INSPIRING THE FUTURE

Elsewhere in cricket, an important pioneering new initiative has been launched in the city, aiming to provide more opportunities for young Black cricketers. Jeremy Blackmore hears from the African-Caribbean Engagement Programme’sdevelopment officer, Theo Gordon

The African-Caribbean Engagement Programme’s development officer, Theo Gordon

Young people in Bristol are being given the chance to become professional cricketers thanks to a new partnership between the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and the African-Caribbean Engagement Programme (ACE) –an independent charity set up to increase opportunities for young Black cricketers.

The ACE programme –which is the brainchild of Ebony RainfordBrent, the first Black cricketer to play for England, and a highly respected coach and commentator –has expanded to Bristol, its third city, after securing £100,000 in funding from Royal London. It was first launched by Surrey County Cricket Club in January 2020 in response to a 75% decline in cricket participation by members of the Black community. It later launched in Birmingham before coming to Bristol last autumn, where it is overseen by the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation.

The foundation has appointed Theo Gordon as Development Officer, who is overseeing the delivery of the ACE initiative across the Bristol area. Under Theo’s lead, supported by the foundation and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, around 30 schools across the city will be a part of ACE’s grassroots cricket programmes in each academic year. At least 400 young Black cricketers will benefit from development and performance opportunities.

The ACE programme primarily wants to target those who have not aspired to play the game for reasons such as a lack of representation as Theo says the game has not always been accessible to everyone in Bristol. “A lot of the kids within the county age groups or who represent first class counties are private school tutored. A lot of African Caribbean kids are not private school tutored so that is where ACE comes in. The programme is trying to break down the barrier by reaching out to the community, showing them that it can be fun and exciting and give them an opportunity to be a part of a great sport.

“I'm hoping to inspire a lot of African Caribbean boys and girls. I want to show them that there is a space for us in this sport.”

Theo started playing cricket from a young age, joining The Police Officers Club in Jamaica at just 15, before later playing senior matches for Kingston CC. He has been a Gloucestershire Performance coach since 2015, using his skills to coach a variety of age groups while undertaking the role of head coach and youth co-ordinator from 2016-18 at Bristol West Indian Phoenix CC. He was Gloucestershire Cricket Board young coach of the year in 2016 and is still actively involved as a player for Golden Hill Cricket Club in Henleaze.

Through offering high-quality coaching sessions, the ACE programme aims to give talented young people genuine opportunities to access pathways into professional cricket. Theo has already run several free coaching sessions in local schools and says feedback from parents and guardians has been hugely positive.

“They’ve said I’ve really inspired their kids to stay and get more involved in cricket –ACE has reignited their passion for the sport. All the coaches are the same colour. We're all a part of the same background, we get them, they get us, and the environment we create is so good.”

During half-term last October, as part of Black History Month, ACE held a two-day free holiday camp at May Park Primary School in Eastville for children in school years four to seven. More than 120 youngsters attended, with 90% from African Caribbean backgrounds.

“The reaction’s been great,” says Theo. “The kids are quite happy; everybody asks about ACE and what we do. It comes back to education, understanding and knowing that if you just give them the time of day, you realise a lot of them are interested in cricket. It’s just that no-one has ever tried to teach and explain what the sport is.”

ACE set out to establish two community hubs in two years but met that target inside six months. The first hub opened at City Academy, in Easton followed by a second at Trinity Academy in Lockleaze. England stars Sophia Dunkley, Katie George, Sarah Glenn, Dom Sibley as well as Sam and Tom Curran, have attended sessions at the two hubs to provide an unforgettable experience to youngsters who aspire to one day become professional cricketers. These special events were made possible through Royal London’s continued support since the launch of the programme.

What’s more, Theo has also launched the ACE scholarship programme, with 23 youngsters aged between 11 and 19 benefiting from the programme. The scholars will receive all the support they would receive if they were in the county set-up. They will also be mentored so they are ready for any opportunity that may arise.

