Live Ribble Valley Issue 144 October 2023

WARMING UP AUTUMN FASHION

HONOURING THE PAST

DESIGNER & SCULPTOR

JOHN EVERISS

TAKING CENTRE STAGE

THEATRE DIRECTOR

ELIN SCHOFIELD

TOTAL TRANSFORMATION

CLITHEROE’S HIDDEN

NATURE RESERVE

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12 HONOURING THE PAST

Landscape designer John Everiss includes stunning sculptural elements in his work. Many of his award-winning installations have been inspired by war veterans, who have bravely fought for their country.

80 BACK TO NATURE

The once neglected Primrose Lodge in Clitheroe has been transformed into a hugely successful community nature reserve where wildlife is thriving. We meet the people behind the transformation.

100 SAVE WADDOW HALL

The news that Waddow Hall is to be put up for sale has shocked and saddened Girlguiding volunteers and the wider community, who have launched a bid to save it.

128 HEALTHIER FUTURE

With experts from Italy and the UK, the health and culinary virtues of extra virgin olive oil, were explored at a recent event held in the Ribble Valley.

152 TAKING CENTRE STAGE

We chat to theatre director Elin Schofield, who is currently working on the highly acclaimed Dear England, which is set to transfer to London’s West End.

LIVE MAGAZINES

Chairman: Simon Smith

Managing Director: Tedd Walmsley

Company Secretary: Elizabeth Walmsley

Editor: Jan Woolley

Graphic Designers: Nick Dittrich and Rob Walmsley

Operations Manager: Kate Hyde

Production Manager: James Britton

Sales Account Manager: Jane Hughes 07875 696 928

Photography: Robin Lyndon, Roger Moore and Kirsten Platt

Editorial contributors: Paul Agnew, Gail Bailey, Kate Bowyer, Michael Hodkinson, Kate Hyde, Meena McDonald, Lauren Molyneux, Alma Stewart, Alan Veale, Jenni Walmsley, Robert Walmsley, Liz Walmsley and Tedd Walmsley

RIBBLE VALLEY OFFICE

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LIVE RIBBLE VALLEY magazine is hand delivered to selected households and businesses in Balderstone, Barrow, Barrowford, Bashall Eaves, Bolton by Bowland, Brockhall Village, Broughton, Chaigley, Chatburn, Chipping, Clitheroe, Copster Green, Dinckley, Downham, Dutton, Fence, Gisburn, Goosnargh, Grimsargh, Grindleton, Higham, Holden, Horton in Craven, Hothersall, Hurst Green, Knowle Green, Langho and Billington, Longridge, Mellor, Osbaldeston, Pendleton, Pleasington, Read, Ribchester, Rimington, Rivington, Sabden, Salesbury, Samlesbury, Sawley, Simonstone, Twiston, Waddington, West Bradford, Whalley, Whittingham, Wilpshire, Wiswell, Worston.

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Here at Live Ribble Valley we are always commenting on how wonderful this part of the world is and how interesting the people are.

This issue is no exception as we meet sculptor and landscape designer John Everiss. When I met John, he was working on a beautiful property over on the Fylde coast, but he has worked all over the UK and internationally. Much of his work as a sculptor is based on WWII and as we chatted, he recounted a fascinating tale about his father who was in Bomber Command. His aircraft, which was shot down over France, crash landed and caught fire. His father survived and the story that follows is truly amazing!

Also in this issue of Live Ribble Valley, award-winning theatre director Elin Schofield from Clitheroe talks about her work – having just returned from a spell in New York, she is now working on the highly acclaimed Dear England, which is set to debut in London’s West End.

We also discover a hidden nature reserve in the heart of Clitheroe. After three years’ hard work, Primrose Lodge has been transformed, wildlife has returned and thanks to the Primrose Community Nature Trust, the Ribble Rivers Trust and 100-strong team of volunteers, it has become a wonderful community space.

We all know that the Ribble Valley is a special place to live and work, and this was confirmed in the most unlikely circumstances recently. To cut a very long story short, I was stranded in the south of France (I know, ‘worst places’) due to a cancelled flight. In a remarkable stroke of luck, I met a lady at Nice airport, who had been on the outbound flight, and was invited to stay on a yacht in Antibes. Sitting in the sun on the lower deck the following morning, the skipper came over to join me. He asked where in the UK I was from – I told him the Ribble Valley. He beamed: “I know it well,” he exclaimed. “A lovely place! My brother lived in Clitheroe!” Small world.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Live Ribble Valley.

Jan Woolley Editor

of the Live Magazines portfolio, including Live Preston & Fylde

A new bar and entertainment area to complement a Kitchen Design Centre Kitchen

Andrea and Steven first approached Kitchen Design Centre to create their dream kitchen back in 2016.

As their house renovations progressed and they extended their home, they contacted Showroom Manager Paul Harrington and Kitchen Design Centre again to create a new bar and entertainment area behind the kitchen.

Their kitchen had featured in various magazines and been admired by family and friends. They were delighted with Paul and Kitchen Design Centre the first time so approaching them again to create the bar area was an easy decision.

Based on the same units and stunning unique colours, which included a textured gold green door and metallic elements, Paul devised a show stopping bar complete with separate drinks preparation area.

The complete area flows perfectly with the kitchen sitting separately but next to the new bar and living area. This makes both family day-to-day living and entertaining larger groups a real joy.

Says Andrea, “we loved the kitchen and now we’ve added the bar and drinks area we love it even more. It’s everything we wanted and more. Kitchen Design Centre have been amazing again, they’ve brought my vision to life and created one perfect room.”

To read more about how we designed this kitchen and to view the video tour of it visit: www.kitchendesigncentre.com

“It was great to create the initial kitchen for the family, especially in such unique striking colours. I was delighted when they contacted me again to create the bar area and loved my ideas and design. The original kitchen together with the new bar space looks incredible and really has the ‘wow’ factor.”

Designer Paul Harrington says:

ORDINARY PEOPLE… EXTRAORDINARY TIMES

Sculptor and landscaper John Everiss has done some amazing work, which can be seen in public spaces across the UK and which also features in private collections all over the world.

Recent private projects have involved creating a female figure that appears to be standing on the surface of a lake in the grounds of a large Sussex house and a commission from an Australian client asking John to make a sculpture of a wartime Spitfire.

“We do get to work in some fabulous properties and meet some very interesting people,” he says.

Landscape designer John Everiss includes stunning sculptural elements in his work, with many of his award-winning installations inspired by war veterans, who bravely fought for their country

“But it is the work I do for public spaces that I enjoy the most, as it makes a connection and resonates with people.”

Born in London, John moved north originally to study agriculture at Myerscough College but had a change of mind when he realised landscaping would combine his love of hands-on ‘making’ with his passion for creative design.

In 1993 he took over Bezza Nursery in the Ribble Valley, which he ran for many years. Three decades later he is now an award-winning landscaper and sculptor, with installations in public spaces across the UK and in France: “Had I not gone into garden design I probably would have been an illustrator or graphic designer.

THE WASHERS

GIVE THE SCULPTURES A TRANSPARENCY – ALMOST LIKE A MEMORY

“But for me, building things with my hands is just as important as the design side. I love making things come to life.”

Much of John’s sculptural works have an intrinsic link to wartime – he has worked on sculptures to commemorate the D-Day landings and the Battle of Britain, alongside working with many national charities including the RAF Benevolent Fund.

IN 1947 JOHN’S FATHER WENT BACK TO THE CRASH SITE AND FOUND THE HIDDEN CAMERA AND HIS WATCH, WHICH WAS STILL WORKING. THE PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT STILL BURNING

His wartime sculptures are inspired by war veterans including his late father Stan Everiss, who was a navigator in Bomber Command during World War II.

“My father and the crew flew a short Stirling called White Squirrel – the Stirling is bigger than a Lancaster bomber,” says John, who still has his father’s log book: “He was a great keeper of information and all his missions are logged, their destinations and how many bombs the plane was carrying,” he says, pointing to inserts in the log book, noting Berlin, Ruhr and Dusseldorf among the many missions.

One of the hand-written inserts notes an operation to Turin, ‘Engine failure, jettisoned load, crash landed.’

“That was on February 4th – he was back flying on February 7th,” says John, who adds

that the final insert in the log, in April 1943, simply reads, ‘Missing’.

John explains: “In 1943 he and the crew were shot down in France – the plane crash landed between two trees, which knocked off both wings leaving the fuselage, which set on fire.

“All seven men survived. My father was badly injured but hid in a ditch until the French Resistance came to help. He always had a camera with him, and he took a picture of the crash site and buried the camera along with his RAF service watch in the ditch.”

John’s father was taken by the Resistance to a nearby village, where he stayed for a number of weeks with a mechanic in his garage.

To convince the world that each crew member had perished, the Germans held a funeral with seven coffins: “The ‘funeral’ was held in the village where my dad was hiding!” says John, whose father when sufficiently recovered, was taken to the Pyrenees, which he crossed eventually arriving at the British consulate in Spain and from there he was taken to Gibraltar and flown back to England.

“When he knocked on the front door my mum fainted when she saw him as he had been logged as missing.”

After the war, in 1947, John’s father went back to the crash site in France and found the camera and his Omega service watch, which was still working: “The film in the camera was still viable and I still have the picture of the tail section of the aircraft, still burning.”

Due to his injuries in the crash, his father

retired from the services and went on to become an eminent, post-war zoologist, who worked with David Attenborough. He also continued to give presentations to the RAF Escaping Society – a UK-wide group of airmen that made daring escapes or who bravely, evaded capture during the war. The money they raised went to those who had helped rescue them in France.

“As a family we still keep in touch with the people who helped my father. I recently met with the lady, who, as a 16-year-old farmer’s daughter, heard the Stirling crash and ran to help.”

FEATURING

Among the wartime memorabilia John has kept, are his father’s leather, silk-lined flying gloves: “The name of the previous pilot who wore them is inscribed on the inside of the glove,” says John, poignantly.

“Before the war my dad was an academic working as a teacher – his rear gunner on the Stirling was a crofter from the Shetland Isles – imagine going from being a remote crofter to a rear gunner. These were incredibly strong, amazing men.”

In 2015 John went to the Chelsea Flower Show with a garden inspired by his father featuring bomber crew airmen kneeling in a church – an installation that is now in Astley Park, Chorley.

Four years later in 2019, he created D-Day Revisited – an award-winning installation created for Chelsea to commemorate the D-Day landings, which features a series of sculptures of soldiers made of stainless steel washers: “The washers give the sculptures a transparency – almost like a memory,” says John, who worked alongside acclaimed fellow UK sculptor Thompson Dagnall, who created a solid stone sculpture of a presentday D-Day veteran, looking at the ghostly sculptures of the young men staggering out of the water.

After Chelsea the garden was donated to Arromanches in France to be installed on a clifftop overlooking Gold Beach – one of the sites of the landings: “We transported it over to France in three articulated lorries. I loved doing that sculpture and working with the veterans. I wanted it to be very respectful and wanted to capture the ‘memory’ aspect so that it would resonate with people. It’s a

great way to tell a story.”

Behind each piece of work John completes are hundreds of hours of research and technical design.

At last year’s Chelsea Flower Show he created a sculpture of a wartime pilot to commemorate the Battle of Britain. Featuring 241 layers of laser-cut stainless steel, the figure, which is modelled on his own son George, portrays a young pilot looking up to the skies. The seven-ton, 14.5ft high statue, surrounded by a garden of red, white and blue azaleas, has now been relocated to London Biggin Hill Airport, a former RAF base used by pilots who fought and won the Battle of Britain.

“My father’s story is just one of thousands told by many brave people who fought in the war,” adds John. “There is definitely an element of ‘ordinary people in extraordinary times’ and I hope that’s reflected in my work.”

johneverissdesign.com

241 LAYERS OF LASER-CUT STAINLESS STEEL, THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN SCULPTURE SHOWS A YOUNG PILOT LOOKING UP TO THE SKIES

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SHOP LOCAL

Supporting your local high street often means you get better deals as well as getting expert advice, writes Mike Scothern of Harry Garlick

After Covid, people were desperate to get out and about, sick of being cooped up sitting in front of their laptops – they wanted to visit shops again and talk to real people rather than chat bots! Store owners all had a boom time, but the honeymoon period is now over and retailing is becoming tough once again.

But let me reassure Harry Garlick’s long time loyal customers and potentially new ones, we are still here and still going the extra

mile to make sure you are looked after from start to finish. We boast many five-star reviews on Trustpilot, with our average being 4.7/5, and we are striving for that 5/5.

At Harry Garlick we have many experts in their field, who are able to advise you on how best to spend your well-earned cash. We have six members of our team who have been with us over 25 years, and one, over 40 years! These experts are spread over the whole of our business – sales, service and install – the

complete beginning to end solution!

Harry Garlick is part of two buying groups, as well as having direct accounts with the biggest manufacturers, such as Samsung, LG, Sony, Hoover and Hotpoint. These relationships mean that we can compete on price with the likes of AO, Currys and John Lewis, and with our 65,000 sq ft warehouse we usually have whatever you need in stock!

WE RECENTLY FEATURED ON THIS MORNING WHEN DAVE (BANK OF DAVE)

FISHWICK VISITED OUR PADIHAM STORE, WHERE WE GAVE HIM ADVICE FOR GETTING THE BEST DEALS

So do your research online by all means, but when it comes to purchasing, make sure you visit Harry Garlick where you will get the same price (or sometimes better) as on the internet, but you will also receive expert guidance, with the offer of a personalised installation service as well!

We recently featured on This Morning when Dave (Bank of Dave) Fishwick visited our Padiham store, where we gave him advice for getting the best deals, and at the same time supporting your local stores, a cause very dear to Dave’s heart. He even bought a washing machine for Pendleside Hospice and a toaster for Dermot and Alison!

He was keen to stress how important it is that we all continue to support our local stores. It is these stores that give our towns diversity and character, after all, I’m sure we have enough charity and coffee shops! n

IF EVERY ADULT IN THE UK SPENT JUST £5 PER WEEK IN THEIR LOCAL SHOPS AND BUSINESSES, instead of online, at the supermarket or with huge multinationals, IT WOULD BE WORTH £13.5 BILLION going directly back into our towns, which means better jobs, better facilities and a nicer place to live. Makes you think doesn’t it. #SHOPLOCAL

Harry Garlick

26-30 King Street, Clitheroe BB7 2EP 01200 421080

109 Burnley Road, Padiham BB12 8BL 01282 687050

1 Church Street, Barnoldswick BB18 5UR 01282 811800

26 High Street, Skipton BD23 1JZ 01756 798421

Date of experience: 16 May 2023

harrygarlick.co.uk

I have purchased a fridge freezer and a tumble dryer. I always when possible buy local. I ordered a new washing machine from Harry Garlick. The machine arrived on time with Lee and Martin, who plumbed the machine in. I have problems with my eyesight and asked Lee and Martin if they would be kind enough to explain how the washer worked. They were superb, when they left I felt comfortable about operating the washer. Thanks Lee and Martin, will recommend Harry Garlick to my family and friends.

to create a personal look and enjoying the process. The palette has 12 colours and for the first time, we’ve included our wallpapers in the collaboration too, which are printed with our own paint as always, but this time exclusively using the Carte Blanche colours.” Christopher John Rogers commented: “Colours, and the feelings that I get from them,

CLASSIC & CONTEMPORARY

Premium paint and wallpaper maker Farrow & Ball is this month partnering with celebrated fashion designer Christopher John Rogers to launch Carte Blanche – a capsule collection of pattern and colour

Through the new Carte Blanche collection, Farrow & Ball brings designer Christopher John Rogers’ distinctive flair and unmistakable joy to the world of interiors. A foundation of four neutrals, eight statement shades and three playful wallpaper prints, this palette of handcrafted paint and paper places the emphasis on expressive, individual style.

Inspired by cherished memories of food and family, the 12 new paint shades range from vivid blue to verdant green, cheerful pink to structural neutrals. The result is a colour palette of elevated exuberance. For the first

time, the collection also includes three new wallpaper patterns centred around playing with shape, each available in three Carte Blanche colourways. Exquisitely fashioned but far from restrictive, the elements can be effortlessly combined with endless possibilities.

are always my starting point when working, so when Farrow & Ball reached out regarding the collaboration, it seemed like the most natural fit. With their emphasis on quality and longevity, and my emphasis on artful, declarative design, I think this partnership has created something incredibly exciting by mining the space between both feelings.”

Charlotte Cosby, Creative Director for Farrow & Ball, commented: “I’m obsessed with Christopher’s use of colour – he treats it so tenderly and the result can be a beautifully tempered explosion or a slick confident splash. His lines are impeccable and you can’t help but be drawn to the exquisite quality of his pieces, a key reason why he felt like such a natural partner for us. It’s been incredible to work with Christopher because craft and attention to detail are intrinsic to both of our processes, so I always knew this collaboration was going to be something special.

“Carte Blanche is all about finding freedom

Carte Blanche brings together the best of heritage and modernity, combining classic inspiration and the traditional techniques Farrow & Ball has perfected over 75 years with an unexpected twist, for a timeless look that delights this season and many more.” n

Local Farrow & Ball stockist: 01995 643455 rockform.co.uk farrow-ball.com

CARTE BLANCHE BRINGS TOGETHER THE BEST OF HERITAGE AND MODERNITY, COMBINING CLASSIC INSPIRATION AND THE TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES

Anew take on café curtains, the dresser curtain is designed to conceal open shelves and white goods.

“Dresser curtains are a direct result of our family’s needs. We restored an antique dresser, but we didn’t have space for doors to open around it, so a fabric curtain was the perfect solution to disguise pots, pans and the general chaos of family life!” explains company founder Tori.

“Curtains take up far less space than doors and add a tactile, nostalgic feel. Choose our standard rod pocket for simplicity or a rod pocket with upstand for a more decorative, frilly look. If you’re wanting to replace cupboard or wardrobe panels with fabric, choose the double rod pocket curtain, which simply slides and gathers on to your pole or cord,” suggests Tori, whose company was founded in 2012.

Joining the ‘made-to-measure in 14 working-days’ service – including dresser and café curtains as well as relaxed Roman blinds – is fabric collection Settle.

“A new material culture inspired by the traditional Irish farmhouse, Settle is an iteration of my Irish identity,” explains Tori.

WELL DRESSED HOME

“It’s a celebration of the pared back, practical home, made gentle with soft, wellloved fabrics.

“Settle includes modern checks and classic stripes that look like they’ve existed for a hundred years and will last for another hundred to come.

“It’s inspired by memories of my large family, with the much-loved kitchen dresser in the constant background, heaving with treasures.”

Settle is woven in England using linen, merino wool and organic cotton, a first for the independent brand: “We constantly strive to do better within our textile community and in our own homes,” concludes Tori. n

torimurphy.com

Introducing dresser curtains, the latest addition to British textile, homeware and lifestyle brand

Tori Murphy

Coastal-inspired interior brand XV Stripes has launched a new collection of placemats and

to bring a touch of the sea to the dinner table

The Cardinal placemat and coaster from XV Stripes sets hand-drawn images of cardinal buoys in a striking yellow, grey and white colour scheme. There are four designs in each set, honouring all four points of the compass and the brand’s home on the Isle of Wight.

Izzey Hung, founder of XV Stripes, said: “Our placemat and coaster collections are exquisitely simple. They pay homage to our glorious surroundings on the Isle of Wight and will add a coastal feel to dinner time.”

Aesthetics aside, these coasters and placemats have also been designed to stand up to even the most demanding of mealtimes. They are heat resistant and manufactured in the UK, from full colour satin finish printed melamine with a hardboard base.

AHOY THERE!

The reverse side is covered with an attractive and durable cork backing. They are heat resistant to 145 degrees C as well as being scratch and stain resistant.

Inspired by life on and off the water, XV Stripes is putting the experience back into shopping.

Whether buying online through their aspirational website or getting tailored advice from founder Izzey, XV Stripes is making shopping an event, from browsing through to unboxing.

The interiors brand, which is renowned for its dazzling blue and crisp white signature collection, offers laid back, sustainable luxe for the home.

What’s more, every piece in their exclusive collection is checked and certified meaning every product is non-harmful to the environment. n

The Cardinal placemats are available priced at £26 for a set of four, while the coasters are £12 for a set of four

coasters

THE HAND-DRAWN IMAGES OF CARDINAL BUOYS ARE SET IN A STRIKING YELLOW, GREY AND WHITE COLOUR SCHEME

LUXURY WINDOW TREATMENTS

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‘not in my gaze (but in my head)’ – 20x20cm Box Canvas

Creativity knows no bounds…

Artist Nick Dittrich creates original artworks using a variety of mediums (acrylic, charcoal, graphite, pastel and chalk) or anything else –object trouvé, bottle tops, purchase receipts and micro shredded banknotes.

To purchase, or to commission an artwork call: 01279 861863 / 07909 850462 email: endartistuk @ gmail.com

His latest collection are collages from recycled billboards and dry transfer lettering with original wording. He said about the artworks: “The large scale halftone printing, the torn forms, vivid colours and ripped edges are ideal to create purely abstract expressions, as opposed to the original advertising images.”

To view his gallery visit: www.endarts.co.uk

CLEARLY STUNNING KITCHENS

With an impressive showroom displaying a number of luxury kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms, it’s clear to see why customers choose Clearly Interiors for their bespoke room design. Here we highlight the beautiful new kitchen of recent customer, Gary O’Neill.

Photography: Kirsten Platt

Having viewed his potential new modern double bungalow in Worsthorne, Gary O’Neill and wife Frances, knew straight away that the interior would be perfect to extend and create the open plan kitchen and lounge his family wanted. Now owning the home for just over 12 months, they have

the perfect space that they absolutely adore in every way.

A plumber by trade, Gary was aware of the high calibre of installations that Clearly Interiors provide, but the local firm sealed the deal in his mind after viewing his brother-in-law’s spectacular kitchen re-fit by the Clearly Interiors’ team.

and installing underfloor heating, but designer Claire Kelly at Clearly Interiors was on hand throughout the whole process from design to completion. She was really on the ball.”

Gary explained: “I was really impressed with the craftsmanship, quality and service of my brother-in-law’s new kitchen and knew exactly what I wanted in my own house. There was a lot of work to do in preparation for my new kitchen such as removing walls

Gary decided to choose the Bauformat Design-Line range in a contemporary matt grey and wood-effect blend of cupboard fronts with integrated wi-fi connected appliances: “We even have a temperature probe that can be used to measure the core temperature of food during cooking built into our Siemens double oven and though it hasn’t inspired us to create more daring dishes, it has become really useful when roasting a chicken!”

And flow was important to the often busy kitchen as the couple host a lot of social gatherings.

When it came to counter tops, Gary knew exactly what he wanted: “It had to be Dekton.

BEING OPEN PLAN, THE SPACE IS NOW A MULTIFUNCTIONAL AREA WITH THE KITCHEN/DINER/ LOUNGE WHICH OPENS ONTO THE GARDEN AND CONSERVATORY

You can throw anything at it and it won’t scratch or mark,” he said.

For those unfamiliar to this product, Dekton is a sophisticated mixture of more than 20 minerals extracted from nature. It withstands abrasion more than quartz and porcelain and is low porous so is very resistant to water and stains and is fire and heat resistant. Gary chose a matt black finish with gold marbling.

As well as the clean lines and elegance of the kitchen, Gary loves the three-and-a-half metre island which is perfect for get-togethers. With a family of keen hosts, he had this in mind when planning his design.

He continued: “It’s great to have the space for everyone to gather around the island. We had a barbecue recently with 80 guests and the space just flowed. Although we do have a separate dining room, we love eating at the kitchen table. We have a big family and we will be hosting Christmas lunch for 20 guests so we will have more than enough space for everyone.”

Being open plan, the space is now a multifunctional area with the kitchen/ diner/ lounge which opens onto the garden and conservatory: “It feels like we are in the countryside, not in a housing estate,” Gary added.

Following the three months of building work to preparing the open plan space, Gary worked with Claire from the Clearly Interiors team, who took care of each step of the project.

She took photos throughout the process and came well-prepared. “She organised each

phase of installation, the main part of which, only took a week, so it was pretty quick. Claire’s signature bronze tint mirrored splashback reflects light into the room and the whole effect of the kitchen is so modern and chic. There is so much cupboard space and everything is tucked away which makes the room look so neat and modern. It looks fantastic at night when it’s all lit up – it’s all really impressive!”

Overall, Gary and his many visitors are

highly impressed with the finished results: “I’ve had so many positive comments about how stunning the space is now. We love spending time here – it really caters to all we wanted it to be. I can’t recommend Clearly Interiors highly enough.”

Claire really enjoyed being an integral part of this project. She added, “Gary and Frances were a pleasure to work with. As soon as we met at the consultation stage to discuss their needs I knew exactly how I was going to create their design! With a couple of minor tweaks when we met to discuss my first draft, everything fell into place and our clients’ eyes lit up. I loved seeing this project brought to life by the Clearly install team and having happy customers at the end makes it even more worthwhile!” n

WHEN WE MET TO DISCUSS MY FIRST DRAFT, EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE AND OUR CLIENTS’ EYES LIT UP. I LOVED SEEING THIS PROJECT BROUGHT TO LIFE

...for

Be inspired in our 3000 sq ft showroom. Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm by appointment only. Evening appointments are also available upon request.

Please call 01772 611622 or email showroom@originalbathroomcompany.co.uk www.theoriginalbathroomcompany.co.uk

TAKE A SEAT…

As the weather gets colder your interior should be getting cosier! Create your own comfy, soulwarming haven with the latest furniture collections that will have your home flourishing with style and comfort! From contemporary kitchen counter stools to warming lounge statements, these cosy chairs from Peppermill I nteriors combine quality and elegance to create the perfect look for autumn!

Industrial creativity has always been at the heart of Peppermill Interiors, founded by Scott and Fiona Humphreys, who began to source and sell antiques across the UK over 20 years ago. Striving to stand out from the crowd, the family-run business and product lines evolved with an abundance of unique furniture ideas, and Peppermill Interiors as it is today, was born.

With over two decades of industry knowledge under their belt, a two-floor showroom, a warehouse and in-house workshop, Peppermill understand the importance of excellent customer service and high-quality furniture. The team has a wealth of experience in supplying furniture to domestic clients and independent businesses, through to UK-wide and multi-national restaurants, pubs and coffee shop chains.

For your home this autumn why not indulge in comfort and style with the Gardena sheepskin armchair. This one-ofa-kind luxury statement is crafted with soft long-haired sheepskin with cosy hugging wooden arms that frame the elegant plush seat and backrest – perfect for a Scandi inspired lounge, dressing room or bedroom.

If you favour the minimalistic touch for a breakfast bar the Madison upholstered counter stool from the latest collection, will add style and comfort with its curved back and arms that sit on dark weathered oak legs, perfect for Scandi or Nordic inspired interiors.

This stool also has a similar styled product that features lighter weathered oak legs, similar to the Madison dining chair, which adds the same style and comfort to your dining table.

Also in the Signature Collection, is the new Seville dining chair upholstered in uniquely textured chenille fabric, with a plush seat that sits on elegant weathered oak legs. The Seville effortlessly blends into interiors that experiment with minimalism and Scandi themes as it comes in four neutral and sophisticated colours – Shell, Sepia, Olive Green and Grey Steel.

The Tuscany rattan side chair embraces Japandi themes with its rattan detailed sweeping arms and a wooden frame that represents effortless chic.

Whatever your interior style, this collection will create a cosy home this autumn and winter! n

peppermillinteriors.com

From cosy sheepskin to attractive chenille, these well-designed armchairs will add a touch of luxury to your living space

THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND LUXURY STATEMENT IS CRAFTED WITH SOFT LONGHAIRED SHEEPSKIN

CHANGING SEASONS

Your leaf blower will be an essential piece of equipment this autumn but it’s also the time to get all your garden machinery serviced ready for spring!

At this time of year most of the hard work in the garden is done – you may want to consider when your last mow will be so lawns are all set for their autumn winter ‘hibernation’. It’s also the time to plant bulbs to get a stunning pop of colour next spring – always a lovely sign that warmer weather is on its way! At this time of year you may still have time to collect ripe seeds from your favourite flowers to plant next spring.

As the cooler months arrive, looking after your garden becomes a little less arduous but it’s always made so much easier if you have the right equipment for the job.

That’s why Mowerpower is the place to go for any piece of gardening equipment, as well as for expert repairs and servicing to keep machines running smoothly all year round.

