Kudos 32 by Kudos Kent

Your free lifestyle magazine for Kent and East Sussex

Issue 32

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WELCOME TO KUDOS

Hello

Welcome to the January/February issue of Kudos And welcome to 2019 – hence the fireworks on the cover! It’s always exciting when there’s a whole new year ahead, wondering what it holds. We asked some local business owners to look into their crystal ball and give their predictions. Actor Joe McFadden and ex-Strictly dancer Brendan Cole know exactly what awaits them in 2019. For Joe, it’s a touring production of the ghostly The House on Cold Hill, and for Brendan, it’s Show Man, his new extravaganza. We spoke to both of them. 2019 is also the year of Living Coral – that’s the Pantone Colour of the Year (it also happens to be my favourite colour, too). We found on-trend ways to incorporate it into your home. From coral to red, that’s the colour to wear on 1st February in support of the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund. We’ve got the whole family’s wardrobe covered. And keeping with the heart theme, let’s not forget Valentine’s Day. We show you how to make thoughtful gifts that won’t put you in the red. Why not make this the year that you encourage your children to cook? It’s a skill that will last them a lifetime. And who knows, you could have a budding Jamie Oliver on your hands. Get them started with recipes from Mrs Bun the Baker. Thinking of moving house this year? Pick up design tips from Nick and Caroline Richards in their home by the sea, and learn how to add splashes of colour to an all-white kitchen. It could become an Instagram sensation and make you the envy of other homeowners. For families, Head Teachers share the best advice they have ever been given, we tell you how to achieve 10,000 steps a day the easy way, give

Twitter, Instagram & Facebook:

you tips on avoiding the family cold and how to make your commute more productive. We also talk to Lizzy Hall who set up the charity The Hygiene Bank, which helps struggling families with toiletries and hygiene products. The New Year starts here. Let’s hope it’s a happy and productive one for us all!

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

20 News & events

Advertising Sales:

sales@badbettymedia.co.uk

30 Love predictions 34 Love red 37 Love Valentine’s Day 38 Love celebrity 46 Love food and drink 54 Love home

Kudos is published bi-monthly by:

68 Love garden 70 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.

82 Love family 92 Love business 94 Love charity 97 Love heroes

37 K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Pett Level, near Winchelsea

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6pm

Taken by Matt Harquail

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K U DOS LOV E S

Things we love this issue

Treat yourself to this

May Lindstrom’s The Blue Cocoon (£159) is a balmy blue fluid that melts on touch bringing relief to delicate, inflamed and irritable skin conditions. This cool balm helps with all sorts of skin eruptions, imbalances and redness. It is a highly-concentrated formula without fillers to deliver a powerful action, uncompromising purity and maximum results. The Honey Mud (£80) is a gentle cleansing silk with a distinctive combination of raw honey, white halloysite clay and aromatic pure plant oils for an intoxicating cleanser. It will infuse your skin with active enzymes and nourishment while restoring optimal hydration. www.naturisimo.com

Smooth this

This lightweight, fragrance-free Pure Hyaluronic Serum by Pestle & Mortar is super-hydrating and anti-ageing, combining multimolecular weight hyaluronic acid with skin-softening panthenol in a formulation which diminishes fine lines and wrinkles, provides superior hydration and delivers an instant skin-plumping and firming effect. £36 www.pestleandmortar.com

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K U DOS LOV E S

Wear this

Design your own jewellery with Les Georgettes by Altesse – an innovative jewellery concept featuring interchangeable and reversible coloured bands. Choose your design, finish and the colour of leather or fluid perspex and explore the endless possibilities! Let your imagination run wild by experimenting and testing out your creations in their customisation workshop. With over 20,000 combinations possible, you’re sure to create a unique piece of jewellery that can be transformed time and time again. Alternatively, choose something readymade from their online shop. We love the Infini bracelet, £79, Losange ring, £60, and Ibiza necklace, £85. www.lesgeorgettes.com

Eat this

Livia’s Kitchen Raw Millionaire Bites are a nutritional twist on a traditional millionaire shortbread. Consisting of three delicious layers, these bites are made from a crumbly oat base, soft peanut date ‘caramel’ and a raw chocolate topping. They are completely gluten free, dairy free and free from all additives and preservatives. With three bites per pack, they’re the perfect vegan-friendly treat on the go. £18 for 12 packs www.liviaskitchen.co.uk

Take this

To help battle the season of runny noses and sluggishness, Live Lean is a vegan complex of vitamins and minerals that will help to protect and stimulate your body, keeping you healthy and energised. They contain Vitamins C, E, A, B1, B2 and B6, as well as niacin to help reduce tiredness and fatigue, caffeine, green tea extract, capsicum and black pepper extract to stimulate the nervous system and increase metabolic rate, and kelp extract to help boost energy and endurance levels. Simply take two Live Lean capsules in the morning and let them work their magic. £25 www.livelimitless.co.uk K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

K U DOS LOV E S

Decorate with this

Make a statement in your home with the help of Charlotte Jade’s eye-catching range of hand-drawn designs, inspired by the plant and animal worlds. They’re available for wallpaper, textiles, upholstery fabrics, cushions, ceramic tiles and flooring. All products are printed and made in the UK. www.charlotte-jade.co.uk

Celebrate with this

Do you know someone who’s turning 40? This funky poster would make a terrific birthday present. This 40 at 40 Scratch It poster has a special coating which can be scratched off to reveal 40 wise and funny goals, observations and suggestions. The poster includes hidden messages such as ‘Take Up An Expensive Hobby’ and ‘Accidentally Be Back In Fashion’. Sure to raise a laugh or two, it may even help to create a bucket list for the recipient. £12.99 www.findmeagift.co.uk

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K U DOS LOV E S

Bathe in this

Packed with aroma-intensive, natural eucalyptus essential oil, Kneipp’s Cold Season Eucalyptus Bath Salts, £1.95, and Herbal Bath Oil, £9.95, are the perfect choice for allergies and during the cold and flu season, providing a pleasant, refreshing aroma to ease congestion. Working as a natural disinfectant, eucalyptus is known to help respiratory problems, stimulate circulation and free airways to help combat colds. www.hollandandbarrett.com

Savour this

Multi-award-winning independent producer Fifth Dimension Chocolates has launched a brand-new Cambodian Curry flavour ganache, the latest addition to their critically-acclaimed collection of luxury handmade, filled chocolates. Named Siem Reap in honour of the city that connects temple-bound travellers to the magnificent Angkor Wat, the flavour and fragrance of the eye-catching new chocolate reflects the area’s beautifully-balanced Khmer curries. A citrus burst of lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves is followed by creamy coconut and then a final hot touch of chilli, all wrapped up in white chocolate with subtle notes of honey and marzipan that works in harmony with the ganache’s complex Cambodian curry flavour. Siem Reap is offered in Fifth Dimension’s Personal Selection Box of either 12 or 18 hand-picked chocolates. www.5dchocolates.com

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K U DOS LOV E S

Spread this

A new study has shown that peanut butter could have benefits way beyond being a yummy treat. Researchers at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health found that by replacing less nutritional foods with a 28g serving of nuts, people had a lower risk of weight gain and obesity over the four-year follow-up intervals. Specifically, they found that replacing a serving of red meat, processed meat, fries, desserts, or crisps with a serving of nuts correlated with significantly less weight gain in the long run. Whilst people often see nuts as food items high in fat and calories, they are in fact an option for those looking to avoid weight gain. Right on cue, Bonanza Peanut Butter has just launched in the UK. It’s made exclusively with high oleic peanuts, every jar of Bonanza peanut butter has the highest level of good fats, as well as protein and fibre within. The high oleic value helps to reduce bad cholesterol and promote good cholesterol, which will help you to maintain a healthy heart. It’s 100 per cent natural, and made with just peanuts and a pinch of sea salt – never palm oil. £4 per 350g jar www.bonanza.co.uk

Write in this

This Celeste Dot-Grid Planner will help you achieve your goals and develop your creative ideas in style. Featuring a customisable index, page numbers, three ribbon markers, design stencil and, of course, a dot-grid interior, this Paperblanks journal will inspire you to harness the organisational power of bullet journalling. £23.99 shop.paperblanks.com

Remember with this

Kent-based hospice charity ellenor has teamed up with British jewellery designer Katie Mullally to create a bespoke charm to remember a loved one or those no longer with us. The Kiss charm can be worn on either a necklace or bracelet, comes in a choice of yellow-plated gold or 925 sterling silver, and is available for both men and women. The delicate and powerful design of a kiss on a round circle symbolises ellenor’s philosophy: when time is precious, make the most of it and seal your memories with a loving kiss. The charms are available in two sizes, small and large, and cost £70 (small silver), £80 (small yellow gold), £90 (large silver) and £100 (large yellow gold). The charms are available from www.katiemullally.co.uk/kmm-charity-charms – and 20 per cent from all charm sales will be donated to ellenor. 16

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K U DOS LOV E S

Sleep in this

Designers have dreamed up the ultimate boutique getaway to help guests quite literally sleep like a baby on their travels – a bedroom that resembles a womb. Experts spent nine months meticulously developing the state-of-the-art apartments which feature a ‘Woom’ bedroom with a cocoon-like bed, inspired by the safety and snugness of the womb. With muted lighting, soft pink walls and high-tech mattresses, each ‘Woom’ bedroom within The Zed Rooms has been designed to encourage positivity, relaxation and REM-rich sleep – the type of slumber which promotes learning and creates dreams. Engineered for optimum sleep away from home, the innovative apartments are a collaboration between sleep technology company, Simba, and designled serviced apartments Cuckooz, and are available to book in London’s Tech City, Shoreditch. During the last weeks of pregnancy, a baby increases its consumption of REM sleep, hitting a lifetime high of 12 hours a day in the final week before birth. There will be no other moment during a person’s life when they will get such a huge volume of REM sleep. Radiating the security and snugness of the womb, the bedroom design aims to help mute the brain’s ‘red alert’ status it develops when sleeping in a new place. The furniture’s rounded edges and softened corners mimic the sensation of bed, while rocking chairs are on hand to lull you into a relaxed state of mind. There are bespoke sleep recipe suggestions; restorative scents and colours that relax muscles, invoke calm and mimic the moonlight; air-cleansing, soporific plants to eliminate toxins; and healing background harmonies to unwind. Stays at The Zed Rooms start from £190 a night. Book at reservations@cuckooz.co.uk or call 020 7481 8507. 18

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K U DOS LOV E S

Seal with this

Monat Rejuvabeads Temporary Split End Mender seals split ends for two-three washes, making it the perfect quick fix for winter damage and inbetween trims. Millions of healthful beads search out split ends and damage, clicking into place and creating a 3D mending matrix. A time-release delivery means the beads won’t all pop at once, so you’ll continue to see the benefits throughout the day, and because they only target the damaged sites, there’s no greasiness, oiliness or build-up. The formula features 13 natural plant and essential oils rich in omega fatty acids, antioxidants and nutrients. £38 www.monatglobal.com

Keep warm with this

Just pop in the small 7-volt lithium battery (supplied) and the Explorer-X Gilet will keep your core warm for up to 12 hours. It’s easily worn under outer garments with just a single long-sleeve base layer or lightweight jumper underneath, or on its own for warmer days. Using a unique heating system, it provides an even distribution of warmth throughout the body to keep you cosy during the winter months. Not only will it keep you warm, it also helps ease muscle pain and promotes blood circulation.£199.99 www.motoport-mc.co.uk

Perk this

Do you want café-quality coffee at home on the go? Or would you like to create the perfect latté art without the effort? Sage Appliances’ latest addition to their coffee machine range, the Bambino Plus, is the compact answer to both. The smallest automatic coffee machine in the range has a three-second heat-up time and precise espresso extraction so you can make your favourite coffee, faster than ever. And the hands-free automatic microfoam milk texturing allows you to improve your barista skills (or have a little latté art fun). £399.95 www.sageappliances.co.uk K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

LOV E N EWS

Upfront What’s new and happening

Linda Kianfar, owner of Foodhaven and Sandra Harrison, Manager, Lewes Bake Out

Top awards for Bake Out Sussex bakery rises to the challenge Sussex-based bakery Bake Out has been awarded the highest accolade in the bakery industry, by taking first place for their Great British white loaf and white Sussex sourdough at the World Bread Awards. They also scooped silver for their seeded Sussex sourdough and baguette tradition. Linda Kianfar, owner of Foodhaven Bakery, said: “We are overwhelmed and delighted to be recognised as one of the best bakeries in the world! Our Frenchderived artisan loaves are a real hit with our customers, and now they have a gold medal, too. Our traditional Sussex farmhouse has also received such incredible recognition, which is credit to our innovative and hardworking teams.” Bake Out is owned by Foodhaven Ltd, who have won a string of awards in recent years. This includes Britain’s Best Loaf for their white seeded sourdough and Britain’s Best Sourdough in the British Baker Awards earlier this year. The independent bakery exclusively produces artisan bread and pastries for its six bespoke cafés throughout the Sussex region. 20

Classic food comes to Folkestone MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace officially opens Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill After a successful few months of serving some of the best steaks in the south east, Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill at the Clifton Hotel in Folkestone recently hosted its official grand launch party. Kent resident, MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace, was the guest of honour on the evening and said: “Steakhouses have a fine tradition in this country and I’m pleased one has come to Folkestone and is in such capable hands. I live in Kent and am always really pleased when a great eatery opens up. It is fabulous to see life flowing back into the Kentish coast – something really special is happening here.” The Steakhouse Bar & Grill menu is exclusively curated by Marco himself and represents his ethos of classic dishes, simply cooked using the best locally-sourced ingredients. The restaurant, boasting 82 covers, is a welcome addition to Folkestone, which has seen a resurgence in recent times thanks in part to the popularity of its Creative Quarter. The Steakhouse Bar & Grill is set to become a must-visit for local food lovers and Clifton Hotel guests. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

LOV E N EWS

An extraordinary pub Three prestigious awards in a month for The Bell in Ticehurst December saw The Bell pick up the Gold Award for Best Tourism Pub at The Beautiful South Awards, held at The Grand Hotel in Brighton. The awards, run by Tourism South East, recognise achievements in the tourism industry from Oxfordshire to the Isle of Wight. Nigel Smith, Chief Executive of Tourism South East, said, “Achieving excellence isn’t easy – it takes vision, years of commitment and a lot of hard work from talented people.” This award comes on the back of receiving the Celebration of Sussex Life Award for Best Sussex Pub, with a particular emphasis on its place in the community. With 7,000 pubs closing since 2010, pubs have to be business agile to survive. As well as serving the local community, The Bell hosts over 60 weddings every year, and they are pretty good at it. Winning the Best Wedding Team at the Regional Wedding Industry Awards saw them through to the National Final at the Café de Paris in London in January. General Manager of The Bell, Howard Canning, is somewhat overwhelmed by the accolades. “It’s definitely been our year for awards and every one is testament to the team work that oils the wheels of a rather extraordinary pub.” To find out more www.thebellinticehurst.com to book call 01580 200300. Follow on Facebook – www.facebook.com/thebellinticehurst : twitter @bell_ticehurst : instagram @bellinticehurst

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LOV E G OI NG OU T

Out and about with Kudos

Stargazing Visit Down House in Orpington, Kent, the former home of the naturalist Charles Darwin, as the nights grow darker and the stars grow brighter for an introduction to astronomy on Friday, 8th February from 7pm-9.30pm. Hear expert talks and top tips, before looking through telescopes to explore the night sky and gaze among the stars. www.english-heritage.org.uk/downhouse

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LOV E G OI NG OU T

Take your seats Our pick of what’s on at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells Caroline Mortimer is the nation’s favourite TV cook. In the glow of the studio lights, she has it all – a sparkling career, a big house, a (golf) loving husband, smart kids and the best kitchen money can buy. But when the camera stops rolling, the truth comes out, and when an unexpected guest disrupts a night of celebration, there is more to spill than the wine... Welcome to Caroline’s Kitchen. Direct from its hit London run, this searing, sharp, state-of-the-nation comedy stars Caroline Langrishe (Lovejoy, Judge John Deed), Aden Gillett (House of Elliot, The Crown) and James Sutton (Emmerdale, Hollyoaks). Caroline’s Kitchen runs from 5th-9th February. From the moment his tall, red-and-white-striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that the cat in the hat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. With the trickiest of tricks and craziest of ideas, he is certainly fun to play with. And he turns a rainy afternoon into an amazing adventure. But what will mum find when she gets home...? Based on the much-loved book by Dr Seuss that has captivated generations of readers, The Cat in the Hat features feline frivolity aplenty, with his acrobatic accomplices Thing 1 and Thing 2. With riotous rhymes which have delighted children for over fifty years, and infectious humour and spectacular circus for the grown-ups, this wonderfully anarchic show will entertain the whole family. The Cat in the Hat runs from 12th-16th March. Book now at assemlyhalltheatre.co.uk

Nature’s glory Exhibition of the best garden photography Brighten up your winter with a visit to the International Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition from 12th January-21st March at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, and see some of the best garden, plant and landscape photography from amateur and professional photographers across the globe. From portrait to panorama, from the quirky and amusing to the outright wondrous, these photographs reflect the everlasting appeal of the garden and vividly showcase images of a green planet. Categories include the Beauty of Plants, Wildlife in the Garden and Wildflower Landscapes, among others. To add to the theme, local floral designers have created an upside-down dried flower garden and floral displays around the room, making it a truly unmissable exhibition. The garden will also be open for guided tours on each weekend from 12th January-24th February. The International Garden Photographer of the Year continues to be the premium competition for garden and plant photography with entries from all around the world. It’s open to all ages, amateurs and professionals alike, with a Young Garden Photographer of the Year award for under 16s. The exhibition tours the UK and worldwide. For full details about International Garden Photographer of the Year, visit www.igpoty.com 24

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LOV E A DV E RTOR I A LS

Cheers!

