Life in the Village - Cotswold Edge Late Spring 2015 by Lisa Lambon

Life in the

lifeinthevillage.co.uk

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Contents Competitions & Vouchers 13 Competition with The Stratford-upon-Avon Home and Garden Show 39 Competition with The Berkeley 61 Competition with The Roses 62 Your Money Saving Vouchers

Local Life 11 Welcome 14 A Word With...Michael Morpurgo 19 Love Your Home with Tracy Harper 25 Cast Iron Style with Severn Seating

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Enter our three Competitions

29 Ashton Under Hill Open Gardens 31 Creating Positive Change with Rachel Berry 33 Easy Motoring with Eddie’s Autos 43 An Invitation to Pershore Tennis Club 44 Father’s Day in Kemerton 47 Asparamadness with Wychavon 53 White Chocolate Parfait with Belle House 59 Update on Life in the Village 60 Eckington Open Gardens 65 Index

Regulars 21 Property Talk with Denise James 23 Summer Season at Coughton Court 27 Pet Talk with Folly Gardens Vets 35 An Instant Facelift with L&L 37 Guinot Facials with Kirsti Attwood 49 Behind The Scenes at The Roses 51 Two Turtle Doves with WWT 55 On Sport with Dr Evans 57 Policing with West Mercia

Front cover image: © www.Shutterstock.com/ Alina G This page clockwise from the top; Turtle Dove courtesy of Amy Lewis WWT; Michael Morpurgo; Asparagus Festival courtesy of Angela Tidmarsh, Wychavon District Council; Photo by David Bainbridge at the Eckington Flower Festival and Open Gardens

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Published five times a year, Life in the Village - Cotswold Edge has a print run of 3,500 copies which are delivered free to homes in the following villages: Dumbleton, Sedgeberrow, Ashton under Hill, Hinton on The Green, Badsey, Wickhamford, Aldington, Bretforton, Stanton, Wormington, Buckland, Little Buckland, Laverton, Snowshill and relevant retail outlets around Evesham and Broadway. It is one of a group of four publications including Life in the Village - Bredon, Avon & Severn, and Folly View. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this magazine is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. Opinions expressed by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher. Whilst reasonable care is taken to ensure the veracity of information published, Life in the Village does not officially endorse any advertising material within this magazine. The content of each advert is the sole responsibility of each advertiser. Artwork is accepted on the strict understanding that there are no copyright issues. No part of this publication may be produced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without our prior written publisher. We reserve the right to refuse advertising.

Life in the

Welcome... … to Life in the Village - Cotswold Edge. Last issue we brought you a magazine with a new look and name. This time, it’s our website that has been refreshed enabling you to access all the content you enjoy in print from your computer, tablet or smartphone. Easy to navigate features mean you can read the magazines anywhere, at any time, enter our competitions and print vouchers online, and keep up with our daily updates, even if you don’t use twitter. Just visit www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk. You might know that we are not the only ones engaged in a makeover. To celebrate its 40th birthday, The Roses in Tewkesbury has secured nearly half a million pounds worth of funding from the Arts Council to redevelop the theatre. Having remained virtually unchanged since it was built in 1975, The Roses theatre has been a constant landmark in the town centre for 40 years. Four decades have inevitably left their mark so the theatre is now amid a massive project to improve customer experience. This redevelopment will see a bigger, brighter foyer, a new downstairs coffee bar, a lift, a new upstairs kitchen and refurbished bar facilities. Plus, the toilets and heating system will be improved. Final plans have been submitted (you can view them in the foyer) and the refurbishment is due to take place this summer. The Roses could not survive without the support and generosity of the local community, and the team there have received a fantastic response to their fundraising efforts so far. It’s not too late to get involved; The Roses still needs help if it is to raise the £800,000 it needs to finish the project. Your support can change the face of the theatre and secure the next 40 years so that we can all continue to enjoy a wide range of performing arts, locally. To find out more about how you can contribute please visit www.rosestheatre.org, drop in, call on 01684 290734 option 4 or email Beckie Smith on beckie.smith@rosestheatre.org. Until next time,

Lisa Editor Lisa Lambon

@LisaLambon

COTSWOLD EDGE 11

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WIN ONE OF TEN PAIRS OF TICKETS FOR THE STRATFORD-UPON-AVON HOME & GARDEN SHOW Tickets can be used on 17th, 18th or 19th July. Will you be one of ten lucky winners? It’s simple; just visit www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk and enter your details as requested by Friday 26th June. HANDPICKED & UNIQUE

The Stratford-upon-Avon Home & Garden Show, held on the banks of the River Avon, will showcase an eclectic mix of artisan designs & crafts, creative & unusual homewares, fabulous foods, beautiful plants, impressive garden buildings & exciting gardening accessories. Each year the Show supports a chosen charity and for 2015 this will be the Stratford Cancer & Eye Hospital Appeal. Full details can be found at www.stratfordhospital.co.uk

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 Home & Crafts Marquee; 75 stands, wide aisles and seating area  Plants & Outdoor Living Stands; over 80 stands with beautiful plants, garden buildings, tools and accessories for your garden  Food Court & Cookery Theatre with live chef demonstrations  Rural Crafts Marquee; engaging and entertaining demonstrations  The Toot Vintage Tearooms for quintessential cream teas  Live Demonstration Theatre; inspiring demo’s of gardening/crafts  Delicious Food; quality world food and drink in abundance  Kids’ Entertainment; face painting and Disney characters

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Visit www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk and enter your details as requested by Friday 26th June. The winners will be notified by Friday 3rd July 2015 and tickets sent by post. Terms & Conditions: One entry per household. Prize not redeemable for cash. Judges decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into. By entering this competition you agree to be contacted by Life in the Village and Stratford Home & Garden Show in future. Your information will not be shared with any third party. You can unsubscribe at any time by emailing unsubscribe@lifeinthevillage.co.uk.

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Michael Morpurgo Michael Morpurgo is a storyteller and award winning childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s author of rare ability whose writing is enjoyed and celebrated worldwide. Many of his books like War Horse have been adapted in different ways, from stage performances and blockbuster films, to concerts with his lyrical words set to music. Michael supports many charities and recently became the Appeal Patron for The Rosesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 40th Birthday Campaign. We asked him about his life, his writing and why he is committed to supporting the performing arts in local theatres. Interview: Lisa Lambon

My stock-in-trade is writing, but cultural learning spans our performing arts alongside our written, visual and material culture. Sir Nicholas Serota has said that art should be the fourth ‘r’, alongside reading, writing and arithmetic for the reason that the arts feed every part of our being – our minds, our imagination and our values. Stories and poems, drama, dance and music are the emotional and intellectual stuff of life. Without them we cannot grow. We simply shrivel inside.

Tell us about your current projects. One book published already this year is Best Mates, a collection of six magical animal stories for children, which marked World Book Day in March. This October will see a paperback launch of Listen to the Moon and a new novel called An Eagle in the Snow which is coming out in hardback. There will be a theatre adaptation of my book 946, and my novel Running Wild and there is an opera of Private Peaceful by the English National Opera coming next year. You’ve written so many best selling books. How did you discover yourself as a storyteller? I am constantly amazed that I ever became a writer. Yet the beginnings of my literary life, if I can call it that, were promising enough. For a start, the DNA was there, writing was in my life blood because I come from a family of poets and actors and historians. My mother, bless her heart, read to us, to my brother Pieter and I, every night. She was an actress, so she read beautifully, powerfully, tenderly. She read the stories and poems she liked herself, by writers like Kipling, Robert Louis Stevenson, John Masefield, and Walter de la Mare. She read us La Fontaines’ Fables, Grimms’ Fairy Tales, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, The Wind in the Willows. And we loved listening

“

minds, and that was by reading a terrific story. One afternoon, I began reading a new story to the children but I could tell they were really not enjoying it at all. I told Clare, my wife, and also a teacher about this, and she advised me to abandon the story. 'Make one up', she said. I thought it sounded like good advice. So I lay awake all night, as I often do, and by morning had sketched out a story of my own. The next afternoon I dared to try it out on my class. It was both So did you return to reading as terrifying and exciting. I had an adult? At secondary school I invested myself in the story. I had did have a teacher who tried and to make it succeed. So I told it tried to encourage me to read and without hesitation, utterly reminded me that there was more believing every word I spoke. to life than rugby. And at Within a few moments they were university, at King’s College London, there was a professor who as involved in the story as I was, all of them. So in the weeks and sat on the desk one day and read months that followed, I told from 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight', and he read with the same another, and another of my own stories. kind of passion and intensity as my mother. These great teachers kept the embers of my early love of stories alive. I owe them much. And I did come back to books, not so much as a reader, certainly not as a writer, but as a primary school teacher.

to her, loved the music in the words. Storytelling for us, was the best time of the day. After my mother's truly inspirational introduction to poems and stories, I went off to school. There, over the next fifteen years or so, this early love of books was all but entirely snuffed out. There was spelling to master, punctuation, handwriting, comprehension, and worst of all, grammar so I abandoned books.

