West Magazine, February 25 2017

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Fresh new season ideas

Simplify Calm spaces for a positive life

WIN! A full day photography course

REAL GEM The Devon jeweller giving celebs their sparkle

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MEMORY PROBLEMS? Are you concerned about your memory?

Have you or has someone close to you been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease?

“Our centre at the Plymouth Science Park is enrolling individuals, who are clinically eligible, onto world class international clinical trials for new medications for Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Research is hope for dementia.”

Dr Stephen Pearson FRCPsych Principal Investigator at Re:Cognition Health Plymouth

TO FIND OUT MORE CONTACT US: (01752) 875604 plymouth@re-cognitionhealth.com Unit 2, 5 Research Way, Plymouth Science Park, PL6 8BT www.recognitionhealth.com Ads_Feb25.indd 2

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‘Although you can’t make luck happen, keep an eye out for it passing by’ Wise words from Devon author Cathie Hartigan, p12

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WIN THE STORAGE WARS Spring-cleaning made simple

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OLLY’S ON HIS WAY Soon to be seen at Powderham Castle!

[contents[ Inside this week...

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THE WISHLIST Our pick of the best treats this week

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JUST BETWEEN US...

Why Olly Murs has plans this summer

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THE WRITE STUFF Inspirational story-telling in Exeter

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BE SEEN IN GREEN Discover fashion’s favourite shade

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BEAUTIFUL BRUNCHES Enjoy Somerset’s scrummiest breakfast

RARE TREASURES Westcountry jewellery with a difference

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STORAGE WARS Spring cleaning made simple, honest!

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JUST ASK GRACIE

BOOST YOUR WELLBEING

Great ways to feel your best

Our style guru solves your problems

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BE SEEN IN GREEN Discover fashion’s favourite shade

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BOOST YOUR WELLBEING Great ways to feel your best

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YOUR STARS THIS WEEK Cassandra Nye has your new horoscope

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SMALL BITES What’s hot in the South West foodie world

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BEAUTIFUL BRUNCH Enjoying Somerset’s scrummiest breakfast

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SECRET WESTCOUNTRY Where to go, what to do

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A HOST OF GOLDEN...

Where to spot daffodils right now 3

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THE WRITE STUFF

Inspirational fiction in Exeter

[ welcome [ In search of inspiration? Look no further... f you have ever wanted to write a short story - or even a full-length novel - then I do recommend you visit a website called Creative Writing Matters. It’s the brainchild of Cathie Hartigan, who lives in Exeter, and runs writing classes and competitions to help would-be fiction writers turn their dreams into reality. Cathie really knows her stuff.

And in today’s magazine, she explains how she made her own journey from musician to author - and how the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter provided the intriguing inspiration for her wonderful new novel Secrets of the Song. Set

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Tweet

of the week

@TheUnmumsyMum When your mum’s in the paper @WMNWest @McGuireski

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[

in contemporary Exeter and Renaissance Italy, her book is a total page turner - I really enjopyed reading it and thoroughly recommend it.

I hope today’s West magazine is a bit of a pageturner too. We’ve certainly been spoilt for choice with interesting gems for you to enjoy. Talking of gems, do read Gracie Stewart’s fantastic interview with top Westcountry jeweller Gemma Critchley. Gemma works away quietly in the village of Brampford Speke to produce truly sensational pieces, as worn by Cheryl FernandezVersini. It just goes to show that it is all happening down here in the South West. Happy reading.

She helps would-be novelists turn their dreams into reality

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TO ADVERTISE: Contact Cathy Long: 01752 293017 or 07557 576668, clong@dc-media.co.uk

Becky Sheaves, Editor

EDITORIAL: westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk Tel: 01392 442250 Twitter @wmnwest

COVER IMAGE: Steven Haywood

MEET THE TEAM Becky Sheaves, Editor

Phil Goodwin

Kathryn Clarke-McLeod

Gillian Molesworth

Cathy Long

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If you do one thing this week...

Why not take a day to improve your photography?

Nigel Hicks is an award-winning photographer based in the Westcountry. He is the author of Wild Southwest (£14.99, Aquaterra Publishing) a beautiful coffee-table book of landscape photography from all around the region. Nigel also runs regular one-day photography workshops for amateur photographers. Coming up soon are courses focussing on Exeter and Topsham (April 22), the Exmoor coastline (May 6) and Dartmoor in springtime (May 20). One-day courses cost £90 per person, visit www. nigelhicks.com to book.

Win

We have a one-day photography course of your choice (to be taken in 2017) with Nigel Hicks to be won, worth £90. To enter, simply tell us the name of Nigel’s new photography book. Send your answer, together with your name, address, phone number and email address to: Nigel Hicks competition, westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk to arrive by March 10. Alternatively, you can post your answer to: West magazine, Queen’s House, Little Queen Street, Exeter EX4 3LJ. Normal terms apply, West will not share your details.

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PRINT Orla Kiely teapot £50 Amara

the

wishlist

Golden vase £8 Wilkinson

West’s top picks for spending your time and money this week

SHADY Rose milky sunglasses £20 Oliver Bonas

SPRING! Faith wedges £55 Debenhams

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Wishlist ELEGANT Square swirl mirror £190 Houseology

DRAMATIC Wooden coral-look necklace £25 East

Embellished cross-body bag £26 Very

SIT DOWN Rotin rattan pouffe £234 Amara

INDUSTRIAL Concrete floor lamp £145 Cuckooland.com 7

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talking points Gillian Molesworth

Story of my life...

When it is time to let go, but carefully ’ve just waved goodbye to a retreating Cross Country train, containing one of the most precious things on Earth: my 12 year old son. He’s off to his godmother in Cheltenham Spa. All by himself.

That question of when you let kids do things for themselves is tricky one, isn’t it? There’s no legal minimum age for unacit builds character and decisioncompanied train travel in the UK, making skills. leaving parents to decide whether You have to help them wise up their kids are mature enough. a bit, though. So Freddy and I And whether they themselves are had “the talk” on the way to the willing to let go, and avoid imagtrain station. “So my view is that ining all the horrors that could fundamentally most people are befall their predecent people just cious offspring going about their in the mad, bad daily lives,” I said People from older world. to Freddy. “Train People from journeys used to be generations can’t older generations a great place to meet quite make out can’t quite make people and chat to what all the fuss out what all the fellow travellers. fuss is about.

So don’t be afraid if is about. They They remember someone wants to remember being being sent on ertalk to you. rands at the age “That said, you sent on errands at of seven or eight, don’t have to tell the age of seven to the butcher or anyone anything, the pharmacist and if you’re think or the corner they’re being weird shop. City kids used to play in the or unnaturally curious, just streets after school with minimal excuse yourself politely. If you’re supervision. feeling alarmed you can always One could say that “there tell one of the train employees. was less danger then,” but I OK?” don’t think it’s true. Just look “OK,” he said, looking nonat historical child abuses in the plussed. church, the media and youth “Trust your instincts. You’ll sports programmes. It’s a stark know if something’s weird. Like, reminder that the evil side of if someone told you to follow human nature is what it is and them into the toilets or somehas been through the centuries. thing.”

If anything, there is less danger “Mum,” said Freddy in an “oh now, with increased awareness please” tone of voice. and better child protection.

“And have an adventure!” I I, for one, am a great believer said cheerfully. And waved to the in letting kids exercise independtrain’s retreating shape. Oh God ence and get a few life experioh God oh God, please protect ences under their belts. I think this precious cargo….

I

Gillian Molesworth is a journalist and mum-of-two who grew up in the USA and moved to north Cornwall when she met her husband.

BLAZING

in red

Theresa May opted for a stylish two-piece red suit by British designer Amanda Wakeley for her first visit to the White House, which perfectly matched the President’s crimson tie. The bold outfit, rom Wakeley’s Cruise 2014 collection, seems to be a firm favourite of May’s as she’s worn it on several previous occasions, including to the Conservative party conference in 2015.

Red blazer £38 Very

steal her

style

OR MAKE IT YOUR OWN

OPTION A Scarlet Red suit jacket £40 Dorothy Perkins

OPTION B Smart

Double breasted jacket £49 Topshop

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25.02.17

JEN IS DOING GOOD...

Jennifer Saunders – who lives near Chagford on Dartmoor – is supporting this year’s Red Nose Day, as are many celebrities across the country. Jen has even threatened that her onscreen Absolutely Fabulous character Edina will “get sponsored lip fillers” for the good cause.

But she has also found time to support a much smaller charity, based here in the Westcountry.