Competitive cheerleaders Inspire Allstars are not only taking home titles, they’re supporting local charity The Hygiene Bank and empowering their athletes as ambassadors for a cause that affects hundreds of girls their age

Photo credit: Andy Chapman

The Inspire Allstars is a competitive cheerleading programme based in Tonbridge that runs teams for young people, from beginners to more experienced athletes aged seven plus, who compete at regional and national level. Last year, Inspire took home two national titles, and this year they’re hoping to win a bid to compete in America! Cheerleading is an exciting, multidisciplinary sport that combines stunts, tumbling, jumps and dance, but Inspire Allstars has aspirations to be much more than just another cheerleading club. Head Coach and founder Joey Cuthbert explains: “By its very nature, cheerleading is a sport that cultivates commitment, trust, teamwork and leadership skills. My vision for Inspire was to use cheerleading to help develop young people not just as athletes, but as leaders for life. “We want to support the development of our participants as a whole, and so every season, alongside our regular training schedule, we run workshops on things like managing stress at school and healthy eating classes, a junior coaches’ programme (training young people to coach) and also a personal mentoring scheme. Each year we also choose a charity to support, to help give athletes a greater sense of purpose in their community and involve them actively in local social action.” This year, Inspire are supporting local charity The Hygiene Bank (see our feature on page 97). One in 10 girls in the UK miss school every year

because they can’t afford adequate sanitary protection. As the majority of athletes at Inspire are young females, Period Poverty is something that could easily be affecting them or someone they know. Inspire are not only supporting them through donations and fundraising, but also empowering the girls as ambassadors for the charity in their schools – educating their fellow classmates on a cause that affects hundreds of girls their age. On 3rd February, from 2-4pm at Weald of Kent Grammar School, Inspire will be running a showcase to raise funds and awareness for The Hygiene Bank. Members of the public will be able to see the teams in action, as they debut their routines, ahead of their first competition, as well as take part in games, raffles and find out more about Inspire’s chosen charity. To find out more about joining Inspire Allstars or attending their showcase, please contact Head Coach Joey: T: 07946 597 450 E: joey@inspireallstars.com W: www.inspireallstars.com Facebook: Inspire Allstars Cheer and Dance Twitter: @InspireAllstars Instagram: InspireAllstars_CheerAndDance

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LOV E G OI NG OU T

New year, new craft Explore your creativity in 2019 Forget the unachievable New Year’s resolutions, pick something that will tap into your creative side – it has health benefits too! It’s common knowledge that creative endeavour improves health and happiness. So if you would rather create than consume this year, a day spent in the glorious surroundings of Curious House could be just what you are looking for. Creative Writing: Mandy Wheeler, Thursday 17th January Start a habit that will feed your imagination for years to come. Men Only Flowers: Nicky Gaffney, Wednesday 13th February Create a luxury Valentine’s bouquet for your loved one. Beginners Screen Printing: Anna O’Neill, Wednesday 27th February Design and make your own two-colour, screen-printed cushion cover. Designer Bouquets From Supermarket Flowers: Nicky Gaffney, Thursday 28th February Supermarket flowers may look uninspiring but with a few tips and tricks, they can be turned into a beautiful display. A Day Of Meditative Drawing: Victoria Threlfal, Friday 1st March Forget any hang-ups you might have. Learn how to fully engage in drawing without being overly concerned of the outcome. Create Your Own Charleston-inspired Lampshade: Jane McCall, Thursday 14th March Learn how to emulate this distinctive decorative style to design your own unique lampshade. Lino-cut Cards and Papers: Clare Dales, Friday 15th March Explore the medium of lino cutting to create abstracted forms that can lead to exciting results. Modern Calligraphy: Lucy Berridge, Friday 29th March Discover modern calligraphy, a relaxed and contemporary use of beautiful handwriting. Day courses cost £95 including lunch (with the exception of the Valentine’s flowers which is £35). The cost of materials varies for each course. For more information and details on how to book, visit www.curioushouse.net or call 01435 884806/07747 106929

Down to earth Get closer to nature with Kent Wildlife Trust Discover a fantastic, nature-filled February half-term with Kent Wildlife Trust and help to attract even more wildlife to your garden. Get started with their bird-box building event at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve on the 17th February and Bug Box Creations at Bough Beech Nature Reserve on the 19th February. Then have the chance to meet some of the more exotic bugs in the world at either one of the “Wiggly Wild Shows” at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve (21st February) and Tyland Barn Visitor Centre (22nd February). Also meet some of our more native species at one of their always popular and full of excitement pond dipping events. Discover a world of underwater creatures with one of the wildlife experts. A full blown wildlife week giving your child the chance to get closer to nature. kentwildlifetrust.org.uk

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LOV E G OI NG OU T

That’s entertainment A feast of productions for Trinity Disney Channel’s smash-hit movie musical High School Musical comes to life on the Trinity Theatre stage on the 22nd and 23rd February, performed by Trinity Youth Theatre. Troy, Gabriella, and the students of East High must deal with issues of first love, friends and family while balancing their classes and extra-curricular activities. It’s the first day after winter break at East High. The Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes find their cliques, recount their vacations, and look forward to the new year. Basketball team captain and resident jock Troy discovers that the brainy Gabriella, a girl he met singing karaoke on his ski trip, has just enrolled at East High. They cause an upheaval when they decide to audition for the high-school musical, led by Ms. Darbus. Although many students resent the threat posed to the status quo, Troy and Gabriella’s alliance might just open the door for others to shine as well. High School Musical is fun for the whole family. The international smash-hit comedy Bouncers returns to Trinity on the 8th and 9th March. Lucky Eric, Judd, Les and Ralph are back and telling the tales of a Yorkshire nightclub. Of lads and lasses, sticky floors and shots galore, and the early-morning taxi home, all under the watchful eyes of the Bouncers. Written by the multi-award-winning John Godber, this modern classic will see the boys catapulted into the 21st century. With contemporary music and an updated script, this one’s worth getting dressed up for! The internationally-acclaimed, Grammy-nominated vocalist Stacey Kent returns to the UK for a select number of dates, featuring music from her latest release I Know I Dream, alongside a collection of numbers from her previous albums, including the Grammynominated Breakfast on the Morning Tram. Stacey’s visit to Trinity Theatre on 18th April with her five-piece band forms part of her worldwide tour in support of I Know I Dream. This beautiful collection of songs includes American standards, Bossa Nova classics and chansons, as well as original songs and reprises of some of her most-loved repertoire – including numbers co-written by Nobel prizewinner Kazuo Ishiguro, whose songwriting partnership with Stacey has formed an essential plank of her repertoire. For Stacey, whose international touring schedule keeps her on the road for most of the year, her return to Trinity Theatre provides a rare opportunity for UK fans see her live in concert. Join their mailing list via their website for the latest theatre, comedy, music and film. Box Office 01892 678 678 www.trinitytheatre.net

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LOV E PR EDICT IONS

What’s in store for 2019? Local business owners give us their predictions – both personal and professional – for the coming year

Cheerleading’s year

2019 will be the final year of a hard-fought, three-year application process by cheerleading’s world-governing body for full Olympic recognition. I predict we will see a lot more about cheerleading in the press this year as the campaign ramps up, and hopefully cheerleading as part of the 2024 Olympics! I have previously had the great privilege of representing my country at the World Championships, managing Team England’s ParaCheer team. I’m excited at what new developments 2019 will bring for disability inclusion in the sport, and am also predicting another gold medal haul for all the Team England teams at the World Cheerleading Championships this April! Joey Cuthbert Owner of Inspire Allstars in Tonbridge and former gold medallist with Team England ParaCheer www.inspireallstars.com

Streamlined kitchens

One of the most enduring kitchen trends this year which we predict will extend long into 2019 is the uncluttered, streamlined industrial style. Darker shades will still dominate, with highlights of metallic elements, and monochrome colour schemes will continue to cook up a storm. The timeless appeal of pared-back and seamless uncluttered working areas will continue to be in vogue, with each kitchen proving to be as practical as aesthetically pleasing. Subtle combinations of well-considered elements from ambient and focus lighting, concealed storage in outsized drawers, fluted glass cabinet fronts, innovative splashbacks and floor-length, fully-retractable doors to completely hide away your working areas all result in a winning combination. Sliding doors and hidden drawers are not just extremely versatile in enabling you to discreetly tuck away a huge variety of appliances, even complete utility rooms, larders and wine cabinets, but also maximises every available space. We are masters in the understated, allowing the calibre of build and design of the furniture to speak volumes. It’s not necessary to have everything loud and proud on display – adopt the more secretive ‘to be revealed’ approach. Scott Nicholson Managing Director, Chamber Furniture www.chamberfurniture.co.uk

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LOV E PR EDICT IONS

Best of British

We’ve already seen a desire among consumers to buy Britishmade, local products and this is bound to gather pace throughout the year ahead. People today are more discerning; it’s not as simple as the best price any more. Nowadays clients want quality and integrity, too. For larger purchases they are interested in the history, the story of how it is made and where it is from, which is exciting for local companies like Rencraft. We’ve been manufacturing kitchens and furniture from our workshop on Chart Farm just outside Sevenoaks for almost 40 years now, and we welcome you to visit our workshop at any time. It’s a much more personal experience, and that’s something that many of our clients really appreciate. John Stephens Managing Director, Rencraft www.rencraft.co.uk

Less access to justice

The ThomasHaywood prediction is that, unfortunately, access to justice for the most vulnerable will continue to be eroded, with increasingly less being invested in an underfunded and crumbling legal system. My personal prediction is that I will not go from “couch to 5K in 12 weeks”, despite my best intentions now! Sarah Haywood Partner, ThomasHaywood Solicitors www.thomashaywoodsolicitors.com

School dilemma – and Channel wall

With various pressures on the independent sector of education and the economy, there will be greater demand for primary and selective grammar-school places. As a consequence, fewer children will be placed in their school of first choice. I also predict a planning consultation will be launched to consider the benefits and disadvantages of building a wall along the Channel coast and filling in the Channel Tunnel with non-recyclable plastic waste. Representatives from England Coast Path, ramblers, coastal residents and environmentalists will march on Downing Street asking for consideration of a sea wall as an alternative. A cross-party parliamentary select committee will be convened to consider options. Mike Piercy Headmaster, The New Beacon www.newbeacon.org.uk

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Another hot summer

Arts to the fore

The extraordinary summer we enjoyed in 2018 may be repeated in 2019. So please be ready to look after your valuable shrubs and specimen trees with an appropriate irrigation strategy. We are currently looking to provide clients with rainwater-based systems to supplement any mains supply. So now’s the time to get planning!

We predict even greater engagement with the arts by the Tunbridge Wells community, with the Winter Lantern Parade in February, and the return of the Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival in October, as well as the launch of Trinity Encore, our new choir for seniors – plus, more of our own diverse, and increasingly-ambitious, programming. Whether you’ve visited us before, or will be coming for the first time, we look forward to welcoming you in 2019.

Tim Sykes Owner, GardenProud www.reallygardenproud.com

Alex Green Executive Director, Trinity Theatre www.trinitytheatre.net

Canute or Nero?

The divisive domestic political agenda coupled with talk of impending global catastrophe means we must champion an outward-looking mindset in our children. As funding cuts strip the curriculum of subjects which build empathy and emotional resilience, and social media continues to make young people feel isolated and imperfect, the scale and importance of this challenge becomes even more significant. Will 2019 be the year of Canute, when we begin to turn the tide, or the year of Nero, as we continue to play our technological fiddles whilst Rome burns around us?! Andrew Webster Headmaster, The Mead School www.meadschool.info

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LOV E R ED

Seeing red It’s National Wear Red Day on 1st February in support of the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund – here’s how to do it stylishly

Wave of Sound T shirt £18 www.joebrowns.co.uk

Retro shirt £30 www.joebrowns.co.uk

V-neck jumper in 100 per cent new, milled wool £75 www.peterhahn.co.uk

Adidas Originals x PLR trainers £84.95 www.adidas.co.uk

Curtis navy and red Dobby Squares slim-fit shirt £29.50 www.hawesandcurtis.co.uk

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Red poppy-print tiered shirtdress £69 www.sosandar.com

Pleated dress £50 www.bonmarche.co.uk

Red and white floral faux wrap dress £69 www.sosandar.com

For your little ones...

1980’s red, blue and yellow sleeveless puffa jacket £30 www.rokit.co.uk

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Billieblush girl’s red cotton jersey dress £44 www.childrensalon.com

Jersey dungarees set £28-£30 www.boden.co.uk

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L O V E VA L E N T I N E ’ S D A Y

Have a heart Fun makes for Valentine’s Day

Valentine Heart Jars Materials • • • • • • •

Glass jars White acrylic paint Red acrylic paint Pink acrylic paint 80-grit sandpaper Paint brush Clear sealant

1. P aint jars in two coats of acrylic paint. Let dry overnight in between coats. Once dry, distress with sandpaper. 2. Dip your finger in the paint and add a fingerprint to jar. 3. R epeat step 2, placing the second fingerprint alongside the first to make a heart shape. 4. On smaller jars, use the thumb to create a larger centre heart. Once dry, create a second, inner heart using your little finger. 5. Once finished, use a clear top coat to seal the jars. For more painted craft ideas, visit www.itallstartedwithpaint.com

Heart Bath Bombs Ingredients • • • • • • • • •

340g baking soda 340g citric acid 3 tbsp kaolin (white) clay 1 tbsp hibiscus flower powder ½ teaspoon olive oil Rose petals Witch hazel 25 drops lavender essential oil 25 drops rose geranium essential oil

Additional Tools

• Six small heart silicone moulds • Mixing bowl • Spray bottle • Parchment paper

1. Put witch hazel in a spray bottle and set aside. Add a light sprinkle of rose petals to the bottom of the heart moulds and set aside. In your mixing bowl, combine the baking soda, citric acid, clay and hibiscus powder and mix with your hands, breaking up any lumps. 2. Next combine the olive oil and essential oils together, then add it to the mixing bowl and use your hands to fully incorporate it. 3. S pray witch hazel, a few sprays at a time, into the mixture using your hands to incorporate it. You’ll want to work quickly as the citric acid will fizz with each spray. Continue to spray a little at a time until you reach a clump-like consistency that holds together in your hands. 4. Pack the mixture into the moulds. Really push it in tight! Let it dry in the moulds for 10-15 minutes, then turn onto parchment paper and remove the moulds. Let the bath bombs dry overnight. For more craft ideas, visit www.adventures-in-making.com K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

LOV E CEL EBR I T Y

Cold comfort

From trauma surgeon in BBC1’s Holby to winner of Strictly Come Dancing, actor Joe McFadden has enjoyed a varied career. Now he’s back on stage in the modern-day supernatural thriller, The House on Cold Hill – and looking forward to chilling audiences around the country

At just 43, Glasgow-born actor Joe McFadden can look back on a long career peppered with highlights – and variety. He’s pootled around Aidensfield on his motorbike as PC Mason in Heartbeat, smouldered as Dr Jack Marshall in BBC costume drama Cranford, saved lives as Raf di Lucca in Holby and won Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 with partner Katya Jones. Add celebrated roles in The Crow Road, for which he was BAFTA nominated, and Small Faces, musicals Rent and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a wealth of theatre work and even panto, playing Aladdin to Sir Ian McKellen’s Widow Twankey at the Old Vic, and you get some idea of his success. And it doesn’t stop there. He’s about to star in the stage adaptation of Peter James’ ghost story, The House on Cold Hill, with Rita Simons, who played Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders, Charlie Clements (Bradley in EastEnders) and Persephone Swales-Dawson (Nico Blake in Hollyoaks). Here, Joe talks about the play, how he still gets nervous before a performance, and his home town of Glasgow.