How did you transition from teacher to writer? In the classroom, I discovered, after a while, and after much experimentation, that there was only one way I could be sure of having the total attention of every child in a class, the focus of all their hearts and 15

Word got around in the playground, and the head teacher soon heard about Mr Morpurgo's stories. She came in on a Friday afternoon, I remember, sat at the back of the class, and listened. Afterwards she said: 'Excellent, Michael, quite excellent. I want you to write it out for me and give it to me on Monday morning. I have a friend who works in publishing. Why don’t we send your story to her?' So I did. So I became – a proper writer, not by intent, but by happy accident. Why are so many of your books about war? I was a war baby, born in 1943. As I grew up, I soon learned how war had torn my world apart. I lived next to a bombsite, played in it because we weren’t supposed to, and because it was the best adventure playground imaginable. But I soon learned that much more than buildings was destroyed by war. My parents had split up because of it. I knew my uncle Pieter, killed in 1940, in the RAF, through a photograph, through the stories I heard of him, through the grief my mother, his sister, lived every day of her life. I missed him and I’d never known him. All I knew was what I’d been told, that he’d given his life for our freedom. I thought the world of him for that. I still do. War continues to divide people, to change them forever, and I write about it both because I want people to understand the absolute futility of war, the ‘pity of

war’ as Wilfred Owen called it. Animals are central to many of your stories. Tell us more about why they inspire you. I am really interested in the relationship between animals and humans. Animals are sentient, intelligent, perceptive, funny and entertaining. We owe them a duty of care as we do for children. Animals, like children aren’t in a position of power as we are as adults, and it is our duty to care for them. I think they often bring out the best in us because they listen without passing judgement and accept us for who we are without prejudice. For some people, this can be the most important relationship – a loving and uncomplicated one. You’re such a prolific writer – what does your writing routine look like? We have built a special tea-house in the garden, which is very light and airy and a great place to write. It’s quiet there too as there’s no phone. I write upstairs in the tea-house sitting on a bed, with lots of cushions supporting my back and arms. I often write in the morning and then go for a long walk in the fields around our home in the afternoon with my wife. It really helps to have this time for the stories to weave themselves in my head. How do you approach telling a story? I am by nature an instinctive writer. When I write I

do not think about anything else other than the story itself. I simply lose myself in the world I have created, and the people I have invented. I am each of them as I write. I become my characters, and then try to allow events in the story to take their own course. I try not to play God, but to let them work out their own destiny. I hope that I write from a sense of passion, because I feel something deeply. I go where my story takes me, however dark and difficult the theme. And there is always some hope and redemption, not because readers like happy endings, but because I am an optimist at heart. How has your work with Farms for City Children influenced your work? I think my fascination with animals also came partly from this. Many years ago my wife and I moved to Devon with our children to set up an educational charity, called Farms For City Children, that would welcome children from the inner cities to come and live and work on a farm for a week. We would have school groups of 30 to 40, and with their teachers, they would effectively become farmers, milking, feeding pigs and calves and mucking out the sheds. Watching these children and the animals they were caring for and living amongst, I was inspired to write many of my stories including War Horse. Lots of your books are adapted as plays in local theatres like

Will you support The Roses’ 40th Birthday Campaign? Plans include:  New Look Inside & Out to modernise and

update the building, maximising space and giving it a completely new feel  Customer Lift to give improved access to all

 New Facilities new and improved toilets  Food Offer. A new downstairs coffee bar and refurbished bar facilities upstairs so meals and snacks can be served

To take part in this important campaign to redevelop the theatre please call Beckie Smith on 01684 290734 option 4 or visit www.rosestheatre.org 16

Above: Michael Morpurgo at home, Below: Book Cover of War Horse, Previous Page Book cover of Best Mates which was published in March to mark World Book Day.

The Roses. What are the benefits of children seeing a story brought to life in this way? Many of my books have become plays, opera and ballet and so I have been able to see first-hand how live, cultural experiences/activities can transform, transport and delight. opening up the imagination to a lifelong interest in the arts. My stock-in-trade is writing, but cultural learning spans our performing arts alongside our written, visual and material culture. Stories and poems, drama, dance and music are the emotional and intellectual stuff of life. Without them we cannot grow. We simply shrivel inside.

experience, a life-long enjoyment. But there is one thing that is vital. It must be good. If the experience isn’t good enough, you can put children off rather easily, but if it’s fantastic and they just want to keep coming back, that will turn them into theatre goers, maybe actors, maybe designers or musicians. You don’t know where it might lead.

How do you feel when you see your work brought to life on the stage? When I see my books on stage or in a film or wherever it’s going to be, I’m nervous at first in case it’s a disappointment, but I always look forward to it. When it’s good, when the production is imaginative, full of energy and the What do you feel is important acting and design is great, then about cultural experiences for you can feel the buzz, the children? An early cultural experience for children, whether it electricity all around you. You is a play, opera, ballet, music or art know the story is being told in a is a wonderful thing because it different way, in a special way. opens the door to a life-long And then I just want to come back

and back and see the same play again and again. Micheal Morpurgo appears at The Roses on Thursday 28 May. All proceeds go to The Roses’ Campaign. www.michaelmorpurgo.com www.rosestheatre.org 17

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Experience a relaxing day out at one of Warwickshire’s most beautiful family homes

WELCOME IN THE SUMMER AT COUGHTON COURT... There’s fun, freedom and fresh air for families at Coughton Court. Marketing and Events Ofﬁcer Abi Cole tells more.

here are plenty of things to do with all the family at Coughton Court this summer. Join us for an adventure in the great outdoors with walking routes and woodland to discover, or take a peek inside the house and learn all about the Gunpowder Plot. From May, the hugely popular 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾ is back. Tick off a range of classic adventures from bug hunting to ﬂying a kite or tracking a wild animal. Coughton has the perfect spot for Pooh Sticks so why not get the whole family together and have a game down the River Arrow? Our three walking routes are perfect for a sunny day so pick up a guide from the Welcome Centre and take a stroll around the beautiful Warwickshire countryside. The routes include one for little legs,

Dates for your Diary one for dogs and a longer walk to the Kinwarton Dovecote. In the Bluebell Wood, kids can search for the wooden grandfather clock and look for the hidden message on the back. We have a range of exciting events planned for May Half Term including a family trail and traditional games. In June, join us for our annual Duck Race or experience a different side of Coughton by evening. Saturday 27 June is our Waterloo Ball when you can cance the evening away in Regency style in our beautiful, double height Saloon. Whether you want a family day out, a walk with friends or to be part of something unique there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

May Half Term Sat 23 – Sun 31 May on open days, 11am – 4pm Outdoor games, a trail around the grounds and 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾ booklets. The Duck Race Sat 13 – Sun 14 June, 2pm Sponsor a duck on Coughton’s traditional duck race down the River Arrow, plus traditional family games. Waterloo Ball - Sat 27 June, 6.30pm – 11pm, £75 including buffet Regency Ball celebrating the 200th anniversary of Waterloo in 1815. Dance the evening away in regency style to the music of the Pemberley Players in Coughton’s beautiful Saloon and enjoy a sumptuous, candlelit Regency supper in the Panelled Dining Room. Coughton Village Summer Fete Sat 18 July, 12noon – 4pm Traditional stalls, games and competitions on the lawn to raise money for local causes. Outdoor Theatre Twelfth Night - Fri 24 July The Three Musketeers - Sat 8 Aug Booking essential on 0844 249 1895

For opening hours please call 01789 400777 or visit: www.nationaltr ust.org.uk/coughtoncour t www.facebook.com/CoughtonCourt

Coughton Court May 2015 ver 3.indd 4

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NEW! Beauty Salon now open in Evesham Jane Hartley with • Facials - Face Mapping® with Dermalogica • Waxing & Spray Tanning

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until 30/6/15

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07967 790357 01386 443049 www.yourewonderfulbeauty.com

Village Green L A N D S C A P I N G

Let us make your garden part of your home...

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“

General Ground Works Patios & Decking Ponds & Water Features Fencing & Garden Structures Skilled, Reliable Craftsmen Competitive Quotes We are really pleased with the end result, fantastic job. - Mr McH

”

To book your FREE survey please contact Garry Webb A.N.C.H on:

07811 530446 01242 620931 24

Perfect for a country or period garden

Cast Iron

Why Choose Us?  Unique, high quality garden furniture, competitively priced  Purchase from stock or have your old furniture restored in 7-10 days  Reclaimed cast iron frames painted in a wide range of colours  Long lasting sapele, teak or oak  High grade stainless steel fixings  Handmade locally with care  Free delivery in 20 mile radius  Ideal as a gift or memorial bench

STYLE Gloucestershire based John Roberts crafts and restores cast iron garden furniture designed to last for generations. We found out more about his work. What inspired your business? Three years ago, I was in search of a new bench for my garden. I wanted something high quality, individual and full of character but really struggled to find anything to inspire me. Then by chance, browsing in a junk shop, I came across a pair of Victorian cast iron bench ends and decided to restore them instead. So many people admired the finished product and asked me to make something similar for them that I invested in ten sets of reclaimed cast iron frames. Having renovated them, they sold immediately and the business has evolved from there.

