Made Lifestyle Magazine – issue 32. Jan/Feb.

Made lifestyle magazine is designed and created with love by Createinn.

Welcome to the January/February issue.

Happy New Year! Welcome to the January/February issue of Made.

The New Year is celebrated in many ways and on different dates across the globe depending on culture and religion. But one thing that remains the same is the feeling of renewal, a new beginning to the year and with that we feel invigorated. As much as those frosty, sunny winter mornings can be bracing, that sense of freshness and a new beginning is a welcome start to the day.

So, however you might be embracing 2023, whether it's resolutions, festivals, planning ahead with home, family, business or holidays and travel, we wish you the very best for your new year from the team here at Made. We're looking forward to another year of fantastic features, wonderful events, getting to know lots more exciting and interesting people in our region and all the best Nottinghamshire has to offer.

In this issue we meet Alison & Chad from Apothecary Mead, and we learn about the ancient craft of mead making. We have a focus on Ollerton, and a simply stunning walk from Sally Outram around Rufford.

Our wedding feature covers outdoor weddings, and we have gained some wonderful knowledge to help you along in your wedding planning from the expert, Linzi from 'that black & white cat' wedding planning.

Teresa Bovey is cooking up the festive leftovers in to wonderfully simple and tasty bites, and we have our regular healthy experts on board too, with advice on how to keep your body and mind healthy in 2023. No issue would be complete without a spot of motoring - here we can have a peek at the rather sleek BMW ALPINA B4 Gran Coupé!

Our March/April issue (no. 33) is already well underway and is going green! So get in touch if you have news, stories or you have a business that is environmentally driven. We want to hear from you!

We wish all of our readers a wonderful start to 2023!

Cover photograph by Jon Rogers: Notts On Ice.

Photograph of leaves under the ice at Idle Valley Nature Reserve (Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust), North Road, Retford, Notts.

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Made

In Notts

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The Team

MD & Executive Editor

Jon Rogers • jr@madeinn.co.uk

Design Manager

Paul Chance • pc@madeinn.co.uk Content & Layout Manager

Michelle Rogers • mr@madeinn.co.uk

Advertisement & PR Manager Kevin Ellis • ke@madeinn.co.uk

Advertising Team advertising@madeinn.co.uk Editorial Assistance

Gemma-Louise King • glk@madeinn.co.uk

General

Editorial Enquiries editorial@madeinn.co.uk

Advertisements advertising@madeinn.co.uk General Enquiries hello@madeinn.co.uk Tel 01777 712609

Publisher

Createinn Ltd. Retford Enterprise Centre, Randall Way, Retford, Notts, DN22 7GR Tel 01777 712610 www.createinn.com ISSN 2515-6551 Cover photo by Jon Rogers

Made is designed and published by Createinn Ltd.

All rights reserved; reproduction of any part of this magazine is not allowed without the written permission of the publishers. Prices are correct at the time of going to press.

While every care is taken, Made and Createinn Ltd, the publishers, endeavour to ensure that all the information inside the magazine is correct, prices and details including dates are subject to change.

Inside This Issue

News & Events

08

The Local Roundup & January/February Events.

The latest news and events from across the region.

Features

24 A Bold Vision For The Future.

A bold vision for the Idle Valley Nature Reserve and beyond.

Erin McDaid, Head of Communications & Marketing, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

26 When Retford Changed London.

The canal junction that was crucial to the Houses Of Parliament project.

Christine Richardson, historian at The Chesterfield Canal Trust tells us more. 28

Weddings. The Great Outdoors. Tips for creating the perfect outdoor wedding from the experts. 35

Ollerton In Focus.

In our latest North Notts town and village showcase, Made pays a visit to the former mining town of Ollerton and its neighbour villages of Boughton and New Ollerton, discovering some fantastic walking routes, quirky shops and tasty dining hotspots along the way.

54 Meet The Apothecaries...

Apothecary Mead, set in the tranquil grounds of the Welbeck Estate has been bringing the ancient craft of mead to the goblets of the curious and those with seriously good taste, all across the UK. Made catches up with owners Alison Lycett and Chad Mierzwa, for a taste…

Home & Garden

44

A Season For Sales...

House sales that is! Here's our top advice on how to make the most of the winter season and make sure that your property is in tip-top selling condition.

Health & Beauty

46 23 Tips For A Healthier 2023.

Healthy tips to start your 2023 the right way. Pete Edwards, Thrive Health Management Ltd.

Food & Drink

59 Love Your Leftovers.

Quick and easy to make recipes to use up your festive odds and ends.

By Teresa Bovey.

Travel & Leisure

38 Rufford Ramble.

Travel writer and photojournalist Sally Outram leads a beautiful winter ramble around Rufford.

70 BMW ALPINA B4 Gran Coupé. ALPINA has added another four-door coupé to its line-up, breathing new life into the popular and celebrated 4 Series.

The local roundup

Her Majesty Awards Nottinghamshire Scouts The Queen’s Award For Voluntary Service

Nottinghamshire Scouts have been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.

Around 2,500 adults volunteer in Scouting across Nottinghamshire ensure some 7,000 young people aged 4 to 25 years old experience amazing activities to help them develop skills for life. These range from the youngest Squirrel Scouts who can achieve anything they set their minds to – to the older Explorer Scouts and members of the Scout Network completing their Queen’s Scout Award and Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. Above all, young people have lots of fun along the way. Every week you will hear about rock climbing, sailing, camping, performing arts, games, challenges and outings to name just a few. Without the dedication of the adult leaders, trustees and supporters these experiences would not be possible.

The award recognises not only the weekly activities Nottinghamshire Scouts

offer but also the wider work in the County with which they are engaged. In Sherwood the Scouts operate their Charity Shop raising funds to train the adult volunteers but also providing a vital service to local residents. In recent years a remarkable water activity centre has been opened to ensure Scouts right across Nottinghamshire can experience adventurous activities on their doorstep. Members are also engaged in providing subsidised meals to the elderly and vulnerable in the City. Finally they are one of only two charities that are able to put on a full weeks run at the Nottingham Theatre Royal, a fast moving variety show known as “Gang Show” next performing in March 2023.

Steven Tupper, County Commissioner of Nottinghamshire Scouts says: “We are overjoyed to have been

recognised in such a way, especially at the time of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. I am so proud of all our volunteers across Nottinghamshire who work so hard every week to ensure young people in our County are offered such a huge variety of activities. Being a volunteer is so rewarding in its own right, but receiving the Queen’s Award for Voluntary

Service is just the icing on the cake.”

Representatives of Nottinghamshire Scouts received the award on 16 November from Sir John Peace, LordLieutenant of Nottinghamshire.

For more information on the recipients and the Award visit: qavs.dcms.gov.uk

If you're interested in leadership roles and opportunities within the scouts, helping to inspire and empower the next generation please contact: office@notts-scouts.org.uk

There are 244 recipients of The Queen’s Award Voluntary Service from across the UK and Channel Islands.

Veolia Orchard Campaign Supports The Next Generation Of Environmentalists

Veolia donates 500 fruit trees to 100 schools across the country, with 35 trees to 7 local schools in Nottinghamshire.

In 2022 Veolia, in partnership with the community action charity Groundwork, launched a new campaign to help schools blossom with biodiversity and join a national network of orchards. Since the call went out across the country to sign up, Veolia has donated 500 trees to over 100 primary, secondary and special schools.

The potential of trees in urban environments to combat the climate crisis is immense, not only in their contribution to increasing biodiversity and improving air quality, but their capacity to mitigate the effects of temperature rises. But more trees are needed, particularly in urban areas where temperatures are comparatively higher than rural areas and water scarce. The extreme heat waves experienced in the UK just this summer, highlighted the impact that global warming has on our local natural environments, with many trees losing their leaves much earlier than expected in a bid to conserve their water supply.

By donating these mini orchards to schools, Veolia is placing the power of positive change in the hands of the future guardians of our planet. School children across the country now have the opportunity to plant their very own orchard and learn how to care for them until they bear fruit, providing

them with healthy, locally sourced food and nurturing their wellbeing through a reconnection with nature.

Schools across Nottinghamshire were invited to apply for the fruit trees and now, as tree planting season starts, the trees will be delivered to the seven successful schools for them to plant. Successful schools highlighted in their applications how they intended to integrate their trees into a learning programme for their pupils.

Robert Miles Junior School in Bingham is one of the schools receiving the fruit trees and education pack. Headteacher Rob Gilbey says: “We’re delighted to be part of this programme. It is very important for our pupils to have access to nature and we know that it improves learning as well as well being. Children thrive outdoors and we are looking forward to growing fruit and learning all about trees and their eco systems. We are very fortunate to have a beautiful nature area on our school grounds which is a perfect location for our new fruit trees.”

To deliver this initiative Veolia are working in partnership with the community action charity Groundwork UK as well as Nottinghamshire County Council and the campaign is being powered by Veolia's Sustainable Schools programme.

Each orchard of up to five trees, is intended to become a learning resource for pupils, empowering them to improve their local environment and combat climate change. Each tree is 1.2 - 1.5 metres tall. The trees need to have around 5 metres distance between them to allow them to mature. For an orchard of 5 trees an area of approximately 25 square metres is needed.

Steven Newman, General Manager for Veolia Nottinghamshire, says: “The extraordinary response to the Veolia Orchard campaign highlights how important trees are, not just for the environment but for the positive impact they have on the education and wellbeing of school children in our local communities. We’re delighted to be partnering with Groundwork and all the teams look forward to helping this national network of orchards take root.”

Joe McIndoe, UK Partnerships Manager, Groundwork

says: “With the numbers of orchards in the UK in steep decline, we’re delighted to work alongside Veolia to provide free trees to schools and begin building this network of orchards across the country. The trees provide many benefits: fruit so that children can have the pleasure of picking and eating juicy, fresh food, shade in the summer and the tools for pupils to learn about nature guided by a handy booklet developed by Groundwork's landscaping experts. We can’t wait to see the kids planting their trees.”

Schools taking part include:

• Newark Orchard School

• Foxwood Academy

• Crescent Primary School

• Healdswood Infant and Nursery

• Carlton Junior Academy

• Robert Miles Junior School

Find out more about the Orchard programme here: www.veolia.co.uk/veoliaorchard

Councillor Neil Clarke, Headteacher Rob Gilbey and Julie Adams Contract Performance Manager from Veolia Front row pupils are from Robert Miles Junior School.

Electric Bike Hire Scheme To Launch

Electric bikes will be available to hire in Nottingham from spring 2023 thanks to a partnership between electric vehicle company Lime and Nottingham City Council.

A fleet of up to 700 Lime e-bikes will be available to hire on a pay-as-you-go basis in key city locations, enabling more Nottingham residents and visitors to enjoy the benefits that cycling can bring, from improved health to cleaner air.

Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Parks, Councillor Audra Wynter, said: “As we face a global climate emergency, it’s more important than ever that our residents have access to more sustainable ways to travel. I’m delighted that we’ll be welcoming e-bikes to Nottingham through this new partnership with Lime. Ebikes are fun to use and will make shorter trips easier, and provide an alternative to the car for short journeys. With the new e-bikes, plus our e-scooter trial, award-winning bus and tram systems, getting around Nottingham will be easier and better than ever.”

Lime will offer 50% off the cost of e-bike rides for lower income residents via its Lime Access programme. The programme provides eligible riders – including existing concession pass holders, key workers, students and job seekers – with unlimited discounts with Lime, helping them to get where they need to go in a safe, sustainable and affordable way.

For details: www.mynottinghamnews.co.uk

For details regarding Lime visit: www.li.me

Lime will be launching its latest Gen4 e-bike model. The e-bikes will be available for hire via the Lime app, which can be downloaded on Apple or Android smartphones, via the App store or Google Play. They will cost £1 to unlock and 17p a minute. The e-bikes will work only within Nottingham City Council boundaries. Image courtesy of Lime.

image courtesy of Lime.

200 Degrees Announces Switch Up As Charity Partner

East Midlands-based coffee roaster 200 Degrees Coffee has announced its partnership with Nottingham-based Switch Up, as part of a three-year commitment.

The roaster has created a unique Switch Up roast of coffee and brandnew coffee pods, which will be available to order across its 18 coffee shops, with £1 in every kilo roasted going directly to the charity - with a minimum commitment of £10,000 a year.

The speciality grade coffee itself is grown in Guatemala produced exclusively by female farmers, which is unusual in the typical male dominated coffee industry, under the ‘La Morena’ collective group from Volcafe Select. Since they joined the programme, the farmers have raised the quality of their coffee, increased their yields, and, as a consequence, started earning more. In teaching them best practices, their farms are turning out excellent coffee and becoming viable businesses.

Customers can request the Switch Up blend when purchasing bags of coffee in store or online, and on sit in or takeaway drinks during selected times.

Switch Up, which was founded by CEO Marcellus Baz BEM, empowers young people, children and young adults from disadvantaged communities affected by crime and violence to reach their true potential. The charity uses its five-pillar approach to help connect young people with employment, training and education opportunities.

The three-year partnership with 200 Degrees will provide much-needed funding for the charity, enabling its team of mentors to continue to offer

their vital support to young people and run its sister organisation the Nottingham School of Boxing.

CEO Rob Darby said: “Life can be challenging and volatile for some young people and the incredible work Marcellus and the Switch Up team do has a direct and positive impact on young lives.

“200 Degrees is a Nottingham born business and it's important to us to support local organisations and causes. The passion, care and impact of Switch Up is immeasurable and we are humbled and proud to be supporting them.”

“All funds will go towards supporting those struggling with their mental health or at risk of having no food on their table or presents under their tree this Christmas. Unfortunately, with the aftereffects of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis still being felt, this will mean that we will be helping more local people than ever before.”

Since its inception in 2013, Switch Up has continued to support over 800 young people at any one time from its boxing gym in St Ann’s, Nottingham, and earlier this year, from a second location in Mansfield. The charity has further plans for expansion, to reach and support more young people and their families.

To find out more about Switch Up, visit: www.marcellusbaz.co.uk/switch-up

To find out more about 200 Degrees, visit: 200degs.com

Vulcan Delivery 40th Anniversary

On the weekend of 11/12 Feb 2023 it will be forty years since Avro Vulcan XM594 landed (actual landing date 07/02/83) on the former wartime runway at Winthorpe Showground to go on display at the Newark Air Museum, it is also the 60th anniversary of its entry into RAF service.

To mark the anniversary, the museum trustees will allow members of the museum’s Cockpit Opening Team to provide free cockpit access to the Vulcan on the weekend – this will be available for visitors who pay to come into the museum and who advise the museum in advance of their plan to participate.