Tell us a bit about The House on Cold Hill.

It’s basically a chilling ghost story that’s full of suspense. It’s about a family who move from Brighton to this sprawling house in the country. From the outset, it looks like they have this brilliant, perfect life but throughout the course of the play, cracks show in their relationships with each other and you realise that there’s a lot more going on with the house than they first anticipated or that they would ever want. As well as it being chilling and a real thriller where you don’t know what’s going to happen, there’s also some really good characters and, as an actor, it’s really nice to be able to get your teeth into those relationships.

Have you ever had any ghostly experiences?

I’ve never seen anything myself, but I do have friends who have had experiences and they are usually quite sensible people so I think, why all of the sudden would they be inventing it? So I’m quite prepared that that sort of thing does exist.

How hard is it to create something really spooky on stage?

It can be done. I was in a ghost story a few years back called Haunting Julia and there’s nothing more powerful than creating that atmosphere in theatre, when you can cut the tension with a knife and you can feel that the audience is really with you. It’s 38

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brilliant as an actor because you think, ‘Oh, good, I’ve really got them!’ And the great thing about being in the theatre is that there’s no escaping. You can’t turn it off or get distracted, so you’ve got a captive audience.

the Royal Court in 2006, directed by Richard Wilson. I love doing stage work; when it goes well there’s nothing like it. It’s a bit of a cliché but that buzz you get from a live audience and feeling like you’ve entertained them all night, there’s nothing else like it.

What did it mean to you to get the part?

And a great sense of accomplishment because you can’t just go back and do it again...

I think it’s really good for an actor to do stage work. Having done four years on Holby, I wanted to get back on stage because the longer you leave it, the harder it gets. So even though it is frightening doing it, I think it’s really necessary as an actor. Being on Strictly last year was absolutely brilliant training for it. I’ve never known nerves like that before! So yes, it meant a lot to get the part. I’d read the play and really enjoyed it. And Ian Talbot is a brilliant director, he’s done such great work at Regent’s Park so I was keen to work with him. Doing something like Strictly and Holby, you get used to a certain level of quality and you want to replicate that and keep that going. The company has done two of Peter James’ novels before, so there is this huge hunger and interest for it. Hopefully we’ll do the book justice and people will enjoy it.

So you still get nervous before a show?

Oh absolutely. Especially the opening night. Doing Strictly every week was like an opening night each time as you’d only had a few days to rehearse.

You’ve done a lot of theatre. What have been some of your favourite shows?

I loved doing the musical Rent – the original production came over from New York, so that was fantastic. I’d never done a musical before, just a little bit of panto, so that was a really nice one to do and a really good exercise in sustaining a performance as we did the show for a year. I also loved the play Rainbow Kiss that I did at K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Absolutely, if something goes wrong you have to get out of it. And it sometimes does go wrong. But the show has to go on. You have to just keep going and get through it, try not to stop because you can’t!

You were born in Glasgow. Was there any showbusiness background in the family? No, I was the first one.

And you got your first part when a teacher recommended you for a part in Taggart?

That’s right. I had this great drama teacher in Glasgow and directors used to come into the school because she had a reputation for having good kids. A director came in and chose me to play a part of a boy whose father got murdered. I suppose I looked enough like a victim to evoke some sympathy from the audience! Luckily, I kept working after that. I did quite a lot of TV as a kid, including a six-year stint in High Road, playing Gary MacDonald from the age of15. Consequently, I never went to drama school.

Because you had no formal training, did you ever feel in the early days that you were at a slight disadvantage?

I sort of did. I couldn’t really work out what they were actually doing during three years of drama school! So it did worry me 39

You were in Heartbeat for two series and Holby for four years. Do you balance the security of regular work with possibly being typecast?

There can be a danger of typecasting. Perhaps less so in a show like Heartbeat or Holby. I think if you are in a soap opera it’s a lot harder perhaps to shake off a character that you’re very much associated with. But part of your job as an actor is to choose different kinds of roles – don’t keep playing the same thing over and over again. I feel very lucky that I’ve got to play coppers and a brilliant trauma surgeon. I don’t feel like I’ve been typecast. And as you get older, you get to play different types of roles as well so that helps with the changes.

You joined Holby in 2014. What was that experience like?

I really did enjoy it and that’s the great thing about Holby, everyone has such a nice time on it. It’s such a brilliant team that they’ve got together. It’s one of the nicest jobs that I’ve ever done and it’s very difficult to leave a show like that, especially when you’re getting to go home to your own bed every night, which is so unusual for an actor. It makes such a difference to your general wellbeing – getting to have a life and a really nice job and everyone’s just so good at what they do – it runs like clockwork. So many other shows don’t, but Holby is a really well-oiled machine. The danger there is that you get comfortable and you don’t want to leave. But I’m dead now so the door is very firmly closed and I can’t go back!

Your character was killed off, literally. Was it your decision to die?

slightly because I thought, ‘Oh, they know some secret that I’m not aware of’. But doing theatre really demystifies the whole thing. Especially as I’ve worked with some great directors. There are simple things that you pick up, like it’s all about the text, just play the text, don’t embellish too much, and it’s all there on the page. You pick it up as you go along, hopefully!

So you weren’t intimidated when you were in Cranford with Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins and Imelda Staunton?

No, not really. I didn’t have loads to do so I remember just going in and having a really lovely time. The most nervewracking thing was that I had to sing this song in front of them all, but they were so lovely and so encouraging. But I do remember thinking that I was the only person in the cast that I had never heard of!

The Crow Road was Bafta nominated. Is there a point when you think, this is it, I’ve made it?

No, not really. It’s the human condition that there’s always another hill to climb. You never think, oh that’s it, I’m done now, I can relax. You always want to move forward and challenge yourself. And that was the great thing about doing something like Strictly, it was so different to anything I’ve ever done before that I think it’s good to have those challenges in life and have to rise to the occasion. 40

No, no, it was absolutely their decision that they were going to kill the character. I thought, it’s a good way to go as an actor, you want to have a bit of an impact, you want people to notice it and it certainly did have such an impact on the whole hospital and the show as a whole. Even now, it’s about to be the one-year anniversary and there’s a memorial out in the hospital garden. My screen wife is in there crying…. They are still feeling the repercussions of my character’s death. As an actor that’s a real gift. It was nice to have a bit of an impact and make a bit of a splash when I left.

You’ve been in musicals, and you won the 15th series of Strictly – did you train in singing and dancing?

No, not at all. I did the odd little panto when I was growing up in Scotland but that was it, so very minimal experience in that world. I don’t know if it came naturally – there was a lot of hard work to making it look that natural! I was operating at maximum effort when I did Strictly. I did start off not being very good but got better as the weeks went on.

When you stopped doing Strictly, was it like falling off a cliff? You’ve done all those intensive weeks of training and suddenly it all comes to an end.

Yeah, there is a bit of a massive gulf but it’s very welcome at that point. It’s been going for 15 weeks, everything has been put on the back burner, every friendship… just the laundry pile alone took months to get through! It was really nice because you are physically and emotionally exhausted so you are just grateful to have a rest at K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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that point. People keep saying, oh don’t you wish you were doing it again, and I’m like, not in a million years! It was a one-off, and I’d never feel like I have to go back to it.

Do you still dance? Do you cha cha cha round the kitchen sometimes?

No, not really. It’s funny, you don’t usually start dancing when you are in your 40s – you generally give up dancing at that age! It would be great to get to use some of it at some point, albeit in a show or a musical, so hopefully that will happen. I’ll go back and do some classes at some point. It’s really difficult, though, because people expect me to be really good and if I don’t have my partner, Katya Jones, giving me one-on-one training for ten hours then I’m not very good. I owe everything to her. I was never fast at picking up steps, it was a real mission just getting me to remember everything. That was the challenge for me. Learning the steps and remembering them. The Strictly routines are only 90 seconds but it’s the longest 90 seconds of your life!

The House on Cold Hill is touring until June, so that will be a different life for you for six months.

Yes, absolutely. I’ve toured before and it’s a challenge doing weekly venues. But I get to see the country and go back to some lovely little theatres that I’ve performed in before. And we’re going to some

great cities. We get to go to Glasgow as well which is great so I’m very much looking forward to it.

You live in London now, do you still have family in Glasgow?

Yes, all of my family still live in Glasgow. I get up there a few times a year. As well as spending time with family, I enjoy catching up with friends when I’m there, and there are some really great places to eat.

You’ve had a very varied career. Is there anything that you haven’t tried that you would like to do?

I’d really like to do a horror film. I love horror films and this play is the closest that I’ve come to it. Maybe some comedy, too. I haven’t done masses of comedy. There’s always so much still to do!

The House on Cold Hill opens at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, on 23rd January and tours the country until 1st June. www.peterjames.com

LOV E CEL EBR I T Y

Strictly Brendan

Losing his place on Strictly Come Dancing hasn’t stopped Brendan Cole forging a successful stage and TV career, as he explains

Production photographs from previous tour of All Night Long Photo credit: Shane Finn – Visual Devotion

Since being dropped by Strictly Come Dancing at the beginning of 2018 after 14 years with the show, Brendan Cole could have been forgiven if he’d quietly waltzed off into the sunset. But that’s not New Zealand-born Brendan’s way. He was one of the only two remaining original professionals, along with Anton Du Beke, who had been part of the show since 2004 and the decision not to renew his contract hit him hard. The dancer hinted at the time that the decision could be due to his “strong views”, that he often expressed on the show: “I’ve always known this day would come. To get to this point, the BBC make the decisions year upon year. It’s an editorial decision. I’m sure I’ll never know the ins and outs. I’m a very strong character within the show, I have my strong views.” Whatever the reasons, Brendan, 41, has made the most of his time since leaving the show. He’s currently preparing to deliver his fifth production and eleventh nationwide theatre tour of the UK. Show Man follows his 2017 dance, music and chat show Brendan Cole - All Night Long and previous hugely-successful stage shows Live & Unjudged, Licence To Thrill and A Night To Remember. Before television, Brendan’s professional career was solely in the ballroom and Latin American dance scene. He demonstrated, taught, competed and lectured in the world of professional Latin American dance and was ranked in the world’s top 12. His dream was to become world champion, but when the BBC approached him with the offer of Strictly Come Dancing, his career took a sharp turn to that of television and media where he has remained. Brendan’s early life wasn’t easy, but he says it has made him who he is and for that he is grateful. Dancing from the age of six, he says he wasn’t so much bullied during his school years as teased, which fuelled his more feisty nature but also pushed him to be the best he could be at everything he did. He attributes his success today to the many challenges he faced during his earlier days and says, “Although at times it was difficult, I am glad for the school of hard knocks I had as a kid and looking back, I loved my childhood, the good and the bad.” He left school at 17 and before becoming a professional dancer, worked as a builder and roofer. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand with its outdoor lifestyle, Brendan’s love of sport and nature has continued to grow here in the UK. Having moved here at the age of 18, Brendan now lives with his wife Zoe, their six-year-old daughter Aurélia and 10-month-old son Dante in the English countryside in Buckinghamshire. Having played most sports throughout his childhood and living in a county that is renowned for its natural beauty, Brendan hopes to show the New Zealand way of life to his children and let them enjoy their Kiwi roots as well as their English ones. Brendan puts success down to four things. Hard work, a little luck, deciding which door to walk through when an opportunity presents itself and creating the opportunities one desires. Brendan’s decision K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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to move to the UK away from his friends and family six days before his 19th birthday helps sum up this ethos as well as showing his character. With his passion for dance, there was only one place for him, so he packed his bags with £1,000 in his pocket and a oneway ticket to England. Competing as an amateur dancer and later turning professional, Brendan’s initial dream to be world champion was never realised. However, his time competing and his striving for perfection would pay off in a very different way to the one he set out to achieve. As he says, “You never know what awaits you around the corner.” Since entering into the world of media and television, Brendan has appeared on many different shows including being on the judging panel of New Zealand’s Dancing With The Stars, a contestant on Just the Two Of Us and Love Island in the UK, a panelist on various talk shows and even a cameo in the much-loved children’s TV programme The Sooty Show. Here, he talks about performing on stage, his new show and why he might have ended up as a builder.

To be a dancer you have to be confident and really bare your soul. Have you always been selfassured, and when did you realise you wanted to perform in front of people?

No, I haven’t always been self-assured! I am very confident within what I do as I have worked extremely hard to get to the level that I have. To do anything well you have to believe in yourself and in your ability to do what it is that you are doing. I didn’t find my confidence properly until my mid 20s. One day I realised that most people were actually so worried about themselves and what others K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

thought of them that they didn’t have time to worry about all of the things that I felt insecure about. I changed from that day forward and have remained fairly self-assured ever since.

How does performing on stage differ to performing on television? Do you get nervous when you perform live?

When on television (in particular Strictly), you are one of many and people aren’t necessarily tuning in to see you. When you’re on a stage and your name is on the door, there is a real sense of pride whilst on the stage and it fills you with an energy that is magic. I will admit to being nervous on every opening night of my theatre productions (this will be my fifth). Such a huge amount of thought and time goes into putting a big show like this together and you want it to be perfect, both for the audience and the cast. I love a live audience and my tour gives me a buzz like nothing else. The audience reaction is incredible.

If someone has never seen a Brendan Cole live show, what can they expect?

Everything! We have championship dancers, a live band and singers, all of the Strictly dance styles that people love, plus a few surprises along the way. When producing any show, my aim is to wow the audience and give them everything they’d expect and much, much more. Whether that’s great production values, exciting choreography, spectacular lighting and, of course, amazing talent from my sensational dancers and musicians, it’s so important to me to create a complete show. I want every single person that comes along to have the most exceptional night of entertainment. I like 43

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to think that we create a show that has something for everyone. There is a lot of laughter and chat throughout the show as well, so essentially, we just have a ball!

In preparation for your tour Show Man, do you plan all the choreography for the dances or do you work with a team? How difficult is it to come up with new ideas for song choices and routines?

It is very much a team effort between myself and my cast. I will have certain ides as to how I want the show to form but it’s important for me to have the cast involved. I love the creativity that comes from that and it makes for a better show. Song choices are difficult, especially now as this will be my fifth production. I need to make sure there is something for everyone, old, new and in-between. There has to be excitement, beauty, emotion, character… so much goes into these decisions. My wife Zoe, my Musical Director and I spend many days throwing around ideas and eventually we have ourselves a show list.

How will Show Man differ from your previous productions?

This show will be quite different from before. It’s slightly more theatrical and we’re changing the line-up of talent. We will have five male dancers and three female which will allow us to do more tricks and stage choreography differently from how we have before. With a new set and new look, it should feel quite different and, of course, with every new production comes new costuming and lighting. I’m very excited about putting this one together. At the same time, over the last ten years we’ve created certain numbers throughout the different productions that have really stood out and we’ve loved performing. Subsequently we have had many requests

from audiences asking that we perform them again. With this in mind, I’ve decided to recreate a handful of them for the new show. One in particular has been a personal favourite for me, Cinderella by Stephen Curtis Chapman. It’s a magical number, telling the story of a father and daughter, which I created with my baby girl Aurélia in mind shortly after her birth. I can’t wait to perform it again, along with several other favourites as well as many exciting and brand-new numbers, all under the Show Man title.

How do you cope with touring your live shows? Does your family go with you?

It is definitely hard but I love every second of it. To have what you have created appreciated in the way that it has been, makes it the best job in the world. I love touring more than anything else that I do and I think that it shows when I’m on stage. Obviously when it comes to family, it is hard. My wife Zoe and our children don’t often come with me as touring isn’t really conducive to normal family living. As a team we create the tour and Zoe is at the heart of a lot of the decisions I make as they affect our lives so dramatically.

Since the announcement that you wouldn’t be returning to Strictly Come Dancing for the 2018 series, how has your life changed?

It’s just been extremely busy. I’ve not stopped, which is great. If it had stopped after the announcement then it would’ve been a horrible feeling and I suppose that was the biggest fear at the time when I found out I wouldn’t be back. It’s actually allowed me opportunities that I wouldn’t have otherwise had. Strictly takes up such a large amount of time in which you can’t do anything else. It’s a very exciting new chapter for me which I’m embracing. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Did you watch any of the last series, and if so what did you think of it?

Yes, I did. I’ve been writing a column for Hello! magazine so I watched all of it. It was weird to watch the launch show and not be part of it but I’ve quite enjoyed being able to relax and watch the show once it all started, and critique it along the way. My column in Hello! was quite honest!

What is your favourite dance and why?

