Get the Look

from Look Local Magazine, Issue 103, June 2021

Editorial

Stone vs Wood Worktop... By Coulon Stone Ltd.

When updating or renovating your kitchen, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is what material to choose for your worktop. The workhorse of the kitchen the ideal worktop is both durable and low maintenance. And style is important too, as the worktop sits on a horizontal plane it makes up a prominent part of your overall kitchen design. Whilst technology has given us some great worktop choices which tick all three of the above boxes, for example composite quartz, many of us still hanker to fill our home with natural materials. This leaves us with natural stone or wood, both of which remain well loved. So which to choose? We compare the durability and maintenance of natural stone and wood worktops. Natural Stone Pros

• Stone is heat resistant so will not be scorched by hot pans. • Stone is water resistant so will not rot around the sink. • Stone is impervious to most scratches and stains but foods like citrus juice and red wine should be wiped away immediately to avoid damage. • Natural stones come in a huge variety of textures, colours and patterns to accommodate any style from minimalist to rustic. • If sealed correctly by your stone mason they don’t require regular sealing – once every 10 years is fine. STONE PRO

• Each slab of natural stone is unique so ensure you’ve seen the slab being used for your worktop to ensure you’re happy with its unique patterning. STONE C

• Wood develops character as it ages. • Wood creates a warm, earthly look. • There are a number of woods that can be appropriate for kitchen worktops including oak, walnut and iroko. WOOD PRO

Natural Stone Cons

Wood Pros

• Wood is not water resistant so will rot around the sink area where exposed to prolonged soaking. • Wood can stain when exposed to foods like red wine and beetroot. • Wood is not heat resistant so will scorch if hot pans are placed directly on to it. • Wood will scratch if cut directly on to it. • To maintain the look and durability of a wooden worktop it must be sealed using an oil once a month. Sanding may also be required to remove scratches.

Price will be important when choosing a kitchen worktop, however wood and natural stone are difficult to compare because there are many different options for both that come at very different price points. When choosing a kitchen worktop instead think about your lifestyle and how the kitchen will be used. Whether you have a busy household, or simply like to keep cleaning and maintenance to a minimum natural stone may be a better match for you.

Email info@coulonstone.com | Showroom (Appropriate Covid measures are in place): Wycombe Road, Stokenchurch, HP14 3RP | Call: 01494 484333

Soundof Music

Welcome to our June music page. Here you will find information on local musical events, upcoming concerts and where to find the best music tuition in the area. Thame has a variety of fantastic opportunities for budding musicians who wish to join together with other like-minded people. From bands to choirs to bell ringing! We also host a huge variety of annual musical events. Thame Music Academy TMA is excited to let you know that they are now BACK OPEN for face to face lessons with all of their tutors and instrument tuition back up and running (Hopefully with no further lockdowns in the future!!) Their fantastic teaching facility is based in the centre of Thame and the academy has 3 large, well equipped, professional teaching rooms, a waiting area and the usual amenities. Their convenient location means it is just a short walk from the town centre with free parking available directly opposite. TMA has all the required temporary Covid-19 measures and procedures in place in order to provide a safe, clean and friendly teaching environment. More information regarding their measures and procedures can be found via the TMA website and their social media platforms. Thame Music Academy provides lessons in a large variety of instruments including; Piano, Keyboard, Singing, Guitar (Acoustic or Electric), Ukulele, Bass Guitar, Drums, Percussion, Violin, Strings, Brass and Music Theory. During the summer months TMA will be offering an exciting and varied timetable of workshops, courses and children’s activities. These will include; Composition & Songwriting workshops, Music Recording & Production workshops, Beginner Guitar Group Sessions and Band workshops, plus much more! More details will be updated via their website and social media platforms. For further information regarding lessons and to make a booking please contact the academy via the details at the end of this article.