The museum will be open from 10am-4pm, with last admissions to the site being at 3pm. Admissions: Adults £10, Over 60s £9. and Children £5.50.

The museum trustees anticipate that this will be a popular event, so to try and ensure that people have sufficient time inside the cockpit and that they are not waiting around outside, they are implementing a timed ticket system for going on board Vulcan XM594.

Further details will be posted on the 'News & Information' page of the museum website: www.newarkairmuseum.org

Please be aware that because of the restricted space in the cockpit the Vulcan can only take 3-4 people at a time; please also be aware that access to the Vulcan is also dependent on a height restriction and visitors to the aircraft will have to be at least (one metre in height.

If you would like to look inside the Vulcan please email admin@newarkairmuseum. org to indicate your interest, and please state “FREE Vulcan 40th Anniversary Visit” in the subject/topic section of your email.

In addition, a series of talks by ex-Vulcan aircrew is planned to take place throughout the weekend – further details will follow on the museum website. A donation is always be appreciated for anyone taking part.

For further details about Newark Air Museum and museum events, please visit:

Funding Granted For Mansfield Cultural Projects

Mansfield District Council has been awarded over £1.7m from Arts Council England to deliver creative and cultural activity in the community.

The National Portfolio grant will be delivered over three years in payments of £579,304 and used to provide various projects at Mansfield Museum and Palace Theatre. The offer is conditional subject to formal acceptance by the authority.

These funds will include new creative partnerships, collaborations with community groups and welcoming new artists to take residency in the town.

Councillor Stuart Richardson, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Growth said he was thrilled to see such a massive amount of investment in the arts coming into Mansfield.

He said: “Our cultural services team work to create healthier, proud communities and enrich the creative, cultural and heritage opportunities for people in the district.

“These funds will focus on addressing the legacy of British colonialism with communities, recognising colonial trophies and imperial attitudes in Mansfield Museum.”

The funds will see live performances moving outside the museum and theatre walls into the community and the district’s priority neighbourhoods. There will also be a series of tempo-

rary exhibitions in areas with the least access to publicly funded culture.

There are also plans to work with the authority’s parks team around species conservation and biodiversity, with a commitment to digitalising the collection over several years.

Sian Booth, Cultural Services Manager who submitted the bid for the funds, added: “I am so pleased that we have been successful in this bid for £1.7m. It will truly guide and shape the direction of the theatre and museum for years to come.

“We also plan to create popup exhibitions around the district to share our collections more widely and enhance our place as well as a new cohort of collection volunteers.”

Arts Council England Chief Executive, Darren Henley, added: “Together, each of the 990 organisations that have been offered funding today will contribute to a portfolio that is rich, varied and truly national. This is our widest ever spread of investment across the country, ensuring that many more people will have access to a wider choice of exceptional art, culture and creative opportunities on their doorsteps.

For full details please visit: www.mansfield.gov.uk

Nottinghamshire Military Museum Takes Delivery Of 65-Ton Tank

The Royal Lancers & Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum at Thoresby Park, near OIlerton in Notts, is the new temporary home of the FV 214 Conqueror.

The tank - one of the heaviest produced in the UK - was transported from Dorset in late 2022. A four-hour operation saw it manoeuvred into place.

'A Beast' Volunteers at the museum will spend the next few months restoring the tankwhich saw service between 1955 and 1966.

It was transported to the attraction from the Bovington Tank Museum before being sited on a specially created concrete plinth.

Thoresby was used as a training ground for British Army tanks during World War Two.

Captain Mick Holtby said the Conqueror would give the museum the wow factor. Keith Girling, Nottinghamshire County Council's armed forces champion, who served in the Grenadier Guards for 18 years, said: “Thoresby has a long association with the British tank, and it only seems fitting that a great venue... will be home to such a historic and significant exhibit.

“I'm sure the presence of the FV 214 Conqueror will no doubt prove to be a huge attraction to people coming to our county.”

He wished the museum luck with the refurbishment project. “I look forward to seeing the results of their hard work,” he said.

Captain Mick Holtby said it was the first time a tank had been on the site for about 80 years. The FV 214 Conqueror was built to counter the Soviet IS-3 series heavy tank during the Cold War.

About 180 of the tanks were built in total, which were used in the then West Germany with the British Army of the Rhine.

Museum curator Mick Holtby said: “Thoresby was a tank area.

“Tanks trained here and you can still see the metal roads

round the estate, but this is the first time that we've had a tank here at Thoresby Courtyard for around 80 years. It is going to provide us with a wow factor.

“Visitors will want to come and see it and that's why we have put it where we have, because when people come out from the car park, they will see it and think 'wow, that's a beast' - and it is a beast.

“A lot of the restoration work will be cosmetic and if we get it looking something like what it did, then we'll be delighted.”

For further details about the Museum please visit: rlnymuseum.co.uk

The Thoresby military museum has taken delivery of a 65-ton British tank as part of a restoration project.

The tank - one of the heaviest produced in the UK - was transported from Dorset.

Events

The Rasselbock Run

Winter Edition 15th January 2023 Sherwood Forest, Sherwood

15 Jan. 8.50am

After the first year of events at Sherwood Pines, it’s time to mix things up a little with a new route and a whole new medal design! As always the event will be a six-hour challenge on a looped course around the beautiful forest which is looked after by the UK Forestry Commission. You may attempt to complete as many laps as possible over the full six hours, or you may choose to finish just one, either way, you will be a finisher and receive your bespoke medal and goody bag. You’ll be able to pick up your race number on the morning of the event at the aid station/start line. The park will be open from 8am, and you’ll be able to grab your race numbers shortly after then. Please allow yourself enough time to grab your number before the race briefing at 8:50am and the start of the run at 9am.

www.visitsherwood. co.uk/events/

Share Your Events

If you have an event you’d like to share with Made we’d love to hear from you. Email: hello@madeinn.co.uk or call: 01777 712609

Although we endeavour to ensure that all of the events listed here are correct it is advisable to check before the event in case of alterations or planning changes.

www.madeinn.co.uk

Replanting Stand Wood

25,000 new trees planted in Stand Wood above Chatsworth.

A major replanting of Stand Wood, the woodland that sits on the steep hill behind Chatsworth House, is taking place to restore thousands of trees to the landscape which includes the Hunting Tower and four reservoirs.

The Forestry team at Chatsworth is hard at work planting around 25,000 new trees to create a more diverse woodland with a much wider variety of species including oak, hornbeam, birch, alder, sycamore and yew trees across its 383 acres. All of the saplings have been grown in UK nurseries and while different species grow at different rates, most of the tree canopy is expected to be above head height in the next 10-15 years.

John Everitt, Forestry Manager at Chatsworth: “We have records showing the woodland has been planted and replanted many times over the centuries. It’s part of the natural cycle with older trees and plants replaced with new growth - the trees we have recently replanted will soon grow to create a mature woodland again.”

“In fact, one of our retired foresters, Brian Gilbert, recently brought in some photos of him working in Stand Wood in the early 1960s. One particular photo caught my attention and shows a young Brian with a piece of

pine pit wood slung over his shoulder, probably for use in the collieries that were such an important part of the local economy at the time.”

“He’s stood on the road between the Hunting Tower and Park Gate Farm, with the timber on his shoulder being felled from the top side of the track as part of a gale tidy up during a bad winter in February 1963. In the background of the picture are young larch, beech, oak and sweet chestnut trees planted following wartime felling. These are the same larch and sweet chestnut trees which we have recently had to fell as mature trees due to the Phytophthora outbreak.”

The replanting of affected areas with a greater mixture of species will help make Stand Wood more diseaseresistant as it replaces trees which had to be felled after approximately 5500 trees (3500 tonnes of wood) became infected with a deadly water mould called Phytophthora Ramorum. The mould affects bark and foliage, usually leads to death and particularly damages Larch as well as some other trees and plants

The diseased trees were cut down to help prevent further spread of the disease to other areas of woodland on the estate and in neighbouring woodlands. Working with

the Forestry Commission to identify the infected areas, the Chatsworth Forestry team felled and removed all the larch and sweet chestnut trees within these areas and in surrounding areas where larch trees were at risk.

Old paintings of Chatsworth show that the hillside behind the house was completely devoid of trees until it was replanted in the 18th century with the woodland having undergone partial felling and replanting on a number of occasions since. Among the oldest, at the crest, are several mature beech trees from the 18th or early 19th century.

Comprising nearly 4,000 acres, Chatsworth’s woodlands sequester around 8,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent a year - almost four times the annual emissions from owned and operated property in the Chatsworth Estate.

Chatsworth Forestry and Arboriculture is responsible for the stewardship and management of all woodlands and individual trees across the entire Chatsworth Estate. The woodlands are managed under the UK Woodland Assurance Standard, FSC® certified and audited annually to ensure Chatsworth is operating to the highest industry standards.

The Reid and Silgrist Desford Aircraft. Courtesy of DTEP.

Brian Gilbert working in Stand Wood in the 1960s. Credit Chatsworth House Trust.

Events

Celebrating Twelfth Night with The Fools’ Parade

Sherwood Forest, Sherwood 8 Jan. 12pm-2pm

You don’t have to be a fool to join in the Fools’ Parade at Sherwood Forest – but it helps! After being stripped of his powers over Christmas, the Sheriff of Nottingham will again take control of the ancient greenwood at this traditional ceremony, setting out from the edge of the forest to the Major Oak at its heart. There will be performances, plays and activities to enjoy and we want you to dress up in your silliest hat – or go the whole hog in fancy dress from top to toe – to really get into the spirit of the Fools’ Parade.

Free event, there may be a small charge for some activities. www.visitsherwood.co.uk/ events

The Return Of The Krampus

Sherwood Forest, Sherwood 21 & 22 Jan

Learn about this ancient European folk creature. As night falls, the Krampus will begin to take over the woodland. To aid your escape, bring a torch to light the way in a lantern parade from the Major Oak back to the Visitor Centre.

On Sunday, join the traditional wassailing ceremony, proclaiming good health for the year ahead for Sherwood Forest’s wildlife and ancient oak trees, which amount to one of Europe’s largest and most important collections of centuriesold oaks. It’s also when we send the Krampus packing and fleeing for their wintry mountain lairs. Free event. Parking £5 per vehicle for non-RSPB members. No admission charge to enter the reserve.

To find out more, go to: www.visitsherwood.co.uk/ events

Textile Artist Anne

Kelly’s ‘Small Worlds’

Textile artist Anne Kelly’s densely embroidered artworks will travel to the Harley Foundation, Nottinghamshire at the start of 2023.

Showing 24 Jan to 12 Mar, ‘Well Travelled’ is a patchwork of Anne’s collected works which describe her memories of travel and journeys of the imagination.

The exhibition includes a life-size fabric canoe, complete with decorated paddle, a textile model of a Tudor house, and an array of beautiful, embroidered patchwork blankets.

In Anne’s hands, scraps of fabric, ephemera, images, and ideas are combined and transformed. The resulting multi-layered and densely stitched embroideries have been described as ‘small worlds’.

These small worlds are often a kind of travel diary, and not just from actual journeys but also Anne’s personal journey over time. Anne derives immense joy and inspiration from new places and new people. She keeps many sketchbooks, where she collects images and ideas. But when making her work she likes to start with a piece of fabric – even a scrap – and build on that.

She is a collector (if not a hoarder) of textile-related flotsam and jetsam. She also collects memories; of places she has visited in person, and of places and scenes she has visited in exhibitions, in books and films.

Lisa Gee, Director of The Harley Foundation, said “Anne’s work reminds us that wherever we are, and whatever we are doing, we can always journey through our imagination. We are asking visitors to tell us about their own journeys – real or imagined – by taking part in our new gallery activity. We are asking visitors to follow Anne’s lead and make their own fabric pictures for bunting which will fill the gallery space.”

Anne will also be at the Hope and Elvis textile workshop in the Harley Studios for classes in Spring 2023.

'Well Travelled’ is a touring exhibition from Ruthin Craft Centre.

Anne exhibits widely, has published four books on textile art, and runs regular workshops on textiles and mixed media art. She has been artist in residence in a beautiful garden in Sussex and a hilltop village in Italy. annekellytextiles.com

Please note that this exhibition is in the Harley Gallery. The neighbouring museum is closed 1 Jan – 24 Mar 2023. The exhibition is free to enter and there is a large, free car park. The Gallery is open Tues – Sun. For opening hours and current exhibitions visit: www.harleygallery.co.uk

Left: Anne Kelly. Photo courtesy: Alun Callendar Above: Kestrel Box and A Very Big Country Map (detail). Indian and Sketchbook and Pink Horses.

‘Stephen Grey’

Exhibition at the Gallery on Bridgegate, Retford. 14 Jan–4 Mar 2023.

In January, Artist Stephen Grey shows his latest work at Cath Ray Gallery & Studios in Retford. Stephen is an artist who recently appeared on Sky Arts’ ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’ (current series, episode 4), when he painted a portrait of Helen Sharman (the first British Female Astronaut).

In this solo show, Stephen exhibits his colourful portraits, still lives and figure drawings, which show the skill and fluidity of a true draughtsman at work.

“I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. A sketchbook has always been near to hand. I worked as a professional story-board artist for many years for television and advertising commercials, which meant having to regularly create up to fifty colour frames a day either from imagination or supplied reference. Anything from cat food and perfume to whisky and cigarettes, drawing people in various situations became second nature.”

After retiring from professional work, Stephen moved to Spain for 20 years where he had the time and opportunity to develop his artistic skills and drew and painted the landscape, people and objects that surrounded him. The

work sold regularly through a permanent exhibition in one of Stephen’s favourite restaurants, with one customer buying 20 pieces of work at one sitting!

Stephen Grey now lives in Gainsborough after returning to the UK and has exhibited work at The Usher Gallery in Lincoln and The Harley Gallery in Welbeck, before being selected to appear on the Sky Arts programme.

During the run of the exhibition, there will also be an eight week ‘Drawing Course’ at the gallery on Monday afternoons (1-3pm), Thursday evenings (7-9pm), or Saturday afternoons (3.305.30pm).

The course is designed for beginners, but would also stretch other artists and provide a regular slot to practise their skills. Sessions cost £15 each and include all materials and refreshments.

Book by emailing: raybooks@msn.com Call (0780) 3204424, Or in person at the gallery an 58b Bridgegate, Bridgegate, Retford, DN22 7UZ.

Events Exhibitions At Bassetlaw Museum Grove Street, Retford, Notts

'Exhibition of Linocuts by Polly Warren'

21 Jan - 18 Mar 23

Polly Warren's beautifully crafted linocuts capture views of gardens, nature, places and fond memories. She says that 'with an O-Level in Art and no formal art training, drawing the initial design for the lino block can be a struggle, but cutting the block is relaxing, mixing the inks exciting, and printing with her Hawthorn press can be breathtaking and surprising.'