With the better weather and new season ahead, Theo hopes to bring the schools and community hubs together to play some competitive matches. He also hopes to add another two hubs over the next 18 months –watch this space. n • For more information on how to get involved, contact ACE Bristol Development Officer, Theo Gordon, on theo@aceprogramme.com or theron.gordon@gloucestershirecricketfoundation.org

A communal approach

Ade Williams MBE, lead pharmacist at Bedminster Pharmacy and brilliant Bristol ambassador explains the NHS Covid-19 elective care backlog and what we can all do to help

As the UK moves from fighting the coronavirus to living with the coronavirus, expect to hear a lot of talk about recovery –NHS recovery as well as economic recovery. At a guess, the word ‘backlog’ will also feature a lot, seeing as the government has recently launched a plan to tackle the NHS Covid-19 elective care backlog. Before we continue, let’s start with some definitions. Elective care –this involves specialist medical care, including investigations or planned surgery, generally following a GP or community health professional referral. This time, we are not talking about delayed ambulance handovers and waits in A&E.

The plan has set out a number of ambitions, stating: waits of longer than a year will end by March 2025; 95% of patients needing a

Ade Williams’ portrait as taken by acclaimed photographer Rankin diagnostic test will receive it within six weeks by March 2025; and by March 2024, 75% of urgent cancer referrals will receive a diagnosis, or have the disease ruled out, within 28 days.

For many, these dates will sound alarming. Private medical cover is not only seeming to be more convenient, but necessary. So, how bad is the elective care backlog? The British Medical Association has done some helpful work analysing and explaining the data. The backlog, which was caused by disruptions to NHS services during the pandemic, consists of: patients on a waiting list for treatment who would ordinarily have been seen by now; patients who have had procedures cancelled; patients who have had referrals delayed, cancelled or refused due to a lack of capacity; and patients who have not yet seen their GP due to concerns of becoming infected by Covid or burdening the health service. Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has said an estimated 10 million people stayed away from the NHS in England during the pandemic. There were nearly 50,000 fewer cancer diagnoses across the UK between March 2020 and November 2021 –34,000 in England alone –and concerns about these figures are growing. Before the pandemic, there were already 4.43 million people on a waiting list. That number now stands at around 5.7 million people –the highest number since records began in 2007. The narrative is sobering.

A lot of money, including some new taxes, will be invested in tackling the backlog problem, but what can we do to help make a difference? Firstly, the most important thing is that if you have any worrying symptoms or symptoms that have progressed, worsened or remain unresolved, it is vitally important you speak with your GP or community pharmacy. MacMillian cancer support research shows that the number of women diagnosed with more advanced breast cancer has increased by 48%.

Secondly, a key challenge for our health system, pre-dating even the pandemic, has been capacity –we do not have enough hospital beds, diagnostic machines or health care professionals for the number of people needing our care. Commitments to buy more machines and create new community diagnostic hubs may help, but recruiting and retaining the NHS professionals required is essential. Although many have delayed or returned from retirement to support the NHS, many others have felt demoralised and underappreciated. They need your support and encouragement, please don't push them away with your frustrations.

Another way to help with the ‘capacity challenge’ is reducing your need for treatment. Adopting lifestyle changes that will boost your health and wellbeing should be welcomed. The recovery plan aims to give patients more agency in managing their health through digital transformation. Even as we engage with this, in Bristol especially, we embrace the ambition to address the backlog in a fairer way that does not worsen health inequalities for those most at risk, or for those who were already less likely to seek care during the pandemic. This is very important. Bristol's social consciousness is rooted in justice and equity, fighting for better care for all, not just ourselves and our loved ones.

Finally, no plans will ever undo the damage that the pandemic has and continues to cause. The ongoing mental health and social care pressures demonstrate that our society must embrace a kinder and more communal approach to life. Thankfully, this attitude can be adopted today. ■ • Follow Ade on Twitter: @adewilliamsnhs; and keep up to date with Bedminster Pharmacy: @bedminsterpharm

Getting you back to your winning ways

Nuffield Health’s fitness and wellbeing gym in Stoke Gifford can support your recovery following hospital treatment

If you have a sports-related injury, Nuffield Health can oversee your complete recovery, from treatment through rehabilitation

In recent years, more and more people of all ages have come to realise that the key to a long and healthy life is, quite simply, exercise. While this can offer considerable benefits to our health, for some there may be a price to pay; an injury related to their chosen sporting activity.

