PL Mag Jan 2016

LIFE IN PLYMOUTH AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS

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January 2016

MAGAZINE

TANNERS

Fighting COOKERY MASTERCLASS

FIT HIT YOUR NEW YEAR TARGETS

OF THE BEST EVENTS THIS MONTH

PLUS

ANTON PITROWSKI • DESIGNER KNITS • SMALL GARDENS • SOCIAL DIARY

CONTENTS

50

JANUARY 2016

Fashion & Beauty THINGS TO DO 6 6JANUARY EVENTS AND PURL 8 KNIT QUEEN AND COSY 10 WARM FUR AND BOOTS AND REJUVENATE 12 DETOX NEW YEAR BEAUTY ELDRIDGE 14 LISA MAKE-UP GURU Homes & Gardens TO SPARE? 16 ROOM MAKE IT WORK SETTING 18 PERFECT FLOORING REPUBLIC FOR SMALL 20 TREES PLACES PARADISE 22 CRAFTY WHAT’S IN NEW

28 28 ANTON PITROWSKI Wellbeing & Family JANUARY 30 DRY HOW TO DO IT 32 DESIGNER CHILDBIRTH FIT 34 FIGHTING SET YOUR GOALS

Food & Drink MASTERCLASS 24 TANNERS 38 COOKING SCALLOPS MEALS 26 ONE-POT 40 WINTER WARMERS

A MODEST MASTERCHEF

HAPPY FAMILIES TIME FOR THE KIDS OCEAN AMBASSADOR MEGAN EDWARDS 04 | PL MAGAZINE

People VISION 42 CITY ADG’S ANNIVERSARY HE OZ POSH AND BECKS 44 DARYL AND JULES PRIDE OF PLYMOUTH 48 ELSBETH HALLAM ANNA NAVAS 50 SCREEN STAR PARADISE 52 OUR CRYLLA COTTAGES Out & About SOCIAL DIARY 54 OUT IN THE CITY

WELCOME

Happy New Year

W

8

44

elcome to 2016 and the January edition of PL. It’s a new year and a great time to plan new goals and adventures. Whether it’s a sport, a hobby or learning a new skill, it’s a great time of year to take on a challenge – but sometimes we need a little inspiration.

That was upper most in my mind when I planned this month’s magazine. I wanted articles that would fire the imagination and enthusiasm of PL’s readers.

I hope that we have successfully pulled that off. Whether you want to get fit like Bex Ezra; give up smoking like Hayley Clarkson; achieve an ambition like llustrator Megan Edwards; cook scallops like the Tanner brothers or achieve a Michelin star like Anton Pitrowski, I hope the following articles will help fire your determination.

I defy any of our readers not to be inspired by the incredible Elsbeth Hallam who has vowed to help the parents of other children who suffer from the same condition as her son Henry.

Henry captured Plymouth’s hearts when they first heard about his fight for survival. Now his mum wants to give something back.

PL treated Elsbeth to a makeover at Debenhams after she was named Pride of Plymouth at an emotional ceremony in December. You can see the stunning pictures on pages 48 and 49.

There’s more pictures from the Pride of Plymouth ceremony in our social diary, as well as a few more reminders of the now alltoo-distant festive season.

But while Christmas will be back before we know it, there’s a great year ahead in which to realise your dreams and find a great deal of love and laughter in the process.

Clare Ainsworth

16

EDITOR - PL MAGAZINE

ON THE COVER LIFE IN PLYMOUTH AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS

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January 2016

MAGAZINE

TANNERS

Fighting COOKERY MASTERCLASS

FIT HIT YOUR NEW YEAR TARGETS

CONNECT WITH US

OF THE BEST EVENTS THIS MONTH

PLUS CoversFinal.indd 1

ANTON PITROWSKI • DESIGNER KNITS • SMALL GARDENS • SOCIAL DIARY 17/12/2015 15:20:31

/plmagplymouth @plmagplymouth Copyright © 2016. The Herald Views expressed by writers herein do not necessarily represent those of PL Magazine or The Herald. Availability and price of items have been checked at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for any rejected items or unfulfilled orders. Printed by Precision Colour Printing Ltd. PL Magazine is part of The Herald, Studio 5-11, Millbay Road, Plymouth PL1 3LF

PUBLISHER Paul Burton 01752 293045 paul.burton@plymouthherald.co.uk EDITOR Clare Ainsworth 01752 293138 clare.ainsworth@plymouthherald.co.uk ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Fiona Stoddart SALES TEAM Jane Resoli 07793 165669 jresoli@dc-media.co.uk Nese Salman 01752 293079 nese.salman@dc-media.co.uk Jenny Short 07711537464 jshort@dc-media.co.uk Jane Resoli (eating out, out & about) 01752 293070 jresoli@dc-media. co.uk PROPERTY Mike Wainwright 07879 604387 mike.wainwright@swmg.co.uk DESIGN Rob Coumbe / Rachel Bray

Events CINDERELLA, THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH

PLYMOUTH YOUTH MUSIC CONCERT, PLYMOUTH PAVILIONS

Until January 16

January 30

VEG OUT, RIVER COTTAGE CANTEEN January 6

Back by popular demand, TV Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s restaurant will be hosting a vegetarian-only menu night. There will also be vegan wine and dishes.

Don’t fear, Christmas doesn’t have to end just yet! Starring everyone’s favourite fashion-guru, Gok Wan, and comedy ventriloquist Paul Zerdin, the pantomime adventure Cinderella will ensure you not only go to the ball, but you’ll also have a blast.

TOP

Young musicians from across the city are uniting to celebrate their love of music at the city’s annual youth ensemble concerts.

More than 300 young players will play two dazzling programmes of music from orchestra to big band and steel pans to ‘a cappella’ singing.

Things to do in January

TREE PLANTING, DERRIFORD COMMUNITY PARK

PLYMOUTH HOMES FOR VETERANS BENEFIT, CROWNHILL FORT

Plymouth Environmental Action is inviting people of all ages and skills to join them in planting trees at the new Derriford Community Park. A minibus will be available at Plymouth Bretonside bus station to transport you there and tea and biscuits will be provided.

Surronded by the beauty and history of Crownhill Fort, this evening of good food, drinks and entertainment from The Tamar Concert Choir and The Plymouth Mayflower Circus is in aid of local charity Plymouth Homes for Veterans.

January 26

January 22

06 | PL MAGAZINE

ELISE YUILL B-BAR, THE BARBICAN January 28

The Devon singer will be bringing her special sound to the B-Bar on the Barbican. With her powerfully emotive voice and acoustic guitar, Elise guides her audience on a provoking voyage laden with exquisite tales of dreams, people, love and life.

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The knit &PURL QUEEN MODELS SHOWCASE BECKY’S CREATIONS PICTURES BY DOM MOORE

Designer Becky Dodman is taking knitwear to a whole new level.

Emily Smith went to meet her

B

ecky Dodman loves colour and her unique wool creations take that passion to a whole new level. The 37-year-old mum’s love of knitting is something she owes to her late grandmother. She hasn’t grown bored with the craft since first picking the needles up at five-years-old and is currently working on an exciting new commission. Growing up Becky was constantly listening to her gran’s tales and learning the techniques of purl and knit stitch.

“My grandmother lived with my parents for 26 years. I was always knitting with her,” she smiles.

“Gran was half Chinese and my granddad was half Columbian so I was really interested in her stories. We would have the radio on and sit and knit and chat. It was lovely.”

Although Becky is now a lecturer at Plymouth College of Art on the BA Hons fashion course, her career didn’t start with fashion. The 37-yearold also has a degree in community studies under her belt. She says: “I wanted to put something back into the community - that’s a big focus of mine. I just enjoy working with people which is why I like lecturing now. I was a careers adviser for ten years and then I wanted a change

BECKY DODMAN WITH SOME OF HER DESIGNS

BECKY DODMAN IN HER STUDIO

of direction. I was already making bags from wool and different bits and pieces. So I started an evening textiles course at Plymouth College of Art and they suggested that I study BA fashion.”

Becky’s creations are far from dated and look nothing like your granny’s cardigan. Everything Becky makes is full of colour. “I have always been colourful. I just think life is too short and the way we dress is what frames our identity. I like being playful with what I wear - you don’t have to go out in dull colours.

“I like making psychedelic garments. It’s about changing the stereotypes of knitting. It’s lovely to have oversized jumpers but you can get incredible fun bits that you can wear as well.

I do make some sexy bits but I don’t want to over-sexualize the person wearing them. I’m changing the stereotype of wool being worn by older people.”

The designer’s latest project, Metamorphosis, is a year-long collaboration with photographer Dom Moore and the students she teaches.

Becky has received Arts Council funding.

“Metamorphosis is based on a novel by Franz Kafka. I’m combining knitting with 3D printing and looking at jewellery,” she explains.

“The idea is to make six kaftans and look at

the way they change in different environments.

They will look like kaftans during the day but in the evening I use UV lights and they will all glow in the dark. It’s looking at how new technologies can enhance old methods . The kaftans are going to be big quilted pieces. It will look really

‘I really like making psychedelic garments.

It’s about changing the stereotypes of knitting’ psychedelic. “I have had people involved with the whole process on this piece of work.