Polly has had her work displayed at the Harley Gallery, Ferens Art Gallery (Hull), Doncaster Art Gallery and Museum and the Ropewalk (Barton). She also had a solo exhibition in the Spotlight Gallery at Newark Town Hall.

Moving Stories

Now until Feb 23 Why have people always come to Bassetlaw? Discover answers and objects from the earliest settlers to the present day. This exhibition looks at why people leave their birthplace for a new life, a complex and sometimes difficult, story.

Bassetlaw people have generously shared their journeys and that of their families, including lending the museum a fascinating range of objects which illustrate their experiences. Some travelled from other places in Britain, others from Europe or from different continents. People have moved because war, work, health and even love.

Bowled over!

Now until March 23

An exhibition celebrating 125 years of Retford Bowling Green Ltd; features trophies, bowling equipment and clothing from the Retford Bowling Green collection.

bassetlawmuseum.org.uk

All imagery courtesy of Stephen Grey and Cath Ray.

ShowTime

It's show time, grab your popcorn, icecreams and treats and enjoy all the fun of the theatre here in Nottinghamshire.

Deathtrap by Ira Levin

Robin

Hood Theatre,

Averham 31 Jan - 4 Feb

This hugely popular recordbreaking thriller offers a rare and skilful blending of two priceless theatrical ingredients - gasp-inducing thrills and spontaneous laughter. It holds the record for the longest running comedy thriller on Broadway. www.rhtc.co.uk

Ladies in Retirement Retford Little Theatre, Retford 27 Jan - 3 Feb

By Edward Percy & Reginald Denham

Based on an actual murder, and set in the 1980s, this has become one of the most successful and most frequently performed plays of its genre. A retired actress lives with her companion. A visit from

two eccentric sisters who make themselves at home precipitates a dark atmosphere of mystery. Events are compounded by the arrival of a mysterious nephew. The result is disappearance and murder! www.rlt.org.uk

The Captured Princess Newark Palace Theatre, Newark 28 Jan

The Captured Princess is a three act ballet performed by Dance Vision Ballet Company Associate Students. Set in the 11th Century, the story is taken from a Maltese legend of a Prince who falls in love with a young girl, Maria. But Maria has fallen under a spell which must be broken for them to live happily ever after. A ballet production you don't want to miss! www.palacenewarktickets. com

Queen Rhapsody

The Palace Theatre, Mansfield 11 Feb

Queen Rhapsody is the ultimate live concert experience with stunning accuracy in sound and vision, producing a high-energy show which will rock the house with a top hit after hit show. Featuring hits from every decade of Queen’s musical legacy, such as Under Pressure, Somebody to Love, We are the Champions and Crazy Little Thing Called Love. www.mansfieldpalace.co.uk

Circus Spectacular

The Majestic Theatre Retford 18 Feb

Featuring International Circus Acts, Amazing Magic & Lots Of Laughs. Our top-class artistes will not only bring skill and suspense during with their acts, they will also all be participating in the production numbers and comedy aspects of the show to the make one truly unhinged experience. The show will be seamlessly linked together, culminating in one ‘slosh’ style finale, but not to panic as the first four rows shall be provided with rain macs. Circus Spectacular will have everyone laughing and cheering along in this fantastic circus style variety show. www.majesticretford.org

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Royal Concert Hall Nottingham 18 Feb

Described by Time Out New York as ‘Brooklyn’s postmillennial Mozart’, Missy Mazzoli is a restless gamechanger who, in 2018, became one of the first women to be commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera. Her Sinfonia for Orbiting Spheres, is a spellbinding example of her art, playing on the double meaning of ‘sinfonia’ (a Baroque piece for orchestra and an old Italian term for hurdy gurdy) and spinning loops of enchanting melodies within a larger orbit. trch.co.uk

Events & Details

Although we endeavour to ensure that all of the events listed within this issue are correct it is always advisable to check before the event in case of booking requirements, cancellations, alterations or planning changes. www.madeinn.co.uk

The Arts

Events Berthe Morisot: “Une Finesse Fragonardienne”

1 Feb

Civic Centre, Carlton-in-Lindrick, S81 9AP.

The light-filled canvases of Impressionist painter Berthe Morisot capture the pleasures of modernity: fashionable ballgowns, afternoons spent boating on a lake, children playing. Yet, her contemporaries perceived a connection with the eighteenth century. Renoir declared her ‘the last elegant and ‘feminine’ artist that we have had since Fragonard.’ Surveying the 1896 posthumous retrospective of her oeuvre, Paul Girard declared ‘it is the eighteenth century modernised.’ This lecture traces Morisot’s engagement with eighteenth-century art and culture, and highlights what set her work apart from that of her predecessors.

The following lecture is on 1 Mar 23: Vivaldi in Venice

For further details on the Lectures, the holiday in June, the study/special interest days or the Society in general, please contact: Gill on 01909 540506 or Gordon on gordonpmcdougall@ gmail.

Trails of Discovery

For nearly twenty years many Arts Societies have created Trails of Discovery for their local areas. The first Trails were made for children to follow in Churches, but more recently there have been Trails for adults in other places of worship and historic buildings, and also Trails around towns and villages. In particular, Memory Trails have been designed for use by groups working with those who live with dementia,

New Tickhill Town Trail For Children

With the support of the Town Council, The Arts Society Dukeries has created a Trail of Discovery for the town of Tickhill. It is downloadable to a mobile phone, tablet or i-pad and has interactive, multiple-choice questions about places of interest.

It was launched with the help of both primary schools in the town. While each small group was waiting to set off on the trail, a world search was given to the children with words connected to the trail. Although the children used paper copies with their teachers and volunteers from the society, QR posters have been placed in several locations around the town to enable local families and visitors to download the trail themselves – and fortunately they were available just in time for the halfterm holiday!

Full details of lectures and trails at: www.theartssociety.org/Dukeries

At The Movies!

The latest cinema releases and live screenings of major exhibitions, famous operas and the best theatre at the Savoy Cinema in Worksop.

SCREENINGS

9 Jan - Empire Of Light A romance develops in a beautiful old cinema on the south coast of England in the 1980s.

20 Jan - Babylon Decadence, depravity, and outrageous excess lead to the rise and fall of several ambitious dreamers in 1920s Hollywood.

3 Feb – Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll: he has burnt through eight of his nine lives. Puss sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.

10 Feb – Magic Mike’s Last Dance Mike Lane takes to the stage once again when a business deal that went bust leaves him broke and bartending in Florida. Hoping for one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite who lures him with an offer he can't refuse.

17 Feb – Ant Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Ant-Man and the Wasp find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that pushes them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.

Visit www.savoyworksop.co.uk for full listings of your most awaited movies and live screenings not to miss.

All imagery courtesy of Savoy Cinema.

New Year Events At Clumber Park

Mondays

Second Monday of every month

Pushabout.

A walking group created for anyone who has or looks after pushchair-aged children. During these accessible and beautiful walks, you can meet other adults, find support and build up your fitness on a basic level. The walks are generally around 3 miles in length and mostly on hard standing paths. Meet under the Clock Tower, 10.15 –12.00. Free event. Normal park admission applies. No booking required.

Wednesdays

Every Wednesday

Clumber Park Runners. 9.30am, meet outside the Cycle Hub. Running group welcoming runners of all abilities. A mix of building basic techniques, technical drills, intervals, hill repeats and tempo runs. Free event, normal admission into the park applies. No booking required.

Every Wednesday

Dog Walking Social. Come along to explore the Park and enjoy a cuppa and a bite to eat in our dog-friendly cafe afterwards. Meet at Central Bark at 10am. No booking required. First and third Wednesday of every month - Hardwick Village Evening Walkabout, 7.30pm–8.30pm. Explore the Hardwick area of Clumber Park. Walks are up to 3 miles and last around an hour. Meet at Hardwick Village Social Club. If you haven't been on this walk before, please contact us on 01909 476592 for further details. No booking required.

Thursdays

First Thursday of every month

Discover Clumber Park. 10.30am-1pm.

Led walk, exploring different landscapes and habitats. Walks are 4-6 miles and last 2-3 hours. Meet at the Discovery Centre. No booking required.

Saturdays

Every Saturday Parkrun, 9am.

From Central Bark. Free event, free admission into the park. Must register at www.parkrun. org.uk/clumberpark No booking required.

Sundays

Third Sunday of every month Sunday Walkabout. 10:30am-1pm. Take in the sights of the park on a led walk. There's 2-3 different distances to choose from on the day, usually 3,5 or 8 miles. Meet under the Clock Tower. No booking required.

Fourth Sunday of every month – Trust10, from the Front Field. 10k running event which encourages people to take up a new challenge in the great outdoors. Free event, normal admission into the park applies. No booking required.

Lantern Walks

throughout January:

Lantern Walk: 14, 15, 21, 22, 27 & 28 Jan from 3-3.45pm. Meet outside Cycle Hire. Come and see Clumber in a different light and hear social history stories of the park and the Dukes along the way.

Free event but please book a place through the upcoming events page at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/clumber-park

Full details and further events: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ clumber-park

January/February Inspire 2023 Event Listings Local Libraries

Exploring Ancestry Heritage Worksop Library

21 Jan / 10am

Curious to learn more about your family’s history? Join one of our librarians for a small group session, to investigate some of the less well-known features of this valuable online research tool. Ancestry.com is FREE to use in Inspire Libraries.

Nottingham Playhouse Presents: Goldilocks And The Three Bears

Family Theatre Worksop Library

28 Jan / 11am

No matter how hard she tries, Goldilocks can’t sit still. She just wants to dance but where she’s from, it's forbidden. Unable to keep her toes from tap tap tapping, she has no option but to make her great escape. Join Goldilocks and the Three Bears on this pop-tastic dance-party of an adventure exploring friendship, home, and daring to share. With music, magic and plenty of opportunities to join in along the way. For children aged 3-8. £3 members / £6 non-members.

Moon Rabbit And Other Stories

Family

their day... but there are so many busy bodies getting in their way! But today will be different, they are going to play by their own rules and show the grown-ups who is boss. Today, they are going to open everyone’s eyes to see the endless world of adventures that are possible when you just give someone the chance. This is a semiautobiographical puppetry show by artist Nikki Charlesworth, who throws away the rulebook with these awardwinning puppets that reflect her own physicality and move as she moves. Features creative Audio Description and British Sign Language ensuring the show is accessible and inclusive. For children aged 7+ and families. £3 members / £6 non-members.

Exploring Local Maps

Heritage Mansfield Central Library

17 Feb / 10.30am

Join one of our librarians for a group session, where they will demonstrate the range and variety of local maps available in Inspire libraries, with hints and tips on how to find and interpret them.

Matt Ratcliffe Trio With Vocalist Helen Gayle The Beatles Songbook

Theatre

Mansfield, 13 Feb/11am & 2pm Worksop, 14 Feb/11am & 2pm Nottingham Confucius Institute and Lakeside Arts. Adapted & directed by Toby Hulse to Celebrate the Zodiac Year of the Rabbit 2023. This magical piece of storytelling theatre recounts some of the extraordinary myths and folk tales of China and East Asia, each one a firm favourite with generations of Chinese and East Asian families. A show rich with music, wonder, and surprise. For children aged 5+ and their families. £3 library members / £6 non-library members

Nikki Charlesworth Presents: What Happened To You?

Family Theatre

Mansfield, 15 Feb / 10.30am Newark, 16 Feb / 10.30am Southwell, 16 Feb / 3.30pm Worksop, 17 Feb / 10.30am Retford, 17 Feb / 3.30pm

What Happened to You? follows Little Red, Noodles and Bo, three raggedy puppets, trying to enjoy

Live Jazz Performance Worksop Library

21 Feb / 7.30pm

On 23 February 1963 - 60 years ago - a group called The Beatles performed in Mansfield. At that time they were a support act, but went on to be the biggest global pop phenomenon of the 20th Century. Many of their compositions are now all-time classics. Sixty years on almost to the day, you are invited to an evening of jazz interpretations of Beatles music played by the Matt Ratcliffe Trio, with vocalist Helen Gayle. Expect brilliant jazz arrangements by jazz legends such as Herbie Hancock of your favourite Lennon & McCartney compositions. £12.

All Events:

Booking in advance is advised for all events. To book and find out further details of all the events listed here and more visit: www.inspireculture.org.uk Call 01623 677 200

Or pop in to your local library.

Over 100 Gardens Opening To Celebrate The NGS Snowdrop Festival.

Fresh air and the beautiful, faithful first signs of spring epitomised by drifts of glorious snowdrops are a reminder of the changing seasons and the promise of what’s to come. What better way to shake off the winter and to celebrate the gardening visiting year ahead than with the National Garden Scheme’s 2023 Snowdrop Festival.

In Nottinghamshire we have three very special snowdrop gardens opening, so why not shake off the cobwebs and visit a National Garden Scheme open garden in February? Remember that your garden visits helped us to donate £3.11 million pounds to our nursing and caring charities in 2022. For a full list of our beneficiaries, please visit: ngs.org.uk/beneficiaries.

Here are the gardens you can visit in February:

11 Feb

1 Highfield Road, Nuthall, Nottingham. NG16 1BQ. 10am-4pm. Visit us in February and see our collection of 600+ snowdrop varieties, with 300 varieties in the garden and many more in show benches. Our spring garden has lots of colour with many rare and unusual plants – miniature narcissus, acers, aconites and hellebores. A good selection of unusual pots and garden ornaments, Many snowdrop varieties and other plants available for sale. Refreshments.

12 Feb

Church Farm, Church Lane, West Drayton, Retford. DN22 8EB. 10.30am-4pm. The garden is essentially a spring garden with a small woodland area which is carpeted with many snowdrops, aconites and cyclamen which have self seeded into the adjoining churchyard. Approximately 180 named snowdrops growing in island beds along with hellebores and daffodils. Limited amount of snowdrops for sale. Wheelchair access, dog friendly, refreshments.

26 Feb

Norwood Park, Halam Road, Southwell. NG25 0PF. 11am-4pm. New garden for 2023. The grounds of Norwood Park date back to medieval times when they were part of a series of deep parks. A new garden on the south front of the C18 house was created in 2021 to showcase plants for all seasons. To the west, a lime avenue lined with snowdrops and daffodils leads on to Mrs. Delaney’s Path to the ornamental temple, where hot apple punch will be served. Wheelchair access, dog friendly, plants for sale, parking, refreshments at Norwood Park Golf Club.