Believe it or not, it’s the waltz, but it has to be the right kind of waltz. When you get a great song that is really emotional, you can tell a really magical, emotive story to it throughout the dance. It’s a lovely feeling. I love seeing the audience reaction as they get swept away within it.

Life as a professional dancer, particularly when touring, requires huge levels of fitness. Can you describe your training and fitness schedule, and do you relax your regime at all?

Dancing in general keeps me pretty fit, and so does keeping up with two small children! Having said that, although I train for dance which gives me a certain level of fitness, if I was to try and do a marathon I’d fail miserably.

What are your plans for the future after the Show Man tour?

Everything! I really feel like this is an exciting time for me. I love working in television, on stage and in the world of media. As long as opportunities keep coming my way and I’m excited about them, then I’ll keep being busy and having an incredible time.

If you hadn’t been a dancer, what other career might you have chosen?

I love construction. I can see myself in property once my dancing legs have given up. Hard to know what I would’ve been if I’d stayed K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

in the building trade having done it for four years after leaving school, but who knows what the future holds? I’m always buying tools… it’s the yin to my yang of sequin wearing!

Which dancer past or present do you most admire and why?

I don’t have a favourite. All of the greats were just that… greats and you cannot distinguish between them. Going way back, the Nicholas brothers were pretty remarkable and set the barre very high, very early!

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Why feel guilty? You’ve got to enjoy life, right? Brendan Cole’s Show Man is at the Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, on 10th March. www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk 45

LOV E FOOD & DR I N K

Top of the pubs It’s celebrations all round for The Kentish Hare

The Kentish Hare in Bidborough, Kent, has plenty to celebrate. Not only have they been shortlisted as one of Estrella Damm’s Top 50 Gastropubs (they will find out in January where they have been ranked), but they also recently celebrated another hugely-successful Tasting Night to a full house, hosted by Chris and James Tanner. We caught up with Head Chef Bobby Brown to find out what was on the menu that evening. Says Bobby, “To start, we served a Tartlet of Quail. This had braised leeks as the base of the dish, with confit legs and slices of panfried crown in a cream sauce topped with shavings of winter truffle. “The next dish was pan-fried Seared Scallop and roasted Stone Bass. This was served with a selection of sea vegetables, including samphire and oyster leaf, along with some chervil. Alongside was a white haricot bean cassoulet with braised carrots, leeks and celery. “Then we moved on to a very seasonal meat dish of venison which had been roasted as a loin and served nice and pink. We made a rich sauce and braised some red cabbage in whisky and orange juice. To complete the dish was our take on dauphinoise potatoes but using turnips, which have been sliced thinly, salted and washed, and then layered with double cream, Parmesan and thyme. “Dessert was a Cox’s Apple Parfait. We made a roasted purée out of the Cox’s apples, blended them down to make a sabayon with eggs and sugar and then folded in some lightly-whipped cream. This was frozen and then served with fresh apple, an apple-skin sorbet, apple blossom and caramel.” If all this whets your appetite, look out for details of their next Tasting Night on their website: www.thekentishhare.com Says General Manager Paul Barber: ‘Our Tasting Nights are always 46

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a huge success and this latest one was no exception. Everyone had a great time and there were lots of clean plates at the end! I’m very proud of all the hard work that our team puts in to make sure that our guests have a fantastic evening. I guess we must be doing something right because they always sell out very quickly!” Of the Gastropub Awards, Paul said: “The Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub Awards are voted for by top foodies and hospitality experts, ensuring the list really is decided by the industry. Because of this, just getting on the list really is an honour and we are excited to see where we are placed in January!” K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Cooking with kids Let your children loose in the kitchen with these easy, fun recipes from Mrs Bun the Baker

A new book, Baking with Mrs Bun the Baker, contains easy-to-follow, child-friendly recipes for toddlers, pre-schoolers and young families. They’re all tried and tested, approved and munched by the Young Buns who attend the award-winning cookery school for children, parents and carers run by Mrs Bun herself, Angela Johnson. The book includes photographs from Mrs Bun’s classes, and allows you to take away the magic that the children have cooked up in her kitchen. Enjoy a sprinkling of “bun fun”, to make and bake these delicious and easy recipes for all the family and help toddlers and pre-schoolers learn confidence in the kitchen.

About Mrs Bun

The goal for this book is to show that toddlers and children can cook, that they love to get involved in the preparation of food, they needn’t be kept out of the kitchen, and that they learn a lot from preparing food. Angela Johnson, AKA Mrs Bun the Baker, has baked for as long as she can remember. As she grew up, she would make her own recipe books with favourite recipes, which she still has, and when she was at university, her house always smelt of baking! Being part of a family that loved baking, she decided to continue her love of food by studying catering. Angela later became a teacher and worked at secondary schools for nearly 20 years specialising in food technology, attaining outstanding GCSE grades through her teaching. Five years ago, Angela established her award-winning cooking school in South Oxfordshire to teach cooking skills to all. In her cooking classes, children get to bake and take home all their goodies, gaining confidence and inspiring them to continue cooking at home. Mrs Bun the Baker works with schools, nurseries, charities, communities, garden centres, food festivals and her own independent classes for toddlers, children, teens and families. Baking with Mrs Bun the Baker costs £12.99 www.mrsbunthebaker.net 48

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St Clements Cheesecake This recipe is one of my favourites; it started off with just one flavor, but over the years I have experimented with different ones, and this is a summer zesty must. My Italian friend Francesco loves this cheesecake, and cannot get enough of it when he is over, which coming from an Italian is a huge compliment.

Ingredients

• 100g Digestive biscuits • 50g margarine • 75ml double cream • 100g cream cheese • 1-2 tbsps lemon curd • Small tin of mandarin oranges (drained) or fresh if in season • 1-2 tablespoons of caster sugar (optional)

Method

• You will need 4 small ramekin dishes or a round 15cm dish. • Place the biscuits into a bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Do not bash too hard, the bag may break! They should look like breadcrumbs. • A sk an adult to melt the margarine in the microwave and pour it into your biscuits. Stir it well into the crushed biscuits. • Pour the mixture into your serving dishes and press the biscuits down into your dish. You want an even spread. Place this in the fridge to set. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

• Pour the double cream into a bowl and whisk until thick. You will have to be strong. Cold cream takes longer to whip so take the cream out of the fridge half an hour before you need it, and it should be easier. Once whipped, you should be able to hold the bowl over your head without the cream falling out! • Stir in the cream cheese and lemon curd. Mix it all together well. • Have a taste. If you feel it needs to be sweeter, add in some caster sugar. •T ake the biscuit mixture out of the fridge, then pour the cream cheese mixture over the base and spread it out. •U se the mandarin segments to decorate the top of the cheesecake. •L eave to set in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Variations

• Instead of lemon curd add some fresh lemon zest. A teaspoon will give you plenty of lemon taste. • Use a tin of raspberries, but make sure you drain the juice off first or the mixture will be too wet and won’t set. • Use some chocolate spread or cheesy chocolate. • Try crushing some ginger biscuits up with the Digestives. They go well with the zingy lemon flavour. • Use chocolate chip cookies for the chocolate filling base. • Make individual portions in clear plastic tumblers or wine glasses, and you can also see the different layers.

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Lasagna When I first made this in the Bun kitchen, Mr Bun thought it was better than the lasagna I always make the traditional way with a cheese sauce and tomato sauce from scratch! It freezes very well, too, so you can make batches, thaw out and cook when needed.

Ingredients

• Handful of fresh spinach leaves • 2 mushrooms • ½ red or yellow pepper • ½ courgette • 150ml tomato pasta sauce • 2 fresh lasagna sheets • 1 tbsp full-fat soft cream cheese • 3tbsp crème fraîche • 25g grated cheese

Method

• Ask an adult to pre heat the oven to gas mark 6/200ºC/180ºC fan. • You will need a small ovenproof dish or a 2lb loaf tin. • Tear the spinach leaves. They are very thin and just melt to nothing when baked. • R ip up the mushrooms into 6-8 pieces and place them in a bowl. If they are dirty, rub off the soil, or peel their coats off to show a lovely white shirt underneath! 50

• A sk an adult to help you cut the pepper into strips. You can leave them like this or chop them into smaller pieces. • They can also help you to chop the courgette first into circles, then semi circles and finally into quarters. • Add the pasta sauce to the vegetables and mix well. • Place a third of your mix into your tin, add a lasagna sheet – you can cut or tear it to the size of your tin. You will need to use the fresh lasagna sheets, as it tears easily and also cooks quicker than the dried version. Fresh sheets do not take up as much liquid as dried pasta. • Repeat this process 2 times making sure you finish with a lasagna sheet. • M ix the cream cheese and crème fraîche together in a bowl. Spread this mixture over the top of the final lasagna sheet, and then sprinkle over the grated cheese for a golden-brown top. • Cover the tin with some foil, and tightly tuck it all around. • Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve with a colourful salad.

Variations

• For a crunchy topping, get a slice of bread and crumble it up, then sprinkle over the top with your grated cheese. • Change the vegetables according to the season.

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Homity Pies These pies date back to the Second World War, when they were a filling supper – there were no snacks in those days! I have made these pies a little more luxurious and tastier than those wartime onse, and hope you agree they are quite moreish.

Ingredients

• ½ block of shortcrust pastry, taken out of the fridge 30 minutes before you are going to use it • ½ tin of potatoes, crushed • 2 spring onions • 2 tbsp sweetcorn, frozen or tinned • 50g grated cheese • 50ml crème fraîche • 2 sprigs of parsley

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4/180ºC/160ºC fan. • You will need 6-8 circular pie dishes 10cm in diameter or use a bun tin. • F lour a worktop, place the pastry on the top, flour again and roll it out to 0.5cm in thickness. When you are rolling, try to push your rolling pin not just in the middle, but all around, otherwise the middle will be very thin and the outer pastry will be too thick. • Cut out 5 circles with a 10cm circular cutter. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

• Keep rolling out the pastry until it is all used up. • Hopefully you should have 6-8 pie cases. •D rain the potatoes from the tin and place them into a plastic sandwich/freezer bag, seal well and crush them up with your hands. • Empty your bag of potatoes into a bowl. • Use some scissors to cut up the spring onions into small chunks. • Add the spring onions, sweetcorn, cheese and crème fraîche into the bowl and mix well. •R ip the parsley leaves off the stalks, tear them into small pieces and add. •P lace tablespoons of the mixture into each pastry case. •P lace in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. •L eave to cool and enjoy.

Variations

• Add some ham for colour and flavour. • For more colour, chop up some red and green pepper in place of the sweetcorn. • Use sweet potatoes for a lovely taste and texture. Cook them through first, and use as the tinned potatoes. • I f you have had a roast dinner and have some roasties left, you can use those, or even some mashed or boiled potatoes. • You can buy individual pie dishes from the shops. I often use these with the classes, and make a handy-sized pie, especially for picnics. 51

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Cheesy Biscuits Floury, messy hands are a must for this recipe – getting your hands in the ingredients and feeling them is great fun. These biscuits can be any shape and size – make trains, circles, squares, animals... any shape cutter you have will be fine.

Ingredients

• 110g plain flour • 75g butter or hard margarine. Take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before you want to use, so it has softened a little, but essentially we want it hard • 75g grated cheese. Use a strong cheese for good, cheesy flavour • 2-3tbsp milk • Seasoning

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5/190ºC/170ºCfan. • L ine a baking tray with some greaseproof paper. • Place the flour into a bowl. • Cut the butter into cubes and add it into the flour. • P ick up some flour and butter and rub it between your fingertips, as though you are trying to get rid of something that is stuck. Keep rubbing the mixture between your fingertips until you have something resembling breadcrumbs. • Add the grated cheese and season to taste. 52

• Add the milk and mix well with a spoon until it forms a soft ball. Add a little more milk if it is not sticking together, but do give it a good squeeze as if you get the dough too wet, it will be too soggy to roll out. • Place the ball back in the bowl and put it into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill out. • Sprinkle the worktop with some flour and roll out the dough to a thickness of 0.5cm and use your cutters to cut out shapes. • W hen you cut out your shapes, try to keep to the edge of the pastry, don’t cut right into the middle or you will have to keep re-rolling it a lot and the dough will get dry, so keep them close and you will get more out. • Re-roll, re-roll until all the dough is used up! • Place the biscuits on the baking tray and place in the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Variations

• For a spicier biscuit try adding some paprika or chilli powder in them. • Red Leicester or Double Gloucester cheese will give the biscuits a lovely orange colour. • Fresh herbs create good taste and colour in the biscuit so try chopping up some chives, rosemary or parsley. • Serve the biscuits with a dip such as guacamole, salsa, tatziki or humous. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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A family affair When Nick and Caroline Richards wanted a weekend home by the sea, they found the perfect property in Whitstable and filled it with light and colour

Homeowners: Nick and Caroline Richards. Nick works in finance and Caroline for an independent TV production company. They wanted a relaxed weekend escape, within easy driving distance of their family home on the outskirts of London Family: Two daughters: Olivia, 8 and Sophie, 5 Location: Whitstable, Kent Property: A three-bedroom, Victorian terraced house on a quiet residential street Feature: Jennifer Stuart-Smith Photography: Bruce Hemming

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A simple life and a sense of community are what many of us reminisce about and crave. For Nick Richards, this nostalgic view of the world has become a reality for him and his family – at least at the weekends, when they escape their suburban home and head to the north Kent coast. “I grew up in a small town in North Wales, so it’s important for me to be in a place that’s not London; in a calmer place, with a sense of community,” says Nick. “Whitstable was where we wanted to be. It’s a lovely little town with a nice feel to it and only a 50-minute drive from where we live.” The couple had looked at a couple of other houses in the town, but really liked this quiet, residential street, just off the high street, as well as the style of the house. “Everyone raves about Island Wall, near the beach, but we preferred this terrace,” says Nick. So, what about the house itself? “It was a bit of a tip when we viewed it, and I realised that it was going to involve rather more than just painting a few walls,” says Nick. “A large house was not a priority as we’re not here every day, and it didn’t need to be a trophy home. We wanted somewhere really relaxed and low maintenance, where we could just turn up with a bag and live simply.” This concept of living simply continues with a distinct lack of modern technology: “I like it being low tech. I’ve got the internet, but that’s about the height of the technology. I don’t need all that kind of gadgetry,” he adds. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Aesthetically, too, the house exudes calm and tranquility. As you come into the open-plan downstairs, it’s impossible not to appreciate the natural light. “We had some great guidance from the interior designer Kate Harris, who lives just down the road,” says Nick. Walls were removed, a downstairs bathroom turned into a bijou shower room and hidden storage created under the stairs for necessary clutter such as the vacuum cleaner and washing machine. From a design point of view, it was a blessing that the family didn’t require much storage, so furniture and built-in storage could be pared right back. “The downstairs areas just flow,” says Nick. “It just works really well.” A narrow side table between the living room and kitchen is a popular homework area for the girls, as well as Nick, and a clever touch. To the front of the house, the living space is filled with light but protected from the gaze of those outside by traditional wooden shutters. Other period features such as the bannisters, tongue-andgroove woodwork and high skirting boards were proposed by Kate Harris as a way of restoring some of the character that had been lost over the years. “We had to rip out some pretty unpleasant 1970s additions,” says Nick. On top of classic, floor-level cupboards, geometric shelving creates a display area for local artworks and ceramics, while preventing the rooms feeling twee or like a country cottage. “Whitstable is a very creative town, so the artworks give the house an appropriate feel 55

