What’s new and happening

Seeing is believing

A Kent businessman owes his life to an optician who spotted the early signs of an extremely rare tumour Property developer Tim Vince, 31, from Maidstone, has spent six months recovering from complications resulting from having a large, two-in-a-million craniopharyngioma tumour removed, but he says he may not be alive today if Satvinder Shoker, who runs Kings Hill Opticians in Maidstone, hadn’t spotted the early warning signs. “Sat Shoker saved my life,” said Tim. “If he hadn’t seen that something was wrong and made me an urgent referral to the hospital, and if the tumour hadn’t been diagnosed or if I had just been fobbed off like I was when I first went for an eye test at a high-street chain because my vision wasn’t right, I could have lost my sight or even died.” The seven-hour operation to remove the tumour was carried out by consultant neurosurgeon Nicholas Thomas of King’s Hospital, London, who confirms how lucky Tim has been: “A craniopharyngioma is a rare tumour. It often occurs in children but there is a peak incidence also in adults. It has a prevalence of about two cases per one million.” Says Satvinder Shoker: “I have only seen two of these tumours in my career, even as the head of Maidstone Hospital opticians’ department for 15 years. The warning signs were there – that’s why I made sure Tim was fast-tracked through the referral process to the hospital.” The complications Tim has suffered since having the tumour removed have included serious hormonal imbalances as a result of his pituitary gland being damaged in the operation (a known complication), pneumonia and an infection in the lining of his nose, which meant he couldn’t taste or smell anything.

As he is self-employed, Tim has had to keep running his business, Penenden Heath Developments, which employs 10 people in East Farleigh, throughout the six months of treatment since the operation on 18th February. His wife Sarah says it has taken months to get back to normal and feel as though they can begin to get on with their lives again: “Everything should have been fairly straightforward, but every complication it was possible to have, Tim got, so it’s been months to get to a point where we can look forward again. Without Kings Hill Opticians and Sat Shoker, Tim might not be here today.”

Cooking up a storm

Sussex teenager is Budding Baker of the Year

Florrie Smith pictured with Jason Jobling, Head Baker at Warrens Bakery

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Florrie Smith, 17, from Chichester, West Sussex, has won the Young Budding Baker of the Year competition, organised by Warrens Bakery, Cornwall’s oldest bakery. Florrie, representing the South East, was selected from thousands of entries from all over the UK. Her prize is a trip to Cornwall to visit Warrens Bakery at St Just and to help develop a new bake to sell across the artisan bakery’s stores. She will also meet celebrated author and Waitrose columnist Martha Collison, receive a year’s supply of bakes and be enrolled on a baking course at a local cookery school. This is the first time Warrens Bakery – founded in 1860 – has run the competition, which was open to 16-18 year olds in the seven UK regions where Warrens Bakery stores are located. Five gifted teenagers exhibited their baking talent to two expert judges through a display of imaginative baking whilst tackling three challenges presented to them on the day. The event was hosted by Head Baker Jason Jobling, who has been with Warrens for 26 years. Jason is truly a master of his craft, and along with cojudge Dean Starling, Brand Sales Development Chef for the National Catering Equipment Centre, was looking for the young baker who demonstrated the ideal combination of technical and creative flair. Said Florrie: “I really enjoyed practising my skills, as well as learning some new ones! It was a very interesting and exciting day, and it was especially fun to work in a professional kitchen. It was such a surprise for me to win the competition as everyone was so deserving!” 19

LOV E N EWS

Stress-free Christmas shopping

Stuck for gift ideas? Look no further than Wanted on Voyage With the shortening days giving way to longer and chillier evenings and the sweet smell of smoke from bonfires and pumpkins still lingering in the air, it won’t be long before nativity costumes and carol concerts are the order of the day. This can only mean it’s the Christmas present-buying season! But don’t despair! It doesn’t necessarily mean endless queues for parking, jostling crowds and the stress of just not knowing what to buy. While they can’t guarantee that your Christmas shopping won’t be fretful this year, Wanted on Voyage has some great gift ideas that may just ease the pain a little – and being in Heathfield, East Sussex, there’s plenty of free parking as well! This year they have an even wider selection of travel goods and accessories, from great-quality, great-value EastPak luggage with a 30-year warranty to children’s backpacks and cases by Skip Hop and Trunki. If you’re after something a little different on the travel front, their Fjallraven bags are rugged and stylish (their favourite is the Splitpack), and business cases and backpacks from Thule are brilliantly engineered with some eye-catching design features. In addition, their range of travel books for kids and adults, OS maps, hiking kit and travel accessories from plug adapters to insect repellant make excellent stocking fillers. And once the shopping is complete, their Thule roof racks, roof boxes, bike and winter sports carriers will make transporting your gifts hassle free. Visit Wanted on Voyage at 71 High Street, Heathfield, East Sussex, or online at www.wantedon.voyage where you’ll find a great range of travel kit for any adventure.

Screening to save lives

Nursery owner explains why yearly breast checks and handheld mammogram machines should be available at GP surgeries After a recent cancer scare, Lynne Fenwick, who runs Countryways Nursery in Sedlescombe, East Sussex, has started a petition for GP surgeries to provide annual breast screening via handheld mammogram machines. Say’s Lynne: “For many years women have been offered breast screenings every three years. Recently, I have met many women who have found a change in their breast themselves and subsequently been diagnosed with breast cancer inbetween mammograms – some are Stage 3 – which is incredible. It only serves to prove that this horrible disease could be caught in its early stages if mammograms were annual and not three-yearly. “I strongly believe that catching breast cancer earlier not only saves lives and family suffering but will also save the Government and the NHS a lot of money in treatment. Other countries have annual mammograms, and three years is just too long. It’s the difference between life and death. “The handheld mammograms are literally like a handheld supermarket scanner and can fit and move around the breast and under the arm much, much better than having to try to put your breast on a flat plate and have it squashed whilst standing in an awkward position to get as good a reading as possible. The handheld machine can reach in areas where the flatbed machine cannot and they are a tenth of the price! Why can’t we have these in Wellwomen Clinics, mobile Breast Screening Units or GP surgeries? I am sure most women would be willing to make a contribution towards an annual appointment.” So why the boxes of tissues pictured? Explains Lynne, “While I sat there at my appointment, I was amongst others who were experiencing all sorts of emotions. The downside to my visit was that there was not one single box of tissues to be seen. One lady desperately needed a tissue and thankfully I carry some and was relieved that I could offer these to her. I was told that funds didn’t stretch to tissues in the waiting areas but were available in the doctors’ rooms! So I asked the parents of the children that go to my nursery if they could give up one goodie and purchase some tissues. I will make it my mission to take several boxes to the hospital waiting rooms where they are really needed.” If you would like to support Lynne’s petition before the deadline of 2nd February 2019, go to: www.petition.parliament.uk/petitions/226133. In order for this to be heard by Parliament, 100,000 signatures are needed, so please share this link with your friends and family! 20

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LOV E N EWS

Sssshhh...

Charity begins with Christmas cards

Royal Victoria Place (RVP) in Tunbridge Wells has implemented ‘Quiet Shopping Mornings’ every Tuesday between 9am and 11am. In support of the National Autistic Society (NAS), its aim is to make improvements to help make shopping more comfortable for those with autism. Many retailers across the UK now support this initiative and RVP and its retailers are proud to help do their bit! Autism is a life-long disability which affects how people communicate with others and interact with the world around them. There are approximately 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK with 64 per cent of them avoiding shopping because it is too overwhelming. To make a big difference for autistic shoppers, RVP has switched off all store music and tannoy announcements, dimmed the lighting where possible, cleared store entrances and shop floors of unnecessary clutter, minimised the stocking of shelves and displays, and informed staff to provide additional assistance to help customers. Nicky Blanchard, Centre Manager of Royal Victoria Place, said: “Most of us take being able to go shopping in either a supermarket or shopping centre very much for granted and do not realise how difficult it is for those with autism. We hope that by making some simple changes every Tuesday morning we’ll help make shopping more comfortable for everyone.”

Cards for Good Causes charity Christmas card shop is open once again in The United Reform Church (Grosvenor Road entrance) in Tunbridge Wells. CFGC are not for profit so you can be confident buying from them ensures that your chosen charity will always receive a minimum of 70p in the £1. They are part of the UK’s largest charity Christmas card organisation and represent over 250 charities including Cancer Research UK, Barnardo’s, NSPCC, Alzheimer’s Society, Parkinson’s and RNLI as well as many smaller and local charities such as Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance, Hi Kent, Romney Marsh Historic Churches Trust and Fegans. The shop offers the widest selection of Christmas cards so there is sure to be a design to suit everyone. You’ll also find traditional advent calendars, candles, books, gift wrap, tags and napkins, as well as some exciting new lines and delicious edible gifts. There are also cards specially created for CFGC by local artists Chris Burke, who featured in the Remarkable Characters of Tunbridge Wells exhibition, and Elaine Gill who designed the town’s new Tourist Map. Local business Post & Packing are also supporting CFGC once again. Customers purchasing their cards can take them to Rob and his team for franking at a reduced rate (2nd class UK cards only). At the end of the season, the company makes a donation to CFGC so customers effectively spend once but give to charity twice! The shop is open six days a week and staffed by a team of friendly local volunteers. CFGC are always on the lookout for new volunteers so if you have a couple of hours to spare to cover a morning or afternoon shift and would like to get involved, get in touch via their website, www.cardsforcharity.co.uk

Quiet shopping mornings in support of autism

Not-for-profit card shop open again this year

LOV E G OI NG OU T

Out and about with Kudos

Bedgebury Pinetum Turn the page to read about this fantastic forest of festive lights...

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LOV E G OI NG OU T

Go wild in the country

Get back to nature with Kent Wildlife Trust This winter, explore nature with Kent Wildlife Trust by playing, creating and learning outside with wildlife. There are an abundance of wonders which nature has to offer, and this Christmas, Kent Wildlife Trust has a range of events to help you do just that. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve will be host to Santa and his elves in his nature grotto surrounded by wildlife, as well as a market, craft activities, free walks and carol singers on the 15th and 16th December. To help you get into the Christmas Spirit, they also have a Christmas willow tree workshop (Sunday, 2nd December) and a Christmas wreath decoration workshop (Saturday, 8th December) to help you create all-natural decorations for your home. Get outside and explore with one of the warden walks at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve on the first Sunday of each month, where the wardens teach different aspects of nature. November’s walk is based around the tracks animals leave behind and how to recognise them (Sunday, 4th November), a fabulous way to learn what animals live in your garden unseen. Get the kids out as well with the Autumn Nature Explorers (Sunday, 11th November) and Explore Bird Twitching (Saturday, 24th November) events at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve. In Nature Explorers, your children will get the chance to take part in ponddipping, mini-beasting, fungi-searching, bark-rubbing and more throughout the session, a day of non-stop nature fun. Help the kids to learn some practical bushcraft and forest skills, too, at the Winter Forest Skills session (Sunday, 9th December) where you will get the chance to take part in woodcraft and fire lighting. Learn how to make fire without the need for matches and toast some marshmallows along the way. www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/events

Let there be light

Magical illuminations at Bedgebury Pinetum A forest of festive lights is coming to Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest from 30th November30th December. Discover the magical forest transformed into a winter wonderland as, inspired by the landscape itself, the National Pinetum lights up for Christmas. The new festive adventure offers families the chance to explore Bedgebury’s woodland after dark, dramatically drenched in seasonal colour. Highlights for this new trail include the Tunnel of Light with over one million pea lights in a 70m-long immersive walkway under a canopy of ancient trees. Signing lanterns and fountains of dancing light are found along the mile-long route, as well as a scented Fire Garden for an unforgettable experience. Internationally-acclaimed installation artworks from Tilt and Pitaya are also to be found nestled into the forest landscape and lighting hidden nooks of the pinetum. There are hidden surprises, too – watch out for frosty snowflakes, shimmering stars and gigantic baubles where you least expect them. At the Boardwalk, the giant redwoods are surrounded by a carpet of glowing, colour-changing globes. Visitors can complete their stroll under the stars with mulled wine or hot chocolate while the aroma of roasting chestnuts fills the air. Toast marshmallows at one of the fire pits, ride the vintage carousel, and spy Father Christmas and his elf along the way. www.christmasatbedgebury.co.uk

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LOV E G OI NG OU T

Something old...

You’re invited to a festive event at Nutley Antiques Family-run Nutley Antiques in the heart of the Ashdown Forest is home to 11 different dealers, each with their own individual style. The store has two floors full of original and painted furniture, decorative items, gift ideas, handmade and handpicked pieces and lots of inspiration for the home and garden, and stock is replenished every week. You’re invited to join them for festive drinks and nibbles at their annual Christmas event on Tuesday, 20th November from 10am-7pm. Libra house, High Street, Nutley, East Sussex TN22 3NF Tel: 01825 713220 Find them on Instagram and Facebook

Creative courses for the curious

From calligraphy to Christmas wreaths Christmas preparations can get a little frantic so taking time out to indulge your creativity could be just the thing to see you through. Take time and space to explore your creative side and work with some extraordinary, talented teachers. Hosted by Philippa King in the bucolic surroundings of her eclectic Sussex country house, enjoy a great day with tea, chat, lunch and something wonderful to show for it. Lino Cut Christmas Crackers: Friday, 9th November What better way to hide the tickets for that surprise getaway, theatre trip, or just to brighten your table. The Joy of Felting: Saturday, 10th November A day dedicated to the ancient art of felting and using it to craft a beautiful pair of individual and practical slippers as a present for you or a loved one. Beginners Screen Printing: Thursday, 29th November Design and make your own two-colour, screen-printed linen table runner or napkins for Christmas or all year round. Calligraphy for Christmas and Beyond: Friday, 30th November Learn ‘Modern Calligraphy’, a relaxed and contemporary use of beautiful handwriting to add a certain panache to cards and place names. Make a Generous Christmas Wreath: Friday, 14th December Take a breather in the run-up to Christmas and join Philippa for a festive morning making your own unique, luxury wreath. Day courses cost £95 including lunch (with the exception of the wreath course which is £75). The cost of materials varies for each course. For more information and details on how to book visit www.curioushouse.net or call 01435 884806

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LOV E G OI NG OU T

Outdoors with Beatrix Potter

Sissinghurst exhibition reveals writer’s love for nature

Photo courtesy of Frederick Warne & Co. and The National Trust

A lesser known side to Beatrix Potter is being revealed in an exhibition at Sissinghurst Castle Garden until 6th January. Famed for her iconic children’s books, Beatrix was also a naturalist, committed to getting people closer to the outdoors. She understood the benefits of open spaces and the importance of saving them for the nation. She was a keen supporter of the National Trust and in 1943 she left a large bequest of land in the Lake District to the Trust, the largest it had yet received. The exhibition explores the woman behind the books and looks at the plants, animals and landscapes that inspired her. Beatrix was particularly fond of her garden, once saying, “My garden is a case of the survival of the fittest – always very full of flowers and weeds”. Her garden and fascination for flora and fauna inspired her to share her passion for nature with children through the stories and illustrations in her books. A number of original artefacts are being shown as part of the exhibition, which will be on loan from the Frederick Warne Archive. These include a pair of Beatrix’s clogs, complete with mud. There will also be early studies she did of flowers and letters. This year is also the 75th anniversary of Beatrix’s election to the President of the Herdwick Sheep Breeder’s Association. She would have been the first woman president of the Association had it not been for her death in December 1943. She was a champion of nature and outdoor spaces throughout her life and this exhibition celebrates how her legacy lives on through her books and the cause she so loved. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Christmas at Hever