Puckrup Hall Golf Club and Cheltenham Racecourse.

What does restoration involve? Some of the furniture we collect from customers is in a dreadful state with rotting timbers and rusting iron but it’s rare for an item to be beyond repair. The design of each bench is dictated by its frame, varying in size and style from the simple to the highly ornate. We clean the cast iron ends, sandblasting if necessary, then give them at least two coats of Hammerite paint. The slats are crafted from sustainable hardwood like sapele, teak or oak which is coated for protection. All fixings What services do you offer now? are high grade stainless steel so We make a selection of tables, the final product is sturdy, long chairs, benches and accessories for lasting and can be left out all year purchase from stock. We also round. We love what we do and offer a furniture restoration each renovation is carried out with service and make hardwood, steel care so our customers are always and memorial benches. You can thrilled with the results. see examples of our work at Find our more by viewing our Warwickshire College, Pershore, gallery online or call me on 07850 Earl’s Croome Garden Centre, 319927 to discuss your project.

Severn Seating Contact John Roberts to arrange a viewing or discuss your restoration

01684 594164 07850 319927 severninstruments@aol.com

www.severnseating.co.uk Company Promotion

A FA M I LY R U N B U S I N E S S W I T H O V E R 3 0 Y E A R S E X P E R I E N C E Windows & Doors  Conservatories & Orangeries  Garage Doors & Conversions Expand Your Living Space & Add Value to Your Home at an Affordable Rate

Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten! MONARCH HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Contact Neil Hunt For A FREE Survey or Advice

01386 861256 or 07970 979831 monarchhomeimprovements-evesham.co.uk

thinking about advertising with us?

It’s the ideal way to raise your business profile locally & our rates are surprisingly affordable. With three sister magazines, Life in the Village - Bredon, Avon & Severn and Folly View - you could reach up to 12,500 homes & businesses in the villages around Pershore, Evesham, Broadway, Tewkesbury & Upton upon Severn. To find out more contact Lisa on:

Lisa 01684 773135

lisa@lifeinthevillage.co.uk

www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk 26

Vet Lizzie Threadingham who runs Cat Only clinics with Vet Nurse Jo Lewis inset below.

Folly Gardens

Pet Talk Specialist Cat Friendly Services

Proud Winners of 2014 Veterinary Practice Front-Of-House Award for our new Bishop’s Cleeve Clinic!

sk any 100 cat owners how they feel about taking their cat to the vet and 95% of them will tell you that it can be stressful. Many cats seem to have a sixth sense about the timing of their appointments so Step One usually involves chasing them around the house to get them into a carrier. Step Two might consist of a fraught car journey with a howling animal. And all too often, once inside the clinic, Step Three will mean a confrontation with a large dog. For some cats, this means that by the time they come face to face with a vet, they are in a state of terror. It’s a real problem for cats and their owners and one we’ve taken seriously at Folly Gardens. We are therefore proud to have been recognised by ISFM (the International Society of Cat Friendly Medicine) as one of the only Gold Level Cat Friendly Clinics in Gloucestershire. In order to achieve this, we’ve put several measures in place including the provision of Cat Only clinics at our Barton Road branch, Tewkesbury every Company Promotion

Expert advice from Vet Lizzie Threadingham of Folly Gardens, Tewkesbury & Bishop’s Discounted Cleeve. Cat Neutering until 31st May

Thursday night. It is guaranteed that there will be no dogs in the building and we use calming pheromone release plug-ins to help your pet relax. If you are unable to attend on a Thursday nights you’ll find practices at our regular clinics to help your cat. These include team members with specialist cat knowledge, separate cat and dog wards for day patients plus labelled zones in the waiting rooms for cats and dogs. Cats like to be up high so a good tip is to sit your pet’s basket on your lap. Given the significant levels of unwanted cats, we encourage neutering as the responsible way to reduce numbers, minimise accidents and prevent illness. Leaving cats entire, especially males, means they will smell stronger, be more likely to spray your home, roam widely and tend to get into fights, bringing the risk of painful abscesses. We want to make neutering simple and economical so during May we are offering fixed, heavily discounted rates. Book your cat in by calling 01684 292244 or 01242 679880. Wishing you and your pet well,

Lizzie

Spay £40 – usually £70 Castrate £30 – usually £45 Call to book your cat in today!

Your Pet Our Priority All Consultations By Appointment Walton Cardiff & Bishop’s Cleeve Monday - Friday 8.00 - 6.30 Saturday 8.30 - 12.30 Free Nurse Clinics & Pet Advice

12 Columbine Rd, 01684 292244 Walton Cardiff Tewkesbury, GL20 7SP No.1 Folly Gardens, 01684 292244 Barton Road Tewkesbury, GL20 5QP Folly Gardens House 2 Church Road Bishop’s Cleeve GL52 8LR

01242 679880

Folly Gardens Vets info@follygardens.com

www.follygardens.com 27

Have You Heard What People Are Saying About Us?

“I get so much business from the magazines because they reach precisely the audience I need to communicate with. You can see the energy and enthusiasm that goes into the magazines in the finished product."

If you would like more local business why not give us a call? We offer great value advertising, editorial and leaflet drops and have plenty of creative ideas to help you meet your goals. Our magazines are delivered door to door to the local villages five times a year. Call today to be included.

Bill Alloway, Volunteer Website Administrator NATIONAL TRUST COUGHTON COURT

Call Lisa on

01684 773135 lisa@lifeinthevillage.co.uk www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk 28

Sarah Jane Smith , BACK ON TRACK, CHIROPRACTIC

“Thank you for the PDF of the usual high standard. We get lots of them downloaded from our website.”

“We’ve had lots of calls from the magazines in 2014”

VILLAGE GREEN KITCHEN COMPANY

“I am happy with my leaflet, the print quality is exactly as I required.” Chris BREDON HILL SECURITY

“I’m really pleased with the layout and format of our editorial. Thanks very much for working on it so quickly.” Richard Hill E HILL & SON FUNERAL DIRECTORS

Photos: Jo & Isabel Brown and Jeremy King

Ashton under Hill Open Gardens

13th & 14th June 1-6pm The villagers of Ashton under Hill have been opening their gardens for 37 years and regularly attract over 1000 visitors. We found out more about this year’s event.

he 38th annual Open Gardens event in Ashton under Hill will be on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th June, from 1.00pm to 6.00pm each day. There will be around 23 varied and interesting gardens open for visitors to enjoy, some for the very first time. As always, there’ll be a lively mix of exhibitions, displays, cream teas, craft sales and the renowned Plantsman's Market for visitors to enjoy. This year is the centenary of the birth of the much-loved country author Fred Archer, who was born in Ashton under Hill and lived here for much of his life. For over thirty years he entertained his devoted readers with tales of country life in Ashton and the Vale of Evesham. With the help of some of Fred’s family, Open Gardens Chairman John Dodge is putting together a special exhibition in St Barbara’s Church about Fred’s time as a farmer,

his writings, and his many published books. Visitors will be able to enjoy a ploughman’s lunch from midday in the refreshment marquee at the Old Post House, followed by a cream tea from 2.00pm. There will also be sandwiches, tea and cake in the Village Hall, courtesy of Ashton WI, and of course full meals will be available all day in Ashton’s village pub, The Star. Adult entry is still only £5, with children under 16 admitted free of charge. All coach and car parking for the event is also free, and there is a complimentary minibus shuttle around the village for our less mobile visitors. For more details please contact John Dodge on 01386 881487 or Malcolm Nelson on 01386 881778 or email marketing@ashtonopengardens.co.uk For the most up to date details visit www.ashtonopengardens.co.uk. 29

Airport Transfers Business Travel Events & Tours Chauffeur Service 

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Mercedes Benz E Class Car Professional & Reliable Competitive Prices

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Hard Landscaping  Garden Makeovers  Garden Clearance  Ground Maintenance Fencing • Turfing • Decking • Patios • Block Paving • Groundworks inc. Levelling & Terracing Tree Felling • Ground Maintenance • Soil & Hardcore Removal • Logs & Top Soil For Sale Established 20 years. For further information or a free quotation Call Simon Rose

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Creating POSITIVE CHANGE

Feeling trapped by negative emotions can stop us moving forward but offloading thoughts with a professional can help, suggests complementary therapist Rachel Berry. Here she explains the various therapies she offers. Hypnotherapy Hypnosis is a safe, natural state which most people unconsciously experience several times a day. This therapy can help you to release repressed feelings and negative beliefs that restrict your ability to achieve your potential to live life to the full. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a form of energy psychology known as “tapping.”