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without being cliched ‘seaside’ decor,” says Nick. A contemporary woodstove keeps the area cosy, as does a statement vertical radiator between the window seat and sofa. “It used to be really cold in here,” say Nick, “but the woodstove and radiators do the trick.” The couple opted for retro rather than reclaimed radiators, for their efficiency and affordability. Moving through to the kitchen, a feature fireplace is filled with pale, Scandi-style logs, rather than an actual fire. By the fireplace, two armchairs, a couple of brightly-coloured poufs by Monoqi and a huge, colourful rug add to the relaxed style. Opposite are the built-in, understair cupboards and the compact shower room, both easily missed – an accolade to their clever design – on your way to the kitchen. As one might imagine in a family home, even one that is only used at the weekends, the kitchen is the hub of the action. Rooflights as well as a modern glass door to the garden keep the area cheery and light while spotlights take over at night and in the winter months. A pale Howdens kitchen does its job of being simple and functional, while bespoke touches such as scaffold-board shelves from Etsy, sheets of copper on the walls and an on-trend wall of reclaimed boards add a designer feel. “It functions really well,” says Nick. Ease and simplicity is what they wanted, after all. An unprepossessing French door was replaced with a blackframed glass door, allowing easy access to the back garden. “We spend masses of time out there,” says Nick. “It really is like an extra room to the house.” A wraparound wooden seating area is a K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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tempting spot all year round, whether it’s for enjoying a barbecue or keeping warm around the fire pit. “There’s no lawn to mow, and it’s supremely low-maintenance, which is great,” says Nick. The fact that this is a weekend home has influenced all areas of design, as we see when we venture upstairs. At the front, the master bedroom contains the only wardrobe in the house and all three bedrooms are remarkably light of furniture and clutter. As well as the lone wardrobe, Nick and Caroline have gone for a clean, Scandi-style dressing table and chest of drawers from Made.com as well as the essential storage bed. Next door to the main bedroom is a striking shower room, with Victorian-style fittings contrasting with wood-effect tiles. The couple added tongue-and-groove panelling, cleared out unsightly boxed-in piping and fitted a space-saving sink. “Not having a cabinet under the sink also helps make it feel more spacious,” says Nick. The couple were happy not to have a bath, which also freed up space. On the other side of the bathroom is the girls’ room, complete with bunk bed and their choice of pretty blue decor. Half-net curtains provide privacy, while simple Laura Ashley curtains add cosiness in winter and the potential for lie-ins in summer. Again, furniture is minimal with just a chest of drawers, wooden pegs on the wall and a footstool. Last on our tour is the guest bedroom, a neat double room at the back of the house complete with old-style iron bed and an ingenious shelf-cum-clothes rail made by Standing Wave Woodwork, the company who made the scaffold-board shelves in the kitchen. The bedlinen and soft furnishings are as muted as the Farrow & Ball Peignoir walls, while the maroon-patterned curtains by Clarke & Clarke add visual warmth and interest. “It would be hard to choose a favourite room,” says Nick. “We’re thrilled with the whole house – it works perfectly for us.” Just how it should be. 58

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www.burnetts-ea.com £769,950 Wadhurst A beautifully-presented, spacious, detached family house presented in immaculate order, with five bedrooms, updated en-suite, updated family bathroom, three reception rooms, updated kitchen/breakfast room, new boiler, private gardens and an attached double garage. EPC Rating: C

Offers in excess of £950,000 Mayfield A charming Georgian detached house, right in the heart of the village, with four bedrooms, one en-suite, a family bathroom and three reception rooms, plus a recently landscaped, easy maintenance garden, detached garage/studio outbuilding and off road parking. NO CHAIN. EPC Rating: D

Guide Price £1,385,000 to £1,425,000 Lamberhurst This charming country estate set within ten acres consists of a four bedroom main house, double garage with self-contained annex above, separate office/studio building, outbuildings and stores, plus a detached one bedroom cottage, offering income potential. NO CHAIN. EPC Rating: D

Specialists in the Sale and Letting of Rural and Village property

Mayfield Office 3 Church View House High Street, Mayfield East Sussex TN20 6AB mayfield@burnetts-ea.com 01435 874450 K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Wadhurst Office The Clock House High Street, Wadhurst East Sussex TN5 6AA wadhurst@burnetts-ea.com 01892 782287

Lettings Department lettings@burnetts-ea.com 0845 8737493 Associated London Office 119-121 Park Lane London W1K 7AC 020 74090371

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Home notes

Fresh ideas and style tips on the home front

Could your home pass the Instagram test? Homeowners in the south east are dissatisfied with their homes after comparing them to properties on social media There are more people using Instagram for interiors inspiration than ever before, but over 50 per cent of Instagram users in the south east feel dissatisfied with their homes after looking at images of other people’s houses on social media, a study has found. Researchers who polled 1,500 UK adults in the south east using social media for inspiration with their homes, found that just 28 per cent are completely satisfied with the appearance of their current home. A whopping 82 per cent of those who are displeased with their home admit to feeling this way once a month or more after scrolling through other properties on Instagram, with 25-34 year olds feeling dissatisfied most frequently. And almost one in ten admitted to feeling critical of their own home several times a day after comparing it with other properties on Instagram. The findings describe people having an unrealistic idea of what their home should look like, spending time worrying about flaws which would be unnoticeable to others, whilst feeling pressure to maintain a certain appearance in their home and being selfconscious of it in front of visitors. This mindset has been described by Chartered Psychologist, Dr David Lewis, as Home Dysmorphic Disorder (HDD). Dr Lewis explains: “Our home is our shop window to the world. An outward and visible display of the way we want others to see and judge us. This is challenged when we are exposed, especially 62

through social media such as Instagram, to the choices of others. The more comparisons we are able to make with the ways others present themselves to the world, the greater the dissatisfaction we may feel with our own surroundings. The more individuals worry about what friends, neighbours, and colleagues think of them – and this is more likely to be a concern for younger than older people – the greater their dissatisfaction. It is an increasingly common mindset that can be described as Home Dysmorphic Disorder.” The problem is changing one small item in a room can lead to an overwhelming desire to make major changes to their environment. This is sometimes known as the Diderot Effect after the French writer. This typically starts with discontent about one, often minor, feature, such as an ornament, picture or item of furniture. It then quickly spreads, like an oil slick, to trigger unhappiness with the whole room or even the entire house. Commissioned by leading door and window brand, Origin, the survey found that many people have taken steps to make their home look more Insta-worthy. These include changing the interior, purchasing home accessories specifically because they will look good on Instagram and feeling pressure to be tidier than they used to be to maintain an Instagram look. Ben Brocklesby, Director at Origin, said: “We know that Instagram is a fantastic tool for gaining inspiration for your house – 84 per cent of the people we surveyed feel that social media is useful in giving inspiration and advice on styling their home. However, it is important to remember that the perfect homes we see on Instagram are not always a true reflection of the homes that people live their lives in. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Cold comfort Tips from Southern Water on how you can help to protect your home in extreme weather Southern Water has launched a new awareness campaign, called Weather Eye, to help customers to prepare for extreme weather and explain how they can help in the event of an emergency. Clare Rixon, Southern Water’s Operational Resilience and Response Manager, said: “We are working closely with representatives from councils and emergency services to ensure that, should the worst happen, we are as prepared as possible. While we are working round the clock to find and fix leaks and improve our emergency response, there are also simple steps customers can take to protect their home during the cold weather. You should lag exposed pipes in your loft, as well as your external pipes. This can help prevent bursts and flooding in your home but – should the worst happen – make sure you know where your internal stop tap is, so you can turn the water off as soon as possible. And fix any dripping taps, as even a small trickle could result in a frozen pipe.” www.southernwater.co.uk/weathereye

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Style your home Gorgeous, warm Living Coral is the Pantone Colour of the Year 2019. Living Coral is technically a “coral hue with a golden undertone” – a few shades louder than pink, but softer than red. Here’s how to add accents of it to your home...

Main image: Ligne Roset Toa armchair in coral POA www.ligne-roset.com/uk Clockwise, from left: B-Line Gemma armchair in coral red £376.56 www.clippings.com; Coconut Palm Pickers cushion £55 www.postcardshome.co.uk; coral Eames-style dining armchair £49 www.danetti.com 64

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Clockwise from top left: Bronte by Moon merino lambswool parquet throw blanket in coral £59.95 www.hurnandhurn.com; neon coral tassel basket £29 www.bobbyrabbit.co.uk; Lagoon coral embroidered cushion £25 www.wallpaperdirect.com; V&A William Kilburn small enamel plant pot in coral £18 www.amazon.co.uk; Pink Dash terracotta mug £12.50 www.whitestuff.com; Filix linen cushion in fire/watermelon £59 www.clarissahulse.com; globe light in goldfish £74.95 www.annabeljames.co.uk; Garland silk lampshade, from £65 www.clarissahulse.com K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Beyond the pale If you like the clean lines and purity of white kitchen units, don’t be afraid to add splashes of colour, too. They’ll give your room personality and contemporary cool

White kitchens are often still seen as the safest choice when it comes to finding the perfect finish that will last and withstand today’s fast-changing home décor trends. However, with more and more consumers changing their kitchen from small, cut-off cooking rooms into open-plan living spaces, adding colour has become more attractive.

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Pantone recently revealed “Living Coral” as the colour of 2019, describing it as stimulating and life-affirming orange with a golden undertone. For some, these annual revelations become trendsetters, influencing the design, fashion, and décor industry, or shaping the way consumers decorate their living and bedroom interiors. But adding colour into the kitchen is still considered with caution by many customers. However, kitchen manufacturers are incorporating colour trends more and more into additional product features and accessories, providing designers with clever and practical ways to add a touch of colour to their customers’ kitchen, turning their white dreams into colourful living spaces. For those who prefer to go with white units and play it safe with their new kitchen, coloured open shelves can brighten up the room, whilst adding a touch of personality, create a spacious and airy feel and allow easy access to everyday favourites. A combination of white and pastel tones can make the kitchen appear more spacious; ideal for smaller cooking areas. Two-tone coloured open-plan kitchen designs have grown in popularity, with white, tall-bank units creating an open look, while darker islands add a sophisticated, elegant element. Warm cashmere tones are also a great timeless alternative to white kitchens. Combined with soft wood finishes and open shelves in striking shades, they create a welcoming, spacious and colourful living space. Another way of introducing more life to a white or natural kitchen is installing feature walls, colourful splashbacks or a vibrant island to add a dimension of colour yet retain the clean and sleek feel of the kitchen. Colour can also affect your mood. If you enjoy cooking as a relaxing activity, introduce hues of green to calm and soothe; if you like a feeling of freshness and joy, add yellow tones into the room. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

The designers at in-toto can incorporate a wide spectrum of colours for you to choose from, including a wide range of NCS or RAL colours, allowing the creation of even the brightest kitchens for the brave-hearted, colour-trend lovers. Whichever colour you are considering, speak to your local in-toto kitchen designers. With their endless combinations to choose from, plus expert guidance you can achieve much more than compromise, you will find the perfect finishes that work for you. For further information, please call 01892 522577 or email tunbridgewells@intoto.co.uk 67

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The garden in 2019 In an ever-changing gardening world, everyone is looking for both short-term and long-term drivers which we use to shape the way that we British gardeners use our outdoor spaces. Here’s what the team at seed and plant specialists Thompson & Morgan thought would be some of the top garden trends for 2019

1. Hot colours and cold hardiness

Our customers are increasingly looking to add a tropical or temperate touch to the garden. Perhaps as a result of tightening purse strings and less foreign holidays, we’re seeing more interest in both seasonal summer exotics and hardy plants with an exotic feel to them. Or perhaps it’s just the hot weather this summer. • Great examples of seasonal summer display plants that may need to be brought indoors during winter, or protected from frosts, are thunbergia, mandevilla, cobaea, glory lily, palms, banana, jacobinia (Brazilian fuchsia). • Other plants that have an exotic look or feel to them but are actually hardy in our British climate are lewisia, Campsis ‘Indian Summer’, Fatsia japonica, bamboo, palms, alstroemeria, gerbera. • Houseplants that always feel exotic year round include Bird of Paradise, Parrot Plant (Impatiens niamniamensis), and citrus plants. T

2. Extending summer

With cold starts to the past few seasons, our customers are looking to make the most of warm weather moving into autumn. Many of our recent summer introductions look to tackle this by having much longer flowering periods, to maximise garden enjoyment for our customers. Plant SunBelievable, new rudbeckias and dahlias, which are enjoying a new focus. They all flower into November or until the first hard frosts of autumn.

3. Wabi sabi

This is the art of imperfect beauty; appreciating imperfections in life and the ability to age gracefully (shabby chic). In the garden, this translates as a delicate balance between nature and nurture – a natural feel in the garden yet with a design edge. Thompson & Morgan’s seed scatter boxes work well in this concept as whilst there is a random element to the seed distribution, there is also a uniformness in the fact that the varieties have been carefully chosen. They include wildflower and summer flower selections. Our Perennial collections have a similar, though slightly more formal feel to them, giving a wider range of heights, colours and textures in a flower bed.

4. Grow your own protein

The vegan movement has gained momentum on social media and in

wider media in the past 12 months, becoming more widely recognised as a way of living in mainstream society. This, alongside the issue of how we sustainably feed the world’s fast-rising population, has led to a shift to highprotein veg as an alternative to meat. Good examples of veg that are high in protein are peas, spinach, kale, broccoli, sprouts, mushrooms and globe artichokes.

5. Purple reigns

The health properties of purple vegetables continue to appeal, usually being higher in anti-oxidants and vitamins as well as having “plate appeal” in restaurants, too. Varieties to look out for include: • Pea Shiraz • Carrot Purple Sun • Cabbage Red Jewel • Radish Diana • Potato Salad Blue • Brussels Sprout Red Bull • Tomato Indigo Cherry Drops • Sprouting Broccoli Summer Purple

6. Stress relief

By 2030, anxiety will be the number one health issue, outranking obesity. A recent survey by Ypulse shows 81 per cent of 18-34 years old are making mental health a priority, looking for new ways to balance physical and mental wellness via ‘digital detox’. Switching off the technology and getting outside into the garden provides the perfect mental and physical detox, whatever your age.

Gardening and plants can play a big part in mental wellness. Being surrounded by air-purifying plants, creating a quiet tranquil space, eating a plant-based diet are all reflections of wellness trends that have become status symbols for people who make health a priority. www.thompson-morgan.com

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LOV E YOU R GA R DE N

Time to put on your garden planning hat Tim Sykes of Gardenproud gives you some ideas to think about for the coming year I always think January and February are great months to be planning and preparing your garden for the growing season. Think about structure and design and whether any improvements require planting or hard landscaping work, or maybe both. Consider things you have learnt from 2018, your mistakes and successes. It maybe some attributes from a previous garden deserve re-investigation. Think about moments of inspiration and the fresh ideas you’ve seen at Chelsea, or in any gardens you’ve visited, or even in a friend’s garden! Consider any practical improvements you could made that might help the garden flourish, e.g. adding soil improver to beds, and mulch to help retain moisture. Did you lose any plants in 2018? Many of my friends and clients complained of the long dry summer. What a scorcher it was! We lost a number of rather expensive shrubs and so did many others. So what about irrigation? Are we going to have a repeat of this weather pattern this coming summer? Some say yes, so perhaps irrigation needs to go on the list. You may have some plans that need expert help, in which case a designer, plants person or landscaper could help. A good place to start is your local garden centre, or a local landscaping supplier such as Corker, on the A228 Whetsted road between Colts Hill and the Hop Farm, near Paddock Wood. There you can see a whole range of show gardens, plus gain expert advice from the Corker team. For further advice and information contact Tim Sykes on 07725 173820, or see him at Gardenproud’s website www.reallygardenproud.com

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Heads up!

Top local head teachers give their views

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given, and how have you applied it in your life and career? Mike Piercy, Headmaster

The New Beacon, Sevenoaks Independent preparatory school for boys aged 4-13 Two of the best, broadest pieces of advice I have encountered come from literature. Never was If by Rudyard Kipling more relevant than in the 21st century. The promise (or threat?) of Artificial Intelligence brings into sharp focus the skills and qualities which we, as educationalists and parents, need to develop in our children. Human, interpersonal strengths will become ever more important, so: ‘If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch’ The second piece comes from Hamlet where the seemingly bumbling Polonius is lecturing his departing son, Laertes. The speech overflows with good advice but two parts have remained with me. We try to impress upon the boys (we’re a boys’ school!) that communication is not just about voicing your own opinion, it is as much about listening, sharing, co-operating: ‘Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.’ I respect and admire the child who stands back to take in a situation before proffering opinion – a skill best learnt young. Finally, again Polonius, ‘Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel’. When times are tough it is friendships which can sustain us. I often talk to the boys about the value of trust – without which we have no foundation or security. The old but timeless mantra, ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated’ builds trusting friendships and relationships, and sustains communities.