CHICKS provides healthy and fun farm holidays for deprived children. Jennifer retweeted the CHICKS team just recently, saying: “We are proud to support young carers by giving them a week of respite, where they can

Just

between us Gossip, news, trend setters and more – you heard all the latest juicy stuff here first!

!

have fun and relax!” You can find out more about this Tavistock-based charity at www.chicks.org.uk

DOES OLLY NEED

[[ ‘Now I’m free to sing what - and where - I want!’

JOSS: HOME AND AWAY Joss Stone still has her home base near Uffculme in rural Devon but she is off around the world a lot at the moment. It is all part of her bid to play a gig in every country of the world. Just lately she’s been duetting with musicians in Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and Armenia.

She says she is revelling in her freedom now she is no longer signed to a major record label: “EMI would never have let me do this!”.

But Joss also found time to sing her beautiful song Stuck on You in

Exeter on a trip back to her home base. She performed live on the outdoor terrace at Samuel Jones Smoke House, the St Austell Brewery pub on Exeter’s Quay, alongside Devon-based musicians Sculpture Music. “The idea is I’m trying my best to visit every country in the world. I really love playing with musicians and collaborating,” says Joss. “No one person is the same.

Art is never boring.” Check out her Exeter performance on Balcony TV (www.balconytv.com).

A NEW HAT? Olly Murs has a busy summer ahead of him, including a trip to Devon to play at Powderham Castle this July.

He is also rumoured to be the new host of an old TV favourite, Blind Date. Channel 5 is reviving the classic dating show, in which contestants picked a stranger to go on holiday with, originally presented by the legendary Cilla Black.

Blind Date was a huge hit for ITV in the 1980s and 1990s, bringing in audiences of up to 18 million on Saturday nights.

Cilla often had to break up arguments when couples returned to the studio the following week to let viewers know how the holidays had gone. But it did result in three marriages. So - will Olly be wearing his wedding hat before too long?

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Stunning: Dave Peake captured a beautiful sunset off Rame Head near Plymouth

Well done: It was passing out time for the 225 Troop of Royal Marines based in Lympstone, Devon

in pictures Brrr! It snowed on Dartmoor

Bravery: The Penlee Lifeboat went out for a bad weather training session 10

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talking points A HISTORY

of the

WEST in

100

objects 33: TIN INGOT Made of Cornish tin, dated 1705

The best way to:

SEE WESTCOUNTRY DAFFODILS The delightful daffodil is our region’s quintessential spring flower. Now’s the time to spot some of the South West’s finest specimens Dunsford nature reserve, Devon: Beautiful at any time of year, Dunsford is famous for its wild daffodils in early spring, and there is a fantastic two-mile walk along the River Teign where the banks are covered with golden flowers. Lighter in colour and more delicate than garden-variety daffodils, these wild flowers have spread naturally, making each year’s display more impressive than the last. www. wildlifetrusts.org/reserves/dunsford

The Isles of Scilly: The Isles of Scilly have a long history of growing daffodils for commercial purposes. In fact, it’s impossible to walk around much of Scilly without seeing one of several different varieties that are grown on the islands, having seeded outside the confines of the flower farms. www.ioswildlifetrust.org.uk

Spring gardens at Cotehele, Cornwall: The delicate flowers of Narcissus ‘Elegance’ are just one of many varieties of daffodil that can be found flowering at Cotehele during the spring months. You’ll also get the chance to discover more about the history of daffodil growing while looking out for varieties that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. www. nationaltrust.org.uk/cotehele

Hartland Abbey, Devon: This beautiful and historic property - still the home of the Stucley family - near Bideford has a Daffodil and Spring Flower Day on Sunday March 12. Adults £6, children £1, www.hartlandabbey. com

Julien Parsons is the Senior Collections Officer, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter.

He says: The tin ore cassiterite is found in Cornwall and west Devon in veins between granite rocks and in riverbeds and streams.

This precious resource was first exploited 4,000 years ago, when tin was needed to make bronze.

Surface mining continued until the Industrial Revolution when the extraction and processing of tin was transformed.

Open-cast mining by gunpowder began in the 17th century and around 1700 smelting houses opened to reduce large quantities of ore to pure tin. The early 18th century witnessed the first experiments with steam engines to pump water from mine shafts and by the 19th century Cornish mining knowhow provided most of the world’s tin.

This intriguing ingot dates to the start of those momentous changes but seems strangely rooted in religious conflicts of the past. “This token I thee send because thou art my frend” reads like a lover’s motto, but above the heart is a crown and

the initials ‘I’ and ‘S’ for James Stuart: the exiled son of James II, the last Catholic king of England.

Many Cornish gentry were sympathetic to the Roman Catholic Church and the Jacobite cause, and this ingot is a cryptic way of showing support. By the time it was cast, Britain was on the cusp of the Georgian era and Cornwall was set to become the mining capital of the world.

#33

On display in the Main Gallery, Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro.

Competition winner: Congratulations to Mrs Anthea Sandercock of Lifton, Devon, who wins an organic wool double duvet worth £135 from Naturalmat of Topsham (www.naturalmat.co.uk)

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People

[

CATHIE HARTIGAN

[

An author’s journey Exeter novellist Cathie Hartigan explains how a day at the museum proved very inspirational

very day, I count myself fortunate to live in this part of the world. I have lived in Devon both by the sea and on the edge of Dartmoor and now I’m in the middle of Exeter. For an author, I can safely say, inspiration lies around every corner.

My debut novel, Secret of the Song, tells two stories, intertwining the past and present. Lisa, the heroine of the contemporary story, lives in Exeter. Although I have imagined the little music shop where she works, readers will recognise the streets, riverside and many of the city’s landmarks.

The plot revolves around a piece of sheet music that is found in Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM). How could I resist including a scene in the building’s distinctive pink foyer? It’s a favourite place

E

of mine. Years ago, I was involved in an arts project that culminated in a concert in the museum’s art gallery. Singing Their Praises celebrated local birdlife in poetry and song, including the famous peregrine who lived on St Michael’s Church in the city.

Exeter was both a mine of information and inspiration during the writing of Secret of the Song. Sadly, an important scene has become particularly poignant since the novel’s publication. Every day when I walk across Cathedral Yard to the place where I write, at the Devon and Exeter Institution, I feel sorry about The Royal Clarence Hotel’s devastation in last year’s fire.

Some of the buildings destroyed were as old as those in the historical thread of my novel, which is set in sixteenth century Naples.

The unexpected is always close by, and poor Sylvia,

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photography: kilian hall

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People

my Italian heroine, has no idea that her ambition to work for a wealthy princess in a castle would be such a dangerous occupation. Her mother warns her that being too good a needlewoman will get her noticed, and that’s a very bad idea.

Does Sylvia listen? Of course not!

Years ago, when I was a girl, I first came to the Westcountry on a family holiday to Teignmouth. The excitement and thrill of seeing the beautiful coastline for the first time is still clear in my mind. I was used to a London suburb and an occasional trip to the south coast, so the sight of the red cliffs and their weirdly eroded curves came as a surprise. Devon lanes and the views glimpsed through gates, the wild grandeur of the moors: everywhere had its wonders. I knew I wanted to come back.

In those days there was no such thing as creative writing, it was all literature and the assumption that only other, special people wrote books.

So it was my other love, music, which I studied at Dartington College of Arts in Devon.

The journey from music teacher to writer was really only as far as one keyboard to another.

And slowly, a hobby was becoming a passion. In 2005 my mother suggested entering the Woman and Home short story competition, and I was lucky enough to be a finalist. This gave me huge confidence. Next, I enrolled on an Open College of Arts correspondence course. I was like a child at Christmas. Not only could I do all the assignments, I absolutely loved it!

I’ve always thought that, although you can’t make luck happen, it’s worth keeping an eye out for it passing by. To me, teaching creative writing at Exeter College felt like a lucky break, even though it was only one class a week. Gradually this increased as I taught poetry and fiction during the day as well as evening. It’s a privilege to hear other people’s stories, and there proved to be a great deal of writing talent here.

I began writing a novel and joined a group called Exeter Writers. It was there that I first came into contact with professional writers who had sound knowledge of the publishing industry.

The hard truth is contained in the word industry. Publishing is one thing; the industry is about money. Will your novel sell? A book costs a significant amount of money to produce, so was I a good investment?