There’s plenty of festive cheer at the castle This year, Hever Castle will be celebrating Traditional Christmas Tales as part of its annual festive event. Rooms at the castle will be beautifully decorated with twinkling lights and welcoming log fires, and themed around stories including The Nutcracker, The Tailor of Gloucester and ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. Outside in the stunning grounds, wrap up warm and discover the festive interactive trail themed around Charles Dickens’ classic novel A Christmas Carol. As dusk falls, the gardens are illuminated with up-lighting and colour washes. Revel in the Christmas spirit at Hever Castle on Wednesdays to Sundays from 24th November and daily from 10th-24th December. Each weekend and daily from selected dates, ride the carousel and enjoy vintage fairground stalls (£1 per go). There’ll be roasted chestnuts for sale and the chance to meet characters along the trail including Bob Cratchit and Scrooge. You can even pose for a picture with a husky (suggested £2 donation towards Siberian Husky Welfare Association). Twilight Christmas and pre-booked Father Christmas are now sold out but children may still get the chance to meet Father Christmas in the Toy Workshop as part of the drop-in Father Christmas offering on 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th, 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd December. Kids will have the opportunity to visit him on a first-come, first-served basis and will receive an age-appropriate gift. Tickets cost £8 per child and can only be purchased in the grounds on the day, at the Information Centre or Courtyard Shop (admission tickets are required for all members of the party). Complete your visit with relaxed Christmas shopping in the beautifully-decorated Hever Castle shops, packed with fabulous festive gift ideas and stocking fillers to delight all ages and tastes. Follow this up with tempting treats in the restaurants, offering delicious seasonal food, mince pies and drinks. www.hevercastle.co.uk/whats-on

Armistice concert

Choral societies join forces for Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man For a special concert to commemorate the Armistice in 1918, Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Choral Societies have joined together to provide a chorus of over 120 voices for The Armed Man, Karl Jenkins’ spectacular work which was commissioned for the Millennium by the Royal Armouries Museum and subtitled A Mass for Peace. With its magnificent choruses contrasting with hauntingly beautiful reflections, the work rapidly became hugely popular with choirs and audiences across the world. 28

The Armed Man is essentially an anti-war work based on the Catholic Mass which Jenkins combined with other sources including the Islamic Call to Prayer, the Bible and the Mahabharata. Phrases from writers such as Kipling, Dryden and Tennyson also appear in the text. The concert takes place on Saturday, 17th November at 7.30pm, in one of Kent’s loveliest churches, and begins with one of Sir Edward Elgar’s most performed works Serenade for Strings. Soloists are Rebekah Smith, soprano; George Bartle, tenor; and Max Loble, bass. Tickets are£15 (students £7.50) and available online at cranbrookchoral. org.uk or pwcs.weebly.com; in person from Baldwins Travel Agents, Carriers Road, Cranbrook; by calling 01580 714828 or 01892 836250; or at the door, if still available. K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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WIN!

We’ve got some fabulous festive prizes up for grabs

5 YUMMY MONTY BOJANGLES TRUFFLE ADVENT CALENDARS Countdown the 24 days to Christmas with the Monty Bojangles truffle Advent Calendar! An assortment of curiously-moreish, intriguingly-shaped, individuallywrapped cocoa-dusted truffles, with a scoffable pack of hint of sea salt Scofflets truffle bites for the final window. This mythical-themed Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar is packed full of Great Taste Award-winning flavours: Choccy Scoffy, Orange Angelical, Scrumple Nutty, Popcorn Carousel, Pistachio Marooned and Cookie Moon. It makes an ideal gift for chocolate lovers everywhere.

And the prize:

We have five advent calendars to give away – one each for five lucky winners! If you’re not successful, you can buy one for £10 from www.montybojangles.com

How to enter:

To enter, go to www.kudoskent.co.uk/competitions and submit your details before the closing date of 25th November 2018. Five lucky winners will be picked at random. There is no cash alternative. We will NEVER, EVER pass on your details!

A FAMILY TICKET FOR THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS ICE RINK OPENING WEEKEND From 16th November, Calverley Grounds will be transformed into the ultimate winter destination, signalling the start of the festive season. The Tunbridge Wells ice rink returns for 2018 with stylish skating, festive food and drink, music and Christmas shopping inspiration. By day or night, visitors can skate in the beautiful splendour of Calverley Grounds’ amphitheatre, decorated for Christmas with twinkling, festive lights. Storytelling workshops will be taking place and the ice rink will once again collaborate with The Forum – the lifeblood of the live music scene – and host live music events every Thursday night. Local choirs will perform between 4pm and 6pm every Sunday and there will be special ‘Tunbridge Wells In Winter’ themed talks from team members of the Tunbridge Wells Museum. www.tunbridgewellsatchristmas.com

And the prize:

We have one family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) for the opening weekend.

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How to enter:

To enter, go to www.kudoskent.co.uk/competitions and submit your details before the closing date of 11th November 2018. One lucky winner will be picked at random. There is no cash alternative. We will NEVER EVER pass on your details!

LOV E COM PET I T IONS

A FAMILY TICKET TO SLEEPING BEAUTY Following last year’s record-breaking production of Aladdin, the Assembly Hall Theatre and Martin Dodd for UK Productions proudly present another spectacular Christmas pantomime – Sleeping Beauty, starring Claire Sweeney (check out our exclusive interview on page 38), Derek Moran and Quinn Patrick. Once upon a time in a land far away, a beautiful princess was born. Cursed by a wicked fairy, she was destined to spend her life as the Sleeping Beauty, until awakened by a true love’s kiss... This magical pantomime promises to be jam-packed with smash-hit songs, stunning sets, spectacular costumes, and magical special effects. www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

And the prize:

We have one family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) for the performance of Sleeping Beauty on Saturday, 8th December at 2pm.

How to enter:

To enter, go to www.kudoskent.co.uk/competitions and submit your details before the closing date of 30th November, 2018. One lucky winner will be picked at random. There is no cash alternative. We will NEVER, EVER pass on your details!

FOUR TICKETS TO THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS In the 90th year since its original publication, Trinity Theatre presents a musical adaption of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows (Thursday, 13th December to Wednesday, 2nd January), with a new script from Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes. The Wild Woods take over the theatre as this timeless classic comes to the stage, from messing about on the river with Ratty and Mole, to a daring prison escape, and a battle for Toad Hall. Carried along by exuberant choreography and a gloriously British score, Trinity offers a unique wintry delight with this year’s Christmas show, from the same team behind last year’s production of The Wizard of Oz, which earned a five-star review from The Stage. As with Trinity’s past Christmas productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Oliver!, the show gives local young people the opportunity to work alongside a professional cast, part of Trinity’s ongoing commitment to developing youth talent, and championing theatre “made in Tunbridge Wells”. www.trinitytheatre.net

And the prize:

We have four tickets (for one lucky winner) for the gala performance, on Friday, 14th December (drinks reception from 6pm, curtain up at 7pm).

How to enter:

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Call the vicar Jack Ashton joined the cast of Call the Midwife in 2013 and quickly became a firm favourite as the Reverend Tom Hereward. Off screen, his latest role is as the first ambassador to the QVH Charity, which supports the work of the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead. He talks to Kudos about his inspiration for supporting the charity, and being part of one of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite TV series

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“If I had one wish, it would be to do a quirky Bristolian comedy” As caring vicar Tom Hereward in BBC1’s hit series Call the Midwife, Bristol-born actor Jack Ashton is perfectly cast. Especially so when you learn that he has become an ambassador for the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead after learning of the pioneering work of Sir Archibald McIndoe on disfigured airmen during the Second World War, that led to the formation of the now-famous Guinea Pig Club. Jack explains: “About six or seven years ago, I was auditioning for a play called The Guinea Pig Club about the pioneering plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe, and the seriously-injured servicemen he worked with – a group which came to be known as the Guinea Pig Club. “I knew nothing about the story of the club, but went to the research and development day for the play and was fascinated by what I learned. “We put the play on in York and some of the remaining Guinea Pig Club members came along to the press night. It was amazing to meet them, an absolute pleasure. Susan Watkins, who wrote the play, is the widow of Professor Sid Watkins, a famous neurosurgeon and F1 medical chief – he was involved with Formula One’s Ayrton Senna. It was his work with Formula One racing that built upon what Sir Archibald had begun. He worked closely with McIndoe, so Susan wrote the play around first-hand stories from her husband. “The cast was all invited to the annual Guinea Pig Club dinner. Everyone went to the first one and then for the second one, it was just me and Fiona Dolman, who had played the role of head nurse Sister O’Donnell in the play. She’s best known for playing DCI John Barnaby’s wife, Sarah, in Midsomer Murders. “Since then, me and Fi have been to every single dinner. We also started going to their birthday parties, too, and unfortunately, recently, to their funerals. I got particularly close to Jack Perry and his wife, Mary, and Sandy Saunders who all died in the last year or so. I spoke at both Jack and Mary’s funerals, and it was lovely to be asked. I’ve got to know their kids and Sandy’s wife, Margaret, so my association with them goes on. “Jack Perry was the social secretary and the organiser for the Guinea Pig Club, and I said to his son, this has to continue, whether or not any Guinea Pigs come. Every year there are less of them and they are also dotted all over the world, but I said you’ve got to keep it going. “Then I met Camilla Slattery, who is head of fundraising for the hospitals own charity QVH Charity, and she asked if I’d like to come and have a look round. I went in the summer to see exactly where the Guinea Pig ward would have been – it’s now a canteen, I think. When Camilla asked me if I would consider being a patron, I said absolutely. It seemed like a really lovely way to continue something that I had become emotionally involved in years ago.” K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

Interview by James Rampton

Jack with Senior Staff Nurse Julia Peters and Healthcare Assistant Toni Brown, who work in the Queen Victoria Hospital’s children’s ward

The story of the Guinea Pig Club made a deep impression on Jack. “These poor, young men with very bright futures ahead of them got involved in the Second World War and in lots of cases were severely disfigured after being shot down in action or badly burnt. In the main part they went to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead where there was a specialist burns unit, run by Sir Archibald McIndoe, a surgeon from New Zealand. He was a pioneer, a maverick who really advanced plastic surgery and the treatment of burns during the Second World War by using these men, not in a scientific, horrible way that you think a guinea pig could be used, but to practice things that he thought would be better than the somewhat archaic treatment that came out of the First World War. “He was also one of the first surgeons to recognise post-traumatic stress disorder and treat it. He encouraged the men to drink in the local pubs, he bought beer in, he encouraged the locals to talk to them and read stories to them because in most cases they were heavily bandaged and quite immobile. He encouraged the ones that were able to walk to go outside, because they were obviously very low and in danger in some cases of taking their own lives because of how badly disfigured they were. East Grinstead became known as the town that didn’t stare during that time due to McIndoe’s integration of the injured airmen into the local community. “So he created an atmosphere that, in my opinion from the history I know, gave these men back some hope. It’s just a wonderful story. These guys became part of the Guinea Pig Club, which they named themselves. It was an honourary club – you had to have been treated with a certain amount of procedures by McIndoe, to become a Guinea Pig. Jack is excited about taking on the role of an ambassador for QVH Charity. “I’m looking forward to helping raise the profile of QVH Charity and help them through social media. I like to run the odd marathon and half marathon, too. I did say to Camilla that although I’m currently an actor in a very well-watched show, I may spend the next ten years doing kid’s theatre that no one sees. You do realise that my profile may not always be what you are hoping for. She said it doesn’t matter, it’s about having people that are passionate. I will do, within reason, anything they want me to do. If I can help in any way to raise money or awareness, I will do that. I’m not a patron of any other charity so I am at their disposal 36

and we’ll see what that means in the fullness of time.” Unlike many other actors, acting wasn’t something that Jack considered as a career when he was young. “I went to a bogstandard school and I really didn’t know what to do with my life when I was 16. I really enjoyed drama and PE so the career advisor suggested I go to the performing arts course open day and the army open day. I enjoyed both of them but something swung me towards performing arts and when I actually started the course, I knew that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I walked into the room and there was such an energy. I didn’t come from that world. I’d never done any acting as a kid, never danced, never sung but I took the course and that led on to drama school in London and the rest, as they say, is history.” However, he had to wait a while before getting his big break in Call the Midwife. “Before Call the Midwife, I was a jobbing actor. I did some work that I was really proud of and lots that I wasn’t so proud of. I did BBC1’s Holby a few times – I think I needed a kidney and died in one episode, and skewered my boss with a forklift truck in another! I also did the pilot episode for ITV’s Endeavor, and a couple of films. I’ve also done a fair amount of theatre, particularly in York. I was particularly proud of one play I did, A Street Car Named Desire, when I worked with a wonderfully talented cast.” Jack joined the cast of Call the Midwife in series three, and admits it came at the right time. “It was a very happy day,” he says. “It

Jack played the lead role in the 2017 film Instrument of War

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On location in South Africa for the Call the Midwife Christmas special

was a dream job and I was really skint. But going into a show that you know is loved and watched by so many people is so nerveracking. On my first day I had to work with Jenny Agutter, who plays Sister Julienne, and I knew my lines inside out. I practiced and practiced and practiced and then I stood in front of Jenny Agutter and just came out with noises. She was so quick because the camera was on her over my shoulder so you just get a sense of the person talking and then they stop and move the camera round and on to you. She said, “Don’t worry, I know my lines. You can say whatever you like!” So I was literally just going, yeah, pumpkin, wheelchair, whatever and she was just nodding and replying to my lines which allowed me to feel at home. She was a very calming influence because I was absolutely shaking with nerves. I was like that for about a year! There’s a moment, though, where it becomes a lot more comfortable and you feel a part of it.” Jack’s partner Helen George plays Trixie Franklin in the series. They met on set in 2013 and got together while shooting the 2016 Christmas special in South Africa. Their daughter, Wren Ivy, was born in September 2017. They were a couple on screen, too, until Trixie dumped him and he went on to marry Barbara, played by Charlotte Ritchie, who tragically died after contracting septicaemia at the end of the last series. “Our storylines intertwined a bit and then Barbara came along and Trixie dumped Tom. After that, Helen and I didn’t have much screen time together because our stories went in different directions. But it was all loads of fun, and the cast all get on very well with each other. In fact, lots of characters have left and we still make an effort to go and see each other’s plays and meet up when we can. We are very close – lots of us are a similar age and it’s a big part of our lives. It’s something that we will always hold and cherish so no matter who goes on to do what, everyone will have fond memories of Call the Midwife. “Coming in at the third series, it was always a question mark at the end of each series as to whether they would ask me to come back,” says Jack. “I never felt that it would be a job that would last and last but then you’re in series eight and you think, how did this happen? I left at the end of the last series but maybe it will be a grieving period to get over the loss of Barbara. We filmed that scene two days after Wren was born so I was emotionally very ready for it.” So how do Jack and Helen manage childcare? “We try our best K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

to make sure that one of us is with her and it’s just about working it out. When she was born, obviously Helen was off. I went back to work for a small amount of time and then I went off to do a tour of a play, Stranger on a Train, which took me from December to April, and Helen and Wren came with me on tour. We play it by ear and muddle through.” Wren was born early after a traumatic labour. “Helen has a genetic condition called intrahepatic cholestasis (ICP). It’s a serious liver disorder which is caused by a build-up of acid within the body during pregnancy. Her sister has it, too, and it’s something that Helen is keen to raise awareness of. It’s a little-known problem but it can be bad news for the child so they have to monitor the acid level in your blood. It was all fine and then very close to the day the doctors said that it was at a dangerous level and to be on the safe side, they should deliver Wren early. All was well in the end, we were looked after very well at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London and Wren is thriving!” Away from work and being a devoted, hands-on dad, Jack enjoys playing football, running and boxing – “but I also like sitting in the pub watching football. I’m a Bristol City fan. I’m a Bristol Rugby League fan. I’m a Gloucestershire cricket fan. I’m an absolute sports addict. I spend a lot of time on the sofa watching sports so it’s good that I go out and play it sometimes.” Jack isn’t revealing whether the Reverend Hereward ends up staying in Poplar or heads off to pastures new, but in the future he’d like to do more theatre work. “If you are in a play that you love, then there is nothing better than performing it live,” he says. “The cameraderie you get with your fellow cast, from the first day of rehearsals to all the stress and pressure of first night, press night, and then watching the play grow on stage and watching how the actors grow on stage, then going and having a drink afterwards. There’s nothing better, it’s a wonderful experience. “If I could have one wish now it would be to be in a quirky Bristolian comedy! To do something in my own accent would be amazing. I never work in it, but it’s a great accent for comedy. “But we’ll see. Us actors, unless we’re in the A-list with 25 film scripts coming through the door every day, we just have to take pretty much what’s offered!” To find out more about QVH Charity visit www.supportqvh.org or contact Camilla Slattery by emailing camilla.slattery@nhs.net 37

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Oh, yes she did! She found fame in TV’s Brookside, but for Claire Sweeney it was always about musicals. She’s had huge success in the West End, and starring as the wicked fairy in this year’s pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Well, from 7th December-2nd January, is the perfect end to a busy year You’re starring in Sleeping Beauty as the wicked fairy. Do you enjoy playing the baddie?