“People have been able to help with simple development processes and some of my illustration work.

“The whole point of it is to encourage people PL MAGAZINE | 09

to get into machine knitting and these pieces will be the result of that.”

Becky’s studio is an abundance of colour with a knitting machine that looks like something from the future. Her nine-year-old daughter, Evie, is already learning to work alongside her.

Becky doesn’t go anywhere without a ball of wool and a pair of needles. She says: “Knitting is so accessible - you can do it anywhere. I can crotchet in the car when I’m waiting to pick Evie up, or in the pub or just sat on the sofa. It’s about being proactive all the time. My mum wasn’t very creative but my grandmother and my aunt were.”

Becky uses local wool whenever she can, she also dyes her own wool to create bold colours.

It’s a material she is a little obsessed with.

“Wool is a brilliant material - it will keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. If you buy wool from local sources and it hasn’t been through a chemical process then it’s naturally waterproof. I would choose to wear a pure wool coat in the winter over anything else. I think I have about 25 wool hats I wear in the winter!” she smiles. “I’m quite organic with my process - I will have a rough idea and know what colours I want to work with then I will just start. That’s what I love about it.

Fashion

Feels like

FUR

From rainbow-bright stoles to pom-pom topped shoes, faux fur has really come into its own this winter. PL snuggles up to the season’s fluffiest fashions

J

SHEEPSKIN BOOTS, HANDMADE IN CORNWALL, VARIOUS PRICES, CELTICANDCO.COM

DERHY NAUTILE NOIR COAT, £80, ZALANDO

ust a few years back, whenever faux fur was seen on the catwalks, it was always in natural hues or neat animal prints that mimicked the real thing.

But fast forward a few seasons and the fluffy stuff has undergone a technicolour transformation, with short-haired coats making way for shaggy, textured fabrics in every colour of the rainbow.

And now, the high street is in the throes of a furnatical obsession - all faux, of course - with the trend extending far beyond outerwear. Suddenly fashion’s fuzzy logic makes so much sense...

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DETOX and rejuvenate January is the time for a new start, so why not treat yourself to a beauty regime that will make a natural difference for your skin and leave you glowing

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feeling and looking gorgeous, these natural products leave your skin feeling great.

One of the most popular beauty revolutions of 2015 was the arrival of micellar water for cleansing skin and it looks set to be welcomed into even more natural beauty regimes this year.

Originally created in the 90s to help Parisian women deal with the region’s notoriously harsh water, micellar cleansers have been their bestkept secret ever since - that is, until make-up artists and models started raving about the benefits of this no-rinse formula, bringing it to our shores in recent years.

Quick and easy to use, a micellar cleanser is a lifesaver for on-the-go beauty and late nights.

While your usual cleansing routine can seem like a chore, micellar versions don’t even need water to work. Nivea has a range of waters for different skin types. For lovers of more traditional products Nivea’s Q10 range continues to punch above its weight in the rejuvenation stakes. Developed over 15 years, there’s now a range of products in this anti-ageing range from day and night creams to anti-wrinkle serum pearls and a CC cream.

Don’t be fooled by the no-nonsense packaging of the new hyaluron-filler CC Cream from Eucerin. It’s an anti-wrinkle day cream that plumps up even the deepest wrinkles from the inside but also complements and perfects the complexion for a healthy looking glow. The lightweight and fast-absorbing formula provides light coverage, whilst evening out skin imperfections for a smoother, more radiant complexion.

CREAM FROM EUCERIN, £26, BOOTS

PICK OF

I

t’s the time of year for making changes for the better, but how many promises end up broken before the month is out?

Switching to natural beauty products is a New Year resolution that is not only great for your health and the environment, but also easy to stick to. The Honey Doctor, based in Devon, specialise in ‘healing from the hive’ with a wide range of natural skin care products using the powerful ingredient Manuka Honey.

Lise Martin, of The Honey Doctor, said: “After the hectic party season, going natural is a great way to give your complexion a New Year detox.

And while honey has been recognised for its healing qualities for centuries, Manuka Honey has taken the beauty industry by storm for its unique antioxidant and antibacterial properties.”

Neal’s Yard’s organic products also offer a natural approach to beauty. Their collections make the most of age-old herbs and essential oils from jasmine to frankincense. The new Frankincense Intense Organic Beauty Collection is a a luxurious selection of award-winning age-defying favourites, including Frankincense Intense™ Cream, clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, firm, tone, hydrate and leave skin glowing. This beautifullyfragranced collection is too good to be saved to use only at Christmas. For something equally uplifting try the Jasmine & Ylang Ylang collection of shower gel and body cream to give yourself a welcome new year boost. As well as smelling,

NATURAL BEETOX, £29.94, THEHONEYDOCTOR.COM

12 | PL MAGAZINE

NTH MO E H

NIVEA Q10 PLUS ANTIWRINKLE SERUM PEARLS, £13.99, VARIOUS OUTLETS

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{ Health & Beauty {

The Guru’ s GUIDE TO LAURA MERCIER SECRET CAMOUFLAGE, £26.50, JOHN LEWIS

Make Up

Lisa Eldridge has decades of industry experience and millions of YouTube fans, Katie Wright grills the make-up guru VIVAKRYOLAN COLOUR

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nline beauty tutorials are big business these days, generating billions of views and turning amateurs and teens into celebrities (on the internet at least).

But in YouTube’s upper echelons, there’s one notable exception: Lisa Eldridge was anything but an amateur when she started uploading how-to clips back in 2009.

By that stage, the make-up artist had already racked up more than 15 years’ experience in the industry, adorning the faces of celebrities and supermodels for red carpets and cover shoots.

Her client list includes everyone from Kate Moss to Kim Kardashian and she has held numerous creative director roles at major brands, including her current post at Lancome. As if her schedules weren’t jampacked enough, Eldridge has just published her first book, The Story Of Makeup - but it’s not a rehash of her most-viewed videos.

“Everyone expected me to do a how-to book, so I didn’t want to do that. The history of makeup has always been a passion and I wanted to scratch that itch.”

The Story Of Makeup chronicles cosmetics throughout the ages, from the earliest uses of red ochre in prehistoric times, through to the latest high-tech innovations. “My dream is that anyone who reads it, the next morning when they pick up their make-up bag, they’ll look at it in a whole new light.”

Here the beauty guru spills the beans on the cosmetics she can’t-live-without...

LANCOME HYPNOSE VOLUME-A-PORTER MASCARA, £22.50, HOUSE OF FRASER 14 | PL MAGAZINE

PALETTE 5 COLOURS IN SPICE, £22 KRYOLAN.COM

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Homes & Gardens

Room to SPARE

January is the perfect time to re-think your home. Where better to start than the spare room? Gabrielle Fagan reveals some top solutions for sprucing up this valuable space

G

uests can be a duty - or a pleasure - but whichever category they fall into, they need a stylish, comfortable room for overnight stays.

Naturally, if you like them, you’ll want to treat them to such a spoiling space that it encourages them to stay longer (and if you don’t, if they like their room, at least they’ll want to retreat to it!). So, what better incentive is there to turn a longneglected space into a beautiful boudoir?

Charlie Marshall, founder of sofa and bed specialists Loaf says: “To make your guest room snug, add lots of blankets to the bed.

“At our home, we have giant lambswool ones, which are super soft and so large, they cover the whole bed.

“I’m a fan of laid-back pure linen bedding, which feels soft and natural, rather than starched and ironed - bedlinen which looks nice but doesn’t feel as cosy.

“My other tip is go easy on the cushions, which may look great stacked on a bed but most will inevitably end up littering the floor, which can be really annoying in a small room.”

“Guest rooms should be warm and welcoming, as opposed to an afterthought,” says Alison Cork, founder of online interiors company Within.

“Keep the colour scheme simple - two shades always works best - still ultra fashionable is grey and white. For this room, the little touches, which needn’t be expensive, are everything. A throw, a lamp, a radio, a basket of bath goodies, a candle and a pile of magazines all work together to conjure a cosseting atmosphere. Ensuring there are enough electrical sockets for charging phones, tablets laptops - plus an extension cable near the bed - is a pleasing, practical touch.”

BRITANNIA FABRIC COLLECTION, VARIOUS PRICES, IAN MANKIN

PL MAGAZINE | 16

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PL MAGAZINE | 17

Homes & Gardens

fabulous

FLOORS

Thinking of updating your home? You can’t go far wrong with engineered wood flooring, says Louise Daniel

M

aking the most of your home is the right thing to do – not only do home improvements add value to what amounts to the biggest single investment you’re likely to make, they also mean it’s attractive while you live there.

Flooring Republic is at the forefront of flooring and is going from strength to strength because of its excellent customer service and keen prices. But that is only part of the story, the experienced team also offer a no obligation, free measurement and quote service. This is a national factory outlet – at the moment there are four stores and another 17 will open in the new year. The company makes all its own flooring and there’s no compromise on quality says development manager Nic Waring. “The fact we make and supply our own products means we can be responsive to what customers want.

“We essentially cut out the middle man which means cost savings to the customer.”

Flooring Republic specialises in solid wood flooring, laminate and engineered wood flooring.