Book Your FREE Initial Consultation Come and ask the questions you feel are important in a safe, nonjudgemental and confidential setting. Based at The Acupuncture Clinic in Kemerton, near Tewkesbury, I will identify which therapy is best suited to you and explain how I can help. Take the first step today. Call me, Rachel Berry, on 07855 700968

Positive Exchange

Rachel Berry

DHP MAPHP MAAMET MNRPC

Member of The Association for Professional Hypnosis & Psychotherapy

Similar to acupuncture, it works with the meridians (energy pathways in the body) but without the use of needles. It can help relieve emotional and physical problems, reducing strong emotions such as fear, anger, shame and sadness which can dissolve into clear thinking, helping you get on with life. Gary Craig, the founder of EFT suggests “the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.” By tapping on a series of acupressure points, EFT helps to balance and restore positive flow. It’s a simple, empowering technique that I can teach you to use at home for selfhelp. Tapping can quickly help to reduce any anxiety enabling you to feel much calmer. Reiki (pronounced “Ray-key”) is a Japanese word meaning Universal Life Energy which is an energy that is all around us. This holistic healing system addresses problems and stimulates healing at all levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Reiki flows to the areas of need, soothing pain, restoring

Help with... weight management, stopping smoking, fears/phobias, addictions, stress & anxiety, confidence, low self-esteem & grief

balance and supporting the body’s natural ability to heal itself. As well as emotional upset and stress, it can help with poor sleep and alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. I also work with the terminally ill in nursing homes and hospices as Reiki can help to ease the transition between life and death. Soothing, powerful and deeply relaxing, I use Reiki to treat horses and animals alongside standard veterinary care. As a Reiki Teacher I also offer Reiki Healing courses.

Find out more about how these therapies could help you by calling me on 07855 700968 or emailing rachel@positiveexchange.co.uk You can also visit my website www.positiveexchange.co.uk where you will find detailed information about my various qualifications, specific issues and the therapies and courses I offer. Company Promotion

7.30am to 5pm Mon - Fri 8am to 12noon Sat

Trade and DIY Welcome

NEW BATHROOMS COMING SOON! Sophisticated, stylish bathrooms at aďŹ&#x20AC;ordable prices

Suites

- Vanity Units - Tiles - Showers - Cisterns - plus much more in store

Basins

Furniture

Suit

Taps & Brassware

bps Tewkesbury Sigma Close, Shannon Way Tewkesbury GL20 8ND 32

Shower fittings

T: 01684 275545 F: 01684 275526

www.bpslifestyles.co.uk Tewkesbury @bandps.co.uk

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EASY motoring

NEW!

Tyre Fitting Service

After 20 years in the motor trade, Ed Robinson set up in business with the aim of offering a friendly service at reasonable rates. Four years on, his growing range of services are designed to make caring for your car easy.

How do you help village motorists? Two decades in the motor trade taught me that customers hate it when they feel they’ve been ripped off so I set out to structure my business with fair, honest service as the cornerstone. I want people to be comfortable to bring their car to me, assured of reliable workmanship. Based in Beckford, just off the A46, I pay particular attention to the needs of rural drivers who can find it time consuming to have to travel to a garage in town. With two courtesy cars and a local pick up and collect service, we make it possible for you to maintain your vehicle with no disruption to your working week. What range of services do you offer? Having had a range of roles in the past, I am fully skilled and able to draw on my experience with all makes and models. We offer the full range of diagnostics, repairs, servicing and MOT’s and with great support from local people we’ve been able to grow, year on year. In the last twelve months I’ve taken on another mechanic and am looking to expand further this summer. I’ve also recently invested in new equipment that enables us to supply and fit tyres,

usually on a same day basis. It’s simple; all you need to do is pop in and get your tyres measured. So many people worry about their annual MOT, fearing a big bill that they can’t afford. The best way to avoid this is to have a regular service so we offer preferential rates if you combine the two. Be assured that I will never work on your car until you have a quote and will only ever suggest fixing something if it really needs to be done. To find out more about what we offer drop by or call on 01386 882011. Eddie’s Autos services include:  NEW! Tyre Fitting Service  Free Tyre Pressure & Under Bonnet Levels Check  Full Service & MOT £159 incl. parts & VAT  MOT only £45  Full Service £144 incl.VAT  Engine Service from £82.80 incl.VAT  Repairs, Diagnostics & Oil Changes; All Makes  Air Con. Service £65 incl .VAT & ReGas £49 incl. VAT  Two complementary courtesy cars  Courtesy pick up & collect within a 5m radius of Beckford (excluding breakdown & recovery)  Vehicle Storage Facilities

Call Eddie on

O1386 882011

Eddie’s Autos

help@eddies-autos.co.uk www.eddies-autos.co.uk

Beckford d oa nR tio St a

Open Mon - Fri 8.30 to 5.30 Sat by appointment

Station Yard, Station Rd Beckford GL20 7AN Opposite The Beckford Inn

A46

Evesham

Tewkesbury

An Instant

FACELIFT Expert advice on how to give your property a facelift

Upgrading your front door is an easy way to transform the look of your home suggests John Lannen, Director at L&L Installations. 34

front door is one of the most prominent features of any house, offering a hint of the home within. Whatever the style or size of a property, its entrance should be robust, secure and, above all, inviting. Walking towards it is something that should give you pleasure, every day. It’s a cliché but first impressions count so if you intend to sell your

property this year a new door is a simple way to add kerb appeal. Similarly, if you have just moved into a new house and it’s all feeling a bit unfamiliar, a fresh front door in the style and colour of your choosing is a simple way to make it feel like home. The first step to improving your entrance is to take a critical look at what you currently have and decide what does and doesn’t

Company Promotion

work. Next, think about the kind of look you want to achieve. You may want to modernise a draughty door, enhance the rustic charm of a cottage or restore an authentic feel to a period home. Whatever the case, we can advise on what will be most appropriate and why. Factors that you should take into account when choosing your new front door include:  Style A door might be traditional or modern, simple or elaborate, but it should be instantly pleasing to your eye, reflecting something of the personality of your home.  Security An entrance door should have multi-point locking, hinge bolts, and be fully reinforced to keep your home secure and your insurance company happy. At L&L all comply and easy access low thresholds are fitted as standard.  Maintenance There is a huge choice of doors in PVCu, timber or composite materials. Each have advantages and disadvantages in terms of budget, character and longevity but advances in technology mean that you can

Restore authentic style to a period home choose from a broad spectrum of colour, whatever you prefer.  Light Your door can be solid, fully or semi glazed. If you want to Created for You! Wide range of styles, sizes and colours available to suit your home

Add rustic charm to a cottage with a stable door add light to a gloomy hall or to glimpse a view from inside your home, a half glazed door or side lights might work. However, remember that these will also mean a reduced level of privacy.  Furnishings Handles and letterboxes are available in a wide range of styles, finishes and price points to complement your door. Our focus is on providing the best double glazed products and service in the area at a reasonable price. L&L is unique locally in that we design, manufacture and install many of our products ourselves. All come with a ten year guarantee and annual inspection, giving you lasting peace of mind. To find out more please visit our Tewkesbury showroom at Red Lane, alongside the river, where many of our doors and windows are on display. Our friendly team is available Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm. Late night appointments are available on a Thursday until 7.30pm and on Saturday from 9am-1pm. We offer complimentary parking and refreshments and promise no high pressure sales.

The Natural Choice For:       

Windows & Doors Conservatories & Orangeries Porches Bi Fold doors Secondary glazing Double glazing repairs NEW! Garden Buildings

01684 295038 Red Lane, Tewkesbury GL20 5BQ www.ll-installations.co.uk 35

BOWLD & SON

Treat Me! I love a bit of fuss

Check our website for great rates on Karndean! Dog groomer Donna and assistant Sue provide a top quality Dog Grooming, Clipping & Shampoo service at our Barton Road branch. Wash & Dry, The Full Works, Hair & Nail Trims ©iStockphoto.com/KonstantinGushcha

Call 01684 536840

Established Supplier & Fitter of All Types of Flooring

Winners 2014 Veterinary Practice Front-Of-House Awards for our new Bishop’s Cleeve Clinic!

No.1 Folly Gardens Barton Road Tewkesbury GL20 5QP info@follygardens.co www.follygardens.com

EXPERT CARPET FITTER

 Carpets  Karndean & Amtico  Wooden Floors

 Restoration of Stone  Commercial Range  Screeds & Preparation

01386 832138 / 07546 992682 s.bowld@gmail.com

www.floorsofevesham.co.uk

Village Green K

Competitive Quotes Skilled, Reliable Craftsmen Expert Carpentry Fully Guaranteed Assured Start Date Also Bathrooms

Keith, Andy & Garry provided a friendly & professional service that was outstanding …we have no hesitation in recommending Village Green. NICK & BECCI

”

For a FREE quote please call: Andy 07776 280997 Keith 07977 923991 Office: 01386 852152 vgkc@btconnect.com

www.vgkc.co.uk 36

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Transform Your Kitchen...