In addition to the most impressive range of mowers you’ll find anywhere in the North West, there’s a huge range of hand-held machines including strimmers, chainsaws, pressure washers and leaf blowers from all the leading brands including Stihl, Echo and Mitox. With the friendly, knowledgeable advice you’ll receive, you can be sure to get the right equipment for the job.

David Webster heads up the Mowerpower team with his parents Richard and Lynn and is keen to point out that customers looking for a mower – ride-on, push or robotic – can see and handle the equipment in the showroom to get a feel for it.

IT’S THE PERFECT TIME TO HAVE MOWERS, BLOWERS, STRIMMERS AND HEDGE CUTTERS SERVICED TO ENSURE THEY ARE ALL IN TIP-TOP SHAPE

The Websters employ a team of full-time mechanics, across their two state-of-the-art workshops, and will have your mowers and hand-held garden machinery back to their best within days, wherever possible.

As the busy gardening season draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to have your mowers, blowers, strimmers and hedge cutters serviced to ensure they are all in tip-top shape, ready for the arrival of spring next year when the growing season begins and lawns need mowing, topiary needs shaping and hedges need cutting.

The Webster family at Mowerpower have been running their successful business for four generations and have built up 70 years’ experience and extensive product knowledge.

If you need replacement gardening equipment, now is a great time to visit Mowerpower, as there will be some fantastic end of season discounts on first class machinery.

END OF SEASON DISCOUNTS!

If you need replacement gardening equipment, now is a great time to visit Mowerpower, as there will be some fantastic end of season discounts on first class machinery!

Similarly, customers looking for hand-held machines will be advised on what will suit them and their garden best. As well as having approved retailer status with all the top manufacturers, the secret to the success of this traditional family business is their customer service and product knowledge, which enables every customer to make an informed choice and buy the machine that’s right for them and the job they’re doing. n

EXCELLENCE IN QUALITY AND DESIGN

slim framed cabinets bring a contemporary twist to the timeless appeal of the classic Shaker design,” Mike says. “Personal customisation is at the heart of our Appleton kitchen and with a classic range of painted colours and storage options to choose from, there is the freedom to create a kitchen that reflects a customer’s personal taste to complement their unique space.”

Rossendale Interiors is the retail arm of J and J Ormerod Plc with roots tracing back to 1876. With experienced craftsmanship at its heart and a proud reputation for providing quality products and services to its customers, Rossendale Interiors are pleased to showcase the new additions to its renowned Avalon kitchen range.

Showroom Manager, Mike Skelcher, says: “Avalon kitchens are meticulously crafted with cutting-edge design and exquisite finishes. They offer a blend of aesthetics and practicality and this is highlighted in the new collections in the range – Hawkshaw, Bowland and Appleton.

“Hawkshaw is a ‘skinny shaker’ range with slim frames which give an eye-catching update to an old favourite,” Mike says.

Offering a crisp, contemporary feel, the skinny shaker is the perfect way to bring a fresh, stylish look to your home. Featuring a slim frame of just 68mm, this modern interpretation of the classic Shaker style, exudes sleekness and sophistication: “An extra six colours have been introduced into this and the Bowland range, meaning customers now have a carefully curated palette of 20 colours to choose from, featuring doors painted on both sides,” Mike adds.

High quality and style is the thread that runs through all the products at Rossendale Interiors: “All our products are made in the UK,” Mike says. “We don’t import, and all our internal fittings are from top suppliers Blum who specialise in soft closure hinges and innovative design.”

At Rossendale Interiors customers will find the perfect kitchen design for their home with over 50 per cent of their business coming from referrals and returning clients: “We know customers will be captivated by our collection of exceptional Avalon kitchens and they can relax in the knowledge that they will receive a professional, personal service from start to finish,” says Mike. n

Bowland is the perfect fusion of classic and contemporary, with its painted finish and integrated handle design. “The handleless design really does need to be seen to be fully appreciated. It’s innovative with a clean, modern look and is available in 20 stunning paint-to order-finishes,” explains Mike. “The timeless quality of the design appeals to both modern and traditional tastes, creating a perfect synergy between kitchen and living space.”

The Appleton design features sleek lines and a minimalist aesthetic finish: “The super

The showroom is open seven days a week, with no appointments necessary

Established kitchen supplier Rossendale Interiors are excited to reveal three new collections to their stylish Avalon range, writes Gail Bailey

THE TIMELESS QUALITY OF THE DESIGN APPEALS TO BOTH MODERN AND TRADITIONAL TASTES, CREATING A PERFECT SYNERGY BETWEEN KITCHEN AND LIVING SPACE

SPECIAL LAUNCH NOW ON

Monday

Sunday - Closed

THE TRAVELLER COLLECTION

A JOURNEY INTO STYLE AND COMFORT

COLOURS OF AUTUMN

Autumn is now definitely here and there is a chill in the air. But it’s a beautiful time of year with the trees changing colour and the first fall of leaves

Autumn is a time to start preparing for spring next year – whether that’s planting new trees and shrubs before the ground gets too hard or choosing your bulb selection for a colourful start to the new gardening season.

In autumn you can find bags of mixed daffodil bulbs in supermarkets and DIY stores that come in all shapes and sizes, although most will be the large, bright yellow trumpet type. Price is always a good indicator of how easy a bulb it to grow – the cheaper it is, the easier it is to grow.

So, thrifty tip for the month is to buy yourself some big bags of daffs when doing your weekly supermarket shop. Daffodil bulbs will grow pretty much anywhere, even in lawns where you can plant them in great drifts and mow them away by the time you want to sit out in the sun. To create a natural looking drift of daffodils, put the bulbs in a bowl and then throw them out. Wherever they land plant them. If you are planting in lawns, cut out three sides of a square and lift the turf back, put in a few bulbs then firm the turf back again. The best way to work out how deep to plant a bulb is to dig down about two to three times the depth of the bulb. Because

bulbs have developed over centuries, they can grow just about anywhere in the garden. Other plants offering brilliant garden colour in autumn, are Japanese maples. These compact trees and shrubs are ideal for even the smallest of gardens as they never grow too tall. Japanese maples are best in sun or partial shade, sheltered from strong winds and all are hardy. They should be planted outside during November to February and like moist, free-draining, soil. Bushy varieties thrive in pots so long as they don’t dry out.

THE BEST WAY TO WORK OUT HOW DEEP TO PLANT A BULB IS TO DIG DOWN ABOUT TWO TO THREE TIMES THE DEPTH OF THE BULB

There are hundreds of Japanese maples to choose from but favourites include Acer japonicum ‘Vitifolium’ – a large shrub or small tree with deeply lobed green leaves that turn crimson, purple, orange and gold, Acer palmatum ‘Inaba-shidare’ – a moundforming maple with finely dissected purple

spring foliage, turning green then crimson and Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ which is an upright tree with coral-red bark and foliage that matures to canary yellow.

If you grow your own veg, then you can plant onions and garlic bulbs this month. If you want a crop of garlic for early summer plant individual cloves in late October. You can always start them off in modular seed trays or pots. Plant them out in early spring once the soil becomes a little drier. Growing garlic from supermarket bulbs can be disappointing, so for best results go for named varieties from garden centres or mail order suppliers. n

RHS GARDENER’S OCTOBER CHECKLIST

• Propagate roses by taking hardwood cuttings from now until February

• Prevent rose blackspot by clearing fallen rose leaves but don’t put in compost!

• Do some pre-winter pruning to stop wind damage to shrubs and roses

• Bring in frost sensitive plants such as dahlias before the temperatures dip

• Divide summer flowering perennials

• Prune blackberries

• Sow broad beans

• Put up nest boxes for birds ready for the spring

• Clean out the pond removing excess leaves and vegetation

• Plant native trees and shrubs to encourage wildlife

A HOUSE IN THE COUNTRY…

An elegant country home has been created for a couple, who commissioned family firm Dovetail to carry out a major refurbishment from concept to completion

Two derelict mill cottages bought by a young professional couple have been transformed into a stunning six-bedroom home with a beautiful kitchen, living area and playroom, boot-room and utility, to accommodate their growing young family.

The historic cottages. in a wonderful rural location just off the Pennine Way, close to the Lancashire Yorkshire border, were extended,

FOR THE SKILLED TEAM AT DOVETAIL, THEY PRIDE THEMSELVES ON THEIR ABILITY TO COMBINE TOP-CLASS FUNCTIONALITY WITH PLEASING, AESTHETIC DETAIL

renovated and refurbished by the skilled craftsmen at Dovetail, who made all the cabinetry at their in-house manufacturing base in West Yorkshire.

Located on the moors above the village of Cowling, Dovetail’s showroom is full of stunning room sets that are practical as they are beautiful. A family-run business established more than 40 years ago, Dovetail is headed up by sales director Chris Jardine, who works alongside brother-in-law Russell Ingham on very project.

After a lengthy consultation with Chris, the couple commissioned Dovetail to oversee the layout and design of the extended cottages and once the building, plumbing, glazing and electric work was completed, the fun began with the couple choosing what style of cabinetry would be installed, the flooring, lighting and various appliances.

In the kitchen all the cabinets were made by Dovetail and painted in Little Greene’s Slaked Lime, a pure and neutral white made with a combination of minerals to give a warm and soft appearance. Slaked Lime pairs beautifully with Little Greene’s James Blue, which features on the island unit within the kitchen.

The couple selected Bianco Romano white granite for the work surfaces – a practical and inspired choice, while a Lacanche range cooker features as a dramatic focal point. Other appliances include a top-of-the-range Fisher & Paykel fridge freezer and Perrin & Rowe taps.

Softly-shaded limestone flooring complements the colours of the cabinets and runs throughout the kitchen, in to a snug and playroom and through a connecting glass link into a bootroom and utility.

With three young children this area of the house is ultimately practical with lots of

spacious area during daylight hours while in the evening, it becomes a relaxing, winddown space before bedtime.

This family property amply illustrates Dovetail’s ability to combine luxurious design with down-to-earth practicality. Everything has been created with purpose and as a result, the design works on every level for this busy family, who are delighted

with their new home.

For the skilled team at Dovetail, they pride themselves on their ability to combine top-class functionality with pleasing, aesthetic detail that makes a house, a stylish and welcoming family home.

storage for shoes and coats in the boot-room and in the utility, there is a traditional large Belfast sink and laundry stack. While this is the service area of the house, where day to day chores take centre stage, there is no compromise on style. Like the kitchen, all the cabinets in the boot-room and utility are of a classic design, made and installed by Dovetail in perfectly matched colours, continuing the luxurious feel of this lovely rural home.

Upstairs the country elegance continues in the en-suite and dressing room which serve the master bedroom. These spaces work perfectly – the dressing room has individuallydesigned storage, while in the en-suite, there is a large walk-in shower with bespoke glass screen, a cast iron roll top bath and storage cabinetry, making the room a bright and

If you have an upcoming project and want to know more about Dovetail don’t hesitate to contact Chris, who would be delighted give you more information about their outstanding design and craftsmanship services. n

Dovetail Colne Road, Cowling Keighley BD22 0NN 01535 637770 kitchensatdovetail.co.uk

LIKE THE KITCHEN, ALL THE CABINETS IN THE BOOT-ROOM AND UTILITY ARE OF A CLASSIC DESIGN, MADE AND INSTALLED BY DOVETAIL IN PERFECTLY MATCHED COLOURS

SKILLED SOLUTIONS

If you need exterior or interior plastering work, Alistair Wearden has the solution, providing skilled workmanship and worldclass materials

Skilled plasterer Alistair Wearden of AJW Plastering & Rendering Systems is renowned for improving homes and business premises across the Ribble Valley and beyond.

Alistair, a qualified, specialist plasterer for 17 years, takes an innovative approach to his craft using some of the finest techniques and first-class materials.

ALISTAIR, A QUALIFIED SPECIALIST PLASTERER FOR 17 YEARS, TAKES AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO HIS CRAFT USING SOME OF THE FINEST TECHNIQUES

He undertakes all aspects of interior plastering and exterior rendering including dry lining and damp proofing.

Using many different materials and techniques, AJW provides a top-class service and are ultimately reliable. Among the services AJW provides are:

• M achine applied coloured render

• Monocouche and thin-coat render, monocouche is a chalky, textured render that is well known for its durability

• AJ W has a wide range of colour samples for all the major rendering manufacturers including renowned K-Rend, Ecorend, VPI, EWIPRO, PRB, Weber, Fassa Bortolo and Parex.

Forward-thinking and always in demand, Alistair always use high quality materials to get the required look and a durable, long-lasting finish.

Always keen to find the best solution, Alistair is renowned for his ability to acquire new skills that transform exterior and interiors walls giving them the ‘wow factor’.

AJW have a well-earned reputation of providing a clean reliable and tidy service.

FORWARD-THINKING AND ALWAYS IN DEMAND, AJW ALWAYS USE HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS TO GET THE REQUIRED LOOK AND A DURABLE LONG-LASTING FINISH

They are dedicated to working with clients to meet their needs transforming their homes and workplaces. All work undertaken by AJW is overseen personally by Alistair guaranteeing a non-intrusive approach and flexible work times to fit around your lifestyle. n

W

PLASTERING & RENDERING SYSTEMS JA

AJW Plastering & Rendering Systems 48 Blackburn Road, Padiham BB12 8JZ 01282 547276 07511 055159

ajwplastering@live.co.uk

We are a family run business based in the heart of the Ribble Valley. With 15 years industry experience we offer a personalised project management service tailored to fulfil your exact requirements.

Our high quality bespoke kitchens are individually designed in any configuration or colour at competitive prices.

be so attractive. However, with Ainsworth blocks offering a stone-faced alternative, the blocks look much more attractive around your property or garden. Some customers also choose to opt for stone coping on top which again contributes to a smooth and slick finish.

“For many of us our homes and gardens are where we spend most of our time, therefore ugly boring walls can ruin the look of a property. We provide a stylish addition to the basic interlocking block meaning our customers can have a strong instant retaining wall which is pleasing to the eye,” explains Louis.

STYLISH STONE

‘It’s like talking to a brick wall’, a saying we are all very familiar with, meaning walls are dull and incredibly boring. But this doesn’t need to be the case. With the help from father and son team Chris and Louis Ainsworth, you can have beautiful rustic stone walls in no time.

After both working in the industry for many years, the duo identified a gap in the market to manufacture and provide customers with a quicker and more attractive kind of retaining wall. Since starting the business 12 months ago Ainsworth Blocks have gone from strength to strength and with many happy customers and great reviews, they are looking forward to a busy second year of successful business.

Ainsworth is one of only four businesses in the UK who manufacture and install the stone-faced interlocking blocks.

The family run business can supply the blocks nationwide and for installation jobs, can cover the whole of Lancashire where no job is too big or small. n

If you are looking for a retaining wall but don’t want to sacrifice the look of your property call Chris today on 07429 108028

A retaining wall is designed to keep soil or a mass of earth in place efficiently, the blocks are incredibly heavy at 1.5 tonnes and therefore do this extremely well. With thanks to the distinctive Ainsworth stone finish you can now have an effective retaining wall whilst not sacrificing the look.

Most people who opt for the interlocking blocks do so because of the many advantages. They are fast and easy to assemble without fixing materials and its flexibility makes it an ideal solution for both permanent and temporary structures. The only downside is that the standard interlocking blocks may not

Ainsworth Blocks

Crawshawbooth

Chris: 07429 108028

Louis: 07942 715007

info@willowswagsandwhiskers.co.uk

A insworth Blocks

Ainsworth Blocks provides a quick and attractive solution for rustic stone walls

AINSWORTH IS ONE OF ONLY FOUR BUSINESSES IN THE UK WHO MANUFACTURE AND INSTALL THE STONE-FACED INTERLOCKING BLOCKS

NATURAL BEAUTY

Bannister Hall Nursery & Landscaping Materials Centre is now a premier retailer of the revolutionary, virtually natural, wood decking by Millboard, which offers the perfect solution for any commercial or residential outdoor project.

The go-to destination for specimen trees, shrubs and plants as well as all landscaping materials, for Bannister Hall becoming a Millboard retailer significantly enhances the company’s quality-led, product portfolio.

Operating for more than two decades, Bannister Hall is a family-run business, dedicated to environmentally ethical business practices and to providing a first-rate customer service.

Eco-friendly and of exceptional quality, Millboard products align perfectly with this ethos as Alan Lovell, MD at Bannister Hall Ltd, explains: “Millboard products are highly innovative and truly superior to other types of decking in terms of durability, variety and quality. The range will sit perfectly alongside our new Spanish porcelain tiles and natural stone paving ranges within our landscaping store. Millboard truly has the beauty of natural wood but without the maintenance downside.”

A LITTLE GARDEN INSPIRATION?

Many people use the bottom of the garden to store tools and hide things they don’t want near the house. It is often a less visited,

neglected part of the garden. So how about giving the bottom of your garden a makeover and making it a destination space? A tranquil area tucked away is an excuse to wander down a path or tiptoe barefoot across a lawn, a chance to decompress in nature. Time outdoors is good for mental health and ideal for reinvigorating the senses when taking a break from working from home.

JOURNEY

Part of the pleasure of reaching a destination is the journey – this can be so much more than a straight path cut through a lawn. A thoughtfully designed transitional space can really add to the effect of a journey, an archway with a climbing rose, a screen of scrambling ivy or a narrow-shaded passageway. A curved decking path can look sensational.

ARRIVAL

A raised decking area at the bottom of your garden with a different colour border really makes a feature out of it and gives the impression of it being an extra room.

Leading Lancashire nursery and garden landscapers, Bannister Hall has been appointed a North West premier Millboard supplier

SHADE

If you’re going to sit outside, and particularly if you are dining, you will definitely need some shade from the sun and shade can often shield a seating area from the cold wind too. Covered decking areas are very practical –a wraparound slatted design can be softened with climbing plants. Go dark with decking to complete the look. Millboard’s Enhanced Grain decking in Burnt Cedar has sophisticated warm brown and black tones.

WHY CHOOSE MILLBOARD?

• It’s resistant to algae, unlike wood, there is no protein content to assist algal growth within the boards.

• It’s also environmentally friendly as the base materials have low impact on global warming.

• M illboard is hygienic as it has a nonporous surface that is easy to clean for spills and deposits.

• It doesn’t warp or rot like real wood.

• It’s splinter free – the way Millboard is manufactured means absolutely no splinters.

• M illboard has a low carbon footprint –it’s independently and UKAS accredited to the ISO 14064-1 Verified Carbon Footprint Assurance Mark.

Pergolas are a timeless method of providing respite from the midday sun – any manner of plants can be used to climb up and across to provide shade.

Sail shades and awnings are a cheerful option –combine with Weathered Oak decking in Driftwood for a tranquil, holiday feel. Or if you prefer a painted look, without the bother of having to paint, take a look at Brushed Basalt, Millboard’s most authentic painted-wood-look decking available. Add a bistro heater in the cooler months to extend the outdoor season.

Shade doubles up as privacy as well – a row of bamboo can also work and provides pleasant sound and movement in the wind. Take care to choose wisely and take precautions against it spreading too much.

REAL WOOD LOOK

Millboard is virtually indistinguishable from natural real wood, it has all the aesthetic benefits, without the upkeep and it’s handmoulded from natural timbers.

The decking uses a unique material unrivalled across the globe which consistently out-performs natural timber and composite decking.

The Weathered Oak range, for example is moulded from over a century-old oak board and the Enhanced Grain range is exquisitely rendered from refined timber and hand-coloured in true-to-life tonal shades.

• It has UV and weathering stability and has been tested in most weathers and temperatures so remains UV stable.

• The boards are slip resistant with a high grip surface which is much safer than wood, especially in the wet.

• It’s lightweight making it easy to handle and install.

• M illboard is low maintenance and resists stains from food or drinks spills and algae growth.

• It benefits from lost-head fixing – Durafix fixings are virtually hidden beneath the unique Lastane surface.

• M illboard is moulded from real oak –not extruded like most composites.

MILLBOARD IS VIRTUALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM NATURAL REAL WOOD, IT HAS ALL THE AESTHETIC BENEFITS, WITHOUT THE UPKEEP

SELECTION AND VISUALISATION

Choosing your Millboard decking is a significant decision and one that you will want to get right. At Bannister Hall, the team makes it easy with free samples sent to your home and a wide range of Millboard decking to view and choose in-store. n

Bannister Hall can also arrange ‘approved expert’ installation of all Millboard products. Contact the team today to discover more about Millboard decking and cladding.

SPECIAL

10%

Bannister Hall

Potter Lane, Higher Walton

Preston PR5 4EN

01772 877087

bannisterhall.com

A DAZZLING TRANSFORMATION

When it comes to interior design, flooring can make a big statement in any scheme. Meena McDonald discovers the details of one of Gainsborough Flooring’s stunning makeovers.

Photography: Robin Lyndon

Awinning combination of dazzling design styles, indulgent luxury and hard-wearing practicality was what our client was looking for.

She was whole heartedly impressed with what Gainsborough Flooring delivered for her.

With extensive areas of her recently refurbished property requiring flooring, she was seeking something that would complement her interior design and colour schemes, whilst providing her with the practical necessities of a busy household.

The naturally bright lounge with its sophisticated fireplace required a large amount of extra screed preparation by the Gainsborough team to eliminate a huge dip in the floor. This was carried out efficiently, tidily and with perfect precision to an excellent standard, with least disruption to the client.

Once the preparation was complete the lounge was fitted with Amtico Signature Aged Oak using the large parquet blocks creating

a powerful and unique effect. This premium collection from Amtico has an inspirational range of designs, from traditional elegance to daring geometry. The designs can be personalised to your own distinctive combination or you can choose from over 100 pre-defined floors.

elegant and robust Amtico Signature Aged Oak in a French Weave. With its foundation of parquetry, the crafted woven pattern has the strength and balance for large spaces. Moving through the spectacular property, the master and spare bedrooms were installed with the luxurious Jacaranda Jaspur Cowrie.

Using sustainable fibres, the predominantly handwoven renewable wool creates beautifully textured carpets in a variety of different finishes from smooth, luxurious velvets to chunky, characterful bouclés. With all the exceptional benefits of a wool carpet, including natural softness and springiness, insulation and softened acoustics, it is also stain resistant and easy to clean.

The lounge was finished off with a deep, dense pile velvet, hand-woven, natural Jacaranda Simla Fern rug, which beautifully reflects the light in the room and brings a gorgeous touch of luxury and extravagance to the exquisite space.

The sophisticated study was fitted with the

The children’s bedrooms were fitted with Alternative Flooring’s Barefoot Wool Hatha Japa, a chunky, thick loop pile carpet made from 100 per cent un-dyed wool. The beauty of the Barefoot carpet is that it is completely hand crafted, eco-friendly and super soft.

For the elegant stairs and landing, Alternative Flooring’s Wool Hygge Sisu Warm Milk with herringbone grey binding was selected by the client. It’s as snuggly as the name suggests and is made from 100 per cent un-dyed Nordic wool bringing conviviality into any home.

The Gainsborough team spent a considerable amount of time curving the binding and carpet around the bottom step of the staircase to match the pattern seamlessly, resulting in a perfect finish.

The client was genuinely overwhelmed with the sheer choice of flooring, the depth of product knowledge and meticulous attention to detail the Gainsborough team showed throughout the whole process. With such a friendly, accommodating and dedicated team you can truly expect an amazing experience with Gainsborough Flooring.

Why not contact them and see how they can transform your home? n

gainsboroughflooring.co.uk

Opening times: Mon - Fri 8.00am - 5.00pm Sat 9.00am - 4.00pm

To do this you’ll need to be physically fit, have access to your own transport and have somewhere to store the magazines.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE ACROSS THE RIBBLE VALLEY INCLUDING:

To deliver in other areas in the Ribble Valley please register your interest with Liz Walmsley.

FAMILY LIVING

The space once occupied by an old conservatory that had become barely useable, has been transformed into a practical, family living space that is bright, airy and ultimately beautiful.

Photography: Kirsten Platt

The conservatory on Diane Spooner’s semi-detached family home had never been a great success – it was old, dilapidated and last year she noticed that the structure was slowly but surely coming away from the back wall of the property.

“It was the full width of the house, my garden is on a slope and the conservatory was literally falling off the back wall,” recalls Diane, who works from home as an HR consultant. Needing a reliable contractor to sort the problem out, Diane did her research and looked for companies with positive feedback on the internet.

“I shortlisted Whalley Home Improvements as they had some fantastic reviews and invited them to give me a quote for the work,” says Diane.

Emma Hodgkinson, who founded Whalley Home Improvements with partner Graham Fielden four years ago, visited Diane at her three-bedroom home.

“Emma was fantastic! We discussed what I wanted and how we would use the new space,” explains Diane, who decided she wanted to replace the old brick and Upvc conservatory with a solid, single-storey extension.

“When the children were small we used the conservatory as a playroom but it was always too warm in summer and extremely cold in winter. As they grew up, we reluctantly used it as a dining room and then it became barely useable.”

Diane was keen to replace the conservatory with an extension that would open up her existing kitchen: “The kitchen adjoined the conservatory. It’s cream gloss, handless and very sleek with sparkly black worktops – it’s only three or four years old so I couldn’t justify replacing it.”

THE TEAM WERE MARVELLOUS. THEY WERE ALWAYS POLITE, ALWAYS TIDIED UP AFTER THEMSELVES AND WERE REALLY GOOD AT COMMUNICATING

It was agreed that the new extension would complement not compromise the existing kitchen and work began in earnest: “I knew some of the work would be noisy so I asked Emma if I should take some time off work. But she assured me it would be fine. And she was right!

“It was good that I was on site while the work was being done and to give them credit the Whalley Home Improvements team were marvellous. They were always polite, always tidied up after themselves and were really good at communicating – they let me know in advance if there was going to be any disruption.”

The extension has transformed Diane and partner Hugh’s lifestyle – giving them more space as well as creating a living area that is light and airy.

The luxury vinyl oak-effect flooring that was already in the kitchen now runs through to the extension where Diane has sourced new oak furniture to match her existing dining table.

“The flooring is a perfect match to the kitchen,” says Diane, who opted for sliding glass doors with views over the garden.

“I find bi-fold doors quite heavy so went for sliding doors across the full length of the back wall.

“It’s beautifully light during the day and when the sun goes down we can sit here stargazing, taking in the night sky – it’s wonderful!” adds Diane, who has a daughter, a son in the army and a 16-year-old still living at home along with two step-children and three grandchildren, who regularly visit: “We are very mindful that this is a family space and it works really well.

WHALLEY

HOME IMPROVEMENTS’ COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OUTSTANDING!

“We also have two French bulldogs who love the extension as they are able to look outside at the garden while I’m working, which keeps them occupied.”

Asked if she would recommend Whalley Home Improvements Diane says: “Yes absolutely! We think our new living space is fantastic – it really works for us and that’s largely due to Emma’s excellent communication skills. Before going ahead with the extension, she wanted to know about our lifestyle so it would become a really useful space that is used by all the family.

Whalley Home Improvements’ commitment to customer service is outstanding!” n

Whalley HOME IMPROVEMENTS LTD

Whalley Home Improvements

Units 16-21 Mitton Road Business Park Mitton Road

Whalley BB7 9YE 01254 824179

www.whalleyhomeimprovements.co.uk FREE PARKING

ALL SET FOR THE NEW SEASON

Him: Dubarry Moore leather jacket £449, Dubarry Offaly boot £299

Her: Dubarry Alderford waterproof jacket £329, Dubarry Honeysuckle trousers £129, Dubarry Galway boot £379 Varey’s Town and Country 2 Market Place Clitheroe BB7 2DB 01200 423267 vareys.co.uk

Taifun animal print coat £220, top £80, jeans £99 Cosgroves

Rimington Clitheroe BB7 4DS

01200 445711 cosgrovesfashion.com

Gant Active Cloud jacket, available in Woody Brown & Evening £265

Cosgroves 64-70 King Street

Whalley BB7 9SN 01254 823585 cosgrovesfashion.com

LANX 365 Vibram Ribchester Chelsea boot £225 LANX Unit 29 Mitton Road Business Park Whalley BB7 9YE lanxshoes.com

Luisa Cerano wool blend coat £799 Shaw’s 2b Lynton Road Hillside Southport PR8 3AN 01704 563612 shawsfashion.co.uk

LANX 365 Vibram Edgeworth Chelsea boot £225

LANX

Unit 29 Mitton Road Business Park Whalley BB7 9YE lanxshoes.com

Diego M gilet £569

Michelle.b

2/3 King Edward Terrace Gisburn Road Barrowford BB9 8NJ 01200 605060 michellebshop.co.uk

GET SET FOR AUTUMN

Scruples 1984 has done it again! The new autumn collections have arrived and as always, they are simply stunning.