This is a newer concept which is essentially a

solid wood veneer rather than solid wood all the way through the floor board (which can be 2mm up to 6 mm) laid on top of underlay and fitted as a floating floor, just like you would a laminate.It’s a cheaper to way get that solid wood floor look.

Flooring republic works with a team of trusted and highly skilled contractors plus they offer great service. People who want to have a free estimate normally have a good idea of what they want – our sales people can bring samples from our store so customers get a feel for how it would look in their home,” says Nic. “To give an idea of how efficiently we work, a space of 30 metres would take around a day for engineered wood flooring or laminate flooring. Obviously it’s a little longer for solid wood flooring but we keep the mess and fuss to a minimum. Don’t worry if you have carpet – we can take it up for you.

Our guys also get rid of all their own rubbish. We want to minimise the hassle of having a new floor put in, not add to it.”

• Meet your flooring expert at Flooring Republic, Unit 7-9, Faraday Mill Business Park, Faraday Road, PL4 0ST. Alternatively visit flooringrepublic.co.uk for further information.

00 | PL MAGAZINE

Top 5 benefits of engineered wood flooring 1. IT’S CHEAPER TO FIT THAN SOLID WOOD FLOORING AND LOOKS MORE REALISTIC THAN LAMINATE. 2. ANY HOME IMPROVEMENTS INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME. 3. THEY ARE WARMER UNDERFOOT COMPARED TO TILES OR LAMINATE 4. UNLIKE SOLID WOOD IT CAN BE FITTED IN CONSERVATORIES OR PLACES WHERE TEMPERATURES CAN CHANGE 5. IT GIVES A GREAT CONTEMPORARY OR TRADITIONAL FEEL TO A PROPERTY

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Homes & Gardens

BRANCHING INTO

I

small spaces Think your small garden isn’t big enough for a tree?

Think again, with these growing ideas from PL

f you think that you can only plant a tree if you have a large garden, think again.There’s a plethora of trees out there, which are compact, but look amazing as stand-alone features in a small space, providing colour, texture and form to a smaller garden.

Amelanchier:

These unsung heroes have started to become popular at the large horticultural shows in recent years and among the most gorgeous is A. x grandiflora ‘Ballerina’, which produces profuse white spring flowers before the bronze tinted young leaves emerge. A. lamarckii, the snowy mespilus, is often grown as a multi-stemmed type but can be trained as a light standard.

Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus Shogetsu):

This is a stunning stand-alone specimen which enjoys a long season of interest, from its spring blossom of double pink-andwhite flowers to its bronze leaves which turn fiery red throughout autumn. It prefers a sunny spot with moist, well-drained soil.

The blossom on flowering cherries can be a fleeting delight, but the slim, upright Prunus ‘Amanogawa’ is ideal for a narrow garden, which takes up little space and is adorned with double pale pink flowers in mid spring.

Flowering dogwood:

These are ideal small trees if you have neutral to acid soil. Among the finest of the conical types is Cornus florida f. rubra, which bears beautiful pink blooms in early summer followed by rich autumn leaves. Other showstoppers include C. florida ‘Cherokee Chief’, which produces deep rose-red bracts, and C. ‘Porlock’, which displays flamecoloured autumn hues on some of its leaves enhanced by the profusion of strawberry-like fruits which hang from the branches.

Acer palmatum:

while S. ‘Joseph Rock’ produces yellow fruits and fiery-red and orange foliage in autumn.

These trees are ideal for urban gardens as they are pollution tolerant and will withstand extremes of heat and cold.

Gardening tips for January : • RECYCLE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE BY SHREDDING IT FOR MULCH • VENTILATE THE GREENHOUSE ON SUNNY DAYS

The amazing autumnal foliage of the Japanese maple, along with its elegant architectural structure, cannot fail to impress and there are plenty of compact types which are suitable for the small garden, whether planted in the ground or in large pots. Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ will be as at home in both, its rich red-purple foliage providing a striking contrast to other plants from spring through to autumn. If you want a variety which will hang gracefully over water, go for A.

• DIG OVER ANY VACANT PLOTS THAT

Sorbus:

• PLAN YOUR VEGETABLE CROP

Also known as rowans, these trees are among the best for a small garden, providing white spring flowers, masses of autumn berries and divided foliage which often changes colour in autumn. S. aucuparia ‘Fastigiata’ has a tight, tidy shape and offers white flowers followed by deep red berries and brilliant autumn foliage,

20 | PL MAGAZINE

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W

LIZZY EVANS AND STAFF AT MAKE AT 140

A colourful new creative space has set up shop on the Barbican, Rachael Dodd discovers more

Make at 140 on Vauxhall Street is a treasure trove of fabrics, upcycled furniture, freshlybaked cake and local tea and coffee. The award-winning owner of Funky Poppy, Lizzy Evans, is behind the exciting new business. “Funky Poppy is amazing and has been for five years,” Lizzy says.

“When I first started it was new and a challenge but I needed more going forward.

It had got to the point where I was going on holiday and Funky Poppy was running itself.

It was great that I’d got it to that stage but I needed something bigger and different. Make at 140 is a natural progression from unusual buttons and fabrics to unusual haberdashery items. To make that work nowadays you need something other than just a shop – you need an experience so that spurred on the cafe and the workshops too.”

The workshops are a fun activity for the seasoned crafter and novice alike, run by experienced city sewing experts.

“So many people have asked about workshops,” Lizzy smiles. “There will be beginners sewing to more advanced classes.

They’ll all be run by local sewing experts who know their stuff.

“I want this to be somewhere people like to come and sew or knit and meet new people.

“I’d like to encourage people to even just bring in their sewing machine and work here. We’ll do hen parties, children’s parties, and birthdays here too.”

Lizzy began considering a new venture two years ago. After one premises fell through and a rather nerve-racking wait for the second

MAKE AT 140 IN VAUXHALL STREET

building’s lease to be signed, Lizzy is finally shouting about her new endeavour.

“I saw a premises I liked and I’m very visual, I needed to see it somewhere. I don’t know if the idea would have developed if I hadn’t found that first place. Unfortunately it fell through which was 22 | PL MAGAZINE

devastating – I’d planned everything around this one premises.”

Unperturbed Lizzy carried on searching until a building at Vauxhall Street became available.

It was love at first sight. “I was just looking and hoping something would come up that was suitable,” Lizzy says. “This building is beautiful and lends itself to the business. It’ used to be an old coroner’s court and there was a mortuary where the rear car park was.”

Lizzy was nervous about announcing the new building. “I think I left it three or four days before I told anyone because I couldn’t quite believe I actually had the lease,” Lizzy says.

“It was a couple of months before I started posting anything publicly.”

Lizzy has now transformed the building into a crafter’s paradise and decorated the interior with upcycled furniture and antiques. “I had ideas for reusing and upcycling,” Lizzy says. “All the furniture is second-hand, there’s a few newer pieces to display the fabrics and the counter but everything else is recycled.

“The benches are made of palettes, the coffee bar is made of palettes and the cakes are displayed in a very old haberdashery counter which is really cool. It’s a bit quirky and a bit different and making it bit more modern and fresh.”

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Food & Drink

How to cook perfect

CALLOPS

Chris and James Tanner, chef patrons of Barbican Kitchen show PL’s Louise Daniel how to cook scallops.

B

ursting with Omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for brain health and low in calories, scallops are also versatile, delicious and simple to cook. Cooked well they are sweet, juicy and plump. James Tanner says half the battle is sourcing quality shellfish. The Barbican Kitchen buys scallops fresh every day. “Fresh is the only way to go with scallops,” says James. “Keep them super cold when you are prepping and storing them, then it’s the opposite when you cook them – the pan has got to be super hot.”

24 | PL MAGAZINE

Food & Drink

1

BUY FRESH

Fresh scallops don’t smell fishy – they should smell of the sea – and have an opalescent sheen to them. If they look grey, don’t buy them. Though there are frozen varieties, it’s best to buy fresh from a fishmonger.

4

OIL AND SEASON

Check the pan is searingly hot, add the oil. “Use a neutral oil with no flavour – what you are trying to do is capture the flavour of the scallop,” says Chris. Lightly salt the scallops. Use ordinary salt – flaky sea salt is nice but salt flakes burn in the hot pan.”

2

PREPARATION

It’s horses for courses when it comes to eating the coral (the orange roe). Remove it and fry it up separately if you like but don’t leave it on – it cooks at a different rate to the scallop. You must remove the muscle which attaches the scallop to the shell though. “It’s chewy and not very nice, but you can use it in stock, so nothing is wasted,” says James. Put a shallow frying pan on a high heat.

COOK

5

Place the scallops in the pan one at a time in a clock face pattern. This is a tried and tested chef method and helps keep track of which scallop needs turning over first. “The most important thing is not to put too many scallops in the pan at once,” says Chris.

“If you do it will cool the pan down and you won’t get the colour you’re after.” Cook for 30 seconds on one side then turn. “When you turn it over you should see that lovely caramelisation.

“Don’t shake the pan – as soon as the pan loses contact with the heat it cools because the air gets underneath it.”

PL MAGAZINE | 25

3

GET READY

6

FINISH THEM

Prepare everything while the pan heats up because scallops cook very quickly.