One interview I had with a commissioning editor put my novel Secret of the Song in perspective. She began by telling me how much she loved my writing – that’s always good to hear, but usually prelude to bad news. Sure enough, she

couldn’t see how to sell a novel that was about not just a niche subject, classical music, but set in Exeter, a minor city (humph!), and Renaissance Naples. Fortunately, these are bright days for independent authors. Whatever you think of Amazon, the Kindle (plus their paperback publishing arm, Createspace) enabled me to publish my novel myself. But would it sink or swim? I’d have to wait and see.

Had Secret of the Song been my first publication I think it may well have sunk, but an Exeter Writers friend, Margaret James and I had already published a textbook: The Creative Writing Student’s Handbook. Margaret is the author of 17 novels and had been teaching fiction writing for the London School of Journalism for years.

We’re delighted that our handbook is regularly awarded Amazon bestseller status, internationally and here in the UK. An energetic social media presence on the web is essential for any writer these days. By 2015 I was running my own business, Creative Writing Matters with Margaret and another Exeter Writer and successful author, Sophie Duffy. Our

‘Although you can’t make luck happen, keep an

eye out for it passing by’

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aim was to support other writers both face-toface and online. There is no clear career path for writers but all three of us had furthered our careers through competitions. Now Creative Writing Matters runs four contests, including our flagship competition The Exeter Novel Prize, which I’d like to think has put Exeter firmly on the literary map.

The upshot of all this activity meant that, when my novel was published, I already had a tiny bit of credibility in the writing world. It isn’t writers, however, that a new novel needs, it’s readers, and that’s when I had my biggest stroke of luck. I received an email from Amazon Kindle to say they wanted to promote Secret of the Song. It was receiving lovely reviews and I was happy it was selling at all, considering I’d been told it was a non-starter. Amazon, though, didn’t think so. After a single day promoting my novel, it rose to No 35 overall in the Kindle UK chart and No 1 in its genre. That was a very happy day!

Modern day Exeter will be the setting for my next novel, and the past will be in Italy again, but this time I’m only going back to the Second World War. It was a desperate and difficult time for the Allies in Italy, and there are accounts of courage from surprising quarters that moved me to tears. I hope my novel will do justice to one of those. It’s going to take me quite a while.

Secret of the Song by Cathie Hartigan £8.99 Createspace and £1.99 Amazon Kindle 15

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Interview

a very rare jewel Devon’s Gemma Critchley is making a name as a top jeweller. Gracie Stewart finds out more childhood spent happily beachcombing and exploring rock pools in the West Indies kick-started Gemma Critchley’s love of unique objects. “Northwesterly storms unearth so many precious things there—they might not be solid gold, but I would certainly call them treasures,” she says.

Gemma, 34, launched her company, called Cabinet Jewellery, back in 2008 and made a splash with her fusion of classic and fashion-forward statement pieces. One of her first pieces - a vintage dress collar embellished with freshwater pearls - was snapped up by one of Dame Judi Dench’s friends, who asked for it to be “hand signed as the true original”.

That early vote of confidence was, Gemma says, “a terrific boost” to both her entrepreneurial spirit and her morale. Since then Cheryl Fernandez-Versini has been snapped wearing a pair of Gemma’s earrings, and Gemma’s work has appeared in Elle, Tatler and Vogue.

Although Gemma grew up in the Cayman Islands where her parents lived for nearly 20 years, she is now based in a little village called Brampford Speke, which is about four miles from Exeter in Devon with her husband Richard, and

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PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE HAYWOOD

Gemma’s designs have featured in Tatler, Vogue and Elle magazines

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Gemma designs her jewellery at home in her Devon village

newest addition to the family, Dayna, an American Cocker Spaniel puppy. Previously, Gemma lived in a beautiful little gatehouse that belonged to an old country estate in Somerset. “I really love Devon and Somerset - these counties feel like home to me. I’m pretty sure I will be in this part of the world for the foreseeable future but of course there will be many trips planned to explore new horizons.”

One of Gemma’s trademarks is to use a mix of textiles in her jewellery, such as tassels and fringes. She loves antique textiles, anything that has had a past and is waiting to have a reinvented future. “I’m a true collector. I explore flea markets and reclamation yards in the hope of finding an unusual pattern, interesting shape or unexpected treasure. My jewellery is a natural evolution of my lifelong fascination with collecting,” she explains.

One of the first things Gemma ever designed was a dress for her best friend Lucy. “It was made from vintage linen that I found in a flea market and then I hand-printed an Indian-inspired block

print onto it and added some painstaking embellishment to the piece.

“With the remnants I made a textile-based necklace that had many of the same elements of the dress along with beautiful semi-precious stones and dip dyed silk tassels” she remembers.

And so it was that a fascination with making jewellery began. Gemma studied at both the Bournemouth Institute of Art and Design and the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, specialising in printed textiles and surface pattern design.

“I started my career in styling and trend prediction,” she explains. “I worked on a freelance

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Interview

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Interview

basis designing printed and embellished fabrics.

“Then I fell into a job designing installations for retail spaces both fashion and jewellery based. It was then, while being surrounded by other people’s designs I felt that I wanted to make my own jewellery. And so Cabinet Jewellery then evolved,” Gemma explains.

From the very beginning Gemma decided that she wanted to work and develop a brand on home soil and it was her absolute mission to make it happen. “I take pride in the skilled tradespeople I work with, producing all of my gold and silversmith work in the UK, ensuring quality craftsmanship and execution of the designs which are completely hand made in England from start to finish.” Much of her jewellery is gold-plated silver, which keeps the prices affordable - a ring can cost £54, pendant necklaces £160 and earrings £90.

Gemma designs, sketches and researches her work at home in her small studio, but she sources materials from all over the world. London’s Hatton Garden – the UK’s centre of the dia-

mond trade - is a regular stomping ground, as is the jewellery quarter in Birmingham where she commissions production among the goldsmiths and silversmiths there.

On one of her buying trips to Paris, Gemma stumbled across a beautiful collection of vintage Swarovski jewels in lustrous, metallic shades. So she bought the whole lot and turned them into earrings, some of which were worn by Cheryl Fernandez-Versini to a charity event.

Gemma then met the Swarovski team and they suggested working directly with them on a collection.

She has also been selected as one of 150 designers, from all around the globe, to make a piece of couture jewellery for Swarovski’s world jewellery tour. “Definitely a career highlight!” says Gemma.

As far as her design inspiration goes, Gemma has a fondness for brass pineapples (or anything related to pineapples, for that matter). “I was given a beautiful golden antique pineapple charm by my family after my husband and I got married and I rarely take it off. I also have a hand-carved

‘With the remnants I made a textilebased necklace with beautiful semi-precious stones and dip dyed silk tassels’

white jade necklace that my grandfather gave my mother from one of his many trips to the Middle East, which I treasure”.

Although there are many people who have left lasting impressions on Gemma, particularly throughout the early stages of her career, she credits her husband for helping her succeed. “I met Richard at university and he shares my passion for design. He has undoubtedly influenced my creative process, drive and expectations for Cabinet Jewellery.”

Since its launch, her company has gone from strength to strength. Big hitters in the fashion world such as Paul Smith and Anthropologie, along with John Lewis, stock her work. Gemma also recently won an award from the British Jewellery Association, and, in 2012, she was featured as one of Italian Vogue’s top 150 emerging designers. Cabinet Jewellery made its first television appearance worn by a model in L’Oreal’s Elnett hairspray campaign.

But it was a moment on a trip to London a few years ago that thrilled Gemma the most. “I was on the Underground with a friend when I looked across and saw that the lady next to me was wearing my Cabinet Viper Pendant [which sells for £125].” she recalls. “I was too shy to say anything to her but I could not stop smiling! She must have thought I was mad.” Looking ahead, Gemma would love to have her own shop filled with unusual treasures. Watch this space. www.cabinetjewellery.com

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interiors

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wellbeing

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food

fashion 21

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Element fitted bedroom from ÂŁ2,000 Sharps

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Interiors

Time for a spring clean?

Want to streamline, create calm and save space? Sam Wylie-Harris reveals simple ways to tidy up in style for spring

e’ve all heard the saying “tidy house, tidy mind” and there’s a lot of truth in those words. Maximising your space and ridding yourself from all that clutter can have a far more positive effect on your whole life than you might think.

Not only can hoarding cause us anxiety and stress but freeing your home of unwanted stuff means you can actually display the things you really love, so you’ll be creating a style statement as well as tidying up.

Spring is in the air and there is no better time to give your house a good going-over. But where to start? “Decluttering isn’t about throwing out the old to bring in the new, it’s about stripping it back, leaving only items that you need and that add value to your home,” says Simon Granville, managing director at Store (www.aplaceforeverything.co.uk).