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On Guinot Facials

WINCHCOMBE AWARD WINNING LOCAL SALON

Does your skin lack moisture? Winchcombe based beauty therapist Kirsti Attwood suggests a deeply rehydrating Guinot facial. SCIENCE + BEAUTY

As long ago as 1930, chemical engineer Rene Guinot made an incredible discovery: skin cleansing enables in-depth skin purification which in turn allows the active ingredients of beauty treatments to penetrate the skin. From then on, he approached beauty from a scientific standpoint, launching the original “cathiodermie” in the 1960’s. More

Why Choose Us?     

Now open 7 days a week Open 3 nights until 9pm 6 beauty therapists 8 beauty therapy rooms Wide range of beauty and holistic therapies  Monthly special offers  Customer loyalty scheme

15 minutes from Evesham

recently, Guinot has been take over by Jean Michel Mondin, a pharmacist whose medical education prompted him to establish a technologically advanced cosmetic laboratory implementing the accuracy of pharmaceutical standards. He is one of the few people in the world heading a cosmetics company who has also achieved a scientific degree. Given this history, it’s not surprising that Guinot facials and products give outstanding results.

SALON ONLY THERAPY Guinot exclusively entrusts beauty

20% off

any Guinot Facial*

£10 off any therapy for new customers* Present voucher on Offer Pages or online by 30/6/15 *T’c & C’s apply

salons with its treatments and only qualified therapists who have professionally trained with the company can prescribe the most suitable products for the skin. Many professionals consider it the benchmark of a salon. We offer a range of Guinot facials to suit every skin type and invite you to try the benefits with 20% off until 30th June. New clients of Beauty Beyond are welcome to £10 off any treatment.

The Coach House 2a Bull Lane Winchcombe Cheltenham GL54 5HY

01242 604 017 Beauty Beyond BeautyBeyondWin

e: kirsti@beautybeyondwinchcombe.co.uk

www.beautybeyondwinchcombe.co.uk

WIN ONE OF TEN £25 FOOD & DRINK VOUCHERS FOR THE BERKELEY, SPETCHLEY Will you be one of ten lucky winners? It’s simple; just visit www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk and enter your details by Friday 26th June. CELEBRATE OUR FIRST BIRTHDAY WITH US

To celebrate our first year of business we are offering ten lucky readers the chance to win a gift voucher to the value of £25, valid for six months. We offer a convivial atmosphere in freshly decorated surroundings with a great range of dishes on our menu. Working alongside some amazing local suppliers, we serve fresh food made here on the premises. Our bar offers a variety of real ales, continental lagers and wines from around the world with a number available by the glass. Our afternoon dining offer, two courses and a drink* for £12.95, ordered Monday to Thursday 12noon to 7pm offers great value so why not give us a try?

WHAT WE OFFER    

    

Breakfast, Coffees, Lunches, Snacks & Dinner Open 7 days a week 9am-11pm, food served 9am-9pm Dedicated Function Room for 150 seated or 200 informally Experienced in-house team delivering consistently high standards of food and service for large groups Conveniently located with ready access to J6, M5 Ample free parking with excellent disabled access Four set function menus and menus created bespoke for you Monthly calendar of entertainment; Tribute Nights etc Free WiFi

HOW TO ENTER

Visit www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk and enter your details as requested by Friday 26th June. The winners will be notified by Friday 3rd July 2015 and gift vouchers sent by post.

Terms & Conditions: One entry per household. Prize not redeemable for cash. Judges decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into. By entering this competition you agree to be contacted by Life in the Village and The Berkeley, Spetchley in future. Your information will not be shared with any third party. You can unsubscribe at any time by emailing unsubscribe@lifeinthevillage.co.uk.

BAR : RESTAURANT : WEDDINGS : FUNCTIONS : CORPORATE EVENTS

Berkeley THE

Bar  Restaurant  Weddings  Functions

Call 01905 345269 @TheBerkeleyWorc info@theberkeleyworcester.co.uk

* Choose a glass of house wine, beer or a soft drink.

www.theberkeleyworcester.co.uk

‘Young Buck’ Adam Tatlow’s work as a Gamekeeper enables him to observe Cotswolds wildlife first hand. He keeps a photographic diary of his year and sells some of his images as limited edition prints and greeting cards. You can see more of his work at his website detailed below. Visit his local exhibitions as follows: Open Farm Sunday at Guiting Manor Farms in Guiting Power opposite the Hollow Bottom Pub GL54 5UX, June 7th; "Art in the Cotswolds" Lower Slaughter Gallery GL54 2HS, June 17-23 and Guiting Power Fete, Guiting Power Village Hall GL54 5TX, June 20th.

www.cotswoldkeeperphotography.com. 40

THE KNITTED BIBLE

is coming to Tewkesbury Methodist Church 6th to 21st June

Open Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm & Sundays 1-4pm Tewkesbury Methodist Church, GL20 5PA, is right by the town cross roundabout A touring exhibition of 33 Bible scenes created by a church in the north of England with great skill and imagination. With each scene, there is a copy of the Bible passage on which it is based. He Knitted Bible is popular with primary schools; adult group visits can be arranged for evenings by request. Donations are requested for the Bible Society, to support the summer holiday in Tewkesbury for children from Chernobyl, Belarus, and to cover the costs of mounting the exhibition.

Enquiries: Michael Jebson Email: michaeljebson@outlook.com Tel: 01684 593465

BREDON BOWLS TASTER DAY Sunday, 24th May 2.30 - 6pm

In association with Bowls England and The Sports Partnership Hereford &Worcester Bowls is a sport for all generations and abilities providing gentle healthy exercise, with a friendly sociable side which is ideal for meeting new people. Just turn up with flat soled shoes and we will provide the rest. Club members and coaches will be on hand to show you how to play the game and answer any queries you may have. Follow-on Taster/coaching days will be held on Tuesdays 2 - 4pm and Mondays at 6pm until 16th June inclusive.

All the Taster and Coaching sessions are free. Throughout the season Coaching and fun sessions are available every Tuesday at 2 - 4 p.m. and on Monday evenings at 6.00 p.m. onwards for anyone who would like to give it a try.

Contact Secretary Pete Dempsey for further information if needed on 01684 773849 42

Photo left & bottom club members, below Harriett Baldwin MP and Danny Sapsford (exDavis Cup player) courtesy of DE Photography

Try Us!

Enjoy Tennis

Trial Membership eg Family 2 adults & 3 kids just £40 for 6 weeks

With three indoor and five outdoor courts, Pershore Tennis Centre offers all weather sports facilities, all year round. The team there invites you to find out more.

ershore Tennis Centre, located just behind Warwickshire College, is one of the fastest growing clubs in the country. Open to all, seven days a week, it offers you the chance to enjoy tennis, what-ever your aims. Our courts are combined with a large custom-built clubhouse providing toilets and shower facilities, hot and cold snacks, drinks and comfy sofas. It’s ideal for relaxing in after your game as well as hosting events, team building and children’s parties. Warm-up in the club’s fabulous facilities and train with dedicated LTA coaches. We welcome players of all ages and abilities offering:  Tennis Express; 6 week beginners tennis course for adults for £20  Social Play, Competitive and Team Play for adults and juniors  Private, Shared or Group Lessons for all abilities

 Cardio Tennis; for fitness, an hour of hard work and not much tennis skill required!  Coffee Mornings; friendly, coached group sessions plus refreshments.  Children's Holiday Tennis Clubs for ages 5-14; running Monday to Friday, every week of the school holidays. All abilities, members and non-members, are welcome. Call to book on 01386 556677. Pershore Tennis Centre is also hosting FREE Grand Slam Open Days for all. Each one runs 2-4pm:  French Open Day/Great British Tennis Weekend, 13th June  Wimbledon Open Day, 6th July  US Open Day, 13th September This season, come and experience taster sessions, have a chat and see what our friendly club can offer you, your family and friends. To find out more, please contact the Coaching Team using any of the details opposite.

Enjoy FREE Grand Slam Open Days... 13th June 2-4pm French Open Day/Great British Tennis Weekend 6th July 2-4pm Wimbledon Open Day 13th September 2-4pm US Open Day Pershore Tennis Centre Behind Warwickshire College Avonbank Pershore WR10 3JP @tennispershore Pershore Tennis Centre

Call 01386 556677 www.tennispershore.co.uk

Father’s Day in Kemerton Sunday 21st June 12noon - 5pm

Kemerton Gardening Club invite you to enjoy an afternoon of plants and gardening in aid of St Nicholas’ Church.

lan an afternoon out in Kemerton for all the family to enjoy this Father’s Day. Several of Kemerton’s lovely gardens will be open to the public – all located in the lower part of the village close to the parish church of St. Nicholas. The church will also be the venue for a performance by the Heart & Soul Choir, renowned for their stirring renditions of spiritual music from around the world. The church will also feature a flower display with face painting and other activities laid on for children.