Fun Snowdrop facts:-

• It's a Greek name'Galanthus' translates as 'milk flower'

• A single Galanthus plicatus ‘Golden Fleece’ sold for £1,390 on eBay in 2015!

• A naturally occurring substance within the plant, called galantamine, is used to help treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, although the bulbs themselves are poisonous.

• Rare snowdrop varieties are not usually easy to propagate, hence the hefty price tag per bulb!

• Snowdrops are tough little plants, adapted to pierce through snow and survive the cold. The tips of their leaves are especially hardened for breaking through frozen ground and their sap contains a form of antifreeze that prevents ice crystals from forming.

• There are more than 2,500 varieties of snowdrop.

Images, courtesy Peter Clegg.

A Bold Vision For The Future

A bold vision for the Idle Valley Nature Reserve and beyond. Erin McDaid, Head of Communications & Marketing, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

As a charity dedicated to protecting the county’s nature, people often assume our focus is on wild plants and animals. In reality, much of our work relates to people.

From the people that signed our founding documents just over sixty years ago, to the people who support us in their thousands today as members, donors, volunteers and likeminded folk who care passionately about wildlife, people are the lifeblood of our charity. Without people, there would be no Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

Put simply, people need nature and nature needs people. We all rely on a clean, healthy and nature-rich environment for our health, happiness and wellbeing and people will be the key to nature’s recovery.

At a time when awareness of environmental issues is at an alltime high and the perils facing nature also at a peak, our level of collective action does not yet match the scale of the threat. To help square this circle, we are working to build a people powered nature recovery and create a network of likeminded folk who want to take action for nature.

Our flagship sites such as Idle Valley Nature Reserve, near Retford, provide us with a platform to encourage appreciation of nature and to inspire positive action. With hundreds of hectares of wildlife habitat to care for there is always work to

be done. Volunteers have long provided the backbone of our practical conservation work such as clearing willow to provide space for ground nesting birds, but at Idle Valley we do not just want to inspire people to act for nature on site - we want to inspire them to take action for nature at home and in their local communities.

We want to inspire people through exposure to nature and a better understanding of what is at stake. We want Idle Valley to become a springboard for action, a place where people can see, experience and connect with nature at close quarters, but also gain a greater appreciation of the threats nature faces. Such sites also have a role to play in increasing people’s understanding of global issues such as climate change and the need to embrace natural solutions to environmental problems such as river pollution and flooding.

Nature is a source of inspiration, but simply providing people with opportunities to experience wildlife is no longer enough to trigger action. We must also explain the impacts of environmental issues at a local level and illustrate their impact on wildlife at Idle Valley Nature Reserve. We must also provide encouragement and guidance on how people can take action. Simple steps such as making your garden, if you are lucky enough to have one, more wildlife friendly are no-brainers, but given the scale of threat to nature we must also highlight options such as lifestyle changes to help limit the climate change which is driving much of wildlife’s decline.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

As a charity, we need support, but our focus is not purely on getting people to help us help nature – we want to encourage and support people to help nature wherever it is and wherever they live. We want to mobilise more people than ever before and we are undergoing something of a culture change to make this possible.

Whilst wildlife is at the core of our work, we cannot just be naturalists who celebrate the arrival of a new species of bird such as little egret, the closest examples of which were once only found in the Mediterranean. We must also be environmentalist who question why it has arrived and then dial up our inner activist to help bring about the change necessary to slow and mitigate the impacts of climate change on our cherished wildlife.

To put nature into recovery by 2030 we need to ensure that at least 30% of our land and sea is connected and protected. This ambition cannot be achieved by creating nature reserves alone – we must influence how other land is managed, especially farmland. Sites such as Idle Valley Nature Reserve, in the heart of a farmed landscape, have a role to play in demonstrating a way forward. Across the reserve, we are demonstrating how natural process such as grazing with traditional breeds of sheep and cattle can benefit nature and we are now demonstrating how beavers can help create diverse habitats for other species. We are also piloting approaches to help boost the fortunes of the UK’s fastest declining bird species – the turtle dove.

Looking to the future

Our ambition is to create a wildlife-rich landscape for the future. As we seek to restore nature at scale, we cannot be inward looking. We must consider the bigger picture and be willing to do things differently. A great example of this approach is our investment, supported by Severn Trent and other partners, in bringing beavers back to our county. Some have questioned our motives, wondering if it was done to raise profile, but our focus was pragmatic. Whilst the prospect of bringing beavers back was exciting, our project is rooted in our understanding of, and desire to highlight, beavers’ capacity as wetland engineers - their ability to help transform areas of habitat.

Beavers had been working their magic in the Idle Valley for millennia before Dutch engineers such as Vermuyden, diverted the River Idle in the 17th Century on the orders of King Charles

I to create valuable pastureland by draining Hatfield Chase. Whilst the beaver enclosure at Idle Valley Nature Reserve is not connected to the river, meaning the beavers don’t need to deploy their dam building skills, they still have a vast area over which they can strip bark to eat and fell trees to create underwater lodges. They are transforming the habitat faster than we had hoped and recent surveys discovered that they have been working their way through an old aspen plantation - letting in light for different plants to thrive and creating nesting opportunities for ground nesting birds. Camera trap images also suggests that the single male and female released alongside our established beaver family paired sooner than expected and already have kits. This exciting news means our beaver crew can do even more to help other species in the future.

Alongside investment in habitat management, we are investing in new facilities for volunteers. We are also recruiting volunteers to help people get more from their visits and to provide inspiration and advice to people wanting to do more for nature. Our team of farm advisers based at the reserve are working with local farmers and landowners to create wildlife habitats, reduce water pollution and to restore rare and precious peatland habitats across the wider Idle Valley, helping ensure that the impact of our work ripples out far beyond the boundaries the reserve itself.

Could you provide a Wilder Welcome?

We are currently building a team of Wilder Welcome volunteers to help ensure visitors get the most out of their time at Idle Valley Nature Reserve. If you’d enjoy meeting new friends, learning about nature and would like to help us motivate more people to get outside helping nature email wilder@nottswt. co.uk

To find out more about our vision for the Idle Valley, volunteer opportunities or how you can act for nature at home visit nottinghamshirewildlife.org

To find out how you can play your part visit: nottinghamshirewildlife.org/defendnature

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

Tel: 0115 958 8242 E-mail: info@nottswt.co.uk www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org

Page opposite: Idle Valley, courtesy Lee Scott. This page from left: Swans at Idle Valley, courtesy Lee Scott. Evidence suggests that the single female beaver released last year has now paired with the single male and produced kits, courtesy: Mike Vickers. Turtle Dove, courtesy Mike Vickers. Volunteer support is vital for the Wildlife Trust but we also want people to help nature at home and in communities, photo courtesy Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

When Retford Changed London

Vast crowds of spectators lined the streets, and the banks of the river where the reflections of the flames magnified the spectacle. It was 16 October 1834, and the Houses of Parliament was burning to the ground. Twenty-four hours later most of the buildings were ruined and blackened shells. To be replaced with what? The answer would float through Retford.

The original buildings had been a centuries-old mixture not fit for purpose. Now it was three years before the reign of Victoria and Britain was globally powerful, and the world’s leading industrial state. The replacement building must reflect that and include the one structure remaining, the ancient Westminster Hall - now familiar to us as the location of the recent lying-instate of Queen Elizabeth II. A design competition was launched, won by the building we know today. But before construction could begin, on the original site, the country was searched for the stone to be used. After visiting 103 quarries it was decided that the new Houses of Parliament would be built with Yorkshire stone, from North Anston in the south of the county. How to get it from there to Westminster was the second vital decision.

The weight and bulk of the blocks would make transportation difficult. The method used would have to incur costs within budget, ensure the blocks were not damaged in transit, be capable of handling vast quantities and reliably continue deliveries once the construction work began. The rail network was limited and not of proven reliability. Furthermore, it was still a new concept and many in authority would not approve of its use in a project of the highest status where any failings would be in the national limelight. Instead bulky and heavy goods were still generally moved as they had been since the dawn of time - on water, via the coast and/or canals and navigable

rivers. Therefore, Retford’s canal would play a major role in the project.

Officially named The Chesterfield Canal, its route includes Worksop, Retford and Clayworth because when it was built in the 1770s gentlemen in Retford realised its potential and ensured it went through their town and North Nottinghamshire, ending at West Stockwith where it meets the River Trent. And that junction was crucial in the Houses of Parliament project.

The stone was loaded into the canal’s horse-drawn narrowboats at Kiveton Park, only two miles from the quarry. The boats were not like those now known as “traditional” canal craft. They were not brightly coloured, nor did the crews live aboard, they always had a home ashore. So, the cabin at the stern was quite basic with no “roses and castles” or gaily painted anything. The crew was usually two men and they had a stove, bunks, a small table and a cupboard. There was often another cabin in the bows where the horse’s food was stored. But neither cabin would have been evident to a casual observer because they were entered by a hatch, level with the deck. The reason why they were different from the boats on other canals was because this canal was not linked to any other, so the developments elsewhere were unknown. Also, the boats were usually built at West Stockwith by the Nottinghamshire men who built the river craft of the Trent, so they built what they knew and simply changed the dimensions to suit the restrictions of the canal.

It was the 1840s when the major tonnages of the Houses of Parliament floated through Retford. The Canal Company records for that time have not come to light so we do not know the names of the boats or the crews. They would have needed an overnight stop, with stables for their horse, and preferably

The canal junction that was crucial to the Houses Of Parliament project. Christine Richardson, historian at The Chesterfield Canal Trust tells us more.

a pub for the crew. There would have been five or six boat-loads every week to West Stockwith. There, in the basin at the end of the canal, the stone was unloaded and stored by the water. Once a week it was loaded into the craft capable of taking it the rest of the way to Westminster. They were Humber sloops, sailing vessels that could deal with the shallow winding, and tidal, waters of the Trent, the tricky waters of the Humber estuary, the perils of going down the North Sea, and then up the Thames to London. The whole journey would probably have taken the Humber sloops four or five days, depending on the weather. They would not have gone all the way to Westminster because there were already four bridges over the Thames, and Humber sloops could not readily lower their masts. So, they would have moved the stone into lighters (barges) in the Pool of London, a busy commercial hub just before London Bridge. There they could reload with return cargoes, necessary not only for commercial reasons but to give them stability. Meanwhile, the lighters would be towed up the Thames to Westminster by steam-tugs which were numerous at that time. There they could come alongside the building site to unload the stone. A remarkably efficient transport system.

If the canal had been built along its originally planned route it is unlikely that the stone would have come from the quarry selected because the canal would have gone to Bawtry, where cargoes would have been moved into boats on the River Idle, and then down to West Stockwith. But navigation of the Idle was not reliable, nor was there a basin at its junction with the Trent. Therefore, the 1770’s gentlemen of Retford who had the route changed became responsible for the appearance of one of the world’s most famous buildings.

For further information go to www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk. All imagery courtesy of The Chesterfield Canal Trust (various photographers).

Page opposite: June 1913 at Clayworth. These boats changed very little over the almost two centuries of cargo-carrying on the Chesterfield Canal.

From top left clockwise: A map of the Chesterfield Canal. (© Rendition Graphics). A sea-going Humber sloop heavily loaded. Those carrying the parliament stone would not have been loaded like this. But it does show the crew, and the ship in detail. The Anston quarry in 1930. The scene would have changed little since the 1840s. An information panel which is next to the canal at the Parliament Stone Wharf at Kiveton Park. West Stockwith Basin. (© John Lower)

Weddings

The Great Outdoors

Tips for creating the perfect outdoor wedding.

Garden Weddings...

Garden weddings (or outdoor weddings) have certainly risen in popularity over the past few years. Couples are attracted by the relaxed style, flexibility and the ability to create the wedding they really want... But what exactly is a garden wedding?

By Linzi Barford

from ‘that black & white cat’ weddings. Specialist outdoor wedding planner.

Agarden/outdoor wedding usually refers to an event under canvas. This throws open the doors to lots of different types of marquees including Tipis, Stretch Tents and Sailcloth Tents. Whether you are looking for a classic garden wedding reception or a relaxed festival wedding vibe there really is something for everyone.

But when and where do you hold an outdoor wedding? Well the good news is that as long as you have some reasonably flat land with good access you can put a marquee up!

The most popular choice, and where I spend most of my time, is in someone’s garden. There is a wonderful personal connection to holding your wedding at the family home where you grew up. Other options are to rent some land for your celebrations - you can choose from wedding venues who just rent out their land (also known as dry hire) or even rent from a farmer in your favourite countryside spot.

If you want to go for a slightly easier option, there are a wide range of wedding venues with permanent canvas structures which are available to hire during the summer months.

Image courtesy: Hannah Hall Photography.

Time of the year is an important consideration for Outdoor Weddings. Most of them happen in the summer months to take advantage of the warmer weather. This doesn’t mean you can’t have an Outdoor Wedding in the winter but it takes a lot more planning to make sure it goes well.

What do I love most about outdoor weddings?

Flexibility is one of the biggest advantages. For example, you can choose exactly the catering you want. Be it fine dining, grazing boards, street food vans or anything in between. You aren’t restricted to a standard 3 course menu.

The Great Outdoors is also a big factor. Imagine an outdoor wedding ceremony on the river bank surrounded by your family and friends. A clear roof marquee bringing the outdoors into a marquee filled with foliage and flowers. And yes I know the British weather can be temperamental but with the right planning upfront you’ll have the most amazing wedding day.

A lot of my couples are also keen to get involved with some DIY wedding activities. Be it creating a thousand coloured origami butterflies, making pom pom garlands or creating your own signage. It's a great way to bring your touch to your wedding day. If you do decide to take on some crafting, my best piece of advice is start early!

Are outdoor weddings more complicated?

The honest answer is yes, but with the right team around you, you won’t even notice the difference! You are going to need to think about toilets, power, heating and water - the things you take for granted in a more traditional wedding venue. However, when it all comes together you will absolutely LOVE having your wedding outdoors.

Images above courtesy: JEA Photography.

Image courtesy: Angela Ward Brown Photography.

Above and below images courtesy: Chris Fossey

Image courtesy: JEA Photography.

Image courtesy: Kirsty Rockett Photography.