“To avoid feeling daunted, tackle a single drawer, cupboard or shelf at a time. Sort through each item one by one making four piles - keep, sell, charity, bin - but be ruthless. Once you’ve decided what you’re keeping, it’s important to find a home for each item. If you know where everything lives, you’re less likely to ‘re-clutter’ throughout the year.”

Interior designer Amelia Carter (www.ameliacarter.com) agrees: “Consider a plan of attack. I would pick the room that is most vital and needs to be in working order, and begin there. Also, don’t over-estimate what you can achieve in a day. We all start with good intentions and get bored or discouraged, so think of it in smaller

W

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Interiors Henley 5ft media dresser £3,190 www.neptune.com

Somerset kitchen from £273 for a 100cm base unit www.benchmarxkitchens.co.uk

jobs, rather than one big one.”

First impressions count, and your hallway offers a clear vision of what the rest of the house may look like. Storage benches are the perfect way to de-clutter a hall and baskets grouped together in varying sizes can be functional as well as fun. And don’t forget the humble shoe rack - it can take care of wellies, trainers and everyday shoes, and you can always turn one of the shelves into a makeshift wine rack!

The next place to tackle could well be your kitchen.

‘If you’re keen “Even if you have ample storage space in your kitchen, it’s to have space important it’s well organised, for more food so you can really make the items, why not most of it,” says Terry Brown, commercial director at Benchincorporate a marx Kitchens. “You can larder/corner ensure you maximise usable pantry unit into space by choosing different storage solutions that work your scheme?’ best for your needs.

“If you’re keen to have more removable tray) is a modern yet space for food items, why not timeless way to serve cocktails, incorporate a larder/corner pantry unit into canapes or a TV supper, and with a wide table top your scheme, which will ensure that all of the it can double up as a sideboard. available space is used?”

And if you’re not sure where to store those Also, don’t feel you have to be traditional. Once glossy magazines, winter throws and small soft you’ve ditched any chipped crockery, glassware furnishings, a footstool with hidden storage, covand old cutlery, clever ideas - such as a step ladder ered in a favourite fabric, could become a key feaor open shelving units - can be used to display fature (it’ll also come in handy for putting your feet vourite pieces, chinaware, chopping blocks, storup after all this tidying!). age containers and even cooking pans.

By now you may well feel like having a rest.

High on most lists will also be the living Taking time to create a clutter-free boudoir, with room. This is another room that often needs to the focus on a few crucial items - like crisp bed work extra hard, as it’s where we relax, watch linen, a tidy dressing table, fresh flowers and TV, entertain - and display all those precious a radio instead of a TV - will both look and feel family photos, paintings, books and pretty knickrelaxing, and help you get a decent night’s sleep, knacks. too.

Back in vogue, a dresser or cabinet can not An untidy wardrobe, strewn with clothes that only mask a TV screen when not in use (and should have gone to the charity shop years ago, its unsightly cables), but provide extra stormight mean you start the day with unnecessary age space for possessions you can’t bear to part stress as well. But with a little thought, you can with. Another must-have, a butler’s tray (with a make the most of your accessories, while hiding

[[

Mio sideboard and storage from £375 Cuckooland

more mundane items behind closet doors.

Your colour scheme could add a sense of calm, too. “Cool tones of soft greys and neutral lightgrain wood are key bedroom colour palettes this year, says Rachal Hutcheson, design expert at Sharps. “Our new bedroom colour combinations, such as cashmere, stone and satin white, also work with this trend perfectly to create a tranquil space.”

Along with calming those wardrobe woes with fitted units, an ottoman bed with storage means heaps more space to stow things away, without taking up extra floor space in the room.

“There’s nothing more tranquil than a bedroom with a place for everything,” says Willow & Hall founder, Sarah Massouh. “When considering an ottoman bed, it’s important to give some thought to the size that will work best for you, according to your needs and storage expectations.”

And after all this hard work, I’m sure you will sleep better knowing that your whole house is tidy and clutter-free, too!

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GET THE

LOOK

Basket set £173 Amara

Tidy up in style with these ontrend storage ideas Croft collection shoe rack £60 John Lewis

Sally stepadder shelf £310 www. perchandparrow.com

Braydon storage bed with Oxenwood ottoman base currently reduced to £818 Willow & Hall

Set of two storage boxes £20 Cath Kidston

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Ask Gracie...

Want to look your best this week? Our styling expert Gracie Stewart of Exeter can help you fulfil your fashion potential in every possible way. All you have to do is ask...

Bottoms up!

Q Bi stretch jeans £110 Jigsaw

Print scuba dress £55 JD Williams

Do you have any tips for flat-bottomed girls wanting to make their boyish figures look more curvy? FS, Newquay

You may not have Kim Kardashian’s ample curves but you can still give her a run for her money with these tips for gorgeous hips.

1.

Emphasise your hips by highlighting your waist: The smaller your waist looks, the rounder your hips will look by comparison.

So shift dresses and low-rise jeans are your worst enemy because they downplay the difference between the size of your waist and the size of your hips. So go for trousers, skirts and dresses that fit snugly at your natural waist and pair them with cropped or tucked-in tops and cropped jackets.

2.

Look for stretch fabrics: Stretch fabrics, along with proper tailoring, will allow your clothes to hug and lift your hips, rather than squash them down. And if you are looking for a great pair of jeans, consider curvy skinny jeans for a more figure-flattering shape.

3.

Avoid flimsy fabrics: Anything made with sheer fabrics that just hang off your hips is going to make them look flat. Either go for something skintight that hugs your curves top to bottom, or choose an A-line silhouette in a fabric that is sturdy enough to maintain a clean, continuous line from your waist out to the hem without going limp.

A-line skirt £30 Next

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Gracie’s shopping list

Eyes right Clinique Over the past few weeks I’ve Lash Power Q noticed my eyelashes have longstarted falling out. Do you wearing know why this might be? HG, Minemascara head £19 Boots Eyelashes fall out and we lose approximately four eyelashes every single day. But what happens when the shedding is more than that and you’re looking rather bald along the lash line? Don’t freak - there could be a few reasons behind this sudden loss of hair and there are solutions...

Lengthening mascara £16 Neal’s Yard

Allergies: Many mascaras contain chemicals that can cause eyelashes to fall out or spark allergic reacttions such as sore, itchy eyes, or eyes that water more frequently.

This can lead to your eyelashes falling out. To prevent any further shedding, stop using your mascara immediately and give your lashes a break, leaving them bare for a few days to recover. Also, change your mascara regularly and buy ones designed for sensi-

tive eyes.

Rubbing your eyes: It may seem like stating the obvious but if you’re rubbing your eyes often, you’ll be making your lashes fall out more frequently.

Also, dirty hands can cause crosscontamination, causing infections, which will in turn mean your lashes give up the ghost.

DHC Velvet Skin Coat £17 www.escentual.com

Ilia Pure mascara £22 www.contentbeautywellbeing. com

Eyelash curlers: The extra tension of pulling on your eyelash curlers can mean your lashes are more prone to falling out. Also if you don’t clean your lash curlers frequently, product on them builds up, making them sticky and meaning they can pull on your lashes more, removing them.

Older and wiser I’m 64 years old and have always been into fashion but many of today’s trends would look ridiculous on me. Are there any websites or blogs you would recommend for over 60 style advice? JM, Newton Abbot

Q

ACCIDENTAL ICON: Dramatically grey-haired Lyn Slater has lots of spirit and similarly poised sense of style. Her blog, Accidental Icon, is aptly titled: Lyn had a successful career as a university professor before she embarked on her blog, which started as a fun hobby and launched her into sartorial success.

Indie Lee blemish lotion £24.50 www. cultbeauty.co.uk For spot-stricken complexions, this hardworking (yet all-natural) Blemish Lotion sets to work soothing and clarifying skin, thanks to its super-charged cocktail of purifying acids, detoxifying mineral clay and calming camphor.

La dy of St yl e

NOT DEAD YET: The title of Patti Gibbons’s blog, Not Dead Yet, really says it all. She might be a woman in her 60s, but she dresses with flair and enthusiasm. Patti loves power prints and I love the way she wears exactly what she feels like wearing.

LADY OF STYLE: The creative mind behind Lady of Style is a German-based blogger known only as Annette. She’s 54 and aims to inspire mature women the world over not to allow their age to hold them back. And she looks terrific in her pictures.