Emma Neville, Headmistress

Rose Hill School, Tunbridge Wells Co-educational preparatory school for boys and girls aged 3-13 “Give it a go” is the piece of advice I remember most from my school days. My teachers were supportive and caring, yet set challenges for me. I believe that it was this nurturing environment that enabled me to flourish, and I think it is the same environment we provide here at Rose Hill School. We follow a creative curriculum, one that incorporates big ideas, varied and engaging activities, and a sense of continuity as a way to stimulate pupils, teachers, and even families. The activities are challenging but achievable, thought-provoking and rewarding. It is important that children can see and then use their learning for a purpose, making education more than just a series of isolated, unitary experiences. We are very lucky to enjoy acres of outdoor space, including our own woodland area, and we seize every opportunity to take learning outdoors. Encouraging our pupils to “give it a go” allows us to develop children’s imaginations by providing exciting stimulus and then giving them the confidence to explore themselves. It is so exciting for the adults to share and celebrate the children’s ideas and enthusiasm, and with guidance, children are able to make tremendous progress. Whether real or imaginary, we feel that it is only through actual experience that a child can learn to truly empathise with the lives and feelings of others. The more creative we can be with our teaching, the more able we are to offer an overall whole-learning experience. 70

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Michael Hall, Headmaster

Ashford School Co-educational day & boarding school for children aged 3 months-18 Do not allow your job to change the person that you are. That was advice given to me by a close peer and colleague when I was a Deputy Head of a school in London. I have observed many times how a person’s job or role within an organisation can significantly affect the way they act as a person. You were successfully recruited because of you, so why change? I believe in remaining true to oneself. It is very easy to allow the seniority of a position and the responsibility which comes with that position to allow one’s own ego and sense of importance to affect the core personality and therefore behaviours. I have seen the struggle which then ensues when someone is playing out a role without being honest and true to themselves. I ultimately think this can have an adverse impact on that person’s ability to lead: too much energy being applied to the ‘appearance’ rather than the substance. The key is to not be afraid of the true and natural you; allow your true personality to flow out in all your dealings. This is a far more sustainable approach, which ultimately leads to a stronger sense of self-worth; moreover, I believe it allows for greater integrity and therefore respect. Am I true to myself? Do I allow the role to take over me? I hope not. It is important to self-regulate: honest and frequent self-evaluation of performance helps, but so, too, does having a critical friend (spouse, your own teenage children or a close peer…..if you can trust them!).

Laura Latimore, Director and teacher

Bricklehurst Manor School, Stonegate Mainstream independent school for pupils aged 3-11 I suppose over a lifetime we are all given so much advice by so many people that we lose the ability to remember who has said what, but the advice from my family to “be true to yourself” is something that continues to inspire and motivate me. Never give up on what you really want to do. Follow your dream. Believe in yourself. These are big statements casually thrown around in today’s disposable society. Do they mean anything? Are they actually saying “be true to yourself?” Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have the support of my family who encouraged me to strive to do my best and have self-belief; it’s a family philosophy. This advice did mean something to me because it was heartfelt; it taught me to persevere, to have courage. It was the quiet voice at the end of the day, whispering that tomorrow is a new day, with new things to achieve. It was also the conscience that said, “You could have done that better!” This advice has ultimately made me the person that I am, and my family what it is. At Bricklehurst, it is this family support, the encouragement, the trust in each other that enables all our children to think positively and fulfil their potential, whatever that may be. We believe in our children, enabling them to become happy, confident individuals determined to succeed. They have the courage to make mistakes, learn by them and not give up. Being part of the Bricklehurst family, a family-run school in the truest sense, we enable children to believe in themselves and grow in confidence. So, this philosophy is woven throughout our school ethos, and the mutual belief, trust and respect within my family now exists in a wider school community. We are proud to develop these principles, helping children to be who they want to be and achieve what they are able to achieve, being true to themselves and true to others. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Andrew Webster, Headmaster

The Mead School, Tunbridge Wells Co-educational preparatory school for boys and girls aged 3-11 The source of much of my inspiration comes from Kung Fu Panda! Much like other modern, animated classics, it has something for the whole family; although my nine-year-old son does seem pretty perturbed when I pause a fight scene to explain the entrenched growth mindset philosophy. “Can we just watch the film, Dad?” My favourite quotes include: “The best teachers teach from the heart, not the book”; “Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift and that is why we call it the present”; “There is no secret ingredient, to make something special, you just have to believe it is special”; and “If you only do what you can do, you’ll never be more than you are now”. You could spend an entire educational conference just focusing on any one of these quotes. There are lots more from the film, and my children are more than happy to indulge me as we push our repeat viewings into double figures. Just consider the last quote above… “If you only do what you can do, you’ll never be more than you are now”. Has there ever been a truer word spoken about life and education? Social media is plague d by people attempting to promote the mediocre and the mundane as something to be celebrated, children are given stickers in school for turning up, and we live in an increasingly divisive culture, quick to push blame and responsibility onto others. I therefore regularly return to the teachings of Po and friends in life and with the children at The Mead. There is no secret ingredient, I tell them, just belief and hard work. To quote Po again: “Embrace your awesomeness!”

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Viewpoint Helen Hill, Year 2 teacher at Bricklehurst Manor School reflects on the value of being a family-run school, and the passion for maintaining its ethos is often evident when you observe the reception and kindergarten playground at break times, where you can see the Year 6 children playing alongside the younger children, helping them develop their friendships. If you visited our school, you would discover that our staff know all of the children in the school and that every child is important to us. Achievements are celebrated regularly and challenges are supported. Children understand that their strengths are encouraged and that while academic achievements are important, so are social skills, sport skills etc. We pride ourselves in allowing children to develop both academically and socially, having the confidence to talk to both adults and children and the understanding of how to develop and maintain relationships. My passion, and the passion of all the teaching staff, is to maintain this ethos in our school. We care for the whole child and each individual is important to us. Our children are amazing and we delight in watching them grow and develop while they are with us. They often come back to tell us of their achievements since leaving Bricklehurst and talk fondly of their time with us.

I am writing with great enthusiasm about Bricklehurst Manor School and what it stands for. Let me explain! In October, at Bricklehurst Manor School, we had a wonderful opportunity to take all of our children to see The Lion King in London. The children, and teachers, had an amazing experience which then fed back into our work at school. As well as producing some fabulous artwork and character descriptions, the children were also able to identify the positive and negative attitudes of the different characters and how these impact on their relationships with others. The children developed a strong understanding of how their actions affect others and the importance of having positive relationships to allow them to support others and vice versa. This is evident across all of the year groups, and we are very proud of all of our children. At Bricklehurst Manor school, we have always focused on these positive relationships and thinking of others. More recently, in November, we were reminded of this in our Remembrance Day assembly with the help of Michael Morpurgoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book, Poppy Field. The children considered the difference we can make to other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives through small acts of kindness, as well as learning the importance of remembering the bravery of others on a much bigger scale. The impact of the First World War was explored, highlighting the significance of caring for others and also the value of using historical events to avoid repeating them. Year 2 learnt and recited the poem called The Inquisitive Mind of a Child which emphasises this. We are in the fortunate position of being a family-owned school; the directors not only run the school but teach as well and this is something we ensure the children are aware of. The values of being part of a family and caring for others are embedded in everything we do. This K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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In the spotlight Quickfire questions for Jill Aisher, head teacher at St Michael’s Prep School in Otford, Kent

Sum up your own schooldays

I was lucky as a primary school pupil to have been taught by two exceptional teachers who were inspiring, creative and with whom I am still in touch!

Which teacher most inspired you in your schooldays?

Mr Ashmore used music to feed our imaginations and I remember writing a narrative poem about a river based on the River Moldau by Smetana.

What makes you smile?

I enjoy watching children performing plays and music. The wit of my colleagues and, I confess, my husband also makes me smile, and perhaps I am happiest when dancing to great music!

What frustrates you?

It is difficult to see the infrastructure of one’s country disintegrating through lack of investment and the political direction in which we are currently heading. This frustrates me greatly. I believe in making links, not breaking them, in understanding others not shutting them out.

What’s your favourite book and why?

The book I read non-stop from cover to cover including during meals as a teenager was Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I think the relationship between the dashing, enigmatic and strangely frank but troubled Max de Winter and the inexperienced and naïve young narrator is powerful and mesmerising. And the looming, unknown story behind Max’s unhappiness is deftly and very gradually revealed, causing the reader to be endlessly held in suspense and wondering if their own predictions are right.

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

St Michael’s as a building looks out majestically over the Kent countryside. I believe as a community that we should also look outside our school in our learning, in our sharing and in our teaching. With strong partnerships with local primaries, and links in China, America and now Tanzania on the horizon, I’m confident that in the future we will draw interest nationally, and hopefully internationally, for our work on the global dimension in our curriculum.

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

Pupils already say thank you for the lesson at the end of each lesson and I know, because they write to me and tell me when they have left, that pupils are changed by their time at St Michael’s. I hope they say that they had a brilliant time and learnt loads about themselves, the world and others. I know they understand that they will always belong, because they will, and K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

we are proud of the young men and women and, indeed, the older men and women that they become. This is an extract from a speech given by the Head Girl at the 2018 Prize Giving: “Staying on here has been an experience that I wouldn’t change for the world. And I don’t think the teachers could have prepared us any better than they have. I would like to thank all of our teachers for guiding me to be the person I have become today and I thank all of them for being so amazing. St Michael’s has been a big part of my life, and all the best memories will stay with me for many years to come. It has been a privilege being the Head Girl in the last term, and I will miss my St Michael’s family.” 75

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

Girls and boys come out to play New nursery for The New Beacon The New Beacon Nursery, which will open in September 2019, will be accepting girls and boys in the term they are rising three years of age, and is one of the key points of entry to the school, although from Reception to Year 8, The New Beacon will remain a boys’ school. The nursery will offer a warm and stimulating environment where great care will be given to make all children feel safe, comfortable, and nurtured. It will be run by experienced, highly-qualified staff who will provide a wide range of exciting learning activities to ensure the development of each child’s innate curiosity, while embedding lifelong skills which encompass the seven specific areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The nursery children will have access to the first-class facilities within The New Beacon’s large, 22-acre site as well as the dedicated Early Years outdoor learning area and an enclosed adventure playground. They will enjoy plenty of outdoor activities including gardening in the school garden, woodland activities in the newly-built outdoor classroom and the surrounding woods, pond dipping, nature walks and a variety of arts and crafts. They will also benefit from a whole host of indoor activities where they will interact with specialist teachers in music, swimming and physical activity. Nursery children will also join Pre-Prep pupils in specialist workshops, festivals and celebrations. The nursery will be open during term time with morning sessions from 8.40am12.15pm (including lunch), and full days from 8.40am-3.20pm. Parents will be able to sign up for mornings or full days with a minimum of three sessions per week. The fees start at £360 per morning per term or full time per term at £3,250. Contact the school’s Registrar on 01732 452131 or email at registrar@newbeacon.org.uk

Top runners Walthamstow Hall cross-country runners reach national finals The junior cross-country team of Walthamstow Hall Senior School in Sevenoaks has qualified for the national finals of the ESAA 2018 Cross Country Cup. The team ran superbly to come third in the Regional Finals, held at Vizards Sports Ground in Tonbridge. Fourteen schools took part in this event, fielding a total of 75 runners. The Wally Hall team had the following individual placings: Lily Slack (1st), Sophie Slack (7th), Amber Cockburn (34th), Emilia Constantine (41st), Phoebe Sargent (67th), Darcy Rook (75th – who was not feeling well so did brilliantly to finish!). This put the team in third place behind Croydon High School, Surrey, and Guildford High School, Surrey, making Walthamstow Hall the highest-placed school in Kent. Walthamstow Hall’s Director of Sport, Rachael Leggett, praised the girls saying, “To qualify for the national finals is an outstanding achievement. It was a magnificent team effort, with each competitor showing impressive resilience and talent.” K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Chilling out Iceland trip for Rose Hill Ten Year 6 pupils from Rose Hill School enjoyed a halfterm trip to Iceland. The four day visit included a trip to Reykjavik, swimming in hot springs, glaciers, waterfalls, the Northern Lights and elves! In Reykjavik, the children visited Hallgrimskirkja, a magnificent church built of quartz, and the Perlan (The Pearl), an old hot-water tank with views over the city. Trip highlights included the 65m-high Seljalandsfoss waterfall, swimming in thermal springs at the secret lagoon and climbing the 370 steps to the Skogafoss waterfall, where legend has it there is a chest of treasure hiding behind the water! They also learnt that Icelandic people believe in elves, and they have to ask permission when constructing roads to find out if the rocks are special!

Top award for Brighton College Named Independent School of the Year by The Sunday Times Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2019, chose to honour Brighton College with the top award of Independent School of the Year in recognition of its “pioneering policies that have set a progressive tone”. The school was praised by judges not only for its high academic standards, but also for the environment that makes those standards possible: a culture of kindness and inclusivity which seeks to celebrate and nurture children’s differences. The Sunday Times Parent Power Editor Alistair McCall said: “Brighton College is one of the great modern success stories of British independent education. The combination of achievement and distinctiveness in a great setting make a place at Brighton College one of the most sought after.” This is the second time in seven years that the school has received this prestigious award, both times under the careful stewardship of headmaster Richard Cairns. Only two schools in the country can boast a double win. The Sunday Times’ review of the school went on: “Social conscience is a defining feature of Brighton College, where confidence, kindness and curiosity are championed.” Last summer, sixth formers achieved 98.7per cent A*-B in their A-levels – the school’s highest-ever figure and remarkable by the 78

fact that pupils were taking the new, more challenging examfocussed style. In GCSEs, grade 9 was the most common grade and of the 732 pupils nationwide who received seven grade 9s or above, 36 of them were from Brighton College. Head Master Richard Cairns attributes the pupils’ successes to the environment in which they work and play – forward-thinking, creative and outward-looking. “Given that there are so many terrific schools in England, it really is wonderful for Brighton to be singled out for national recognition. The whole community is delighted. Our approach at Brighton is a simple one: to challenge each and every pupil in the school to be the best possible version of herself or himself.” K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Top 10 for swim girls Battle Abbey School in national swimming success Battle Abbey School’s intermediate girls relay team competed in the English Schools Swimming Association Relay Championships Finals 2018, held at the Aquatic Centre in London. The girls started their journey back in October when they competed in the county round of the competition, held in Horsham. They secured their place in the final with a very impressive second place on the day and a time that put them in the top 26 of schools across the country. Gemma Govan, Battle Abbey School Head Swim Teacher, said, “On the day the girls were nervous but determined to do their best. Going into the event the team was ranked 21st and so had a big task on their hands to try to make the top ten during the heats, but they did it! “The team was given a huge boost when they met Tom Daley who wished them luck and followed their progress on the swim squad’s twitter page. “The girls swam an amazing heat and secured themselves a spot in the final! They really did give it all they had and finished in a very impressive 10th place, meaning they are officially the 10th-fastest intermediate girls team in the country. Their hard work and commitment to their training really paid off on the day. To make the finals having been seeded 21st is a huge achievement and to see

the girls hold their own against much larger schools, particularly schools that specialise in swimming, was a massive achievement. The school could not be more proud of all that they have achieved.”

Ahead of the pack Rose Hill Brownies earn their badge Rose Hill School is very proud of its links with the Brownies and the Scout movement. Robert Baden Powell, founder of the Scouts, was a pupil at the school and one of the school’s houses is named after him. The 10th Tunbridge Wells (Rose Hill) Brownies Unit is a very popular co-curricular club at the school with the girls taking part in a wide range of activities. Wendy Izzard, Brown Owl of the Rose Hill Troop, said, “This term the girls have proudly achieved their first Skills Builder badge, ‘Communicate’. This is part of the New Girlguiding Programme launched nationwide last summer, and the girls are some of the very first in the country to complete this.” K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Give a hog a home! Nature lessons for Battle Abbey pupils Year three children from Battle Abbey Prep School got to experience nature in their playground recently, when David Wilson Homes donated a hedgehog home to the school just in time for hibernation to begin. The educational opportunity will allow the children to witness first-hand the lifecycle of a hedgehog, providing an element of fun to the important message of preserving the British wildlife. Once a familiar sight in British gardens, research now shows that hedgehog numbers in Britain have fallen by 66 per cent since 1995. In light of this, David Wilson Homes, in partnership with nature conservation charity the RSPB, has collaborated with a number of local schools to provide shelter for the diminishing species. The schools will be provided with their own ‘hog home’, food and bowl, which can be used all year round. Part of the housebuilder’s tailored educational programme, this experience will offer children the opportunity to learn valuable lessons outside of the classroom, and provide a safe, permanent home for hedgehogs. Natalie Perry, Sales & Marketing Director for David Wilson Homes, said: “David Wilson is committed to pioneering the way to support Britain’s urban wildlife, both through the way we build our homes and the campaigns that we do locally. We hope that the children at Battle Abbey Prep School enjoy learning about the life cycle of a hedgehog, and we look forward to hosting similar campaigns in the future.”