I love playing the baddie! So much so that this year they gave me the choice of being good or bad and I chose to be bad. I love it – it’s so much fun.

Have you been to Tunbridge Wells before?

I’m really excited! The last time I came to Tunbridge Wells was to perform Tell Me on a Sunday seven years ago. I love Tunbridge Wells. It’s the most beautiful place and I’m really looking forward to spending Christmas there. From a selfish point of view, it’s commutable to London for me so I can take my little boy to nursery and then be home for night for him, which is good.

You’re used to West End musical audiences. How does a panto audience compare?

I love it! I’ve being doing panto for years and what is wonderful now is to see it through my child’s eyes. I’ve got a whole new appreciation for it. I’ll say to him things like, “I’m evil but you know I’m not and it’s our secret so we’ve got to pretend to all the kids that I am.” So he’s in on the secret and he loves it.

Will your son be coming to see you? Oh gosh yes, definitely.

How do you combine work with being a mum?

I take him to nursery before rehearsals and, obviously, I have help with him. It’s the most wonderful schedule. There’s a week where I just have 10.30am shows. It’s a great show and a great place to perform. I’m very blessed this year.

You’ve had a varied career – what have been the highlights for you?

I think the highlight for me was doing Guys and Dolls with Patrick Swayze in the West End. Miss Adelade – one of the all-time, great, new musical theatrical roles. Being in the West End and working opposite Patrick – it was like the hottest ticket in town. It was just a joy. It was so wonderful. 38

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What was your ambition when you started out. Did you want to go into theatre, films, tv?

You also have a home in Majorca. What made you choose there for a second home?

Lindsey Corkhill in Brookside was your breakthrough role. What are your memories of those years?

How often do you go there?

It was always musicals from being a kid. I started off playing in clubs and the dream was to go into musical theatre. If you were to tell me as a kid the things I’ve done and the parts I’ve played, I would have been thrilled.

Of being happy that I was home, in a hit show, getting to play a great role. But there was always a little void that I wanted to fill with musical theatre, singing and dancing.

Do you still see any of the Brookside cast Oh yes, all the time. We’ve all stayed in touch.

You’re from Liverpool. Do you still consider Liverpool home?

Yes, I’ve still got my flat there and consider it home. My mum’s there, all my family’s there so I’m up and down all the time. It’s only two hours from London.

It was my holiday destination as a kid. Palma is one of my favourite places. I said to myself, when I’m older, if things work out for me, I’ll buy a home there. It’s brought me an awful lot of pleasure, and my son loves it now. It varies. Last year I spent nearly three months there. This year I’ve done two weeks here, two weeks there.

What have you got lined up for 2019?

I’ve got a very exciting project but I’m not allowed to talk about it! There’s a big theatre job and something else. I’ve got very exciting things happening. But for now, the joy of working in Tunbridge Wells, because it’s commutable for me and a beautiful place, a great show… I’m really thrilled.

Is there a musical role that you would love to play?

There are two. I’d love to do Mrs Hannigan in Annie and Mrs Johnson in Blood Brothers.

M E N ON LY

Looking good With Pure Collection

Style it up with Pure Collection’s range for men this winter. You’ll find fabulous contemporary fashion to choose from, and an array of new necklines, including crew neck, V neck and collared sweaters. They haven’t skimped on modern detailing, either, with wider fashioning, tipping details and double neck trims. Or if it’s a great fit you’re after, see how their new range of sizes measures up. Pure Collection has also expanded their colour palette to bring you sophisticated neutrals and luxurious heathered tones, plus bursts of vibrant reds and green should you want to go bold this season! You can still shop all of their classic styles, but now with a modern twist, like their polo-neck sweater below, for example. And to finish, they’ve added different colours and patterns to the range of accessories, including the Argyle, checked and multi-stripe prints. So, whether you’re a partner searching for a special gift for your man, or you’re a guy looking to reshape your wardrobe, Pure Collection offers the ideal fashion fix.

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Did you know? Millennial men spend almost two hours a week planning what to wear – largely due to social-media pressure, according to a study. Researchers found 15 minutes of every day is spent rummaging through the wardrobe and laying out an array of outfits. The biggest concerns during this super-stressful quarter of an hour include ‘is my outfit appropriate for where I’m going?’ and ‘have I worn this too recently?’. ‘Does my top match these trousers?’ and ‘does this fit me properly?’ are other key considerations. The research of 1,000 men aged 18 to 34 was commissioned by Oxfam to support its menswear campaign which has been launched by their ambassador, Simon Pegg. The 48-year-old actor, writer and producer recently donated some of his clothes to the charity for sale through its online shop. He said: “Clothes are one way I express my personality so, like lots of people, I want to feel good as well as look good in what I wear. That’s why I support Oxfam fashion, which raises money to help the world’s poorest people. “Some of my favourite clothes have come from charity shops, and I’ve recently donated what’s spare in my wardrobe to Oxfam. I hope those donations make someone else look and feel good, because they were given and will be bought with the intention of making the world a kinder, fairer place. “Oxfam recycles all its donated clothes one way or another, so nothing ends up littering the environment as landfill. I think that’s really cool, too.”

The research also found that two-thirds take their image so seriously they’ll plan what to wear in advance. This could be because 72 per cent believe others care about what they are wearing. Half make an extra effort to dress a certain way due to the pressure of looking good on social media, while 58 per cent think the best way to express their personality is through their fashion choices. It also emerged that men shop for clothes on average nine times a month – five times in high-street shops and four times online. And in doing so they purchase three new items per month spending an average of £413 a year. They also ‘window shop’ at least twice a week. Around half of millennial men already buy clothes from charity shops – and a further 42 per cent would consider doing so. A fifth purchase items from charity shops for environmental and ethical reasons, 57 per cent do so to support a good cause and two-thirds ‘like a bargain.’ Carried out through OnePoll.com, the research found that half try to wear a completely different outfit every day. Almost nine in 10 men say they feel more able than ever before to express themselves through their wardrobe choice, and more than half say what they wear is one of the most important things to them. Fee Gilfeather, head of customer experience for Oxfam, said: “This survey shows men are more interested than ever in the image they present. They invest time thinking about what they want to wear and shopping, so it makes total sense that they also love a bargain. Our shops are full of affordable men’s clothes, all kindly donated by people like Simon. You can see why so many millennial men already love charity shopping. “We hope more people explore what individual styles they can create in our shops.”

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The Kudos Christmas Gift Guide Here’s our pick of the perfect presents for family and friends For the traveller...

Thule Subterra Carry-On 40L in Dark Shadow, £155; Fjällräven Splitpack 35L in Dark Olive, £135; Skip - Hop Bailey Bat Backpack, £20; Eastpak Deve 35L in Opgrade Camo, £80 www.wantedon.voyage

Getting a good night’s sleep when you’re travelling is tough. Make rest more soothing with this genius Music Sleep Mask. The mask’s thick lining blocks out light around you and the integrated headphones can be popped in your ears to lull you to sleep with your perfect snooze soundtrack. An audio cable with volume controls is included, just plug into your smart phone and choose your perfect playlist. £29.99 www.asos.com

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For one of a kind...

Pop along to the Christmas markets at The Bull House Studio, Lake Street, Mayfield, East Sussex TN20 6PR. Organised by ABCD Designs, who handmake lots of lovely products, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find a fabulous range of jewellery by Smashing Things alongside a fantastic selection of Christmas gifts for the home to suit all tastes and budgets. The markets will be held during 8th-11th November and 6th-9th December, from 10am until 5:30pm. You can also check out their online shop at www.smashing-things.co.uk

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For something special...

Handmade Rabbits inspired by vintage designs that take us back to those nostalgic, childhood days, lovingly made from vintage French linen and other beautiful fabrics. Price: £39 to £59. Beautiful angelic Angel, designed and handmade with love using elegant French fabrics. Her wings are made from vintage grain sacks and she has an antique silk ribbon around her neck. Measures 46cms. Price: £65 Nutley Antiques, Libra house, High Street, Nutley, East

Sussex TN22 3NF Tel: 01825 713220 Find them on Instagram and Facebook

LOV E CH R IST M AS

For the stylish man...

Bugatti Boots, £139; Fynch-Hatton flannel shirts, from £59.50; Swole Panda bamboo accessories – socks, £10, scarves, from £45, and watches, £59.95.

Available at County Clothes Canterbury, Tenterden, Reigate and Sevenoaks. Find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. www.countyclothesmenswear.co.uk

For the art and celebrity lover...

If there’s one hotel that sums up the timeless glamour of London, it’s The Savoy. Its rich history and roster of celebrity guests are immortalised in Stuart McAlpine Miller’s latest collection, A Time For Reflection: The Savoy Suite. Offering a unique insight into the hotel’s patrons – including Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin - the pieces take viewers on a tour behind its doors and into the lives of Hollywood’s great. So you’re sure to find the perfect piece of artwork in this collection for the celeb aficionado in your life.

Stuart McAlpine Miller Marilyn Monroe: Bright Young Thing Framed size: 35.98in x 46.00in Edition size: 195 Price: £1,150.00 Stuart McAlpine Miller’s work is available to buy from Castle Fine Art galleries nationwide and on www.castlefineart.com

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For the garden...

If you’re looking for an extra special gift this Christmas, why not choose something designed to last. Stone benches transform a boring corner of hedging into a cosy garden nook to admire the planting through the seasons. Chilstone hand make a range of stone benches, from classical to contemporary designs that can be engraved to make them extra special. They also make birdbaths so you can care for the wildlife in your garden all year round. Or why not choose a sundial to commemorate an important date or a special someone. www.chilstone.com

For the reclaimer...

Decorative fireplace tiles, from £6 to £18 each. Original vintage Schweppes crates, £42 each. Moritz Madler travel trunk circa 1900, £120. French Bulldog garden ornament, £30. Vintage wall sconce with porcelain roses, £90. www.bestreclamation.co.uk

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For the kitchen...

This handy cup for drinks on the go is made from bamboo and corn, and fits under coffee machines, from £7.99. Award-winning storage from Holland, perfect for those Christmas leftovers, £4.99, £8 and £13.20. Everyone needs an eco-friendly water bottle – this is from a range of stunners by 24 that stays hot for 12 hours and cold for 24 hours. They have a fantastic range of styles; this one is £29.95. Amazing Masala Dabba set, available with a choice of spices, salts and different cuisines, £29.99. Metal straws, no plastic here! Different shades of gold, can be frozen and come with a cleaning brush, £14.50. www.trevormottram.co.uk

For foodies...

What do you give the person who has everything? Or how about the person that’s hard to buy for – we all have one of those in our family! The Weald Smokery in Flimwell has the ideal solution – a hamper or food box full of delicious treats! Says owner Andrew Wickham, “There are only so many decanters and photo albums a person needs! Food is a replenishable item – you can never have too much and it can always be shared and enjoyed. So why not treat someone special to one of our ready-made hampers or gift boxes. Alternatively, you could make up your own from the wide range of produce in our shop, including fine condiments, savouries, chocolates, wines and spirits, as well as the very best of the Weald Smokery range of smoked fish, meat and cheese. Or how about a side of smoked salmon? It would also make an excellent corporate gift to give to customers, clients, employees or colleagues.” Whatever the reason, there’s always an excuse to pop into The Weald Smokery, not least because in 2018 they won six Gold at the Great Taste Awards! While you decide on what goodies to buy, you can grab a bite to eat in their newly-extended restaurant. You can even ‘try before you buy’ because everything prepared in the restaurant is available in the shop. You’ll come away with a full tummy and an arm full of deliciousness to give away for Christmas – just try not to eat it all yourself!

Mount Farm, Flimwell TN5 7QL www.wealdsmokery.co.uk

Pictured: The Bodiam Hamper – a selection of delicatelyflavoured smoked fish, meat and cheese, plus carefully-selected condiments and a crisp dry white wine, £99.50. The Ticehurst gift box includes smoked salmon, smoked trout fillets, smoked chicken breast, smoked duck, smoked venison, home-cooked ham and Tracklements Horseradish, £69.95

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For the wine enthusiast...

Serious wine collecting is not only a growing pastime but has proven to be a great investment, with rare finds and exceptional vintages realising some dizzy heights for dedicated connoisseurs. The most essential part of wine collecting for both the serious collectors and us mere mortals is not only the searching out of highly treasured vintages, but the extremely important storage of those investments, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s here where things get very serious. Temperature controlled wine fridges are of course now found in most homes and are one of the increasingly popular additional appliances to the layout of most newly-designed kitchens. But often, the size of the wine-cooling fridges, even the larger ones, can be restrictive in capacity for dedicated collectors. Unless you are lucky enough to have a cellar or a whole room suitable to convert, then a bespoke wine cabinet handcrafted to your exact needs presents the perfect storage solution â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the perfect Christmas present. Chamber Furniture work closely with expert and amateur collectors and create tailored wine cabinets to suit every requirement, both for display and optimum care. Controlled to a specific temperature and humidity, each includes special seals for soft closing of doors to ensure optimum cooling levels are maintained, intricate and exquisite antique brass bottle racks and soft-close, deep storage shelves. The finest wines demand the finest craftsmanship and attention to detail and this is where Chamber come into their forte. Believing that having bespoke furniture created and designed for you should be a joy from start to finish, and just seeing these exceptional cabinetry pieces is proof again that these British designers and makers remain true to that ethos. Wine cabinets are priced from ÂŁ20,000

www.chamberfurniture.co.uk

K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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The people who make Christmas We meet some of the people who are helping to make Christmas a festive success Front of House and Catering

Trinity Theatre’s Nikki Tucker, Kitchen & Bar Manager, and Jocelyn Cheek, Front of House & Visual Arts Manager, on getting ready for the Christmas Comedy Café

What are your roles on a day-to-day basis?