Perfectly prepare your skin for make-up application with the DHC Velvet Skin Coat, a silky primer that minimises the appearance of fine lines and pores. The transparent silicone gel smoothes beautifully over the skin to promote a flawless complexion, absorbing excess oil and encouraging longlasting wear from your foundation.

P.E Nation The Scoop leggings £115 www.netaporter.com

of Pa tt i G ib bo ns t Not D ea d Ye

Lyn Sla ter of Accid en tal Ico n

From working out to running errands, P.E Nation’s collections are designed with your daily routine in mind. Detailed with striped cuffs, these leggings are made from four-way stretch-jersey and have a paneled, high-rise waist for a contoured, supportive fit.

Got a style or beauty question? Email Gracie Stewart at westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk with the subject Ask Gracie

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Green with envy very year the colour experts at Pantone announces their colour of the year. In 2015 it was Marsala, 2016 had the dual pastel tones of Serenity and Rose Quartz and for 2017 it is Greenery.

Although green is a notoriously difficult colour to wear, it can be done, if you proceed with caution. In most cases, you’ll want to make the green item the accent piece in your outfit and pair it with something slightly more subdued in colour, volume, or texture.

For instance, when wearing a green top such as this jersey top from White Space, team it with a pair of tight-fitting blue jeans. This way, the top really pops, and neither piece clashes with the other.

E

Jersey tee £39.95 White Stuff

Matthew Williamson dress £160 Debenhams

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Fashion Tassel boat shoes £75 Dune

Fur trim parka £80 Very

Curved hem trousers £129 Jigsaw

Kh ak i dres s £1 55 Ho us e of Fras er

Lace dress £65 Debenhams

Ruffle skirt £39 Topshop

Butterfly coat £60 JD Williams

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Wellbeing

the boost

Life just got better. Our wellness guru Charlotte Dear has handpicked the latest health secrets and expert advice to help you be your best self, every day

Eat for sleep One in three of us struggles with insomnia but the majority of us are unaware of just how much how the food we eat before bed can affect our sleeping patterns. But it is not only caffeine we should avoid before hitting the hay. Fatty foods, spicy meals, cheese and alcohol can all keep us awake.

Instead, bananas, almonds, oats, honey and turkey can relax muscles, soothe stomachs and send us into restful sleep.

Drink up!

Cornwall-based clean food enterprise Je Tam has launched a new range of health drinks inspired by a one thousand year old Chinese recipe. Life Kombucha comes in three different flavours, mint, strawberry and mango and mint and is made using fermented green and white tea to produce a fantastic source of natural probiotics to encourage good digestive health. Pick up your bottles of goodness for £2.25 at Helston, Penzance or St Ives farmers’ markets or by contacting Tam at www.jetam.co.uk

SWIM FUN

Swimming like a mermaid is a new fitness trend and at West Buckland School in north Devon you can become a mermaid for a couple of hours. Join mermaid instructor Charlotte Bousted as you strengthen leg and arm muscles. Mer-cise experiences start from £25 per person - including hire of a special mermaid’s tail! To book visit www. mermaidsswimuk.co.uk

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Spa escapes in Cornwall Discover your spiritual side this spring as you step into a haven of peace and tranquillity at The Scarlet Hotel and Spa in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall. Treats include an outdoor clifftop hot tub with sensational views across the Atlantic. Or there is the seaweed copper tub for a skin detox - or there’s the Hammam experience, during which couples can treat each other to a skin smoothing salt scrub. Day escapes start from £75 per person, for more information visit www.scarlethotel.co.uk

Pancake Day Shrove Tuesday is upon us (February 28) but this doesn’t have to mean tossing oput our healthy eating habits.

With just a few tweaks, Pancake Day can be as healthy as it is delicious.

Whip up fluffy coconut pancakes using four eggs, coconut milk, honey, coconut flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Or why not add banana, oats or nuts to your pancakes and top them with stewed apples?

You could also opt for buckwheat flour (which is naturally gluten-free) served with fresh berries and maple syrup.

What’s coming up? Tweet us your wellbeing diary dates

@WMNWest or email westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 31

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Wellbeing

How to get active outdoors If you’re not keen on the gym, there is another way... you really will be spoilt for choice.

Taking a taster session will allow you to work out whether it is paddling a canoe, cycling a trail, or simply walking that you enjoy the most.

Take your time and give everything a go. Finding Outdoor fitness expert Kate Blake the right activity will help to keep you healthy says: The gym may be useful for life. All of this can be enjoyed in beautiful for specific woods, along rivers, or on our training, but wonderful coastal paths. nothing beats Outdoor activities can getting outside be fun on your own, but Lifelong fitness when it comes to staying toned going in a group can offer comes from and trim. the additional benefits of enjoyable, social The variety of picturesque the social circle to keep you settings and challenges it promotivated. Clubs throughout activities in an vides will keep you hooked. the region are packed with environment that This is key - because long-term nice folk who will support makes you want fitness doesn’t come from short your progression. Don’t let sweaty sessions in a room full of weather put you off – the right to go back again strangers. It comes from enjoykit can keep you comfortable. and again able, social activities in an enviSeasonal environments give ronment that makes you want a healthy boost to circulation to go back again and again. and metabolism and a great When first venturing into the Vitamin D shot from summer fresh air, it can be a good idea to join an outdoor sun. Research shows that routine exposure fitness class or trail running group. Meeting to natural environments, open vistas and like-minded people and learning about an area bodies of water provides long term mental and will give you the confidence to step out on your physical health benefits. own. We are so fortunate in the South West to Kate Blake runs outdoor activity centre Tamar have such a range of beautiful outdoor spaces, so Trails near Tavistock www.tamartrails.co.uk My friend wants me to join a gym to get fit, but I’m more of an outdoor girl at heart. Do you have any suggestions for enjoying the great outdoors on our doorstep? GS, Plymouth

Q

[[

Glow outdoors • Find what works for you Whether you are an adrenaline junkie or a gentle rambler, routine outdoor activity offers great health benefits and the opportunity to de-tune from your hectic everyday life.

• Take advice Taster sessions, guided activities and local clubs will help you get the skills to venture as far as you want to go.

• Local activity, worldwide potential An activity that works for you can offer amazing opportunities across the UK and even offer the chance to try it abroad if you want to go further.

• Lead the way, inspire your friends and family An early start outdoors for children - be it walking, cycling, horse-riding or surfing will give them a lifetime of fitness and enjoyment.

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Food

SMALL BITES

Our pick of what’s on in the Westcountry food world right now Vegan delights Hot off the heels of Veganuary, Warrens Bakery has created a brand-new range of vegan pasties (£3.25 each) for pasty lovers across the UK. The all new Vegan Green Thai and Vegan Fiery Mexican pasties are set to become a firm lunchtime favourite, offering an easy and accessible vegan-friendly option on the high street.

Celebrity chefs From March through until September, Manna From Devon cooking school has a series of guest chef classes. These guest days pop up once a month and usually book up pretty quickly. This year’s classes are hosted by Peter Greig of Pipers Farm, Mitch Tonks of Rockfish and The Seahorse, Romy Gill from Romy’s Kitchen and food writer Charlotte Pike - with another two hosts still to be announced. Classes take place at Manna From Devon in Kingswear, south Devon and run from 10am – 4pm, costing £175 per person. www. mannafromdevon.com

Gin lovers rejoice Gin Festivals UK is ensuring you can get the garden party atmosphere with an indoor gin event that celebrates the liquor with hundreds of the world’s finest gins to sample. For those new to the world of gin or looking to try something different from their usual, all guests receive a complimentary Gin Bible, listing the tasting notes of over 100 gins to help attendees decide what to choose from the bar.

This hugely popular Gin Festival is taking place at The Corn Exchange, Exeter on Saturday August 26.

Tickets are on sale now, with daytime or evening slots available to purchase for £10 per person. www. ginfestivalsuk.com

Alfresco feasting If you love the thought of devouring local mussels simmered in sherry, juicy prawns seared with fiery chorizo and smoked haddock fishcakes, you won’t want to miss Watergate Bay’s first beach-side banquet of 2017. Tickets for the tapas evening near Newquay on Friday March 3 are £25 and can be booked online at www.watergatebay.co.uk.

Got some foodie news? Let us know on westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 33

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Meet the highly experienced experts, Martin Docking and Simon Martin

Fear of the dentist?

Worried about your smile?

Revitalise Dental Centre and Same Day Teeth have been developed for people who have a genuine fear or anxiety that prevents them from going to the dentist. Get the same day smile you want with his revolutionary technique that means we can provide a new arch of comfortable, natural-looking teeth – fixed in place using dental implants – in just one day, without your anxiety getting in the way.