Pat the scallops dry with kitchen roll.

Chris says: “You need them nice and dry and it’s a good idea to get them out of the fridge a few minutes before you cook because you don’t want them cold in the middle.

Squeeze lemon juice over the scallops, remove from the pan and place on a clean piece of kitchen roll. The scallops should be golden. “They aren’t burnt, they’re just beautifully caramelised,” says Chris. “When you cut into them they should still be translucent inside.”

Hot pots Food & Drink

Not ready to forego hearty warming food on your New Year regime. you don’t have to writes, Louise Daniel

STOVE TOP CURRY

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook time: Around 2 hours | Serves: 4

125g natural yoghurt

INGREDIENTS

salt

125ml vegetable oil 400g/14oz beef braising steak, cut into 3cm chunks 1 medium onion chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp chilli powder ½ tsp ground ginger 3 cloves ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ x 400g can chopped tomatoes

HOT AND SPICY CHICKEN AND BEAN STEW

Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes | Serves: 6 INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp vinegar

Method 1. Heat an oven proof lidded caserole on a medium heat and the oil. Brown the meat on all sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry

over a low heat until soft. Add the spices and fry for 1 minute, they should start to smell aromatic – take care not to burn them.

3. Return the beef to the pan, add the tomatoes and bring to the simmer.

4. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the yoghurt and vinegar, then season to taste with salt.

5. Return the pan to the heat and simmer, covered, for 1½ hours, until the meat is tender.

Method 1. Pull the skin off the chicken and discard.

Heat the oil in a large casserole dish, brown

1.25 kg chicken thighs and drumsticks

the chicken all over, then remove from the

1 tbsp olive oil

pan.

2 sliced onions

2. Tip in the onions, peppers garlic and

1 crushed garlic clove 2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped 2 red peppers sliced

chillies, and fry for 5 mins until starting to soften.

400g can chopped tomatoes

3. Add the tomatoes, beans and stock bring

420g can kidney beans in chilli sauce

to a gentle simmer.

2 x 400g cans butter beans, drained 400ml chicken stock Small bunch coriander, chopped Salt and pepper to taste.

4. Put the chicken back in the pan, half-cover with a pan lid and cook for 50 mins, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

150ml pot soured cream and crusty bread,

5. Stir through the coriander and serve with

to serve

soured cream and crusty bread.

26 | PL MAGAZINE

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Food & Drink

A very modest MASTERCHEF

I

Much has changed for Anton Piotrowski in the 12 months since gaining a coveted Michelin star for his rural pub the Treby Arms in Sparkwell. Louise Daniel talked to him about being a humble cook, becoming a father and not stressing about awards

t’s the peaceful time between lunch and dinner but all isn’t quiet at the Treby Arms – well not in the kitchen at any rate. There’s the clatter of pans, the odd shout of fruity language and banter, plus the delicious, heady smell of roasting beef bones. The last time Anton Piotrowski and I chatted properly was when the hard-working chef patron won a coveted Michelin star for what he calls his ‘boozer’. Back then Anton was in shock and admitted to ‘crying like a baby’ when the award was announced.

Since then, Anton and his wife, Clare, have welcomed their first child Bonny to the world and he is smitten. He says their little bundle of joy trumps a dozen Michelin stars and blows any television appearance out of the window.

“I’m a big softie and having Bonny is the best change my life could ever have. If I had to turn this into a steakhouse to make money to provide for her, I’d be happy to do it – it would just be really good steaks!”

‘A Michelin star is a double-edged sword. Once we got it there was a preconception that it meant something – but people aren’t always sure what that something is’

In December Anton turned the tables when the MasterChef: The Professionals cameras filmed a semi-final heat in the tiny Treby kitchen.

“The MasterChef producers asked if we’d be able to do it and we said ‘hell yeah’ – anything like that is amazing!”

Two of the show’s contestants cooked a scallop starter and cajun-spiced lamb dish for 45 eager guests (including Anton’s mum who he maintains is his strongest critic) along with the chef’s signature pidgeon wellington which was sampled by Anton himself.

“I didn’t criticise because I knew how they felt.

The presentation was good but the finish wasn’t as clean as ours. I invited the boys in for dinner the next night and they both said ‘so that’s how it’s meant to be! I asked the contestants what they thought of coming here and they said they were really excited about it – I still never think we are as good as people say we are.”

I’m surprised to hear him say that, given the Treby Arms is in Michelin’s Good Food Guide and

Food & Drink has an armful of other awards. Anton admits he doesn’t fully understand how he is a role model to young chefs and he is hardly out of the kitchen enough to register the outside world.

“Months go by and I haven’t left Sparkwell.

“I don’t think we’re anywhere near Tom Kerridge level (chef patron of the Hand and Flowers in Marlow who has two Michelin stars) and sometimes I don’t even think we are a one-star level! I’m still learning every single day.”

We pause for Anton to taste a spoonful of something tasty one of his brigade has brought from the kitchen, he gives the okay and we’re off again.

“The MasterChef contestants couldn’t believe we ran the kitchen without any screaming and shouting – I said we are in here 18 hours a day, that’s how it should be. Anton describes himself

as ‘new school’ and rightly realises in order to make the industry attractive to youngsters ‘old school’ training methods need to be left behind.

“Certain kitchens are horrendous. When I was working in London I’d be sat on the tube wondering how many pans would get chucked at me that day!

“I admit I was a bit hard when I came back from London but I wanted to keep staff so I had to change. My reward is that my staff don’t want to go anywhere else. I’m not saying I don’t shout sometimes – but that is service. Out of service it’s back to being mates.”

I wonder if he is working towards a second star and he answers emphatically: “No. We weren’t even going for one! Every chef wants it, but I sometimes I think it wouldn’t be the be-alland-end-all if we lost it.

“A Michelin star is a double edged sword. Once we got it there was a preconception that it means something – but people aren’t always sure what that something is.

“People expect napkins and tablecloths and sometimes hate the place before they come in because we are just a pub – we are constantly battling that.

“There will always be people who don’t like what you do, as long as you love what you do, don’t worry about it.”

He may have awards and TV under his belt but Anton is still humbled by his heroes and finds it difficult to be seen in the same light as them.

“I sat on the chefs’ table for MasterChef The Professionals. I think I was more nervous about that than anything else in my life.

THE TREBY ARMS

THE STUNNING SCALLOP DISH

ANTON PIOTROWSKI

PL MAGAZINE | 29

HOW TO SURVIVE

A Dry January Sloe gin, mulled wine, Buck’s fizz - the list goes on. It’s fair to say Christmas is a time for plenty of cheer but as we arrive in a new year, many people are choosing to ditch the booze.

Emily Smith reports

C

ould you stay dry for 31 days? That’s s exactly what more than two million people did last year when they took on the Dry January Challenge. Even more look set to swear off the booze this month. There are many health benefits to stopping drinking, including giving your liver a well-earned rest, weight loss and better sleep. And there’s the extra benefit of having more money in your pocket and feeling just a little bit saintly. Don’t think you are up to the challenge of not drinking alcohol for a whole month? PL has some tips to help you survive.

Avoid bars ‘January is the perfect time to try something new so don’t let boredom ruin your resolve on quiet evenings’

30 | PL MAGAZINE

It may sound obvious but one way you’re bound to avoid the booze is to avoid stepping in through those bar doors. If you are going out maybe choose a cafe rather than a bar and go for a hot drink instead. The good thing about avoiding bars will also mean your wallet should stay full!

Develop a taste for the soft stuff Just because you’re going to take on Dry January this does not mean you have to stick to tap water. Living in Plymouth there are an abundance of local drink producers on our doorstep so be more inventive with your taste

{ Health & Beauty { buds. Take time out to try new drinks in cafes, or hey, tonic might even be good without gin!

Get your friends on-board Let’s face it there is nothing more boring than being the only one in a bar who isn’t getting merrier so try and get a friend to join you on your mission. It will make the Dry January challenge a lot easier for you.

Treat yourself Everyone’s wallet takes a bit of a battering over the Christmas period so ditching the alcohol might be a perfect get-out clause to save a few extra pennies. The beginning of the new year can be tough for many - a year older, same old Monday morning blues and commutes to work - so why not save the extra pennies and put it towards a holiday, new outfit or a dinner (without the booze!) at the end of the month?

Do something different January is the perfect time to try something new so don’t let boredom ruin your resolve on quiet evenings. Take up a new hobby such as dancing, a fitness class or learn a language.

Out of sight - out of mind It’s true what they say - if the chocolate or wine is staring you in the face then it’s going to be hard to forget that it’s there. But if it’s tucked away in a cupboard, or in the garden shed then you might be less likely to do midnight raids.

Although having a glass of wine can help you let off steam, make you braver to talk to someone new, or enjoy a meal - the health benefits of dropping the red stuff will have huge impacts on your body.

Benefits include better sleep, more energy, clearer skin, weight loss, more time to do things – no more hangovers to sleep off!, a healthier relationship with alcohol – the stats show most participants drink less even six months after Dry January has finished, and you will save plenty of money.

Now January is here we wish you luck and remember a glass of... orange juice is just around the corner!