Chain reaction Mead pupils create giant paperchain for World Kindness Day In celebration of the recent World Kindness Day, Tunbridge Wells prep school, The Mead, held a Kindness Day of its own. Working in collaboration with charity Fegans, pupils learned about the rippling effect of one small compassionate, helpful or considerate act. Fegans is a charity that helps children and families through counselling and parent support and believes that growing kindness within school communities can help to shape a better future for all. Lisa Biggs, teacher and Head of PHSEE (Personal, Health, Social, Economic & Education) at The Mead led the initiative and asked children to make a pledge to carry out an act of kindness, such as helping a parent at home or looking out for another pupil who may be feeling lonely at playtime. The children were encouraged to ask for sponsorship from family and relatives for their acts of kindness, in aid of Fegans. On Kindness Day students from The Mead’s School Council helped every child fill out a paperchain link describing the kind act they had done. Each link was then joined together to make a giant paperchain creating a wonderful, visual representation of the multiplier effect of kindness. Each child was then awarded with a friendship bracelet and the kindness paperchain proudly displayed in The Mead’s reception for all visitors to see. 80

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Finding her voice Former Bricklehurst pupil is Young Speaker of the Year Bricklehurst could not be more proud of former pupil Rosie Spence, who has won an award for Young Speaker of the Year 2018, after her English Speaking Board presentation in school particularly impressed the examiner. Out of over 12,000 participants in the nationwide English speaking exams for 10-18 year olds, Rosie was selected to put herself forward to the next round of the competition last July. She had to record her presentation on film and send if off to the judges, and in September learned that she was one of only 12 children in the country to win that round. Rosie was then invited, along with her parents and other guests, to showcase her winning entry at the Awards ceremony in Liverpool, where she delivered an impassioned speech about global warming to the 120-strong audience. Mrs Baker, Rosie’s former teacher at Bricklehurst, said: “Rosie is a shining example of what the ESB exams can do for our pupils, where they learn to speak in public with confidence, communicating very effectively with their audience.”

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Family first

Whether you’re a yummy mummy, a loving partner or a doting grandparent, this is for you... 1. Moccis’ highly anticipated unicorn design Make a Wish has launched. With fans including Victoria Beckham, Rita Ora, Sienna Miller and Claudia Schiffer, everyone is raving about Moccis – the luxury, handsewn Swedish moccasins that bring fashion, function and fun to adult and children’s indoor footwear. Moccis are a hybrid of a sock and slipper in one, making them the perfect indoor footwear. They feature a soft leather sole that prevents slipping and are supersoft and cosy, yet indestructible. They’re even machine washable. An invisible support strap means they don’t fall off or lose their shape, and they have stay-dry protection to keep feet warm, dry, and odour-free. Moccis are podiatrist recommended and available for babies, children and adults. Prices from £25 www.moccis.co.uk 2. Play the drum, shake the tambourine, ring the bell, scratch the board, rattle the ball or play the xylophone with the innovative 6-in-1 Music Maker. Toddlers love exploring sounds and rhythms as they experiment with music, so find out if your little one is the next famous composer to be. £29.99 www.smythstoys.com 3. Playbrush is an interactive electric toothbrush that connects via Bluetooth to game apps, so children can play fun games with their toothbrush 82

and learn the importance of dental hygiene. Studies show children who use Playbrush brush their teeth for twice as long as traditional toothbrushes and are more likely to brush twice per day. Playbrush syncs to an app which makes brushing teeth fun, as children use their own toothbrushing movements to paint masterpieces, make music or defeat monsters. The app incentivises movement and encourages children to brush all around their mouth, increasing surface coverage. Children’s toothbrushing quality is recorded and assessed through each game they play. The Playbrush Smart Sonic costs £29.99 and includes four games. Additional games and brush heads are available via subscription from as little as £3.99 www.playbrush.com 4. With a 300ml capacity, Nutri Fill-It reusable food pouches are ideal for older children and adults, holding the perfect amount for a lunch time treat, after-school snack or post work-out or match boost. Fill your Nutri Fill-It pouch with your own smoothies and yoghurts; they will also take any puréed food. The pouches are BPA, Phthalate, PVC and leadfree and can be reused up to 100 times. They have an anti-leak, double zip lock on the base for adding the contents and an easy-to-remove screw cap for drinking. £6 for a pack of 2 or £12 for a pack of 6 www.nutrifillit.com K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Babysitters online

Find local childcare – and more – through an easyto-use, trusted platform Parents in East Sussex now have access to trusted, local childcare, through an easy-to-use, hassle-free online platform. The service, launched by Yoopies, has been a big hit with more than three million users across Europe to date. And, the company says, it will allow the parents of East Sussex to go out, spend quality time together and rekindle the spark they had before their little ones came along. Lisa Lambert, spokesperson for Yoopies and a mother herself, said: “Agencies provide a great service but they can be very expensive. Through the site we have simplified the process so that parents and childcare providers can chat freely. “We do not deliver childcare to the home; we deliver peace of mind. We provide all the tools, help, advice and details about childcare in East Sussex. Parents can then register and carry out their own checks, and all payments are made online. “They do not have to make a booking until they have made contact with the babysitter and truly trust the decision they are making. “We are the only platform allowing parents to re-book on a regular basis, and should a family be heading off to Europe on their summer holidays, they are able to carry out similar searches and book childcare for any destination in 10 European countries.” Yoopies was officially launched last year after it acquired Findababysitter.com in 2017. Formed in 2012 by Benjamin Suchar and friend and “mummy blogger” Jessica Cymerman, Yoopies has become one of the most successful social platforms of its kind in Europe, and the number-one childcare website in France, Italy, Switzerland and Spain. And, its name change in the UK reflects the wider services that Yoopies offers. From nannies and babysitters to dog walkers and cleaners, the service has been designed as a one-stop shop for booking home-care professionals. Users simply log on to yoopies. co.uk, search for candidates using up to 50 different criteria and select those that suit their requirements.

It’s also possible to send messages to carers, arrange interviews and, once hired, make payments online. For those looking for something specific, such as a chaperone for a child’s ballet class or a holiday pet sitter, then ads can also be placed. And to provide additional reassurance, the verified professionals listed are all ID checked and vetted to ensure that DBS checks, qualifications and training are in place. The basic service is completely free and allows parents to search and send a single message to a potential child carer. A premium service is also available from £9.90 per month (based on an annual subscription) and allows for multiple contacts to be made. Yoopies says it takes verification, safety and security very seriously, but strongly advises candidates are interviewed and relevant checks carried out. Lisa added: “We want parents to enjoy a social life safe in the knowledge their little ones are in trusted hands.” www.yoopies.co.uk

Sleep tight

Tips on enjoying a good night’s sleep during the cold winter months Dark mornings and evenings can have lots of amazing health benefits, including helping you get a better night’s sleep. Melatonin – the hormone that stimulates sleep – is produced when daylight starts to fade, so take advantage of the fact that your body will fall asleep earlier and stay asleep for longer in winter. However, with temperatures usually at their lowest during the early hours, the risk for many people is waking up being too cold to get a good night’s rest. The Sleep Council has produced some top tips to help ensure we stay as warm as toast through the night... • Wear nightclothes such as pyjamas or a large T-shirt to keep you cosy. Natural fibres such as wool, cotton or silk are better than synthetic materials • Have a warm bath just before you go to bed. This will raise your body temperature which in turn will also help to make you sleepy • Have a warm, milky drink before bed • Try to take some exercise to get the circulation going It is also worth looking at the bedroom, the bed and the bedding all of which play a part in keeping you insulated at night. Keep the bedroom temperature around 16°C to 18°C and free from draughts, and make sure your mattress and bed are firm and supportive. Look for a mattress which has a thicker side for use during the winter. A soft sleeping surface is a better insulator than a flat one, so use a fleecy underblanket to retain the heat. Choose a duvet with a high tog rating or use several layers of bedding rather than one single layer – layers will trap the air and are easily removed if you get too hot. A hot water bottle or an electric blanket is an ideal way to keep cosy once in bed. Underblankets will warm the bed up before you retire for the night, while overblankets maintain a constant temperature throughout the night. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Is commuting affecting your wellbeing? Eight tips to make your commute more productive

There are many aspects of the working day that can impact on our personal sense of wellbeing and cause stress. But we often underestimate the impact that our daily commute can have on us, and feel powerless to break the cycle. According to a recent study by the University of the West of England, 1 in 7 commuters are now spending two hours or more each day travelling to and from work. The same study also showed that just a 20-minute increase in commute time is as bad as a 19 per cent pay cut for job satisfaction.

Commuting stress and wellbeing

Research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) discovered that the longer your commute, the lower your feelings of happiness, life satisfaction and the sense that your activities are worthwhile, and the higher your anxiety compared with non-commuters. The way we travel can also have an impact on our wellbeing. Taking the bus or coach to work on a journey lasting more than 30 minutes was found to be the most negative commuting option. Even your sleep may be affected, with additional studies suggesting those who commute for more than 45 minutes each way report reduced sleep quality compared to those who commute shorter distances. So, how can commuters make travelling to work more enjoyable? The wellbeing experts at CABA have explored eight activities that will boost your mood and might even make you thankful for the time spent travelling.

Make the most of your commute

1. Sketch or colour in We’ve all seen adult colouring books grow in popularity in recent years, and for good reason. Adult colouring books can help with a number of emotional and mental-health issues. The process of making and creating artwork can be used to explore feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem. 2. Appreciate your surroundings It’s often easy to forget to look up and appreciate your surroundings. But relaxing and seeing the beauty of your environment is an important factor in achieving mindfulness and reducing anxiety. If you’re sitting on a train or bus, take the time to look at your view and appreciate the little things, from the birds in the trees to the colour of the sky, as research shows that developing gratitude is good for overall wellbeing. Why not share these with your loved ones by taking a photo? 3. Listen to audiobooks or podcasts No matter what your interests are, if you want to stay up to date with news, tech, business and beyond, there is a podcast for every niche. If your brain is feeling frazzled, there are comedy, arts and audiobooks that can lighten your mood, helping you to unwind and switch off. 4. Reconnect with family and friends Whether you’re driving (using hands-free, of course) or catching the train, use this time to connect with friends and family. Our loved ones play an important role in supporting our mental health. Studies have even found that hearing your mother’s voice can quickly calm frayed nerves and a telephone call can have the same effect as a hug. 5. Disconnect Researchers have discovered that 1 in 3 people felt worse and more dissatisfied with their lives after visiting Facebook. Try switching off completely, disconnecting from the stresses of daily life. Turn off your phone and take the time to think and reflect.

6. Learn a language There are a whole host of benefits to learning a new language, from feeling accomplished to improving cognitive abilities. It has even been found that multitasking comes more naturally and attention improves for those who learn to speak a second language. 7. Play games and sharpen your mind It’s been reported that the presence and overuse of our phones has a ‘braindrain’ effect and is reducing our intelligence and attention span. Ironically, our phones can help with this. Check out brain-training apps and try one out on the commute into work. Using the apps first thing in the morning will help wake you up, feeling ready to hit the ground running as soon as you step into the office. 8. Write a to-do list On your way to work, take the time to write a to-do list. This could involve both work and life admin. On the way home, reflect on what you’ve achieved. Writing a to-do list helps you to feel more productive, creates order and ticking off those tasks can be very therapeutic! If the commute is really getting you down, consider asking your employer to work more flexibly. Alternatively, if there’s really nothing you can do about your commute, there may be other ways you can carve out some time in your day with these tips for productivity.

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10,000: The magic number Ways to reach 10,000 steps a day

If you’re into health and wellbeing, you’ve no doubt come across the argument for the positive benefits of walking 10,000 steps a day. With the increasing popularity of wearable fitness trackers, it’s a concept that’s as relevant as ever. However, with many of us working in sedentary jobs, it can be a struggle to hit this goal. So, the wellbeing experts at CABA have tips on how to achieve those 10,000 steps a day. It’s believed the notion of 10,000 steps started in Japan, in the run-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. With the population gripped by Olympics fever, pedometers – devices that count how many steps you take – became very popular, as the health-conscious Japanese people started keeping track of their activity levels. One Japanese pedometer manufacturer came out with a device called manpo-kei – meaning 10,000 steps. The idea took off and 10,000 steps became the standard for daily fitness, not just in Japan but around the world. Most of us aren’t reaching anywhere near 10,000 steps a day – the equivalent to approximately five miles. According to the NHS, the average British person walks between 3,000 and 4,000 steps a day. While there’s no need to pressure yourself to achieve the full 10,000 steps, it’s a good goal to work towards. After all, studies have recognised the health benefits, such as lower blood pressure, better blood glucose levels and improved mood.

Start slowly

If you’re new to exercise, 10,000 steps may seem an insurmountable challenge to begin with, so you may want to build up your fitness gradually. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to aim for, say, 4,000 steps a day to begin with, then add 1,000 extra steps every few weeks until you reach the magic 10,000.

Boost step count at work

If you’re a busy professional, you may be wondering where you’re going to find the time to put in five miles of walking a day – especially with so many of us in sedentary roles. Look for opportunities to move; if you live close to your office, walk to work. Take the stairs, instead of the lift. Make an effort to walk over to speak with colleagues, rather than email. Or why not use a kitchen on another floor to make a tea round? Simply setting a reminder to get up from your desk and walk around the office every hour could also boost your step count and ensure you’re not sitting at your desk for long periods of time. K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Integrate exercise into work tasks. Walking meetings are a chance to step away from your desk, have a succinct conversation and rack up steps. Fresh air and a change of scenery may inspire new ideas. They’re effective for 1-2-1s, and their informal style makes them great for brainstorming and building relationships. ‘Sweatworking’ (dialing into a call on a treadmill, for example) is challenging, helping you get to your step goal quicker. Exercise increases the heart rate, pumping more oxygen to your brain and optimising brain function. Overall, it’s been proved that people who are more active during the working day experience a 22 per cent increase in fitness, and a 70 per cent improvement in their ability to make complex decisions compared to sedentary colleagues. Take this opportunity to change your work style and incorporate physical activity into work meetings, while encouraging your colleagues to be more productive and fun.

Activities to reach 10,000 steps

Walking is not the only way to increase your step count; even things you may not think of as exercise can help, such as gardening, housework and shopping. To help you work out how to achieve 10,000 steps, here’s a quick guide to activities you can easily fit into your everyday routine and the number of steps you can achieve per minute by doing them (all step counts are approximate): Activity Walking (moderate pace) Gardening Housework Food shopping Washing the car Bowling Golfing (walking, no cart) Playing tennis (singles) Playing football (casual) Zumba

Average steps per minute 100 121 85 60 75 55 100 160 207 152

For more information and tips on staying active and boosting your health and wellbeing, visit www.caba.org.uk 89

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Coughs and sneezes spread diseases Seven out of ten parents believe they have been responsible for passing a cold onto their children

A study carried out among 2,000 mums and dads with kids aged three to 16 found a large percentage believe they’ve given colds to their kids – with dads being the worst offenders. As well as missed days at work, school and nursery, winter bugs are also to blame for parents enjoying less time cuddling their children. The research, commissioned by Olbas, revealed that to try and avoid catching colds and viruses, nearly half of parents make a deliberate effort not to engage in physical contact with their kids. Furthermore the study found one fifth of children rarely or never cover their mouth when sneezing, blasting out germs with each explosion. And when they do, 43 per cent of children sneeze directly into the palms of their hands, making the spread of the cold likely via shared toys, books and other items. GP and Olbas expert Dr Roger Henderson, said: “Children can catch colds from siblings, parents, other family members, and playmates – and there are definite trends depending on the child’s age and lifestyle. In general, children with older siblings and those who attend nursery seem to have more colds than older children. Children get fewer colds as they get older and usually by the time they start school, children who attended pre-school nursery will have fewer colds than children who didn’t because of their exposure to the cold virus.” Although parents are often responsible for cold contagion, kids can also be super-spreaders. In fact, one in three parents try and keep their children from having playdates with a particular friend as they always seem to be suffering from a cold. Once the winter lurgy has infiltrated the family home, it takes British families on average two entire weeks before every member has caught and recovered from the symptoms. In fact, three quarters of families, surveyed by OnePoll.com, reported there have been times when everyone in the house has been suffering from the same bug. In terms of frequency, children are likely to suffer from more colds than their parents. The research revealed the average adult comes down with three colds a year, while younger children will suffer with an average of four in a 12-month period. Dr Henderson added: “If you want to avoid contracting – or spreading – a cold, strict hand hygiene is crucial. Sneeze into a disposable tissue and throw it away, wash your hands regularly or use sanitizing gel, avoid intimate contact, and when you do wash your hands, do it thoroughly. Use soap and water and scrub for a minimum of 20 seconds. When you’re not near a sink, a hand sanitizer that’s at least 60 per cent alcohol is a good substitute. When the dreaded family cold does strike, using a gentle yet effective Olbas decongestant can help soothe stuffy noses and offer relief.” 90

Dr Henderson’s top tips to avoid the family cold • Give out gold stars! To encourage your children wash their hands with soap and water regularly, a star chart and incentivising rewards can really help • Sharing isn’t caring. Think about using paper towels rather than using shared hand towels which can be a hotbed for bacteria and viruses. Make sure every member of the family has their own bath or shower towel and don’t allow the sharing of utensils or cups, either • Show a little empathy. Allow a sick family member off doing the washing up or cooking to prevent them passing on their cold • Ban the hanky! Use disposable tissues rather than handkerchiefs. Make sure these are disposed of as soon as they are used, including during the night. Put a small waste basket next to a sick child so they can put used tissues into it and empty it regularly • Disinfect those toys. Clean toys with disinfecting wipes or temporarily limit specific toys to your unwell child to avoid the spread from sibling to sibling • E lbow not hand. Cough or sneeze into your elbow. Colds are spread by droplets so encourage your children to do this to help prevent the spread of germs • O pen those windows! Remember to keep the house well ventilated. The more fresh air, the better • Stay hydrated! Make sure everyone in the house drinks lots of fluids, even if they are not suffering with a cold, to keep their immune system fighting fit For more information visit www.olbas.co.uk

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Business notes A round-up of local business news

Coming up roses Hever Castle’s holiday cottage makes hot 100 list Hever Castle’s luxury holiday cottage is one of the top places to stay in the UK, according to VisitEngland. The five-star, four-bedroom house, Medley Court, was recently named as a recipient of the annual Rose award. The award recognises the owners, management and employees of establishments that go the extra mile in order to provide excellent customer service. It can only be won once and features just 100 accommodationproviders a year. Hever Castle House Manager, Roland Smith, said: “We are delighted that our excellent service has been recognised with the VisitEngland Rose Award. It is testament to the hard work of the whole team in consistently providing a warm welcome to visitors to Medley Court.” There was more good news for Hever when it received a bronze award in the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year category in the Beautiful South awards, which recognise achievement in the tourism industry over the last 18 months. The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth was awarded gold, and Fishers Adventure Farm in West Sussex won silver. Sarah Cole, Hever’s Marketing & Communications Manager, said: “To be named as one of the top three tourist destinations in the south east is testament to the hard work of all the teams in striving to provide the best experience for our visitors.”