Sedation is delivered by our Consultant Anaesthetists and experienced Dentists, with patient safety and comfort our top priority. Relax and let the team take care of everything.

Louise’s Story

Susan’s Story

I love my teeth, I cannot stop smiling and my confidence has now been restored in full.

I now enjoy going out with my family and friends and better still, I laugh!

I’ve had a fear of dentists since my teens.

However, I knew I had a problem and I had to find a sympathetic dentist.

I was the woman who kept in the background, hiding myself away from people. I was the one who talked to others with one hand across my lower face, I always felt embarrassed eating out so would make excuses and not go. I became introverted with very little confidence in myself.

I went for my first consultation with the Same Day Teeth team. I was very nervous but they put me completely at ease. They understood my major fears, and I had all the information for the solutions they could offer me. And to know that I was talking to the people that would make my teeth, as well as fit them, made it very easy to communicate my wishes.

I have gone through all the stages and have ended up with my fabulous implants and teeth fixed in place on the same day!

The Same Day Teeth team have put sunshine into my everyday life. I was always afraid of the dentist because of a few horrendous treatments in my earlier days. This was so different. They are not only completely professional, but gentle, kind and most importantly honest, explaining each treatment before the event.

I cannot thank them enough, they have changed my life.

Tel: 01872 555915 Tel: 01872 555915 Join us on our Discovery Days! Wednesday 8th & Tuesday 21st February

www.revitalisedentalcentre.co.uk

Revitalise Dental Centre, Hurlingburrow Farm, St.Agnes, Cornwall TR5 0PG Martin Docking, GDC No: 115044. Simon Martin, GDC No: 67146

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Ads_Feb25.indd 5

21/02/2017 12:19:59

Cook

Somerset wild mushrooms with crispy poached eggs By the chefs at Yeo Valley, Somerset: ‘We love the produce from the wonderful Bello Wild Food, a very local supplier bringing our chefs produce they find on their foraging trips on the Mendips. This dish seems so right for breakfast, made with our very own Yeo Valley butter!’

Ingredients: 4 slices of sourdough bread 300g wild mushrooms 200g kale or cavolo nero 2 tbsp olive oil Knob of butter 75g wild watercress to finish (if required) For the bread-crumbed poached eggs: 4 eggs 50ml white wine vinegar 100g seasoned flour 2 beaten eggs 100g breadcrumbs Oil for deep frying For the hollandaise sauce: 50g shallots (1-2) 75ml white wine vinegar 2 bay leaves 5g black peppercorns 300g unsalted butter 2 egg yolks

Method:

heat and gradually add the melted butter to the egg mix, whisking vigorously as you do so. Whisk all of the butter into the egg mix and season. Keep warm until serving.

4.

Wash and cook the kale in boiling, salted water for two minutes. Refresh in ice cold water, then squeeze out the moisture and cut up roughly with a knife.

5.

Wash and cut the mushrooms into generous pieces. Place a frying pan on the stove and allow it to get hot, add the olive oil and when very hot add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and, once they start to colour, add the knob of butter.

1.

To make the hollandaise sauce, place the vinegar, shallots, bay leaves and peppercorns into a pan and bring to the boil.

Reduce by three-quarters.

2.

In a separate pan, melt the butter. Place the vinegar reduction into a bowl and add the egg yolks, whisking as you do.

6.

Whisk the egg mix over a pan of simmering water until it has thickened up and looks light and fluffy, remove the bowl from the

7.

3.

Cook for a further minute then add the chopped greenery and tip out on to a tray lined with kitchen paper.

For the eggs, put the vinegar into a large pan with about four litres of water and

bring to the boil. For the perfect poach, crack the egg into a mug and drop into the water for 3-4 minutes until soft but not too soft.

8.

Scoop out the eggs and plunge into ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cold, remove from the ice water, trim if necessary, then place onto kitchen paper to dry.

9.

Pass the poached egg through the seasoned flour then the egg wash and finally the breadcrumbs. These can now be deep-fried at 180C for 30 seconds to get a crispy egg on the outside while still keeping a runny centre.

10. Place the toasted bread slices onto four warm plates, share out the mushrooms and top off with an egg. We often add wild watercress or wood sorrel that has been foraged locally for us here in Yeo Valley.

Yeo Valley make delicious organic dairy products in Blagdon, Somerset. For more recipes see www.yeovalley.co.uk 36

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Drink

Happy h ur with drinks expert April Marks

April says: He’s at it again! Head distiller and founder of Southwestern Distillery, Tarquin Leadbetter has created another exciting limited edition gin under the Tarquin’s label, this time using one of the world’s rarest and most expensive botanicals; Cornish-grown saffron.

It’s thought that saffron was traded in the county in exchange for local tin and copper as early as the 14th century with it fading into obscurity around the end of the 19th century due to soaring prices and the intensity of the farming process. Brian and Margaret Eyers have

revived the saffron industry, growing their saffron on the Roseland Peninsula. So it is quite fitting that Tarquin has included their product in his new gin, as he himself established the first operational gin distillery in Cornwall for over 100 years back in 2013. Saffron gives the gin a deep golden colour, this subject caused quite a media stir in the drinks industry towards the end of last year after The Apprentice episode during which competitors made a gin using food colouring. Opinions were divided regarding the use of colour with the majority agreeing that a touch of colour in gin can give the product a unique quality as long as the colour is achieved

This gin is flavoured

with Cornish saffron and rose petals

Gin tasting in Somerset Join host Jorik Driesen at New Farm Restaurant in Stratton, Somerset for a tasting session of eclectic gins on Friday March 10. You’re advised to book early on 01460 240584.

naturally through the botanicals. There is already a saffron gin on the market produced by French distillers Gabriel Boudier, so Tarquin has set his apart by including a couple of other interesting botanicals such as fragrant rose petals and exotic pistachio nuts. Definitely one to look out for while stocks last.

April Marks is co-founder of Regency Wines Ltd Exeter @regencywinesuk

Gin has a future!

The future of gin has been secured by the UK National Tree Seed Project, which has collected and preserved seeds of juniper plants collated from all over the country. The conservation work has been carried out in response to a deadly fungus known as phytophthora austrocedri which has already caused fatal damage to juniper in Scotland. Now we can sleep safely in our beds knowing the vital juniper berry is protected.

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK The Cornish Crocus A Cornish Gin produced by Southwestern Distillery using Cornish grown saffron (see main feature for details).

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Drink

Darren Norbury

talks beer Beer of the week Devon Rock Craft Lager, Bays Brewery’s entry into the keg lager market, is not very old but has already won gold at the Food & Drink Devon Awards. It’s a continental-style lager with a good malt base, an ideal thirst-quencher. Bays Gold also, appropriately, won a gold.

FUNDRAISING FOR MS Exe Valley Brewery has chosen the Multiple Sclerosis Society as the charity to benefit from its annual beer day this year. The date for your diary is September 16.

Make a date … … or several. Exploring Facebook, I’ve come across A Guide to Beer Festivals in the Westcountry (just do a search in Facebook). It’s a treasure trove of information that does just what it says in the title and which is frequently updated.

eer awards. There’s no shortage of In Devon, Hanlon’s was deservedly named top them, rather like film and TV awards brewer and took the prize for top-rated beer, too at the time of year. Soon there will with Port Stout, again an old classic which has be the Society of Independent Brewremained popular. Gyle 59 took the brewer award ers’ awards in Sheffeld, then, later for Dorset, with Badger Golden Champion named in the summer, the revelation of the Campaign best beer, while in Somerset the Wild Beer Co for Real Ale’s champion beer of Britain. As I’ve was declared best brewer and their Wildebeest said before, no brewer sets out to win an award, best beer. Electric Bear, out of Bath, was named but they’re all pretty chuffed when they receive best new brewer. them out of the blue.