Photography: Kirsten Platt

With the announcement last month that Scruples 1984 was to introduce new global brand Herno, there has been huge interest shown in this outerwear performance label as store manager Tom Orrell explains: “We launched Herno with a bang and it’s been a terrific hit with our customers!

“It really seems to appeal to those who like a sharp, clean and classy look from an outerwear perspective.”

Continuing with the outerwear theme, the French-Canadian brand Mackage has produced a collection that is super-sleek and which has taken centre stage in numerous films and TV shows, as well as being a favourite of Kate Middleton: “Mackage brings an elegance and outstanding poor-weather performance,” says Tom.

“This collection features their new seasonal colour, carbon, which brings a classic aesthetic that really works.”

Autumn coats and jackets from British brand Belstaff also feature at Scruples 1984 –

and this season their collection really reflects their heritage, with traditional leathers and merino wool in new autumnal colours of aubergine, bone beige and a seasonal pop of Golden Oak, a deep orange-yellow.

Scruples 1984 also has Belstaff’s exclusive range of quality jackets with shearling fur trim – perfect for the onset of colder weather but, please note, this collection is limited: “The collection is due to arrive mid-October and when they’re gone, they’re gone! Last year we did incredibly well with these jackets.”

WE LAUNCHED HERNO WITH A BANG AND IT’S BEEN A TERRIFIC HIT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS!

Montecore must also get a mention as this Milan-based outerwear brand has arrived with a sharper, more sophisticated aesthetic with performance stretch.

Tramarossa has produced a stunning collection of jeans this season in moleskin, corduroy and a distinctive houndstooth check all with high-end stretch for extra comfort: “An absolutely phenomenal collection,” says Tom.

Scruples autumnal footwear collection features chukka-style shoe/boots in beautiful leather and suede, plus sleek sneakers from Canali with Herno and Jeffrey West also thrown into the mix.

A new collection of Tom Ford sunglasses has landed for the season, gorgeous cashmere and merino knitwear from Filippo de Laurentiis and Scruples’ cosy collection of luxurious cotton and cashmere by Richard J Brown in soft beige and chocolate brown –perfect for the ski season or winter walks in the Ribble Valley!

Coming up to Christmas festivities, Scruples 1984 have their own exclusive made-to-measure brand Rupert Totti, so expect that extra detail and quality as the Loro Piana collaboration flourishes. Dinner suits and formal wear from luxury brand Canali also features – these are due in midSeptember. The Canali collection is also very reflective of the season, so expect some seasonal beauties!

V isit Tom and Scruples 1984’ founder Stephen Collins at their stylish store in Barrowford to check out what’s new for the forthcoming autumn/winter season. n

Scruples 1984  85-87 Gisburn Road, Barrowford BB9 6DX 01282 695770

SOUTHPORTS’ PREMIER LADIES FASHION RETAILER

SOUTHPORTS’ PREMIER LADIES FASHION RETAILER

SOUTHPORTS’ PREMIER LADIES FASHION RETAILER

SOUTHPORTS’ PREMIER LADIES FASHION RETAILER

Lynton Road, Hillside, Southport Merseyside PR8 3AN 563612 w: shawsfashion.co.uk e: sales@shawsfashion.co.uk

01704 563612 w:

01704 563612 w:

01704 563612

2b Lynton Road, Hillside, Southport Merseyside PR8 3AN t:

shawsfashion.co.uk e: sales@shawsfashion.co.uk

2b Lynton Road, Hillside, Southport Merseyside PR8 3AN t:

w: shawsfashion.co.uk e: sales@shawsfashion.co.uk

2b Lynton Road, Hillside, Southport Merseyside PR8 3AN t:

shawsfashion.co.uk e: sales@shawsfashion.co.uk

THE LARGEST STOCKIST OF QUALITY COUNTRY CLOTHING IN THE NORTH WEST

If you are looking for the very best in country wear, footwear, accessories and quality giftware then look no further than Vareys Town and Country

ANY TIME ANYWHERE

LANX founder Marco Vaghetti (Marv) explains why the team has developed the new LANX 365 Vibram – a stylish, comfortable, worn-in, water-resistant boot suitable for any occasion

Hands up, we have been selfish! We have designed a range of boots with us (the LANX team) solely in mind. But hold on, don’t judge us, we reckon you might like them too.

Back in 2019 I stood in a muddy events field, sharing a post work beer with LANX staff, and noticed all our pristine LANX shoes had taken a beating from the wet muddy fields. Our events team had been doing their best to keep their shoes clean and tidy during the

events season, but if truth be told they were fighting a losing battle. So, after a few more beers, the decision was made, we needed a boot that could handle harsh British weather and all that it chucked at us.

We started researching and sketching ideas, but little did we know it would take us four years to design, test and produce the LANX 365 Vibram collection – our first offering of footwear for the outdoors, for women and men.

In the Ribble Valley we aren’t short of places to test our footwear. The LANX 365 boots have been on many excursions up Pendle Hill and around the Lake District. The local countryside terrain, combined with a busy outdoor events schedule, has given us the perfect environment to put our 365 footwear through their paces.

THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT OF K2 WAS MADE WEARING VIBRAM RUBBER ON THEIR SOLES IN JULY 1954

The design mission was straightforward –to combine some of our existing popular

smart-casual styles with water-resistant leathers and a rugged outdoor, performancefocused sole. If we could blend these three elements we would have the perfect footwear, suitable for any occasion, 365 days of the year. Unlike traditional outdoor walking boots, our 365 footwear is very light in weight and extremely comfortable, with little breakingin time. The leather gives them a worn-in feel and for added comfort we have used a cushioned leather in-sole. We have also increased the size of the toe-box allowing for more room, added comfort, plus plenty of space for a pair of our thick, made-in-England socks. When selecting a sole we visited some of the best suppliers in the world and eventually settled on Vibram, a family-owned Italian company founded in 1937 by Vitale Bramani, credited with inventing the first rubber lug soles. On a mountaineering trip Bramani lost six comrades, whose studded leather boots didn’t have the grip they needed. He approached Pirelli (the Italian tyre brand) to design soles with vulcanised rubber

smart-casual footwear suitable for any environment. Whether you have a meeting in the city, rambling at the weekend, drinks down the pub, on a walk with the dogs, a trip to the local artisan market, or throwing shapes at a muddy festival, you can wear your LANX 365 boots anywhere and to any occasion, 365 days per year.

• L asts: men’s and women’s specific lasts

• Gusset: waterproof elastic allowing an easy pull on-off

• He ll tabs: LANX branded pull loops for an easy pull on-off

• Maintenance: easy to clean and the distressed leather flourishes with wear

technology. Soon after, Vibram soles were used on mountaineering boots – the first successful ascent to the summit of K2 was made wearing Vibram soles in 1954. The Vibram sole we have chosen is ‘Ghicaccio’, meaning ‘ice’ in Italian. It is a trek-inspired sole offering support and stability with Arctic-grip technology on icy or snowy surfaces. The ice-trek rubber compound is resistant to fuel oil and also suitable for indoor wear as it doesn’t scratch surfaces.

The LANX 365 Vibram collection is built to withstand all terrains and conditions. However, let’s talk straight, we wouldn’t recommend trekking up Mount Everest –there is more suitable footwear for such intense expeditions.

We believe our 365 designs are suited for people with active lives, who would value

Further key specifications and design features include:

• Leather: high grade, full grain, distressed oil pull-up buffalo, enhanced during the tanning process with oils and waxes to make water resistant

• L ining: water resistant, with a waterproof membrane that lets moisture out without letting water in

• Sole: Vibram Ghicaccio, trek-inspired

• L aces: polyester, accompanied with speed hooks

• Sizes: women’s UK 3-9 and men’s UK 7-14

• F it: G fit, broad forefoot and higher toe-box to accommodate thick socks and a wide range of different feet

• Shoe care: for more detailed 365 specified advice visit LANX’s shoe care page

We are proud to say we have taken our time with this new LANX collection and left no stone unturned in our pursuit of quality. We look forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts and feedback.

That’s enough waffling, now let’s get ’em worn! n

Lanx Group Limited

Unit 29-30, Mitton Road Business Park Mitton Road, Whalley BB7 9YE

7 Oak Street, Northern Quarter

Manchester M4 5JD

lanxshoes.com

THE LEATHER WE HAVE USED PURPOSELY GIVES THEM A WORN-IN FEEL

DUBARRY BELLEEK CHALK £129

Varey’s Town & Country

2 Market Place Clitheroe BB7 2DA 01200 423267 vareys.co.uk

REPEAT CASHMERE GREY JUMPER £249 michelle.b 2/3 King Edward Terrace Gisburn Road Barrowford BB9 8NJ 01200 605060 michellebshop.co.uk

vareys.co.uk

MARC CAIN CHECKED WOOL SCARF £135

Shaw’s 2b Lynton Road Hillside Southport PR8 3AN 01704 563612 shawsfashion.co.uk

IT’S A WRAP

Wrap up warm this autumn with cosy cashmere knits, super scarves and woolly hats

LANX MADE IN ENGLAND SOCKS £15 Various colours available. LANX Unit 29 Mitton Road Business Park Whalley BB7 9YE lanxshoes.com

GANT QUARTER ZIP

SWEATER £125

Available in light blue

melange or marine melange.

Cosgroves 64-70 King Steet Whalley BB7 9SN 01254 823585 cosgrovesfashion.com

ASPIGA LONG KNITTED NAVY/CREAM TANK £110 aspiga.com

While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, all prices and stockists are subject to change.

vareys.co.uk

BARBOUR CASE FAIRISLE BEANIE £29.95 barbour.com

DUBARRY MEN’S FEENEY DUSKY GREEN £199

MARC CAIN BLACK WOOL FELT HAT £89 shawsfashion.co.uk

BARBOUR MARIE KNIT DRESS £119 barbour.com

DUBARRY ROSMEAD CHALK £129

A SHOE SHOP WHERE THE SHOES FIT!

Autumn and winter are just around the corner so it’s about time we put away our summer shoes and sandals and consider footwear more suitable for the colder and wetter weather. Photography: Kirsten Platt

This autumn and winter, fitright footwear have an amazing selection of shoes, trainers and boots for men and women in a range of popular brands such as Joya, Finn Comfort, Waldlaufer, Legero and DB Wider Fit Shoes.

The fabulous range of stylish, comfortable footwear offers features including zips, laces, Velcro, uppers that include stretch sections, rocker soles and a variety of widths, depths and sizes to accommodate all different kinds of feet. We can help people with plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuroma, bunions, hammer toes, arthritis, knee and back pain find footwear that fits and is comfortable. Our shoes have removable footbeds so if you have orthotics they can be also be fitted into our shoes.

something. To persist in wearing shoes that are not the correct fit – they are not long, wide or deep enough, or simply not fit for purpose, will result in recurring problems and lasting damage to your feet.

Wearing the right footwear makes an enormous difference to our health and wellbeing. Problems with our feet effect the rest of our body and can often lead to issues with knees, hips and backs. Wearing the correct footwear is not a cure but it can certainly help with reducing some of the discomfort and pain we experience, slow down generic foot problems such as bunions and hammer toes, help keep recurring issues like corns returning and prevent other problems from developing.

Our expert team have in-depth product knowledge, which is imperative in selecting the right shoes for our customers to try on and help them choose the shoes that are the best for their feet.

delighted to be able to send their customers to a shop they trust and who will measure and fit shoes correctly.

Fitright footwear offer an outstanding one-to-one, personal measuring and fitting service, by appointment only, which cannot be found in any other high street shoe shop. There is no substitute for having your feet measured and fitted in an atmosphere that is comfortable and undisturbed.

Here we aim to make our customers think differently about footwear and consider more carefully what footwear they are putting on their feet.

If your feet hurt, they are trying to tell you

We appreciate that fitting, finding and choosing shoes is often stressful and is certainly something that cannot be rushed for people who have problems with their feet or struggle to find well-fitting shoes.

We come highly recommended by podiatrists, chiropodists and physiotherapists, who are

If you have a problem finding footwear that fits, that is comfortable and stylish then perhaps it’s time you paid a visit to fitright footwear and allow us to help you find footwear that fits.

Fitright footwear – with you every step of the way! n

Appointments only: Wednesday to Saturday between 10am and 5pm

Fitright Footwear

32D King Street, Clitheroe BB7 2EP 01200 425399

clitheroe@fitrightfootwear.co.uk

3 Bower Road, Harrogate HG1 1BB 01423 561172

harrogate@fitrightfootwear.co.uk fitrightfootwear.co.uk

comfort.fit.style

_fitright

OVER 200 5 STAR REVIEWS ON GOOGLE

MEDIK8 CRYSTAL RETINAL NIGHT SERUM VITAMIN A FROM £49

A powerful night serum proven to work 11 times faster than retinol products. Available in five different strengths. The Woodland Spa

Within Crow Wood Resort

Holme Road Burnley BB12 0RT 01282 471913 thewoodlandspa.com

SMOOTH & SOOTHE

At this time of year your skin needs gentle care and lots of moisture. These vitamin-rich balms will help nourish and soothe, leaving skin soft and glowing

DRUNK ELEPHANT PROTINI™

POLYPEPTIDE CREAM £61

Packed with proteins and nutrients, this moisturiser replenishes and improves the appearance of the skin’s tone, texture and firmness. drunkelephant.co.uk

OSKIA MICRO EXFOLIATING BALM £56

This multi-award winning exfoliating balm has been formulated to buff away tired skin cells and impurities whilst nourishing the lipid barrier to leave your skin soft, radiant and glowing. oskiaskincare.com

While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy,all prices and stockists are subject to change.

SUSANNE KAUFMANN NOURISHING EYE CREAM £55

A gentle eye cream developed to smooth away the first signs of ageing, while protecting and nourishing dry and sensitive skin to leave the eye area looking brighter and firmer. susannekaufmann.com

SKIN ROCKS THE MOISTURISER £58

A daily moisturiser to give you instant hydration and help promote long-term skin health and radiance. skinrocks.com

CHARLOTTE TILBURY MAGIC CREAM £79

Award-winning, refillable, instant turnaround moisturiser for hydrated, glowing and plumper looking skin. charlottetilbury.com

AUGUSTINUS BADER

THE CLEANSING BALM £60

Dissolves ands removes the daily build up of dirt, oil, environmental impurities and stubborn make up, leaving nourished, hydrated, soothed and smooth skin. augustinusbader.com

SUNDAY RILEY CEO £20

Vitamin C rich cream, deeply hydrating, visibly brightens dull skin, fights the signs of dehydration and damage. sundayriley.uk

FARMACY HONEY POTION PLUS MASK £36

A luxurious skincare treatment designed to give an at-home, spa-like experience to help nourish and replenish the complexion. spacenk.com

SKIN CONFIDENCE

Since my late 20s, I’ve looked a er my skin, having regular facial treatments and using good quality products every day. Despite this, I had pigmentation and sun damage which were becoming more extensive and weren’t responding to my current beauty treatments or products. I was becoming more selfconscious about the appearance of my skin, especially as makeup didn’t really help either.

“I was encouraged by my regular beauty therapist to see someone else to explore whether there were treatments that could make a di erence to my skin. Until I met Dr Montero at Discover Laser Medical Skin Clinic in Burnley, I hadn’t realised other options might even be available.

“I had several appointments with the clinic therapists and Dr Montero, where my skin was thoroughly assessed and photographed, and di erent treatment options were discussed and explained to me.

“I had reservations about how painful the actual treatment would be and how long the downtime would be. But by the time I came to have treatment, whilst I wasn’t looking forward to the procedure itself, I was de nitely con dent I was in the right place with the right clinician and had no questions unanswered. The downtime estimates and a ercare processes were exactly as predicted.

“My skin post-treatment is better than I could ever have hoped! It improved in the immediate months following the procedure, and continues to get better.

“So many people have commented on how ‘well’ I look without really knowing why. I can use less makeup, and it sits so

much better on my skin now as it is much more even and smooth.

“Everyone at Discover Laser is knowledgeable and friendly and can’t do enough to help you. The clinic is clean, calm and welcoming, and you continue to receive follow-up care and regular reviews a er your treatment. It’s also possible to continue to go to the clinic for regular treatments to help maintain your new skin too!

“I hadn’t realised, until I did my research, and had my treatment, just how lucky we are to have access to the correct laser equipment and the skills of Dr Montero here on our doorstep in Lancashire - there are very few of these options outside London.

“For anyone considering having treatment, just book an appointment with Dr Montero to discuss potential treatment options, especially if you are unsure. He explains things in an easy-to-understand, non-pressured way which will help you make the right choice - at all times, he is calm, extremely knowledgeable and approachable.”

The patient chose to have UltraPulse CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing, a highly e ective treatment using the most powerful CO2 laser in medicine. The laser’s intense energy penetrates deeply into damaged skin to precisely remove it, triggering the regeneration of collagen and elastin. UltraPulse isn’t like a traditional CO2 laser, which removes all the skin and results in a lot of downtime and potential scarringsome skin is le untouched, which massively speeds up the healing process. 

To book your UltraPulse® Consultation - call Discover Laser’s friendly team on 01282 420886 to book an appointment.

To find out more about treatment visit: www.discoverlaser.co.uk

Time and sun exposure take their toll on skin and confidenceas one Discover Laser patient explains, choosing a treatment and practitioner to meet your needs is the key to restoring both

I WAS BECOMING MORE SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF MY SKIN, ESPECIALLY AS MAKEUP DIDN’T REALLY HELP EITHER

MY SKIN POSTTREATMENT IS BETTER THAN I COULD EVER HAVE HOPED!

CROW WOOD, ROYLE LANE, BURNLEY BB12

specialist procedures, emergency ‘on the day’ care, orthodontics, cosmetic dentistry and full mouth rehabilitation.

Just like her father, Fiona knows it’s the personal touch that makes the difference: “Our six resident dentists combine years of practical experience with postgraduate qualifications in restorative dentistry, clinical orthodontics, oral surgery and endodontics. Just as importantly, the whole Berry Lane team is dedicated to providing a friendly, understanding, patient-focused service to put you at ease. That’s what creates the feedback we’re so proud to receive.”

EXPANSION FOR CARING DENTIST AT THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

With a decades-long reputation for exceptional understanding and care, Longridge’s Berry Lane Dental Surgery is welcoming more people to access stress-free, vital dental care in their expanded top-spec facilities.

“We’re very much part of the community,” says Fiona Richardson, one of three practice partners. “Many of our patients have been with us since childhood, now bringing their own families.”

Indeed, Fiona is the third generation of her own family to practice dentistry: “From my father Nick, also a partner here, I soon learned that creating a welcoming environment to put every patient completely at their ease is just as important as providing the absolute best dental advice and protection.”

Fiona and fellow practice partner Ben Chatburn, who joined in 2017, were passionate about enabling even more Longridge and Preston area residents to access unmatched dental care.

“With a desperate shortage of appointments nationwide, the country is on the brink of a huge dental health crisis,” says Ben. “Making a significant investment in two, new, state-ofthe-art treatment rooms onsite means we can help by welcoming new patients. We can also continue our commitment to seeing all our

patients when they need it, offering the best equipment, facilities, expertise, comfort and personal attention possible.”

Accessibility includes practical as well as empathetic. On main bus routes, the surgery includes nearby parking, disabled access and downstairs treatment rooms. They also offer Denplan, the UK’s leading dental payment plan – a simple, stress-free way to budget for inclusive check-ups and hygiene visits, with procedures qualifying for a discount.

“Put simply, we’re here to help and we are now equipped to help more people,” concludes Ben. “So if you’re in need of advice, treatment, or you want to enjoy visiting the dentist, get in touch. We can get you smiling!” n

The new treatment rooms come futureproof ready with the latest equipment, with a modern decontamination room, digital radiographs and Invisalign and restorative digital scanning, reducing invasive procedures while providing the highest level of hygiene and expertise.

Dentistry services and treatments include routine family check-ups, hygienist services,

Berry Lane Dental Surgery

7 Berry Lane, Longridge, Preston PR3 3JA 01772 782066

reception@berrylanedentalsurgery.co.uk

berrylanedentalsurgery.co.uk

BerryLaneDental7

The pandemic, full NHS waiting lists and fear of the dentist have resulted in many of us neglecting our teeth for far too long, writes Kate Bowyer. Photography: Kirsten Platt

IF YOU WANT TO ENJOY VISITING THE DENTIST, GET IN TOUCH. WE CAN GET YOU SMILING!

EMA Aesthetics’ new revolutionary magnetic facelift machine uses two modalities, one is electromagnet field technology that will stimulate the facial muscles and the other is radio frequency which uses thermal technology to increase collagen and elastin. This is the only non-invasive device that smooths out irregularities and wrinkles and elevates the structure of the face to provide a facelift affect.

NEW REVOLUTIONARY FACELIFT MACHINE

How it works:

The state-of-the-art facial technology uses magnetic face synchronised thermal energy (heat energy) to reshape and smooth the skin by heating the dermis and increasing the level of collagen and elastin fibres.

WHAT CLIENTS SAY…

“Absolutely delighted with my results so far. Emma listened to my concerns and considered my need for no downtime and recommended the new non-surgical face lift. I’ve had a course of four treatments and I’m already happy and there is still two months of results to come.

Thank-you Emma.”

The high-intensity pulse magnetic (high pulse) technology restores and enhances the support of facial tissues by selectively contracting muscles and increasing the density and quality of muscle structures.

T he overwhelming benefits:

• Regaining your youthful looks

• Fewer wrinkles on your face

• Non-invasive natural lifting

• F irming of the face

The results:

• L ifts the face

• T ightens the face

• Sculpts the face

Results last up to three years

Alongside the revolutionary magnetic facelift, are Plasma Pen and Hyapen, enabling Emma to provide everything you need to retain your youthful looks.

EMA’s Ultra Platinum Plasma Pen is the most popular treatment due to its long lasting transformative

results of up to three years. It’s perfect for tightening and erasing sagging jowls, turkey necks, marionette lines, smile and smokers’ lines, crow’s feet, puffy eyes, drooping eyelids, chest lines and more.

For those looking for a non-invasive volumiser for lips, smokers’ lines, marionette lines, smile lines, frown lines and more, the Hyapen is unquestionably ideal for a natural looking alternative to invasive injectable fillers.

With Emma you are truly in the safest hands of an expert who guarantees phenomenal results. n

All AFTER images show results after a few weeks, peak results will be seen after 3 months

Plasma Pen £185 off each area. Areas start from £250. Hyapen 20% off each ml.

Offer ends 31st October 2023

the common invasive quick fixes.

It is the top treatment in the industry to lift the sag and droopiness caused by ageing and lifestyle.

INTRODUCTORY PRICE: 25% off a course of four treatments!

This new magnetic technology wipes away the need or want for

EMA Aesthetics is driving the market forward with a new revolutionary machine that is changing the way our faces age with a new, non-surgical facelift

STYLE, SOPHISTICATION AND SKILLED SCISSOR WORK

Internationally renowned barber

Joseph Lanzante is celebrating 15 years of The Men’s Room, writes Catherine Robinson. Photography: Kirsten Platt

World famous men’s grooming expert Joseph Lanzante and stylists, Kevin and Abid have now been offering on-trend haircuts and hot towel shaves to the gentlemen of the Ribble Valley for the last 15 years: “I couldn’t have done it without Abid and Kevin,” admits Joseph. “I’m so grateful for their hard work. They’ve built deserved respect amongst our clientele and they have a great rapport with them.”

Joseph’s classy shops in Clitheroe and Whalley attract businessmen and young professionals from the Ribble Valley and with his son Callum now apprenticed to him, Joseph is confident of widening even further the appeal of his successful salons: “We have a very large number of repeat clients, which tells its own story, and Callum has his eye on the fashionable as well as on the classic styling trends, so I’m confident that we have every aspect of contemporary male styling covered,” explains Joseph.

Speaking from his sophisticated Clitheroe salon where the gilt frames, leather upholstery and polished wood create the sense of a high-end gentleman’s club, Joseph explains that The Men’s Room salons are more than just barber’s shops: “Whatever your style, we can advise you on your look. Whether you decide on a slick back, a pompadour or just a simple buzz cut, our barbers are skilled in all aspects of cutting. Long hair, short hair or curly hair – we’ll focus on your personal need and create whatever look you’re after.”

LONG HAIR, SHORT HAIR OR CURLY HAIR –WE’LL FOCUS ON YOUR PERSONAL NEED AND CREATE WHATEVER LOOK YOU’RE AFTER

The Men’s Room’s stylists are all skilled in scissor work, which, as Joseph points out, isn’t the case at every barbers. They also use the very best products packed with natural ingredients: “If you opt for a hot towel shave, our products will leave your skin looking and feeling fresh and the cut-throat razor gives a shave that’s much closer to the skin than a traditional shave you’ll get in front of your bathroom mirror.”

Joseph points out that The Men’s Room’s

hot towel shave removes up to four layers of dead skin, reducing razor bumps and in-growing hairs and giving your face a refreshing exfoliation treatment.

Joseph’s knowledge and passion for the job are evident from his animated conversation. His decades of experience and his awardwinning skills have made him internationally famous in the male grooming industry. The discerning customer will realise that The Men’s Room salons are offering a Londonstyle service at Lancashire prices! n

The Men’s Room Clitheroe 8 King Street, Clitheroe BB7 2EP 01200 425559

The Men’s Room Whalley George Street, Whalley BB7 9TH 01254 433800 07984 797726

info@the mensroomwhalley.co.uk

themensroombarber.co.uk

investment in the development of a new imaging and X-ray suite. The project welcomed a first-of-its-kind imaging technology to the area alongside the transformed clinical and patient facilities. In November this year, the opening of a new minor procedures’ unit, will allow for increased capacity and improved patient treatment pathways for lower complexity treatments including pain management and minor orthopaedic and ophthalmology services.

FIRST CLASS HEALTH CARE

At Beardwood and Lancaster, CHG’s aim is to provide a pathway that enables patients to access a wide variety of health services quickly. From complex knee and hip joint replacement procedures to accessing outpatient physiotherapy to aid recovery. CHG has forged a reputation as a progressive, forward thinking health provider that puts patients first.

Two of Lancashire’s leading private hospitals are now part of the prestigious Circle Health Group (CHG) the largest private healthcare provider in the UK with 54 state-of-the-art hospitals and access to 6000 expert consultants.

The Beardwood and Lancaster Hospitals are two of the 48 former BMI hospitals acquired by CHG in 2020. The acquisition has meant that both hospitals have seen significant long-term investment to enhance their facilities and services.

At Beardwood, a new modular theatre has been added to increase capacity – the hospital now has three state-of-the-art operating theatres giving patients more choice when opting for a date for their procedure.

Additional facilities at Beardwood include a dedicated CT and MRI scanning centre, a minor procedures unit, a six-bed ambulatory care unit, orthopaedic, general surgery and

gynaecology services as well as a newlyrefurbished X-ray department.

Heading up the two Lancashire hospitals is Executive Director Philip O’Ehley, highly experienced in the private healthcare industry. Philip began his hospital management career in South Africa, before moving to the UK to work for BMI Healthcare and latterly with other private healthcare providers.

“Our focus for both hospitals is very much defined by enhancing patient access to the facilities we have – offering an optimal service to all patients, both private and NHS,” explained Mr O’Ehley.

“We would like patients to choose Beardwood and Lancaster for ease of access, offering appointment times suited to fit around busy lifestyles, excellent patient experience, outstanding quality of care and quicker recovery times.”

Beardwood and Lancaster can offer patients comprehensive care including non-invasive outpatient procedures to complex surgery covering orthopaedic, spinal and general surgery specialties. Patients can also directly access private physiotherapy services that are available Monday to Saturday.

To further support patients, a virtual online GP service is now available, operating 8am-10pm, 7 days a week, allowing access to private GP appointments. If a referral to a specialist is required, an appointment can be conveniently arranged.

Last year Lancaster benefited from huge

Beardwood and Lancaster have undergone a re-brand, incorporating the hospitals into the CHG network, but have kept their original names to maintain recognition and familiarity within the local community.

Digital efficiency is playing a huge part enabling patients to take control of their own health and wellbeing including opening up access by launching online appointment bookings and where possible, virtual consultations.