Jocelyn: There’s never a standard day to day. We have different shows every night, and each show brings its own set of to-do lists! I mainly make sure all the arrangements for Front of House staff are in place, and that everyone knows what they are doing. I also programme the gallery exhibitions and look after the artists, as well as run several community projects Trinity has set up – so my day can be very varied! Nikki: As with Jocelyn , my role is very varied and no two days are the same, which is what makes my role so much fun. One day I may be cleaning beer lines and talking to suppliers .The next I could be in the kitchen supporting our chef, Tim, and the next working on the bar. In between all of this I liaise with other Trinity team members over budgets, upcoming events, sharing staff and any other tasks which may need my attention

Do things get much busier for the Comedy Café?

Nikki: Busier in a different kind of way. We become far more of a restaurant for the Comedy Café, with table service and a full three-course meal. There is a lot of pressure on the kitchen for these nights as we like to get all the main courses finished prior to the comedy starting. So I will be running between the kitchen, foyer and bar to ensure all three areas are running smoothly. If previous years are used as a benchmark, we can expect to feed around 45 people each night for a full, sit-down meal, plus this year we have introduced pre-bookable sharing platters for those who just want to nibble.

How do you prepare for the event?

Nikki: Tim and I planned the menu back in early July, and we’ve had bookings since mid August. We will have a full planning meeting closer to the time to iron out any questions. I personally contact every booking to ensure we have full information on any dietary needs, plus also arranging any arrival bubbles and wine for the tables

What makes Trinity the ideal venue for the Comedy Café?

Nikki: Its unique. We’re small enough to be intimate, but big enough for a great atmosphere. Our food is locally sourced and good value. We have great comedy acts, a friendly service, and we bring a wealth of experience to ensure the Christmas Comedy Café is a night to remember.

How do you choose the food for the Comedy Café?

Nikki: Tim and I planned the menu together. Previously we had offered two courses but this year we are offering a sharing platter to start with – a great way for people to interact right from the start of the evening. Our 54

menu is based on traditional Christmas dinner but with a twist. We are aware our guests may have dietary requirements, so we chose dishes which can be adapted without having to be totally different from what everyone else is eating. Since starting at Trinity my goal has been to source as much as possible locally. We use mainly local suppliers, who source or produce locally – beers from Pig and Porter, Nightingale cider, Fullers butchers, Rusbridge bakers to name but a few.

How do you make sure everything runs smoothly on the night?

Nikki: Planning, communication, staff training and lists, lots and lots of lists! We will have a staff briefing each night prior to service so everyone is aware of what’s happening. We have all of the guests pre-orders printed out, with copies in the kitchen and for each table (people had a tendency to forget what they have ordered!) Jocelyn: The main thing is to make sure everyone is relaxed and having a good time. The ushers will often have a joke with the audience as they go in, to get them in the mood. The audience are often the biggest wildcard at a comedy event. As long as they are up for a good time things tend to run smoothly. There can always be one audience member who decides to be a nuisance. Heckling can be funny, but too much and the rest of the audience will quickly turn on them! We had one guy who was constantly interrupting the comedians and distracting them, so making sure the comedians are confident in taking disruptive audience members down a peg or two is key! K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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How much stage designing is involved?

Jocelyn: The three-night run is held on the Foyer stage rather than the main auditorium. It creates a more intimate, cabaret-club ambience and lighting helps with this. The stage dressing is fairly minimal, the focus being on the acts themselves and the experience they deliver to the audience.

How do you choose the acts?

Jocelyn: With quite a few comedy fans in the office, it really is a group effort. Jason Lower (Youth & Learning Manager) travels to the Edinburgh festival every year and is a keen comedy-gig goer, and our Artistic Director John Martin likes to keep up to date with emerging acts. We try and select a good mix that we feel will deliver the best night for our loyal audience – always keeping it fresh!

How many acts do you generally have of an evening?

Jocelyn: We generally have three, but if there is someone new on the scene who wants to try a quick set then we might have four.

Are they family shows or aimed at an adult audience?

Jocelyn: Definitely adult! When Shappi Korsandi was here a few months ago, she asked the audience how they were and one woman yelled back that she was having an affair and had brought her lover to the gig with her.

Is there anyone that you are particularly looking forward to seeing this year?

Jocelyn: Pete Firman Marvels tour was amazing and we are all looking forward to Rich Hall in November.

Is there a year that stands out?

Jocelyn: The year before I started, Romesh Ranganathan turned up and did a secret surprise set. I’ve heard he was amazing. He now sells out huge stage shows, so to see him with just 70 other audience members in such an intimate setting must have been incredible. Tom Allen used to be a regular Comedy Café performer, too. I would love to be surprised again this year!

Any funny stories from past years that you want to share?

Jocelyn: A few times the comedians have got a little too into the festive spirit and strayed from their scripts. Last year a comedian ended up having a quite lengthy conversation with a girl on the bar about her guinea pig who had just given birth. Very funny, but probably not the material he had planned on! A member of staff had a stag do here last year, and one moment the comedians were doing their thing, the next a member of the board was on stage dueting with them and dancing on the tables. I’m pretty sure they had even found props and costumes from somewhere! Dates, times and prices can be found at:

www.trinitytheatre.net/events/christmas-comedy-cafe

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JJ with Carole Winter, Assembly Hall Theatre Producer

The Panto Director

This year, John-Jackson ( JJ) Almond will be directing Sleeping Beauty at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells, where he is Director of Theatre, Museum and Gallery

Before being involved with the Assembly Hall, had you worked on a pantomime before?

I worked on Jack and the Beanstalk in 2011 at the Shaw Theatre in London, which starred Linda and Maureen Nolan, and I directed Beauty and the Beast, also at the Shaw, in 2013 which had Alison Hammond and Oliver Mellor, who at the time was the dishy doctor in Coronation Street.

How does putting on a pantomime differ from a stage play?

I don’t think it does. Maybe a lot of people will disagree with me but the processes and choices are the same. In a play we have a lot of conversations about the intentions, the motives, why the characters make the choices that they do. It should be the same with a pantomime, because if you play the role in a stereotypical, two-dimensional way, you’ll lose the kids because they connect with the truthful storytelling. Pantomime is a specialist skill, for the performers, because you have to work with the audience differently, you have to be willing to participate with the audience and they have to be willing to play the game with you. We want them to be noisy (in the right places!); we want them to participate, to be vocal and as engaged as possible in the action on stage. They have to make friends with the actors because we want them on board with the story that we tell, and then we take them on that journey.

How do you decide on which pantomime to put on?

We work with an external producer called Martin Dodd from UK Productions, so the pantomime is, in effect, their pantomime. We provide the space and creative in terms of the director, and we request the choreographer. This year, Martin is providing the lighting designer and the sound so we have a mix of how we form the creative team between the two companies. Martin has the final say on the casting and we are asked to comment. Martin might have a particular performer in mind and suggest

them to us and we will consider whether they are a performer that will appeal to our local audience and to the family audience of Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas. If we don’t think that that casting is going to work, then Martin will listen but ultimately, it is his decision.

When do you start working on it?

We are already starting to think about next year’s pantomime! Casting generally starts in January and is confirmed around July/August for the leads. Outside the creative process, the marketing starts with the current panto, when we expect to be talking to audiences about next year. We are rehearsing at TN2, a community centre in Sherwood, from 26th November – that’s the first day that the actors arrive in Tunbridge Wells. We go into the theatre for technical and dress rehearsals on Wednesday, 5th December and our first performance is Friday 7th, December. Because of the advance marketing that we do, we already have two sell-out performances.

There’s a lot of ‘business’ involved in pantomime. How do you make sure it all goes right on the night? And how many backstage crew are involved?

Well, you can’t guarantee that it will be alright on the night! And a lot of the things that look like mistakes are often rehearsed mistakes. We make sure that we have rehearsed it and teched it appropriately, had the dress rehearsals so everyone knows what they’re doing and are comfortable with what they’re doing. The cast understand how they are doing it and why they are doing it and that’s how we make sure that everything follows the same roadmap for every performance. In terms of backstage, there will be about 10 people, including wardrobe, dressers, technicians, stage manager, DSM (deputy stage manager), and ASM (assistant stage manager). It’s fun, but it’s still professional performers up there delivering a professional show to an audience that have paid to come and see that show delivered professionally, and to have fun.

How does having a young element in the audience affect the show?

It’s all about how we are telling the story. There has to be truth in it; it has to be able to connect with those younger people. But pantomime audiences range from babies upwards so it has to reach a wide cross-section, including the section that isn’t old enough to fully engage and concentrate for 2.5

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hours on a live show. But as long as we are doing our job properly on stage and we are telling the story clearly and truthfully, then generally we engage most of them. There are hit and misses with different age groups within a panto. There are some bits that will engage some of them, some bits that won’t. For example, the comic will appeal to the younger children while the handsome lead will appeal to the middling age group, but the younger ones will still understand that they are the hero or heroine of the story. Even the casting of the characters and their positioning in the story are appealing to different aspects of the audience.

Do you feel that you have to better each production and how do you do that?

This will be my second panto at the AHT but I think it is dangerous to compete with yourself year on year to make it better and better. I think the job is to take the script and the performers and deliver the best possible production that you can. When you start thinking you’ve got to make it better, then ultimately you’ll run out of money and you’ll run out of tricks and be focusing on the competition with yourself rather than telling a story to your audience. Of course we’d love it to be better each year! As with any show, there is a set of creatives, a set of performers, a set of cast and crew to work as hard as you possibly can and deliver the best possible show that you can. So as long as you are confident that you have delivered that, then you can be proud of yourselves.

How do you know you have a success on your hands?

Until you’ve done that first performance, you just do not know. It’s really difficult for me to watch the show because I am always really nervous. I’m nervous for the performers because they are making those steps for the first time on their first show in front of their first audience. It’s the first time they

have told that joke in front of a large, live audience and they are hoping that joke will land and the audience will laugh, hoping they can make friends with the audience. Until those first few performances are out the way, I feel the nerves for them. It’s the same for stage management. They are all really nervous because they’ve got to make sure they support the performers, that the props and the costumes are all in the right place at the right time. We know we’ve got a hit on our hands when the audiences are laughing, they are comfortable, they are participating.

www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

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The Christmas Ice Rink Organiser

Dawn Gabriel is the Operations Manager at the Assembly Hall Theatre, with responsibility for organising the annual ice rink in Calverley Grounds

How long have you been responsible for organising the ice rink? Since the 2014 Christmas season.

When do you start planning?

The planning starts early! We usually start the process as soon as the last one finishes. We have a debrief meeting to assess what went well and what not so well, then we start the planning for the following year. We have a team with members from the Assembly Hall Theatre’s marketing team who look after all aspects of the marketing, website and box office provision, and the Ice Rink Manager, Johnny Hardy, who can’t stay away and is returning this year for his fourth year!

What exactly is involved in bringing it all together?

There is so much involved, from organising schedules, managing budgets, signage, waste management, lighting, chalets, infrastructure, Wi-Fi… the list goes on and on! We start the planning meetings to coordinate the marketing, PR and social media campaigns. We also begin looking for local businesses that would like a presence in the park or in the cabins. This year we have gone out to tender for the bar and café providers in the marquee. We have also tendered for the actual ice rink, the company who put in all of the lovely lights in and around the rink and park and for the company that provides the First Response (first aid). Around August we start to look for Ice Marshals, although lots of the team return as it is a really fun environment to work in The build period needs to be very organised: who is coming in, doing what and when. We need to ensure that before anyone comes on site, they have the relevant insurance and have provided detailed risk assessments and method statements.

What’s the most challenging aspect?

The most important aspect is, of course, safety so everyone can come along, relax and enjoy. That is why Tunbridge Wells Borough Council employs a First Response company –not all ice rinks do. Ice is slippery and people do fall over and if they do, we want them to have immediate care. The most challenging aspect is always the weather! We hope for chilly, crisp, sunny days which make perfect conditions for both skating and making ice. Rain is not too much of a problem, although it’s not ideal, and it isn’t much fun if you fall over. Wind is a big issue as it moves around the little cold micro climate that hovers over the ice keeping it frozen and melts the ice quicker than anything. Snow is also an issue as it freezes quickly onto the ice and makes it bumpy.

And the most enjoyable?

The atmosphere is always lovely and festive, the customers are happy and ready for a good time and the team are fabulous. The Forum music venue brings a selection of local bands to perform in the marquee on the first four Thursday nights, and they are always fun.

What’s planned for the gala opening night on 16th November?

We’ve got fire juggling with Rachel Phoenix, the Tunbridge Wells Rock Choir will be performing, and there will be an ice dance by the Silver Blades from Gillingham Ice Rink. We are also hoping for a star of stage and screen to make a surprise appearance but I can’t confirm that at the moment!

How many skaters are you expecting this year?

Last year we had nearly 40,000 skaters but many more visitors come along just to enjoy the ambience, mulled wine and hot chocolate! This year we are hoping to increase that number by a couple of thousand but it all depends on the weather!

What are the most popular sessions?

Christmas Eve is always the most popular day and we advise you to book early. The 11am, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm sessions are always really popular.

What else is going on around the rink?

There are a few events happening this year including a history talk from the Tunbridge Wells Museum team, wreath-making, children’s story time and Date and Skate! There will be Christmassy choir performances for all the family from Trinity Youth Choir, plus The Talentz and Christmas Carolokey! We will also have our annual visit from Father Christmas, which is a very popular attraction

How long does it take to break it all down once the rink is closed?

It takes around two weeks to be broken down and for everything taken away.

What’s your job for the rest of the year?

As Operations Manager at the Assembly Hall Theatre I look after the team that runs the theatre day to day, customer service and sales. I also help with the organisation of the annual Remembrance Day Parade at the War Memorial in Tunbridge Wells Town Centre. I love my job. It’s interesting, varied and I am privileged to work with a fabulous team at the Assembly Hall Theatre and the wider Council. K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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The Shopping Centre Organiser

Marc Burchett, Marketing Manager at Royal Victoria Place (RVP), is the man responsible for getting the Tunbridge Wells shopping centre ready for the festive season and ensuring it runs smoothly

What’s planned for this year?

We have lots of exciting things planned for this Christmas and it all kicks off with our Festive Family Fun Day on Sunday, 18th November, with FREE all-day parking, too! Santa will be making his big entrance for the official opening of his magical fireside-themed grotto from midday with a little help from his celebrity friends – TV presenter Claire Sweeney and Derek Moran from Chanel 5’s Milkshake who will be starring in this year’s Assembly Hall Theatre pantomime, Sleeping Beauty. Santa’s Grotto will be open all afternoon until 4.30pm for those who want to be the first to meet the man himself. There’ll also be lots of free festive entertainment throughout the day to get everyone in the mood for Christmas, including the chance to meet the famous cheese-loving duo Wallace and Gromit. Santa’s Grotto will then be open every day between 19th November and 4pm on Christmas Eve. Entry is only £5.50 per child, including a luxury, wrapped gift. To capture the special moment, a photography service will also be available, offering great gift ideas for family and friends. The return of Tunbridge Wells’ biggest Teddy bear to RVP sees the 3.5-metre giant bear posing and sharing selfies with shoppers and their families, and raising money to support local charity ellenor. In 2017, the #TeddySelfie campaign raised nearly £3,000 for ellenor and helped to fund 90 play-therapy sessions for very sick children across the Kent region. The Teddy will be on display between Sunday, 18th November and Christmas Eve and will be located on level 2, opposite French Connection.