No Westcountry entrants, alas, on Ratebeer’s A lot of these awards rely on top ten list of bet brewers in the mass tastings, with noteworthy world, but it was satisfying, nonejudges packed into a large room, theless, to see a British entry in scoring a succession of small there, the modern and hugely It is the biggest shots of beers. popular Cloudwater Brew Co, beer rating site in But the awards which have from Manchester, best known the world and a caught my eye this month are for its long-established series of decided in a very different way. double IPAs. vital resource for By us, the public, recording our Now, to me, this seems a senanyone wanting beer judging day by day, online. sible overview of where good Ratebeer is the biggest beer brewing is at the moment. I’ve to find out the rating site in the world and it’s always said that if people are flavour profile of a vital resource for anyone who using a beer-lover’s website like a particular beer wants to find out the flavour Ratebeer, or Untappd, they will profile of a particular beer, or be remarkably honest when scorfor brewers to find out how their ing and reviewing beers so the pride and joy is faring in the brewer is getting excellent feedeyes of the most important judges of all, the folk back from people who really matter. This will who shell out their hard-earned. never replace the big on-the-day judging sessions The site has revealed its beers of the year for by experts, but it’s a proper 21st century indica2016, and I’m pleased to say there are some Westtion of where beer quality is. country faces smiling. Down in my neck of the So, when you see me in the bar, smartphone woods, in Cornwall, Harbour has been named in hand, looking quizzically at the pint in my brewer of the year, with Verdant the best new other hand, I’m not being deliberately antisocial, brewer and St Austell Proper Job beer of the honest: I’m simply adding my voice to this utterly year. The latter is particularly pleasing: to see democratic judging process. this beer still winning big awards so many years after its launch and when there are so many IPAs Darren Norbury is editor of beertoday.co.uk to choose from now. @beertoday

B

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Your stars

by Cassandra Nye Happy birthday to...

This week’s sign:

Corinne Bailey Rae

Pisces people are selfless, they are always willing to help others, without hoping - or needing - to get anything back. Pisces is a Water sign and, as such, this zodiac sign is characterized by empathy and expressed emotional capacity. Their ruling planet is Neptune, which means Pisces are more intuitive than others and often have lots of artistic talent.

Born February 26, 1980 Singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae will be 37 tomorrow. Yorkshire-born Corinne had huge success with her first album 11 years ago including the hit song Put Your Records On. Her marriage to fellow musician Jason Rae ended tragically with his death in 2008 from a drug overdose. She has since remarried, to music producer Steve Brown and released a new album The Heart Speaks in Whispers last year.

As a Pisces, Corinne is a creative soul and has undeniable musical talent.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Celebrations this week bring together a few people with whom you may have lost touch. Remember that you can never have too many good friends. Don’t leave it so long before you contact them again. New activities that get the creative juices flowing will be as successful as you are willing to make them. With energy high, it is time to get your love and home life sizzling.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) A little bit of drifting this week may seem to waste time but, as ever, there is a good reason for your mood. There is a chance here to think about where you are going and by which route. Feeling the need for some kind of emotional map? The answer is close at hand in the form of an older relative or friend.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) A bit of inner turmoil quickly turns to optimism by midweek. When you stop seeing molehills as mountains everything falls back into place. Tomorrow cannot entirely be left to look after itself but, also, there is no great rush. The luxury of time to think is yours, so use it wisely. Someone who you feel cannot give you any advice could really surprise you.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) A breakthrough in a longstanding puzzle comes from an unexpected source. Be inspired by what others have done before.

Even so, you do not have to work alone to reach your goal. Joy in success can be equally exciting to share as the everyday problems you encounter.

Unusual thoughts are not necessarily to be ignored.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) Surprise others with a direct and dynamic approach. These are not quite shock tactics, but pretty close. Those who might take your reactions for granted need to wake up and take notice. You will now achieve

your goal by first being blunt and then switching to charming and understanding.

LEO (July 23 - August 23) The search for quiet time this week could be thwarted by discontented colleagues.

While standing up for your ideas, also realise when there is a need to back away. Say your piece and give someone time to think about it.

Am I saying that nagging will get you nowhere? I certainly am. Being apparently understanding to someone you are on edge with can really confuse and befuddle them.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Feeling in a stubborn mood? Be flexible and realise when you are wasting your time. Real satisfaction this week comes from the home front where even your small efforts are appreciated. There are certainly some awkward folks about. Could you possibly be seen as one of them?

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Cutting out the people in your life who do not add to it was never going to be easy.

Even so, as you see it working, your stress levels decrease. Don’t rush to replace them. Give time and thought to taking in new places and new interests. Is this the time to bring to life something you wanted to do in the past?

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Fire up your ambitions and get going on something entirely new. Getting others

to come to you for solutions is a good start. Build their confidence by doing your homework and being impressive. Seeing yourself as a power to be reckoned with brings back the old feeling that you used to have that anything is possible.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) What are the answers to all of your questions? Why are you here doing what you are doing? The world is a baffling place if you take it all too seriously. Are you here in order to help others? Well, that is a great start, don’t you think? Something is calling you in a very spiritual way. Go where you are wanted and can really make a difference.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Who loves you? Does it seem that others are too demanding? Maybe it is because they love to see you doing what you are best at, being involved. Seeking praise is a shortterm fix. What you really have is all around you.

The satisfaction of helping others is firmly tied up with getting things done as part of a team.

This can also have great social benefits.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) There is every reason to be optimistic and yet, on some days this week, you may feel that progress is slow. There is a natural rhythm that we are all a part of. Trying too hard to change that can be frustrating and annoying. Relax. Movement will come. Later.

Giving more attention to the home relieves any feelings of being in a rut.

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culture vulture Our pick of the most interesting and exciting things to see and do right now in the South West

A taste of true Cuban spirit If you’re on the search for a truly spectacular night out, then there is a treat in store for you in Plymouth next month. Cuba’s vibrant flagship contemporary dance company, Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, will present an exciting programme choreographed by some of today’s most sought-after choreographic names at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth.

Offering a stunning blend of Afro Caribbean rhythms, jazzy American modernism and inflections from European ballet this is a show not to be missed. Friday March 3 and Saturday March 4 tickets £10 - £26 www. theatreroyal.com

Willow weaving

Star-studded exhibition From now until Sunday March 5, Scarlet Wines in Lelant, west Cornwall, is hosting a photography exhibition exploring the work of Carinthia West.

The wine bar, deli and café will be showcasing portraits from Carinthia’s globe-trotting career, which has taken her from Washington to London, Los Angeles and finally to Cornwall, where she is now based. Carinthia’s work documents the Swinging Sixties, Hollywood in the 1980s, and a career in entertainment journalism in London in the 1990s and features icons such as David Bowie and Mick Jagger. www.scarlet-wines.co.uk

There are few things more satisfying than making your own beautiful basket that will last for years. On Saturday March 4, professional basketmaker Jane Welsh will be hosting a one-day workshop at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Rosemoor Garden in north Devon, teaching participants how to make a small rounded basket with a handle, suitable for collecting or storing eggs or as a children’s basket. This full-day course is £63 for RHS members and £74 for non-members. www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor

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Next week

NEXT WEEK IN WEST...

Going retro

Baby bliss Family plans for Tavistock’s Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Beauty Discovering the very best photography from all around the South West

Hello sailor See in the spring with nautical style - perfect for days on the Westcountry coast. We present the new season’s stripes.

You’ll find West magazine in every Saturday’s issue of The Western Morning News 41

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21/02/2017 13:08:12

Jeremy Mitchell of St Austell Brewery with Alan and Sally Jones of the Rising Sun Hotel

St Austell Brewery Pub landlords, hotel managers and restaurateurs are recognised for excellence t Austell Brewery has paid tribute to its finest pub landlords, restaurateurs and hotel managers in the South West, rewarding their efforts with a night of celebration at the Great Western Hotel in Newquay.

The annual Tribute Estate Awards were attended by landlords and landladies from across the brewery’s 178-strong estate of pubs and hotels in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, with publicans further afield from the recently acquired Bath Ales estate welcomed for the first time.

A total of 16 awards were contested, celebrating excellence in categories like food and drink, accommodation, customer service, training and innovation. The evening culminated with the awards for managers and tenants of the tear, plus the Director’s Award, a special accolade given to an individual or business which has made an exemplary contribution to the South West pub industry.

Those attending the lively annual awards

S

ceremony, now in its 17th year, were entertained Customer Service Pub of the Year

by BBC Radio Cornwall broadcaster Laurence (tenanted) was awarded to The Victoria Inn at Reed, who also gave out the Threemilestone, with Customer awards on the night. The Service Pub of the Year (managed) cream of which saw Nic and being scooped by the Lifeboat Inn Ruth Avery of the Harbour at St Ives.