Patients can be referred by their GP or they can book an appointment online on the Circle Health Group website. In some cases, a GP referral is not always required. Both hospitals are recognised by all the leading healthcare insurers, enabling access to patients who have private medical insurance. n

To find out more about the full list of services available at Beardwood and Lancaster Hospitals go to the Circle Health Group website

Beardwood Hospital

Preston New Road, Blackburn BB2 7AE 01254 507607 circlehealthgroup.co.uk

Providing first-class private health care, the renowned Beardwood and Lancaster Hospitals, part of the Circle Health Group, are giving patients fast access to vital health and wellbeing services

Photography: Kirsten Platt

There are many advantages when you go private for healthcare, including:

Skip the waiting lists and get fast access to treatment

The choice of when to have your treatment

The ability to choose your preferred Consultant

Book your initial consultation online with a consultant of your choice

A greatly reduced chance of cancelled or rescheduled appointments and procedures (we’d only ever do so in an emergency)

To find out more or to book an appointment: Beardwood: 01254 507 607 Lancaster: 01524 62345

TICKETS ONLY

BEAUTIFUL

AT

Join us for our open day on Thursday 12th October 11am-6pm

• Half hour aesthetics consultation with Helen to discuss your concerns

• Medik8 team on hand to give you your personalised skin care routine

• Medik8 play station enabling you to try the whole range of products

TREATMENTS

• CACI treatments

• CACI new miro touch facial

• Eight-point facelift

• Laser hair removal

• Anti-ageing injectables

• Skin peels

• Dermal fillers

£30

Payment plans are available to spread the cost of your custom made treatment program.

• Skin boosters (Profhilo and Jalupro HMW)

• Radio frequency micro-needling

• HIFU

• Vitamin B/Biotin injections

• Dermalux LED light therapy

• Medik8 anti-ageing facials

Ps, can’t make the 12th October? Don’t worry, Helen will be offering the consultations for the whole week, give her a call to book your spot.

MICROBLADING

Before After

Microblading is a semi-permanent treatment that gently introduces pigment into the upper dermis to create tiny hair strokes that mimic the natural hair of the brow. Carried out professionally, it involves using a disposable hand tool with super fine needles. This treatment can be used to enhance faint eyebrows or to create a perfect fuller brow. All customers have an initial consultation to advise on the best brow look and a refresh 12-18 months, which is the main reason many women love this treatment!

SKIN BOOSTERS

What are the benefits of skin boosters? achieve healthier skin, Profhilo/ Jalupro HMW remodels the skin for an instant boost of hydration and a tightening effect, counteracting any skin laxity of the face and areas traditionally difficult to treat, like the neck, décolleté, hands and arms. Stimulates collagen and elastin, improves overall hydration, firms & tightens the skin, promotes tissue repair and leaves skin radiant & glowing minimal pain or downtime

AI – TRANSFORMING THE WE WAY WE HEAR…

Hearing has never sounded so good with the latest artificial intelligence technology featured in Starkey’s all-new Genesis AI. Specialist Nish Vasant explains how it works.

Photography: Roger Moore

Always keeping well ahead of the industry, hearing specialist Nish Vasant recently attended a product launch for a revolutionary new hearing aid from global manufacturer Starkey, which is set to become a world leader in terms of transforming the way we listen and hear.

Nish, who constantly researches new products in order to find the best solutions for his patients, was mightily impressed with the new Starkey Genesis AI hearing aid that will be available at Fresh Hearing from mid-October.

Excited to be able to offer his patients this ground-breaking, new hearing aid, Nish says: “Essentially the process encourages the brain to do the work by using advanced artificial intelligence.”

One of the best hearing solutions to be developed, Starkey’s latest offering uses artificial intelligence (AI) to mimic the way the brain works.

Anything but ordinary, the new Starkey Genesis AI represents one of the biggest leaps forward in hearing technology. The technology is so smart it thinks like we do.

“Hearing loss might start in the ears, but it also happens in the brain,” says Nish.

Genesis AI hearing aids mimic our

cerebral cortex, processing sounds the way a normal auditory system does, filling in the gaps produced from years of hearing loss.

The sophisticated technology works so quickly that it adapts before we can, making over 80 million adjustments per hour, automatically, without you needing to do a thing.

The result is a much clearer, more distinct and true-to-life sound quality than ever before.

Easy on the ears, Genesis AI hearing aids

have been completely redesigned to deliver superior sound, comfort and durability.

The design is discreet and ergonomic, resting snugly behind the ear, making it barely noticeable to others.

Genesis AI features all-day rechargeability so you can confidently wear them all day long with a nightime charge. They are also durable and water resistant – made to withstand sweat, dirt, dust and drops so if you lead an active life, they offer the perfect solution.

Nish adds: “The latest technology in Starkey’s all-new Genesis AI hearing aid is designed to help wearers reduce the effort it takes to listen and hear, distinguishing words more intuitively.”

The hearing aids also offer versatile connectivity and with the easy-to-use My Starkey app they deliver even more benefits. n

To find out more about the ground-breaking technology from Starkey and the new Genesis AI hearing aid, contact Nish and the team at Fresh Hearing

Fresh Hearing

65 Lower Deardengate, Haslingden BB4 5SN 01706 215479

freshhearing.co.uk

THE SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY WORKS SO QUICKLY THAT IT ADAPTS BEFORE WE CAN, MAKING OVER 80 MILLION ADJUSTMENTS PER HOUR

THE RESULT IS A MUCH CLEARER, MORE DISTINCT AND TRUE-TO-LIFE SOUND QUALITY THAN EVER BEFORE

BUILDING ON FIRM FOUNDATIONS

Dr Khurrum Hussain is one of just five periodontal specialists in the North West – and he has chosen Ribble Valley based Renovo Dental as his referral clinic.

Photography: Sarah Valentine

Seeking specialist dental treatment, patients throughout the UK travel to the new, Ribble Valley-based Renovo Dental, where there is a top team of dental specialists and general practitioners working with some of the very latest state-of-the-art technology.

As part of the team, Dr Khurrum Hussain is one of just 350 periodontal specialists working in the UK – 220 of those being registered in and around central London.

“Working as part of a multi-skilled team with the same passion really is a dream come true. It takes the planning and patient treatment quality to a whole new level,” says Dr Hussain, who completed his training in periodontology at the globallyrenowned Eastman Dental Institute at University College London.

“The institute accepts just four people each year, one from the UK one from Europe and the other two internationally. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse,” he explains.

Graduating from the institute in 2016, Khurrum returned to his roots in the North West, teaching periodontology to post-graduates at Manchester University and using his skillset working privately for BUPA.

As a periodontal specialist, he deals with gum disease and the soft tissue surrounding the palate, degenerating bone issues and failing implants.

He is specially trained in the placement, maintenance and repair of dental implants.

“My ethos is not just to treat patients with periodontal challenges, but I aim to work together to educate and motivate them and I have had excellent results with this approach.

“At Renovo we don’t rush in, we view everything in a calculated way. We offer the latest techniques for diagnosing and treating periodontal disease and are also

trained in performing cosmetic periodontal procedures.

“Our gums are very much part of our smile and they are the foundations on which we work. Our aim is to get gum tissue and bones strong and healthy before we carry out any further work.”

Poorly managed diabetes, smoking or inherited genetics can lead to susceptibility to advanced gum disease – and at Renovo Dental, Khurrum can advise on the best techniques and treatment to overcome the problem.

Treatment of advanced gum disease may require dental surgery, such as:

Before Left: Pre soft tissue grafting

After Right: Post soft tissue grafting

Procedure time 90 minutes – one visit

Soft tissue grafts

To replace lost gum tissue due to recession – a small amount of tissue from the roof of the mouth or using tissue from another donor source and attaching it to the affected site can help reduce further gum recession, cover exposed roots and give your teeth an improved aesthetic. (As illustrated by the gum graft procedure carried out by Dr Khurrum Hussain in the clinical images above).

placed between existing bone and your tooth. The material prevents unwanted tissue from entering the healing area, allowing bone to grow back instead.

Tissue-stimulating proteins

Another technique involves applying a special gel to a diseased tooth root. This gel contains the same proteins found in developing tooth enamel and stimulates the growth of healthy bone and tissue.

team’s reputation has spread through word of mouth: “We are very fortunate in what we do and what we have here, and we are all passionate and very dedicated. Renovo is much bigger than a group of individuals – it is all about our patients, changing mindsets and attitudes and giving them support and confidence by providing outstanding dentistry.” n

Bone grafting

This procedure is performed when periodontitis has destroyed the bone surrounding your tooth root. The graft may be composed of small fragments of your own bone, or the bone may be synthetic or donated. The bone graft helps prevent tooth loss by holding your tooth in place. It also serves as a platform for the regrowth of natural bone.

Guided tissue regeneration

This allows the regrowth of bone that was destroyed by bacteria. In one approach, a special piece of biocompatible fabric is

“There is often a general lack of awareness of what can be done in terms of the latest techniques, treatments and technology. Too often patients are told that the treatment for gum disease and bone loss is not possible. Yes, it is more complex, impossible it is not. That depends on the skillset of the team carrying out the treatment,” explains Dr Khurrum.

As a brand new clinic, Renovo has invested in all the latest digital technology dentistry has to offer, including a state-ofthe-art CT scanner which allows the team to plan and perform very precise implant surgery. This CT-guided surgery for implants is accurate, more safe and comfortable and results in faster healing.

Since launching Renovo Dental, the

Renovo Dental

Pendle House, Clitheroe Road

Chatburn BB7 4JY

01200 441000

hello@renovodental.co.uk

renovodental.co.uk

OUR AIM IS TO GET GUM TISSUE AND BONES STRONG AND HEALTHY BEFORE WE CARRY OUT ANY FURTHER WORK

BACK TO NATURE

The once neglected Primrose Lodge has been transformed into a hugely successful community nature reserve where wildlife is thriving.

Photography: Sue Marsden

Eels, trout and otters along with teal, tern, kingfisher and a rare white egret have slowly but surely, returned to Primrose Lodge, which has effectively been transformed into a biodiverse nature reserve and community green space for the people of Clitheroe.

Working quietly behind the scenes, over the past three years the trustees of the Primrose Community Nature Trust (PCNT) have been working with the Ribble Rivers Trust, which carried out major works to the site.

Already identified as an official Biological Heritage Site, this is perhaps the most exciting development of a community space in Clitheroe over the past century.

“People are absolutely overjoyed that they now have a nature reserve on their doorstep,” says PCNT trustee, Richard Stephenson.

OUR JOB AS TRUSTEES IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK AFTER AND MAINTAIN THE WILDLIFE RESERVE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

“What was an industrial wasteland is now a community asset that is effectively owned by the people, who have come to really appreciate it. Mums take their kids to school through the nature reserve, picking up any litter as they go, volunteers work hard to maintain it – everyone has embraced it and

are looking after it. That is the most satisfying thing. It is remarkable how well the site is respected.”

The PCNT was formed with three principal objectives in mind:

To conserve and rehabilitate Primrose Lodge for environmental protection and improvements for the benefit of the natural environment and public.

• To advance the understanding of the lodge’s fauna, flora, biodiversity and river catchment management.

• To promote and improve the enjoyment and access as a Public Open Space. Fast forward three years and the wildlife is thriving thanks to the work carried out by the Ribble Rivers Trust, which was funded by various grants: “We had been campaigning for years to get something done,” recalls Richard, who at one point was told to give up on the project.

PRIMROSE CIRCULAR

Mark Sutcliffe takes us on a circular walk incorporating the sights, sounds and wildlife of Clitheroe’s new nature reserve

Start: Clitheroe Station 7km / 4.3miles / 90 minutes

Turn right out of the station and continue past the supermarket, following the road round to the left then, at the roundabout, head right, but instead of crossing the railway bridge, veer slightly left down the lane leading into the castle field. Continue under the footbridge then left, climb past the bandstand and continue to the Pinnacle – a repurposed parapet from the Palace of Westminster, presented to the town between the wars.

Descend the steps right of the Pinnacle, veering half right to exit the castle via the steps.

Cross the road and after the Brown Cow pub, head right, turning right again after 50m into the Holmes Mill complex. Continue through the complex and exit past the hotel onto Greenacre Street and head left past the school then right along Whalley Road.

After 150 yards head left down a cobbled lane between the pub and Chinese restaurant. Follow the lane to the left then immediately right and follow the path left into the nature reserve. Cross the wooden bridge over Mearley Brook then follow the path left.

Look out for the sluice gates across the brook on the left. These controlled the flow of water to power the mills downstream.

Continue past the next bridge following the walkway and forking left to reach the viewing platform. Retrace your steps and climb the steps and exit left on to Woone Lane near the owl carving.

CLIMB THE STEPS AND EXIT LEFT ON TO WOONE LANE NEAR THE OWL CARVING

Cross the road and head left along Woone Lane. Where the road heads left, continue straight along a tarmac driveway into the new development. Continue to a gate and follow the footpath along the back of the houses for 250m to another gate.

“I am not one to give up on anything and neither is Jack Spees, CEO of Ribble Rivers Trust. In 2018 a window of opportunity for a funding bid presented itself with some Section 106 monies and a grant from the European Regional Development Fund.” The trust was quickly formed, the land was bought and a close partnership was forged with Ribble Rivers Trust.

One of the first things to be done was to start clearing the lodge and dredge 4,500 cubic metres of industrial silt to create open water for wildlife.

the biodiversity and wildlife will continue to improve.”

The Primrose Community Nature Reserve has attributed much of the project’s success down to the work of the Ribble Rivers Trust and the determination of CEO Jack Spees, who worked tirelessly on the transformation of the lodge.

“This is a flagship project in the middle of the town and the work of the Ribble Rivers Trust, and the work we continue to do to improve and enhance the site will we hope, give future investors confidence.”

Before work started on the reserve the PCNT did a comprehensive survey of the bird and plant species and an updated biodiversity survey is expected to be carried out later this year.

C ontinue through the gate, heading half right and through a gate under the railway bridge. Follow the path alongside the brook and follow it downstream through a gate and across the fields. Beside the houses, at the road, cross with care and follow the track on the far side round to the right then left, descending to the River Ribble. Follow the Ribble upstream for half a mile to Edisford Bridge. At the road, head right uphill on the footpath then cross at the pelican and continue along the drive leading to the swimming pool.

Beyond the pool, follow a grassy path along the left hand boundary of the field, briefly rejoining the river along the backs of the houses, before heading right into Low Moor.

An Alaskan fish pass was created – at the time one of the longest in England – to improve the chances of salmon and trout travelling upstream and finally, at the end of the first phase, paths and bridges were needed to make the site accessible to all.

A walkway and bridge now connects Whalley Road with Woone Lane close to the junction with George Street – the walkway also provides an uninterrupted view of the lodge, it has step-free access and is suitable for wheelchairs, disabled scooters, prams and buggies.

“Community access is really important. As a trust we have worked hard on getting the balance right – we want everyone to gain the health benefits that an open space like this offers.

“Our job as trustees is making sure it is fit for purpose and that we are able to look after and maintain the wildlife reserve for the next generation,” adds Richard.

“The health and wellbeing benefits of a site like this are endless as are the educational opportunities. We have an observation deck from which migrating birds and a kingfisher can often be seen – and with time,

Other future plans include creating woodland walks and building a covered area so visitors can sit and look across the water towards Clitheroe Castle.

Richard adds: “A ‘green corridor’ connecting the site to the town centre is our aim so people can walk into Clitheroe without using roads. As a trust we have a shared aim to improve the quality of life for the people who live here giving them a green open space, the opportunity to exercise in fresh air, improving wellbeing and life expectancy – that’s all part of the message.

“We now have more than 100 volunteers who help us maintain the reserve – at 4.3 hectares, it’s a big piece of land and a large expanse of open water. The volunteers do a great job –they get involved in everything from litter picking and fence fixing to tree planting and balsam bashing – we are very grateful to them.

“This has been tremendously satisfying to be involved in and any future work will simply reinforce and build on the current success of this fantastic community project,” Richard concludes. n

As a registered charity the project relies on gifts and bequests from members of the public. Donations can be made via the website (Just Giving) or by contacting the trustees for legacy details via a will inheritance

primrosecommunitynaturetrust.co.uk

Continue over the roundabout, following the road right before cutting back left past the old Wesleyan school and straight on through the new housing estate. Continue past the allotments and stables.

Go through a metal kissing gate and keep left to reach the weir. Climb steeply up the slope above the weir to reach the marker post and head straight across the field to a wooden kissing gate 75m distant. Continue through a gate and along the left-hand field boundary as Clitheroe Castle appears. At the far end of the field, head left through a kissing gate and across to join the footpath skirting the cemetery. Follow the path to Waddington Road and head right on the pavement, climbing briefly before descending towards the church spire. Continue under the railway bridge then head right along Railway View for 200m to return to the station. n

WHAT WAS AN INDUSTRIAL WASTELAND IS NOW A COMMUNITY ASSET THAT IS EFFECTIVELY OWNED BY THE PEOPLE, WHO HAVE COME TO REALLY APPRECIATE AND RESPECT IT

We have special offers and gifts with purchases, (and someone will win a luxury Christmas hamper. How nice!) alongside the new, gorgeous gifts for the coming season. The fire will be crackling, the candles lit and the wine (complimentary of course)… will be chilled to match the atmosphere. What better way to spend a few hours! OPEN 7 DAYS

CANDLES CASHMERE LEATHER PERFUME SKINCARE BOOKS

JEWELLERY HOMEWARE LOUNGEWEAR HANDBAGS CHRISTMAS

IN THE SADDLE

Looking back on the summer months, members of Chipping Pony Club can reminisce on the fun-filled whirlwind of a week that was the annual senior camp, writes Megan Conlon

Despite the odd downpour, the senior camp was as special as always, with members old and new being able to spend some quality time with their friends and their ponies, all while improving their horsemanship skills along the way.

Five days and five nights of independence. A daunting task for some of the more inexperienced members, but, equally, an opportunity to gain confidence in both their stable management and their riding.

Members aged 10 to 21 were split into four rides based on previous experience and each ride had an instructor, who could provide expert advice and cross-disciplinary critique over the course of the week.

The lessons varied between rides, with some making use of the fantastic 80-acre, cross-country field and its smaller counterpart, while others were bandaging up their ponies ready for a polocrosse lesson.

everyone’s favourite discipline, flatwork lessons were a core part of the week, as they provide the foundation for most other disciplines – to improve round a course of jumps, you must first improve without them.

Of course, members also had to look after their ponies during the camp, as well as riding them, and our helpful instructors stuck around to lead daily stable management lessons.

the stable checks which happened nightly, where every pony’s bed had to be swept to perfection with adequate hay and water for the night, as well as the human bed checks, where every tent and horse box had to be spotless to earn your team maximum points. Another way to earn points was in the treasure hunt, where members had to go out onto the cross-country course in the evening and find something for every letter of the alphabet.

Riders made use of the grid to improve the ponies’ striding between the fences, and then applied this to a full course in the showjumping arena. Although it is not

Badges were earned in grooming, plaiting and turnout of the horse and rider, all which came in handy when earning team points in the tack and turnout checks each morning!

On one of the days every member had to plait up (except those whose horses had no mane!) and the camaraderie and friendship of Pony Club shone that morning, with members of all ages helping one another to be ready in time for inspection.

Team points could also be earned in

Evening activities also included a crashcourse in human first aid, a competitive rounders match and the famous final-night party which had members showing off their grooviest dance moves and singing at the top of their voices to Taylor Swift.

It is safe to say it was another very successful and very happy camp, with all our members going home with a smile –before inevitably sleeping for the next 24 hours. Hey, looking after a horse AND yourself is tough! n

If you’d like to know more about Pony Club, and in particular Chipping Branch, please contact the District Commissioner Joanne Conlon 01200 445143 or email: chipping@pcuk.org

BADGES WERE EARNED IN GROOMING, PLAITING AND TURNOUT OF THE HORSE AND RIDER

aeroplane so we have no doubts about having a crack at Dubai. It’s worth a huge amount of money and he’ll be worth his place in the line-up. We might as well play to the horse’s strengths and it’s an identical track to Haydock and York where he has run so well.

“I’d imagine he’ll go out there without a prep run. I’m fortunate with our facilities that we can get him fit at home. He’ll have entries later in the year at York’s Dante meeting

BARGAIN BUY REGIONAL

Record-breaking Regional has enjoyed considerable success over the last two seasons, including a victory at Haydock in the Sprint Cup, writes Highclere’s Jason Fildes

How do you turn a £3,500 buy into a Group 1 winner? Trainer Ed Bethell might have found the answer, but he could barely believe it after Regional provided him and jockey Callum Rodriguez with breakthrough victories at the highest level at Haydock in the Sprint Cup.

Bethell, who took over Thorngill Stables in Middleham from father James only at the start of 2021, confirmed himself as one of Britain’s brightest training prospects: “I never thought it would happen and I’m just incredibly fortunate to have a great team of people around me. There are too many of them to thank and I’m just the lucky one to have my name on the ticket,” said Ed after the race. “These sort of days will help the yard achieve what I wanted it to. We’ll all enjoy the success but it’s back to work as normal afterwards and we’ll look to kick on with more big winners this year and next.”

Regional was bought by our new racing partners, Future Champions Racing, at the 2021 Tattersalls July ‘horses in training’ sale. Prize money for winning the Sprint Cup was just under £250,000 – and that is without adding the other successes he’s enjoyed over the last couple of seasons.

He was defending an unbeaten record at Haydock and he had also set a new five-furlong track record when winning a Listed Race there in June. Regional is now going to have an extended break before being aimed at the £1.5m Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai next March.

and Royal Ascot before trying to defend his crown in the Sprint Cup.”

FUTURE CHAMPIONS RACING HAVE RECENTLY BOUGHT TWO YEARLING FILLIES HELLO HOTTIE AND MUSIC HISTORY. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SHARES STILL AVAILABLE IN EACH AT £5K AND £7.5K

It’s an exciting time for Ed, and Future Champions Racing, who have recently bought two yearling fillies – Hello Hottie (by Territories the same sire as Regional) and a gorgeous looking filly by Ardad named Music History, both being trained at Middleham by Ed. There are a couple of shares still available in each at £5k and £7.5k respectively. n

PRIZE MONEY FOR WINNING THE SPRINT CUP WAS JUST UNDER £250,000 –AND THAT IS WITHOUT ADDING THE OTHER SUCCESSES HE’S ENJOYED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF SEASONS

Ed believes his previous experience of travelling will stand him in good stead for Dubai: “He’s travelled to Qatar before and finished second, having just got off the

Highclere – Jason Fildes

01200 444622

07721 311778

jason@highclere.co.uk

highclereracing.co.uk

The new President of the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show is to be Ribble Valley entrepreneur and businessman Kevin Horkin.

Kevin, who over the years has been an enthusiastic supporter of the show, takes over from Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans, who has undertaken duties as President for the past two years.

As an animal lover and welfare campaigner for much of his life, Ribble Valley-based Kevin has for 28 years, supplied dogs and farm

NEW PRESIDENT

animals for TV and film productions: “I am absolutely thrilled to be asked to become the next President of the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show. For me, it ticks all the boxes as I have a tremendous interest in animals across the board.

some years ago it has gone from strength to strength.

“At first there was very little in the way of animals and agriculture but now it has become a key part of the event – this year we had more than 1500 animals, including sheep, cows, pigs, goats and we had a big, heavy horses category for 2023.

“It is after all an agricultural show, so we really have taken it back to its original roots.

“I have always been impressed with the husbandry and care of the animals when they are being exhibited in the show. It is testament to all of the farmers and exhibitors who take great of them.

“The Royal Lancashire Show brings together all that is good about Lancashire and the quality of life here. I am very much looking forward to being involved in the planning of the event, which has been a tremendous success and it just seems to get bigger and better each year. I will do everything I can to ensure this continues –it is one of the top three agricultural shows in the country and I will aim to get it to number one!”

RLAS Chairman Colin Mustoe, explains: “Since the show relocated to Salesbury Hall

“While we had some challenges this year with the weather, we had over a mile of aluminium tracking which really helped in terms of visitors not having to walk in mud or on grass – as well as helping those with prams and push chairs and disabled vehicles too.

“The show President changes approximately every two or three years and we are delighted to welcome Kevin Horkin to the role.” n

Next year’s show is due to be held on Friday 19th, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st July 2024

royallancashireagriculturalshow.co.uk

Animal welfare campaigner and businessman Kevin Horkin has been named as the new President of the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show

A GOOD YEAR…

Louise Monk’s inspired, long-term vision to create a luxurious retreat that would attract visitors to the Ribble Valley has most certainly been achieved in her first year. Over the past 12 months, Louise and her team have welcomed 1500 UK-wide and international visitors to Everything Retreat, which is tucked away in the rural Ribble Valley countryside.

Testament to their success, the exclusive hideaway has this year, won numerous awards taking a Stars in Tourism Award for Business Innovation, two Ribble Valley Business Awards for Best New Business and Social Media Champion, as well as being named as the Most Idyllic Place to Stay in Lancashire.

With 22.5k Instagram followers, Everything Retreat is not only a successful business in its own right, it also champions and supports other local businesses too, as Louise explains: “We have forged many successful collaborations with local restaurants and businesses through our unique concierge service.”

for all guests’ needs. From local butchers and bakers to suppliers of exclusive wine and celebratory balloons, visitors are assured of a first-class experience.

pure, unashamed luxury.

As for Louise and her team, Everything Retreat has been an undoubted success during their first year. Louise employs seven full time and four part time staff, who assist her in her vision to create a haven for guests, who are surrounded by wildlife.

Eighteen hundred plants, trees and shrubs have been planted, transforming what was a boggy wet field into beautifully manicured grounds that are maintained by an expert on-site team. There are hedgehog and bird boxes, an abundance of wildlife to sit and watch and in spring and summer beautiful blossoms sway in the breeze. Next year the retreat is also set to develop its own kitchen garden.

“Here at Everything Retreat we feel very lucky to be able to support local businesses as we grow and get busier,” says Louise, who through the retreat, has also supported local charities including East Lancashire Hospice.

“I think it’s very positive to be attracting people from out of the area – it shows them just how vibrant and beautiful the Ribble Valley is.” n

Everything Retreat has partnered with the likes of Yu, Michelin-starred Northcote, Stydd Gardens and the Three Fishes, booking guests into restaurants, using local chauffeur services to transport them.

As part of their exclusive concierge service, Everything Retreat delivers, as the name suggests, just about everything a guest could wish for – breakfast in one of the luxury lodges is no problem. Louise has local artisan suppliers

Everything Retreat has forged a nationwide reputation as a high calibre experience where guests can mingle in the exclusive on-site Balance Bar at the end of a day spent discovering all that the Ribble Valley has to offer. Or, if visitors want relaxing, quiet time alone, they can have sundowners delivered to their door to be enjoyed in their very own hot tub.

Everything Retreat is unforgettable –it has put the Ribble Valley firmly on the map for travellers who want to explore and discover the area amidst a backdrop of

Everything Retreat

Primrose Hill, Mellor BB2 7EQ 01254 965095

hello@everything-retreat.com

everything-retreat.com

everythingretreat

RibbleValley

Everything Retreat is celebrating its first year – and what a year it’s been for this luxurious Ribble Valley hideaway

HERE AT EVERYTHING RETREAT WE FEEL VERY LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES AS WE GROW AND GET BUSIER

CHARITY FOCUS

Live Ribble Valley puts the spotlight on a recent donation that will help and support families across the region

If you have any charity news please contact: jan.woolley@live-magazines.co.uk

AGENCY GIVING FUND

NFU Mutual and their staff at their Clitheroe agency recently nominated local charity the Foundation for Ribble Valley Families, to receive a donation of £6,443 from NFU Mutual’s national £1.92million ‘Agency Giving Fund’.

The leading rural insurer has launched this fund, now in its fourth year, to help local frontline charities across the country. The Agency Giving Fund forms part of NFU Mutual’s £3.25m funding pledge for both local and national charities in 2023, to assist with recovery from the pandemic and to help tackle the impact of the rising cost of living. To ensure these donations reach all corners of the UK and are directed where they’re needed most, all NFU Mutual Agencies, with more than 295 offices nationwide, have been given the opportunity to nominate local charities to receive a share of the fund.

The Foundation for Ribble Valley Families provides timely, preventative mental health support to families living in the Ribble Valley. This donation has enabled the charity to recruit therapists, develop group activities to offer face-to-face support and activities to provide further mental health support and coaching in the Ribble Valley area.