WeddingFairs

The Old Vicarage Wedding Open Day

The Old Vicarage Boutique

Wedding and Events Venue

7 Jan 2023, 1pm – 4pm

Westhorpe Southwell Nottinghamshire NG25 0NB

This Wedding Open Day will be very intimate with limited suppliers, this gives you the chance to take your time exploring The Old Vicarage and all there is on offer.

www.vicarageboutiquehotel.co.uk

Oh Happy Day

Wedding Fair

The Pumping House

8 Jan 2023, 12pm – 3pm

The Pumping House, Break Lane Ollerton, NG22 9HQ

A creative collection of amazing wedding inspiration for your big day. thepumpinghouse.com

The Newark Wedding Fair

Newark & Notts Showground

5 Feb 2023, 11am – 3pm

Newark and Notts Showground, Lincoln Road, Newark-on-Trent Newark, NG24 2NY

Packed with inspirational ideas for every wedding, you will be overwhelmed by the help and advice available from leading wedding service providers.

www.newarkshowground.com

Winter Wedding Fair

Norwood Park

18 Feb 2023, 12pm – 4pm

Norwood Park, Halam Rd, Southwell NG25 0PF, UK

The House and Gardens will be open to guests to explore Norwood Park in all its glory.

The range of products and services on offer have been carefully curated to offer wedding couples only the best providers in their specialty.

Norwood Park's professional Event Managers are also on hand to book personalised tours of Norwood Park on a later date and to discuss potential bookings. www.norwoodpark.co.uk

Norwood Park

Norwood Park is an exclusive private country estate in Southwell, Nottinghamshire.

The first weddings held at Norwood Park were in Saxon times beneath the centuries-old Oak Trees that range across its vast grounds. Since the 1970s, Norwood's weddings have moved into the house and onto the lawn.

Outdoor ceremonies are extremely popular at Norwood Park and noone can blame couples for taking the opportunity to hold their civil ceremonies in the traditional Bandstand which is set amongst Norwood Park's stunning gardens.

This provides a beautiful setting overlooking the cricket pavilion with the picturesque house as a backdrop. The bandstand looks beautiful on its own surrounded by wild flowers or couples can speak to their florist to arrange something bespoke to their style.

Norwood Park's license currently allows for outdoor ceremonies to take place anywhere on site. For example, last year a ceremony was held in a woodland style, this style was more rustic than the typical bandstand ceremonies however both are simply stunning!

Please speak to our Events Team on the details opposite if you’d like to do something a little bit different.

For further details contact: Norwood Park tel: 01636 302099 events@norwoodpark.co.uk www.norwoodpark.co.uk

Image courtesy Helen King.

Image courtesy: Esther Triffitt Photography

CREATIVITY Begins Here

Retford Enterprise Centre

Randall Way, Retford Notts, DN22 7GR

Stay Sharp. Let us manage your creative visual communications. Graphics, Identity, Video & Photography.

www.createinn.com hello@createinn.com 01777 712610

IN FOCUS

Ollerton

In our latest North Notts town and village showcase, Made pays a visit to the former mining town of Ollerton and its neighbour villages of Boughton and New Ollerton, discovering some fantastic walking routes, quirky shops and tasty dining hotspots along the way.

Image on this page and following pages courtesy of Newark & Sherwood District Council.

Ollerton was once a coal mining town, similar to many other settlements in north Nottinghamshire, and it underwent significant expansion during the 1960s and 1970s, with mining its main industry. The colliery was sunk in the 1920s and completed during the General Strike of 1926, which led to a saying: “Ollerton was ever built with scab labour”.

Ollerton Colliery finally closed in 1994. As the largest employer in the area, its closure brought huge changes to the community, which has now adapted to employment across wider Nottinghamshire. You will find that the houses remain occupied but the colliery site is now an industrial estate.

The river Maun meanders alongside the town and provides a picturesque backdrop in New Ollerton village. It bubbles away underneath the old watermill, now a quaint tea room, and alongside an Italian restaurant, which enjoy al fresco dining and drinks on its water’s edge. There is also a stretch of the river that you can cycle or walk alongside, taking you from the edge of the village of Ollerton through to the woodland of Boughton Brake. Along this route, you will also find the fascinating Robin Hood’s Cave, where there is a natural stream play area, popular with families.

Eating Out & Drinks

Ollerton and the villages of New Ollerton and Boughton offer a variety of dining choices, including a number of takeaways –from Indian and Chinese through to Italian, a large Costa and MacDonalds – and some very popular restaurants and pubs.

Paddyfields is a long established and highly recommended Chinese restaurant, whilst for more traditional British cuisine and Sunday carveries; The Alders on Worksop Road (next to Sherwood Heath) and Ollerton House on Wellow Road, come up trumps every time. Both are great for family dining, serving good food from broad menus.

The Harrow Inn is a great pub in Boughton with a great drinks range, including some unusual, quirky brands, and a separate pool room which is always popular. In the town of Ollerton, the Plough Inn is popular with sports fans and attracts a younger crowd on weekend nights. In the village of New Ollerton the White Hart tends to be preferred by locals.

The Green Hut is just across from the Alders Pub and is the perfect stopping point when you are visiting Sherwood Heath. It’s a great indoor and al fresco café that is always busy, and looks just as its name states, like a large green hut! It is cash only though, so don’t get caught out with just your card.

The Picnic Basket in the town of Ollerton is great for lunches and

light bites, and also has a take-out menu. Sugar Rush Dessert Parlour is another great choice for coffees, hot chocolate and its speciality milkshakes. You must try their waffles and pancakes. You can find it just at the entrance to the Forest Centre in the town.

Ollerton Watermill Tea Room is a well-known reference in the village of New Ollerton and draws in a steady crowd of visitors from afar. Located in the former watermill it is a gorgeous building and you can see the old mechanisms of the wheel below you as you climb the stairs to its first floor dining areacharming, picturesque and rather lovely.

Another charming place to enjoy some great food and a large drinks menu is at the Italian restaurant Bella Vita. Its name translated literally means ‘good life’ and that couldn’t be more true when you dine there. Its separate al fresco bar, which also serves food off its main restaurant menu, is popular on balmy summer afternoons and early evening throughout the year, enjoying a peaceful location along the water’s edge of the river Maun. Inside, the main restaurant smells divine, boasts an attractive menu and the Italian family-run staff are really welcoming. Be prepared to book on Fridays and weekends, it’s busy for a reason!

The main Ollerton town and neighbouring villages of Boughton and New Ollerton collectively offer a wide range of everyday essentials and more, thanks to a growing number of small independent businesses all of which are keen to keep shopping locally alive.

The Forest Centre in the town of Ollerton is quite intriguing, filled with little independent stores largely offering vintage and quirky delights. Look out four for Soul Cemetery for candles, incense and soulful gifts. Emporium 19 is another, where you will discover some unusual gems, perfect for gifts and decorating your house. From ornaments and furniture, through to vinyls, crockery, artwork, and vintage clothing, The Forest Centre is great for the curious shoppers amongst us and also runs regular pop up markets that attract a variety of stalls and offers a real sense of community.

S. Alwood and Son is the popular traditional butchers, with an old-fashioned feel, and some fantastic meat selections. It also offers some local farmer’s fayre to complement, and the butchers are really friendly and welcoming. It is flanked either

side by a traditional barber, The Barber Shoppe and a quaint jeweller, C H Sperink.

Across the parish, there is pretty much everything you need, from opticians, charity shops, hardware stores, a post office, pharmacies, vets, dog groomers, a bakery, convenience stores and newsagents, and two larger supermarkets; Asda and Tesco.

The Factory Outlet opened recently and a number of smaller independent stores and boutiques are great for gifts and specific purchases. All Things Bride and Beautiful is a popular wedding shop, by appointment, and is just across from Forget Me Notts Florist, both are in the village of Ollerton. The florist has established quite a name for itself and you will understand why if you buy a bouquet from there; they have some really exquisite, lovingly made creations.

There are also several hairdressers and nail salons, including Classi Cutz and The Escape Salon. Other notable independents include Peach Pantry, which is home based bakery and Merry Maid, a craft store that specialises in wools.

Ollerton and Boughton is a civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire. It is formed of the town of Ollerton and the villages of New Ollerton and Boughton which merged in 1996. The village of New Ollerton is of particular scenic interest. Located just five miles east of the town of Market Warsop, eight miles north-east of the major Town of Mansfield and with close proximity to Retford, Tuxford and Newark, Ollerton and Boughton enjoy a privileged location. They offer central accessibility to the A1 and A614 for Nottingham, Doncaster, Grantham, Lincoln and major North and South connections. Clipstone, Edwinstowe, Sherwood Forest, Thorseby and Rufford are also in close proximity.

Green Spaces

Once the former colliery site, Ollerton Pit Wood now boasts a wild strawberry walk, nesting water birds and a whole host of thriving wildlife and different plant species. It’s a popular place for dog walking, picnics and taking longer walks along its various routes. It is particularly known for its spectacular views of the surrounding area, which really are panoramic, and depending on the time of year you visit, you may see butterflies and dragonflies while flower lovers can expect to enjoy bee orchids and birds foot trefoil. There’s an abundance of flora and fauna, and a delightfully peaceful sense of escapism at one with nature as you stroll along its gently surfaced paths. There’s parking on site and information available on the welcome boards to help guide you around the trails. If you are feeling adventurous, hike to the top of the pit – the views will make you forget your tired legs!

Rufford Abbey Country Park, is not in Ollerton, but we have to mention it as it is easily reachable on foot from New Ollerton village and is popular with locals, particularly on the weekends. Its 150 acres of beautiful parkland never fail to disappoint and springtime is a particularly good time to visit as its woodland is filled with bluebells. Dog walking, cycling and family recreation are all popular here, and the park has a year-round calendar of family activities in addition to its archery, crazy golf, and maze garden, and children’s activity centre. The garden centre, courtyard boutique and café, and its restaurant are always popular. During summertime you can also enjoy pedalos around the lake and the resident swans are always a delight to behold.

Amenities & Transport

Both the town and the villages are serviced by their own police station, three petrol stations in Ollerton and one petrol station in Boughton. A number of good nurseries and primary schools feed inti the Dukeries Academy secondary school. Middleton Lodge is the local GP practice and there’s a really good and friendly central library in the town.

Ollerton boasts a number of sports clubs and recreational options, including Ollerton Town Football Club, Ollerton Rugby Club, and both a gym and the newly built (and fantastic!) swimming pool at the Dukeries Leisure Centre, part of the Active 4 Today group across Newark and Sherwood. The Beehive is great for little ones, offering an indoor play centre. There isn’t a train station buy accessibility by car is great due to the road links we have already referred to, but for public transport users, there are some great bus links, including with Mansfield, Nottingham, Newark, Retford, Tuxford and Edwinstowe.

There are a number of places of worship, including St Giles in New Ollerton village, St Matthews’ in Boughton and St Paulinus, Ollerton Methodist Church and St Joseph’s RC, all in the town of Ollerton.

Why Visit?

The parish has some great walking and cycling routes, some beautiful natural scenery, an interesting mining heritage, and a welcoming environment. It is serviced well with a good variety of shops and dining and recreation options and there’s a strong sense of community across both the town and the two villages. There are also a number of B&Bs located across the area, largely in the New Ollerton Village, so it is a great base to stay at whilst also exploring the wider Sherwood area.

For details, updates and local events visit: www.visitsherwoodforest.co.uk

Sherwood Heath is another popular place for hiking and dog walking, offering also some lovely picnic spaces in the warmer weather. We mentioned Ollerton Pit Woods as somewhere to feel very much at one with nature, and the heath is another gem – with an incredible abundance of flora and fauna, contrasting landscapes, and the most incredible colours during all seasons – the bell and ling heather during later summer is really wonderful, creating a haze of purples, against a backdrop of bright yellow gorse. Autumnal colours are also particularly vivid here, making it popular also from October to Christmas. The heath is actually classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is home to a variety of wildlife including birds, insects, seven types of bat and numerous species of butterflies and moths. Deservedly, it has been awarded Green Flag Status in recognition of its excellent range of facilities, maintenance standards and opportunities for community involvement. Visitors can park near its entrance next to the Alders Pub.

Boughton Brake is another terrific place for walking and cycling, its dense woodland space providing an extensive network of paths and tracks with plenty of benches for rest, and an orienteering courses available for the adventurous. It isn’t suitable for horse riding but there is an excellent bridleway nearby that does run alongside the western side of the wood, taking you from Boughton to the village of Walesby.

Rufford Ramble

Travel writer and photojournalist Sally Outram leads a beautiful winter ramble around Rufford.

Nestled in the Nottinghamshire countryside is Rufford Abbey country estate where we begin our walk in its beautiful grounds.

Once a Cistercian Abbey it became a country house in the 16th century, when the dissolution of the monasteries saw the demise of most religious establishments in England. It was inhabited with Cistercian monks who were from Rivelaux Abbey in Yorkshire, and legend has it that of one of the monks haunts the ruins, carrying with him a skull!

Once owned by George Talbot; husband of Bess of Hardwick, it later became the seat of the Saville family who originated from Yorkshire. By the 1940’s the country house fell into a state of disrepair and neglect; by 1956 much of it had been demolished and English Heritage took over the responsibility of the remaining structures. By the 1980’s the grounds had been landscaped, gardens created, extensive renovations of the surviving structure had taken place and gift shops, galleries and restaurants had opened. The Saville restaurant was once a Victorian kitchen and part of the surviving Jacobean wing. Deep in the woods, yet close to the lake you will find an Ice House, used for ice and cold storage. Ice would have been transported in storage cabinets to the country house for use in the kitchens.

The Abbey commands a picturesque setting and there is a variety of activities and major events which take place

throughout the year. There are some lovely picnic spots around the park and by the lake and the Arboretum is a wonderful place to explore; something different around each corner, sculptures, trails and an exciting play area for children.

Wildlife is plentiful, the lake and woodland offers rich habitat for many. Woodpeckers, Goldcrest and the dainty Tree Creeper are often spotted, along with the iconic Robin in abundance. Goosander, Tufted Ducks, Graylag and Mute Swans can be seen at the mill end of the lake. The woodland is a mixture of mature and younger plantation, including Beech, Yew and Sycamore. Grassland and meadow showcase a wide variety of wild flowers which attract many species of butterfly and pollenating insects.

Rufford lake is fed by Rainworth Water, which you will see along this walk. It is a tributary of the River Maun and has two nature reserves along its course, one being Rainworth Water. Once part of Rufford Colliery it is now a tranquil reserve of woodland and wetland habitats.

You will join up with parts Nottinghamshire’s long distance walk; the Robin Hood Way, along this route. The Robin Hood Way runs a distance of around 105 miles, taking in some breath-taking views over picturesque countryside, starting at Nottingham Castle it finishes in Edwinstowe Village, which you will pass by on this interesting Rufford walk.

Directions

1. Starting at the car park we walk back towards the main entrance and to the main road A614. Once at the entrance, turn left and walk along the pavement to the A614, taking care as it is a busy road, and the path is fairly narrow.