What’s involved in bringing all the elements together?

A lot of hard work and long nights, plus a love for all things Christmas really helps! We start planning early as there are so many things to get organised, from the mall decorations, Santa’s Grotto and carol singers to entertainment, events and extended shopping hours with free parking. Plus there’s the centre’s Christmas advertising campaign to organise. So we only really get to relax once we close our doors at 5pm on Christmas Eve, and then only for a day as we are open again at 10am for the start of the Boxing Day sales!

What’s the most challenging aspect?

Logistics is always the key challenge to ensure that everything runs smoothly, especially when planning the Christmas decoration installations for a shopping centre of our size, which has both internal and external aspects. When it comes to the Christmas Launch Event, it’s a day that brings lots of nail-biting for all those involved as it attracts a high volume of people and lots of activities happening at different times and in different locations. Plenty of preparation and planning are key in making it a success for everyone to enjoy and have lots of fun.

And the most enjoyable?

It’s got to be seeing the children’s faces light up when they see Santa arrive. We all remember when we first saw Santa. It’s a magical memory that never leaves us, so we aim to make Santa’s arrival and the Grotto really magical experiences that will create cherished memories for children, both young and old! K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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How do you choose your Santa? Do they audition or do you use the same one every year?

Our Santa is the real deal! So no auditions are required, we just need to make sure we have a plentiful supply of mince pies and hot chocolate on hand to keep him (and the elves) happy!

What qualities should Santa have?

As we have the real Santa here at RVP, he has the perfect qualities as he does it every year!

Any amusing stories about the children who have visited him?

There are many, but last year Santa was so happy to meet with his youngest-ever fan when he had a special visit from parents bringing their two-week-old baby to meet him and have their first Christmas family photo with the man himself!

How long does it take to break everything down once Christmas is over?

With months of planning and preparation, Christmas can suddenly vanish from RVP over nightâ&#x20AC;Ś literally! We are very superstitious here at RVP and we always ensure the decorations are taken down by 12th night.

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The Kudos Festive Food Guide Where to enjoy fantastic food around the region this Christmas The Kentish Hare

The Curlew The team at The Curlew in Bodiam works all over Christmas and on New Year’s Eve to bring you the most delicious food. They would love you to join them to celebrate – their Christmas present is helping you to enjoy yourselves. The set choice Christmas Day Lunch menu (£115pp) features five delicious courses, including a Mosaic of Game with fig, smoked almonds and port; Goose Liver Ballotine with rhubarb, gingerbread and brioche; Halibut with cauliflower, Champagne and caviar; and Curlew Christmas Pudding with brandy and honey. The set choice New Year’s Eve Dinner (£75pp) includes Scallop with kohlrabi, apple and lime; Pigeon with hazelnut, beetroot and ginger; Chalk Steam Trout with broccoli, mussels and samphire; and Gingerbread with pineapple and coconut. A festive menu is available from 4th December lunch and dinner Tuesday to Friday, and for Christmas parties from 1st November. Two courses for £22 and three for £28 could include Confit Duck Terrine with celeriac and port; Pumpkin Seed Gnocchi with squash, English Feta and spinach; and White Chocolate Delice with orange and passion fruit. How can you resist?

This successful gastro pub is already fully booked for Christmas Day (not surprising if you have ever eaten there!) but they have a fantastic set Christmas Party Menu, available from 1st-22nd December, Tuesday to Saturday lunch and dinner on a pre-booked basis only. To start, choose from Chicken Liver Parfait with tomato chutney and brioche; Confit Salmon with fennel and dill crème frâiche; Goats Cheese Filo Tart with roast maple pear and watercress salad; Leek & Potato Soup with truffle oil and corn bread. For mains, there’s Rolled Turkey Crown with all the trimmings, honey-roasted parsnips and rich turkey gravy; Braised Beef Cheek with champ mash potato, crispy onions and spinach; Hake Fillet with leeks, crushed potatoes and caper dressing; and Cauliflower Risotto with caramelised cauliflower and hazelnut pesto. For dessert, choose from Christmas Pudding with brandy custard and chantilly; Passion Fruit Panna Cotta with chocolate crumb; Kentish Hare Chocolate Pave with blood orange sorbet; and the Kitchen Cheese Board with bread, biscuits, grape and chutney (£2.50 supplement). Price is £29.95 Tuesday-Thursday; £34.95 Friday-Saturday. Their usual set menu will be available during the normal hours over Christmas: Tuesday-Saturday lunch, Tuesday-Thursday dinner, 2 courses £19.95, 3 courses £23.95. Keep an eye on their website for opening times over the festive period, special deals and details on their hugely-popular Tasting Evenings. The next one is on 14th November and we’ll be there! 95 Bidborough Ridge, Bidborough, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0XB Tel. 01892 525709 www.thekentishhare.com

Opening times: Christmas Eve lunch and dinner; Christmas Day lunch; New Years Eve lunch and dinner. They will be closed 1st-8th January. Junction Road, Bodiam TN32 5UY Tel. 01580 861394 www.thecurlewrestaurant.co.uk K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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The Bell Snuggle up in a great British pub this winter... Nestled in the heart of an English country village, welcoming visitors from near and far over 400 years, The Bell is the perfect place to hunker down after a brisk country walk or for a long winter’s night. If you happen upon a Wednesday or Thursday night, there could be a film screening, live jazz or comedy straight from the Fringe in the Big Room. Local ales on tap, heart-warming food sourced from local suppliers in the restaurant and attentive staff make any visit memorable. The Bell’s design is eclectic in the truest sense of the word – the building looks as if an eccentric nobleman has travelled the world and stuffed his house full of curiosities from his travels. The result is utterly charming. The seven guest rooms offer highly-individual design, with features including silver birch trees (a nod to the derivation of Ticehurst’s name, which is “the wooded hill where goats graze”), huge copper bath tubs, upside-down tiles and randomly-placed light features. A Love Nest and three lodges that parody the design of Kent and Sussex oast houses are set in beautifully-designed gardens around a central fire pit. Each of the lodges has its own private outside area with a fire. The Love Nest has a wood-burning stove and private roof terrace (round, of course). Look out for weekday offers to drive away the winter blues. Room rates from £95-£295 including breakfast High Street, Ticehurst TN5 7AS Tel. 01580 200234 www.thebellinticehurst.com 64

The Queens Head The Queens Head in Sedlescombe is delighted to announce that their newly-refurbished Gallery is available for company Christmas parties or family get-togethers for up to 30 people. They currently have availability in December, so book now to avoid disappointment. Their Christmas Party Menu is available from 1st-22nd December. To start, there’s Homemade Soup of the Day; Iberico De Bellota Charcuterie Platter with chorizo, salchichon and serrano ham, olives and bread; Baked Camembert, served with toasted ciabatta and homemade chutney; Duck and Orange Pâté, served with toast and salad leaves. For main, choose from Festive Nut Roast with spinach, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and onion gravy; Traditional Roast Turkey Roulade, with cranberry stuffing, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and gravy; Slow-cooked Lamb Shank, with mashed potato, seasonal vegetables and red wine jus; and Pan-fried Barramundi with a white wine and caper sauce, served with new potatoes and baby vegetables. To finish, there’s Traditional Christmas pudding and brandy sauce, Homemade Apple and Cinnamon Crumble with a dollop of honeycombe ice cream; Homemade Mincemeat Tart and vanilla ice cream; Homemade Sticky Toffee Pudding, butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream; a selection of cheese and biscuits. Two courses for £22.50, three courses for £27.50. The Green, Sedlescombe, Battle TN33 0QA Tel. 01424 870 228 www.thequeensheadsedlescombe.com K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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The Warren The Warren Restaurant in Tunbridge Wells has become rather famous for their luxurious, Crowborough Estate sourced Christmas Lunch Menu. And they’re the perfect cosy and intimate location for your family to celebrate Christmas day. This year’s menu has been lovingly crafted by head chef Robert Marshall, using the very best of The Warren’s own produce. The festive menu has a choice of gourmet dishes. Starters include Celeriac baked with bone marrow “en vessie’’ with crispy Warren beef tongue; and Cream of House-smoked Haddock with poached Warren hen’s egg, sippet, and Ashdown Forest boletes. Mains include Roast Appledore turkey, with Warren wild boar and marshwort stuffing and Christmassy trimmings; and Heritage Beetroot & Barkham Blue Pithivier with Tenterden Heritage potatoes with chicory and pomegranate. Follow up with Warren Christmas pudding; Apple Tart Alain Passard; and Warren Chocolate Yule Roulade. The Warren isn’t just about Christmas Day, though. Their cosy and intimate restaurant invites you in from the cold with a warming fire and delicious Crowborough Estate sourced game, beef, boar, pork and duck. Whether it’s a departmental treat, annual catch-up or extraspecial date night, The Warren is the perfect venue. Their infamous pianist and great team will ensure your party or family lunch is memorable. They also have a range of drinks packages to suit your budget, allowing you to be the perfect host. The Warren is open Wednesdays to Sundays through December; 24th December and 25th December for lunch only; closed 26th and 27th December; 28th and 29th December open for lunch and dinner; 29th December closed for an exclusive event; 30th December open for Sunday Lunch; New Year’s Eve open for an extra-indulgent A la Carte menu; closed: 1st-8th January inclusive. Christmas Day lunch costs £99.95 per person. The December festive menu costs £49.95 per person Fridays and Saturdays and £39.95 Wednesdays and Thursdays. To book, contact Magdalena on 01892 328191 or visit the website www. thewarren.restaurant K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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The ultimate indulgent dessert He might not be local but we couldn’t resist this Black Butter and Jersey Brandy Cheesecake recipe created by Steve Smith from the Michelin-starred Bohemia restaurant Cheesecake base

• 200g Dulcey chocolate (or milk chocolate) • 300g Crunchy Valrhona praline (or Nutella) • 150g Feuillentine (or Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes) • 100g Toasted salted hazelnuts blitzed in a food processor • 2g Smoked salt Melt the chocolate and mix in the praline. Fold in the Feuillentine flakes, hazelnuts and smoked salt then spread it between two pieces of parchment paper and roll a thin layer into a cake tin or mould.

Cheesecake

• 800g cream cheese • Half a tin of cooked condensed milk • 5 leaves of gelatine • 150g egg yolks • 50g sugar • 200g Dulcey chocolate (or milk chocolate) • 80g Jersey brandy • 100g black butter (or apple purée and a little bit of mixed spice and liquorice) • 50g double cream • 500g whipped double cream Soften the cream cheese then add the cooked condensed milk. Dissolve the gelatin in the cream. Whisk together the eggs and sugar over heat until they are white. Melt the chocolate and add to the brandy and black butter or apple purée mixture. Whisk the cream until thick and fold into the cream cheese mix. Pour over the biscuit base and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Butter Spiced Jelly

• 400g cider • 150g Jersey black butter • 3 gelatine leaves • 25g Jersey apple brandy • 1 lemon to use for juice Dissolve the gelatine and strain. Heat the cider and add the black butter and gelatine. Add the rest of the ingredients and set the jelly by placing it into the fridge for 30 minutes. Decorate as desired.

Bohemia Restaurant, The Club Hotel & Spa, Green Street, St. Helier, Jersey JE2 4UH, Channel Islands For reservations please call: 01534 876 500 or visit www.theclubjersey.com K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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The house next door When Chris and Peter Green wanted a new home, they looked no further than their large garden for a building plot Photography by Matt Harquail

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Looking to the future, Chris and Peter Green realised their fourbedroom detached family home in a village in Kent would not be suitable as they got older, so they decided to design and age-proof a new property. And given the size of their large garden, they knew they were looking at the perfect plot. The couple were keen to stay in the village. “We’ve lived here for many years and like the community spirit, the train link to London and the south coast, and the nearby country walks,” says Chris. When it came to the design of their new home, Chris and Peter knew exactly what they wanted. “We’ve visited Australia and liked their properties with lots of glass and balconies,” says Peter. “So we designed the house but got architects to design the finer detail and structural requirements. Not much changed from our original plans, apart from the front of the house where we added dormer windows to give us more height and light in the upstairs bathrooms. Otherwise the house is as our original design.” The house is a fusion of traditional and contemporary. The front is traditional to fit in with neighbouring properties, while the back is modern, with glass a stunning feature. “We wanted lots of glass,” says Chris, “hence the double-height sitting room and the glass balconies with patio doors from the bedrooms. The stair sides, the balustrades on the landing and the mezzanine sides are also glass, plus the five Velux windows which let in a lot of light and, when open, cool the house very quickly – very useful in the hot summer we had this year.” K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

After initial problems with planning, the couple obtained permission and put the build out to tender. “L J Fletcher and another builder were the most competitive,” says Peter. “However, we liked Lee Fletcher and the work that he had done for previous customers, so we went with him. We made the right choice as they are excellent builders. We got on well with Lee and all his crew, and the build quality is second to none.” The build went smoothly apart from the foundations, which had to be pile-driven due to the proximity of trees, which added a rather large, additional cost. Lee Fletcher explains: “We excavated the site to ascertain soil conditions due to trees in neighbouring councilowned land. Rather than conventional strip foundations, we had to install a piled foundation because of poor soil conditions and water levels on the site. But once we were out of the ground, the build was conventional brick-and-block walling with a cut-and-pitch roof and some structural steel work. “The piled foundation delayed the project straight away as we had to use an outside contractor at short notice. Some of the steel work was complex, too, as it had to be installed from the foundation upwards to roof level, before any walls could be formed. The project was scheduled to be around 32 weeks but with the delays at the beginning, it took around 40 weeks.” Lee is pleased with the result. “The house has blended into the surrounding area very well and almost looks like two 69

completely different properties when you compare the front to the rear.” The Green’s are now the proud owners of a stunning home, full of light. “You enter the house into a superb, high hallway with solid oak floor and staircase, with glass sides. Downstairs there are glass double doors into the sitting room and also glass double doors upstairs onto the mezzanine from the landing,” says Chris. “Downstairs there’s a large kitchen/dining room, with sliding patio doors on the south corner, opening on both sides. There’s also a generously-proportioned utility room on the north corner, which is very useful. “We also have a study/bedroom with adjacent downstairs shower room and toilet. There’s a large downstairs bedroom with dressing room and en-suite bathroom plus patio doors to the garden. This is in case mobility becomes a problem! Hopefully, that’s a long time off. The sitting room is double height, with bi-fold doors and patio doors to the garden. These are fabulous when fully opened on hot summer days, but we also have a woodburning stove for those cold winter evenings. This is in addition to the underfloor heating. “Upstairs, we have two more bedrooms with dressing rooms, en-suite bathrooms and balconies overlooking the adjacent fields. We also have a mezzanine with glass balustrades with views over the neighbouring fields. “The house is exactly as we planned and what we wanted, and it flows so well. The windows, by Twinbrook Windows, are a real feature. The house is

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perfect for entertaining our friends and family – we have three grownup children and five grandchildren. There are so many places to sit and relax. “We especially love the mezzanine with the Velux roof windows and glass balustrades giving us lovely views through the double-height windows. The couple decided not to involve an interior designer when it came to finishing the house. “We have chosen everything ourselves and had a great time doing so,” says Chris. “The bathrooms are all individual with a different style of tiles. The kitchen is a dream with its large island and lovely, useable layout, designed by Howdens in Tonbridge. “Lee Fletcher was very helpful in advising places to look for fixtures and fittings, such as Henderstone for the quality quartz work surface and CTD for the tiles. We also got a lot of ideas from magazines and from window shopping, plus online, of course!” So is there anything the couple would change about the house? “Not all of our Velux windows are electric, and we should have had electric throughout,” says Peter . “But that’s just a petty item. In the main, we wouldn’t change anything. We love the house – it’s our forever home.”