Dilys Day, Business Development Manager at the Foundation for Ribble Valley Families explained how NFU Mutual’s donation will support their work: “During 2022, the number of referrals our charity received increased

by 16 per cent compared to 2021. The increased demand for our service means that we are limited to the number of people we can help.

“We desperately need more funds so that we can spread the word about what we do and help more families in need. We want to tell more people that we are here for them. The donation from NFU Mutual will allow us to offer a wider, more prescriptive, range of services, allowing us to support more people.”

Ellis Cole, Senior Customer Services Advisor at NFU Mutual Clitheroe, said: “We’re extremely proud to have nominated the Foundation for Ribble Valley Families for this donation and are delighted to support the vital contribution they make to our community. NFU Mutual’s Agency Giving Fund was first created in 2020 in response to the pandemic, and this ongoing support is helping to change lives, providing both emergency support and building long-term resilience.”

THE FOUNDATION FOR RIBBLE VALLEY FAMILIES PROVIDES TIMELY, PREVENTATIVE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO FAMILIES LIVING IN THE RIBBLE VALLEY

FOCUS ON FRIENDSHIP & LEARNING

Alan Veale talks to a lively group of keen photographers, who meet regularly to focus on learning and sharing skills, while developing new friendships

As Knowle Green Village Hall marks its centenary, a diverse group of people are meeting there with something else to celebrate – but we’ll come to that in a moment.

The hall is spacious and equipped with a newly-installed, audio-visual system for a film club, following the closure of the Palace Cinema in Longridge. The attentive audience focus their attention on the screen

while listening to the Chairman of the hall’s trustees, Andy McLaughlin. The content of his presentation is both familiar and personal to those present. All are keen photographers and it is their own material on display.

But wait! One image needs some explanation.

On screen is a graphic of a Roman soldier holding a spear behind a circular object. This is the logo for the Ribble Valley Photographic Society (RVPS), of which those present are members and Andy explains its origins: “Our chairman, Jason Merrin, designed this to blend the historical nature of our location, near the Roman settlement of Ribchester, with an essential part of any camera – the shutter of a lens. Our name and the year we were formed (2022) is inscribed in Roman numerals around the edge.”

There’s a relaxed and sociable nature about the group, a key feature for a society celebrating its first anniversary this month.

Andy told me what prompted the formation of RVPS: “I felt there was an opportunity to form a photography club. But one with a difference, focusing on learning, helping and encouraging people to take up photography as a hobby, while developing new friendships.” Liz Parker is also on the village hall committee, and jumped at the chance to be a member. “The group has something for everyone, from absolute beginners like me to semi-professionals, and all in a friendly atmosphere.”

That reference to beginners is important, as not all of us own a fancy camera, yet most

have that facility on our smartphones. But do you know how to use all the functions your phone has to offer? You may have paid a small fortune for it, and one of the reasons is because that little gadget in your pocket or bag has seen massive investment to produce technology rivalling many ‘professional’ cameras. Manufacturers see smartphone photography as a growth industry.

Back to Liz, who comes from a farming family. “Great pictures can be taken with phones and I don’t have a preference which equipment I use. Often it just depends on which I have with me at the time. On our farm we have an abundance of wildlife, foxes, badgers, hares, barn owls, kingfishers to name but a few. Seeing this wildlife on a daily basis sparked my interest in

photography, as I wished to capture pictures of these fascinating creatures.”

You can see those results for yourself this autumn, as RVPS is staging an exhibition of members’ photographs at several venues until the end of November. Starting at Whalley Library, it moved to Longridge Library for the whole of September. During October you can find it at St Bartholomew’s Church in Chipping, after which the final display will be at Ribchester Church.

The images displayed range widely in both subject and equipment. Also, in experience, as I found when talking to one of the exhibitors, Sue Waterhouse. She spent six years learning how to use a Canon DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera in her spare time, concentrating on still life, street photography and flowers. Then along came the restrictions of lockdown: “When that started it was more difficult to go out taking photographs, so I decided to learn Photoshop to create digital art using the photographs I had taken previously. I watched numerous YouTube videos and eventually enrolled on an online digital art course.” One of Sue’s digitally-produced montages is already attracting some curiosity at the exhibition.

Carol Burton is a semi-retired nurse and discovered RVPS a few months ago. Like Sue, she found herself looking for new pursuits and enjoys taking pictures of flowers and

nature. “I prefer to use my phone as it is quick, but I’m not averse to learning about an easy-to-use camera. I’m not very techy so all the jargon tends to scare me off!” But she wasn’t put off taking part in a field trip with RVPS to Martin Mere, near Burscough, in May. The birds and floral displays were ideal material for Carol, who felt reassured by associating with others at a similar skill level. Since then, through RVPS she has been learning how to use backgrounds, and photographic software like Lightroom and Photoshop.

shower. This gave the photograph a whole different perspective and it won me first place in a club competition.”

But such a lack of competing elements may be key to the Ribble Valley Photographic Society’s success. John, Andy and other senior members believe their competitionfree policy promotes a willingness to share ideas and techniques, while this is not the case elsewhere. Many camera clubs hold regular competitions, which for some members can be stressful, believing that passing on personal knowledge and experience could prejudice their results.

There’s no such stress at Knowle Green Village Hall. Last word from Liz: “I have learned so much and really enjoy seeing other members’ work. Why not pop along? You will be made very welcome!” n

At the other end of the experience scale is John Moxham, a former MD of a family firm. He told me how some photo challenges can lead to pleasant surprises: “On one occasion I was photographing a bluebell after an early morning shower. When I downloaded the image on to my computer, I saw there was a fine cobweb attached to the bluebell which had minute globules of water from the rain

THERE WAS A FINE COBWEB ATTACHED TO THE BLUEBELL WHICH HAD MINUTE GLOBULES OF WATER FROM THE RAIN SHOWER. THIS GAVE THE PHOTOGRAPH A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

EPIC ADVENTURE

Metheven Bond explains why he enjoys the adventure of gravel riding, his favourite routes and reveals his best race this year

Ribble rider and local resident, Metheven Bond will be competing for Team GB at this year’s Gravel World Championships. We caught up with him to talk all things gravel.

What is ‘gravel’ riding and how did you get into it?

Gravel riding is having a bike which you can just go out on a ride and go wherever you like no matter the terrain. You always end up somewhere which you never thought possible to reach on two wheels, which adds to a real sense of adventure and accomplishment. Plus, these days I get to travel the world racing in some epic locations!

Where’s the best place for gravel riding in the North West?

You are spoilt for choice – gravel riding up in the north is so varied and the elevation challenging. It makes for the best training

grounds in the UK. My favourite local gravel loop includes the Trough of Bowland, where a steep climb up Salter Fell loops back around to Gisburn trail centre. Its where I love to push myself and the bike to its limits around the red and black trails.

THE RACE ITSELF

SAW CARNAGE AT THE BEGINNING DUE TO THE ‘PEANUT BUTTER’ MUD CAUSING EVERYONE’S BIKES TO GRIND TO A HALT

What bikes do you ride?

My Ribble Gravel SL and Ribble Endurance SL road bike. Most of my basic training is done on the road bike but I do complete at least one long gravel ride a week just to keep my off-road skills in check and occasionally I enjoy a change of pace by loading it up and going bikepacking. For the Worlds, I will be debuting Ribble’s new gravel ‘Stone’ inspired racing machines which is really special.

What has been your best race this year?

Unbound in the USA was particularly memorable simply because of the scale of

the whole event. It was my longest ever ride, let alone race, at 200 miles. The race itself saw carnage at the beginning due to the ‘peanut butter’ mud causing everyone’s bikes to grind to a halt. It then became a race of attrition and a battle for survival. My favourite was The Rift in Iceland which centred around an active volcano and the course involved crossing lava fields and glacial rivers. it felt like riding on the surface of Mars!

And finally, what do you like to do if you’re not racing or working?

As mentioned, I do enjoy the occasional weekend of bikepacking. I love exploring new roads and the sense of freedom that it gives you. Off the bike my biggest weakness is cake – eating it and baking it! n

Discover your adventure bike at Ribble’s flagship showroom in Clitheroe where one of their experts will be on hand to take you through their extensive range or visit online: ribblecycles.co.uk

ribblecycles.co.uk

DELIVERING YOUR DREAM DESIGN

cooking and their garden, so we created a bespoke window seat looking out from their kitchen, framing the view into their garden –something they hadn’t thought about and is now their favourite spot.”

A unique offer from BCAE Architects, which is included in the fee, is seeing plans in 3D

using Virtual Reality (VR) headsets. “2D plans are useful for space planning, but don’t bring a project to life. With the VR headsets we can walk people through the spaces, it’s also great for the contractors as nothing is left to interpretation, everyone can see what the final version will look like,” explained Ben.

Based near Preston, BCAE Architects offer high-end, bespoke designs for contemporary house extensions, unique eco homes, rural barn conversions, home adaptations and larger scale residential schemes across the North West. Co-directors, and qualified chartered architects, Ben Craven and Arron El-Ammar, pride themselves on delivering a highly personal architectural service, producing exceptional designs with strong attention to detail.

“Every project we undertake is unique –we’re not the kind of architects who deliver an off the shelf product,” explained Ben.

“We work closely with our clients from start to finish, looking at creating a quality, innovative, personalised space. We develop designs, sort planning, building regs, arrange tenders and project manage during construction – we’re there every step of the way.

“Our main aim is to help people achieve their aspirations of creating their dream home or improve their existing space. It’s about listening to our clients and also advising them and coming up with ideas they had not previously considered. For instance, we’d picked up from a client how much they loved

OUR MAIN AIM IS TO HELP PEOPLE ACHIEVE THEIR ASPIRATIONS OF CREATING THEIR DREAM HOME OR IMPROVE THEIR EXISTING SPACE

“Ben understood our vision from the first design appointment, and his drawings took our lifestyle into full consideration.

“Arron and Ben have stayed in contact throughout the build, ensuring any amendments are in line with the aesthetic we wanted. It would have been a lot more stressful without their help!”

Ben and Arron create strikingly distinctive designs, often exploring different materials from the norm that fits in with its unique setting.

Since setting up BCAE Architects in 2022, they’ve gone from strength to strength, delivering numerous projects from house renovations and extensions to new builds. With a recent entry for a unique new build home (within the South Ribble greenbelt) at the Manchester Society of Architects Awards, BCAE Architects are the perfect choice to create your dream home or space. n

BCAE Architects

Unit 17, Guest House Farm Runshaw Lane, Euxton PR7 6HD 01772 454727 07540 591628

info@bcae-architects.co.uk

bcae-architects.co.uk

bcae_architects

BCAE Architects are forging a reputation for contemporary, innovative, bespoke residential and commercial designs, writes

Sarah Ulyatt

Eloise and Oliver Fortune (New build eco home)

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

As we approach Halloween, storyteller and ghost tour leader Simon Entwistle tells a mysterious tale, which has an unexpected inexplicable outcome.

Photography: Ben Redhead

This is the story of a good friend of mine, who has given me permission to write his story. In the mid-1990s Barrie was involved in a very serious car crash on a nasty bend on the A59 near Gisburn.

His car hit a tree, the engine left its mounting and crushed him in the driver’s seat, breaking both ankles, legs pelvis and ribs causing extensive damage to his heart. The fire crews had to cut the roof off his car and lift the engine off his shattered body, which they laid next to his vehicle.

The ambulance crews arrived and he was

pronounced dead. That is, until a police officer noticed some eye movement. A helicopter landed to evacuate him to Blackburn Hospital and while on the journey there he had a cardiac arrest. The crew on the helicopter used a defibrillator to aid him, but within minutes he arrested again and the crew once more used the defibrillator to revive him. It was decided they would divert to Manchester where a hospital operating theatre awaited.

Barrie was rushed into theatre and this is where the story starts. He found to his amazement he was looking down from the ceiling at his own body on the theatre table. He could clearly see theatre teams working on his chest. He felt very calm, in fact very happy and he heard some pleasant music and a bright light was next to him. Part of him wanted to go to the light and music, but he looked down and noticed the head surgeon stitching his heart together. He saw a surgeon walk over to a sink where a nurse then took off his gloves and mask, to reveal a young man with a pencil thin moustache.

Barrie could hear them talk – the young surgeon said to the nurse that this time tomorrow they would both be in Ibiza. For the next three months Barrie was in a controlled coma as his injuries were so severe.

To his parents delight he opened his eyes for the first time in 12 weeks and word spread through the hospital that he had come out of his coma. He had many visitors that day including the surgeon. His words to Barrie were, ‘We thought we had lost you the day you came to us.’

Barrie looked into the eyes of the young surgeon and looked at his pencil thin moustache and the surgeon’s eyes widened when Barrie asked him if he had enjoyed Ibiza? ‘Yes,’ said the startled surgeon. ‘But you have been unconscious for the past three months. How did you know that?’

Barrie replied, ‘I watched the operation from the theatre ceiling, I heard beautiful music and witnessed a bright light.’ The surgeon told Barrie that his eyes had been closed for three months, but he confirmed that he did fly to Ibiza with his wife the day after the operation and really could not come up with a logical explanation, apart from the fact that Barrie must have had an out of body experience. n

Simon Entwistle Top Hat Tours

ITALIAN

TASTE La Verde Vita in Manchester

La Verde Vita in Manchester

La Verde Vita in Manchester

The Agrifood event for food business operators

The Agrifood event for food business operators

FEATURING

FEATURING

Discover the latest food and wine trends

Discover the latest food and wine trends and Italian PDO/PGI products

Discover the latest food and wine trends and Italian PDO/PGI products

Chapel Wharf, Salford, Manchester, M3 5LH)

The Lowry Hotel (50 Dearmans Place, Chapel Wharf, Salford, Manchester, M3 5LH)

The Lowry Hotel (50 Dearmans Place, Chapel Wharf, Salford, Manchester, M3 5LH)

Running from 11 AM to 7 PM

16th October

2023

Chef Maurizio Bocchi

Maurizio Bocchi

Chef Maurizio Cecco

Maurizio Bocchi

Maurizio Salvi

MIND MATTERS

Once the assessments are complete, we analyse the results to identify patterns and understand the motivational profiles of each team member. This de-brief can either be as feedback to the manager, increasing his understanding of the team and how exactly they need to be managed, or to individuals. We look for common themes and differences among team members’ motivations. It also shows how open to change the team are, helping when a business is going through any type of transition.

If motivational mapping is being used for individual development, each person can be taken through the results or they can be shared as a team-building event. This is extremely effective when there is a need for better team dynamics or to take a team’s performance to the next level.

each other’s motivations to achieve common goals. This collaboration fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose.

Recognition and rewards should be tailored to each team member, as what motivates one person may not have the same impact on another. Personalise the recognition to make it meaningful.

This could involve providing training, mentoring or assigning challenging projects that allow individuals to expand their skills in areas that resonate with them. Motivations can evolve over time, so it’s essential to reassess and adapt your approach periodically. A programme of follow-up assessments with team members can be agreed to stay updated on their motivations and address any changes or challenges that arise.

Motivational mapping is a powerful tool that can help create a high-performing team by understanding and leveraging the motivation of managers and team members. Motivation drives behaviours, so by understanding what motivates, you can align behaviours to get the best out of the whole team. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use motivational mapping.

Begin by mapping your manager or managers, be it yourself or others. This is so powerful, because it is the point at which they, as leaders, begin to see how their own style of leadership needs to be flexed in order to get the best out of individuals.

Next move on to map each team member. The mapping process is via a 10 minute online self- perception inventory. From this, each person gets a 15-page report explaining the results.

Use this opportunity to encourage open and honest conversations about their motivations, aspirations and how they align with their roles and responsibilities.

Look for shared motivations or common themes. These can become the foundation for building a strong team identity and culture. Encourage members to discuss and identify the team’s collective motivational drivers and what they need to change to work better together.

Use the knowledge gained from individual assessments and team discussions to align tasks and responsibilities. Assign tasks that tap into individuals’ primary motivators as this will increase engagement and performance as they will be more energised and driven. You now have the knowledge to create opportunities for team members to collaborate and support each other based on their motivational strengths. Encourage the sharing of knowledge and expertise among team members, allowing them to leverage

Here are a number of ways that motivational maps can support your business:

• M anagement and team development

• Team building

• Retention of staff

• Recruitment

• C hange management

• C onflict resolution

Motivational mapping is also key to understanding yourself better. Motivation changes over time and by completing a map you can better understand how your personal motivators are being met. What would it feel like to be highly motivated all of the time? Mapping creates that opportunity. n

Lynn Scholes is a writer, therapeutic coach, trainer and speaker working with individuals and companies

To find out more contact Lynn on 07753 579745 or go to: focus101.co.uk

Therapeutic coach Lynn Scholes explains motivational mapping and how it can help businesses improve performance and build better team dynamics

FESTIVE FUN AT

We look forward to welcoming you at the Gibbon Bridge for the perfect festive celebration with friends and family.

CHRISTMAS WREATH DEMONSTRATION & WORKSHOP

Monday 11th December 10.30am

Morning demonstration where Anne and Grace will show off their floristry skills to show you how to make a festive wreath.

Followed by a delicious lunch of traditional turkey with all the trimmings and Christmas pudding with our famous brandy sauce accompanied by a glass of wine.

Afternoon workshop with Anne and Grace, who will provide all the materials and help you step by step to ensure you take a gorgeous wreath home that you will proudly display for the festive season.

Half-day £40pp inclusive of morning coffee, demonstration and two course lunch

Full-day £70pp inclusive of coffee, demonstration, two course lunch and afternoon workshop to make a wreath to take home.

Special accommodation rate for full-day attendees:

£160 Double occupancy

£110 Single occupancy

Including 2 course Dinner, B&B Payment required on booking.

CHRISTMAS LUNCHES IN THE RESTAURANT

Commence

Friday 1st December

LUNCH 12 noon – 2pm

2 Courses £29 • 3 Courses £35

DINNER 6pm – 7:30pm

2 Courses £31 • 3 Courses £37.50

SUNDAY LUNCH 12 noon – 2pm

2 Courses £32 • 3 Courses £38.50

CHRISTMAS BRASS BAND CONCERT

Saturday 2nd December 12 noon for 12.30

Join us for a festive celebration with Lostock Hall Memorial Brass Band. With a two course lunch of traditional turkey with all the trimmings, Christmas pudding, tea or coffee and mince pies.

£40pp – payment required on booking

CHRISTMAS FUN DAY WITH FATHER CHRISTMAS!

Saturday 23rd December 11.30am

This is a fabulous afternoon for all the family!

Not only is Father Christmas joining us, but our children’s entertainer will be with us to entertain them during the afternoon as well! All the children will receive a gift.

Adults £25

Children 5 – 12 £15

Children under 5 £7.50

Payment required on booking.

CAROLS AND FISH & CHIPS TEA

Saturday 23rd December 6pm

A fish & chip supper followed by a carol concert lead by mezzo soprano Naomi Holland. We provide lyric sheets so everyone can join in all the fun.

Adults £25 • Children £15 • Payment required on booking.

Stay the night for only £150 B&B per room based on two sharing.

CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER

Sunday 24th December 7pm

Our roaring fire awaits you along with a warmed glass of Gibbon Bridge Mulled Wine and the chef’s favourite canapes. These are followed by a three-course dinner and coffee and entertainment from the wonderful Wal & Dave.

£45pp • £25pp deposit – payment in full by 1st December

CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH

Monday 25th December 12 noon – 2pm

Adults £120 • Children 10 or under £50

£25pp deposit – payment in full by 1st December

BOXING DAY LUNCH

Tuesday 26th December 12.30pm – 2.30pm

Adults £45 • Children 10 or under £25

£25pp deposit – payment in full by 1st December

NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA DINNER DANCE

Sunday 31st December 7pm arrival

£110.00pp • £25pp deposit – payment in full by December 1st

Double or Twin Room £450

Double or Twin Suite £500 Staple Oak Suite £600

£250 deposit – payment in full by 1st December

NEW YEAR’S DAY LUNCH

Monday 1st January 12.30 – 1.30pm

2 Courses £32 • 3 Courses £38.50

£25pp deposit – payment in full by 1st December

Head to gibbon-bridge.co.uk to discover the full list of events and offers

The hotel will close after lunch on New Year’s Day and re-open for lunch on Sunday 7th January 2024

SAVE WADDOW HALL

The news that Waddow Hall is to be put up for sale has shocked and saddened Girlguiding volunteers and the wider community, who have launched a bid to save it. Photography: Robin Lyndon

Asustained coordinated campaign has been launched in a bid to save historic Waddow Hall, which has been used by Girl Guides worldwide and the local community for almost a century.

The Girlguiding Association acquired the Grade II listed hall, which is set in 170 acres, back in 1927 for just £9,000.

Trustee Janet Taylor explains: “It was acquired very cheaply in hard economic times – it was a very poor period in our history. But the Girlguiding commissioners were looking for a base in the north of England so this was a great opportunity to make Waddow part of Girlguiding, which is the biggest voluntary female organisation in the world.

“Waddow opened as a Girlguiding centre on 1st October 1927 and we were coming up to 100 years celebrating Girlguiding at Waddow. But earlier this year the decision was made by Girlguiding to sell.

“It’s a very special place where a lot of Guides

from the local vicinity, throughout the UK and internationally have had a once-in-alifetime experience. We have camp sites, a zip wire, tree climbs, abseiling and kayaking –adventures happen here, and they leave believing anything is possible. It is positive for physical health and mental wellbeing and we are very disappointed that Girlguiding hasn’t fully recognised that.

to do so we have developed a strategy and intend to buy it.”

Janet, who is one of three long-term volunteers and trustees of Waddow Hall Trust along with Lynne Warner and Lynn Smith, adds: “We all know Waddow very well, but we are not approaching this on sentimental grounds. We want to move towards a community-based board of trustees and, given the opportunity, extend Waddow Hall’s audience, which we agree is totally viable.”

“All our volunteers received news of the sale with anger and disbelief. So, we asked ourselves, ‘Where do we go from here?’ We are Guiders, leading is what we are trained

Those involved in the bid to save Waddow have submitted an ‘expression of interest’ to the vendors and have devised a fund-raising strategy to cover all types of contributions: “While we can raise money through the local community, by ‘buying a brick’ and sponsoring a room and through crowdfunding pledges, these are on a relatively small scale and we know we’re not going to raise enough in this way. What we really need is a benefactor or a number of benefactors, who have the vision to see they will be carrying on a far-reaching legacy, which is a unique opportunity.”

As well as being used by Girlguiding, the 60-bed hall has been used for adventure pursuits and learning by 120 North West

A QUOTE FROM JK ROWLING COMES TO MIND, ‘THINGS WE LOSE HAVE A WAY OF COMING BACK TO US IN THE END, IF NOT ALWAYS IN THE WAY WE EXPECT’

schools, for families and for conferencing and training – in the extensive grounds are numerous camp sites, a new-build adventure house and self-catered cottage accommodation.

“There is so much potential,” says Janet. “The hall is in good repair. The Friends of Waddow spent £42,000 on upgrading the top floor rooms relatively recently thanks to a legacy left to us. How would this make them and their family feel – it was their legacy left with the intention of supporting Waddow Hall and Girlguiding.”

Waddow Hall is one of five activity centres nationwide, that the Girlguiding Association has decided to sell. On the Girlguiding website it states: “We continue to be open to options on the sale of the properties and we have been approached by several interested parties, including members.

“Funds from the sale of the activity centres will be put into a designated investment fund to support Girlguiding activities, adventure for girls and for a range of purposes to invest in the future of Girlguiding.”

Janet concludes: “What the Girlguiding hasn’t given us is time. All we can do is hope that we can raise the money to keep Waddow Hall and develop it as a hub of heritage, culture and education. A quote from JK Rowling comes to mind, ‘Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect’.” n

CROWDFUNDING DETAILS crowdfunder.co.uk /p/waddow-hall-trust

waddowhalltrust@gmail.com waddowhalltrust.co.uk

waddowhalltrust

WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS A BENEFACTOR OR A NUMBER OF BENEFACTORS, WHO HAVE THE VISION TO SEE THEY WILL BE CARRYING ON A FARREACHING LEGACY

DONOR APPEAL

International charity DKMS and UK-based Antony Nolan are both dedicated to fighting blood cancer and blood disorders, which are caused by changes in the genes of blood cells.

Our bodies make billions of new blood cells every day and mutations can come about during this process. When stem cells divide and multiply, the DNA is copied from one cell into two new cells. However, sometimes ‘spelling mistakes’ happen in the DNA code when it is copied.

Cancers develop when cells gather a number of gene changes over time, which affect how they behave.

Unlike normal blood cells, cancer cells have lost the failsafe mechanism that makes them die when they’re damaged, so they grow and multiply uncontrollably, flooding the bone marrow and the bloodstream, crowding out other healthy blood cells.

There are three main types of blood cancers –leukaemias, lymphomas and myeloma.

Both DKMS and Anthony Nolan work tirelessly to match potential stem cell donors to blood cancer and blood disorder patients in urgent need of a stem cell transplant. Both need people to donate stem cells in order to expand their registers in order to increase the chance of being able to save someone’s life.

Young people are most likely to be chosen to donate as they provide better outcomes for patients and are less likely to have any longterm health problems which might delay or prevent donation. Anthony Nolan takes donors aged 17-30 and DKMS takes donors aged 17-50. Every 14 minutes, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer or a related disorder.

O ver 2,000 people in the UK are in need of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant every

year. As only one in three patients will have a matching donor in their family, two thirds of people need to find an unrelated donor elsewhere. Every day, at least five people start their search for a matching unrelated stem cell donor.

L ast year Anthony Nolan helped around 1300 people receive a stem cell transplant –giving them a second chance of life.

BOTH CHARITIES NEED PEOPLE TO DONATE STEM CELLS IN ORDER TO EXPAND THEIR REGISTERS IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE CHANCE OF BEING ABLE TO SAVE SOMEONE’S LIFE

Ninety per cent of stem cell donations take place via peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection. This is a procedure similar to giving blood. It takes around five hours and is a simple outpatient procedure.

O nce you’re on the register, your chance of being chosen to donate depends on your age and sex. Obviously, the donor and the recipient must have the same tissue type. As there are millions of different combinations, finding a suitable match is complicated.

B oth DKMS and Anthony Nolan carry out world-class research into stem cell matching and transplants to improve outcomes for all patients and both urgently need more people to join their register so they can provide more matches and save more lives. n

To find out how you could become a stem cell donor and help save someone’s life, go to: dkms.org.uk anthonynolan.org

Donating stem cells is a simple procedure that could help save someone’s life. Find out how you could become a donor

EDUCATION NEWS

EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Exceptional Burnley College students were celebrated for their achievements in front of their families, friends and guests at the annual Sixth Form Awards for Excellence ceremony. The special guests gathered at the spectacular event hosted in the breathtaking atrium in the college’s £115 million town centre campus.

BIG KICK TRAINING DAY

BATTLEFIELD TOUR

During the summer Oakhill pupils, staff and parents embarked on a WW1 battlefields cycling tour exploring historical sites around the Ypres area. They visited the Menin Gate and the Passchendaele Museum before paying their respects to fallen soldiers at Tyne Cot cemetery, some from our local area who pupils had researched. They also visited the Canadian Memorial to the gas attacks and the German cemetery at Langemarcke. The cycling was excellent with 52km covered on just the first day in the sunshine.

Rossall School, renowned for its excellence in girls’ football recently held Rossall’s Big Kick – a training day aiming to extend access to girls’ football by offering its FA licensed coaches, national champion girls’ players, and state-of-the-art facilities to five local schools. As the leading independent school for girls’ football nationally,

EXAM CELEBRATIONS

Burnley College celebrated another year of outstanding results. Students have been awarded places at some of the world’s leading universities to study dentistry, medicine, politics, mathematics and more. Students achieved an overall pass rate in A Levels of 99 per cent, with 85 per cent of students receiving at least one A*-C grade and 60 per cent of students receiving at least one A*-B grade.

Rossall has been instrumental in nurturing young talent and promoting the sport. With their U18 team clinching the ISFA national championship for two consecutive years, the school continues to demonstrate their commitment to fostering excellence in girls’ football.

INSPIRING START

Over 400 Year 11 students from Ribblesdale High School recently learnt about the amazing opportunities available to them from local business leaders. Representatives from Scott Dawson Advertising, Peter Scott Printers, Studio Retail/Frasers Group, Sundown Solutions, North Lancs Training Group (NLTG) and The Vita Group, attended the Ribble Valley based school event. Pupils heard about the fantastic range of opportunities available to them during an enthralling morning of careers advice, from apprenticeships and marketing, to cyber, science and retail.