On display Design award for Benenden Hospital Benenden Hospital recently won a prestigious award for its £55million redevelopment at the 2018 Building Better Healthcare Awards, held to honour the innovation, architecture, people, products and services helping to transform patient care in the NHS and private sector. The private hospital near Cranbrook scooped the Best Internal Environment New Build award in the Patient Experience Class. The new building, officially opened by Dr Hilary Jones in April, boasts a new Main Atrium and Heritage Wall celebrating its 111-year history, as well as new inpatient and outpatient areas. Photographs by artist and photographer Hugh Turvey were designed to create a calming environment for patients, helped by the hospital’s rural location in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The artwork brings the outdoors inside and the past to the present with photos of the old hospital and medical artefacts fully digitialised into a display across a 15-screen digital wall. The judges said: “This has been really very well done. The design has provided a new hospital entrance and has also linked existing hospital departments and services. The reception area, in particular, is very welcoming and the waiting area cleverly sub-divided. Thought has been given to maximising the available natural light and artworks that have been well integrated into the overall design.” 92

Mark Smith Tourism South East, Sarah Cole and Helen Francis (Hever Castle), Ed Pereira Pear Communications

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All my worldly goods...

Sarah Haywood of ThomasHaywood Solicitors explains what will be taken into account when the financial implications of a divorce are considered

Financial claims that each party has against the other are activated when a divorce petition is issued. These claims give rise to the court making financial remedies orders. The claims are made against income, capital, property and pensions. The court can make maintenance or periodical payments orders against income, a lump sum against capital, a property adjustment order transferring ownership of property from one party to another and a pension sharing order against a pension fund. Before any of these orders can be made, both parties have to provide full and frank financial disclosure. This is done by completing and exchanging a form E. The form E asks for information about all and any financial resource that either party may have. The form E also directs that various supporting documentation must also be produced. Once forms E have been exchanged, either party may raise questions or seek clarification on the otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disclosure. Once those questions have been answered and both parties are confident that there has been full disclosure, it is then possible to look at what will be taken into account when considering the financial claims. The court will look at what is known as the Section 25 criteria. Section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 directs the court, in deciding whether to exercise its powers to make the financial remedy orders noted above, to have regard to all the circumstances of the case, the first consideration being given to the welfare of any minor children. In particular, the court will have regard to the following: (a) The income, earning capacity, property and other financial resources which each party has, or is likely to have, in the foreseeable future.

(b) The financial needs, obligations and responsibilities which each of the parties has, or is likely to have, in the foreseeable future. (c) The standard of living enjoyed by the family before the breakdown of the marriage. (d) The age of each party and the length of the marriage. (e) Any physical or mental disability suffered by either of the parties. (f) Contributions which each of the parties has made, or is likely in the foreseeable future to make to the welfare of the family, including any contribution by looking after the home or caring for the family. (g) Conduct of each of the parties if that conduct is such that it would be in the opinion of the court inequitable to disregard it. (h) The value to each of the parties to the marriage of any benefit which they will lose by reason of the dissolution of the marriage. This refers to benefits under pension schemes. The court will also have regard to previous decisions of the higher courts in financial cases. Any decision by the court in relation to financial remedies will, however, always be grounded in Section 25, as it has been for the last 45 years since the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 came into being. Some may say that 45-year-old legislation needs to be reviewed and overhauled. Others may say that the Section 25 criteria has stood the test of time and will do so indefinitely. At ThomasHaywood Solicitors, we can help you to navigate through the process in a clear and effective manner.

www.thomashaywoodsolicitors.com

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Helping hand

A round-up of local charity news Bagpuss helps Hospices of Hope Fun Run raises £4,000 Otford-based charity, Hospices of Hope, recently held its third annual Fun Run in Knole Park, Sevenoaks. More than 140 runners and walkers, including many children, took part in this family event, which raised £4,000 for hospice care in Albania, Moldova, Romania and Serbia. Participants had the choice of a 2K or a 5K course, and the charity’s mascot, Bagpuss, led the 2K run. Bagpuss’ creators were strong supporters of Hospices of Hope and Oliver Postgate founded its Bagpuss Children’s Ward in Romania. The charity has the right to use the Bagpuss name and character and to celebrate this everyone wore brightly-coloured Bagpuss T-shirts. Before the race started, gymnasts from Tigers Gymnastics in Sevenoaks entertained everyone with their skills. All runners who completed the course received a medal, a flapjack made by the Hospices of Hope’s tearoom in Otford and Romanian-bottled water supplied by Aqua Carpatica. Commenting on the Fun Run, the charity’s founder Graham Perolls, CMG, OBE said: “The atmosphere at our Fun Run was fantastic with people of all ages running or walking to help raise funds for our patients. Hospices of Hope supports hospice care in south-east Europe because more than 90 per cent of people facing terminal or life-limiting illness have little or no medical care, symptom control or pain relief. I am really grateful to everyone who took part and made the event so enjoyable.”

Pyjama party Children swim in their pyjamas to raise money for charity Babies and children from Puddle Ducks in West Kent and East Sussex had fun raising £2,137 for CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading charity supporting children and young people with cancer and their families. Every year, local swim school Puddle Ducks hold a week-long charity event where children raise money (and learn valuable water safety and survival skills) by attending swimming lessons dressed in their pyjamas. This time, Puddle Ducks’ chosen charity was CLIC Sargent, which supported 315 children and young people from Kent and East Sussex in 2017 alone, including those from Maidstone, Brighton and Battle. CLIC Sargent’s local specialist care team of social workers and nurses provide emotional, practical and financial support out of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton, as well as supporting young cancer patients at home or who are being treated at other specialist children’s hospitals in London, Surrey or Hampshire. Clive Relf, who runs Puddle Ducks West Kent & East Sussex with his wife Lindsay, explained, “We were delighted to fundraise for CLIC Sargent. They do fantastic work and our Puddle Ducks families thought it was a wonderful opportunity to help other children. “Our Charity Pyjama Week is a great way of teaching our children important lifesaving skills in a fun and relaxed environment, whilst raising 94

money for such a great cause. We had a tremendous time and we would like to give a big thank you to all our customers and their little Puddle Ducks who helped us to raise over £2,000 for this fantastic charity.” K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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All for Silas Charity lunch at The Rajdani raises over £1,500 The award-winning Rajdani Indian restaurant in West Kingsdown near Brands Hatch in Kent has raised over £1,500 for childhood brain cancer research. The lunch, organised by Cllr Patricia Bosley, Chairman of Sevenoaks District Council, was attended by 83 guests including the Chairman of Sevenoaks District Council, the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Medway, and other senior councillors. Money raised has been donated to the Silas Pullen Fund. When Silas was 10, he began to have headaches and on investigation it was discovered that he had a brain tumour. His parents, who live locally in Kent, were then told that the cancer was inoperable and he only had about a year to live. Silas died when he was just 11. Silas’s mother set up the fund to raise the profile of tumours in children and money for research supporting a global trial, costing £75,000. Since becoming Chairman last May, Cllr Bosley has now raised more than £10,000 towards the target. Rob Khan, owner of the Rajdani restaurant, said: “We love hosting charity events here at The Rajdani – it’s such a great feeling to hear the funds going towards a good cause. It’s always fun inviting the community and we always receive solid support from our regulars.”

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Ready, teddy, go TV presenter helps boost Teddy Selfie charity campaign ITV’s Good Morning Britain presenter Charlotte Hawkins took time out from her busy schedule before Christmas to visit Royal Victoria Place in Tunbridge Wells to support the centre’s Teddy Selfie campaign in aid of local charity ellenor. Shoppers got the chance to have a selfie with Charlotte as well as a giant teddy bear! The 3.5-metre giant teddy bear was hugely loved at Christmas 2017, with shoppers and their families sharing selfies of themselves on social media and donating money to support ellenor. The #RVPTeddySelfie campaign raised nearly £3,000. Charlotte, who is watched by millions every day on Good Morning Britain and is also well-known for her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing and, more recently, as a presenter on Classic FM, is a celebrity patron for ellenor – the only charity in Kent bringing specialist hospice care to the child’s home, allowing families to spend more time together. During her visit to Royal Victoria Place Charlotte spent time meeting staff and volunteers from ellenor and praised the #RVPTeddySelfie campaign, calling on shoppers to get behind the campaign. She said: “Taking care of a seriously ill child is one of the most demanding and difficult tasks a parent can face. Every day ellenor makes a difference to so many young lives and it is vital we help every family get the very best care and support.”

The name’s Bond... Let’s Bond evening raises money for Hospices of Hope Otford based charity, Hospices of Hope, held its Let’s Bond evening at High Rocks in Tunbridge Wells. Over 140 people attended the glittering event and enjoyed fine dining with entertainment and dancing. Thanks to Chic Events and Weddings, the room was beautifully decorated and guests embraced the Bond theme with enthusiasm. Proceeds from the event will provide much-needed hospice services for adults and children. Fundraising and Resources Director Anna Perolls said: “We had a brilliant evening. Everyone dressed up, looked fabulous and had a great time. We are really grateful to all our supporters who helped us raise more than £6,000 for much-needed hospice care in South East Europe.” 96

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Clean sweep When Lizzy Hall set up The Hygiene Bank to help struggling families with essential toiletries and hygiene products, she had no idea how much it would grow…

When Lizzy Hall saw the Ken Loach film I, Daniel Blake, it started her on the road to founding The Hygiene Bank. “It’s a moving and harrowing film that highlights the cruel realities of those who fall through the cracks of our society,” says Lizzy, mum to Jack, 13, and Josie, 11. “It portrays a dehumanised world in which empathy has little place and no allowance is made for the chaos of everyday life. In one scene Katie, a single mother of two (played by actress Hayley Squires), is caught shoplifting. In her bag they find a pack of sanitary pads, razors and a bottle of deodorant. “After watching the film, I visited my local foodbank and became aware that, yes, this was the foodbank’s reality. Toiletries were donated but only on an ad hoc basis. Friends who were teachers backed this up, saying some girls cannot afford sanitary protection and use loo roll or scrunched up socks in their pants. Teachers end up buying their pupils basic essentials like toothbrushes, and take their uniform home to wash. Further reading around the subject identified that ‘Hygiene Poverty’ and ‘Period Poverty’ are indeed a sad, hidden crisis in the UK. “Most of us rarely think about the cost of sanitary protection, shampoo, toothpaste or deodorant when stocking up on everyday essentials, but for many low-income families, especially those relying on foodbanks, hygiene is a luxury they can’t afford. “No-one should be left struggling to wash their hair, brush their teeth, wash their clothes, change their baby’s nappy or afford sanitary protection because they have been hit by something unexpected like bereavement, sickness, redundancy or a delayed benefit payment. Basic hygiene is about dignity.” So Lizzy sent out a WhatsApp plea to friends on August 14th last year, saying she was going to collect some toiletries for the local K U D O S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

food bank, and asking them to let her have their unused products and hotel freebies lurking in the back of bathroom cupboards. It was intended as a one-off but the message went viral and donations flooded in. “The reaction was overwhelming,” says Lizzie, “and within a matter of days The Hygiene Bank was born.” Lizzy is based in Sevenoaks and once the The Hygiene Bank concept started, she envisaged it remaining local. But it quickly grew beyond Sevenoaks to West Kent, then further into other areas of Kent and now there are 65+ projects nationwide, including Scotland and Wales, and one about to start in Northern Ireland. So how does it work? “We ask the local community to donate toiletry, hygiene, beauty and grooming products,” explains Lizzy. “This is done via collection boxes that are sited, for example in cafés, shops, supermarkets and leisure centres. Additionally, schools, churches, clubs like Inspire All Stars, the Women’s Institute and events host collections, too. “We then collect these donations, sort them into product type, re-package and distribute them to those that can’t afford them via local charity partners who ensure donations go to those who need them. Charity partners include food banks, women’s refuges, hostels, night shelters, supported housing schemes, social services, schools, baby banks and other organisations working to support the vulnerable and those who are struggling. “Each Hygiene Bank is mapped with one or more local beneficiaries so that everything donated stays in the area and helps that local community.” Products that The Hygiene Bank distributes reads like a shopping list. For women, there’s sanitary pads and tampons, shampoo and conditioner, hair styling products, face wash, cleanser and creams, 97

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body wash, body lotion, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes, disposable razors, nail files, make-up, perfume and gift sets. For men, add shower gels, disposable razors and shaving foam, nail clippers and grooming products. Nappies of all kinds, baby wipes, barrier cream, baby wash, shampoo, talcum powder and nit combs are wanted for babies and children, plus household items like washing powder, fabric conditioner, loo roll, tissues, cotton wool, ear buds, plasters, antiseptic wipes and cream. Says Lizzy: “Our vision is for everyone to have access to toiletry, hygiene, grooming and beauty products so that no one has to suffer the indignity and social stigma of hygiene poverty. “In the last four months since I sent that what’s app, we have given out over six tonnes of products. In addition, we ran a Christmas campaign called #ITSINTHEBAG where we asked people to fill a bag – an old handbag or rucksack – with essential toiletry items, perhaps a beauty treat or two and a Christmas card. We delivered more than 2,000 bags to women’s refuges, hostels and social services.” Hygiene poverty is shaming and people do not voluntarily say they can’t afford to stay clean or clean their children. But we do know that: • Over 14 million people in the UK live in poverty That is 1 in 5! (source: Social Metrics Commission) • L ong before people visit a food bank, they stop buying toiletry essentials • Two‐thirds of children growing up in poverty live in a family where at least one person works, but they just don’t earn enough to afford a decent standard of living (source: Child Poverty Action Group) The UN’s expert on poverty and human rights, Philip Alston, completed a two-week fact-finding mission in the UK in November and to quote him: “For almost one in every two children to be poor in 21st-century Britain is not just a disgrace but a social calamity and economic disaster rolled into one.” 98

Says Lizzy: “We are a community-powered, purely voluntary organisation made up of six trustees – we’re in the process of applying for charity registration, 65 area project co-ordinators, and 20+ volunteers working in admin, warehouse and supporting the project co-ordinators. We then have a further group of specialist volunteers in design, social media, digital marketing and law. Our intention is to have Hygiene Banks everywhere to meet need, and that no one should suffer the indignity and social stigma of hygiene poverty.”

How can you help? 1. Donate products: -Via collection boxes or via Amazon wishlist -Organise a collection: Offices, work places, Women’s Institutes, Girl Guides, Scouts, sports clubs, reading groups, churches and schools have all successfully run collections 2. Be a drop-off point for donations: If you are a retailer, service provider or public service with accessible space 3. Donate your time: - Become a project coordinator and set up a Hygiene Bank where you live - Empty collection boxes from drop-off locations - Volunteer at the warehouse, sort and re-pack ready for delivery - Deliver donations to recipient charity partners. There are also many roles at head office, including administration, social media, fundraising and PR 4. Donate money and help secure via Justgiving 5. Follow them on social media @thehygienebank and www.thehygienebank.com and spread the word

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