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The art of the mascot Jane Anderson of Gorringe’s Tunbridge Wells looks at the remarkable glass car mascots created by the French glass master René Lalique

It seems rather extraordinary to us nowadays that the owner of an expensive vehicle would remove the manufacturer’s badge and replace it with an ornament. But that is exactly what happened with luxury cars in the 1920’s and 30’s. Cars of this period were built with their radiator caps on the bonnet, providing a natural perch for display. Coinciding with the rise in popularity of Art Deco glass ornaments, especially those designed by the French glass master, René Lalique, car ‘mascots’, with their iconic engraved signatures, became an essential symbol of wealth and status. The first Lalique mascot, the ‘Cinq Chevaux’ (Five Horses), was commissioned by Citroën for the model 501 in 1925 and was followed by 27 further designs. These included birds, animals, insects and female nudes and were produced mainly in clear, but also satin, frosted and opalescent glass and in a variety of tints and colours. The rarest mascot is the fox, of which few survive, and the most infamous the eagle’s head (as they were often fitted to Nazi officers’ staff cars). Such was their popularity here, Lalique commissioned the Breves Gallery in Knightsbridge to supply mascots to British customers. Breves manufactured bespoke metal mounts so that the mascots could be displayed both on and off the vehicle. These included mounts that enabled the illumination of the mascot, with an assortment of coloured filters and in some cases a dynamo to vary the light intensity as the car gathered speed! The effect of this startling display on both the driver of the vehicle and oncoming traffic can only be imagined and few were used on a regular basis. In fact, many mascot owners probably only displayed them on special occasions due to their fragility. The actual number of Lalique mascots produced is unknown and no doubt many succumbed to damage caused by stone chips flying up from road surfaces or careless owners flinging open their bonnets without due attention. In the decades following their production, they often turned up at auction, making varying amounts depending on the level of damage and/or repair, with those in perfect condition commanding a premium. As a result, many pieces have ended up in private collections and the appearance at auction of genuine mascots is now far less frequent. When they do, as in Gorringe’s recent sale of a single-owner collection, the prices achieved can range from a few hundred pounds each to £5,000 or more. tunbridge.wells@gorringes.co.uk Tel. 01892 556860 K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

Main image: Peacock’s head Left to right: Speed Goddess (probably one of the most iconic mascots); Dragonfly (particularly spectacular when illuminated), Five Horses (the first mascot commissioned by Citroën in 1925); Frog

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Garden notes All you need for your outside space

Flower power

The perfect way to create your own gorgeous wild-flower meadow. This hand-crafted beech catapult made from wood from fallen or coppiced trees with a rubber and leather sling comes with a tin of 20 Sky Meadow seedballs – giving you the most fun way ever of scattering a meadow! Sky Meadow is a mix of all-blue flowering wild flowers including Cornflower, Forget-me-not, Meadow Cranesbill, Self Heal and Wild Clary. As bees see mostly in the blue/violet light spectrum this mix is great for attracting them. Each tin will cover an area of approximately 1 sq m – additional tins or bulk bags of seedballs can be purchased. Made from clay, peat-free compost, seeds and chilli powder, seed balls have their own mini ecosystem, protecting seeds from birds, ants and slugs and giving them the nutrition they need to get a head start and germinate easily. The Meadow Catapult costs £30 and is available from www.seedball.com

Gardening for success Praise for Kings Hill and Hever

Kings Hill near Maidstone was awarded two gold medals and named Best in Kent in this year’s South & South East in Bloom competition. The garden village came top in the Town Centre category, winning a gold, and scooped another gold in the Business Landscape category. The judges also gave it the discretionary Kent County award. The judges were impressed by the high level of community involvement in creating the award-winning landscape, stating that it is very clear that people “have such pride in the aesthetics of the whole place and enjoy contributing to that by doing their bit”. They added that parts of the residential neighbourhoods were “just beautiful”. Apprentice landscaper Connor Edwards, who works for Coblands who are responsible for the planting and maintenance at Kings Hill, received a special mention for his hard work in the sensory garden at GenesisCare in the business park. They also said that the high standard of the soft and hard landscaping in the business park made it a “very desirable area for businesses to locate”. Susan Davies, estate manager for Kings Hill developer Liberty Property Trust, is responsible for the landscaping with the help of Coblands, ecologist Sue Deakin and the support of the three schools, numerous clubs and societies and residents. “It’s a real team effort and so exciting to have everyone’s hard work recognised in this way,” said Susan. Hever Castle and Gardens were also awarded a prestigious gold medal. The judges described Hever as “One of the finest gardens in the UK” and scored it 181 out of 200. There was praise for the team, too: “An excellent relationship among the team is evident, agreeing on seasonal displays, maintenance programmes and passionate work ethic under the leadership of head gardener Neil Miller.” The South & South East in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the region involving hundreds of communities each year. Participating communities create lasting improvements to their local environment for the benefit of those that live, work and visit. 76

Hever Castle & Gardens

Poppies by the Control Tower at Kings Hill

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10 tips for your garden this issue Advice from Tim Sykes of Gardenproud 1. Clear up fallen leaves on your lawns 2. Clear the surface of ponds and attach a net to collect leaves and falling debris if possible 3. Plant out your spring bulbs, in particular tulips 4. Prune your roses 5. Collect and burn any fallen rose leaves to help prevent black spot 6. R aise above ground any potted plants to help avoid waterlogging 7. Plant out any winter bedding, e.g. cyclamen 8. Time to plant any bare-root hedging and trees 9. Tidy up your greenhouse and get it ready for the next season 10. Give the birds a feed Enjoy your garden this winter For further advice or help with your garden, see www.rhs.org.uk Contact Tim Sykes at Gardenproud on 07725 173820, or visit him at www.reallygardenproud.com

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From little acorns… Down To Earth Trees began life as a sapling almost 40 years ago and is now one of the leading treemanagement companies in south-east England Down to Earth Trees, based in Sevenoaks, is one of the longestestablished tree-management companies in the south-east. Rooted in 1979, the company began life at a time when the industry was in its infancy in relation to training, equipment and professional standards. Down to Earth Trees’ founder Glenn Morris set out with the objective of becoming the best tree surgery company in Kent. After huge amounts of hard work, much through trial and error, the company was awarded the Approved Contractor Status by the Arboricultural Association (the tree industry’s professional body), becoming one of only two companies to achieve this award in Kent at that time. Glenn used this prestigious award as a springboard to continually aim for higher industry standards, by serving as a member of the Commercial and Publicity committees of the Arboricultural Association to create the high standards of professionalism and peace of mind for the customer that Down To Earth provides today. These standards benefit both employees within the industry and customers. Approved companies require continual stringent assessments, including training and site assessment, to ensure the highest standards of work and maximum levels of safety. Eight years into the company’s life, the great storm of 1987 hit southern England. Down to Earth was the leading contractor involved in the initial emergency response and lengthy clear-up operation in and around Sevenoaks, one of the worst-hit areas in the UK. The storm felled trees like matchsticks, creating potentially-dangerous situations requiring great skill and care. The problems created by the storm gave the company a broad skill set and range of experiences which set it up well for its future growth and expansion. Nearly 40 years on, Down To Earth is the one of the leading treemanagement companies in south-east England. It has organically grown and matured over the years to develop into a multi-disciplined, customer-focused business offering specialist arboricultural contracting and consultancy throughout Kent and south-east London. Navin Sehmi and John Robinson are now the two company directors, both with extensive industry experience and qualifications. They oversee their team of highly-professional arborists, estimators, consultants and administrators, who all ensure each customer receives a first-rate experience, from the initial point of contact through to the completion of works, with guaranteed customer satisfaction. Down To Earth Trees still boasts the highly-respected Arboricultural Association Approved Contractor accreditation, ensuring the work quality and back-office procedures remain professional and to the highest-possible standards. Navin Sehmi also works closely with the Arboricultural Association, having recently been appointed on their Board of Directors to assist the organisation with its professional development, ensuring it is continually evolving and leading the way for the industry as it evolves. Down To Earth Trees specialises in offering their clients a ‘one stop shop’ for their tree management requirements, from the planting of a 78

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single tree through to very large tree removals in confined spaces and everything in between, including the control of invasive weeds. No job is too big or small! They also offer a one-off or annual hedge-trimming package – in one instance, they have been trimming the same hedge for over 20 years! They also offer a stump-removal service following a tree removal and have a varied range of grinding equipment depending on access or the size of the stump. Down to Earth also delivers consultancy advice and detailed reports on all tree-related matters to an extensive list of private and commercial clients. They work closely with each to create concise tree reports produced in an easy-to-understand, professional format. Down To Earth Trees worked extremely hard to achieve ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 accreditations in 2017. This award has increased the workload for their already-busy commercial arboricultural department, which regularly works for large commercial clients such as the Forestry Commission, the National Trust, The Diocese of Rochester and numerous housing and management companies. Their domestic arboricultural department works with clients who may have just a few trees or larger properties with woodland. The team at Down To Earth Trees are as passionate about trees as they are about providing exceptionally high standards of customer care. They look forward to hearing from you!

Call Down To Earth Trees to discuss your tree work requirements or make contact via the ‘get in touch’ section of their website to arrange a site visit from friendly estimators Paul, Alex or Glenn, who will then follow on with a free, no obligation quotation. www.downtoearthtrees.co.uk K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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Autumn glory A gorgeous season, and preparing for Armistice Day

Autumn is fully upon us as I write, and what an autumn it has been! Such sun and dryness I cannot remember. But it leads to an important milestone. The Centenary of Armistice Day at 11 o’clock on the 11th day of the 11th month. Like millions of others, I had relatives caught up in the bloodbath whose names are printed on the Menin Gate in Ypres in the Somme. I have been out with my family to see the flat plains where for several ungodly years, there was unprecedented turmoil. It is a soul-wrenching experience that I would recommend to all. It was with my GardenEye hat on that I noticed something about our village memorial. It is a beautiful, simple cross, on the side of the main road that passes through the village. Bushes and small trees on either side were blocking the view of the church and shrouding the memorial, making it feel dark and unloved. On closer inspection, these were not ‘planted’ species, save for three small trees to the sides that probably were, but were now drowned out by the thugs, self-sown from hedgerows growing unchecked. With a sense of determination, I set out to see if these rogue bushes could be cleared, to open up the trees away from their embrace and to re-emphasise the War memorial and to reveal the magnificent Grade-1 listed church beyond to all those passing in the background. Let there be light! After chatting to various PCC members and getting their approval, a few of us got together and cleared it all. The stumps will hopefully be dug out by a kindly local digger driver and we’ll have it ready for the big day. It was a great team effort and one could see people’s interest in this tiny project as they drove past in their cars. The difference is miles better on every level. I then received an email from our local historian with pictures showing the opening ceremony in 1920 (pictured). What a magnificent photo it is. To my delight (and slight relief), the area around the memorial was, as I had suspected, originally clear! My hunch was completely right. K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

The single biggest problem with any garden area is understanding the value of what is already there. We all become so familiar with things that change is often not only difficult but impossible to comprehend. Often all it takes is a balanced eye to see the wood from the trees! On a different note, I planted three Lagerstroemia Indica’s this year in my garden, otherwise known as Crepe Myrtle. Not known for their hardiness and rare in the UK, I did wonder if they had made it through winter. They did and then flowered (late) prolifically and as an unexpected bonus have become my autumn sensations. I don’t think I’ve ever been so pleased with a particular plant as these! Every plant in my garden has a story to tell… but that’s for another day.

To book a consultation for your garden, email: info@gardeneye.co.uk or call: 07831868848 www.gardeneye.co.uk

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Heads up!

Top local head teachers give their views

With so much focus on mental health today, how do you support your pupils’ mental health and well-being, especially at stressful times of the school year, for instance when they’re sitting tests or exams?

Scott Carnochan, Headmaster

Holmewood House School, Tunbridge Wells Independent preparatory school for boys and girls aged 3-13 Well-being is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.” At Holmewood House, we firmly believe that the well-being of every member of our community, be they pupil or staff, should underpin every aspect of the school. Decision-making at meetings is based on the benefits to the members of the community and every meeting of our management teams, including our Governors at Committee and Full Board levels, discusses the impact of decisions reached on the people who make up our school. Indeed, one of the governors themselves has a specific remit for liaising with the school in this area on behalf of the Governing Board. With a newly-appointed member of staff devoted to this key area of school life in the role of Wellbeing Lead, we are passionate about delivering not just the best academic education but also the broadest personal education. Of course, some aspects are dealt with through the classroom (for example in our PSHE lessons, as well as other subjects) but our children also benefit from a number of discrete opportunities where they are supported and cared for. Every child benefits from their own personal ‘pastoral safety net’ which aims to catch them before they fall! Every full-time member of our academic staff has a pastoral role; each child has a tutor who sees them on a regular basis and acts as their voice whenever a challenge is being faced, supporting them in developing strategies to overcome such challenges. Each child is part of a supportive community within the school community, their House, and they are proud to be part of it and enjoy the opportunities for mentoring, caring for others, developing relationships with younger/older pupils and leadership that exist. To complement their roles in this, each member of staff receives training and guidance in Wellbeing and Mental Health. The Deputy Head and the Wellbeing Lead are both trained as Mental Health First Aiders, with the Wellbeing Lead being an Instructor in Mental Health First Aid. All teachers in the school will undertake training to qualify them as a Mental Health First Aider. Fundamentally, our core purpose is to educate the children. As they get older and the landscape in which they live changes in terms of pressures, challenges and technology, it is essential that we equip them with the tools and strategies to overcome these challenges. Through being proactive, we are empowering them to overcome hurdles at the same time as being supported by a caring pastoral net which we are proud to call the Holmewood House Wellbeing Programme. Through this, we strive to meet the comfort, health and happiness that the definition of well being demands; at the same time, we have the structure in place in school through caring professionals to help our children and staff to achieve this definition, even when, as happens, there are challenges to face. 82

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Andrew Webster, Headmaster

The Mead School, Tunbridge Wells Co-educational preparatory school for boys and girls aged 3-11 This is fundamentally ‘job 1’ as nobody can learn and succeed if they don’t have emotional health. If a child walks into a learning environment with the wrong mindset then even the most outstanding provision becomes redundant. This philosophy has been at the heart of my leadership since taking the helm at The Mead last September. Since then, to name just a few initiatives, we have increased the amount of timetabled Personal, Social and Emotional education fivefold, have championed a ‘Growth Mindset’ culture where children embrace challenge and lose the fear of failure, and have developed a Loose Parts Play playground where children are encouraged to collaborate, communicate and be creative outdoors. Next on the plan is to introduce Forest School for all Meadites (no small venture for a school in the heart of Tunbridge Wells) with the core motivation being the proven benefits that an immersion in nature has on our well-being. More than anything however, we (and most experts) believe that it is through honest, supportive and sincere relationships that humans find their emotional resilience. The Mead has long been regarded for its pastoral care and there is no magic formula here. It is simply personified in the dedication of all of its wonderful staff, willing to go the extra mile, to know and care for every child as if they were part of their family and to always have the time to listen and put an arm around one of our wonderful little people who might be struggling that day. Being a small school under one roof, we have a level of care that permeates throughout the building and it is the first intangible commented upon by most prospective parents. No policy or initiative can replace the most vital things you can give to children to support their mental health and development: your time and respect. At the Mead they have both in bucket loads.