Gardens open include Kemerton Court which features a fabulous walled garden where fruit trees, vegetables, ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers flourish in perfect harmony. Upper Court is in a beautiful position and has stunning views to a large ornamental lake. You will also find some hidden gems of ‘garden rooms’ nestled within its large grounds. Other gardens include The Old Rectory, Rectory Farm and Ryeclose where tea and refreshments will also be served. Kemerton Gardening Club will

be holding a Plant Sale with a wide selection of locally grown hardy border plants, shrubs and colourful annuals as well as second hand gardening books and garden tools. The Crown pub in the centre of the village will be serving Father’s Day lunches (booking essential). Entry is only £2 per adult (children free) and proceeds raised by the Friends of St Nicholas Church will go towards essential maintenance of this beautiful church. Using Satnav, the postcode GL20 7HP will take you to the centre of Kemerton village.

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Words: Katherine Lewis Pictures: Angela Tidmarsh

The British Asparagus Festival in the Vale of Evesham 23 April-21 June 2015

Celebrating the world’s finest ‘gras.’ Numerous events and activities will take place across the Vale of Evesham during the next two months to honour the growing, harvesting and eating of this sumptuous delicacy.

he 2015 British Asparagus Festival will once again celebrate the Vale of Evesham’s association with the delicious vegetable between 23 April and 21 June. The Festival launches on St. George’s Day with the Great English Asparagus Run and is then followed by an array of events over two months.

entertaining “Asparagus Experience” and a value for money day out around the Vale of Evesham. Complete with an asparaguide you are sure to gain a fascinating insight into the majestic green vegetable. Contact Dudley’s Coaches 01386 792206 to book your seat.

Sunday 24 May: Silver Band Asparagus Auction The Fleece Inn, Bretforton hosts the Silver Band Asparagus Auction as hundreds gather in the courtyard to bid for the season’s largest freshest local asparagus. In previous years this long standing Wednesday 13 & Wednesday 20 tradition has even proved popular May: Asparabus Coach Tours with national media coverage Dudley’s Coaches and Evesham including the ever popular BBC Vale Tour Guides are providing an Countryfile.

Monday 11 May: Asparagus Cookery Demonstration Night The cookery demonstration at Eckington Manor Cookery School will show you just how diverse this unique vegetable is.

Bank Holiday Monday 25 May: Asparagus Family Fun Day The Fleece, Bretforton hosts vintage fairground attractions, food, music and entertainment for all the family. Saturday 30 & Sunday 31 May: Asparafest Returning for its third year, a mix of magical music, the freshest of food, fascinating country crafts, frolicsome fun, barrels of beer …. And…Awesome Asparagus! Line up so far includes The Wurzels, appearances from The World-Famous Asparamancer, Gus and the Asparafairy, plus Asparagus Eating Competitions, Recipe Competitions and the Crowning of the Asparagus King and Queen!

Saturday 6 – Saturday 13 June Asparawriting Festival A week of intimate, but fun, workshops for aspiring writers - led by well-known professional authors. There’s more: a series of talks by the authors for both readers and writers, with links to the Simon de Montfort events around the Battle of Evesham. Individuals can learn about writing, Worcestershire, asparagus and all things related. www.asparawritingfestival.co.uk Friday 19 – Sunday 21 June National Morris Weekend, Evesham Celebrating a local pastime with a national competition attracting Morris dancers and sides from across the UK competing on the Evesham River Bank for the highly prized Evesham stick. Real ale and music make for a fun weekend filled with free entertainment. For more details call 01386 565373 or visit: www.britishasparagusfestival.org www.asparafest.co.uk www.asparawritingfestival.co.uk The British Asparagus Festival @AsparagusFest 47

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Behind The Scenes...

With Caroline Lawrence from The Roses in Tewkesbury If there’s one thing that I’m asked to explain time and again, it is the reason for booking fees. Regarded variously with distaste, suspicion and even, on occasion, loathing, booking fees are frequently misunderstood - which is understandable when you consider how complicated they can be. So why do we charge booking fees? Why don’t we simply put the ticket prices up? Let me explain. Firstly, venues only get a fraction of profit from an event – the split is usually around 80/20 in favour of the visiting company. That means from every pound we take in ticket sales, we only get around 20p. And here lies the reason we can’t simply add the booking fee into the ticket price - we’d need to put the ticket price up by £5 simply to make a £1!

Another crucial factor is that it’s actually illegal to hide fees in this way - it is now law that consumers are clearly told at the point of purchase what extra fees they are paying. Therefore we must advertise a ticket for an event as costing £20.75 (including 75p booking fee) as it would be illegal for us to advertise it simply as £20.75, without telling you that that 75p is an additional fee. This leads me onto the next question I am frequently asked... What do booking fees actually pay for? Why do we need them at all? The answer is a simple one, and arts venues up and down the country will all say the same thing: we couldn’t operate without that extra revenue. This year, more than ever, money management is a crucial part of our work as we embark upon our exciting redevelopment project. A lot of unseen expense is

Buy One Get One Free on any evening film screening in May & June Ends 30/06/15 T’s & C’s Apply

incurred before we can sell a ticket. Our telephone lines, booking system and website give audiences easy access to information and create a friendly, welcoming theatre, but they all have to be staffed and funded. Without them, it wouldn’t be possible to book in advance, or choose your seats, or guarantee getting a seat at all. Yes, there are always going to be organisations that do overcharge on fees. You don’t need me to tell you that. But hopefully, now that I’ve given an insight into the hidden world of ticketing, you will, at The Roses at least, feel more comfortable knowing exactly where your money goes. To see what’s on at The Roses, visit www.rosestheatre.org or call the Box Office on 01684 295074 to request a brochure.

Contact The Roses’ Box Office on 01684 295074 or visit www.rosestheatre.org 49

EditorialPage_MayJune2015.indd 1

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Turtle Dove courtesy of Pete Walkden

Two

TURTLE DOVES The turtle dove has suffered serious decline in recent decades due to changing agricultural practices and habitat loss. Wendy Carter of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust explains more.

heard (then saw) a turtle dove on a telegraph pole on my road in Defford last year. It was such a rare occurrence that I was almost late for work; there was no way I was leaving until it did. Turtle doves make a beautiful gentle purring and it was this that brought me to a halt and made me dig around in my bag to find binoculars so I could find the owner of the sound. Fabulous though they are, turtle doves are one of those birds that you’ll hear conservationists talk about in doom and gloom conversations. Since 1970, we’ve lost 93% of these pretty purrers and it’s predicted that, at this rate, they’ll be gone altogether as a British breeding bird by 2021. What will your true love give to you on the second day of Christmas if they disappear

Collared Doves courtesy of Graham Chetwynd

NEW!

Turtle Dove courtesy of Amy Lewis

completely? Turtle doves nest in scrub, woodlands and hedgerows around agricultural areas; they eat seeds and fruits of weeds and cereals such as fumitory, clover, vetch and bird’s-foot trefoil. Changes in farming practice and land-use, however, have reduced their opportunities for both suitable nesting sites and for feeding. While there are things we can do right here at home, the problem isn’t ours alone. Turtle doves migrate to Africa and, as if this mammoth journey alone isn’t enough, they battle with illegal shooting in Europe, extreme weather and an ever-expanding Sahara and Sahel desert that provide few re-fuelling and rest stops. Operation Turtle Dove, an international project, is trying to understand the factors that are contributing to the birds’ decline with a view to reversing the trend. Turtle doves used to be common throughout Worcestershire but are now only found around the Evesham and Welland areas. So what can we do to help the travel-weary birds that are arriving back about now – they need to breed and feed before returning to Africa? If you’re lucky enough to have a big garden or

some land, why not allow your hedges to grow making sure you allow trees like hawthorn and elder or climbers such as honeysuckle to thrive. If you can, consider sowing some of the seeds mentioned above to give the birds something to eat. And if you think you’ve seen or heard one, we’d love to hear from you – recording where they are and how many are in the county provides vital information for their future conservation. Please drop me a line at wendy@worcestershirewildlifetrust.org. Visit www.operationturtledove.org for more information.

To support WWT or find out more... Sun 3rd May 10am-5pm, Tiddesley Wood Open Day, Pershore Fri 22nd May 5am-midnight Bioblitz at Avon Meadows Wetland, Pershore Wed 27th May Introduction to Volunteering, Tiddesley Wood To find out more call 01905 754919 or visit our website www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/whats-on. Like us on Flickr, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @ WorcsWT 51

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White Chocolate Parfait with Strawberries & Strawberry Soup

A perfect summer dinner party dessert. Makes 6 portions. INGREDIENTS - PARFAIT ½ a vanilla pod 1 egg 2 egg yolks 35g sugar (warmed) 75g white chocolate (melted) 215ml double cream, semi-whipped Small grey rings/or ramekins (wiped with vegetable oil) INGREDIENTS - STRAWBERRY SOUP To be made the day before 250g Strawberries (plus additional for decoration) 20g Icing Sugar METHOD  Whisk the egg and yolks together with warmed sugar to make a sabayon (until the ribbon stage is reached and the mixture is pale).