2. Continue for about 300 metres, you will see a footpath sign. Here, turn right to cross the road. Again, proceed with caution as the road is very busy. Once across continue along the wide woodland track, this is the Robin Hood Way.

3. After a while you will reach a junction, continue straight on along a surfaced path/track. In about 250 meters take the sharp right hand turn off the track by the bridleway sign. Continue along following the hedge on the right up along the field. Once at the field corner, turn left along the field edge path keeping the woodland on the right.

4. In about 120 metres, turn right at the bridleway sign. Continue along this woodland track for about 100 metres before following a field track keeping the hedge on your right.

5. Continue until you reach a road junction, cross over the road, and then turn left, this is the B6030. Walk along the pavement for about 325 metres, you will see a farm track to your right. Turn right and walk along the track to pass by Holly Farm, which is on the right, continuing straight ahead keeping the hedge to your left. Cross over a road and continue straight on for about another 300 metres where

you will reach a railway line.

6. Cross over the railway line and follow the path with a hedge to your left for a short distance. At the T junction (by a waymarked post; yellow), turn right. Continue straight on keeping the River Maun to your left. Walk along until you reach a road junction. Turn left here and carry on along the road until you reach the T junction with the B6035 skirting the village of Edwinstowe. Here, turn right.

7. Shortly after, you walk under the railway bridge and turn left at the footpath signpost. Follow this path for about one mile, keeping the railway line to your left. After passing a bridge to your left, continue straight ahead along a narrow footpath for a short distance. Here you will come to a stile, cross over the stile to the left and then across the footbridge over Rainworth Water. Continue along a narrow path for a short distance until you reach the A614.

8. Cross over the road, taking great care as it is very busy. Once over the road, turn right along a bridleway, walking parallel with the river and keeping the road to your right. After about a mile at a hedge, cross a road to enter Rufford Park.

9. Once in the park you can either take the path straight ahead, which will take you through the woods and by the lakes, or you can take a detour via the mill and follow the paths back to the Abbey car park. All the paths are clearly signposted back to the Abbey and facilities.

The basics

Distance: 6 miles /9.6 km

Severity: Moderate.

Gradient: Mostly on the level.

Approx time: 2 ¾ to 3 hours

Stiles: One

Maps: OS Landranger 120 Mansfield and Worksop, OS Explorer 270 Sherwood Forest. Explorer 28.

Path info: Field edge paths, footpaths, and tracks.

Start Point: Rufford Park Car Park (SK644647) NG22 9DF

Parking: As above, Charges apply per car.

Dog Friendly: Yes; on lead.

Public Toilets: Yes; Rufford Abbey visitor centre.

Refreshments: Nearest Food: Rufford Abbey Savile Restaurant, Coach House Café, and Mill Tea Rooms (Check website for opening times). Rose Cottage Pub, Old Rufford Road, NG22 9DD.

DécorClever Lights,Camera...Action!

Here's a few bright and exciting options to create that bit of extra fun in your home in the long winter nights. Visit Décor Clever for goregous lighting for your home and some exciting January Sales too!

Wick Rechargable Table LightGraphite by Graypants. £139. Combining the romance of a candle with the utility of a flashlight, Wick adapts to and fits a broad variety of contexts, from an intimate home to a bustling restaurant patio, to a warm office kitchen.

RV Astley Kianna Tall Table Lamp by RV Astley. £340.

Oriana Pendant Light - DCUK Life Inspired by contemporary style, this pendant light has a metal frame in a gold finish with decorative rounded glass features with faceted designs, with a dimmable function and an adjustable height drop. £925.

Humble One Table Light Smart Dark Grey. £155.

Humble One Table Light Smart Gold. £175. More options available online.

The Humble One Smart is the first battery-powered lamp that puts the traditional glass bulb front and centre. The bulb of this cordless table light glows like any old-school incandescent type, but is made out of tiny and efficient LEDs. Fully charged, it produces up to 100 hours of light.

Once you have added the Humble One Smart to your smart lighting system you can control it any way you want. You can seamlessly dim one Humble One Smart with the app or a smart switch, group multiple lights or for example turn them on and off at a specific time or sundown.

The battery can be charged both wirelessly – on any QI standard charger – and via USB-C cable. After four to six hours the Humble One Smart is fully charged and ready to go another round.

Under the hood of the Humble One Smart is a clever, modular, battery-powered system in which all components are easily serviceable and replaceable. The bulbs are replaceable as well, giving it an even longer potential life span.

A Season For Sales...

House sales that is! Here's our top advice on how to make the most of the winter season and make sure that your property is in tip-top selling condition.

First impressions...

Winter is one of the bleakest seasons in terms of appeal when it comes to selling your property. The darker nights and chilly days mean that there is extra lighting to consider and a little more effort required to create inviting indoor and outdoor spaces than in warmer and sunnier times of year.

There are plenty of elements to work on from the very first impression on the front doorstep, to the cosy warmth of a lit fire and a warm setting that invites the eyes and the soul into the house.

You have to see your home from an outside point of view. Every aspect will be inspected, from the paintwork to the areas that look a little more worn through wear and tear. The easiest way to start to tackle these items on the to-do list – is to simply make a to-do list.

Deep clean

One of the important things to do at the top of your list should be to start with a deep clean. Every surface decluttered and sparkling - all the walls, skirting boards and small paint jobs attended to. It is a very simple start to making your home more attractive. Cleaning the windows will help bring in more light and dusting the shutters, blinds and nooks and crannies will help.

The warm indoors

It may be necessary to add extra lighting in the colder months, so why not make it more of a feature within the home. Some stylish uplighters, twinkling fairy lights and perhaps some luxurious scented candles to soften the mood.

If you’re lighting the fire, try to keep it at a moderate and comfortable heat and not create too much of a heat wave when you step in through the front door.

When it comes to setting the right mood, the furnishings only need a few finishing touches to add that sense of a super cosy home. A couple of luxury throw blankets draped over armchairs, or perhaps a thick rug to sink your toes into.

The great outdoors

If you have a garden or outdoor space the easiest place to start here is to simply have a tidy-up. Raking up the leaves, getting rid of debris and dead plants – and hiding away the tools. A spot of decluttering here will work wonders.

Space...

Creating the feeling that the house is more spacious can be achieved by hiring storage facility or perhaps a friend’s garage space where you can box up the items that you can do without and store them away for the months while you’re in transit between selling and moving. On the one hand it will be more spacious in the house that you’re selling, and additionally to this, as you pack items away you don’t have to worry about packing in such a rush as you’ve already made a head start.

23 Tips For A Healthier 2023

Healthy tips to start your 2023 the right way.

Pete Edwards, Thrive Health Management Ltd.

Okay, I accept this is a lot of suggested changes. But apply any of the following tips to your lifestyle for 2023 and you will make a positive impact on your health. Do one a week for the first half of the year and you will transform your wellbeing by the end of the year.

6Practice mindful eating | Better digestion, less emotional eating, lower stress.

1

Have a wake time | Better sleep, energy, digestion and mental performance.

Your circadian rhythm is the daily cycle your physiology works on. Much depends on the consistency of this rhythm. Waking at the same time each day is the way we cornerstone the biological rhythm of our body. Yes, even after a late night, wake at the same time every day!

2Use a light based alarm clock | Better sleep, more pleasant wake up, better performance. The brain is supposed to wake gradually with the rising sun. Light floods into the brain hitting the pineal gland, inhibiting melatonin production and stimulating cortisol, gradually pulling you into consciousness ready to start the day. Standard alarms cause a stress response (clue is in the name) and get your off on an awful footing. I recommend the Lumie body clock (no affiliation). This also helps set your circadian rhythm, and helps you stay asleep better during the night (more on this soon).

3Sunlight in the morning | Better mental performance. Your brain needs daylight to

know its daytime. Daylight exposure in the early part of the day improves mood, brain function, and cognitive performance.

412 minutes a day of mindfulness meditation | Calmer, more poised, less stressed. Mindfulness can improve calmness and decision making under pressure, reduce reactiveness, improve learning and a slew of other benefits. Recent research shows these benefits to be possible with as little as 12 minutes per day! No more excuses about not having enough time! Read 'Peak Mind' by Dr Amishi Jha.

When you eat, do nothing else, focus on your food, the texture, the taste, the flavour. Thick Naht Hanh (famous meditation teacher and monk) says we should eat the “universe”. Meaning with each bit we realise that the single grain of rice contains the sunlight, water, earth and even farmers efforts. This awareness around what we eat increases appreciation for our food, and the act of sitting and eating calmly reduces stress and improves digestion, along with reducing the amount of junk we may eat.

worse resilience and reduced energy and concentration are common and proven. But less known is the importance of properly purified water. Tap water contains estrogenic chemicals that harm our health, and bottled water contributes to plastic pollution (serious issue) and leak plastics into the water if the bottle is heated (like in a warehouse during summer months or in your car on hot days). I recommend Virgin pure water filters (no affiliation).

9

Pure air | Better sleep, better lungs.

7

Eat a high protein breakfast | Better focus, better performance, stable blood sugar, energy and hunger.

5

A high protein breakfast, low in simple carbs, will stabilise blood sugar, energy levels, and hunger for the whole morning and early afternoon.

To work it must be whole food based, not shakes, as shakes will cause blood sugar crashes a few hours after consumption. The slow digesting nature of solid food protein is the key.

20 minutes a day of exercise | Extend life, improve energy, robustness, and even stave off cognitive decline. Yes, 20 minutes is enough. In coaching busy professionals to better health this tactic has proven to work time and again. 20 minute is little enough to reduce the inertia involved in doing something enough to activate the behaviour, and yet it is still sufficient to provide health benefits. To get started, modality doesn’t matter, do something, anything, even if just push ups and air squats. Ideal strength train (more on this soon). Read '3210' available at thrivehm.co.uk/ resources.

The air we breath is one of the most common sources of pollution. Chemicals such as fire retardants from our furniture, petrol fumes if you live in urban areas, and pesticides if you live in rural areas. Getting a HEPA filter for you home, or at least your bedroom can make a huge difference, even to sleep quality.

10

Stop drinking from takeout coffee cups with plastic lids | Less estrogenic plastics consumed.

8

Pure water | Hydrate, detoxify, improve energy, focus and sleep. Dehydration’s negative effects on the body are well documented. Poor sleep,

The global sperm count has dropped 52% since 1972. The main reason is estrogenic chemicals from our environment such as phthalates, BPA, Atrazine and EE2 (birth control pills that persist in tap water). One of the most common sources is the innocuous takeaway coffee lid. The heat from the coffee increases leakage into your drink, and the caffeine actually accelerates this process. Buy a steel cup, or take the lid off!

11WHOLE diet |

Whole foods, Hunger determines intake, Only meals no snacks, Limit liquid calories, Everything in moderation. Ditch the diet dogmas. Switch to a principled approach that focuses on what is truly important for good health. Read the whole document at thrivehm.co.uk/resources.

12

15 Can’t stay asleep?

Wind down: 90 minutes per night

|

Better sleep, less stress. Work until 11, close the laptop and hit the sack. Common, but terrible practice for self care and good sleep. Blue light from the screen, over stimulation of the mind, and a distinct lack of time to decompress. Spend 90 minutes chilling out with reading, comedy, and other relaxing activities.

13

Reduce caffeine, reduce alcohol, hydrate well, never check the clock Waking frequently (more than twice) during the night is a sign of poor sleep. Again, poor sleep practices are mostly to blame. The big one is clock checking. This act wakes the brain up too much and causes anxiety about missing your alarm. If you open your eyes in the night, don’t worry, don’t check the time, just close them again. You must trust your alarm. Again using a light based alarm clock helps as you can see its still dark, so its not time to get up. (That’s how the brain is supposed to work).

16 Mind your cosmetics |

Reduce estrogenic load, lower risks of many health concerns.

functions in the human body. It helps the nervous system to relax, promotes healthy sleep, and improves insulin sensitivity (very important for metabolic health). The amount of cortisol you produce in response to a stress in inversely related to the amount of magnesium you have in your body. I recommend Nutri advanced, UK based and highly reputable (no affiliation).

naturally and preserves their strength, undoing many of the ills caused by modern foot ware. VivoBarefoot make stylish shoes for many purposes from hiking to dining for men, women and even kids. (No affiliation).

22Take your BOLT score and raise it to

40 | Better energy, less snoring.

7 hours a night |

Better physical and mental performance, less reactivity. Get less than 6 hours per night for a week and your reaction time will be as reduced as it would be with the legal limit of alcohol in your system. Your stress response will be more active, your self control and willpower diminished, and your learning capacity hindered. Enough said. Protect your sleep opportunities.

14 Can’t get to sleep?

Reduce caffeine, wind down, listen to fiction.

The main causes of struggling to get to sleep are related to poor sleep hygiene. Over caffeinating in the day, failing to wind down and relax the mind, over exposure to blue light in the evening (screens). By reducing these negative influences and replacing them with relaxation we can make great progress. Listening to fiction turns off the analytical part of the brain and facilitates this.

Many people do not realise that personal cosmetic products are a major source of estrogenic chemicals that absorb through your skin. Parabens, phthalates, and many others are common in popular cosmetics. Many good low toxicity brands exist, you just have to hunt for them. Check your products at ewg.org for free.

17Train for strength

| Better physique, more robust, stave off cognitive decline.

Per unit of time spent exercising, strength training provides the greatest ROI of all exercise modalities. It can target the greatest amount of muscle and joints, preserving our ability to move, building a better physique, and even stimulating BDNF, a neurochemical that preserves neurones and stimulates new one to grow.

18Take magnesium

| Better sleep and insulin sensitivity, less stress

Magnesium has over 400

19

Have an active hobby | Exercise, reduce less healthy alternatives.

When you are doing something you enjoy for its own sake, doing it is no chore, and requires no motivation to do. If this happens to be active, you get all the benefits of exercise while enjoying the process. I hate running, for example, but I love basketball. I play every week for an hour and run more than I ever would by going for a run.

The Body-Oxygenation-Level-Test is simple. Sit down, breath through your nose for a few minutes. Exhale fully, hold your breath with no air in your lungs. Start a timer, time how long it takes for your to need to breath. It should be 40 seconds or more. If its not, you’re leaving a whole load of physical performance on the table. Read The Oxygen Advantage for detailed info!

23

Make the desired behaviour easier than the undesired |

Genuinely change bad habits.

20

Reduce social media time | Less stress, more life satisfaction, less envy. There be dragons! Social medial has many functions and uses. But there is an inverse relationship between social media usage and life satisfaction / happiness. Through constant manipulation by algorithms and unfair comparisons to your friends (highlight real) life, social media can actually have quite significant negative consequences on our mental health. Watch the Social Dilemma on Netflix.