Mike Piercy, Headmaster

The New Beacon, Sevenoaks Independent preparatory school for boys aged 4-13 A cliché: fail to prepare; prepare to fail. The message here is not just for pupils but for teachers and parents. We recently had our Year 1 Parents’ Information Evening where considerable emphasis was placed on personal development. Society fears failure. We, as parents, want our children to succeed, do well, ‘pass’. But we have to know disappointment (better word than ‘failure’!) to recover and, ultimately, appreciate success. The message for these parents of five year olds was one of growth mindset. Achievement comes through effort, through hard work, through the Robert the Bruce story. Resilience can be cultivated. This begins with even the youngest children and should be an intrinsic part of education, weaving through every fibre of school life. It should not be at the expense of high ambition and expectation, neither is it dumbing down; it is simply being realistic. Life is competitive, full of challenge – we cannot always win. This approach, even from the earliest age, prepares children for the rigours and stresses of the exam years. As to the mechanics of exams, study skills taught within subjects and in more generic terms, cumulatively, can develop good learning habits. Some children take to exams like ducks to water; many don’t and they need to be taught study skills put into practice with ‘mock’ exams. It is an unavoidable fact of life that exams will bring stress: a combination of emotional and practical preparation will mitigate. K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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Emma Neville, Headmistress

Rose Hill School, Tunbridge Wells Co-educational preparatory school for boys and girls aged 3-13 Our school curriculum has to balance many difference elements, where pupils are not just acquiring knowledge but are developing personal life skills including how to manage their well-being. Our pupils are supported in a range of ways by our fantastic staff. For many pupils, the day starts with the Mindful Morning Club. Our aim is to embed mindfulness throughout the school so that it underpins Social and Emotional learning. From an early age we work with pupils and encourage them to share their concerns, however big or small they might be. There are a variety of ways that we do this, including through worry boxes available around the school as well as an online worries box which our pupils can access on our school website. Once in the Prep School, drop-in sessions run during the day giving an opportunity to sit on bean bags and have a chat with a member of the Pastoral team. We run a programme of ‘Active Listeners’ available for pupils from Kindergarten up to Year 8. If pupils are showing any issues, they are paired with a member of staff from the designated Active Listening Team to provide ongoing support and a safe space in which to talk. Exam pressure is tackled through our coherent PSHEE program with pupils given guidance on revision tips, time management and stressreducing activities. We also have a Peer Mentor Scheme so that pupils are able to support each other with stressful issues, including homework planning and exam techniques.

Christine Flowers, Principal

Bricklehurst Manor School, Stonegate Mainstream independent school for pupils aged 3-11 The pressures facing pupils today are unlike many seen in the past, although the emerging vocabulary to describe them and the emphasis on appearing to acknowledge them is taking more of a centre stage. Parents today are bombarded from the birth of their first baby with the need to achieve targets, both physical and mental, for their child to attain by a certain age. This has now spilled over into schools, so that assessment on entry and assessment for the rest of the school career are now parts of the life some adults feel necessary for children to endure, along with pressure to attain whatever the latest hoops demand. Failure to prepare pupils for examination in primary school is in itself preparing pupils for failure, as despite the flaws in grading students on a one-off exam paper, with all the myriad of variables that come with that, it is the method secondary schools and higher education establishments usually use. So it understandable that fear and anxiety can start to arrive in preparation for these occasions, especially with additional external pressures which are often more damaging. Social media can confirm several times an hour all your worst fears and anxieties about yourself; how your peers’ lives are infinitely better than yours in every tangible way possible. At Bricklehurst, we endeavour to celebrate pupils’ achievements often, no matter how small, as confirmation of value can help adjust the filters that syphon out positive messages during our day. Maintaining a consistent and calm, ordered lifestyle can also help children deal with the information overload they are given as part of the daily diet. Having teachers with a wealth of experience, who know their pupils well, is so important, especially when combined with smaller classes. They can test children in a manner in which they can perform and achieve, again building confidence as they progress through the school. Additionally, being privileged in having a member of the staffing team at Bricklehurst trained in psychotherapy and counselling is insightful, too! 84

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Hilary Blake, Headmistress

Sacred Heart School, Wadhurst Independent Catholic mixed primary school for 2-11 Emotional well-being and healthy minds are an important part of our strategic focus for this new academic year. For the children this has taken the form of ‘Wellbeing Assemblies’ where we open up pathways for discussions about feelings, how we express our emotions and the fact that it is good to talk. Parents have had the opportunity to attend a workshop about helping their children to build and develop a Growth Mindset, encouraging the effort not the outcome and being very careful about the language we use with our children. Language is a powerful tool and our choice of words can place pressure on a child quite unintentionally. We encourage children to adopt specific phrases themselves. It is interesting to observe how a simple substitution of words can influence the mindset: with effort, perseverance and a positive attitude, we can all achieve most things – given time! This is necessarily a whole-school approach addressing the needs of staff, parents and pupils. Our aim is to avoid reacting to specific times of stress and instead equip each one of us with the mindset and the tools to deal with success and adversity in equal measure and for life. We are at the beginning of a journey, but we are optimistic as we work together to develop into an emotionally healthy school community.

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In the spotlight Quickfire questions for Emma Neville, Headmistress at Rose Hill School

Sum up your own schooldays

My school taught me to always remain curious – an important part of creating educational fizz, challenge and fun in school. At Rose Hill, we keep questions at the centre of our creative learning environment.

Which teacher most inspired you in your schooldays?

I was very fortunate to have many teachers who inspired me: an art teacher who encouraged and supported my love of art and textiles; a Head of Year who helped me foster life skills while supporting what we now single out as well-being. None of this would have happened without supportive parents. My parents believed education was fundamental – I had to work doubly hard when I persuaded them I wanted to study Art.

What makes you smile?

Without sounding schmaltzy, when pupils are happy in its many different forms. At Rose Hill School we provide the best environment and opportunities to make things better.

What frustrates you?

I do not like being dragged into negativity – one should always look at making things better. The biggest frustration is that time goes so quickly and there is so much to do.

What’s your favourite book and why?

Sometimes it’s Winnie the Pooh… but most profoundly Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks

Where would you like to see your school in five years?

Obviously we are aiming for academic success – but not at the expense of happiness. Academic success comes about by finding the right balance for pupils to be able to access the curriculum. Sporting, artistic, dramatic and co-curricular activities, run by the dedicated staff at Rose Hill, provide our pupils with a varied and rich programme which in turn provides ample opportunities for pupils to develop confidence. Developing confidence is the key, and confidence in one area that can be transferred to others. By providing such varied opportunities, pupils develop resilience, leadership skills, confidence, without arrogance, ultimately leading to academic success and a pupil with a well-rounded personality and a broad range of interests.

What do you hope that your pupils say about your school when they leave?

Pupils at Rose Hill enjoy excellent teaching, often from subject specialists (e.g. MFL, Art, PE and sports coaching) from an early age. Such specialism is accompanied by the enthusiasm and dedication of talented staff. Excellent pastoral support of pupils as individuals and opportunities for them to experience leadership and responsibility help our pupils to develop into wellrounded, enthusiastic learners and contributors to society. I hope that they say their learning here was fun!

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School report

A round-up of what’s happening in the world of education

The young ones New Nursery and Reception building for Battle Abbey A brand new Early Years Nursery and Reception facility has been opened at Battle Abbey Prep School in Bexhill, extending the educational provision to children in the area from the age of three months. The new building, The Mulberry, has been carefully designed to provide a modern and caring environment where children can thrive under the care and attention of high-quality staff. The opening ceremony was well attended by families, staff and governors, and there was an array of family entertainment on offer. Former Battle Abbey Governors Joanna Smith and Ann Caffyn, also previous pupils of the school, officially opened The Mulberry and families were invited to tour the new Nursery with its bespoke resources and dedicated outside play areas. The Mulberry’s modern design makes the rooms feel airy, with windows flooding the space with light. The latest build techniques have been employed, with the project virtually free of concrete. Underfloor heating and ecologically-sensitive building design have kept the Nursery’s carbon footprint to a minimum.

Teresa Rapley, Manager of Battle Abbey Nursery, added: “Careful planning this summer has ensured the move to our new facility has been seamless. Our home of Early Years enables us to accept babies from three months of age for 50 weeks of the year and children through to the end of their Reception class. News of the Nursery has spread, with many new families joining the Battle Abbey journey.”

Village initiative leads to Weald Family Hub Local charity provides support for children, young people and their families facing mental health issues The villages of the Weald have joined forces to address the growing mental health crisis facing children, young people and families. Ten local churches and 12 schools have collectively raised £12,000 to fund professional children’s counselling and parent support services, which will be provided by local charity Fegans. Meanwhile a growing group of local people have offered to be trained as parent support volunteers in their communities. Fegans have now begun working with the schools, and training the parent support volunteers started in October. Three children in each of the 12 schools will be able to benefit from the counselling. Meanwhile the parent support volunteers will be working across the Weald to support parents who are having a difficult time, overseen by a coordinator employed by Fegans and St Mary’s, Goudhurst. The initiative – now branded the Weald Family Hub – has won the support of local MP Greg Clarke who said: “Providing better mental health services for young people is an issue that I feel extremely strongly about so I was delighted to hear about the Weald Family Hub. Voluntary groups – set up to fulfil a local identified need – are often much more effective than statutory organisations and I think the combination of local schools, families, churches and Fegans working together should be very successful. Ian Soars, CEO of Fegans, added: “For many children entering our counselling rooms, life feels unbearable; severe bullying or trauma, emotional, physical or sexual abuse has led them to self-harm and contemplate suicide. Our counsellors are trained to identify root causes and provide emotional and mental health support before it’s too late. Early intervention saves lives.” Weald Family Hub is now fundraising to employ a manager for the parent support volunteers. You can find out more at bit.ly/wealdfamilyhub. To donate, contact Hugh Nelson on 01580 211739 or email hugh.nelson@ymail.com 88

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Full STEAM ahead! Building pizza ovens from cardboard, elastic-band aeroplanes and a catapult competiton for Rose Hill Rose Hill School recently enjoyed an amazing week of activity, focused on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) subjects, with the overarching theme of the week being energy! The week was co-ordinated by Richard Mansfield and Barry Izzard, Head of Science and Head of Design Technology respectively, who said, “These disciplines have a direct impact upon our daily lives. The modern world is driven by data and technology, and it is imperative that we give our pupils the tools necessary not only to cope but to excel in the ever-changing world we live in.” The week was jam-packed with activity including building pizza ovens out of cardboard boxes and tin foil, smelting, a whole-school catapult competition, wind turbines, elastic-band aeroplanes and gravity challenges. The week finished off with Year 6 from the Mead School joining Rose Hill for a day of Rocket Car racing. All pupils aged 3-13 were involved in activities using teamwork, critical thinking, communication and experimentation to solve the challenges. Emma Neville, Head of Rose Hill School, said, “The end results of a week like this are that pupils who take thoughtful risks, engage in experiential learning, persist in problem-solving, embrace collaboration, and work through the creative process will become the innovators, educators, leaders, and learners of the future. We had a wonderful week, and STEAM week is an important part of our ongoing curriculum.”

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

1. Award-winning sleeping bag company Slumbersac have something exciting in store for parents looking for a unique gift for their little ones this Christmas. Design Your Own Sleeping Bag is a fun platform on their website that allows you to not only select your sleeping bag colour, size and tog but also choose from a range of cute motifs to customise your sleeping bag and then further personalise it with name embroidery to create a one-of-a-kind gift. From £14.99 www.slumbersac.co.uk 2. Childrensalon.com, the largest online retailer for children’s designer fashion, has launched an exclusive collaboration with Gresham Blake. The collection introduces an exclusive partnership with Nickelodeon and features characters from beloved shows Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, Ren and Stimpy and SpongeBob SquarePants. This limited-edition collection by Gresham Blake for Childrensalon presents 23 eclectic styles, a range of colourful shirts and dresses for boys and girls aged 2-16 years old. From £56 www.childrensalon.com 3. Brighton-based Juno Skincare is celebrating after their success at the recent Beauty Shortlist Mama & Baby Awards. Their Illume Lip Enhancer & Glaze (£16.50) won Best Natural/Organic Lip Gloss; Joie Light and Luxurious Day & Night Face Oil (£60) won Best Face Oil; 90

Pure Nourishing & Reviving Cleanser (£39) won Best Cleanser; Mon Ami Intensely Moisturising Hand Cream (£36) won Best Intensive Hand Cream; and Eternelle Extremely Hydrating Moisturiser (£43) was a finalist in the Best Moisturiser category. Says founders Julie and David Johannsen, “It is a genuine thrill to be recognised by an organisation as reputable as ‘The Beauty Shortlist’. Most important to us, though, is being counted alongside established brands which we have always admired and are now considered an equal to.” www.junoskincare.com 4. A fter nine years of making stylishly effortless clothing for women, Mint Velvet have turned their hand to kidswear. Launched this Autumn, Mintie is a brand new collection made for mini me’s, mirroring Mint Velvet’s classic pieces and relaxed styling. The Mintie collection for girls between 3-10 is cute, stylish and modern. Pieces are easily coordinated, creating straightforward and effortless dressing that girls will love. Mintie plays on colours, animal motifs, slogans and girly details for a fun yet contemporary range and is made with comfort, style and practicality in mind, with easy-to-care-for and soft-to-touch fabrics. Black Polka Dot Party Dress, £39, and Raspberry Star Sweatshirt, £32 www.mintvelvet.co.uk K U D O S N OV E M B E R / DE C E M B E R 2 018

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Child’s play

Apps that make learning fun – and track your child’s progress Ask any parent the cause of most arguments at home and they will frequently say that screen time is to blame. Thirty-five per cent of children aged five to seven now own their own tablet, rising to 52% for 8-11 year olds, using them predominantly to play games (between 7.5 hours to 10 hours per week). The pressures of social media, online advertising, cyber bullying and negative content are causing parents to feel ever more concerned about their children’s media use. While the idea of screen time as a one-dimensional activity is changing – time spent on computers, tablets, and smartphones can be an invaluable learning tool – many parents are keen to take more control over time spent online and the content being viewed by their children. KeyStageFun’s range of 11 ‘Squeebles’ maths and literacy apps cleverly combine education with fun gameplay without the interruption of in-app purchases, adverts or external links. Children can enjoy fun and motivational games, while full progress stats for parents and teachers allow them to retain an active role in keeping in touch with their children’s progress and rewarding them for specific achievements. The apps were created by Ian and Florence Knapp in 2011, in order to help their own children learn their times tables. Surprised by the lack of good-quality, affordable educational apps, Ian used his background as a programmer and graphic designer to create the first Squeebles app in the evenings after work, using the idea that children love collecting characters as the motivation for engaging them with learning. Squeebles Times Tables has reached number one in the Apple education charts and made the top 10 of the overall Apple charts. The app is a fun way for children to learn and practice tables, as they help rescue all 40 Squeebles from the Maths Monster as a reward for their hard work. Features include a reward system, fun mini-game, eight tables modes, unlimited players and plenty of stats and reporting for parents and teachers. £3.99 Squeebles Spelling Test allows parents to set their own, completely-customised spelling tests as well as download any of the pre-recorded tests. Children listen to the words spoken out loud and have to try to spell them. The app records stats for each child that track progress and check which spellings they’re struggling with. £3.99

Squeebles Punctuation is the latest addition to the series, designed in conjunction with UK teachers. With a variety of punctuation topics across several difficulty levels, children can practice their punctuation skills in a fun, interactive environment. £2.99.