NATIONAL SUCCESS

During the summer, nine talented Westholme students were overjoyed to be accepted into National Youth Theatre’s prestigious theatre programme, where the acceptance rate is less than 10 per cent. This was the first time Westholme hosted auditions for the National Youth Theatre and were thrilled when so many of their students gained a place. The students flourished during the two-week programme and valued the skills and techniques they learnt amongst an array of talented professionals. Year 11 student, Emilia said: “It was such an amazing experience that I will never forget and a highlight to my summer.”

COUNTY CHAMPIONS

Continuing a long history of wide-ranging sporting success, Stonyhurst pupils Annabel and Hima have become county tennis champions in their respective age categories. Annabel from St Mary’s Hall is now the U11s Singles Champion, while College pupil Hima triumphed in four events at the Lancashire County Championships, including the Women’s Singles, U18 Girl’s Singles, Women’s Doubles with partner Amy and U18 Girl’s Doubles with partner Mariam. The Stonyhurst Tennis Camp is returning this half term.

languageschool.stonyhurst.ac.uk

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Being selected as a finalist in the Independent School of the Year is a cause for great celebration at Westholme, which delivers an unrivalled, skills-first education, writes Meena

Westholme has been selected as a finalist for the Independent School of the Year. This comes after being shortlisted for this prestigious national award last year too.

The Independent School of the Year 2023 Awards celebrate the demonstrable benefits of an independent school education and showcases the ‘life-affirming, future-enhancing student experience’.

Westholme is a finalist in the Careers Programme category and is delighted to be recognised for its enterprising outlook that focuses on the acquisition of 21st century essential skills.

Principal Dr Richard Robson comments:

McDonald

“For every student in the school we look beyond academic achievement. The GCSE and A-Level exam results are the icing on the cake at Westholme. Our pioneering educational philosophy of delivering unrivalled holistic excellence focuses on a skills-first approach, essential for the modern workplace.

“Our academic results are consistently high, but for us the true magic of Westholme lies in our incredible students, who stand out as emotionally intelligent, self-confident, motivated individuals who have their feet firmly on the ground and their dreams in the stars.”

The awards really are a testament to Westholme staying true to its philosophy and delivering what it promises.

From the tender age of four, students are provided with countless opportunities which

WE ARE ABOUT NURTURING AND DELIVERING THE MOST EXCITING AND FULFILLING OPPORTUNITIES TO EVERY STUDENT IN AN INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT

encourage them to grow in confidence, believe in themselves, become resilient, work on their own initiative as well as in teams and reach their full potential – this all-round education goes far beyond the classroom.

The results of this unique approach to prepare Westholmians for the future is a combination of outstanding academic rigour along with the most rounded, articulate and prepared individuals you could wish for. Each possesses exceptional skills enabling them to achieve whatever career path they desire, as well as help them to navigate through life itself.

This year has seen their largest ever cohort of students applying for and 100 per cent achieving, Level 6 degree apprenticeship places of their choice.

Ten current students have successfully secured prestigious Level 6 degree apprenticeships with a range of multinational companies including BBC, PwC, ARUP, Jaguar Land Rover and KPMG in disciplines such as accounting, product and marketing, engineering and technology. The students were highly sought-after, with multiple offers made available to most of them – some achieved as many as seven offers for coveted schemes. This is a remarkable testament to the 21st century essential skills each student exhibits.

Eight of the 10 students cited above were awarded scholarships and bursaries to attend the INSPIRED Sixth Form, enabling them to receive the benefits of a Westholme education and the nationally recognised, outstanding careers support.

This year’s success can be attributed to engaging with students from Year 7 onwards and sparking an interest in apprenticeships and the benefits of choosing different higher education pathways. This early insight

enables students to focus on developing the 21st century essential skills as they progress through Seniors and the INSPIRED Sixth Form, which enables them to stand out from the crowd during the multiple assessment stages.

The development of the Westholme Alumni Network over the last two years, including dedicated online platforms and increased engagement, has also improved valuable networking opportunities for students. Engagement and interaction with inspirational alumni role models has been pivotal in broadening horizons, allowing students to make informed decisions about their future.

before the pandemic and Westholme provides every opportunity to address this concern and challenge our students to develop the skills that are highly sought after in business. We are passionately committed to continue to pioneer the education of the future at Westholme.

“That is what Westholme is about. We are about nurturing and delivering the most exciting and fulfilling opportunities to every student in an inspiring environment, with emphasis on frontloading experiences to inculcate the 21st century essential skills that prepare our young people for the world of work as well as for life itself.”

Westholme is fast becoming the most sought-after school in the region as more and more parents discover its ground-breaking philosophy coupled with down-to-earth, hardworking, humble and incredibly happy students! n

The Independent Schools of the Year 2023 isn’t Westholme’s only awards success. The school was also very recently highly commended at a prestigious awards ceremony at the Education Business Awards.

Dr Robson continues: “We’re truly honoured to be recognised for our pioneering educational philosophy. Being an independent school provides the freedom to develop our own unique curriculum and we have enjoyed producing our skills-based curriculum that is endorsed by industry. We know that the CBI referred to a dearth of skilled graduates

To find out more about how Westholme continues to pioneer the future of education, please contact: registrar@westholmeschool.com

Westholme School

Wilmar Lodge, Meins Road

Pleasington BB2 6QU 01254 506070 westholmeschool.com

WE HAVE ENJOYED PRODUCING OUR SKILLS-BASED CURRICULUM THAT IS ENDORSED BY INDUSTRY

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EVERY OPPORTUNITY…

remember it much better.

“It stands to reason, that if pupils are in a maths class and they are measuring the angles of a flagpole outside, they will remember it.

I ask all staff that if they are able, take a lesson or part of a lesson outside.

If ever there was a school in a perfect location it is Oakhill in Whalley. Surrounded by countryside, with numerous walking, running and cycle trails and located in extensive grounds, large enough for fun, full-school picnics and activities, Oakhill is a comparatively small, independent school, which nurtures a robust community spirit among pupils, parents and staff.

Principal Jane Buttery has, over the years, adopted and encouraged pupils to embrace the great outdoors in a concept that helps them develop concentration and hands-on learning: “If children see something or actively do something while they learn they tend to

“Some of our younger pupils were recently in an outdoor Spanish class and they were asked certain colours in Spanish, they then had to run to an object in that particular colour. Not only was it great fun, they were getting exercise and fresh air while they were learning.”

The countryside surrounding Oakhill is filled with wildlife meaning science lessons see pupils embark on scavenger hunts for plants, insects and bugs using ‘pooters’ to capture and investigate. There is also a Forest School – not unusual for most schools these days – but at Oakhill there is a ready-made wood and natural stream right on their doorstep, where prep pupils go every week to explore nature, paddle and toast marshmallows.

Older pupils cook meals on campfires and learn how to pitch a tent on the top fields, where the school’s exciting BMX Club regularly rides.

“We have many clubs here at Oakhill that

Oakhill School, set in the heart of the Ribble Valley countryside is flourishing, giving pupils many and varied opportunities to learn in a unique environment

add to the community spirit – for example we started an Eco Club last year for younger pupils and senior pupils are starting this term. They are making feeding boxes for the birds from recyclable plastic bottles, apple feeders and providing bowls of water for wildlife.

“Eco Club member have also been making bird boxes – working as a team using hammers, nails and screwdrivers and putting them in the trees in the school grounds. Hopefully, they will be used this coming spring and, if we are lucky to have birds nesting, we will be putting a camera in there so all Oakhill pupils can watch nature right here,” adds Mrs Buttery.

Most Prep children have taken part in a nationwide Big Bird Watch helping identifying birds in specific areas with their findings sent to the RSPB to assist them in collating information about Britian’s wildlife: “The children were so excited when they spotted buzzards!”

Mrs Buttery explains: “The trees have also been made available to parents wanting to rewild a little piece of their garden.”

Whole school events are very much valued at Oakhill – each year pupils along with staff and parents, embark on a walk through Spring Wood up to the Nick of Pendle while a Run the Lights event along Blackpool Promenade has also been a hugely popular and well-attended event. The school also has a Running Club and a weekly lunchtime wellbeing walk for staff and students.

see something in practice, makes a relatively dull topic come alive,” says Mrs Buttery.

Travelling in one of the school’s minibuses pupils recently took part in a residential activity week that involved abseiling, hiking, orienteering, water sports and camping: “These kind of activities often take pupils out of their comfort zone, but they return brimming with self-confidence.”

A home-grown willow dome is used by the whole of Oakhill as an outdoor learning environment and den and recently, the Woodland Trust donated a number of trees to the school enabling them to create an on-site nursery where they will be nurtured over three years then planted within the grounds.

Watching and learning is very much encouraged at Oakhill in terms of pupils going out into the local community and embarking on expeditions further afield.

“Again our location is ideal as pupils can go into Whalley and use the library and other facilities. An art class recently went to sketch the gargoyles at Whalley Abbey and when they returned they made 3D models. We have a History Club so pupils used the library to do their research and they also devised a questionnaire and spoke with local people about the area,” adds Mrs Buttery.

Because Oakhill is a relatively small school, this makes planning expeditions and educational outings easy.

Pupils recently travelled to a water purification plant to learn about the purification process: “Allowing children to

Oakhill is very much a school that brings pupils, staff and parents together, creating a tight-knit community through joint activities, where older pupils mentor younger ones, where friendships are forged and where each individual is valued: “We are very lucky to have a school in beautiful grounds surrounded by countryside, allowing pupils to learn and flourish in a fantastic environment.” n

Oakhill School and Nursery Wiswell Lane, Whalley BB7 9AF 01254 823546 01254 824880 oakhillschool.co.uk

WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A SCHOOL IN BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS SURROUNDED BY COUNTRYSIDE, ALLOWING PUPILS TO LEARN AND FLOURISH IN A FANTASTIC ENVIRONMENT

Having grown up on a farm on the Duchy of Lancaster estate, James Alpe always had a passion for cars. After completing an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic, he started his first business aged 21, repairing cars from home on his father’s farm. As his business grew, he moved to larger premises at Salthill in Clitheroe and still runs the business from the original plot to this day. Now one of the country’s largest accident repair centres and vehicle conversion specialists, James Alpe is unique in the diverse range of services it offers ensuring customers’ needs are central to its service with the team being experienced and committed to offering a quality, personal service.

The premises have grown as the business has grown and expanded: “We have recently had the entire exterior of our building re-clad to update it and keep it fresh, along with a large extension to the body shop,” James explains.

This includes six body alignment jigs now being in operation along with modernisation of the interior of the building too and new, innovative toolboxes for each technician: “With the automotive industry shift towards electric and hybrid vehicles and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) becoming standard in many vehicles, it’s vitally important we have a workforce that can work safely and with confidence to recalibrate this when carrying out repairs,” James says.

“Our technicians are highly qualified and experienced and have completed valid IMI TechSafe route qualifications, which are the

only professional standards for working on electric/hybrid and ADAS technologies –proving their competence to work safely and effectively.”

Having a bespoke, internal apprenticeship scheme is a big part of the personal and professional development of the business and one manager is in place whose sole focus is to oversee the whole process: “We currently have 12 apprentices completing their four-year programme and our Training and Development Manager works closely with them, and their mentors to ensure they have everything in place to complete their training. Our apprenticeship programme is an important part of the business, and it brings a new wave of bright, young people into the business to help us keep moving forward – it is an honour to see our apprentices grow and it’s something we’re all really proud of.”

Air Ambulance service and Ronald McDonald House which enable families to stay close by their children when undergoing hospital treatment.”

Dedication to quality is key to the business growth and success of James Alpe Ltd: “We have been fortunate to have received a host of awards in recognition of what we do,” says James.

In the last year this has included the Ribble Valley Business Awards for the Large Business of the Year and an APB British Body Shop Award for Jaguar Land Rover along with the Fastest Growing Single Site Bodyshop and the Central Region Bodyshop of the Year. James has also won an ABP Award as an industry influencer.

James Alpe Ltd is a supporter of all things local and is a sponsor of both Clitheroe Football Club as well as one of the Clitheroe Wolves teams, where one of their workforce is a coach: “As a company we are committed to supporting the local community and local charities,” James says. “We host annual golf days and recent fundraisers have included raising funds for the North West

With continual new initiatives and a focus to never stand still, James Alpe and his team have developed a professional reputation which goes beyond repairs, and they are renowned specialists in vehicle conversions and bespoke commercial vehicle fit outs. They understand fleet conversions, police vehicles, welfare vehicles, camera vehicles, dog vehicles, animal transportation, workshop vehicles, roadside assistance vehicles, van racking systems, seating, tracking and much more.

“Those specialist skills are key to the success of the business and it’s something we continue to build on. As we move forward, we do more and more complex repairs from all over the country – things that other companies can’t or are unwilling to undertake. We strive to continually develop our work provider relationships and are confident in the skills of our team.” n

jamesalpe.co.uk

James Alpe chats to Gail Bailey about the continuing journey in his award-winning business

IT’S AN HONOUR TO SEE OUR APPRENTICES GROW AND IT’S SOMETHING WE’RE ALL REALLY PROUD OF

WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE RECEIVED A HOST OF AWARDS IN RECOGNITION OF WHAT WE DO

BUSINESS MATTERS

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the thriving Ribble Valley, where business always matters

If you have any Business Matters news items contact:

jan.woolley@live-magazines.co.uk

FIVE YEAR CELEBRATION

A Ribble Valley based bathroom design business is celebrating a successful first five years after being launched by two entrepreneurial sisters determined to put a female stamp on the male-dominated sector. Founded in 2018 by Abbie and Sophie Schofield, Ribble Valley Bathrooms, which designs and installs luxury bathrooms across the region and the whole of the UK, has experienced a remarkable 165 per cent growth since launching. The business, which has a showroom in Clitheroe, was established by Abbie and Sophie after they realised that there was a huge gap in the market for a luxury bathroom specialist which offered a 360-degree service and the highest level of customer service. They work with the world’s leading luxury bathroom brands to offer customers an unrivalled choice of furniture, fixtures and fittings, designing all bathrooms themselves in-house and offering their own install service.

Sophie 33, co-founder of Ribble Valley Bathrooms, said:

“It’s been a phenomenal few years. When we launched the business in 2018 we knew that we could offer the sector something different. Bathrooms and plumbing are both notoriously male-dominated industries, but homeowners were looking for so much more than what currently existed.

“The first five years of our journey have been nothing short of remarkable – we have secured partnerships with industryleading brands that have enhanced our product offerings, worked on projects of all shapes and sizes the length and breadth of the UK and received the Innovative Retailer of the Year Award, recognising our commitment to creative solutions.”

GREAT TASTE AWARDS

Great Taste, the world’s most coveted blind-tasted food awards, which celebrates the very best in food and drink, recently announced the Great Taste stars of 2023. Out of almost 15,000 products to be judged, Choc Amor of Lancashire was awarded four Great Taste Awards. Their winning bars were Salt & Pepper 48.5 per cent, which was described by the judges as a delightfully balanced bar which creates a truly memorable result with interest and length. Choc Amor’s Thai 7 Spice 61 per cent a smooth chocolate with a subtle and thought-provoking flavour profile was also a winner along with Sea Salted Nibs 61 per cent and Hazelnut Praline 41 per cent Milk. All products were put to the test in front of a panel of experts including chefs, buyers, food writers and retailers.

Paul Williams Head Chocolatier at Choc

Amor said: “We honestly almost didn’t enter the Great Taste awards this year but thankfully had a last-minute change of heart! Three two-star awards and a one star is the best news ever and we are blown away. It’s always joyful to get good feedback from our customers but winning these awards is further reassurance that we’re doing it right. Our awards tally is now over 58 – including Great Taste Awards, Academy of Chocolate Awards and International Chocolate Awards.

PENSION BENEFITS –WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS?

Planning your retirement is one of the most important considerations you’ll undertake. The Covid-19 pandemic brought this life-changing decision into sharper focus for many people as priorities were re-assessed and financial goals re-examined.

At Raymond James, Ribble Valley, we are working with new and existing clients as they assess their financial future set against an economic, health and social backdrop which can best be described as uncertain. With the UK economy seeing high inflation, the Bank of England has been raising its base rate, which is currently at 5.25 per cent, in an attempt to curb inflation’s upward creep. And there may be further increases in interest rates, with some predictions that they could reach 5.75 per cent. Whilst rising interest rates impact the affordability of some financial products and services, such as mortgages, they have a positive effect in other ways, such as increasing the rates on savings products.

Annuity rates are currently at their highest since 2009, which has once again made them an appealing choice for those considering how to make the most of their pension savings in retirement. A higher annuity rate generally means a higher income in retirement.

An annuity enables you to use your pension savings to provide you with a regular guaranteed income in retirement, usually paid out over a predetermined period of time, or for the rest of your life.

Of course, should interest rates begin to decline then annuity rates will follow suit and uptake of this financial instrument may decline as higher returns might be expected elsewhere. Whilst rising interest rates certainly make a nnuities a more attractive way to draw your retirement income, locking into the rate offered at the time of purchase and guaranteeing a certain level of income, there are a number of factors worth considering when deciding if an annuity’s right for you. Raymond James, Ribble Valley, helps its clients consider the wider aspects of the decision including your age and health, the flexibility different options offer, your income needs in retirement, your appetite to risk and the possible combination of annuity and drawdown, all set against different annuity timeframes.

Annuities were once a common way for those at retirement age, currently 55 (rising to 57 from 2028), to convert their pension savings into a retirement income. However, annuity purchases have seen a decline following government reforms to pensions in 2015, which gave those at retirement age increased control over how to take their pensions. This included the introduction of pension drawdown. D rawdown allows those at retirement age to withdraw income from their pension pot as and when they need it, whilst leaving the rest invested. However, there’s been a resurgence in the popularity of annuities over the course of 2023 driven by rising interest rates.

If you’re considering your retirement options and want to explore what financial alternatives are available to you, please make an appointment with one of our Ribble Valley based team. We passionately believe in the importance of making sure you seek independent advice, to ensure you are making the best decision at this crucial point for your unique circumstances. We look forward to seeing you in the near future. n

Risk Warning: With investing, your capital is at risk. Opinions constitute our judgement as of this date and subject to change without warning. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Raymond James, Ribble Valley 8 Berry Lane, Longridge Preston PR3 3JA 01772 780300 ribblevalley.raymondjames.uk.com

The experts at Raymond James Ribble Valley explain what options you have when it comes to pensions

ELECTRIC SHOCK

with intuitive technology and thrills aplenty. The i5 takes your driving experience to the next level, delivering all the driving dynamics you would expect from a 5 Series.

shadowline exterior trim, M Sport suspension, M leather steering wheel and front sport seats. With regard to technology and connectivity there is a Harman/Kardon hifi loudspeaker system, AC charging-at-home or on-the-go with charging cable professional (22kW charging capacity) and BMW Connected Package Professional.

The wonderful BMW Live Cockpit Plus feature highlights a fully digital, customisable 12.3” instrument display with a high resolution 14.9” control display. An intuitive curved display ensures you are always connected through touch, voice or gesture.

Not overlooking the BMW Operating System 8.5 and Intelligent Personal Assistant with personalised user account options.

Not every car manufacturer has it, but BMW has it in spades. We’re talking about the ability to produce something not just special, much more than that – more like magical – a car that will have customers drooling and send competitors into shock mode.

Electric shock mode.

For the BMW 5 Series has gone fully electric for the very first time and it is an absolute beast of a machine. Launching on 21st October, it has a ‘range’ of up to 357 miles. Proof, if you need it, comes from the impressive technical data. This is a proper performer with the range-topping BMW i5 M60 xDrive - a 593 bhp, twin-motor firecracker capable of 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds.

The alternative eDrive40 M Sport is no slouch either, just a couple of seconds behind its big brother and even more generous in terms of range.

Whatever your choice, the word you are looking for my friends is ‘wow’!

Unveiled to great acclaim just a few months ago, this ground-breaking all-electric saloon features an enhanced sportier design, blended

It’s a real looker too with an appearance that is stylish, formidable and bullish – a sculpted exterior delivers a commanding road presence, while an elegantly crafted cabin showcases the latest journey-elevating BMW technology.

LAUNCHING

The attraction is instant, you’ll like it from the get-go and like it even more when you climb aboard. In short, there are no negatives anywhere to be found.

Let’s look at a few of the standard highlights.

In terms of design and dynamics you’ll find 19” double-spoke bicolour alloy wheels, M Alcantara and Veganza upholstery in black, M Sport exterior styling including M Sport brakes in dark blue metallic and high-gloss

For your comfort and practicality, you’ll find heated front seats, automatic two-zone air conditioning, BMW Interactive Bar with ambient lighting and temperature adjustment, adaptive LED headlights and 40:20:40 split folding rear seats.

All of the aforementioned features represent a mere snapshot of what is on offer here.

The BMW 5 Series – or ‘5er’ as many call it –has a long and rich heritage and has been a benchmark in executive saloons for decades.

With this superb i5, BMW has created even more magic, an all-round champion for a new era, an electrifying new era. Discover the joy of moving forward.

The new 5 Series line-up also includes a plug-in hybrid, delivering electric efficiency and performance with the versatility of a combustion engine – as well as a 520i petrol option for full fuel-power. n

Bowker Blackburn Trident Park, Trident Way Blackburn BB1 3NU 01254 274444 bowkerblackburnbmw.co.uk

@BowkerBMW

@bmw_bowker

bowker-motor-group

The BMW 5 Series has gone fully electric with a firecracker of a car that features intuitive technology and thrills aplenty, writes Paul Agnew

ON 21ST OCTOBER, IT HAS A ‘RANGE’ OF UP TO 357 MILES

BUILT FOR THOSE WHO INSPIRE.

THE FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC BMW 5 SERIES SALOON.

DISCOVER THE JOY OF MOVING FORWARD.

Introducing the new fully-electric BMW i5. Featuring an enhanced sportier design, blended with intuitive technology and thrilling electrified performance, the i5 takes your driving experience to the next level.

With a fully-electric range of up to 357* miles, everything about the BMW i5 is designed for electrifying driving dynamics and agility.

At the forefront of the i5 is a modern and futuristic interior with artificial intelligence and technology integrated into the cabin. The 12.3” Information Display and 14.9” Control Display flow effortlessly into one another and introduce new functionalities to enhance your multi-sensory driving experience.

For more information or to register your interest, contact us today.

Bowker Blackburn BMW

Trident Park, Blackburn, BB1 3NU

www.bowkerblackburnbmw.co.uk

01254 274444

Fuel economy and CO 2 results for the BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport: Mpg (1/100km)(weighted combined): 3.9 to 3.6. CO 2 emissions: 0 g/km.

*These figures were obtained after the battery had been fully charged. There is a new test for fuel consumption, CO2 and electric range figures. Figures are for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving results, which depend on a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles, and vehicle load. All figures were determined according to a new test (WLTP). Only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedure.

DRIVING EXCELLENCE

Successful local business the Hippo Motor Group has a long history and extensive experience in the motor trade and is committed to continually evolving to meet the needs of its customers, writes Gail Bailey. Photography: Roger Moore

Owner and Director of The Hippo Motor Group Tom Preston has not only a wealth of knowledge in the car industry but a long family lineage of motor trade experience: “My family were successful coal merchants but changed direction in 1960. They secured f ranchises and partnerships from some of the world’s top manufacturers such as Land Rover, BMW and MINI,” he says.

After selling these in 2007, and not wanting to work for anyone else, Tom used his passion for the motor trade to set up Hippo in Nelson, with just one member of staff.

Fast forward and Hippo Motor Group comprises a car sales, leasing and finance company that has gained a firm reputation for value and customer service. It has one of the fastest growing finance companies

in the UK with over 300 staff, and selling over 10,000 cars per year.

Hippo Motor Group is a digitally driven car and finance company with a staunch

commitment to excellent customer service and staff care.

“We have grown exponentially over the years by investing in our team, technology and on-site facilities,” Tom says.

The group has three companies that cover all motoring needs.

Car leasing through the Hippo Leasing brand offers over 5,000 of the very latest business and personal car leasing deals.

Hippo Motor Finance has a variety of finance options for good, or less than perfect credit, giving customers the ability to match their budget to a used car.

Hippo Approved, offers a great selection of used vehicles, all expertly prepared at the state-of-the-art Hippo Service Centre: “At Hippo Approved, we want nothing more than for you to drive away in your dream car,” Tom says. “We promise that our sales team are fuelled with practical advice and knowledge for you to find the car that fits your lifestyle.”

Recently rebranded from Hippo Prestige, Hippo Approved have repositioned themselves in the market with an even wider range of 1,000 vehicles and a broader

AT HIPPO APPROVED, WE WANT NOTHING MORE THAN FOR YOU TO DRIVE AWAY IN YOUR DREAM CAR

range of price points. As Rebecca Marsden, Head of Sales, explains: “Having had the same branding for a number of years we were ready to refresh and re-establish ourselves at the forefront of the industry. We have diversified to not only offer the high-end high-performance cars we are recognised for, but with an even wider stock range we now supply vehicles for the whole family - from the top end to that very important first car!”

Tom adds: “Over the years we have developed and grown, gaining valuable experience within our trade. By using our industry-leading buying experience and fully trained finance personnel, supported by the best vehicle technicians, we can deliver a real main dealer experience with a competitive edge. All this makes us even more competitive and gives customers peace of mind that with the backing of our 300+ strong Hippo team we are able to provide the best deal, quality and service.”

The Hippo Motor Group is a nationwide company with a state-of-the-art showroom and vehicle preparation centre located in Blackburn, sales offices based within The Bloc complex in Manchester, as well as a large logistics site in Luton to enable customers further south to have somewhere accessible to collect their vehicles: “One of our core values is to ensure every single customer experience is the best it can be,” Rebecca explains.

Mark Khan, Head of Customer Experience, adds: “From our first ever chat through to delivery and aftercare, we pride ourselves on the important relationships that we maintain. Innovation and new ways of thinking are key to success, and so we are always actively listening to our employees and their ideas as well as gathering feedback from our customers.”

“Our service and process is built on the solid family foundations of trust, honesty and integrity,” Tom says. “Over the years, we have consistently achieved ‘Top Rated

Dealer’

well as multiple business awards for the way we operate. None of this is possible without the great staff we have, and I am proud to say many of whom have been with the company for over 15 years . This is further elevated by our numerous recognitions for being a premier employer within the North West region reflecting our commitment to employee wellbeing and professional development.” n

Hippo Motor Group

Trident Park, Trident Way Blackburn BB1 3NU 01254 919000

info@hippomotorgroup.co.uk hippomotorgroup.com

accolades from Autotrader and Car Gurus as

WE PROMISE THAT OUR SALES TEAM ARE FUELLED WITH PRACTICAL ADVICE AND KNOWLEDGE FOR YOU TO FIND THE CAR THAT FITS WITH YOUR LIFESTYLE

AS GOOD AS IT GETS…

Still going strong, the Land Rover Discovery still holds global kerb appeal and continues to shine, writes Paul Agnew Photography: Roger Moore

They say that the vehicles we drive today say much about us as individuals – that our choices reflect both our lifestyles and our characteristics.

But what about historical figures – what might Christopher Columbus have picked as his chosen mode of transport or Albert Einstein, Alexander Fleming or Isaac Newton for that matter?

To a man I reckon they would have all gone for a great Discovery!

And I daresay that the iconic Land Rover Discovery, launched in 1989, will still be holding global kerb appeal well into the future. Originally designed to offer families a level of luxury travel never previously available, it was a hugely impressive and

highly versatile seven-seater of style and substance, capable of tackling any terrain and adventure.

on giving. Quite frankly, it’s impossible to dislike. Take one for a test drive and you’ll be smitten before you’ve even left the showroom.

I took a spin in the 3-litre D300 Dynamic HSE – one down from the range-topping Metropolitan – and it was an event to savour.

Coming up to a quarter-of-a-century later and it’s still doing much the same –and doing it very well indeed.

The Discovery continues to shine as a vehicle of real pedigree which just keeps

Big and bold and spacious and comfortable (armchair levels of comfort), but not at all intimidating. Driving one, trust me, is an absolute breeze.

The power and performance are without question, everything is high-end and there’s still something very special about sitting behind the wheel of a Discovery. In contrast to more ‘car-type’ rivals, it’s not a cockpit-like experience.