PL MAGAZINE | 31

{ Health & Beauty {

DESIGNER

CHILDBIRTH

I

Modern mums-to-be are demanding exactly what they want in labour, according to new research. Lisa Salmon takes a look at the new trends for giving birth

ncreasing numbers of pregnant women are personalising their labour by choosing alternative methods and locations to give birth. New research by the parenting website Netmums, has found that seven out of 10 women select how and where they give birth, with choices ranging from outdoor or silent births and slow caesareans, to swimming with dolphins. Virginia Howes, an independent midwife from the Kent Midwifery Practice, says that in the past women simply accepted whatever happened during labour, even if things were done without their consent.

“But now there’s so much information at women’s fingertips, they’re standing up and saying ‘no’ to the medicalisation of childbirth,” she stresses. “I think it’s instinct - they don’t want to be pushed and shoved into how the professionals think birth should be any more.

The Netmums study found 56% of mumsto-be fancy including one of the new wave of alternative birth techniques in their birth plan, with more than a third considering hypnobirthing (using self-hypnosis to manage pain), and almost one in five opting for the experimental slow

‘Swimming with dolphins is such a rare choice because of the practicalities.

It will hardly ever be done’ 32 | PL MAGAZINE

caesarean - a new caesarean technique which minimises anaesthetic use for a more natural birth experience.

“Caesarian-section mums often feel they miss out on those first few precious moments as the baby is rushed off,” explains Howes.

“In a slow caesarian, a woman can reach down and hold her baby and bring it up to her chest, in the same way as she would during a vaginal birth.”

Another one in 10 women aspire to an unassisted birth, where there’s no medical intervention, 2% opt for a silent birth, where everyone else in the room keeps quiet, 1% want to give birth outdoors, and 1.5% are even interested in swimming with dolphins during labour in a bid to calm themselves and ease pain.

However, Howes points out: “Swimming with dolphins is such a rare choice because of the practicalities. It will hardly ever be done.”

A lot more accessible than swimming with dolphins, 85% of mums in labour use relaxation methods including aromatherapy, visualisation, meditation, water birth, positioning strategies, massage, acupuncture and reflexology.

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{ Health & Beauty {

GET MOTIVATED and achieve your goals Fitness is a way of life for 23-year-old Bex Ezra. From horse riding to running, swimming and the gym, the newly-qualified teacher loves activity. She shared the secrets of her motivation with Clare Ainsworth

I

t’s difficult to imagine there’s a minute of the day when Bex Ezra has time to sit down. As well as a full-time job, she looks after and schools her horse, Eddie; runs, swims and takes fitness classes at the gym.

While weekdays are about preparation and training, most weekends include either a dressage competition or an athletics event, from cross country to half marathons.

Bex’s fitness goals were originally driven by her desire to compete at the highest possible level in dressage and the need to be fit to keep up with the demanding equestrian sport.

Bex, who has been riding and competing since a child, says: “I love riding and exploring the horse-human connection. It gives you a sense of freedom. My motivation has always been to get into top hat and tails (compete at the top level).”

Bex, who works as an equine tutor and learning support practitioner at Duchy College in Stoke Climsland, manages to ride six times a week in summer and four times in the winter. Her hard work has paid off. She has already represented the South West at elementary level, competed successfully at medium level and is now working on advanced dressage.Thanks to her results last year she has qualified for the winter regionals

BEX EZRA WITH EDDIE. PICTURES BY MATT GILLEY

next month when she will compete at both elementary and medium level.

For most ‘horsey girls’, any other sport is off the agenda. But after taking up running to boost her fitness and stamina, Bex discovered a second love. “I began running to keep fit, although I have always enjoyed sport. Then we moved to Hatt, near Saltash, so I joined the Tamar Trotters running club. I wanted to run with

other people who knew their way around the countryside. I wasn’t expecting to meet so many inspirational characters. I’ve run with experienced marathoners, Ironman triathletes and helped train juniors. I discovered a whole new world and wasn’t prepared for it to be quite so addictive.”

Bex was named the club’s best female last year after coming first lady at a string of races and strives to get faster and stronger. Her advice to anyone struggling to find motivation: “I can promise you exercise actually gives you more energy. It improves your mood and clears your head.”

Bex’s top five motivation tips • START WITH A BUDDY OR FAMILY MEMBER TO HELP KEEP YOU ON TRACK • STRIVE TO ALWAYS ACHIEVE MORE • FIND LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE TO KEEP YOU STRONG • BELIEVE IN YOURSELF • IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT’S TAKING OVER, HAVE A BREAK. REST LETS THE BODY REPAIR AND MAKES IT STRONGER 34 | PL MAGAZINE

{ Health & Beauty {

For many people giving up smoking and getting fitter will be a New Year target. Carly Squires meets a successful ex-smoker January is the month of reflection and new beginnings, where many are considering how they can improve their future – it could be time to give up coffee or start running. But imagine doing that in the public eye. This is what Hayley Clarkson did during the month of October, when she decided to give up cigarettes, alcohol and fizzy drinks as part of an incentive to become healthier. Hayley joined thousands across the UK in the nationwide annual Stoptober campaign, in which Public Health England will offer support and advice to those who stop smoking throughout October and hopefully for good – If you stop smoking for 28 days you are five times more likely to quit.

Now sitting in a café in Plymouth, the 29-year-old is glowing and looking healthier than ever.

“I’m still a non-smoker!” She smiles, “A fortnight ago I had one drag of a cigarette from my friend and it was absolutely awful. It made me feel sick and question why I had ever started smoking in the first place. It reminded me of why I quit, because I wasn’t enjoying it.”

The care worker smoked one cigarette on her days off, but at work she would smoke up to 15 a day. She now eats fruit and uses apps on her phone during her breaks. “I still sit there sometimes and realise ‘I don’t smoke anymore’.

It’s really weird considering how much I used to smoke, I’ve been smoking since I was 14, that’s half of my life.

“I’ve had a few occasions where I’ve really sat down and said that I wanted a cigarette, but nothing that I couldn’t handle.

“I smell stale smoke on people’s clothes now and I just never realised how strong it was. I’m smelling smells that I’ve never smelt before!”

Hayley suffers from asthma, and is delighted with how much her breathing has improved since putting out her final cigarette. “Before my breathing was wheezy and crackly and I would struggle to breathe whilst now I have no problem running up the stairs or having a brisk walk. I am really enjoying exercise now.”

Before Stoptober, Hayley also spent £80 a time on nights out drinking in the city and was also indulging in a 550ml bottle of cola a day.

Unsurprisingly, Hayley has changed that for the better too.

“I had a couple of drinks at Halloween and I haven’t drank anything since but a glass of wine with my sister. I was quite tipsy from that!

“It’s weird when I think how much money I used to spend on it all. I’d spend £20 maximum now.”

Having given up so many vices, what is there left for this hard-working woman to change in 2016?

PL MAGAZINE | 35

“My resolutions are to keep to going to the gym and maybe get a personal trainer.”

“But for anyone who wants to quit smoking - you can’t do it unless you want to.”

Hayley’s tips for giving smoking the boot: • HAVE A DISTRACTION IN PLACE, IF YOU WANT A CIGARETTE HAVE SOMETHING READY THAT YOU CAN DO INSTEAD. • BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO EAT A LOT MORE THAN USUAL! • BUY POST-IT NOTES AND WRITE REASONS WHY YOU’RE QUITTING. STICK THEM SOMEWHERE YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THEM EVERY MORNING TO KEEP YOU MOTIVATED. • DON’T TRY AND QUIT UNTIL YOU’RE READY. • KEEP YOUR HANDS BUSY, YOU’LL MISS HAVING A CIGARETTE IN YOUR HAND. TRY COLOURING OR WRITING.

Ten tips to help you keep your fitness resolutions

Be realistic

The surest way to fall short of your goal is to make it unattainable. For instance, resolving to NEVER eat your favorite food again is setting you up to fail. Instead, strive for a goal that is attainable, such as avoiding it more often than you do now.

Plan carefully

Don’t make your resolution on New Year’s Eve – it could be a rushed decision. Take your time to decide what you aim to do. Don’t panic if you can’t start on Jaunary 1.

Outline your plan

Decide how you will deal with the temptation to skip an exercise class or have a piece of cake. This could include calling on a friend for help, practising positive thinking and self-talk, or reminding yourself how it will affect your goal.

Make a pros and cons list

It may help to see a list of items on paper to keep your motivation strong. Develop this list over time, and ask others to contribute to it.

Keep your list with you and refer to it when you need help keeping your resolve.

Talk about it

Don’t keep your resolution a secret. Tell friends and family members who will be there to support your resolve to change yourself for the better or improve your health. The best-case scenario is to find a buddy who shares your New Year’s resolution and motivate each other.

Reward yourself

This doesn’t mean that you can eat an entire box of chocolates if your resolution is to eat a better diet. Instead, celebrate your success by treating yourself to something you enjoy that doesn’t contradict your resolution. If you have been sticking to your promise to eat better, for example, reward yourself with new fitness clothing or by going to a movie with a friend.

Track your progress

Keep track of each small success. Shortterm goals are easier to keep and each small accomplishment will help keep you motivated.