Changing bad habits seems hard if you look at success rates. But the biggest tip I can give to increase your chances of success is to make the bad behaviour harder, less visible, and less rewarding than the right behaviour. If you’re relying on willpower you will fail. Want to eat healthier, buy and cook healthy food so its easier to eat it that it is to go and buy junk. Rely on selecting healthy food while hungry and pressed for time on your lunch break, and, well, good luck. Read 'Atomic Habits' for more.

21

Consider barefoot shoes | Less back pain, longer lasting and stronger joints.

Regular shoes, especially formal ones, force the feet into unnatural postures and hinder their function, this has serious knock on effects up the chain of the knees, hips and lower back. Barefoot shoes allow the feet to behave

THRIVE Health Management

LTD. Gothic House, Barker Gate, Nottingham NG1 1JU Tel: 07500 830 344

Every year I wonder where the habit of setting resolutions on the first day of the year came from and why someone decided that was a good day to do it. A quick search tells me that the forerunner of the modern 'Resolutions' took place 4000 years ago when the ancient Babylonians made promises to their gods in mid-March. The timing of resolution making changed to 1st January after the Romans adopted the practice and brought it in line with the Julian calendar which declared January as the start of the year.

Modern day life doesn’t really lend itself to that being the best time to make new resolutions. A lot of people experience stress over the Christmas period and by the time they wake up on the first of January their brain may well not be functioning at its best after all the parties and the over consumption that has become part of the festive period. For many reverting to the old start of the year in March may well work better.

My half way house is to use January as the preparation time. After all time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted (that was something I learnt from my Geography teacher for sitting exams and have applied to many areas of life since). Here’s my solution to make sure that you set the right resolutions in a way that sets you up for success.

January week 1 – Dream Start dreaming about what you would like to achieve during the year. Spend the free time you have after the festivities enjoying your leftovers and gifts while

mulling over how different you would like your life and yourself to be by this time next year. Run different scenarios through in your head to try them on for size. Something that you think might be the perfect choice for you now may not look so good if you imagine committing to it over the course of the year.

January week 2 – Intentions

What will be your intentions for the year ahead. Intentions are a direction that you want to travel in, being more healthy, spending more time with family, resting more, changing your job. They can be small shifts in direction or they can involve massive change. The choice is yours. If you do nothing more than set an intention for how your year will progress you are likely to experience change. For some an intention can involve less pressure than setting resolutions. Go through the process with the next two steps but if you feel pressured and restricted by them simply revert to your intention and keep it in mind all year.

January week 3 – Goals

Now it’s time to get more specific and break your intentions down into goals. Word them positively and set an end date for them. For example: It is 1st January 2024 and I weigh 10 stone or it is the 1st January 2024 and I have taken the family on an outing each month.

We all react differently to challenge so if an impossible looking goal fires you up then go for it but if it makes you wonder why you are even going to bother trying I’d suggest breaking it down to something that feels possible to you.

Get Ready To Set February Resolutions

January week 4 – Resolutions

Think about what you will need help with for you to achieve your aims and what barriers may arise. For each barrier think about how you can get round it or how you can prevent it arising in the first place. What other preparation will help you to achieve success? What steps will you need to take to achieve your goal? Break it down into small easy steps that you can tick off along the way. Now it is time to resolve to take the action

This year you have two more days of January. As well as taking the actions you have resolved to there is another important step that you can take. Set yourself some marker points and decide how you will celebrate achieving them. For example after completing your first Parkrun you might decide to treat yourself some new running shoes. It is important to celebrate your progress as it helps to encourage you to take the next steps.

Get help

You have taken time to really think about what changes you want to make and how to go about it. Don’t’ forget to ask for help and to reach out for help during January with the preparations. Friends and family may be able to help but if you want someone who is unbiased remember that hiring a coach to help you will mean that you have someone on your side who only wants the best for you.

For more inspirational advice and further information speak to Johanna Thompson, The Wellness Business Network Call: 07771 884 803 Email: info@ thewellnessnetwork.co.uk www.thewellnessnetwork.co.uk

How to plan your way into a fantastic New Year.

Clare Wildman Coaching. Member of the Wellness Business Network.

Make Less Feel Like More!

In these times of recession, ‘cost of living crisis’ and the generally negative outlook being consistently portrayed by all sections of the media, how can you even begin to feel positive about the New Year ahead?!, Chris Collins, Life Coach tells us how...

It’s so easy to get overwhelmed and feel out of control when your circumstances change for the worst, especially financially. Well, I’m here to help and there is a technique that is scientifically proven to improve your outlook on life.

Practicing ‘GRATITUDE’ has been studied extensively by scientists since around 2004 as part of Neuropsychology & Positive Psychology, with people who regularly practice gratitude shown to experience more positive emotions, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness and even have stronger immune systems.

It actually changes your brain chemistry by increasing the transmission of Dopamine and Serotonin which immediately enhances your mood!

The simplest way to practice gratitude is to keep a daily journal, taking some time to notice and think on things that you are thankful for and then writing down a brief reflection on those moments, people or things you’ve identified.

Examples:

I’m grateful for: My amazing Wedding Day!

My daughter’s beautiful heart.

The sun shining through the window onto my face.

The dishwasher because I was ‘done’ yesterday evening! Whatever it is that you think of, try and make it as specific as possible to improve your connection to the feeling.

Building this 5-10 mins into your daily routine can have a profound effect on your wellbeing over time, building new neural pathways and essentially rewiring your brain to focus on the positives in your life.

Consistency is the key, keeping up the momentum, so if you’re not a morning person do it in the evening and vice versa. If it gets stale, then do something else like Postits on the fridge or writing a letter to someone who has been impactful on your life that you maybe haven’t thanked properly yet.

While times are more difficult, maybe its not about wanting what you haven’t got, it’s about finding ways to be happier with what you actually have, until things turn around. Give it a try and let me know how you get on!

This article barely touches the surface of this subject and if you want to know more detail about gratitude, the science and its benefits then visit Positivepsychology.com and read ‘The neuroscience of gratitude and effects on the brain.’

It could literally change your mind!

Chris Collins - ICF level 2 / ACTP Accredited Coach.

For further details and to speak to Chris call: 07973 179982 Email: chris_collins22@hotmail.com You can also find booking details through instagram -  @chriscollinscoach  Chris Collins Life Coach

Studies show that groups who write down what they are grateful for on a weekly basis, verses those that record negative or neutral life events, exercise more, have fewer physical symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole and are generally more

Floral

Spring will soon be here, but until then why not add some fabulous florals to your wardrobe.

Image opposite: From My Mother's Garden, Jewel Hydrangea Duster Coat, £169. Dreamy Peonies Mid Length Kinono, £99. This page from left: Jewel Hydrangea Tulle Dress, £149. Pink Peonies Kimono, £65. Dreamy Peonies Long Robe, £105. All available from ‘From My Mothers Garden’. frommymothersgarden.co.uk.

Above.

Right:

From My Mother's Garden, Deep As Dahlias Velvet Stole, £69.

From My Mother's Garden, Petals Velvet Stole, £69.

All available from ‘From My Mothers Garden’. frommymothersgarden.co.uk.

may still be winter, but what more of an excuse do you need to inject a little flower power into your wardrobe!

Meet The Apothecaries...

Apothecary Mead, set in the tranquil grounds of the Welbeck Estate, has been bringing the ancient craft of mead to the goblets of the curious and those with seriously good taste, all across the UK. Made catches up with owners Alison Lycett and Chad Mierzwa, for a taste…

Apothecary Mead was borne out of Alison and Chad’s shared love of history and their fascination with folklore, in particular mythology. In a nod to their interest in the medieval period, they both started to enjoy learning about ancient crafts and pastimes, and from there, they discovered mead. There was something about this beautifully crafted medieval drink that really captured their imagination.

Alison explains: “We both shared a desire to build a business that celebrated local produce and honoured a local heritage but had not gone any further with this. It all actually began quite organically, developing over a few years.

“Chad and I had enjoyed visiting historical re-enactments, particularly Viking Festivals. Having scoured around for quality meads we were shocked to find that most of brands available at that time (seven years ago) weren’t actually ‘mead’ at all in the traditional sense of the word; in fact, they were little more than German white wines with honey or honey flavouring added.

“So, I guess somewhat on a whim we decided to start experimenting with home brews, handing our test brews to friends and family as gifts for Christmas. We were overwhelmed with the response and the first spark of an idea was ignited. It just felt like something special that should still be cherished in modern times.”

The tradition of mead making spans the ages, cultures, as well as continents, and can trace its roots to Egyptian priestesses in the ‘Hymn to Ninkasi’, Babylonian texts up to 8000bce, and in Northern Europe where grapes could not thrive, Beowulf makes mention of mead dating roughly to 975 - 1025 Ad. Vikings were drinking mead in the halls of Valhalla, the Greeks were crafting Mead in pre-biblical texts, it was seen in India 4000 years ago and in China in the 7th millennium BCE. In later years, it moved throughout the western world, with the British Isles eventually seeing its own tradition through use in monasteries.

The first known meads were thought to have arisen naturally through rainwater gathering in upturned beehives with wild yeasts fermenting the honey sugars. When passers-by drank the liquid, they noted the “magical” almost spiritual effects; and the reputation grew.

“In its purest form mead is just honey, yeast, and water”, explains Chad. “However, meaderies now utilise many herbs, spices, fruits, and botanicals to produce a dazzling array of speciality meads – some of which are the apple-based ‘cyser’, maple syrup- based ‘acerglyn’, malt- and hops-based ‘braggot’, and fruit-based ‘melomel’.

“At Apothecary Mead we tried to establish five main flavour lines from our Signature Hydromel – the mead from which all others derive. We also wanted to showcase other varieties in limited edition form throughout the year, which we have been enjoying. Also, we are currently the only British meadery that we’re aware

“We were overwhelmed with the response and the first spark of an idea was ignited. It just felt like something special that should still be cherished in modern times.”

Top image: Chad and Alison at the meadery with a selection of Apothecary Mead bottles. This image: A selection of some of the mead.

of making a commercial ‘bochet’ – which is a caramelised honey mead.

Curiosity surrounding this ancient tradition and the gorgeous flavours and senses it evokes upon tasting is certainly growing. The market has come a long way since Alison and Chad first started to enjoy mead at events. Mead it would seem is experiencing something of a revival.

“It certainly has!”, exclaims Alison with a smile. “It really has come on leaps and bounds. We are in close contact with a wonderful group of craft meaderies throughout the UK who champion the use of utilising British honey as the primary source of fermentation, in other words, the correct way to make mead.

“From dabbling in my kitchen to a 2018 BBC 1 documentary which followed us pitching ‘Dragon’s Den’ style to the national buyers at English Heritage, we’ve certainly come a long way.”

Whilst it is possible to create a hive to table bottle of mead in as little as a couple of weeks, Alison and Chad decided that at Apothecary Mead they would go right back to basics, in that they would utilise little to no modern commercial plant machinery in their mead’s production.

As such, they create in micro batches and never use rapid yeasts, allowing instead for it to flocculate at ambient temperatures until all of the sugars have turned to alcohol. Their production time is measured in months rather than weeks. During this time, the couple observe for clarity, colour, and flavour at regular intervals, but for the most part they let the yeast do its thing in its own good time.

“Yeasts which are force fermented through heating can become stressed and as such release what is termed a fusel alcohol load, which can give the alcohol a ‘burn’ often associated with stronger spirits”, explains Alison.

“Although the time can be a frustration to larger breweries in financial terms, we find it’s a labour worth investing in, resulting in a smoother more palatable experience. Our fermentation vessels are all glass and the only plastics we use in our process are the tamper seals on the bottle.

“Also, from the outset we placed ethics and sustainability as some of our core values, vowing to only ever buy local honey. This supports local beekeepers and in turn British bee colonies. Both Chad and I are BBKE trained beekeepers and we are excited for plans in 2023 to see a return to having our own hives again.”

Sustainability, sourcing of local providers, focusing on purity of quality rather than quantity, and honouring the heritage of this artisan craft remain high at the core of Apothecary Mead, which is very much a business born out of love, and created to also educate people about this medieval delight.

Chad notes: “It really is such a beautiful drink and a wonderful artisan craft. As such, we work hard to educate the public through information about the origins of the craft and the enchanting folklore associated with it.

“And of course, we encourage newcomers to the craft to compare authentic mead with its commercial counterpart.”

Mead is something that will appeal to people who are foodies, those who are well travelled, love history, heritage, and folklore, and are looking to reconnect with an ancient tradition; it’s an experience not just a drink.

Recent media coverage has been showcasing mead like never before, with the rise in popularity of shows such as ‘Game of Thrones’, ‘Vikings’, ‘Lord of the Rings’, and even ‘Harry Potter’.

Alison and Chad are keen to thank those who have supported Apothecary Mead so far, and to encourage new people to try out mead.

“The community of pagans, creatives, gamers, history lovers, bookworms, and the horror film community, etc. are some of our biggest followers, and without them we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Chad explains, “Our following on Instagram and Facebook is amazing, and they have buoyed us and supported us during trying times, whilst joining in celebrating our successes. We routinely have our customers photographing our bottles in picturesque settings, and the various ways they have repurposed them. It’s quite a humbling experience.”

Such is the recognition that this local artisan meadery is gaining, in 2020 Nottingham Micropub Bird Hide in Attenborough even arranged for Nottingham’s very own ‘Robin Hood’ Ezekial Bone star in fantastic commercial to promote their mead, and in a nod to its heritage in the local area. “We were beyond honoured!”, Alison smiles. “We are a Nottingham based company, set deep in the heart of the ancient Sherwood Forest on the Welbeck Estate in North Nottinghamshire. The Greenwood is the lifeblood of our business, and we have based a line of our brews on the local heritage celebrating Nottingham’s most famous outlaw; the Hooded Man.

“In 2023 we will be attending the anniversary of the 1980s Robin of Sherwood TV series, having been invited by the organisers from Herne’s Arrow Events, and will be honoured to present the cast with their very own bottle of Little John Mead. We are very excited about this!”

“Also, in 2018 we were asked to send a bottle of our Summerisle Mead to the Pilgrim Monument in Province Town USA in honour of the Pilgrim Fathers from Retford - a proud moment for us as a small local business.”

Apothecary Mead, when not busy producing its outstanding mead lines, hosts talks about the history of women in brewing, and regular tastings to members of the public.