This is different – a place of command, a

IT IS A VEHICLE WHICH HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME AND A BRITISH SUCCESS STORY TO SAVOUR

place to do business and challenge the elements head-on, be they the snake-infested swamps of the rainy season in the Serengeti or the snarled-up traffic on a wet and windy morning on a school run in Lancashire.

You’re helped considerably by the Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, the 8-speed automatic gearbox, 300hp and 650Nm or torque. Expect around 35 mpg.

Discovery styling cues remain firmly in evidence – the clamshell bonnet, the stepped roof and the highly visible C-pillar.

Visual changes are subtle. Signature LED headlights create a more purposeful look, plus there are animated sweeping front and rear indicators and a body-colour front fender vent. There are smarter signature LED rear lights too, which are joined across the back of the vehicle by a new Gloss Black panel.

new body colours have been added to the portfolio, Varesine Blue and Charante Grey.

When the original Discovery was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show it intended to compete with the likes of Nissan, Mitsubishi and Toyota in the ‘big car’ market.

If you want it to marry up with a caravan, horsebox or trailer then an astonishing three tonnes of towing capacity is as good as it gets. Indeed, the Advanced Tow Assist is ingenious, allowing drivers to complete potentially difficult reversing manoeuvres with minimum fuss.

Although some aspects have been upgraded and re-designed for 2024, all the usual

Inside, the key change is the adoption of a Pivi Pro centre-dash infotainment monitor with its bigger 11.4-inch full-HD touchscreen. This offers more immediate response, overthe-air updates, plus dual-SIM technology with LTE (Long Term Evolution) modems.

It complements the 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display digital instrument cluster screen, which can include high-definition 3D navigation mapping.

The steering wheel and gear selector have been re-styled and the second row seats have been redesigned too with longer and thicker cushions.

It would be impossible to find space (without taking over the entire magazine) to run through the complete list of driver convenience gadgets and assists.

Suffice to say that it seems to have just about everything – even Alexa is on hand.

And the ‘in control’ remote app is worthy of a mention too. With it you can lock/unlock your vehicle from your smart phone from anywhere in the UK, start up the engine to de-mist the windows and add warm or cool air before you leave the house.

And if that’s not enough, a couple of tempting

But the Discovery didn’t just take them on, it won and by 2012 the one millionth model had rolled off the production line. And here we are celebrating the fifth generation.

It is more sophisticated, even smarter and probably a touch better looking than its predecessors, but the recipe behind the Discovery is pretty much as before.

A vehicle which has stood the test of time and a British success story to savour. n

Churchill Way

Lomeshaye Business Park

Nelson BB9 6LL

01282 935426

Vertu Land Rover Bolton

Kay Street

Bolton BL1 2RX

01254 271125

vertumotors.com

Vertu Land Rover Nelson

THERE’S STILL SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT SITTING BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A DISCOVERY

QUALITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE

the insurance company,” explains James. “This isn’t true. It is the customers car and therefore the customer’s choice who repairs their vehicle. At Alpes we are approved by 31 car manufacturers – something unsurpassed by any other bodyshops in the UK. Meaning your vehicle is repaired and returned to the

Quality without compromise is the thread running through all aspects of motor vehicle repairs and conversions at James Alpe Ltd in Clitheroe: “We are a family run ‘one stop shop’ for vehicle owners, individuals or fleets and public or private sector customers. We are unique in our industry in providing a diverse range of services, saving our customers both time and money. We have a fleet of courtesy vehicles for all our customers, recovery vehicles and most importantly experienced, helpful staff that really care,” explains founder and director James Alpe. Being involved in an accident is a distressing time but James Alpe Ltd will offer honest, trustworthy advice on the best course of action: “It is a misconception when someone is involved in an accident that they have to use an approved repairer recommended by

same exacting standards as the manufacturer has built it which means your manufacturer’s body and paint work warranty is maintained. Obviously, this also helps maintain the vehicle’s residual value.”

Discerning manufacturers know that high standards of workmanship will be upheld by James Alpe Ltd because they have proved it time and time again. They are thoroughly committed to quality and attention to detail, and have teams trained specifically for different vehicles and undergo regular, rigorous audits by all the different brands and prestigious manufacturers including Land Rover, Jaguar, Mercedes, BMW, and VW Audi.

IT IS

MISCONCEPTION

“We had a glowing report from our most recent BSI inspection,” comments James. A further distinct difference when involved in an accident is that even when the customer is at fault, James Alpe Ltd will provide a comparable courtesy vehicle – something insurance companies don’t do.

It isn’t just accident repair of cars and vans that James Alpe Ltd are known for. In recent

The whole team at James Alpe Ltd are incredibly proud of the people, the premises and the exceptional service they offer, writes Gail Bailey

A

WHEN SOMEONE IS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT THEY HAVE TO USE AN APPROVED REPAIRER RECOMMENDED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THIS ISN’T TRUE

years business has grown in the motorhome trade: “We are fortunate in that our premises are big enough to house motorhomes for repair and not only that, we can supply a replacement if people have a holiday planned – so no need to cancel that important break if customers have been involved in an accident. At the end of the last camping and caravanning season we had 18 motorhomes in at once!” says James.

The skillset at James Alpe Ltd means that high calibre conversions are becoming an increasing aspect of the business and there is no end to their capabilities: “We repair, refurbish, maintain and convert a broad range of specialist public sector vehicles in particular, including police vehicles, dog handling vehicles, specialist utilities vehicles and many more including our bespoke MINI conversions for Red Bull.

“Doing these MINI conversions makes a welcome change for our guys from the normal type of vehicle conversion and we absolutely love carrying out this kind of bespoke work.

“Alongside this our independent sign company, Smaldon Signs & Vehicle Graphics, complete our public sector service by carrying out all types of vehicle livery, specialising in large fleet vehicle graphics,” James explains.

In addition to this the new plastic welding division of the business includes a new state-of-the-art CNC machine, which is used particularly for converting vehicles and installing dog kennels. A number of furloughed staff were retrained in the skill of plastic welding and were able to complete a large order for the police service.

Looking after the workforce at James Alpe Ltd ensures the loyalty and commitment of

the team: “We are known for having a very low turnover of staff, with many celebrating work anniversaries of 25 and 30 years. In fact, 15 of our staff have worked here for a combined 355 years!” says James. A shared bonus incentive four times a year is an example of the commitment the company gives back to its staff.

“Pride in what we do is central to what we do,” adds James. “We regularly have workshop tours and visitors are more than welcome to come and see what happens behind the scenes at our bodyshop, conversion centre and paint shop. We are proud of our HQ and proud to show it off!” n

James Alpe Ltd Lincoln Way, Clitheroe Lancashire BB7 1QD 01200 444455 info@jamesalpe.co.uk jamesalpe.co.uk

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Blackburn Rovers’ 100 Club was founded over 50 years ago and is still going strong. Michael Hodkinson talks to the people behind it and the work they do

Generally speaking, the early ’70s were not the best of times. The Edward Heath Conservative government was at war with the Trade Unions, there were strikes galore and when the coal miners downed tools, there was a regular threat of black-outs as electricity was in short supply. The Bloody Sunday massacre of 26

unarmed Londonderry civilians reignited the Catholic-Protestant feud in Northern Ireland. This spilled over into England and there was the constant fear of bloodstained streets. The school leaving age was raised to 16, leaving a mass of disgruntled teenagers who had to add 365 to the number of days they were counting before they could earn a wage, although many of the girls scarcely

noticed. They were so infatuated by the young Donny Osmond who was topping the charts with Puppy Love.

For local fans, there was little to excite on the football stadia around the Ribble Valley. Both Burnley and Preston North End were languishing in the then Division 2, the second tier down. This however seemed like heaven on earth to the dispirited supporters of Blackburn Rovers, stranded a division lower with seemingly little opportunity to escape. Ewood Park had an aura dating back to pre-war days. The vast majority stood and ground facilities were restricted to an insanitary toilet block and a counter which

Photography: Thomas McAtee / Shutterstock.com

Photography: Big Trev / Shutterstock.com

sold lukewarm drinks, Wagon Wheels and if you were lucky, a pie at half-time. The age of hospitality suites was not even a pipe dream in those days.

It was around this time, in 1971 to be precise, that a group of avid Rovers’ supporters, 14 in all, founded the ‘100 Club’. They wanted a more convivial atmosphere to watch their team and the criteria for entry was an interest in football (Rovers in particular), to be a season ticket holder and the desire to support the club financially. Members had to be proposed and seconded, the club offered them a room below the Secretary’s office in Nuttall Street, basically a terraced house, and an alcohol licence was obtained for a drink prior to and after the game. In return for a membership fee, they were offered four free trips to away games, usually in either the North West, the North East, Yorkshire (not Leeds) or the Midlands. They travelled by luxury coach, were booked in at a decent restaurant for lunch and in true East Lancashire tradition, a glass of Benedictine always completed the meal.

Over 50 years on, the 100 Club continues to provide a service to the Rovers. I spoke at length to David Jennings and Mel Entwistle who regaled me with tales from the past. David has now completed 41 years as secretary, such a tremendous feat of endurance in any organisation as he explained: “Initially, the financial support was aimed at the ground. The 1980s were a difficult time for the club, not so much on the field as financially, and on one occasion I had to dash away from work to co-sign a cheque, which we handed to the then chairman, Bill Fox. This was to

pay the electricity bill. Failure to do so would have caused the postponement of a home game and a possible points deduction.”

The arrival of Jack Walker, which brought financial stability to the club, also saw the construction of the magnificent Brockhall Academy, deep in the heart of the Ribble Valley. Subsequently in recent years, the 100 Club has now set its sights on providing funding for the Academy. Until then, around

progressed. History will always remember Sir Alex Ferguson’s ‘Class of 92’ at Old Trafford, but since then, very few clubs can claim to have matched the production line which stretches from Brockhall to Ewood, as evidenced in their current line-up.

Quite bizarrely, three Davids are now at the helm, David Hembrough (Chairman), Hornby (Treasurer) and of course Jennings (Secretary). As life in England has moved on and improved, so is the case with the 100 Club. They now have the lavish Red Rose Suite on the Blackburn End as their base for every home game, members are allowed to offer Associate Membership to friends and family and there has been much continuity with away visits already pencilled in and the annual end-of-season dinner dance retaining its popularity.

I was a guest at the recent Middlesbrough fixture and was impressed by the organisation as well as the football knowledge of the members. There is no doubt that these are true Roverites, as of course are thousands of others who attend the games to support the blue and white halved shirts.

£250k had been donated to the club for ground improvements and in recent times, over £150k has been passed on to improve the facilities at Brockhall. Just a couple of examples are a new mini-bus and the latest type of gym equipment. Parents who are shown round prior to making a decision as to which club their child will join, are blown away by its magnificence and to simply cast an eye over the current Rovers’ 1st X1 is an instant indicator of how the talent has

But what sets apart even a football nut like myself from those in the 100 Club and also makes me quite envious, is that they have access to the Brockhall Academy. If they so wish, they can visit there, watch the training and no doubt from time to time, come into contact with the hierarchy of the club – just one extra reason for enquiring if it is possible to be a member. n

VERY FEW CLUBS CAN CLAIM TO HAVE MATCHED THE PRODUCTION LINE WHICH STRETCHES FROM BROCKHALL ACADEMY TO EWOOD PARK

A HEALTHIER FUTURE

Afascinating event outlining the benefits of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) was recently hosted by agrichef Maurizio Bocchi and his wife Cinzia at their Italian restaurant La Locanda.

Opening Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Campaign for a Healthier Future, Maurizio introduced a line-up of speakers from Italy and the UK, all of whom extolled the virtues of EVOO. Chef-patron Maurizio, who has been travelling across the county on his Italian motorbike, cooking in the great outdoors told the gathering: “Those are my two passions – motorbikes and cooking authentic Italian food!”

He introduced the first speaker Elisabetta Gabrielloni, a professional EVOO taster and a good friend of Maurizio and Cinzia. Along with her three sisters, Elisabetta is the third generation of Gabriellonis to manage their olive estate and mill in Recanti, Italy. Deep

rooted in tradition, the mill is one of the few remaining to use age-old methods of pressing olives.

With the help of a translator, Elizabetta explained that the Gabrielloni family’s olive oil is as a result of the care, attention and exceptionally high standards, from pruning to pressing the olives, that are maintained to produce an oil that has won international awards.

The family has more than 2,000 olive trees and 20 varieties of olives on their estate, which are harvested by hand and taken to their nearby mill to be pressed and bottled within a short space of time.

Joining Elizabetta was writer and journalist Luigi Caricato, the creator of a cultural project known as Olio Officina. He is a lecturer and speaker at conferences and congresses around the world.

He likened the creation of olive oil as an artist creating a painting with different

With experts from Italy and the UK, the health and culinary virtues of extra virgin olive oil, were explored at a lunch and seminar held in the Ribble Valley

colours: “Depending on the choice of colours it could be mediocre or excellent. With the production of oil this is also true – the producers of good oil are craftsmen working at the highest level. There are thousands of different varieties of olives, so the combinations are endless.”

He said new producers of olive oil from China, Pakistan and India, were entering the market: “As more people are recognising the health benefits there will be more producers from around the world.”

During his talk, guests were served carpaccio of beef with micro salad, drizzled with peppery Laudato extra virgin oil, from the Gabrielloni estate – bruschetta and little pots of spicy shrimps were also enjoyed by guests.

This was followed by Maurizio’s signature ravioli with goat’s cheese – the ravioli made with beetroot from La Locanda’s kitchen garden.

While the first two speakers from Italy, spoke about the production of EVOO and its culinary uses, they were followed by two UK scientists from Pebble Biotechnology Laboratories.

The first was founding CEO, Professor James Fildes, a surgeon who has spent

25 years researching the diet and lifestyles of hard-to-treat patients. He explained that our diets in the western world are problematic, adding: “If you eat too much it kills you and if you have the wrong sort of oil or fat in your diet, it causes all sorts of problems.”

In the US he said the use of highly processed food had resulted in obesity skyrocketing and with it, so had the incidence of chronic disease.

Professor Fildes went on to introduce his colleague Dr Tim Entwistle, who has led NHS clinical trials evaluating the impact of low-fat and Mediterranean diets.

Working with heart and lung transplant

patients, he said he had seen tangible benefits including increased lifespan, weight and blood pressure reduction and lowered cholesterol and heart rate – all from dietbased interventions.

He said a recommended 40ml of good quality olive oil per day combined with a plant-based diet, extended the lifespan of the transplant patients: “It was an amazing outcome,” he said, concluding that working with such a ‘high risk’ group, the patients who embarked on the Mediterranean diet showed remarkable resilience.

He spoke of Blue Zones around the world, places where longevity and happiness prevail.

In California, Costa Rica, Japan and Sardinia

people appear to have a better lifestyle: “This isn’t based on diet alone,” he said. “They have a purpose in life, they are happier and they have a ‘rest and digest’ ethos after mealtimes.”

He said EVOO had 200 different components many of which had antioxidant, antiinflammatory and anti-depressant benefits.

An interesting question and answer session followed and the highly successful event was brought to a close. n

agrichef.co.uk

CHRISTMAS DAY with a difference...

Hang up your apron this Christmas and enjoy a delicious Christmas lunch with friends and family in our festive surroundings.

Sit back and relax as our team take care of every detail. We’ve got everything you need to make your Christmas Day a magical one.

JOIN US THIS CHRISTMAS AT THE

for a wonderful and luxurious festive treat.

Our festive a la carte menu launches on November 30th with a focus on locally sourced, seasonal produce with a mix of Christmas classics done right.

in all settings, Street Food Pizza’s attentive, professional team will endeavour to make hosting your event as memorable and as stress free as possible. Their experienced caterers will negotiate with you from the very first moment to ensure that every guest’s individual taste is catered for: “We’ll

BRING A SLICE OF ITALY TO YOUR CELEBRATION!

proved for 48 hours – but their hand-made dough is only one of the top-quality Italian ingredients that make these pizzas so special. All of them are topped with San Marzano tomatoes, grown in Naples and favoured by Italian chefs. Their mozzarella is Fior di Latte, known in Italy as the ‘flower of milk’

Street Food Pizza’s state-of-the-art, purpose-built van has been bringing the gourmet flavours of Italy to weddings, graduations, retirement farewells, leaving-dos and birthday parties throughout the year.

Invite Street Food Pizza to your party though, and you’ll get more than the delicious, hot artisan pizzas they’re famous for – you’ll get a touch of theatre too. In a process that always draws a crowd, their chef expertly stretches their freshly made pizza dough then cooks it to perfection in the flames of a wood fired oven.

The Street Food Pizza team are proud of their dough, which is made daily from the highest quality imported Italian flour and

WE SET UP AND WE CLEAR AWAY. YOU WON’T EVEN KNOW WE’VE BEEN –EXCEPT FOR THE MEMORY OF THE MOST PERFECT PIZZA YOU’VE EVER TASTED!

and renowned for its delicate taste. The spicy sausage is Nduja, a speciality of Calabria known for its smooth texture and exquisite flavour.

Not only can you be sure that these gourmet pizzas will be enjoyed by guests of all ages

make you exactly what you want,” explains the chef. “Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free –and they’re all delicious. Numbers aren’t a problem either. If you’re throwing a big party, we’ll just bring two vans.”

Once the perfect crust has been achieved, the pizzas are sliced, labelled and served buffet-style, indoors or outdoors, allowing each guest to sample more than one flavour: “We set up, and we clear away,” explains the chef. “Which means you can get on with enjoying your party. You won’t even know we’ve been – except for a memory of the most perfect pizza you’ve ever tasted!” n

Street Food Pizza’s prices start at £12 per head, call or message the team for more details

Street Food Pizza 01254 949642 07984 797726

streetfoodpizza.co.uk

Catherine Robinson talks to a local caterer who’s bringing an authentic taste of

Italy

to Ribble Valley parties

Christmas at the Fence Gate

RELAX • DINE • STAY

Christmas in the Brasserie

Festive Fayre Menu available throughout December. Pull a cracker with friends or colleagues and enjoy a three course festive feast.

Christmas Party Nights

Join one of our Christmas Party Nights, or enquire about a private celebration in one of our three event spaces.

New Years Eve

Dress to impress at our New Years Celebration in the Cromdale Room. Take advantage of our ‘Celebrate & Stay’ package at the award winning Fence Gate Lodge. Full Christmas brochure available: fencegate.co.uk/christmas

The Fence Gate, Wheatley Lane Road, Fence, BB12 9EE 01282 618101 fencegate.co.uk sales@fencegate.co.uk /thefencegate @fencegateinn

Make this Christmas one to remember, here at Mytton Fold Hotel. Join us with friends and family throughout December, and enjoy our fabulous festive o erings.

FESTIVE MENU AT THE FOLD

Enjoy our three-course festive menu throughout December, available Monday to Saturday.

One course £19.50 Two courses £24.00 Three courses £30.00

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

Delight, with your child’s choice of magical breakfast from our festive inspired menu with breakfast juice, access to our ‘decorate your festive gingerbread’ station, along with a meet and greet with Santa himself - and a small gift.

CHRISTMAS DAY AT MYTTON FOLD

Dine, this Christmas Day, with a welcome drink and canapés on arrival, three-course Christmas Dinner, followed by tea, co ee and homemade sweet treats.

Children’s tickets £17.95 Adults tickets £12.95 £95.00 per person

Visit us throughout December to sample our winter warmer drinks menu, festive themed Afternoon Tea, and more.

Discover all festive menus, and full details by scanning the QR code.

Discover Christmas at Mytton Fold:

EXPERIMENTAL CONCEPT A

Liz and I were thrilled to be invited to a new innovative and exclusive fine dining experience at Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, writes

s Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is just over an hour from the Ribble Valley, their new fine-dining concept is a ‘must’ for foodies.

We are both great fans of the food at SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel and this has only been reinforced since the arrival of Ollie Bridgwater earlier in the year. In his short tenure he has retained their Michelin star and surrounded himself with an exceptional brigade of chefs including Head Chef, Jack Bond. So how does it all work? I asked Ollie to explain before lunch began.

“The idea behind our new Development Lunch is that we can be a bit more experimental, working with the freshest, seasonal ingredients available that day. The daily menu won’t be shared ahead of time, which is exciting for

diners and gives us the flexibility to try new dishes or specific ingredients.

“For diners, they get to be the first to sample new ideas and concepts fresh from the kitchen. It is an exclusive opportunity that doesn’t come along very often, so we’re hoping it will be really popular with foodies in the local area.

“As a chef, to be able to be so creative and spontaneous is a huge bonus, plus we’ll be getting a genuine feel for the dishes that really hit the mark and look at adding them to our evening tasting menu in the coming months. The team at SOURCE and I are really looking forward to stepping out of the kitchen and meeting more of

Tedd Walmsley

THE QUALITY OF THE VENISON AND THE FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS WITH BEETROOT, CABBAGE AND PEPPER, WERE SIMPLY PERFECT FOR THE ONSET OF AUTUMN

the diners in this relaxed, enjoyable dining experience.”

Our menu of the day was on the face of it very simply described, having only been conceived the day before. The theme reflected both the weather conditions and the available ingredients, which included end-of-season strawberries and the beginning of the bounty of autumn. The dishes of course, were far from simple and another fun element of the experience was that each course was served by the chefs themselves, giving diners a great opportunity to meet this talented group and see first-hand, their passion and enthusiasm for what had been created.

Visually, the dishes were a feast for the eyes, served on the most exquisite crockery –and the tastes were sublime. The depth of flavour in the beef broth with ale pickled onions, set the bar very high indeed for the remaining five courses.

My standout dish of the day was the roast venison – the quality of the meat and the flavour combinations with beetroot, cabbage and pepper, were simply perfect for the onset of autumn. Liz declared the poached Cornish cod with the chef’s take on a delightful Waldorf salad, a triumph! The salad gave us an opportunity to discuss Gilpin’s new vertical farm, further demonstrating their drive towards sustainability. Under the guidance of owner Barney Cunliffe, the new culinary centre has been created and is committed to the procurement of the finest ingredients, limited packaging and low food miles. Working with carefully selected suppliers to help develop a near perfect system of supply chain – this was already apparent in the quality and taste of our food.

The Development Lunch represents exceptional value at just £60 per person with a host of wine flights and by the glass options to complement the food. The exciting news is that the menu will continue to change, allowing diners to return time and time again and never to be disappointed with a fixed seasonal menu. The big advantage for non-residents is that this is a lunch option which allows time for travel and to immerse yourself fully in the fine dining experience. A wonderful opportunity to be part of something experimental and be the first to try some new dishes.

As news of this spreads, I can only imagine demand will be high and booking essential –social media at Gilpin and the website are always up to date. As we returned home Liz and I reflected on how much we’d enjoyed

the concept, the food and the exchanges with the chefs – we hope you will to. n

Development Lunches are available on specific dates and pre booking is essential, please visit the website for available dates

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House Crook Road Windermere LA23 3NE 015394 88818 thegilpin.co.uk

FOR DINERS, THEY GET TO BE THE FIRST TO SAMPLE NEW IDEAS AND CONCEPTS FRESH FROM THE KITCHEN

SUPPER CLUB

Live Ribble Valley Singles Supper Club is thriving with a host of new events coming up

Live Ribble Valley Supper Club continues to grow from strength to strength and we now have nearly 100 members!

Just to remind you there is no up-front commitments nor any fees to pay to join. Simply choose the event you wish to attend. The only rules are that you are single, enjoy great food, good company and want to be part of a lovely group of like-minded people.

We have some spin offs with an active walking group and talk of concert and theatre trips for next year.

As we move into autumn and winter, we have three cracking events to get involved in. n

If you want any more information or want to join, simply get in touch with our host Lynn 07753 579745 or email: supperclubenquiries@live-magazines.co.uk

SUPPER CLUB EVENTS

BLACK BULL, OLD LANGHO

22nd October (Sunday Lunch)

RUM FOX, GRINDLETON

16th November

MITTON HALL, MITTON

13th December

Please be advised that any allergens and intolerances should be reported to Yu Express before placing an order. Customers should be aware that although all due care is taken, there is a risk of allergen ingredients still being present.

CELEBRATING THE SEASON

Christmas and New Year at the Ribble Valley’s most in-demand gastropub looks set to be magical with new seasonal dishes on the menu.

With Christmas Day sold out almost as soon as the menu was announced, there’s still time to enjoy the set Christmas menu in the run-up to the festive season and of course, there’s New Year to celebrate too with a fabulous line-up of dishes devised by talented chef patron Bob Geldeard.

Since it opened earlier this year this beautiful country inn, set in the heart of the village of Grindleton, has been a focal point for the local community as well as diners travelling from further afield.

It has become a firm favourite firstly for the wonderful food but also for the fabulous ambience that has been created.

The surroundings are cosy, the perfect space in which to enjoy a relaxed lunch or a sumptuous seasonal supper.

The interior features wood panelling,

original oak beams, a huge fireplace and a feature quartz-topped bar. There is a modern open plan kitchen in the main restaurant, where diners can see the chefs at work creating a modern, vibrant experience, while the bar is traditional and cosy and the garden room provides additional space with breathtaking views over Pendle Hill.

With Christmas around the corner Bob has created a wonderful menu celebrating all that the season has to offer. Available Wednesday to Saturday lunchtime and Wednesday and Thursday evenings, the set Christmas Menu features game terrine with rowanberry jelly among the starters along with the Ribble Valley’s renowned Wellgate smoked salmon, served with pickled cucumber and potato pancake – simply delicious!

Among the main courses diners can choose from a mouthwatering line-up that includes traditional festive turkey as well as other seasonal choices including cod with sourdough crust served with lobster sauce and leek vinaigrette. And, of course, we all know the Rum Fox has become well

At the Rum Fox you can always expect to find new dishes that celebrate the seasons and in the run-up to Christmas there are some fabulous festive menus to enjoy. Photography: Kirsten Platt

known for its delicious pies and Christmas is no exception! Bob has created a seasonal peppered venison pie, served with the pub’s popular crinkle cut chips, roasted roots and pepper sauce – a feast for the eyes and just perfect on a cold winter’s day as Christmas approaches!

If you want to celebrate in style then the Rum Fox is the perfect place to get together with friends on New Year’s Eve, which will see guests enjoying snacks paired with classic English sparkling wine on their arrival.

CHRISTMAS SET MENU

Available Wednesday to Saturday lunch, Wednesday and Thursday evenings  Two courses £35 – Three courses £40

STARTERS Soup

caramelised onion, cheese stuffed potato skin

Game terrine

rowanberry jelly, sourdough toast

Wellgate smoked salmon

pickled cucumber, potato pancake

Jerusalem artichoke salad roasted, puree and crisps, pickled mushrooms

MAINS

Turkey

roasted breast, stuffing, pig in blanket, confit leg and potato terrine, creamed sprouts, roasted parsnip, cranberry sauce

DESSERTS

Christmas pudding

brandy sauce

Diners can see out 2023 with celebratory dishes that will delight with a luxurious menu featuring local Lancashire ingredients such as venison, tasty crab and a classic dish devised by Bob – cod with his signature oyster and champagne sauce.

Gaining instant popularity from the moment it opened its doors, the Rum Fox continues to delight with events such as Wine Dinners – earlier this year expert Richard Bracken from Milestone Wines selected a series of wines from the Milestone cellars to complement a menu especially created for the evening by Bob and his brigade.

Peppered venison pie

crinkle cut chips, roasted roots, pepper sauce

Cod sourdough crust, leek vinaigrette, lobster sauce

Cauliflower

roasted and tempura, curried veloute, salt and pepper potatoes

Millionaire shortbread

Downham honey ice cream

Pineapple and passion fruit mousse, roasted, caramelised white chocolate

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Snacks and English sparkling wine on arrival

Mushroom veloute, truffled cheese brioche  Scallop lasagne, brown crab sabayon

Cod

Rockefeller crust, oyster and champagne sauce  Venison loin, braised shoulder, Jerusalem artichoke, vintage port sauce

Hoping to hold some forthcoming festive events, such as a Carol Singing Evening at the Rum Fox, keep an eye on social media and the website to see what’s happening at this popular country inn. n

info@therumfox.co.uk therumfox.co.uk

Passion fruit mousse, roasted pineapple, white chocolate

Tart

salted caramel

7pm for 7.30pm dinner £80 per person

Open all day

Wednesday to Sunday

Food served

Wednesday to Saturday 12noon - 2pm, 5.30pm - 8.30pm

Sundays 12noon - 4.30pm

Christmas at

The Seasonal Christmas Lunch Menu

Northcote at Christmas is always a special time. If there is one time of year when you should give into temptation, it has to be Christmas.