There are two kinds of sports injuries: acute and chronic. Acute injuries occur suddenly when playing or exercising. Sprained ankles, twisted knees, and various fractures are acute injuries. Chronic injuries tend to happen after you exercise over a longer period of time, and include most painful tendon conditions, but also stress fractures.

What’s so special about sports injuries?

While there are injuries that are very specific to certain sports, in general there is nothing particularly special about sports injuries compared to those that occur outside the sporting environment. In the vast majority of cases, the damage that occurs is exactly the same, and quite often the treatment will also be the same. There may be circumstances where treatment would be different in high level athletes, but your consultant at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital will apply the same principles when considering what type of treatment would be most appropriate.

Is there anything people can do to prevent sports injuries?

•Choose a sport that is right for you. Be realistic about your body shape, your strength, and how flexible you are.

•Always warm up before you play any sport.

•Learn how to do your sport the correct way, get some lessons, especially in the more technically challenging sports, such as swimming and tennis. your sport. For example, the wrong racket can contribute to you developing tennis elbow. Inappropriate shoes can contribute to painful conditions such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and other overuse tendon problems.

If you are participating in sports that involve a lot of landing from a jump or a lot of pivoting movements, like netball and hockey, it may be worthwhile seeing a physiotherapist who can teach you the correct landing techniques. This will minimise the risk of serious knee injuries, such as patellar dislocations, and anterior cruciate ligament ruptures.

Also, avoid excessive hill running (both up AND down) as this tends to significantly overload the front of the knee.

Know your limits

Build up your exercise tolerance levels gradually. This will not only decrease your chances of getting injured, but also make it much more enjoyable. There is not much joy in exhausting yourself in your first ever session, only to find that you have to take two weeks off to recover.

If you have a medical condition that may interfere with certain sporting activities, talk to your GP, your physiotherapist, or your consultant.

Why choose Nuffield Health?

Nuffield Health is the UK’s largest not-forprofit healthcare provider, and we’re committed to our purpose of building a healthier nation. The consultant team at our Bristol Hospital not only includes a number of orthopaedic surgeons who specialise in the treatment of sports-related injuries, but also two specialist physicians in Sport and Exercise Medicine: Dr Stuart Miller and Dr Guy Evans. A pioneer in the field of sports medicine, Dr Miller has worked with the GB Olympic and Paralympic teams, while Dr Evans is currently the team doctor for Bath Rugby.

Our physiotherapists have an excellent track record in the rehabilitation of upper and lower limb sports injuries, and as well as the hospital, you can also book an appointment to see a physiotherapist at a Nuffield Health fitness and wellbeing gym. Our family of gyms includes two Bristol sites – in Clifton, just a short walk from the hospital, and Stoke Gifford, near Bristol Parkway station. In addition to physiotherapy, our Bristol gyms have personal trainers whose specialist knowledge in strength and conditioning can aid members in overcoming pain and discomfort post-injury, and return to training freely, while Pilates classes with instructors qualified in clinical Pilates are also available.

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital

For more information about the full range of services available at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, including physiotherapy and treatments for sports-related injuries, visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol or call 0117 911 5339 to book an appointment.

Expertopinion

From Chris Yeo, Valuer at Clevedon Salerooms and regular expert on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow

Country House Kitchens – A Lover’s Guide

They say you never get over your first love and, in my case, they were right. My first love was – and remains – the country house kitchen. Even after forty years, the very sight of a black-leaded kitchen range or gleamingly polished copper turbot kettle still has the power to send me giddy with excitement. As with all true loves, the path wasn’t always smooth. For many years, even in so-called enlightened circles, mine was a love that dare not speak its name. Thankfully, things have changed since those dark days and now a great many country house kitchens are open to an admiring public, intellectual snobbery has been cast aside and I can be out and proud.