 Semi whip the cream with the vanilla pod seeds.  Add melted white chocolate to the sabayon and then fold in the vanilla cream and pipe or spoon into rings or ramekins and freeze.  To make the strawberry soup; slice the strawberries and lay them in a bowl, dust with icing sugar, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place overnight to extract the juice. Mix up and drain the strawberries through a sieve. Discard the strawberries and check the soup for sweetness, whisking in more icing sugar if required.  To assemble the dish: take the parfait out of the freezer, remove from the ring or ramekin and place in a serving bowl, slice up strawberries to put around the side of the parfait.  Place a couple of strawberries on top to decorate.  Pour the strawberry soup around the parfait just before serving. This recipe is printed courtesy of Steve Waites, Michelin trained Chef and Proprieter of Belle House, Restaurant & Bar, Bridge Street, Pershore, WR10 1AJ. Visit www.belle-house.co.uk 53

do you have an event to promote

...then why not use Life in the Village Cotswold Edge. As well as advertising we offer Leaflet Design, Print & Drop. Our rates are surprisingly affordable and with three sister magazines, Life in the Village Bredon, Avon & Severn and Folly View you can reach up to 12,500 potential customers in the villages between Pershore, Evesham, Broadway, Tewkesbury and Upton upon Severn. To find out more contact Lisa on:

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The Role of

PhD. My research was focused upon Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity. In the national news, on almost a daily basis, this is one of the many topics featured as a certain worry for health of the nation. Our future generation of Educating a well children need to be encouraged to rounded young person participate in physical activity so is as much about that they develop the necessary habits to remain fit and healthy building character as throughout their adult lives. encouraging academic Physical activity is vital to the achievement. Sport has holistic development of young a major contribution to people, fostering their physical, make explains Dr Tony social and emotional health. The benefits of sport reach beyond the Evans, Headteacher at impact on physical well-being, and Prince Henry’s High the value of the educational School, Evesham. benefits of sport should not be under-estimated. Physical activity n many of my articles, I have refreshes the mind and body and focused upon academia: good will aid with future study and study habits, option choices examination success. and homework. This issue, moving Every school promotes a variety away from scholarly pursuits, but of physical and sporting activities just as important, I want to look at both within and outside the normal the role of sport in schools. curriculum. We often play other I have spent my whole life schools in the local area in team focused within the world of games and this generates an education and it is coming up to excellent spirit of competitiveness, twenty years since I completed my competition, and camaraderie. As

Sport

well as supporting a healthy lifestyle, sport in school develops important values such as responsibility, leadership, perseverance, integrity, tolerance and trust. Last October, Prince Henry’s High School was awarded the Sainsbury’s Sports Mark Gold Award for the third year running for our continuing commitment to extra-curricular activities, interschool sport and intra school competitions. As parents, please encourage your children to participate in physical activity, especially as they move through their teenage years. They will meet new friends, potentially understand what it is like to win, and to lose. Physical activity will support their physiological, emotional and psychological wellbeing, and hopefully, their participation will enable them to live healthier lives.

LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE? Dr. Evans is Headteacher at: Prince Henry's High School Victoria Avenue, Evesham, Worcs WR11 4QH Call on 01386 765588 For more information about work shadowing, teacher training or school life please visit our website below.

www.princehenrys.worcs.sch.uk 55

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POLICING

South Worcestershire

write this a few months into my new command having previously carried out a similar role in the north of the county. Working in this area, with the gem of the city of Worcester and the beautiful countryside surrounding it, is a pleasure and an honour. Since my arrival I have built on work done to date with our partners at Wychavon District Council and the wider Community Safety Partnership, which means that between us, we are delivering a safe and good place to live, work and play. I have already taken on board that there have been concerns in the villages around such matters as rural and business crime and have instigated what will be a long running operation targeting criminals who commit these offences and engage in antisocial behaviour. In keeping with the commitment made by our Chief Constable David Shaw and our Police and Crime Commissioner, Bill Longmore, I have set an expectation that that we must maximise patrol time and activity out of police stations, and will continue to ensure that this objective is met. I believe that police officers on patrol, both in marked and unmarked vehicles, have a far greater

With Policing Commander for South Worcestershire, Superintendent Kevin Purcell. chance of impacting on crime and disorder than they do in police stations. They are perhaps not always as visible as they should be, they will not always manage to be in the right place at the right time, but be assured that they are out there constantly, day and night, working to reduce harm and prevent offending. This presence, combined with the use of innovative modern technology such as mobile computers and Automatic Number Plate Readers, means that we can closely target those who cause most upset. Our Safer Neighbourhood Teams work hard to reduce risk in the community, protect people and improve quality of life across the area. Our priorities are identified through consultation with local residents and any concerns and achievements are regularly updated on our website www.westmercia.police.uk. The site includes a useful search facility so simply enter your postcode to access the most current police information and advice relevant to your area. Another way we make our work more visible is via social media so please follow us on twitter. My approach is that we that should be accountable, caring and understand that we have a

duty to the people we police. I look forward to providing regular updates through this column. In addition, I am happy to meet personally with local groups to discuss rural policing as are my Safer Neighbourhood Inspectors and their teams. Please get in touch with us via twitter or by calling 101.

Get In Touch... Contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team on 101 or dial 999 in an emergency. Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 to report information anonymously. Visit our website and use our easy postcode finder to keep up with news relevant to you www.westmercia.police.uk

Life in the Village

...in print, online, on twitter Our four magazines, new website and twitter updates offer you a slice of country life, locally. Connecting you wherever you are

hanks to everyone for all the great feedback on our new look magazines. Since last issue we have been exploring new ways to bring you useful content on country living, locally. Our twitter community continues to grow. And this edition, our website has a brand new feel, offering you a range of benefits including:  Digital edition. Access all the content you enjoy in print from your computer, tablet or smartphone. New, easy to navigate features mean you can read a digital version of our magazines at any time, wherever you happen to be.  Feature articles. Want to recommend a tradesman or discuss an article with a friend? Just click the links on our landing page to access our complete magazines or scroll through the images below to choose features of interest.  Easy to enter competitions. Working alongside local businesses, we bring you the chance to win a range of great prizes. Now, it’s easier to enter; simply

click on the Competitions tab and provide the details requested.  Printable vouchers. We team up with a range of local businesses to help you save. Want to save a second time or pass a voucher to a friend? Just click on the Vouchers tab to browse our Top Five picks or download your complete Voucher Pack.  Useful links. Click the indexed hyperlinks to quickly access the websites of a range of useful local folk.  Daily Updates. Like to keep in touch in between issues but don’t use social media? Our twitter feed is displayed on each page of our website so you can view it with ease. Visit www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk for daily updates via twitter on:

   

Local events Country living Rural issues Local producers

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Local business Nature & Wildlife Photography And much more...

Photos we share: Below ‘Hunting Barn Owl’ by Adam Tatlow. View more at www.cotswoldkeeperphotography.com

Visit us online for…

Daily updates on local events, local people, local products and services, country living, rural issues, nature and wildlife, recipes, photography & much more. www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk

Follow us on twitter too. It’s easy:  Go to www.twitter.com/signup  Enter your name, email & a password  Select a username  Click Create my account  Then, to follow, search for @lisalambon  Click Follow ..all done!

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chelten 59

Eckington Flower Festival & Open Gardens Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th June

Photos: David Bainbridge

Voucher for a FREE cup of tea for all coach passengers

Eckington villagers invite you for a day out in support of Holy Trinity church.

ckington is a lively village which lies between Tewkesbury and Pershore, near the river Avon and beneath Bredon Hill, with a lovely church which will, in June, boast a beautiful flower display illustrating Bible stories. We have two pubs and a shop and there are walks down to the river where there’s a wharf and picnic area. During our Open Weekend you can enjoy all this plus a variety of entertainment, stunning flower displays and a stroll around our

many diverse gardens. Around 30 gardens of varying size and designs will welcome you; some only small but beautifully crafted, others with amazing views and still more with a real wow factor. There will be live music inside the church and elsewhere featuring the travelling duo, Morning Dew. Refreshments will be available at several venues including homemade cakes, light meals, a pudding parlour (all freshly baked by our villagers) and a barbeque. A free circular mini-bus will be available

to transport you between the gardens, the clog and maypole dancing and the classic and vintage car display. There will also be a fashion show, a tombola, a wellyworkshop, a children’s trail, and a bake-off plus stalls selling toys, jigsaws and books. Wellingtons decorated by the villagers will be dotted around the village. Eckington village lies on the B4080 between Pershore and Tewkesbury. Find us with the postcode WR10 3AN. For more details visit www.eckington.info.

Weekend Admission Adults £5 Children Free 10am - 6pm Sat 13th & Sun 14th June 01386 751698 www.eckington.info Two Free Car Parks; Coaches Welcome 60

Win!