A time to indulge in stunning food, celebrating with fine wine and a little extra “Christmas spirit”. So reserve your table for lunch and let the Northcote team spoil you!

Seasonal Dishes to Begin or Add as a Middle Course

WOOD FIRED CARROTS

Toasted Chestnuts, Crispy Sprouts, Curd, Carrot Top Pesto

PRESSED LOCAL GAME

Cranberry, Pumpkin Seed, Warm Toasted Brioche

Seasonal Main Courses

RED LEG PARTRIDGE PIE

Fermented Damson, Winter Cabbage

CHRISTMAS SPICED PORK

Treacle Belly Bacon, Parsnip, Quince

Seasonal Desserts

BLACK FOREST GATEAU

Cherry Molasses, Sweet Crème Fraiche

LEAFY CLEMENTINE RICE PUDDING

Lime, Chocolate

DOUGLAS FERN CURED SALMON

Horseradish, Pickled Lemon, Crispy Moss

ENGLISH ONION

“French Style”, Festive Cheese Pastry

HALIBUT “VERONIQUE”

Young Onions, Grapes, Chervil

ROASTED PUMPKIN

Sage, House Ricotta, Brown Butter

THE NORTHCOTE CHEESEBOARD

Two Courtyard Cheese

Available from Monday 27th November to Saturday 23rd December, served 12noon – 2pm.

The Chef’s Table at Christmas

Looking to impress? The Chef’s Table is your perfect solution. Sophisticated festive dining in the heart of the kitchen, for up to 16 guests, available lunch and dinner.

/ Witness all the action in the kitchen through sliding glass doors

/ The Head Chef and brigade will bring you your chosen festive dishes

/ The Sommelier will guide you through your wine choices

Northcote Road, Langho, Blackburn, Lancashire BB6 8BE

Telephone: 01254 240 555 | www.northcote.com

@northcoteuk

AUTUMN INNOVATION

Working with Becky Govier and her delightful team is such a positive experience. They are literally the most enthusiastic and passionate group around and my monthly meeting just last week created a real sense of excitement as to what’s in store at the Black Bull this autumn.

Where to begin? I guess I should put things into some sort of chronology and start with some new innovations. Becky and her team of chefs have curated a new menu aiming at ‘ladies who lunch’. This has a healthy basis of incredible salad options with a host of protein choices to create a wonderful lunch perfect post gym and fitness class, for example. Knowing Becky as I do, the sneaky addition of a free glass of prosecco is a little treat post-workout. Another brand-new initiative is that kids eat free between 3.30pm and 5pm Monday to Friday. This new addition is based on requests and demand for the perfect spot for a postschool tea to make things easy for mum and dad. This offer is ongoing and will be available through half term too!

Another new idea is for cocktail master classes – so many people love a cocktail, and we all have our favourites but are open minded to something new. Why not grab a few friends and book a class. It’s sure to be lots of fun and I’m sure your new creation will be a winner! Who knows, it might even become part of the new cocktail menu at the Black Bull.

Events at the pub continue to grow month by month. A combination of the personal touch and the efficiencies of their new systems have made the Black Bull the ‘go to’ for private parties and celebrations of all kinds. The

popularity of the venue suggests booking early is going to be essential.

Autumn often heralds a new season’s crop of incredible ingredients and a switch of menu. The head chef and his brigade are slowly introducing new autumn dishes perfect for those cold dark nights to come.

THERE IS A NEW ‘LADIES WHO LUNCH’ HEALTHY MENU WITH INCREDIBLE SALAD OPTIONS – PERFECT POST-GYM

The traditional pubs come into their own with fires blazing and a cosy atmosphere created to enjoy your well-earned downtime. Whilst not known for hosting frequent events, when Becky puts on a ‘do’ it tends to be spectacular or in this case ‘spooktacular’!

Saturday 28th October will see the most incredible Halloween event held in the outside marquee – this is strictly for over 18s and is guaranteed to be a night to remember.

We are of course, moving quickly towards Christmas and thoughts may well turn to organising small parties for friends, family and work mates. The Black Bull offering will give you an excellent combination. It goes without saying that the pub will be dressed with stunning Christmas decorations to create the perfect festive atmosphere, great food

Tedd Walmsley visits the Black Bull at Old Langho to discover a number of new innovations for the forthcoming season

is guaranteed and the service both personal and professional. Becky is also intending to introduce some low-key entertainment to add even more to this fabulous offering. The menus will be available online and be sure to look out for their strong social media posts.

KIDS EAT FREE

BETWEEN 3.30PM AND 5PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY. IT’S THE IDEAL SPOT FOR A POST-SCHOOL TEA AND THIS OFFER WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH HALF TERM TOO!

Whilst still on the Christmas theme, those of us who like to get ahead can secure their gift vouchers from the website – easy to purchase and download, I can think of many people,

HALLOWEEN PARTY

Saturday 28th October 8pm – 1am

including myself, who would be thrilled to receive such a gift. You are of course also supporting Becky and her team, and I urge you to do so.

The Black Bull deserves all the awards and accolades it receives – testimony to the hard work and passion from this amazing group. n

A PARTY THAT MIGHT JUST WAKE THE DEAD!

Situated in an additional outdoor heated marquee with entertainment including fire eaters, stilt walkers, live acts and a cauldron. DJ Jamie will bring his party music.

The entertainment is to die for – a night to remember!

£49.95 pp including wood fired pizza or luxury hog roast with a cocktail on arrival. This is an 18+ event.

Old Langho Road

Old Langho BB6 8AW

01254 248801

enquiries@theblackbulloldlangho.co.uk theblackbulloldlangho.co.uk

Fancy dress competition with £250 dinner voucher for the winner

The Black Bull

IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, SO LET’S MAKE IT HOT AND STICKY!

Over the next week or so you’ll be getting wrapped up for a spine-chilling Halloween, popping along to the local bonfire or perhaps enjoying a few fireworks in the garden

If you’re outdoors you’ll need some heartwarming food inside you. Here are a couple of recipes to keep you glowing in the dark!

PARKIN

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1hr 5 minutes

Serves: 8-10

Simple to prepare, deliciously sticky Parkin makes a supremely satisfying snack.

Ingredients

Oil, for greasing

225g self-raising flour

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 egg, lightly beaten

115g caster sugar

60g butter

11g golden syrup

225ml milk

Method

1. P reheat the oven to 150°C/gas 2.

2 Grease a 25 x 18cm cake tin and line with greased greaseproof paper.

3 Sift the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir in the egg and then the caster sugar, mixing well.

4 I n a small saucepan, melt the butter and the golden syrup, stirring to mix. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk.

5 Gradually stir the milk mixture into the flour and egg mixture. Stir until smooth, then pour into the prepared tin.

6 Bake for about one hour or until the mixture starts to shrink away from the sides of the tin.

7 Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

8 Cut into squares and serve, preferably after about three to four days when the Parkin will have become nice and sticky.

CHILLI CON CARNE

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1hr 30 minutes

Serves: 6

This classic retro dish is a great meal to enjoy around the bonfire.

Ingredients

2 large onions

700g lean stewing beef, fat removed and cut into 1-2cm cubes

5 cloves garlic, crushed

800g canned chopped tomatoes

2 green peppers, sliced

3 green or red chillies, chopped, seeds left in if you like your chillies fiery

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tin red kidney beans, 400g

1 tsp brown sugar

To serve

125ml soured cream

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

4 tbsp cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a casserole, or saucepan and fry the meat until it changes colour – about five to seven minutes. Add the onion and garlic and stir for a minute or so before tipping in the tinned tomatoes, chopped chillies, peppers, and a good pinch of salt.

2 Cover the pan and simmer for about an hour, until the meat is tender and the liquid reduced to a thick sauce. If it gets too dry during cooking, pour in a little more water.

3. A dd the cumin, kidney beans (and a little of the bean liquid if you like) and the brown sugar. Simmer for a further 10 mins before serving with rice, a spoonful of sour cream, grated cheddar cheese and coriander leaves as a garnish. For an added spicy kick, serve this dish with hot chilli sauce. n

A LA CARTE AND PUB GRUB MENUS AVAILABLE

Lunch and tea time treats - 2 courses £15.50 • 3 courses £20 (not available in December)

Wednesday to Friday 12 – 2pm and 6-7pm, Saturdays 12 – 2pm CLOSED MONDAY & TUESDAY

FOOD SERVING HOURS:

Wednesday to Saturday 12 noon to 2pm and 6pm to 9pm Sunday – 12 noon to 6:30pm

CHRISTMAS FAYRE MENUS

29th November to 24th December 12pm - 2pm and 6pm - 9pm

2 courses £33 • 3 courses £39 (closed Mondays and Tuesday)

CHRISTMAS DAY - – LIMITED AVAILABILITY

12pm - 2pm £115pp • £57.50 children under 10

Boxing Day 12pm - 4pm | New Year’s Day 12pm - 4pm

2 courses £47 • 3 courses £55

Booking recommended 01200 443339

SPIDER WEB CHOCOLATE FUDGE MUFFINS

Ingredients:

50g dark chocolate (55% cocoa solids is fine)

85g butter

1 tbsp milk

200g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

85g light muscovado sugar

50g golden caster sugar

1 egg

142ml carton soured cream

For the topping:

100g dark chocolate (as above)

100g white chocolate

Method:

Preheat the oven to fan 170˚C/ conventional 190˚C/gas 5 and line a muffin tin with 10 paper muffin cases. Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, add the butter and liquid. Melt in the microwave on medium for 30-45 seconds (or set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water). Stir and leave the mixture to cool.

Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and both sugars in a bowl. Beat the egg in another bowl and stir in the soured cream, then pour this on the flour mixture and add the cooled chocolate. Stir just to combine –don’t overmix or it will get tough. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases to about three quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen. Loosen the edges with a round-bladed knife, let them sit in the tins for a few minutes, then lift out and cool on a wire rack.

For the topping, make two piping bags out of greaseproof paper (or cut the ends off two clean plastic bags). Break the dark and white chocolate into separate bowls and melt in the microwave on medium for two minutes (or over a pan as in step 1). Put two spoonful’s of dark chocolate in one bag and the same of white chocolate in the other. Working with one muffin at a time, spread with dark chocolate from the bowl, letting it run down a bit, then pipe four concentric circles of white chocolate on top. Using a small skewer, drag through the circles at regular intervals, from the centre to the edge, to create a cobweb effect. Repeat with four more muffins. On the remaining five, spread over the white chocolate and decorate with the dark. Best eaten the day they’re made –even better while the chocolate is soft. n

Recipe courtesy of BBC Good Food

As it’s Halloween, here’s a recipe for you to try. You can wrap and trim muffins individually as gifts for friends and family – perfect!

TAKING CENTRE STAGE

Theatre director Elin Schofield is currently working on the highly acclaimed Dear England, which is set to transfer to London’s West End

Award-winning theatre director and writer, Elin Schofield, who has just returned from working on a show in New York is now working in London’s West End on a nationally acclaimed production.

Elin, who lives in the Ribble Valley, is the associate director of Dear England, a stage production written by James Graham, directed by Rupert Goold and starring Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale, Shakespeare in Love). Dear England is transferring to the West End at the Prince Edward Theatre next month.

“Joe Fiennes plays the main character – the England football manager Gareth Southgate,” explains Elin, who works alongside casting directors, set designers and lighting crews: “It’s a very collaborative process. The company all comes together as an ensemble.

“As associate director on Dear England I work with the cast in the rehearsal room –it’s our job to bring the script to life.

“There’s a lot of movement in the play

and I have a dance background, so I’m really enjoying it,” adds Elin, who taught Latin American and ballroom dance as well as dancing competitively, representing the North West.

“I came to a crossroads in my life where I had to choose between dance or theatre so I went down the theatre route – and I am so glad I made that choice as my dancing helps enormously with the movement on stage.”

Before working on Dear England Elin worked in New York on Love, originally a National Theatre production that also toured Europe.

“Touring Europe was fantastic! The play is written and directed by Alexander Zeldin who is an amazing British artist. Working internationally was so interesting in terms

TO BE INVOLVED IN DEAR ENGLAND HAS BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND FOR IT TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THE WEST END IS FANTASTIC!

of the cultural differences of each audience.

“In Germany and Austria the curtain calls and bows would last 10 or 15 minutes, in New York the audience was straight out of the door! The sense of humour also differs tremendously from country to country. People found different moments amusing or really emotional.

“Also, we were a touring British company, but all our backstage crew was French – so it was a very diverse, rich cultural experience.”

Back in her university days Elin set up a small-scale touring company presenting stage plays in theatres across the UK, including the Royal Exchange in Manchester: “We made original work because we didn’t have the money to buy the rights to scripts. We were testing things out and seeing what landed for audiences. It was a great learning curve.”

Since then, she has worked on many plays, co-writing Screwdriver a dark, comic play that went on to win the first ever Bill Cashmore Award at the Lyric Hammersmith.

She also directed the final play in the Rock Paper Scissors triptych at Sheffield Theatre, for which she won the Best Director Award at the 2022 UK Theatre Awards.

Fast forward to the present and Dear England was presented to great acclaim as a National Theatre production, with Time Out writing, ‘Joseph Fiennes’ portrayal of Gareth Southgate is pitch-perfect’, the Sunday Times describes the James Graham play as ‘thrilling’ while the Telegraph says Dear England is a gripping ‘new stage epic’.

Many of the renowned ‘real-life’ faces from the football world, who feature as characters in the play, have been in the audience, as Elin recalls: “Gary Lineker came to see it and while Gareth Southgate hasn’t been, members of his family have and they were very impressed with the likeness between Joseph and Gareth. Tony Adams also came to see it and asked for a picture with the cast.

“To be involved in Dear England has been an amazing experience and for it to be transferred to the West End is fantastic! When you are working on something like this you are so focused on getting it ready for the start date that you don’t realise what

you’ve made until you put it in front of an audience. The reactions on opening night were brilliant,” says Elin, who has another West End project lined up at the beginning of next year – Standing at the Sky’s Edge –an Olivier Award-winning musical, which opens at the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 8th February 2024.

This will be followed by her directing a classic production next autumn: “I can’t say

exactly what it is, but it is a big project for me and very exciting!

“It will be something different for me and quite a challenge – it will be interesting to see what we do with it.” n

Tickets for Dear England are available at: dearenglandonstage.com

elinschofield.co.uk

MANY OF THE RENOWNED ‘REAL-LIFE’ FACES FROM THE FOOTBALL WORLD THAT FEATURE AS CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY, HAVE BEEN IN THE AUDIENCE. GARY LINEKER CAME TO SEE IT

ON SCREEN

Check out the exciting new releases coming soon to The Flower Bowl. For more information visit: theflowerbowl.uk

PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE

Release Date: 13th October

Director: Cal Brunker

Starring: Kristen Bell, James Marsden, Chris Rock and Serena Williams

Certificate: TBC

When a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City, it gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The MIGHTY PUPS! But things take a turn for the worse when the pups’ archrival Humdinger breaks out of jail and teams up with a mad scientist to steal the superpowers for the two villains. With the fate of Adventure City hanging in the balance, the Mighty Pups have to stop the supervillains before it’s too late. All power to the pups! n

A HAUNTING IN VENICE

Release Date: 15th September

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan and Tina Fey

Certificate: TBC

The moustache is back for an Italian murder mystery! Kenneth Branagh stars as the legendary detective Hercule Poirot for a third time after Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and Death on the Nile (2022). Based on the 1969 novel  Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie, the film features an all-star ensemble cast  including Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan,  Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio and Michelle Yeoh. Will you be able to figure out who the culprit is in this supernatural whodunit? n

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Release Date: 20th October

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone

Certificate: TBC

Martin Scorsese’s follow-up to The Irishman reunites him with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in a story of a series of murders of Indigenous Americans in the 1920s. Based on the book by David Grann, Scorsese’s epic has been made with a $200 million dollar budget so no expense has been spared. Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, critics raved about the movie, with a five-star Guardian review calling it ‘an instant American classic’. Both male leads are already generating lots of Oscar buzz for their incredible performances. n

THE ROYAL OPERA: DAS RHEINGOLD

Release Date: 20th September

Director: Barrie Kosky

Starring: Christopher Maltman, Christopher Purves, Sean Panikkar and Marina Prudenskaya

Certificate: TBC

Antonio Pappano conducts Barrie Kosky’s bold new imagining of Wagner’s Das Rheingold – which marks the start of a new Ring Cycle for The Royal Opera – with an outstanding cast including Christopher Maltman (Wotan) and Christopher Purves (Alberich). When a precious hoard of gold is stolen from the river Rhine, it unleashes a chain of destructive events, pitting gods and mortals against one another for generations. Wagner’s Ring cycle boasts some of the greatest music ever written for the opera stage. n

A TIME & PLACE…

or the changing light of the seasons in his striking impressionistic oil paintings.

Andrei Protsouk’s elaborate pieces burst with vibrant colours, intricate shapes and varied texture. His use of constructive line demonstrates his innate creative ability and understanding of the human form. Here you can almost hear the sounds of the gondolas.

effortlessness. His ‘Lake District Farmhouse’ has already drawn discussion on which of the Wainwrights it is.

Where does your art take you? n

To view these, or any of our other pieces, come and see us in the gallery, or visit our website and social media platforms.

Art has an incredible way of transporting us to either a time or a place. Whether the memory of a place we have visited in the past or somewhere on the bucket list, a quick glance can be all it takes.

Bruno Tinucci, described as ‘the artistic voice of Tuscany’, draws his inspiration from the stunning scenery of his native land and employs a distinctive palette of vibrant colours to interpret both the appearance and the atmosphere of this most beautiful of landscapes. He has a unique ability to capture the eye-catching scarlet of a field of poppies, the golden shades of a sunflower,

C olin Brown paints in a free and loose style with only one subject matter, being street scenes of the world. He likes to evoke a sense of atmosphere and the feeling of being there, which he really captures in the scene of Havana.

D uncan Palmar brings things closer to home with his ability to capture texture, light and atmosphere with seeming

Longridge Gallery

78 Berry Lane, Longridge, Preston PR3 3WH 01772 782006 info@longridgegallery.co.uk longridgegallery.co.uk

/Longridge-Gallery

@longridgegallery

@longridgegall

The holidays may be over and the nights are drawing in, but Longridge Gallery doesn’t think that should be the end of your travels

ART HAS AN INCREDIBLE WAY OF TRANSPORTING US TO EITHER A TIME OR A PLACE

Duncan Palmar

Colin Brown

Bruno Tinucci

Andrei Protsouk

PERFORMANCES TO BE PROUD OF

Basics Junior Theatre School is a unique, award-winning musical theatre and performing arts school, whose performances rival those of the West End. Photography: Andy Ford, EightImaging

Established more than 35 years ago and located around the corner from Burnley Football Club, the theatre school prides itself on providing a professional yet family-like environment where its young student performers are educated and inspired to deliver musical theatre performances to the standard the professionals would be proud of.

Many past students have gone on to enjoy successful careers on the West End and perform in professional shows worldwide. The school draws students from all over Lancashire and Greater Manchester

and provides age and ability-appropriate classes, with each being carefully structured to achieve the perfect balance between learning and fun. Students can begin their training at age four, as soon as they start school and continue with their training until they are 18. From here, they invariably progress to London’s top vocationalstage schools and then on to perform professionally.

OUR AUDIENCES ARE BLOWN AWAY EVERY YEAR BY THE STANDARD OF OUR SHOWS

When we caught up with Andy Cooke, the school’s principal, it was clear just how much this is a passion of his: “Of course, these young students learn singing, dancing and acting skills but in reality, they learn so much more. A happy by-product of the work we do with these young people is the level of confidence they build. The classes encourage personal development and forge transferrable life skills.”

Having seen the standard of the shows they produce, it’s obvious that they’ve had every opportunity to hone their skills.

Andy added: “Our shows cost upwards of £35,000 to produce. Our audiences are blown away every year by the standard of our shows. Newcomers cite that they rival any show they’ve seen in professional theatre. That’s exactly what we strive for. Only our ticket prices are a fraction of the cost, hence why we have such a following.”

Basics’ upcoming annual show, The Addams Family, will be taking to the Pendle Hippodrome stage in Colne, Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th October 2023 and tickets start at just £14.

Don’t miss watching the next generation of West End stars perform! n

Tickets are available now and can be purchased via the website The Addams Family Comedy Musical basicsjuniortheatre.co.uk

FINE PAINTINGS | SCULPTURES | WORKS ON PAPER

Carnes Fine Art is an independent art gallery specialising in original paintings and sculptures. Our gallery is located at Cedar Farm in the rural beautiful setting of Mawdesley, Lancashire.

Carnes Fine Art are delighted to offer a brand-new Autumn collection of original oil paintings and bronze sculptures by UK leading artists Harry Brioche, Jacqueline Stanhope, Amanda Jackson & Carl Longworth. To see more of these artists works, please refer to our website or call into the gallery where a warm welcome awaits!

Carnes Fine Art are proud to be representing some of the UK’s leading artists with more original artworks available in our gallery.

Carnes Fine Art, Cedar Farm, Back Lane, Mawdesley, Lancashire L40 3SY Gallery opening times Tues – Sat 10:00am – 5:00pm www.carnesfineart.com | info@carnesfineart.com | 01704 822533

Carl Longworth – Limited Edition Bronze King Fisher II £2,950

Jacqueline Stanhope – Original Oil Painting Three Foals £2,750

Amanda Jackson – Original Oil Painting The Fairy Swing £865

Harry Brioche – Original Oil Painting Clearing Mist £950

Sir Peter Scott – Original Painting Snow Geese £3,850

Carl Longworth – Limited Edition Bronze Blue Tit £1,900

Chew Mill Way, Whalley, BB7 9YL

£499,950

Modern, detached family home with a private, south facing landscaped garden

50 Moor Lane, Clitheroe, BB7 1AJ 01200 408408

clitheroe@stonesyoung.co.uk

The Old Post Office, 740 Whalley New Rd, Blackburn, BB1 9BA 01254 682470 enquiries@stonesyoung.co.uk

www.stonesyoung.co.uk

Abbey Road, Whalley, BB7 9RP

£479,000

Exceptional Victorian family home set across three floors

Woodlands Park, Whalley, BB7 9UG £475,000

Impressive stone-built detached bungalow set on a beautiful private, corner plot

Detached, stone-built family home in the desirable village of Mellor, no chain delay

Hawthorne Place, Clitheroe, BB7 2HU £440,000

Immaculate extended property ith views towards Pendle Hill.

Pendle Drive, Whalley, BB7 9JT

Offers in the region of £430,000

Stunning detached family home with four double bedrooms and luxury en-suite

Pinnock Drive, Clitheroe, BB7 2RX

Offers in the region of £430,000

Charming unique accommodation

Road,

Impressive, modern home with four double bedrooms and private, landscaped garden

York Lane, Langho, BB6 8DW £399,950

Unique and versatile three bedroom, detached home on 1/3 of an acre plot

Charming detached bungalow with huge potential for further development.

Princess Street, Whalley, BB7 9SZ

Offers in the region of £385,000

Beautiful stone-built home offering charming accommodation

Contemporary mews style home, recently extended and renovated with no chain delay

Elswick Gardens, Mellor, BB2 7JD £475,000

Shipton

Clitheroe, BB7 2RZ £430,000

Snodworth Road, Langho, BB6 8DR £399,950

The Crescent, Whalley, BB7 9JW £345,000

50 Moor Lane, Clitheroe, BB7 1AJ 01200 408408

clitheroe@stonesyoung.co.uk

www.stonesyoung.co.uk

The Old Post Office, 740 Whalley New Rd, Blackburn, BB1 9BA 01254 682470 enquiries@stonesyoung.co.uk

Eden Gardens, Old Langho, BB6 8HW OIRO £950,000

Incredible seven bedroom home in Brockhall Village.

• Three spacious reception rooms

• Seven stunning bedrooms

• Eight bathrooms

• Double garage & extensive driveway

Edenholme Lodge, Ribchester Road, BB1 9EY £750,000

Exclusive five bedroom detached home.

• Enviable position in the Ribble Valley

• Three reception rooms

• Versatile garden room/studio

• Surrounded by admirable gardens

Church Close, Mellor, BB2 7JU £595,000

Outstanding four bedroom, architect designed property.

• Luxurious sauna

• Idyllic garden to the rear with a tranquil pond

• Outstanding views

• Double garage and driveway parking

Browgate, Sawley, BB7 4NB £579,950

Prestigious four bedroom detached family home.

• Impressive lounge and cinema family room

• Two en-suite shower rooms

• Stunning, private south facing gardens

• Ample parking and double garage

Ribchester Road, Wilpshire, BB1 9HU £575,000

Four bedrooms with exceptional interior design.

• Incredible kitchen, living, dining space

• Extensive driveway and double garage

• Exceptional interior design throughout

• Superb front and rear gardens

Masefield Close, Old Langho, BB6 8HS £525,000

Enviable five bedroom detached property.

• Sought after Brockhall Village location

• Two spacious reception rooms

• Double garage & driveway parking

• Idyllic garden with gorgeous patio

* READY OCTOBER 23 * The Farnley - an impressive 6 bedroom home located on this exclusive development, built by local developers Pringle Homes in the Ribble Valley.

This 3-storey home meets all the needs of modern family life. It has a double-gabled frontage and full height window above the porch allowing maximum daylight onto the landing. It also includes a Cinema room on the second floor.

A superb six bedroom family home benefitting from commanding and uninterrupted views across the Ribble Valley.

Set over 3 floors, the detached stone property includes a substantial outbuilding / garage, sweeping driveway, formal gardens and grass paddock. The total plot extends to 1.85 acres, or thereabouts.

Northcote Park, Langho Asking Price £1,150,000

Dutton, Preston OIRO £800,000

Asking Price £695,000

Grimsargh

OIRO - £400,000 and £750,000

A substantial-sized property situated in the popular location of Wilpshire with attractive balcony and rear garden space overlooking Wilpshire Golf Club.

Ideal for commuters, this family home is modernized throughout and provides excellent accommodation and landscaped gardens perfect for entertaining.

Wilpshire, Blackburn

A 4 bed and a 5 bed luxury home built by a local developer now ready to view. Positioned in a fantastic location within the village, each property offers high quality fixtures and fittings including Siematic kitchen and makes the perfect family home.

THE FUTURE IS GREEN

With new branding and a refreshed website, the team at ZMA are always on hand to offer expert advice on your development project

As we enter the third quarter of 2023, autumn is the season of transformation, marking the start of the new school year, new pencil cases and new projects. At ZMA we have had our own transformation having refreshed our branding and our website.

Forest green is now the ZMA colour which reflects the natural northern landscape in which each of our projects is located, along with sustainability, wellness and lifestyle, which are at the heart of every design. Our website has been redesigned to provide anyone who is looking to embark on their project, a hub of information and advice, including important tasks you need to undertake before you start your project, how

to spot land with development potential, how to reduce risk and key factors, which effect planning success.

then grab yourself a coffee and head to ‘our projects’ where you can look at what the site or building complexities or problems were –and how we solved them through design, planning and construction.

If you have a passion for planning as much as we do, you can read about recent changes to the planning system, or just check out our recent approvals.

We hope you will find our website helpful and informative and if you would like ZMA to guide you through your project journey –get in touch and we will take it from there. n

If you are new to development and have never worked with an architect, we provide advice on how to choose an architect, explain the project journey and what happens at each stage in the process, along with our most commonly asked questions.

If you love watching Your Home Made Perfect

Zara Moon Architects Unit 37, Mitton Road Business Park Mitton Road, Whalley BB7 9YE 01200 403840 enquiries@zaramoonarchitects.co.uk zaramoonarchitects.co.uk

IF YOU LOVE WATCHING ‘YOUR HOME MADE PERFECT’ THEN GRAB YOURSELF A COFFEE AND HEAD TO ‘OUR PROJECTS’

BOOK A TEST DRIVE IN THE NEW CAYENNE.

The new Cayenne has arrived, stylishly refreshed with a new look and some comprehensive upgrades. Not least is the ground-breaking internal technology featuring a 12.6-inch curved instrument display for the driver, and an optional 10.9-inch passenger display that can even stream videos. To experience all this, and the new driving dynamics, book your test drive* today at Porsche Centre Preston.

*Test drives are subject to applicant status and availability.