The look of a country house kitchen is eminently transferrable (in condensed form) to the modern home, and, as countless magazine articles touting the attractions of a “traditional” kitchen will testify, it’s a look many of us hanker after. The Aga might have replaced the range, which most people, understandably, run a mile from due to the hard labour that is required to keep them in good order, but the kitchen’s essential elements like stone floors, whitewashed walls, and scrubbed stout kitchen table (updated as the island unit) remain a potent draw.

What is it about these great cavernous spaces that make them so appealing? For me, it’s the sensory aspect that really fires my imagination. To step into the kitchen of one of the great country houses is to enter a space which is part cathedral, part factory with high ceilings and huge windows, flooding the room with light.

There’s also something deeply satisfying about the utilitarian aspect of these rooms that speaks to the current vogue of all things contemporary, which explains why no less than the late Terence Conran was a fan. The strict minimalists amongst us may recoil at the idea of copper saucepans en masse but look again at the plain walls, the quality of light afforded by those aforementioned windows, the simple, robust scrubbed elm tables and shelves and I think even you’ll see what I mean; there’s an austerity which should seduce the most ardent modernist. Then there’s the equipment, the Batterie de Cuisine of country house legend, probably the most powerful component of the classic image that we all have of a bustling kitchen. We picture the cooks and kitchen maids surrounded by rows of burnished copper pans, pots and kettles – all monogrammed with a coronet and numbered so that each piece could be returned to its correct position after use – and all the other apparatus demanded by Victorian haute cuisine.

I’ve heard it said that once you’ve seen one kitchen, you’ve seen them all. Well, I suppose you could argue that once you’ve seen one Gainsborough you’ve seen them all, but it’s simply not true. Some kitchens the result of a grand plan, others come together over time, with each generation making their mark.

The Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove

Right from the moment the castle morphed into the country house, the kitchen was its very nerve centre. The great landowners of Henry VIII’s reign had vast retinues, sometimes running to several hundred, and the ability to feed them and to provide a high standard of hospitality to guests was a critically important way for a Lord of the Manor to maintain his position in society. But, in order to understand the country house kitchen as we know it, we have to look to the 19th century and the Industrial Revolution. The era of Byron and Jane Austen saw technology advance at break neck speed and the kitchen became a showcase for the technical innovations that were transforming the country: cast-iron, copper, coal, steam power and gas lighting – all found some of their earliest domestic uses in the industrial scale catering demanded by country house living.

Raby Estates, County Durham

This investment in the latest technology had a purpose. Like their medieval forebears, Regency and Victorian aristocracy had a reputation for hospitality to keep up. As transport links via road and railways improved, the country house party, where fashionable society decamped from London for a long weekend to shoot, smooch and eat copious amounts of food, became the benchmark of quality. It was in the country houses of Victorian Britain, not in restaurants or hotels that the finest food was served. And don’t believe the myth about the British not knowing anything about good food until Elizabeth David arrived on the scene. Before World War I and for a hundred years previously, fine British food enjoyed an enviable reputation abroad, even though, admittedly, the chefs that made it were mostly French.

It wasn’t just the emphasis on quality that gave us these incredible rooms. The kitchen was the power house that kept the Victorian country house running and the quantities of food they produced could be prodigious. It wasn’t just the family in the dining room that they had to cater for; there were the children and staff in the nursery as well as older children in the school room. Then there were the servants. Typically a large country house would have to accommodate a live-in staff of 30 to 50. The more junior servants (usually those who wore a livery) ate in the Servants’ Hall, while those of more senior stature – the butler, valet and housekeeper – had their meals in the housekeeper’s room in a style more suited to their status. The kitchen staff ate separately in the kitchen, in the short gaps during their working day. When guests arrived for a house party, they would bring their own valets and ladies’ maids and the numbers would swell. All these meals would need to be served punctually at different times, the planning doesn’t bear thinking about. There’s a very good reason why most kitchens have a very large clock on the wall. The kitchens at Petworth House produced 30,000 meals a year and the equipment, not to mention the staff, had to be equal to the task.