A Ticket Bundle To The Roses

The Simon & Garfunkel Story

The Roses in Tewkesbury is offering two lucky readers the chance to win an exclusive prize package - a pair of tickets to TWO of the following live shows plus a pair of film tickets: • The Simon & Garfunkel Story Sunday 7 June 7.30pm The story of how two young boys from New York went on to become the most successful music duo of all time. • Persuasion Tuesday 9 June 7.30pm Hotbuckle Theatre Company bring Jane Austen’s most personal novel to the stage. • Cinderella Thursday 11 June 7.30pm The award winning Ballet Cymru conjure a surprising world of wonder and magic.

Cinderella

• Genesis Connected Friday 19 June 7.30pm Performing the hits of Genesis and the solo projects of Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and Mike & The Mechanics. • The Big Band & Five Star Swing Sunday 21 June 7.30pm Swing along with songs from Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and many more. • David Starkey Tuesday 30 June 7.30pm The UK’s leading constitutional historian talks about the Magna Carta.

Genesis Connected The Big Band

How To Enter To enter, visit www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk and complete the details on the entry form. Alternatively, send a postcard to Spring Ticket Comp, The Roses, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, Glos, GL20 5NX. You must include your name, address and telephone number. Closing date Friday 29 May. Winners will be notified by Tuesday 2 June. Terms and Conditions Subject to availability. If a show is unavailable for any reason, an alternative will be offered. One entry per household. By entering this competition you agree to be contacted by Life in the Village and The Roses in the future. You can unsubscribe at any time by sending an email to lisa@lifeinthevillage.co.uk and stating the competition you entered.

David Starkey

CompetitionPage_MayJune15.indd 1

02/04/2015 11:48:43

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07894 241168 or 01684 772429 Hristina@bredonhillcleaningservices.co.uk www.bredonhillcleaningservices.co.uk

High Grove Farm, Pinvin, Pershore 01905 841405 or 07908 734 022 www.runelandscapedesign.co.uk

Autumn Collected £13.80m2 + VAT, Delivered £15.80m2+VAT. Camel, Collected £14.95m2+VAT, Delv’d £17.00m2+VAT, Fossil Mint Collected £16.50 m2+VAT, Delv’d £17.50 m2+VAT. Ends 30/6/15 or whilst stocks last. The Old Sawmill, Evesham Rd, Toddington, GL54 5DF 01242 620 000 www.cotswoldvalesupplies.co.uk

Life in the

Tewkesbury (both sites) 01684 292244 Bishop’s Cleeve 01242 679880 www.follygardens.com



OFFERS ON SANDSTONE

Open Wed-Sun & Holiday Mon’s, 11-6 from 1 April -30 Sept, weekends only 11-4 in Oct. Offer excl. Plant Fairs & Events. Sorry no dogs except Guide Dogs. Please check opening hours on the website. Offer only valid on days we are open. Spetchley, Nr J6 M5, Worcester, WR5 1RS 01905 345106 www.spetchleyparkgardens.co.uk

SPETCHLEY PARK GARDENS

*Softwood sleepers 8'x8"x4"£14 +VAT *New Oak Sleepers 8'x8"x4"£20 +VAT Ends 30/6/15 or whilst stocks last.

Life in the



GARDEN SLEEPERS FROM £14+VAT*

NANA’S FOOD JAPAN

FREE ONE HOUR DESIGN CONSULTATION

OFFERS ON LIMESTONE

In your own home within a 15 mile radius of our Fladbury base. Ends 30/6/15.

Life in the

COTSWOLD & VALE SUPPLIES

Yellow Limestone Collected £19.00m 2+VAT Delivered price £21.00m 2+VAT. Tumbled Yellow Limestone Collected £24m2 + VAT, Delivered £26.50m2+VAT. Ends 30/6/15 or whilst stocks last. The Old Sawmill, Evesham Rd, Toddington GL54 5DF 01242 620 000 www.cotswoldvalesupplies.co.uk

TRACY HARPER CURTAIN DESIGN

COTSWOLD & VALE SUPPLIES

FREE £10 COSTA COFFEE GIFT CARD*

20% OFF ANY GUINOT FACIAL

When you take out a Johnston Scotia HomeCare Plan by 30/06/15. *Redeemable in participating stores.

Life in the

Old Farmhouse, Craycombe Farm Evesham Rd, Fladbury, Pershore WR10 2QS 01386 861774 tracyharper8@icloud.com

Ends 30/6/15. Please present voucher at Reception. Offers cannot be combined. The Coach House, 2a Bull Lane, Winchcombe, Glos GL54 5HY 01242 604017 www.beautybeyondwinchcombe.co.uk

Station Drive, Bredon, GL20 7HH 01684 210612 www.johnstonscotia.com

JOHNSTON SCOTIA

BEAUTY BEYOND

10% OFF ALL BEAUTY PRODUCTS

£10 OFF ANY BEAUTY OR HOLISTIC TREATMENT

Ends 30/6/15.

Life in the

An ideal gift! Ends 30/6/15. 01386 641578 / 07717 298207 nanasfoodsjapan@hotmail.co.jp www.nanasfood.co.uk

The Old Sawmill, Evesham Rd, Toddington GL54 5DF 01242 620 000 www.cotswoldvalesupplies.co.uk

58 Bridge Street, Evesham WR11 4RY 07967 790357 or 01386 443049 www.yourewonderfulbeauty.com

For new customers of Beauty Beyond. Ends 30/6/15. Please present voucher. Offers cannot be combined. The Coach House, 2a Bull Ln, Winchcombe,Glos GL54 5HY 01242 604017 www.beautybeyondwinchcombe.co.uk

YOU’RE WONDERFUL BEAUTY

BEAUTY BEYOND

£30 GIFT CARD FOR THE REGAL CINEMA, EVESHAM

LEAFLET DROP £35+VAT PER 1000 SUPPLIED

The first 20 new instructions 1st May-30th June ‘For Sale’ or ‘To Let’ will receive a gift card valued at £30 for The Regal Cinema, Evesham on presentation of this voucher. 7 Merstow Green, Evesham WR11 4BD 01386 761241 www.gpandjames.co.uk

GUSTERSON PALMER & JAMES

Life in the



20% OFF JAPANESE DINING &/OR COOKERY CLASS

Ends 30/4/15. 01684 773135 /07776 340736 lisa@lifeinthevillage.co.uk www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk

LIFE IN THE VILLAGE 63

YOUR LOCAL RURAL INDEPENDENT RETAILER

COMPOSTS & PEATS

Tel: 01386 831000

Quality Composts for the Professional & Amateur Gardener, with Peat farmed from family owned managed Peat reserves.

OPEN: Monday - Saturday 8.30am - 5.30pm

MULTI PURPOSE 60L

ENRICHED

£4.25

£5.50

BUY 3 £10

JOHN INNES

PROFESSIONAL

POTTING 75L

VEGETABLE

BAG 60L

75L

BUY 3 £14.25

POTATO &

SMALLHOLDER PRODUCTS

£6.39

BUY 3 £16.85

£5.29

BUY 3 £13.50

GARDEN MACHINERY Garden Machinery Specialists with in house after sales Service & Repair Workshop No obligation demonstrations available, Trade In Deals!

SMALL HOLDER NATURAL LAYERS PELLETS 20kg

£9.99

SPRUCE

ORNAMENTAL

70L 5-35mm

VG PRICE

We can discuss any specific requirement you may have & supply the right solution! 64

£5.99

BARK FOR GARDENS & PLAY AREAS NOW IN

Index Page 1

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New Look website...

lifeinthevillage.co.uk Our new website enables you to access all the content you enjoy in print from your pc, tablet or smartphone. You can now: • Get daily updates via twitter • Enter competitions online • Print money saving vouchers • Explore useful local links • Bookmark your favourites • Share on Facebook or twitter

Find out more:

01684 773135 @LisaLambon

lisa@lifeinthevillage.co.uk

www.lifeinthevillage.co.uk

Vale Heating & Plumbing

Where Will You Find To Unwind This Evening? Our Services Include:  Large display of traditional and

Visit our showroom just behind Pershore High St and find a range of traditional and contemporary bathrooms on display Our friendly staff

contemporary bathroom suites

 Long term relationships with reliable

will help you select the bathroom best suited to your

suppliers including Jacuzzi, Matki, Ideal Standard, Heritage & Novellini

needs. Over 20 years of trading we’ve acquired a huge amount of experience in designing and installing

 Designer radiators & towel rails  Expert installation service including

bathrooms, including all electrical and any necessary building works. All our fitters, plumbers and electricians

building and electrical services

are fully qualified and employed by the company with no sub-contractors used. Whatever you choose, be

Please visit our showroom or call us to find out more

assured that you will get an expert fitting, guaranteed.

Vale Heating & Plumbing Ltd

Unit 5A, Rear of 79 High Street

01386 556585

Pershore WR10 1EU

www.valebathroomandfires.co.uk lifeinthevillage.co.uk

Pop into our Pershore showroom and see our great range of accessories from Samuel Heath, Miller & Roper Rhodes



@LisaLambon



Map here Pershore High St.

01684 773135

Vale P&H

New Inn

Asda

Leisure Centre