Its retailers span the UK - from Edinburgh and Whitby in the North, to Glastonbury in the South, Wymondham in Norfolk to the East, and Conwy Wales to the West. They are currently looking to expand their retailers throughout 2023 as they continue to grow. But one thing is very clear, no matter how far they reach, their heart will always be Nottingham!

For further details and to shop online visit: www.apothecarymead.com

Email: apothecarymead@gmail.com Tel: 01909511245

Love Your Leftovers

Quick & easy to make recipes to use up your festive odds & ends.

By Teresa Bovey.

Turkey Flatbread Pizza

Ingredients for one flatbread

½ small red onion, very finely sliced or diced

1 crushed garlic clove

5g butter

¼ fresh chilli, diced or a pinch of dried chilli flakes

100g shredded cooked turkey or chicken 80g grated mature cheddar cheese

To Serve Coriander, mango chutney and raita

Method

1. Optional - Place the onion, garlic and butter into a small bowl, cover and microwave on full power for 40 secs. (This softens the onion slightly).

2. Spread the softened onion and garlic over the flat bread.

3. Top with the shredded cooked turkey or chicken and sprinkle over the grated cheese and chilli.

4. Place under a preheated grill for 2-3 minutes or into a hot oven 200ºC Fan/Gas 6 for 5-6 minutes.

5. Serve with mango chutney and raita.

Cook's Tip – For a speedy lunch or snack use ready made flatbreads or naans which are available from most supermarkets. If you want to make your own flatbreads –mix together 300g self raising flour and 1 tsp salt. Add 1 tbsp garlic infused rapeseed oil and 150g Greek yoghurt and knead well for 5 minutes. Divide into 3 or 4 pieces and pan fry for a couple of minutes on each side.

Cheese & Sun-dried Tomato Pâté

Ingredients

125g soft goats cheese

80g soft cream cheese

25g leftover grated mature cheese eg. Cheddar, Stilton

1 tbsp yoghurt or milk

3 sundried tomatoes in oil, cut into small dice

Bread sticks for dipping2 part baked bread roll (I used Sainsburys White Pave ones)

50g butter

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Chopped fresh or dried parsley

Method

1. Mix together the left-over cheese selections, add the yoghurt or milk and the sundried tomatoes and refrigerate until needed.

2. Cut the bread rolls in half and then each half into 3.

3. Place the butter and garlic into a small bowl, cover and microwave on full power for 45-60 seconds.

4. Place the bread sticks onto a baking tray and brush with the garlic butter. Sprinkle over the parsley.

5. Grill for a couple of minutes or oven bake for 6 minutes until golden.

6. Arrange on a plate and serve with the cheese and sundried tomato pâté and some fresh tomatoes.

Serves 2-3

Orange & Almond Torte

Ingredients

1 medium orange, thinner skinned variety 3 large eggs 200g golden caster sugar 200g ground almonds

For Decoration

Flaked almonds and icing sugar for dusting Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC Fan/Gas 4. 2. Line the base of a 20 cm/8 inch square cake tin.

3. Prick the orange with a fork a couple of times.

4. Place the orange in a small pan, cover with water and simmer gently for 1 hour.

5. Remove the orange from the water and leave to cool slightly.

6. Cut the orange in half and remove any pips.

7. Place into a food processor and blend for 1 minute.

8. Add the eggs and blend for a further 2 minutes.

9. Add the sugar and continue to blend for 2 minutes until smooth and pale in colour.

10. Finally add the ground almonds and blend for a further minute and pour the mixture into the prepared tin. 11. Bake for 30-35 minutes. 12. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes

13. Peel off the greaseproof paper, cut into 12 squares and place onto a serving plate.

14. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Serves 6

Microwave Tip – To save time halve the orange and place the halves into a bowl with 250mls water and microwave on full power for 10 minutes. Place drained orange into a food processor and continue as No.7.

Mixed Fruit & Nut Banana Breakfast Loaf

Ingredients

100g butter

100g sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g mixed left over dried fruits –sultanas, cranberries, apricots

1 large banana, mashed 100g assorted mixed nuts, chopped –walnuts, almonds. brazil 200g self-raising flour

½ tsp mixed spice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC Fan/Gas 5.

2. Grease and line a 22 cm/1.3 capacity loaf tin with baking paper.

3. Cream the butter and sugar together, beat in the eggs and vanilla extract and the mashed banana.

4. Fold in mixed fruit, nuts, flour and spice.

5. Bake for 50 minutes.

6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling tray. Makes 10-12 slices.

Mixed Fruit & Ricotta Pudding

Ingredients 60g mixed dried fruits Zest and juice from 1 orange 2 tbsp rum or brandy 2 large eggs, separated 60g caster sugar 250g Ricotta cheese 20g plain flour Method 1. Place the dried fruit and orange juice into a bowl, cover and microwave on full power for 2- 2½ minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir in the rum or brandy. 2. Preheat the oven to 160ºC Fan/Gas 4. 3. Whisk together the egg whites and then whisk in half of the sugar to form a meringue like mixture. 4. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, remaining sugar and Ricotta. Add the flour and then fold in all the cooled fruits and the meringue mix to form a light batter like mixture. 5. Pour into a 20 cm/8 inch flan dish. 6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until pale golden brown. Serves 4

For a full list of dates and events where Teresa will be featured in cookery demonstrations, or to book onto a demonstration day visit: www.teresabovey.co.uk

WeRecommend...

Mr & Mrs Fine Wine

Say goodbye to winter blues and hello to something new! This New Year, why not make it your mission to experiment with flavours and try new food and wine combinations to really get your taste buds going? Let our New Year's wine suggestions lead you towards beautiful combinations to bring out the best in your dishes and have your guests coming back for more!.

Pop The Pink Fizz

Nothing says romance more than a glass (or two) of pink cham pagne! Why not treat someone you love this Valentine’s Day to a bottle of one of these – our most dazzling and delicious pink cham pagnes, all bursting with bright fruit flavours and a lovely fine fizz.

Our Delavenne Père et Fils Cham pagne Grand Cru ‘Rosé Marne’, Champagne, £39.99, is made with grapes from the maker’s own vines in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy. In a similar way to our mar Breton, Rosé, £32.99, it has had extended ‘lees’ time giving it some beautiful, baked, toasty aromas.

If you’re really out to impress than nothing could be more elegant than a bottle of André Robert Rosé de Vignes, £55.99. From Mesnil sur Oger in the Cote de Blancs, this delicious champagne is a blend of classic champagne grapes Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, awash with flavours of crushed

Lighter Whites To Brighten Any Winter's Day

Three bright whites to pair with lighter, vegetable or white meat dishes this season. If you love a Sauvignon Blanc then may we recommend you try Verdejo?

Our Clea Verdejo, Rueda, Spain, £12.99, is a wine with lots going on - from aromas of white fruits to cut grass and a lovely mineral edge. From a winemaking family with a history of 400 years, our Ecker Eckhof Grüner Veltliner Reid Schlossberg, Wagram, Austria, £15.99, is full bodied and a touch spicy. Or a lighter option alongside a simple green salad –Nals Margried Hill Pinot Grigio, Italy, £17.50, is a bright white with aromas of orange, honey and hay.

try something new, our exclu sive Eclectic Gin is a great way to go! Produced by us and a few of our friends, our Original Edi tion, £33.99, gives you a juniper led classic style or for gin with a twist the Eclectic Gin Spice Blend, £36.99, will add that little extra with a hit of warmth in each sip - a per fect warmer for colder days!

www.mrandmrsfinewine.co.uk

Left image: Barbour Wicket Crew £99.95. Barbour.com

This image: Barbour Wicket Crew. £99.95, Barbour Churchill Rugby, £89.95. Barbour Norman Joggers, £59.95.

All at: Barbour.com

Winter warmers from Barbour.

Fatface

Fatface Funtley Borg Half Neck in Oatmeal, £72.

Fatface Modern Costal Chino in Walnut, £48.

Fatface Sebastian Rib Beanie in Blue, £19.50.

Fatface Messenger Bag in Khaki, £55. www.fatface.com

BMW ALPINA B4 Gran Coupé

ALPINA has added another four-door coupé to its line-up, breathing new life into the popular and celebrated 4 Series. The BMW ALPINA B4 Gran Coupé unites traditional ALPINA virtues and has created a vehicle as powerful as it is elegant. The design: iconic. The performance: explosive. The driving experience: unique.

When images of the ALPINA B4 Gran Coupé appeared on the desk here at Made lifestyle, we were intrigued, especially as we have several loyal BMW owners in the studio. The ALPINA B4 Gran Coupé is the newest and latest addition to the ALPINA stable, ALPINA plan to merge with BMW on 31st December 2025, but until then model development and model launches will carry on as normal.

ALPINA have added their unique executive sports styling and performance to produce stunning cars that are coveted by owners across the world. The ALPINA B4 is a true Gran Turismo, taken from the BMW M440I Gran Coupé and a development of the jaw-dropping BMW M Division power-plant from the legendary M3 and M4 – developing a simply shattering 488hp and 538lb ft. There is a D4 (Diesel) version of this beautiful car also available in fourdoor, no two-door variant is offered.

The B4 offers performance that's comparative to the BMW M3 in a more refined package, offering comfort and luxury in abundance appealing to a different customer. We are sure that long journeys and B roads will be the main hunting ground for this model, comfort and luxury for long journeys and a powerful, responsive, agile powerplant on the UK country roads. With the power distributed to all four wheels handling will suit all conditions without drama but, with plenty of theatre. Four-wheel drive is standard and is tuned to deliver a fractionally more even distribution of torque between the axles than BMW

would. This is because with so much performance on offer, it's just more refined that way, especially given the car's potential for nearly 190mph! The B4 has a smooth silky shifting eightspeed auto with the option to manual shift for those of you who want to be more involved. Customers can opt for ALPINA brakes, but the standard system is confidence inspiring and effective matched up with ALPINA tweaked suspension, which is firm but comfortable.

Inside, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto look after your interactive experience enabling you to use your mobile apps and there is an option for the Harman Kardon Sound system. ALPINA badging around the interior, including the comfortable seats and steering wheel, and the signature blue backlighting to the dash confirms this cars intent and it’s made official with a numbered plaque near the gear lever.

There is a superb level of standard of equipment in the B4 and, being an ALPINA, buyers are able to access an almost bewildering array of bespoke trims, interiors, finishings and personalisation direct from ALPINA’s globally renowned saddlery. If this is you, you’ll appreciate being expertly guided by ALPINA GB’s Brand Manager, Gary Lott – based at the 40 year home of ALPINA, Sytner Nottingham.

Made has already added the ALPINA B4 Gran Coupé to our motoring wish list and look forward to playing with other ALPINA products in the not too distant future.

Find out more: Sytner BMW Nottingham Lenton Lane, Nottingham, NG7 2AX Tel: 0115 9341414 www.bmwalpina.co.uk

Jaguar And Land Rover... Fully Charged

Drivers of Jaguar or Land Rover plug-in electric hybrid and fully electric vehicles will now benefit from the launch of Jaguar Charging and Land Rover Charging, bringing them easy access to a network of over 300,000 charging points stretching across 27 countries and 700 separate charging point providers including Osprey, Ionity and char.gy as part of a growing network – which will see more network operators being added later this year.

Existing or new owners will receive a welcome pack to the service, including a Jaguar or Land Rover charging key which simply needs to be tapped at any one of the network’s points to initiate a charge. Access can also be granted through the Jaguar Charging or Land Rover Charging app.

With the prospect of charging a car away from home often daunting for customers, the new Charging services aim to simplify the process. One charging key, one app, and a curated selection of charging points across the UK and Europe; and the way users pay for the service is equally simple.

With the Pay-As-You-Go package there is no monthly fee, and charging sessions cost simply the current variable rate at each charger. The Gold Tariff – priced at £4.26 inc. VAT per month including VAT – provides fixed prices for charging,

differing depending on the speed of the charger. The Platinum Tariff, priced at £8.50 per month including VAT, reduces the fixed rates, making it suitable for drivers that are regularly charging away from home.

As Jaguar Land Rover’s future electrification plans – announced as a part of the Reimagine strategy – gather momentum, improving customer experience remain central to its strategy. The simplicity, transparency and flexibility of the new Jaguar Charging and Land Rover Charging offerings, powered by Plugsurfing, keeps journeys hassle-free. Bespoke offerings for company car fleet managers, allow for a number of drivers to charge through one Jaguar Charging or Land Rover Charging account, giving oversight on all charging sessions and one simple invoice.

As part of the Reimagine strategy, Jaguar will be reimagined as an allelectric luxury brand by 2025, while all Land Rover nameplates will be available in pure electric form by the end of the decade. The transformation to full electrification at Jaguar is already under way, with the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUV accompanied by the Jaguar E-PACE and the Jaguar F-PACE plug-in electric hybrids.

Land Rover is embracing the strategy

too, with a battery-electric Range Rover set to premiere in 2024. The New Range Rover is already available with an extended range plug-in electric hybrid, producing CO2 emissions as low as 18g/ km and providing up to 70 miles of EV range. The recently revealed, dynamic New Range Rover Sport will also offer pure electric propulsion from 2024, with two extended-range plug-in electric hybrid vehicles already available. Plugin electric hybrid versions of the Range Rover Velar, Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Discovery Sport and Land Rover Defender are also already available to order.

Rawdon Glover, Jaguar Land Rover UK MD, said: “This is a significant step forward for us and our customers as we move closer to our all-electric future. Creating simplicity and convenience throughout the EV ownership experience is a key objective and, until now, we have been impacted by a compromised public charging infrastructure. With our new Jaguar Charging and Land Rover Charging services, we can serve our fleet and business customers with valuable management tools, and enhance the charging process by making it more simple and convenient for drivers throughout the UK and across Europe.”

For details visit: www.jaguarlandrover.com

Jaguar and Land Rover charging comes to the UK, powered by Plugsurfing.

GRAYPAUL MASERATI NOTTINGHAM Lenton Lane, Nottingham, NG7 2NR 01159 833 555 www.sytner.co.uk/maserati/graypaul-nottingham maserati.nottingham@sytner.co.uk

Fuel economy and CO2 results for the Maserati Grecale Modena in mpg (l/100km) combined: 30.4 (9.3) - 32.1 (8.8). CO2 emissions: 210 - 199 g/km. Figures shown are for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.

An exciting future lies ahead for Porsche Centre Nottingham, with the construction of a brand-new Destination Porsche Centre at a new location in the Rushcliffe District. Set to open before Spring 2023, the new site will offer a 12-car showroom, multiple configuration zones and 12 fully equipped workshop bays. It will also boast the very latest in Centre design and be able to cater to the full Porsche range, including Porsche Classic models.