The country house kitchen was – and is – a thing of wonder. I encourage you to seek them out and when you encounter an Edwardian Eagle kitchen range or a beautifully burnished Bain Marie – rejoice! ■ • clevedonsalerooms.com; @chrisyeo_antiques (Instagram)

Northern Daybe Daybed, from £1,525; Dokka Pendant, £249; Mass Side Table, from £499

The sofa transforms to a comfortable bed with its detachable backrest. Winner of a gold medal at the 1954 Milan Triennale, the pendant has recently been relaunched

HAY Quilton sofa, from £3,219

Quilton is available in a variety of modular elements, with further corner sofa and ottoman modules available upon request

Lighting the way

Holloways of Ludlow is a contemporary high-end furniture and lighting retailer. The good news is that it has just opened its first showroom in the south west, just a stone’s throw from Bristol, in the city of Bath. CEO Mark Holloway gives us some background to the company and gets our attention with an alluring selection of products...

Holloways of Ludlow was founded in 1985, built from a passion for products that effortlessly combines design and materials. CEO Mark Holloway took over the family business in 2002 and attributes a childhood steeped in a world of antiques and restoration for honing his appreciation for well-made products and their value, as well as an instinct for understanding fine quality design.

In the early years of Mark’s involvement, there was a focus on lighting with an industrial twist. Furniture was added to the mix in 2015, which Mark explains was a natural addition to the range: “We’re equally as strong in the furniture sector now. As we were opening larger showrooms, we needed to style them so I began looking at furniture brands that would sit well alongside the lighting. In addition, many of the lighting brands that we supply already did furniture, so it was an easy expansion in that regard.”

The company established an early digital presence, having had a website for almost 20 years, and is soon to relaunch its digital offering with an enhanced website, featuring an updated look and improved functionality. There is also, however, a significant emphasis on its showrooms. “We’re continuing to open larger physical spaces, with Bath being the biggest showroom to date. While our digital business is key, interacting with people and design in person is crucial,” says Mark.

“I believe that if you’re making a big purchase like a sofa, you still want to sit in it, you still want to see fabric samples and interact with our team of experts in person. We’re brilliant at sourcing and managing budgets and logistics so that’s another reason we’ve really committed to our stores. Our showrooms are beautifully considered spaces and my well-informed team are able to inform and support our discerning clientele.”

Holloways of Ludlow is approaching the future with an emphasis on the importance of these showroom spaces while continuing to innovate as an online retailer, “We’re trying to get the best practice around all aspects of bricks and mortar as well as online. It’s a good balance. It’s paramount that Holloways of Ludlow continues to be known as the best place for high-end, design-led furniture and design.”

CH24 Wishbone Chair with a black-stained finish exclusive to Holloways of Ludlow, by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son, from £508

Inspired by portraits of Danish merchants sitting in Chinese Ming Dynasty chairs, the Wishbone Chair offers comfort and stability as well as a distinctive aesthetic and beautiful form. The chair features an intricate handwoven paper cord seat and a characteristic Y-shaped frame which combine for durability and comfort. In continuous production since its introduction in 1950, the Wishbone is viewed by many as the perfect chair, expertly capturing the essence of modern Danish design

Heat Metal Mesh Pendant in brass and steel, 30 x 55cm and 60 x 80cm, from £752

Gleaming brass mesh was the starting point for this pendant lamp, which the designer artistically transformed into a glowing cloud of fire. Once the light is turned off, the ‘fire’ disappears, giving the shade a cloudy appearance. Heat was born out of the designer’s experiments with clashing materials, and the inspiration to create a large pendant light characterised by contrasts

HAY Pandarine 3-seater sofa, with oiled oak base by Paris-based Inga Sempé, from £3,599

Pandarine fuses the luxurious comfort of a bed with the versatility of a modular sofa. The armrests come either in a cylindrical form, or with a reclining design that can be adjusted individually in the same way as the metal hinged backrests. This enables Pandarine to transform into a mattress-like surface where the backrests serve as soft pillows

Northern Nest hanger, a container and a coat hook in one, 20 x 14cm, £55

Like birds feathering their nests with tiny twigs, humans wing home with coats, keys and other small items in their pockets. Quick and easy storage helps keep them at hand, which is why Northern Nest provides a container and a coat hook in one. The holder is sized to contain urban essentials such as keys, change, tokens and cards, providing a hideaway where pockets can be emptied of small items that need to be quickly retrieved