Oakfest 2021! - A fantastic local music event held in Oakley, in the grounds of the village primary school. The festival will be taking place on Saturday 4th September from 1 pm – 11:30 pm. This year there will be 14 local music artists on the bill, ranging from solo acoustic acts to bands, all of which will provide fantastic entertainment in a variety of different genres. Alongside the musical

entertainment there will be a whole array of other activities on offer including; Face painting, Crafts, Bouncy slide and sporting activities. There will be a full bar on offer and a fantastic selection of food stalls throughout the day. Tickets are priced at £12.00 per adult, £7.00 per OAP and £5.00 for children aged 3 – 17 years (Under 3’s go free). To book your tickets and find out more about this brilliant event please visit the Oakfest website: www.cuatoakfest.co.uk

The Rising Sun Ickford - This fantastic

country pub will play host to an afternoon of live music from 2 – 7 pm on Saturday 5th June 2021! The event will be free and plenty of fantastic food and drink will be on offer. The performances will be based outside with an extensive garden, seating and children’s play area to keep the whole family entertained. For further information please contact the pub via: www.risingsunickford.co.uk

Regular local live music?

We are sure that 2021 will eventually bring back all the wonderful local and regular live music events which we all really enjoy, but in the meantime don’t forget these brilliant online sessions so you can get your musical fix... Open Micsolate! With all of us forced to socially distance ourselves from each other, and with possibly a little more time on our hands, a group of open mic fanatics wondered if any friends or friends several times removed might like to post a video of them having a bash at a song/ performance open mic style! Any style, any standard! Be brave! Feel free to invite anyone you think may enjoy or contribute. Kind comments only, if you hear anything you don’t like, skip on! All copyrights belong to original artists. The group started way back in March 2020 on Facebook and since then has grown to almost 6500 members with people from around the world sharing their musical talents. It has also given a chance for people to collaborate online and create some truly stunning music together! The group is a must for any performer who is missing their local music scene. It is all totally free of course and you can join them by searching ‘Open Micsolate’ via Facebook! They are also now running ‘Open Micsolate Live!’ once a month, this gives performers the opportunity to sign up for an online slot and perform live in the comfort of their own homes! Along with appreciating a whole array of fantastic artists at the same time.

This feature is brought to you by Simon Markland of Thame Music Academy Tel: 07743 032292 Email: info@thamemusicacademy.com Web page: www.thamemusicacademy.com

NEWS & EVENTS in our region

Improve your mental health and well-being through nature at Lindengate…

With restrictions easing, why not go and enjoy the 5 acres of therapeutic gardens and wildlife haven that is Lindengate. There’s plenty of outside space as well as sheltered and shady areas making it the perfect location for a picnic with family and friends or to enjoy a bit of ‘you time’ with a good book. Lindengate’s mission is to empower everyone to nurture their wellbeing through nature based activities. They believe that the natural environment contributes to building resilience and helping one reconnect through the healing power of the great outdoors. Free drop-in opening times are seasonal so do check their website www.lindengate.org.uk for full details. Address to visit the gardens: The Old Allotment site, next to Dobbies Garden Centre, Aylesbury Road, Wendover, HP22 6BD

Its all happening down on the farm...

Rectory Farm in Stanton St. John Oxford grow over thirty different types of fruit, vegetables and flowers with their own specific season all available to pick and take home throughout the year. New for this year is a wonderful vegetable patch full of family favourites such as carrots, beetroot, green beans, sweetcorn and more which will be available throughout the summer months and if you’re quick, you may even be able to grab the last few asparagus which are available to pick until 21st June. The farm are also excited to be growing their first ever pumpkin patch ready for Halloween in October. For future information about all the fruits and veg available to pick and their seasons, visit: www.rectoryfarmpyo.co.uk

NOT The Midnight Walk returns for 2021…

The best reason to get up early....

Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity is asking everyone to set their alarm clocks for 5am on Saturday 10th July and join hundreds of others (virtually) for a dawn walk to raise crucial funds to support the Hospice.

“Whilst we are disappointed not to be able to go ahead with our traditional Midnight Walk, we had such an overwhelmingly positive reaction to last year’s event that we are confident that it will be a great success and raise a fantastic amount of money to help fund local hospice care again” says Julie Chittie, Events Manager at the Charity.

This year Walkers are again be asked to walk a minimum of 5 miles, wherever they want, starting at 5am on Saturday 10th July. The event is open to all, whatever your age and wherever you are in the world - last year saw lots of children (and dogs) join in so this year the Charity are offering children’s T-shirts and dog bandanas so everyone can be a part of the event.

The Midnight Walk is a long-standing and major fundraiser for the Charity, and with their income hit so badly over the past year, they are hoping everyone will get behind them by signing up to this year’s virtual event and help to raise the thousands of pounds needed to help secure the future of local hospice care.