Instead of focusing on losing 30 pounds, focus

on losing the first five. Keep a food journal to help you stay on track, and reward yourself for each five pounds lost.

Don’t beat yourself up

Obsessing over the occasional slip won’t help you achieve your goal. Do the best you can each day, and take one day at a time.

Stick to it

Experts say it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and six months for it to become part of your personality. It won’t happen overnight, so be persistent and patient!

Keep trying

If you have totally run out of steam when it comes to keeping your resolution by midFebruary, don’t despair. Start over again!

Recommit yourself for 24 hours. You can do anything for 24 hours.

The 24-hour increments will soon build on each other and, before you know it, you will be back on track.

family life?

IS IT TIME TO RE-THINK As research shows spending more time with their busy parents would make children happier, the parenting charity Family Lives suggests ways to have more quality time with your family

00 | PL MAGAZINE

{ Family {

M

ost parents would like their children to behave differently sometimes, perhaps by being less naughty, doing homework without being nagged, or not fighting with their siblings.

But yearning for a change in behaviour is a two-way street – many children would love their parents to act differently too. New research has found there are lots of ways children would like their parents to change, with the number one alteration being that they want them to come home earlier from work. Somewhat touchingly, the research by IKEA, which asked kids what their parents could do differently to make them happier, found that all the top changes involve spending more time with them.

"Children don't mind what it is they're doing, as long as they've got their parents' full attention," says Sandra Hiller, regional manager of the parenting charity Family Lives. The survey found a third of children believe their parents are on mobile phones too much, while nearly half of adults feel they don't have enough time to play with their children. Hiller says that much of the problem stems from the pressure of finding the correct work/life balance. "Parents say juggling work and family life is always an issue, especially when they work full-time. They find the parenting aspect of their life is compromised because of work issues, and often they spend a lot of time on the phone trying to organise their daily life.

"We don't want to blame parents and make

‘It's important that parents don't use the phone as a way of communicating with their kids when they can do it face-to-face’ them feel guilty, but to try to find a way for them to manage both without putting stress on their parenting as well as their work."

And while Hiller acknowledges that not all parents' phone time is spent organising things and there's also time for social media and other mobile entertainment as well, she stresses: "Sometimes a parent's stress levels can be so high that using the mobile is a distraction from the reality of trying to juggle work and children.

It's a way of getting away from it all."

She points out, however, that she's seen families in restaurants who are all on their mobile phones, and often parents and children will text each other in the same house. "If the children see that as normal behaviour, they'll continue to do it. It's important that parents don't use the phone as a way of communicating with their kids when they can do it face-to-face."

She suggests that perhaps for at least an hour every evening all phones – including the parents' – should be put away, and the family should talk to each other. Indeed, the research found that 74% of parents would like to introduce a time at home when mobile phones aren't used.

The research also found that more than half of PL MAGAZINE | 39

children believe they're seen but not heard at home, and Hiller says this shows that old-fashioned values are clearly at play in many households. "What children feel, want and need is very important. For children to thrive, parents should listen to them - and children should listen to their parents."

Top 10 changes for parents: • COME HOME EARLIER FROM WORK • GO OUTDOORS TOGETHER • JOIN IN WITH PLAYING WITH TOYS • PLAY A VIDEO GAME TOGETHER • PLAY A BOARD GAME AS A FAMILY • FIND TIME TO READ TOGETHER • GET COOKING AND BAKE TOGETHER • HELP WITH HOMEWORK • WATCH TV AT THE SAME TIME • SET TIME ASIDE TO TALK

{ Family {

MEGAN'S

message

Did you know that eight billion pieces of rubbish enter the sea every day? This is the message illustrator Megan Edwards is hoping more children will take note of as they tuck into their lunch. Emily Smith reports

M

egan Edwards’ latest menu illustrations do more than provide children with something pretty to look at during lunch.

The 24-year-old has designed the new children’s menu at Plymouth River Cottage Canteen in collaboration with environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage.

Scattered with facts about the rubbish which ends up in our oceans, the children’s menu is also decorated with a rather sad-looking crab, seaweed covered with a crisp packet and a seagull with a straw in its mouth. It was no hard task for Megan to design the menus – it’s an issue she is extremely passionate about.

“Collaborating with Surfers Against Sewage was right up my street, it was great,” she smiles.

“As soon as I got the brief I started working on images. It’s a cause that is really close to my heart. It just felt like the project was for me. It all came quite naturally to me.”

Megan secured her job at River Cottage after graduating from Falmouth University. After doing a number of standard jobs the 24-year-old decided to take a leap of faith and apply for work experience at the celebrity chef Hugh FearnleyWhittngstall’s huge enterprise in Axminster.

She says: “River Cottage was my big break."

Currently working part-time, Megan has fallen head-over-heels for the job and the belief behind what the company does. She hopes for a full-

AN ILLUSTRATION FOR THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS BY MEGAN EDWARDS

time position in the not-too-distant future.

“The River Cottage ethos was a huge thing for me. When it comes down to it design is about feeling. Before I worked there I didn't want to sell what I had designed because I didn’t believe in it,” she explains.

“I love working for River Cottage because I love their ethics. It’s really fulfilling because I believe in what they do.”

Not much beats working at Hugh’s Park Farm surrounded by top chefs, acres of land overlooking the Devon landscape and sharing your lunch with Red Ruby cows.

ILLUSTRATOR MEGAN EDWARDS

40 | PL MAGAZINE

Megan says: “Park Farm is so beautiful, I can’t fault it. I see Hugh every now and again and he is really lovely. It’s so rare to be able to work on a farm. To even have a job illustrating in the South West is rare. Most people go to London but I work on a farm. If I need a break then I can just go for a walk around the land.”

The illustrator grew up in County Wicklow, Ireland, where she discovered her love for the sea. She was always scribbling away in notebooks and thanks Irish fairytales for her love of drawing. She says: “I have always lived in beautiful places and listened to stories. I started drawing at a young age and wrote my own stories as a child. I was always scribbling at school. I have just always enjoyed doing that. It was natural for me to go on and study it.”

The dream for Megan is to write and illustrate her own book.

“Illustration has taken over and my writing has stopped but it’s still a big passion of mine,” she says.

"Ideally I would like to illustrate and write my own book. That’s the dream.”

If Megan isn't by the sea or taking in the countryside she will probably be in a book shop.

“I used to find it an issue to immerse myself in other people’s work. I felt at uni that I couldn’t compete with anyone else and I couldn’t look at others' work. Now I love it- there are so many people out there with their own style.

“I love going to bookshops and looking at the front covers and smelling the books and picking them up. I love bookshops!” she smiles.

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into reality

DRAWING DREAMS A team of city architects who have played a pivotal role in Plymouth’s regeneration are celebrating their 30th anniversary.

Graham Broach met them

A

THEN AND NOW: PHIL BURGESS, MARC NASH AND IAN POTTS OF ADG

team of architects which has helped to transform the face of Plymouth with outstanding buildings is celebrating 30 years of successful business.

Ian Potts, Marc Nash and Phil Burgess met at the Plymouth School of Architecture in 1974. After six years of study, they qualified and went to work for different architectural practices in the city. In 1985, The Architects Design Group was founded in a basement office below a flat in North Hill. Then, in 1989, Phil joined as a partner and ADG bought a redundant church in Hotham Place, Millbridge.

After 15 happy years, the company moved to a larger unit at Tamar Science Park.

But after the crash of 2008, it relocated to the top floor of a former Social Security building at Durley House, Millbay, stripping it back to its 1970s structure and completely renovating it into modern offices. Having weathered the recession, ADG has invested in hardware, software and staff training, and has brought in young professionals with a range of design, graphic and presentational skills. It currently turns over £1 million a year and employs 20 staff. This includes

the three directors, who became committed Christians during their student years and call this the ‘glue’ that has helped to keep them together as colleagues and friends. Over the years, ADG has been involved in the design of many new buildings and the adaptation and remodelling of many old ones.

Director Ian Potts said it was vital to continue to work to implement the Mackay Vision For Plymouth. He said: “I, with others, collected this unassuming man from the rail station and took him on a tour of the city to see if this ‘repairer of cities’, as he was known, could help us realise the potential of our great city.”

David Mackay was one of two keynote speakers at a regeneration conference and was selected to develop A Vision For Plymouth. Ian added: “The city has come a long way already; of particular encouragement has been the unity and enthusiasm across all the city leadership to deliver the Mackay Vision.

“Rather than just a shopping centre, dead outside retail hours, we now have real mixed-use activities coming into play.

“People are returning to the city to live, to spend their leisure, and the range and quality 42 | PL MAGAZINE

of our restaurants and cafes has dramatically improved.”

ADG’s current projects include work on the Mount Wise (Village by the Sea), Derriford District Centre, the new City College Plymouth Stem Building, several housing schemes totalling 300plus houses and advising on the restoration of the Palace Theatre in Union Street.

Ian said: “We are passionate about Plymouth finding its own unique selling point.

“Marine renewables has got to be the way to regenerate the dockyard’s South Yard, for example. “Our legacy is the buildings we have designed, and helping to drive through the Mackay Vision.”

He added: “It’s very exciting to see buildings you have designed take form. I’m particularly proud of The Foyer; this great project in Stonehouse provides a place for young people in danger of unemployment or homelessness.