'The awards Inn, Porthleven crowned 2016 The Waterfront at Plymouth evening is a fanPub Managers of the Year and successfully picked up the Wine Robert and Natalie Liddicoat House of the Year Award while, tastic opportuniof the Lanivet Inn awarded in a new category introduced this ty for everyone 2016 Tenants of the Year. year to underline the Brewery’s to get together The Old Custom House commitment to nurturing young in Padstow scooped the local talent, Darren Dunstan, 17, of and celebrate St prestigious Beer Champion The Victoria Inn, Threemilestone Austell Brewery of the Year award, while in was awarded 2016 Apprentice of estate' an extremely high-calibre the Year. and hotly-contested category, Celebrating the exceptional the Hope & Anchor Inn at quality and stunning locations of Hope Cove and the Port Gaverne Hotel, recently the brewery’s hotels across the South West, the listed in the UK Top 50 Gastropub list, won Best Accommodation House of the Year (managed) Food Pub of the Year, managed and tenanted was awarded to The Atlantic Hotel on The Isles respectively. of Scilly, while the award’s tenanted counterpart

[[

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Enjoy PROMOTION

The Port Gaverne Hotel

was won by The Western Hotel in St Ives.

Rewarding the efforts of those who made the most difference to their venues across 2016, the Best Turnaround Pub (managed) was awarded to The Shipwrights in Padstow, with the tenanted award presented to the picturesque Turnpike Inn near Hayle.

Rounding off the evening’s awards, the Innovation prize was presented to The Rising Sun at St Mawes while Lee Allen and Rachel Williams of The Crown Hotel, Lynton, were welcomed as the 2016 New Tenants of the Year.

Finally, presenting the director’s special award to Nick Hayman, long-serving manager of The Central Inn in Newquay, St Austell Brewery's CEO James Staughton praised Nick’s passion and dedication, keeping the venue at such a consistently high standard throughout his 17 years of loyal service to St Austell Brewery.

Speaking after the ceremony, Adam Luck, St Austell Brewery estate director, said: “The awards evening is a fantastic opportunity for

everyone to get together and celebrate all the hard work that goes on throughout the year across the St Austell Brewery estate. The nominations in every category were of an extremely high standard this year and, as ever, we congratulate the managers, tenants and staff who work so hard to keep up the amazing quality of service we strive to offer our customers.”

Other highlights of the evening saw a cheque for the sum of £10,000 presented to the Friends of Doubletrees Special School by Ian Blunt, brewery sales director and trustee of the company’s charitable trust. A further

£2,000 was raised on the night through a hotly contested game of Rock-n-Roll Bingo, while an unsuspecting Annie Sprague was called onstage to celebrate her 30 years’ service to the Brewery.

Thanks were also offered to the evening’s sponsors, here listed in order of award: Heineken UK, Carlsberg UK, Cornwall Cooling, Chaffins Foods, Etheringtons Meats, Zonal UK, Aston Scott Group, Joseph Perrier UK, WPS Insurance, Cornish Coffee, Coca Cola, Cornwall Catering Equipment, Westcountry Fruit Sales, Thatchers Cider, Diageo GB and SBC Property.

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My Secret Westcountry Rachel Buckley Rachel is Business Development Director at The Family Law Company in Exeter. She is 38 and married to Adam. They live in Tiverton and have one cat, the much loved Lucy.

The Clocktower Cafe, Sidmouth

My favourite: Walk: You can’t beat a walk along the Grand Western Canal from Tiverton. It doesn’t take long – at a brisk walk – until you’re right out in the countryside. It’s so very quiet and peaceful and of course a walk is the perfect excuse to stop off for a cream tea at the Ducks Ditty Café Bar which in is a floating barge.

Beach: Sidmouth Beach is a favourite. I always enjoy walking along the promenade and climbing the steps to The Clocktower Café where you can stop for a giant slice of cake.

After the walk and cake, I enjoy browsing some of the independent shops in the town.

Exeter Quay

Event: I really enjoyed seeing Elton John at Westpoint, even though it poured with rain. It was a real privilege to see such an icon here in Exeter. We stayed a little later for some food and by the time we’d come out, the traffic had died down, so it was a stress-free experience.

Weekend: Millers at the Anchor at Porlock Weir is somewhere extra special to go for a weekend. When you go in, it feels just like you’ve walked into an old stately home. There’s lots of interesting things lying around. It’s right on the harbour, so is in a wonderful position.

Place to eat: I love Rendezvous in Exeter –

Frobishers Juice

even though it’s close to my offices I still go there if Adam and I are in Exeter. They use local produce and the menu changes all the time. I can’t eat high fat food, and the staff will always accommodate me, such as swapping but-

Porlock Weir

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People

Food at Rendezvous restaurant in Exeter

Ducks Ditty cafe, Tiverton

Royal Castle Hotel, Dartmouth tery mash for crushed new potatoes.

View: Exeter again! I love the view around Exeter Quay. When I did the Exeter Legal Walk (a 10k sponsored walk) for the first time I was amazed at how quiet and peaceful it was, in the city but so tranquil with the river and the water birds.

Icon: I think Exeter Chiefs coach Rob Baxter has done a huge amount for the area. Adam and I both support the Chiefs, we go to as many home games as we can and watch the away games on TV. Rob has brought real passion for the sport into Exeter and the surrounding region.

Drink: I don’t drink, so for me it has to be something soft. I’m very fond of Frobishers,

they have some fantastic flavours - my particular favourite is bumbleberry, a mixture of summer berries. You can taste the summer even in the middle of winter.

Pub: It’s the Royal Castle Hotel in Dartmouth for me, for sea views, sunshine and food. Upstairs there’s a bay window that looks right out across the harbour.

Secret place: It’s not entirely secret, but if we want to escape, Adam and I often end up in Dartmouth, especially on bank holidays.

Special treat: A shopping trip to John Lewis in Exeter. I love walking into the ground floor with its perfumes, soaps and lotions, all so prettily packaged. It’s so sparkly and a real treat to go there for a browse.

John Lewis in Exeter 45

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my life

[

[

man and boy

Show me the money

now that James is seven, dad Phil Goodwin is feeling the pinch... o when, exactly, is the correct moment to start dishing out pocket money to kids these days?

And more to the point, how much?

To be honest, I splash so much cash indulging this lad’s fancies, not to mention his needs – I know, he didn’t ask to be born – that I had never so much as entertained the idea that he might also need his own spending money. After a slew of punishing direct debits have cruelly siphoned off all possibilities of adult fun from my meagre bank account, I barely have walking-around dough myself.

Plus, the kid doesn’t even go out on his own so I hardly see why he needs his own personal - what is the word for a regular income without the inconvenience of toil? Of course, his own allowance.

Master Goodwin turned seven last week.

I can hardly believe the sticky bundle of noise delivered into my arms in 2010 – at the same Cornish baby unit our now forgotten Mr Cameron was blessed with young Florence Rose Endellion just months later. I wonder how much big Dave shells out.

Having endured sleeplessness and terrible tantrums, we now enter the backchatting, sarcastic phase, communicated through open-mouthed Gordon Brown-style jaw-drops in disbelief at my inability to latch onto the bleeding obvious. Now I learn I am supposed to pay for the pleasure of this. “You’re not on, mate,” I told him, straight.

“But [child’s name redacted] gets £20 a week from [parent name re-

S

dacted],” he pipes up in protest. “She’s got £100 saved up.” This left me catching flies. It had to be a joke. By chance, this amazing sum of £80 a month matches the figure I receive from the

[

‘But [child’s name redacted] gets £20 a week from [parent’s name redacted], she’s saved £100’

[

state, by way of Child Benefit.

And, as I mull this over, I remember that there is a family precedent for this: after I left school at 16, my dear old mum offered to hand over to me all the financial benefits a single parent enjoyed. But in return I had to chuck in my hopeless Youth Opportunity Project (YOP) scheme job, which paid a measly £25 a week, and study at technical college.

It was smart move on her part. She lost the £25 if I did the YOP scheme, so it cost her nothing, got me out of a dead end job and meant she was able to take a photograph of me in a mortar board and gown, clutching my degree six years later. Thanks, Mum. Technically, this was pocket money, though in reality it was a simple case of sensible financial management. But importantly, it had an obligation attached: I had to go to college five days a week and work.

My son is undoubtedly talented but also lazy. He prefers playing Lego to reading, messing about to maths, and so on. Perhaps I ought to use the family allowance in a more creative way, create a sense of purpose and attach it to a goal?

I want him to study Spanish and my wife desperately wants him to learn the piano. I intend to put the proposition to him, see how he reacts. To paraphrase US president JFK: Ask not what you can do with your pocket money but what you can do to get your pocket money. I realise it is a bribe but who cares, if it works? He might even thank me one day.

NEXT WEEK: Chris McGuire on starting a new life - with a new baby - in the Westcountry 46

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