LOV E BUSI N E SS

Business notes A round-up of local business news

What Next?

New London store for highstreet favourite We’ve done a number of fashion shoots with Next, who have stores throughout the South East and beyond, so we were delighted when they invited us to the unveiling of their new store on London’s Oxford Street, covering an impressive 39,780 sq.ft! The new store includes all the latest styles from Next’s newest ranges for women, men and children, as well as concessions by Lipsy, HEMA, Paperchase, Costa and Clarks children’s shoes in the childrenswear shoe room. Well worth the trip to London!

Playtime

New children’s toy store at Royal Victoria Place in Tunbridge Wells Kids Stuff, a well known toy retailer across Sussex and Kent, has opened their ninth store at Royal Victoria Place in Tunbridge Wells. They have taken the former Mothercare store located on level 2 of the centre and will offer a vast range of fun and educational toys from leading brands such as Lego, Playmobil, VTech and Leapfrog. Kids Stuff also offers a range of pre-school toys relating to some of the most popular children’s TV characters including Peppa Pig, PAW Patrol, PJ Masks, Fireman Sam and classics such as Postman Pat and Thomas the Tank Engine. The family-run business currently has four generations working for the company. It all began back in 1988 when owner Debbie Hartfield was looking for a toy in her local town and was unhappy with the choice available to her. Twenty-five years later, Kids Stuff has nine stores – the others are in Uckfield, Bognor Regis, Burgess Hill, Ashford, Hastings, Eastbourne, Putney and Chichester – and is a member of the Toymaster group where members of the family sit on the board of directors and the marketing committee, too. Kids Stuff values are very simple: they expect their knowledgeable staff to offer their customers great service and the best buying experience. Testament to this, Kids Stuff has been nominated ‘Regional Toy Shop’ of the year twice, ‘National Toy Shop’ of the year six times and most recently won ‘Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year’ in 2017. Stephen Hartfield, Director of Kids Stuff, said, “We are thrilled to have opened in Royal Victoria Place and look forward to welcoming all our new customers to our new store.” Nicky Blanchard, Centre Manager of Royal Victoria Place, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Kids Stuff to RVP especially as we approach the busy Christmas shopping season. I am confident that with their approach to providing their customers with the best experience possible, they will establish a very successful store here in Tunbridge Wells.” 92

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“My Bonus Is Discretionary”... and other phrases commonly heard in financial remedy proceedings. Sarah Haywood of ThomasHaywood Solicitors looks at underhand ploys often used in divorce cases

So, your marriage has come to an end and you are working out how to divide the assets. Suddenly, your soon-to-be ex is claiming to be on the breadline. That bonus they received every year for the last five years that you used to clear credit card debts and have a nice holiday is suddenly “discretionary” or “not guaranteed”. Or, the house you are living in was bought with a loan from their parents which suddenly they want repaid, even though you knew nothing about any loan and the parents do not need any money. Or their company is struggling as longstanding contracts suddenly become “unlikely to be renewed”. The family team at ThomasHaywood, has seen all of these excuses, many times. It is far from unusual for a party in a divorce setting to want to understate their assets with a view to retaining more of the matrimonial pot. The problem is, this is so common that no one believes it, least of all the judge that will be deciding your case. More than once we have heard a judge comment that times may be hard now but they have no doubt, once the stress of the divorce is over, the business will be back to normal – i.e. I know exactly what you’re doing, I’ve seen it all before and you’re not fooling me. Parties have a duty of full, frank and clear financial disclosure. If this is not provided, an order can be overturned at a later stage. It is usual for one party to have more knowledge of the family finances than

the other and that position of power can be abused. Phrases such as “trust me”, “I am being fair” and “there’s no point going to a solicitor, they’ll say the same and charge you a fortune” are often used to manipulate someone into settling for less than they are entitled to. If these phrases sound familiar, look for other indicators. Are you suddenly locked out of bank accounts where previously you have had access? Are there regular large cash sums being withdrawn from the account? Are there unexplained loans from family members or friends that suddenly need to be repaid? Have financial documents been removed from the home? A commercial view should always be taken as a lot of money can be spent chasing a pot of gold that does not exist, but in a case decided this year of Hart v Hart, the 83-year-old husband was found to be “deliberately obstructive” and after many hearings, he was eventually committed to prison for 14 months. This is a reminder that the court does have teeth, but if someone is hiding a lot of money, they may think a spell in prison is a small price to pay. If you have any concerns that in your proceedings someone is hiding or misrepresenting their assets (and liabilities), ThomasHaywood Solicitors will be able to help you.

www.thomashaywoodsolicitors.com

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Helping hand

A round-up of local charity news Children first

New state-of-the-art centre for Hospices of Hope Kent-based charity, Hospices of Hope, recently celebrated the opening of its new Copaceni Children’s Respite and Therapy Centre, Romania’s first children’s centre of this kind. It is unique in the services that it offers children living with rare and lifelimiting illness. The Florescu family donated their manor house and family estate to Hospices of Hope to enable the charity to restore and build the state-of-the-art centre for Romanian children. It will provide a 12-bed respite care unit, an assessment unit, a sensory room, and therapy treatment areas for physiotherapy, psychological and counselling services. The centre will also be an education and training centre for medical professionals. Copaceni will also offer temporary emergency accommodation for families facing homelessness, a common situation with children requiring constant care. When fully operational, it will provide 200 respite stays and 2,000 outpatient and therapy sessions per year. Copaceni is already used as a base for the charity’s summer trips for children, which are run by volunteers from the UK and US. In the coming years, approximately 300 children will enjoy a week’s relaxation and fun at the summer camps. Hospices of Hope’s founder, Graham Perolls, CMG, OBE said: “I fell in love with the manor house at Adunatii Copaceni the first time I saw it. As I drove up towards it, through fields full of wild flowers, I could almost visualise our child patients sitting outside, enjoying the beautiful nature all around. I could hardly believe that the Florescu family were offering to give their former summer residence to our charity to help sick and vulnerable children. Six years later, the manor house has been restored to its former glory and is now ready to receive children and families that have been affected by life-limiting illnesses and need special care that this centre offers.”

Baby shark doo, doo, doo doo, doo doo

Demelza video goes viral and helps challenge misconceptions about hospices Youngsters supported by Demelza Hospice Care for Children have created their own #BabySharkChallenge video. Nurses and healthcare assistants from the charity can be seen dancing around a parked Demelza Mini Cooper at the charity’s hospice in Sittingbourne, Kent, along with children and their siblings sporting shark fins, rubber rings and other fun props. The children, aged four to 15, were joined by Rochester mum-of-four Donna Fenn, who went viral earlier this month with her own take on their challenge. The charity hopes the video will help to challenge common misconceptions that hospices are ‘sad, gloomy places’. Demelza’s Creative Services Manager Stuart Hubbard, who choreographed the video, said: “There is a common misconception that hospices are sad, gloomy places but hopefully this video shows people just how much fun there is to be had at Demelza. “Everyone working at Demelza strives to bring the most joy, fun and relaxation to the lives of the children and families we meet. Our network of volunteers also bring energy, passion and dedication to help make Demelza all about life.” Demelza provides specialist care and emotional support for children with terminal conditions and their loved ones, so they can enjoy time together as a family, for as long as they have. By making a donation, Demelza can help more children to receive the care and attention they need to live the most fulfilling life and that they and their family have the opportunity to build precious memories. To make a donation visit www.demelza.org.uk/donate and to view the #BabySharkChallenge video visit www.demelza.org.uk/baby-shark-challenge-video 94

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Sporting heroes

Annual lunch raises the game for Tree of Hope charity Children’s charity Tree of Hope’s second Sporting Heroes lunch took place recently, raising £12,500. The lunch was attended by 120 guests, including Tree of Hope’s patron, Paralympian table tennis player Ross Wilson, who won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year, and Irish rugby legend Willie John McBride MBE. With a career spanning 13 years, he captained his country and the Lions, playing 63 times for Ireland. Kent and England Cricket Captain, Chris Cowdrey, presided over the fundraising, which included a raffle, a silent auction and live auction. Guests generously bid for a whole array of sporting memorabilia, including a Lions jersey signed by Willie John McBride and a trip to the Monaco Grand Prix. Since the last Sporting Heroes lunch a year ago, over £500,000 was spent on physiotherapy sessions across the UK, both for children with on-going muscular conditions and for children who need extra mobility support. Almost £300,000 has bought over 230 pieces of specialist equipment, and just over £200,000 has been spent on surgery and treatment in the UK and abroad, including Proton beam therapy for a four year old living in Kent. This event was organised by Tree of Hope Trustee Pip Lightbody, who said, “The lunch really highlighted how people come together to create a great atmosphere and have fun, whilst at the same time contributing so generously to help others. In this case brave little heroes and their parents with massive challenges to overcome.”

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Christmas is coming...

Kay Elliott, ellenor Children’s Palliative Care Nurse, talks about the difficulties their families face, especially at Christmas As Christmas approaches, we are even more aware of some of the challenges that our families face. All of our families have a child with either a life-limiting or a life-threatening condition and live life from day to day. For them, planning for Christmas is really difficult as they never know whether their child will be stable or in hospital. As a community paediatric palliative care team, ellenor supports our families so that they are able to keep their child at home, but there are always those unforeseen events that may require hospital admission. If a child is at end of life then we always work to keep them at home and visit to manage symptoms if this is needed. We often have children on syringe drivers at end of life and this needs changing and assessing every day, regardless of the date! We have a 24-hour, 7-day telephone advice service for all our families, which includes visits if necessary for those at end of life. The impact on a family having a child in hospital over Christmas can be devastating, especially when there are other siblings. Parents are often separated as one has to be in hospital and one at home with the other children. As well as the worry of the child being unwell, there is the guilt of not being at home with the rest of the family. We recognise this and so aim to try and keep children at home if possible. We are a small team and try to share out the on-call as fairly as possible. Everyone is very committed and as individuals are all deeply grateful for what we have and appreciate that making a difference to a family in need is the best Christmas present anyone can give. On a positive note, we hold a Christmas party every year to which all our families are invited. We often have over 100 attendees and a great time is had by all. Father Christmas hands out presents to all the patients and siblings and there is food and entertainment. Caring for a child with complex health needs is demanding and ellenor children’s parties give the whole family a much-needed chance to enjoy themselves. It’s an opportunity for families to have fun, spend time with each other, share experiences and get support, as having a very sick child can be stressful and isolating. To support our Christmas appeal, please visit www.ellenor.org. Your donation however big or small makes a real difference to local families lives.

Night of the stars

Fundraising for Sussex Hospices with help from famous friends

Sarah Malin and Robert Bathurst

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The Bell in Ticehurst recently hosted a very special performance of the verse comedy The Song of Lunch by the poet Christopher Reid, starring local actor Robert Bathurst (Cold Feet, Downton Abbey) supported by Sarah Malin (most recently seen in The Bodyguard). Following a sell-out Edinburgh Festival run and five-star reviews, Robert, who is a patron of the charity Friends of Sussex Hospices, generously donated his performance of this play about a disastrous attempt to rekindle an old relationship. “For anyone who hasn’t seen the play, I would recommend reading it, particularly if you’ve ever been on a rubbish date,” he said. Another patron, Angela Sellick of Pashley Manor Gardens, generously sponsored the production expenses for the show and The Bell donated the venue, food and fizz. This meant that every penny of the ticket price went to the charity which, after the raffle and a generous donation on the night, amounted to over £5,000. Rock star Roger Daltrey, who was in the audience, described the event as “A phenomenal performance by world-class talent”. For more information on the work of Friends of Sussex Hospices (FSH), visit www.friendsofsussexhospices.org.uk 97

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Inspiring compassion Tunbridge Wells-based charity Empathy Action aims to inspire and empower people to work together to improve the lives of others in need

Ben Solanky and Matt Gurney started Empathy Action in the belief that everyone is able to engage in the battle against poverty and injustice and that we can each make a crucial difference. “My colleague Matt and I started Empathy Action in 2015,” explains Ben, “after witnessing the growing fatigue in compassion for global deprivation, the loss of connectivity between one another and with issues, and the growing dehumanising nature of mass information and its consumption. On the other hand, though, we were witnessing frustrated community groups who wanted to help reignite that compassion and spark to mobilise their peers to action. “Both Matt and I have worked in the worlds of sustainability, charity and international development for nearly 20 years and more recently we were working on taking empathy-based experiences to help give people perspectives around poverty and displacement. “Following such experiences, we were witnessing transformative epiphany moments for people taking part. They were saying, ‘I know these things exist, but this is the first time I have felt them’. The demand for these experiences was growing due to frustration at the state of the world and the lack of understanding. It was as if the world was becoming reluctantly numb and this was the resistance factor. “There was a real opportunity for a new wave of compassion and charity that we were seeing, where the agents of change were the people rather than just the donors for charities. This was where we saw the need for a group that looks very specifically at inspiring compassionate action. “At its simplest, Empathy Action was born out of a belief that the world needs a new movement of change. As a group, what we want is to inspire that change.” This movement, Ben and Matt believe, starts with a perspective shift, through asking questions about global issues rooted in experience and empathy. “The questions we ask are very simple: what if it were you in those situations, how would you feel and what would you want others to do for you? And what will you do next as a result of what you’ve felt and experienced? It’s based on the old African Proverb: To understand a person you must first walk a mile in their shoes.” To this end, Empathy Action runs immersive interactive simulations around poverty and refugees in schools, with businesses and other groups, and also sells specially-made handicrafts from marginalised communities to develop livelihoods. 98

Their newest simulation, Dangerous Journeys, is scheduled to launch on 22nd-27th January at Tonbridge Baptist Church. It will be delivered within a maze-like set and run for around 90 minutes as part of a two- to three-hour package delivered by the Empathy Action team, including briefing and a reflective feedback and discussion session. The experience is designed for up to 30 participants at a time, who will be guided through it by cast members. The challenging new piece is firmly based in facts, first-hand accounts and case studies to bring home to participants the human stories behind the headlines. Jenny Maslin who volunteers with Empathy Action as an administrator, has experienced Desperate Journeys. “I joined a group of 26 strangers from all different walks of life, none of us quite sure what to expect. We were given a passport, some money and asked to remove our shoes before entering one of the seven marquee tents that housed the whole experience. From there the journey began as we were thrown into a situation where, as a group, we had to make multiple decisions for our group’s safety, under pressure and with limited information. I won’t give any plot spoilers, but as I walked through the dark set I found myself making observations between the cleverly-designed soundtrack and the feelings I was experiencing: joyful party music; incoming explosions; the harsh voices of soldiers as they burst in on us; cries of fear from the actors; the heavy silence as our group sat in darkness on a dinghy to Europe, listening to the stories of desperation from a fellow passenger; the subtle changes in music as we faced new, improved or worsened situations. I was struck with a sense of powerlessness, swept up in a tide of sounds and people I’d just met, travelling to an unknown destination.”

www.empathyaction.org

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