“On the opening day, I was shown around by a 17-year-old who told me it was a ‘cool’ building and he was proud to be there.

“Good architecture can do more than just provide a place to live, work or eat – it can help to uplift the human spirit.”

AZURE

BERKELEY SQUARE

BUCKWELL HOUSE

ADG’S Creations Architecture firm ADG has worked on a host of prominent Plymouth buildings, both new builds and refurbishments. here are some of the business’ key projects.

facilities, Plymouth

Plymouth Nuffield: New-build hospital,

The Hoe, Plymouth

build, Derriford, Plymouth

Berkeley Square: Mixed-use conversion and

Boringdon Primary School: New build, Boringdon,

Central Park Towers: New-build residential,

Foot Anstey Offices: Interior design, Sutton

Plymouth Fishmarket: New-build

Buckwell Street: Conversion and new build,

Derriford, Plymouth

St Georges Terrace: New-build apartments, Devonport, Plymouth

Mount Gould Hospital: New-build hospital Azure: New-build apartments,

additional floors, Plymouth

Methodist Central Hall: New build and refurbishment, Plymouth

Plymouth University Dental School: New

Plymouth

The Sherwell Centre: Church conversion to

Pennycomequick, Plymouth

Barden Corporation: Commercial

commercial, Sutton Harbour, Plymouth

Venton Centre: New-build elderly care and

Cattedown, Plymouth

Plymouth

Kings House: New-build elderly care and

Sutton Harbour, Plymouth

Queen Anne’s Quay: New-build apartments,

High View School: New-build school, Efford,

lecture theatres, North Hill, Plymouth

refurbishment, Estover, Plymouth

residential, Mt Gould, Plymouth

residential, Stoke, Plymouth

Barne Barton: New-build affordable housing,

St Budeaux, Plymouth

Nomony Children’s Centre: New build,

The Plymouth Foyer: Conversion and new

student housing, Plymouth

Studio 5-11: Refurbishment, offices, Millbay,

Plymouth

Village by the sea, mount wise: New-build

build, Stonehouse, Plymouth

housing, Plymouth

Plymbridge Nursery: New build, Estover,

Devonport Hill Surgery: New build,

Hellermanntyton: New build, commercial,

Evolution Cove: New-build housing,

Peverell Park Surgery: Doctors’ surgery

Plymouth

Belmont Centre: New-build apartments

Derriford, Plymouth

conversion, Plymouth

Harbour, Plymouth

and surgery, Stoke, Plymouth

PL MAGAZINE | 43

Plymouth

Stonehouse, Plymouth

People

DARYL AND JULIE CORLETTO ENJOYING TIME OUT AT THE BOSTON TEA PARTY

AUSTRALIA’S ANSWER TO

POSH AND BECKS Following their sporting ambitions, Daryl and Julie Corletto are adjusting after moving thousands of miles to Plymouth from Australia. Carly Squires joined them for a coffee to find out more about their new life

W

hen it comes to romance it is often said that opposites attract, but in the case of Australia’s answer to Posh and Becks, it’s their shared passion that strengthens their relationship. The Corlettos have both risen to fame in the sporting world down under.

Professional basketball player Daryl, 34, has played in front of adoring Melbourne United fans and his 29-year-old wife Julie is not only a gold medal- winning netball player but the face of Funkita swimwear.

Sitting in a quiet Barbican coffee house with their pet dog Jack, the celebrity and attention is surely a distant memory as the sporting couple have now been living in Plymouth for the past two months.

Daryl laughs: “The day Jules arrived we went for a walk around here and a lady was too shy

‘It is daunting moving across the world, it didn’t hit home until I was travelling to the airport but with Jules and Jack I feel I could live anywhere’ 44 | PL MAGAZINE

to come up and talk to her! So she lasted about three hours before being recognised.

“Back home netball is the highest- ranked woman’s sport, so she has been involved with a lot of sponsorships and photoshoots that get her out in the public eye.

“You’re more well-known than me!” Julie laughs back.

The loved-up couple have been married for six years and met five years earlier in a nightclub.

Daryl, who is half British, has followed his dreams to our waterfront city to play for Plymouth Raiders and Julie, known as Jules to her friends, has retired from netball following some nasty injuries and is now providing tuition to the city’s Little Shooters.

“It’s been interesting so far, it’s a bit different to Australia here so I’m just getting my head around that,” says Jules. “The first thing I couldn’t believe was that there was no weekend netball.

In Australia, you play netball on a Saturday

People

DARYL AND JULIE WITH THEIR DOG JACK

PL MAGAZINE | 00

People

DARYL PLAYING BASKETBALL FOR PLYMOUTH RAIDERS

and on Sunday you represent your region in a tournament.

“I find it weird that there’s not much opportunity for girls to play sports at the weekends here.

“Back home there seems to be a lot more funding and support of netball.

“It would be great for the girls down here to have a league which they have to compete to be a part of.”

And that’s not the only thing Jules has had to get used to.

“I arrived in Plymouth after Daryl and on my first day here he took me everywhere.

“It scares me when I go to shops and there are so many hats, scarves and gloves.”

She grimaces: “I’m scared that it’s going to get really cold here.

“Also during my first week here I was just looking for good coffee,” she laughs. “I was worried that I wouldn’t last!”

Daryl chips in: “We’re getting pictures from our friends back home wearing beach shorts and bikinis at a barbecue.

“It is daunting moving across the world, it didn’t hit home until I was travelling to the airport but with Jules and Jack I feel I could live

JULIE PLAYING NETBALL

DARYL AND JULIE

anywhere.

“The hardest part is being away from our family and friends but we have photos everywhere in our home.

“We do really like it here, it’s a nice place,and there are some beautiful places for us to walk Jack.”

Plymouth Raiders club shocked their fans and Daryl when they announced him as the new head coach, just a month after he had joined the squad with no mention of his predecessor, Jay Marriott.

“I had no clue whatsoever,” says Daryl.

“Obviously I was pretty friendly with the previous coach and he brought me here.

“We had a pretty good relationship and the way things ended up was disappointing for him.

I still want to be friends with Jay and I’d love to catch up with him soon.”

“It was a struggle for the first few days, I was completely quiet at home.

“When there’s something on my mind I keep to myself but Jules will always spot it.

“No individuals will ever be bigger than the club itself and I want to do what’s right. It’s been crazy but exciting.”

46 | PL MAGAZINE

Daryl and Julie’s favourite places in Plymouth FAVOURITE COFFEE SHOP: Boston Tea Party is the closest thing Plymouth has to Melbourne coffee.

FAVOURITE BAR/RESTAURANT: Barakuda They love Barakuda because it has live music, so they can go and chill there on a Sunday evening. They like Royal William Yard too.

FAVOURITE DOG WALKING ROUTE They head to the Hoe with Jack and there’s a few other people with dogs up there which they think is cool.

FAVOURITE SHOP Julie likes to shop at Drake Circus! H&M only recently opened at home so she’s glad that it’s here.

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People

I’M A MUM

not a hero Pride of Plymouth winner Elsbeth Hallam spoke to Rachael Dodd about the charity work which has earned her the award and the love and respect of the city...

‘Being a parent has been nothing like I expected. Henry’s illness was the most horrific thing to have to go through. I don’t want any other parents to feel that way’

A HAIR BY REGIS @ DEBENHAMS HAIRDRESSER: JULIE DOWNING MAKEUP BY DIOR MAKE UP ARTIST VICKY DAWES PERSONAL SHOPPER DI GILES, DEBENHAMS 00 | PL MAGAZINE

IT’S been an incredible year for Elsbeth Hallam. The mumof-two has started her own registered charity, attended the Pride of Britain Awards and has been named the Pride of Plymouth 2015 at a sparkling awards ceremony. This surge of good news has been a long time in the post for Elsbeth. She and husband Michael were left devastated in 2012 when their little boy Henry was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer.

Henry was rushed to hospital three years ago, misdiagnosed with a fractured skull. “We went up to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol in a blue-lit ambulance. The next thing we knew we were being told it was cancer. We didn’t come back home for 14 months,” Elsbeth says. “We didn’t have time to pack or anything, Michael grabbed me a pair of leggings and a toothbrush and that was it.”

Henry was transferred to Bristol Children’s Hospital and went through agonising treatments to combat the cancer.

As an A&E nurse, Elsbeth was much more informed than any parent usually would be – it was a blessing and a curse for her.

People

“It was the only thing that Mike and I ever got teasy about because we’re very supportive of each other,” says Elsbeth.

“We both wanted the best for Henry but at the same time I felt for the nurses because I could see they were under pressure.”

What the Hallams learned through their experiences inspired them to start the charity now known as Hugs from Henry – a support for families of children diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Elsbeth was expecting her second child when Henry was diagnosed and little Georgina was born during their stay in Bristol. Elsbeth’s maternity leave and Michael’s paternity leave were a help financially but Elsbeth says other families aren’t so lucky. “There are a lot of families who have to be separated during treatment. I was lucky I wasn’t working and we had paternity pay too.”

The Hallams had no one to relate to in Bristol for a long time and Elsbeth says they felt alone.

“We were given a contact for a little girl in Helston who’d had mostly the same treatment as Henry but there weren’t any little boys. The first three children we knew about in Bristol all died and when we asked our consultant about going going back to Plymouth and starter treatments

he told us that the last two patients from Plymouth had both died too.

“Being a parent has been nothing like I expected,” says Elsbeth. It’s the most horrific thing to have to go through, but to lose your child at the end of it… I just don’t have any words.

“It was a hideous time and I didn’t want any other parents to feel that way.”

In 2013 the family were allowed home and Elsbeth, who’s now working as a bank nurse, founded Hugs for Henry to raise money for treatments for her son that weren’t available in the UK. With an outpouring of support from the city the family were able to raise an incredible £270,000 as of this year.

“We still need the money for Henry because his chances of relapsing in the next three years are still really high, but we decided to stop fundraising. We kept the £270,000 we had raised for Henry and put it into an account for him and if he relapses we’ll have to kick the fundraising drive again.” Hugs for Henry became Hugs from Henry, achieving registered charity status this year. They provide any and every kind of support for families that find themselves in the position the Hallams were in just a few years ago.

“We do care packs for Bristol hospital and PL MAGAZINE | 49

Great Ormond Street with vouchers for kids and their siblings, sachets of hot chocolate, toothpaste, and shampoo because when you’re stuck in hospital you don’t get a chance to buy anything.

“Next year I’ve got big plans – we want to up our fundraising and get at least £20,000 to go towards researching all children’s cancer and treatments and provide a grant to every family that’s diagnosed with neuroblastoma in the UK.” Henry is currently the only child survivor of neuroblastoma in Plymouth and Elsbeth says if and when the next city family go through the same experience she’ll be there for them. “I really hope that if and when this happens to a family they know that I’m around and I will visit them. I visit Bristol too and I will visit as much as a family needs and give them anything to help them out.

“It’s been an amazing year and I think the name change has really helped. It’s no longer for Henry, it’s for children like him and he actively says how nice it is to make other children better. “He doesn’t really realise it’s all because of him yet.

We were at Santa’s grotto the other day and he asked Father Christmas if he could help all the poorly children. He’s such a lovely little boy.”

People

MAGIC OF THE

Big screen

C

Cinema is the best thing in the world according to Anna Navas, film programmer at the Plymouth Arts Centre.

Emily Smith finds it hard not to agree...

omedy double act Laurel and Hardy have played a huge part in Anna Navas’ love for cinema. Her fondest film memories are snuggling up against her grandad on the sofa and enjoying an afternoon of laughter. The 46-year-old wants to create this cosy and safe environment in her role as the film programmer for the independent cinema at Plymouth Arts Centre (PAC) in Looe Street. Anna remembers queuing for hours to see the new Stars Wars film in 1977. She also remembers smoking cigarettes and drinking cheap booze with her friends at midnight showings of Friday night horror movies.

Now the film enthusiast is eager to try to get as many people as possible through the doors of city cinemas. “I think it’s really important there is a place for independent cinema. If you look along the high street, there are the same shops everywhere – you could be in any city and just

‘I think it’s really important there is a place for independent cinemas. They offer a new way of looking at things’ 50 | PL MAGAZINE

see the same shops. Independent venues offer a sense of place. They offer a new way of looking at things.”

However the future isn’t entirely bright for the cultural hub. In the latest Arts Council funding bid, the Arts Centre dipped out, hoping for a change in premises. The funding was not given, but they did receive £585,000 worth of funding for the next three years. And with a new 12-screen IMAX cinema on the horizon for Plymouth is there a worry numbers to the 60seat cinema will decline?

Anna doesn’t think so: “It’s about having an opportunity for people to see things. I think it’s great that the new IMAX cinema is coming, if it’s going to encourage more people to the cinema.

It might make people want to try watching films in different places. I don’t feel it’s bad competition. I hope people will keep going to the cinema – I always will!”

Looking at the upcoming screenings, fans

People

1 of cinema will be welcomed by cult classics, alternative foreign films and even the latest blockbusters. It is this mix of genres that Anna thinks makes the space so popular.

“I really love the fact cinema can change people’s minds. I love seeing people coming out crying,” she says. “Some people can be really moved by a film and I love having that part to play in people’s lives. I also love having a part to play in keeping independent cinema alive in Plymouth.”

Anna’s role of film programmer means she chooses all the screenings and travels to London three times a year to watch films before they are released. As a master of the big screen, Anna thinks she’s got it pretty sussed and knows what the PAC audience wants. She explains: “I will think about the films which will work best with talks beforehand and what our audience likes.

“I try to balance our programme – I need to make sure there are things that are going to be popular and everyone wants to see, alongside films that will have a specialised audience.

“If places like us don’t show the more alternative and foreign stuff, then certain films won’t get released in this country.”

Delivered by the postman, the films come in the form of a little disk which Anna then downloads – but it’s not until a mysterious, and

PL MAGAZINE | 51

tiny, electronic key arrives a few days later, that the film can be unlocked. “This aspect of cinema has changed lots over the years. We still have the 35mm projector but I think we’ve showed one film on that this year,” Anna says.

Turn up at the PAC on a film night and you won’t be met with a grumpy sales assistant or over-sized buckets of popcorn. Instead there is an inviting cafe, people who love film as much as you and an usher who will take your ticket.

Although Anna seems completely at home in the tiny cinema room, she admits places like Vue and the Odeon will always have their place.

“I love going to the Vue and watching the big blockbusters. Take for instance the new Star Wars film – you’re going to go to Vue to see that. It’s got a massive screen and the sound will make your seat shake. But the thing with cinemas like that is there is no human touch. You go in there sometimes and you don’t even need to interact with a human being. You don’t see an usher, you can buy tickets online – you just go in and sit down.”

Gone are the days where a film would be released once a week, if not once a month, and people queued for hours outside. Anna said that one weekend in September, more than 17 films were released – she hopes the industry might slow down in years to come.

People

Home HOME FROM

Hidden in a beautiful valley just off the A38 in Cornwall is Crylla Valley. Emily Smith paid a visit

S

urrounded by 18 acres of stunning woodland and located alongside the River Lynher is Crylla Valley Cottages.

For nearly 40 years the familyrun establishment has offered flexible lettings, self-catering holidays and short breaks at the picturesque site. Between October and June the cottages are open to families, couples and individuals who may require longer lets. With an offering of nine different layouts; the majority of which are graded at four star by Visit England, there is something to suit most requests.

As Laura, who has worked for the company for 13 years, explains this is perfect for a number of scenarios. She said: “Our winter lets are great for lots of reasons. For working professionals who might have short-term work contracts in the area, or people in-between buying and selling a house or maybe having some home improvements carried out? There are also people who could be relocating to the area needing a home whilst searching for a more permanent place to live.”

The site is a haven for wildlife including kingfishers, ducks, rabbits and swans. There really is nowhere more idyllic just a stone’s throw from Plymouth. A short drive from Crylla are the beaches of South East Cornwall including Whitsand and Cawsand. The cottages are also minutes from the supermarkets in Saltash.

“It’s a home for home for lots of people people can stay here all year round and our

winter short stays are really popular,” Laura explains. “The business is still family-run and Maureen and David know how much having utensils and plenty of space can mean to a family coming to stay. The properties are all fullyequipped with everything you would need.” It’s also perfect for the rich and famous among us.

Lots of the acts performing at the Theatre Royal stay here. It’s brilliant for them if they want to get away from Plymouth,” says Laura.

For many years Crylla Valley Cottages has had a working partnership with the China Fleet Club, just eight minutes away by car. Offering holiday guests free full leisure membership;

THE COUNTRYSIDE SURROUNDING CRYLLA

entitling an allocated number of party members unlimited full use of the indoor heated pool, aqua spa, gym and exercise classes. This also includes 15 per cent discount on food and beverages at the club. Golf rates, hair and spa treatments are also offered at discounted rates.

Year-round self-catering holidays are offered including short breaks from two or more nights, so Crylla Valley Cottages might just offer the perfect solution for anyone local with visiting friends or family requiring accommodation.

Contact the helpful team at Crylla Valley Cottages to discuss any requirements you might have.

EXTERNAL VIEW OF ONE OF THE RIVERSIDE COTTAGES

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There’s an exciting Tally Ho Holiday for you in our 2016 programme, call us now to get your copy

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Social Diary

Pride of Plymouth Awards 2015

Hundreds gathered at the Holiday Inn for one of the emotional gatherings of the year: The Herald’s Pride Of Plymouth Awards. The annual awards honour the city’s unsung heroes from fundraisers to have-a-go heroes, carers, teachers and the emergency services.

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Social Diary

PL MAGAZINE | 55

Social Diary

The Nash Bash

Guests gathered for one of the Christmas parties of the year – the Nash Bash. Thrown by Nash & Co Solicitors, the business gathering is a key event in the festive social calendar.

Parliamentarians Dinner Around 150 guests attended the annual Parliamentarians Dinner at Stonehouse Barracks. Entertainment was provided by the Royal Marines Quartet as guests enjoyed a Champagne reception and dinner.

56 | PL MAGAZINE

Social Diary

PL MAGAZINE | 57

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